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 Expo promotes China's Hainan as global tourism, consumption hub Xinhua) 10:57, April 18, 2026 People visit the pavilion of Canada, guest of honor of the sixth China International Consumer Products Expo (CICPE), in Haikou, south China's Hainan Province, April 16, 2026. (Xinhua/Pu Xiaoxu) HAIKOU, April 17 (Xinhua) -- This week, the tropical city of Haikou, known as the "coconut city" and the capital of China's island province of Hainan, is hosting the sixth China International Consumer Products Expo (CICPE). The annual event underscores Hainan's efforts to become a globally influential hub for tourism and consumption. As a major exhibition held in the first year of China's 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-2030) period, and an important platform for showcasing the Hainan Free Trade Port (FTP) following the launch of island-wide special customs operations in December last year, this year's expo has attracted over 3,400 brands from more than 60 countries and regions. It offers brands greater visibility and an opportunity to secure a foothold in the Chinese market amid shifting consumption patterns in the world's second-largest economy. International exhibits account for 65 percent of the total at the expo, up 20 percentage points from the previous edition, highlighting the expo's growing role in positioning Hainan as a vital gateway linking international brands with the Chinese market and creating valuable growth opportunities for businesses worldwide. The event, which runs from April 13 to 18, has seen exhibitors showcase premium products in the emerging consumption sectors such as smart, healthy, green, IP-driven, and digital consumption. As visitors roam the eight gigantic exhibition halls at the expo, they enjoy a globalized shopping experience and feel up close how new consumption trends and cutting-edge technologies are increasingly changing lives. This year, the total exhibition area hit 143,000 square meters, an increase of 13,000 square meters compared to last year. James Luka, a Sudanese student pursuing international economy and trade studies at the Hainan campus of Beijing Language and Culture University, said he was very impressed by the new products on display, some of which he had never seen before. Inside the Consumer Technology exhibition hall, a range of high-tech consumer products has attracted strong interest, with visitors queuing to experience them first-hand. The exhibits span handy gadgets such as AI glasses and smart pads, as well as larger items including premium massage chairs and sleep machines. Estee Lauder, a multinational cosmetics company, attaches great significance to the Chinese consumption market. Its participation in the expo reflects a positive response to the strong momentum in the duty-free market and the trend towards consumption upgrading, against the backdrop of Hainan's island-wide special customs operations, and demonstrates its long-term confidence in further strengthening its presence in the Hainan market. Matthew Growdon, president of Estee Lauder Companies' Asia-Pacific and Travel Retail Worldwide, said that the expo is an incredibly important event for the company, underlining the company's commitment to Hainan as a critical hub in the global travel retail sector. OSIM, a Singaporean massage chair brand, has debuted at the expo a new flagship product -- a high-end wellness chair. In an interview, Deserine Lim, OSIM general manager of HQ Management and East China, told Xinhua that six years of participation in the expo has been driven by the brand's deep recognition of the expo's strategic value, adding that the special customs operations in the Hainan FTP mark a new phase in Hainan's development, promising greater convenience in trade, investment, and the movement of people, and creating broader development space for international brands. "We view this as a significant strategic opportunity, and will continue to monitor the rollout of relevant policies while actively assessing their positive impacts on logistics, market access, and other areas," she said, adding that the company has full confidence in the future of China, especially the Hainan FTP. Alongside brands that have built a strong presence in the Chinese market through repeated exposure at the expo over the years, there are also new entrants seeking to establish a foothold here. Hainan, and the expo in particular, offer a valuable gateway and strategic platform for access to the Chinese market. "I feel the Chinese market has the potential to be one of the largest markets for us. Our possibilities here are very big," said Gregory Paul Zeschuk, founder of Blind Enthusiasm, a brewing company based in Edmonton, Canada. At his exhibition booth, Zeschuk has been busy introducing the premium product he has brought to the expo -- a spontaneous beer that has a taste almost like champagne or sparkling wine. Zeschuk elaborated on his positive impressions of Hainan, praising its superb infrastructure and the high-quality products on display, particularly the Chinese-made electric vehicles. Bateer, executive vice governor of Hainan, said that the expo, by gathering global consumer resources, is injecting strong momentum into efforts to build Hainan into an international tourism and consumption destination with global influence. Statistics point to the tropical island's growing appeal for both shopping and tourism, boosted further by the island's special customs operations and duty-free shopping policies. According to data from Haikou Customs, in the first quarter of this year, offshore duty-free sales in Hainan amounted to 14.21 billion yuan (about 2 billion U.S. dollars), up 25.7 percent year on year. Hainan has continued to maintain the country's most favorable visa-free policy system, covering policies such as bilateral mutual exemptions, unilateral exemptions, a 30-day visa-free entry for nationals of 59 countries, and a 240-hour transit visa-free policy. To facilitate travel, Hainan is also rapidly expanding its air network, with routes covering key regions such as Northeast Asia, Southeast Asia, Europe, and Oceania. Since its launch in 2021, the CICPE has become an important platform for multinationals to stay abreast of consumer trends in China, with over 3,800 enterprises and more than 12,000 brands from 92 countries and regions participating in the past five editions. (Web editor: Zhao Tong, Wu Chaolan) News / National by Staff reporter Passengers travelling from South Africa to Bulawayo were left stranded following an enforcement operation by the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission and the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority near Makhado.Authorities intercepted several cross-border buses and conducted inspections on goods being transported. Initially, the buses were instructed to return to Beitbridge, before later being redirected to Gwanda for further checks.Passengers were required to disembark while their luggage was searched. In cases where supporting documentation could not be produced, some goods were confiscated.The operation triggered frustration among travellers, many of whom cited the timingcoinciding with Independence Day celebrationsas particularly disruptive. Several passengers reported losing valuable time and money, while others missed important personal commitments, including family gatherings and funerals.Authorities are yet to issue an official statement on the operation, but affected passengers have criticised both its timing and execution, describing the process as poorly coordinated and distressing. News / National by Staff reporter Harare-based businessman Dereck Chikura is facing mounting scrutiny over a US$200,000 claim linked to disputed share options, in what insiders describe as an "unjust enrichment and misrepresentation" dispute involving a Bulawayo mining operation.Court and industry sources indicate that the claim relates to work conducted by Chikura's firm, Deridon Financial Services, which was engaged in 2019 to carry out due diligence on Lonely Mine for Australia-based SIV Asset Management.According to sources familiar with the matter, Deridon received cumulative payments of approximately AUD140,000 between 2019 and 2024, along with a 500,000 share option offer valued at around AUD60,000. The options were reportedly subject to a two-year exercise window that lapsed in December 2022.Despite this, Chikura is now said to be pursuing a US$200,000 claim, raising questions about the basis of the demand given the expiry of the share option period.The dispute is further complicated by allegations that third parties engaged during the due diligence process produced a solicitor's report containing inaccuracies. Among the issues cited is the classification of certain mining claims, including Tiberius 14, which were reportedly attributed to Westwood Industrial instead of Endive Investments.These discrepancies are alleged to have undermined an intended Australian investment and triggered broader concerns around the integrity of the due diligence process.Additional claims suggest that Chikura and associates may have diverted work from established firms such as Grant Thornton, Camelsa, and CLC for personal benefitallegations that, if substantiated, could deepen the controversy.The matter also intersects with earlier legal proceedings. In 2024, Justice Happious Zhou barred Chikura and his associates from interfering in the corporate rescue proceedings of Westwood Industrial, as part of an ongoing mining dispute.Efforts to obtain comment from Chikura were unsuccessful, as he did not respond by the time of publication.With tensions escalating and multiple claims under scrutiny, the case is shaping into a complex legal and financial dispute that could have implications for investor confidence and governance standards in Zimbabwe's mining sector. News / National by Paul Ndou Factional tensions in Chiredzi West have reportedly turned violent after the home of Zanu PF Ward 25D chairman Elias Chinanga was petrolbombed on Thursday.Chinanga has since filed a police report, although he told Bulawayo24 News that he is still waiting to receive his RRB number.Sources familiar with the incident said Chinanga suspects his ward councillor and several associates."There is serious factionalism in our ward. Chinanga's house was petrolbombed after our ward councillor, Richard Mazambani, allegedly threatened to burn him in his sleep at a rally at Mahanyele Primary School on 9 April," one source claimed.Contacted for comment, Chinanga confirmed the attack and said he had submitted a list of suspects to the police."I reported the case at Triangle Police Station and investigations are underway, but I am wondering why they have not given me my RRB number. I provided the names of all the people who allegedly issued threats at the rally last week," he said.Further checks indicated that Chinanga's children were not at home during the incident, as they were visiting their grandmother for the holidays.The individuals Chinanga listed as suspects include Mazambani, Arkmore Themezani, Muzizi, Yvonne Mapfaka, Rumbidzai Chitare and Chibike.Police could neither confirm nor deny the case when contacted. News / National by Staff reporter The governments of Zimbabwe and Namibia have called for the cessation of hostilities in the besieged Gaza Strip as well as Western Sahara.In a statement issued at the Joint Commission of Co-operation meeting held last week in Harare, the respective Foreign Affairs ministers, Simbarashe Mbengegwi of Zimbabwe and Namibia's Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, expresed grave concerns over aerial bombardment of Gaza by the Israeli Air and Naval Forces."Zimbabwe and Namibia call for the immediate cessation of all hostilities and urge all parties to agree to a ceasefire," read the statement.While highlighting the inalienable right of the Palestinian people to self-determination, the two governments reiterated their support for a two-state solution.The two governments also said they supported the liberation of the people of Western Sahara. Mbengegwi told journalists on the sidelines of the commission that the stance taken by the two governments would not be reversed as this would help to map the way forward."Morocco must adhere to the implementation of United Nations resolutions on Western Sahara, as a UN member state, which calls for the self-determination of the Saharawi people," Mbengegwi said.The two ministers also called for the full implementation of the settlement plan, calling on Morocco to allow the holding of a referendum to decide the future of the country.Since July, Israeli Occupation Forces have been responsible for the deaths of over 264 Palestinian civilians, a majority of them women and children in the Gaza Strip.The Palestinian government has appealed to the UN security council for intervention for immediate ceasefire and respect for human life and protection.Meanwhile, the Arabic Network for Human Rights Information (ANHRI), a civic society organisation, has denounced the Moroccan security forces' use of violence during the dispersal of peaceful protest marches calling for the release of political detainees last week."The practices of violence adopted by Moroccan security forces against demonstrators are deemed in violation to the freedom of opinion and expression and the right to peaceful protest," ANHRI said. News / National by Staff reporter POLICE have said they will continue demanding spot fines and impounding vehicles from motorists, a day after High Court judge Justice Francis Bere described the practice as illegal.Justice Bere, officially opening the Masvingo High Court on Monday, said there was no enabling legislation allowing traffic cops to demand spot fines and impound vehicles, before saying the illegal practice should stop.Police, however, said they only took instructions from Police Commissioner-General Augustine Chihuri, vowing to continue collecting spot fines and impounding cars unless he instructed them otherwise."We don't work independently," Bulawayo provincial spokesperson Inspector Mandlenkosi Moyo said."We get instructions from the commissioner-general. We will wait for that instruction (to stop collecting spot fines and impounding vehicles)."However, for now, the status quo stands until such a time we receive an instruction directing otherwise."Officially opening the High Court circuit in Masvingo, Justice Bere said spot fines were a breeding ground for corruption."How can we as a nation continue to condone such malpractices which create a breeding ground for corrupt tendencies?" he asked."We talk of determination for the need to rid this country of corruption. How can we achieve this when we allow our police officers to conduct themselves in such a corrupt manner?"Senior Assistant Commissioner Charity Charamba could not be reached for comment while Chief Superintendent Paul Nyathi yesterday morning refused to comment saying he was at the time attending a police briefing.He, however, was not answering his mobile phone later.While Justice Bere's statement received widespread coverage, two judges Maphios Cheda and Lawrence Kamocha ruled in 2012 that demanding spot fines was illegal.The judges ruled that motorists should be given adequate time to pay fines.Traffic police officers face accusations of widespread corruption by mounting several roadblocks to demand bribes from motorists.So endemic is corruption among traffic cops that even Chihuri last year tried to crack the whip by transferring as many as 2 000 traffic cops from urban to remote areas and vice-versa around the country.A few years ago, a regional anti-corruption trust found that the Zimbabwean traffic cops were the most corrupt in Southern Africa.The Anti-Corruption Trust of Southern Africa said corruption was widespread among traffic police in Zimbabwe.Justice Bere's statements have been welcomed by motorists as necessary to weed out corruption."Let's stand up for our rights and refuse to be unlawfully intimidated to pay spot fines," MDC-T legislator Jessie Majome said."It's up to us. No police officer can bully you into paying a spot fine or a bribe."MDC renewal spokesperson Jacob Mafume added: "We have maintained as Renewal that this has been highway robbery and extortion by the police."How can we be safe when thieves wear uniform?" Opinion / Columnist We have all heard of the expression "of the ostrich burying its head in the sand" meaning someone who is refusing to confront or acknowledge a problem. With the MDC ostrich the expression has assumed a more sinister meaning!"The so-called million men march that was staged by the faction-ridden and crumbling Zanu-PF regime on Wednesday, May 25, 2016 was a spectacular flop," wrote MDC-T spokesman Obert Gutu. "A few thousand people, most of whom had been commandeered to travel to Harare to attend the puerile and utterly purposeless march, turned up for this non-event. In fact, less than 5,000 people turned up for this march, whose main agenda was to massage the ego of a nonagenarian who has run down the former jewel of Africa. What a big yawn, the march was."There is no doubt that President Mugabe "has run down" Zimbabwe's once promising econ-omy the facts on the ground speak volumes; unemployment rate has soared to 90% as the na-tion has continued to lose jobs and the regime has failed to deliver on its 2013 promise of 2.2 million new jobs.Yes the march was "to massage" President Mugabe's humongous ego praising his "visionary and iconic leadership" many of the huge and industrial produced quality placards. Given that he is the one responsible for the country's economic mess, only someone with a humongous ego would still beam with pride, as Mugabe did, at be showered with such meaningless praise.It is laughable that 90% of those marching and singing Mugabe's praise are unemployed. Surely there must be one or two homemade placards at least demanding that the President should honour his promise and create jobs; there were not even one such placard! None!President Mugabe spend billions of dollars in the last election to pay for his very elaborate and expensive vote rigging scheme in the 2013 elections. He paid the Israeli company that tampered with the voters roll US$10 million and must have spent millions on the hired crowd and on bussing them around the country to attend rallies and then to vote on polling day.Some people believe it must have costed the regime $200 million to hire and bus this one-million man march crowd (none of them dared raised the lack of employment opportunities or many of the other problems because they were paid to praise the great leader even when that meant lying about his competence). President Mugabe admitted in March that $15 billion in diamond revenue was looted; it is no secret that Zanu PF chefs are the looters including the President himself. President Mugabe paid the $200 million for his one-million man march, it was small change to him!The one million man march was a "flop" first and foremost because this country has a thou-sand and one other pressing matters to which the $200 million should have been used. Zim-babweans are very rarely granted a chance to meet President Mugabe and so for these march-ers to do so and then say nothing to him about their myriad of economic problems included the lack of job opportunities was a wasted opportunity.Only a shallow minded person like Obert Gutu would argue the march was a flop because instead of the one-million Zanu PF claims "less than 5 000 people turned up". He missed the point completely because it is not the head count that is at issue here.What exposed Gutu for his the proverbial ostrich with the head buried in the sand mentality is his claim that "less than 5 000 turn up" and even gave the list of school buses commandeered by Zanu PF as it to "prove" his case. Anyone who has seen the photographs or videos of the rallies saw there were a lot more that 5 000 people at the rally!Tell you what you empty head Gutu; give me $200 million even $2 million and even I Patrick Guramatunhu the son of a peasant with none of your Deputy Minister of Justice in the GNU political credentials, will amass a hired crowd of one million!Zanu PF's unfettered access to State human and material resource including the looted wealth from Marange diamonds is at the very heart of its ability to amass a one-million man hired crowd and to rig national elections. This is way we must implement the democratic reforms necessary to stop the regime looting the nation's resources and then, to rub hot chilli into the nation's eyes, use the looted wealth to bankroll its vote rigging schemes.MDC failed to implement even one democratic reform during the GNU allowing Zanu PF to blatantly rig the July 2013 elections. Since the elections MDC-T has promised to implement the reforms but to date, it is only two years now left before the next elections, the party not implemented even one reform.The fact that Zanu PF has managed to use its ill-got wealth once again to stage this pointless one-million man rally should be a stake reminder to the opposition body politics and the na-tion at large that unless meaningful democratic reforms are implemented quick-smart Zanu PF will blatantly rig the next elections. Obert Gutu's pathetic attempt to falsify the size of the hired crowd is the ostrich in him burying its head in the sand, in this case, not to see the fierce grass fire engulfing it!We can hardly endure another day of this economic meltdown let alone another five years beyond 2018 and yet unless we implement the reforms that is what we will have. We must not allow ourselves be fooled by people like Gutu, the present economic meltdown is hurting us a hell lot more than it is hurting Gutu and his fellow MDC friends who sold-out during the GNU and failed to implement even one reform.------------Patrick Guramatunhu can be contacted at patguramatunhu@gmail.com State Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington Washington D.C. 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At the headquarters of the Iranian Red Crescent Society (IRCS), Chinese Ambassador to Iran Cong Peiwu announced the decision during a signing ceremony for the handover certificates of China's emergency humanitarian assistance to Iran on Wednesday, which was also attended by IRCS President Pirhossein Kolivand. Cong said China and Iran are good friends and partners with a long-standing friendship between their peoples. He added that China has always been concerned about the Iranian people, noting that China's assistance reflects its commitment to international humanitarian obligations and the vision of building a community with a shared future for humanity. He said that since the outbreak of the conflict, China has been working to promote regional peace and end hostilities, and will continue to work with the international community to support peace and stability in the Middle East. Kolivand expressed appreciation for China's continued support and assistance to Iran in difficult times and for firmly supporting Iran in bilateral and multilateral occasions, emphasizing that the friendship between the two countries has grown stronger over time. He also noted China's earlier humanitarian donation following an attack on a girls' school in Minab, southern Iran. He said that the U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran have caused extensive damage to over 137,000 infrastructure facilities, including airports, fuel storage facilities, bridges, and railways, all of which violate international humanitarian law. (Web editor: Zhao Tong, Wu Chaolan) 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. By Michael Lakiss-Smith, Managing Director at Night n Day Group In 2026, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are facing a business environment that is more complex, competitive and cost-sensitive than ever before. Rising customer acquisition costs, ongoing economic uncertainty and increasingly fragmented markets are forcing business owners to rethink how they grow. At Night n Day Group, this is something weve experienced firsthand. Our business began as a small family innovation in the 1980s, when my mother created the snappy nappy a safer alternative to traditional nappies a simple solution that grew into a national healthcare business. That journey has shaped how we think about growth today. For many, the answer is becoming clear: partnerships are no longer a nice-to-have, they are emerging as one of the most effective and strategic growth levers available. Across industries, from healthcare and retail to technology and professional services, SMEs are shifting away from purely independent growth models and embracing collaboration, networks and ecosystem thinking. This represents a fundamental change in how businesses scale in a modern economy. The shift from competition to collaboration For decades, business growth has largely been framed around competition; winning market share, outperforming rivals and building standalone dominance. But in 2026, that mindset is evolving. We are seeing more businesses recognise that growth doesnt always come from doing more alone, but from doing more together. Partnerships allow SMEs to pool resources, share audiences and leverage each others strengths in a way that accelerates mutually beneficial outcomes. In our own experience, this has played out through our partnership with health technology platform Kismet. While we both operate in the same broader ecosystem, our strengths are very different. Kismet provides a powerful digital network and access to providers, while Night n Day brings specialised healthcare products and more than three decades of experience. By collaborating, we are able to create a more integrated offering for customers, while also expanding our reach in a meaningful way. Rising costs are forcing smarter growth strategies One of the biggest drivers behind the rise of partnerships is economic pressure. Customer acquisition costs have increased significantly in recent years, particularly in digital channels. Paid advertising is more competitive, organic reach is harder to achieve, and customers are more discerning about where they spend. For SMEs, this creates a real challenge: how do you grow without dramatically increasing your marketing spend? Partnerships provide a compelling answer. Through our collaboration with Kismet, we are able to connect directly with a highly engaged national network of disability sector professionals including support coordinators, ,plan managers and allied health professionals, without needing to build those relationships from scratch. That kind of access could typically take years to develop independently. Through partnership, it can happen much faster and more efficiently. Access to networks is the new currency In todays business environment, access is everything. Its no longer just about what you sell, its about who you can reach, how quickly you can reach them, and the level of trust that already exists when you do. Partnerships are one of the most effective ways to unlock that trust and access. For businesses like ours, operating in a specialised sector, building a network from the ground up can be time consuming and resource-intensive. Partnering with an organisation like Kismet allows us to tap into an established, engaged community almost immediately. It also reinforces something we see time and time again: even in a digital-first world, face-to-face connection still matters. The relationships built through direct engagement, whether through events, networks or shared initiatives, are often what drive long-term business success. The rise of ecosystem thinking Another major shift we are seeing is the move towards ecosystem-based business models. Rather than operating in isolation, SMEs are increasingly positioning themselves as part of a broader network of interconnected services, products and providers. This approach allows businesses to deliver more value to customers while also benefiting from shared growth. Our partnership with Kismet is a strong example of this in action. By combining their digital ecosystem with our specialised healthcare products and expertise, we are able to create a more seamless experience for participants, carers and professionals navigating complex care needs. For SMEs, this kind of ecosystem thinking is becoming essential particularly as customer expectations continue to rise. Partnerships enable faster, lower-risk scaling Scaling a business has traditionally required significant investment in marketing, hiring and infrastructure. Partnerships offer a more efficient alternative. By leveraging another organisations capabilities, SMEs can scale faster without taking on the same level of financial risk. This is particularly important in todays environment, where many businesses are looking to grow carefully and sustainably. In our case, initiatives such as participating in more than 25 networking events nationally as part of our partnership provide ongoing exposure and engagement opportunities that would be difficult to achieve on our own. Its a practical example of how partnerships can translate directly into growth. Another important benefit of partnerships is credibility. When you align with a trusted partner, you benefit from a level of endorsement that can be difficult to build independently. This can significantly reduce barriers when entering new markets or engaging new customer groups. In sectors like healthcare and disability services, where brand loyalty is high and trust is critical, this becomes even more important. Customers want to know they are dealing with businesses that are credible, reliable and recommended within their network. Partnerships help reinforce that trust. The human element still matters Despite the rise of digital platforms, business is still fundamentally about people. One of the key lessons we have learned is that partnerships are most effective when they go beyond strategy and focus on real relationships. Through initiatives like industry networking events and community engagement, we are able to connect with professionals in a more meaningful way; understanding their needsbuilding trust, sharing knowledge and creating long-term opportunities. For SMEs, this is a critical point: partnerships should not be treated as purely transactional. They need to be nurtured and activated through consistent engagement. Responding to broader societal shifts Partnerships are also being driven by broader changes in society. In Australia, we are seeing a growing sandwich generation, people balancing raising children while also caring for ageing parents. This is increasing demand for more connected services, products and support systems. For businesses operating in this space, collaboration is essential. No single organisation can meet all of these needs alone. By working together, businesses can bring the right mix of services, expertise and support to better serve customers navigating these challenges. What this means for SMEs in 2026 Looking ahead, its clear that partnerships will continue to play an increasingly important role in how SMEs grow. From my perspective, there are a few key takeaways: Growth will come from collaboration, not just competition Access to networks will be as important as the product or service itself Being part of an ecosystem will be critical to long-term success Strong relationships will remain at the heart of business Businesses that embrace this way of thinking will be better positioned to scale, adapt and succeed. In a complex and fast-changing business environment, partnerships offer SMEs a powerful way forward. They provide access, accelerate growth, reduce risk and strengthen credibility, all while enabling businesses to deliver better outcomes for their customers. As we move through 2026 and beyond, one thing is becoming increasingly clear: growth is no longer just about what you build, its about who you build it with. Keep up to date with our stories on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Nursing, Wellness Dean Is Keynote Speaker at BCC Commencement PITTSFIELD, Mass. Berkshire Community College has selected Dean of Nursing, Health and Wellness Lori Moon as the keynote speaker for commencement exercises sy 4:30 p.m. on Friday, May 29, at Tanglewood in Lenox. "Lori Moon embodies the spirit of Berkshire Community College. She is a graduate of BCC, a former?practical nurse faculty member, and now the leader who has transformed our nursing program into a model of excellence, accountability, and care," said BCC President Ellen Kennedy. "Her hospice nursing background, her belief in second chances, and her deep commitment to students make her not just an ideal speaker but the right one." Moon joined the college in 2016 as an assistant professor in the Practical Nurse Program, where she discovered a passion for nursing education and mentoring future health-care professionals. After three years, she was appointed dean of nursing and program administrator for both the associate degree and Practical Nurse programs. In 2022, her leadership role expanded further when she became dean of nursing, health and wellness, providing guidance and vision for Allied Health, Health Sciences, and Fire Science programs. During her time at BCC, she has built meaningful connections with colleagues and students alike, and she takes great pride in seeing her former students out in the community making a difference in the lives of others. A BCC alumna and first-generation college student, Moon earned her associate degree in nursing in 1990. She continued her education through an RN-to-BSN program offered by the University of Massachusetts at Amherst on the BCC campus in 1992, and later went on to complete her master's in nursing education from UMass Amherst in 2019. Before transitioning to academia, Moon spent 20 years in hospice nursing, a calling that remains especially close to her heart. Her career also includes being a substitute school nurse, as well as roles at Berkshire Medical Center and with the Visiting Nurse Association. She will retire from her role at BCC at the end of this summer and says she looks forward to continuing part-time work in nursing and, most importantly, spending cherished time with her three beloved granddaughters. Governor Proposes Social Media Protections for Teens BOSTON Governor Maura Healey proposed further measures to protect young people on social media platforms. The proposal establishes some of the most comprehensive youth online safety standards in the nation by requiring social media platforms to prioritize the well-being of young users by defaultnot as an afterthought. "I know as a parent and from talking with other parents and young people that social media platforms are having harmful impacts on our kids," said Governor Healey. "It's been studied and the data is clear but you don't need the data to know that these platforms are causing anxiety, depression, addiction and lowering self-esteem. The fact is these social media platforms have been designed to get kids addicted. My proposal takes the power away from social media platforms and gives it back to parents and young people, while also forcing platforms to turn on technologies that will better protect the health and wellbeing of our kids." The Governor's legislation requires social media platforms to implement an age assurance system and establish strong default safety settings for users under 18, ensuring protections are automatically applied. These default settings would disable addictive design features such as infinite scroll, auto-play, and algorithm-based feeds designed to keep young users watching. The legislation also requires default settings that turn off location tracking features, disable notifications and restrict platform access overnight and during school hours, and limit cumulative use to two hours per day. For users ages 15 or younger, only a parent or guardian can modify these default settings. The bill also requires platforms to provide an easy way to flag harmful content and give families the ability to reset algorithm-driven content feeds. And it requires periodic reminders about how long a user has spent on the platform and the negative impacts social media can have on social, emotional and physical health. "As an educator and parent of teenagers, I have seen firsthand the negative impact social media has had on our students and our schools," said Education Secretary Stephen Zrike. "We have a youth mental health crisis in this country that is going to take a variety of tools and strategies to solve. I am grateful to Governor Healey for filing this legislation that will enable critical online safety standards, promoting the wellbeing of our children and families." Together, these measures are designed to reduce harmful online experiences, support healthier digital habits, and give families more control over how young people engage with social media. Sign up for our free Health Check email to receive exclusive analysis on the week in health Get our free Health Check email Get our free Health Check email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice A persons gut bacteria could determine their risk of getting skin cancer again after being treated for the disease, a new study has found. Studies have shown that 25 to 40 percent of melanoma patients experience a recurrence after surgery and immunotherapy, NYU Langone Health said in a Friday statement announcing the new research results. Melanoma is a type of skin cancer that is often linked to sun exposure. It can be treated through surgery or immunotherapy, a treatment that helps your immune system destroy cancerous cells. The new study, led by researchers from NYU Langone Health and its Perlmutter Cancer Center and published in the journal Cell, analyzed stool samples from 674 melanoma patients enrolled in a global clinical trial. Researchers found that differences in the amount of key bacterial groups in the gut predicted cancer recurrence with up to 94 percent accuracy. open image in gallery A persons gut bacteria could determine their risk of getting skin cancer again after being treated for the disease, a new study has found ( Getty Images/iStock ) Trillions of bacteria live in the digestive tract, training the immune system to recognize the difference between dangerous and helpful bacteria. The bacterial groups analyzed by researchers interact with immune cells that change a patients reaction to immunotherapy, the press release said, citing past studies. Our study identified for the first time gut bacterial types that can serve as markers of increased recurrence risk in these specific patients, which will help tailor treatment, the senior author of the new study, Dr. Jiyoung Ahn, a professor in the Department of Population Health at NYU Grossman School of Medicine, said in a statement. But researchers found a catch to this new revelation where the patient lives matters. Melanoma patients in the new study had tumors that were surgically removed and then received either a combination of immunotherapies, nivolumab and ipilimumab, or just nivolumab. The patients came from North America, Eastern Europe, Western Europe, Australia, and a sampling of other regions. open image in gallery Researchers found that differences in the amount of key bacterial groups in the gut predicted cancer recurrence with up to 94 percent accuracy ( Getty Images ) The study determined that bacterial markers that most accurately signal risk of cancer recurrence differed depending on where the patient lived. Researchers found bacterial fingerprints that predict recurrence in each region by first grouping patients together based on the similarity of their gut microbiomes, regardless of where they were from. Using a standard measurement of microbial similarity, the team found that a signature derived from North American patients, for example, could accurately predict recurrence in patients from other parts of the world, but only if those patients had a similar bacterial fingerprint, the press release explained. Researchers hope this study will help provide patients with more reliable information ahead of cancer treatment. In the future, we envision analyzing a patients microbiome before treatment, comparing it to a global database, and providing a reliable prognosis that guides therapy from the start, study author Dr. Richard B. Hayes, a professor in the Department of Population Health, said in a statement. Four startups across deep tech, AI and digital health have secured fresh funding this week. A University of Sydney deep tech spinout, a virtual alcohol detox platform, a Y Combinator-backed AI receptionist startup and a New Zealand-born fund admin player have all raised fresh capital, highlighting continued investor appetite across AI, health and frontier technologies. Deteqt: $5 million Seed University of Sydney spinout Deteqt has raised $5 million in Seed funding to scale its quantum diamond chip technology for defence and mineral sensing applications. The round was led by existing investor Main Sequence, with support from US deep tech investor ATP Fund, AUKUS-aligned VC BOKA Capital, Beaten Zone Venture Partners, Uniseed and the University of Sydney. Founded in 2024 by professors Jim Rabeau and Omid Kavehei out of Sydneys Nano Institute, Deteqt builds patented diamond-on-silicon chips that function as highly sensitive magnetic field sensors. The technology has applications across GPS-denied navigation, critical mineral exploration, medical imaging and battlefield detection. The company already holds a contract with the Australian Defence Force. Clean Slate Clinic: $4.3 million Virtual alcohol detox and recovery platform Clean Slate Clinic has closed a $4.3 million raise ahead of a planned $10 million Series A targeting UK expansion in 2027. The raise comprises a $2.8 million convertible note backed by impact investor Giant Leap and existing backer Scale Investors, plus a $1.5 million debt facility from early backer Australian Medical Angels. Founded in 2020 as a social enterprise, Clean Slate provides doctor-led alcohol detox at home and has supported more than 3,000 clients. The company reports eight times revenue growth across nine quarters and a relapse rate more than three times lower than the industry standard. Phonely: $22 million Series A University of Melbourne spinout Phonely has raised $22 million (USD $16 million) in a Series A led by Base10 Partners, with support from Y Combinator and enterprise customers including Etech Global Services, TSA Group and Engage CX. The raise values the business at USD $100 million (AUD $139 million). Founded in 2023 by PhD AI researcher Will Bodewes and Nisal Ranasinghe out of the universitys AI Research Lab, Phonely builds AI-based virtual receptionists for businesses. YC first backed the startup with $750,000 in mid-2024. The company has now raised more than AUD $26 million in total. Caruso: $9.3 million Series A New Zealand-founded AI-based fund administration and registry platform Caruso has raised $9.3 million in a Series A at an $80 million valuation. The round was led by Kiwi venture capital firms Icehouse Ventures and GD1, who first backed the company in a $3 million Seed round in 2023, with participation from private credit fund manager Balmain. Founded in 2023 by Oliver Shaw and Mark Hurley, Caruso automates registry and fund administration using AI agents. The capital will fund product development, expanded AI capabilities and headcount growth to more than 80 staff across offices in Sydney, Auckland and Dallas, with the Sydney team set to double to around 40. Keep up to date with our stories on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. 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 Rebecca Waller was working from home one Friday afternoon when she started to feel immense pressure in her upper back, as well as pins and needles in her arms. The 26-year-old finished her call and lay in agony on her bed, hoping for the pain to pass. But as the pain worsened, she started to lose the ability to move from the neck down. The recruitment consultant, who lives in Paddington, west London, was suffering a spinal stroke so rare it only accounts for 1.25 per cent of all strokes and it seemingly happened out of the blue. Overnight, she went from planning wedding invitations with her fiance to learning that she may never walk or live independently without extensive support. If you had scanned me that morning, you wouldnt have been able to predict what was going to happen, she told The Independent about the ordeal on 9 January. open image in gallery Rebecca Waller, 26, had a rare spinal stroke that left her unable to move ( Rebecca Waller ) It started very gradually and as the call went on, I felt worse and worse. I managed to wrap up the call, and by that point, I was kind of writhing in pain on the bed and hyperventilating. It felt like how people describe a heart attack. Still in pain, she called her fiance James Naylor, who immediately dialled 999. But when the paramedics arrived 10 minutes later, they initially assumed she was having a panic attack rather than a life-altering stroke. I could tell that something was wrong. I thought it was strange that it would be a panic attack, but we never thought that it was a stroke, she said. As the paramedics tried to calm her down, she slowly started to lose the ability to move and recalled being unable to hold a glass of water. Eventually, I had to go to the bathroom to throw up, and when I tried to get back off the floor, I couldnt move my limbs, she said. Despite her only being able to move her neck, paramedics were still convinced she was having a panic attack. open image in gallery Rebecca Waller pictured in Charing Cross Hospital with her fiance, James Naylor ( Rebecca Waller ) I dont blame them, because who would think that a 26-year-old was having a rare stroke, Ms Waller said. I was convinced that it would just pass, that I could just go to sleep and wake up and Id be able to move again. Eventually, paramedics took Ms Waller to Charing Cross Hospital, where she had an MRI scan on her spine, heart and brain, and doctors were able to establish that she had a stroke. Theyre not sure exactly why it happened, but they believe a fragment from my disc came loose from my spine and entered my vein, and blocked the blood flow to the spine, Ms Waller said. A spinal stroke is a disruption of the blood supply to the spinal cord, which can damage tissue and block messages travelling along it, according to the Brain & Spine Foundation. About 100,000 people have strokes each year in the UK, but unlike most strokes, which affect the brain, spinal strokes are very rare and usually appear suddenly, over a matter of hours or even minutes. The Brain & Spine Foundation said: Diagnosis is done by taking a medical history, a physical examination and having a scan of the spine. It is important to rule out any conditions which might be causing pressure on the spinal cord, such as a slipped disc or a tumour. As spinal strokes are very rare, this may not be the first thought of diagnosis until the scan shows the disruption of the blood supply to the spine. open image in gallery Before her stroke, Ms Waller was planning on moving in with her fiance, but now she is focusing on recovery ( Rebecca Waller ) After spending three months in hospital and a few weeks in a spinal rehabilitation facility, Ms Waller is slowly regaining some movement in her arms, fingers and abs, but her limbs are not fully functioning. However, she has been left with a lot of uncertainty. The day before the stroke, she recalled feeling euphoric that she and Mr Naylor had secured a wedding venue. But now she is focused on learning how to move again, in the hopes she will be able to walk down the aisle. Everything has been put on hold, and Im trying to take it day by day and not worry too much about how dramatically my life may have changed, she said. Ms Waller has six weeks left of rehabilitation provided by the NHS before she will need to pay for private sessions, a carer and adjustments to her home. Her family has set up a GoFundMe page to help cover the extra costs. Dr Fenella Wrigley, chief medical officer at the London Ambulance Service, said: Were sorry to learn of Ms Wallers rare diagnosis. While our crews arrived at the scene quickly, we will be reaching out to Ms Waller to look into the care we provided and ensure any lessons are learnt. 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 Members of the Jewish community have been urged to remain calm after an arson attack on a business in north London, which police acknowledged had similarities with other recent attacks on a nearby synagogue and a Jewish ambulance charity. The Metropolitan Police said that a man was seen to approach a row of shops in Hendon with a plastic bag containing three bottles of liquid on Friday evening. He tried to set the items in the bag alight, but when the bottles failed to fully ignite, he fled the scene, police said. The alleged attack was claimed online by individuals purporting to be from the group Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamiyah (HAYI), who said they were targeting Jewish education charity Jewish Futures. Messages apparently from the group HAYI, and circulated on pro-Iranian Telegram channels, have claimed a number of attacks on sites around Europe, including last months arson attack on four Jewish ambulances in Golders Green, northwest London. Counter-terrorism police are leading an investigation into the attack. Commander Helen Flanagan, of Counter Terrorism Policing London, said: At this stage, last nights arson is not being linked to other incidents in the northwest London area over the last week or last months arson in Golders Green, but counterterrorism officers are leading due to the similarities of each attack. open image in gallery Police investigate the scene of an attempted arson attack on 18 April 2026 in Hendon, north London ( Getty Images ) I would ask that anyone with information or footage that could help our investigation gets in touch with police as soon as possible. The Metropolitan Police responded to an incident near the Israeli embassy in central London yesterday after a video was shared online overnight in which the HAYI group appeared to claim they were targeting the embassy with drones. open image in gallery A close-up of some damage to a doorway by a row of shops as police investigate the scene of an attempted arson attack ( Getty Images ) On Wednesday night, an ignited container was thrown into a Persian media organisations premises in Wembley in an attempted arson attack, the force said previously. In a statement issued on Saturday morning, police said that minor damage was caused to the shop front in Hendon and no injuries were reported. Charity Jewish Futures, whose office is in Hendon, aims to connect a number of organisations that deliver different Jewish educational programmes. open image in gallery Minor damage was caused to a shop front in Hendon last night ( Getty Images ) A spokesperson for the Community Security Trust (CST) said: We are aware of what appears to be another attempted arson, this time targeting a premises in north London previously used by the Jewish community. We urge people to remain calm and to report any suspicious activity, at any time of day or night, to police immediately on 999 and then to CST. The Campaign Against Antisemitism said: This is yet another arson attack which appears to be targeting the Jewish community it is the third in a month as we witness a worldwide pattern of attacks. open image in gallery Police forensic officers investigate the scene ( Getty Images ) It is unclear to what extent, if any, they are being coordinated. Police have only just reopened a central London park over a drone threat. Britain is under attack, and those responsible will not stop at targeting Jews. Roger Macmillan, former director of security at media company Iran International, said: This is another despicable and cowardly attack claimed, once again, by Ashab al-Yamin, this time on Jewish Futures, an educational charity dedicated to young people. It is worth noting that Ashab al-Yamin recently declared they were moving to a second stage of their campaign, indicating harder targets, more significant operations. open image in gallery Local police officers said they were working with Counter Terrorism Policing to respond to the incident ( Getty Images ) Mr Macmillan described HAYI as a deniable and disposable brand, almost certainly being used to direct a gig economy of recruited young people, many of them teenagers. Detective Chief Superintendent Luke Williams, who leads policing in the area, said, Since the incident in Golders Green last month, we have spoken extensively to community leaders. I understand and appreciate their concerns, and I know this latest incident will add to fears in the community. Local officers are working closely with Counter Terrorism Policing to support the investigation. The community can expect to see a heightened police presence in the area. Since last months attack in Golders Green, we have stepped up police patrols and vigilance to reassure communities and disrupt offenders. 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 Hundreds of Britain First supporters and anti-racism counter-protesters demonstrated in Manchester on Saturday, with three people arrested after scuffles with police. Britain First, a far-right political party led by Paul Golding, had organised the march to celebrate St Georges Day, saying protesters needed to demonstrate against the extinction of Britain due to invaders entering our country. Local leaders, such as the mayor of Greater Manchester and the head of Manchester city council, had called for unity ahead of the march. Andy Burnham said there was no place in Greater Manchester for any form of racism or hate, and Cllr Bev Craig urged people to celebrate the fact that we have more in common than our differences. Hundreds of Britain First supporters marched with Union Jack and England flags, starting at 1.15pm and travelling across central Manchester. A smaller number of counter-protesters tried to stand on the tram tracks before being moved to a designated spot by police and being surrounded in a protective ring. Police estimated there were around 1,000 protesters and counter-protesters at the demonstrations in total. open image in gallery Leader of Britain First, Paul Golding (C) walks alongside people waving Union Jack and St George's cross flags during a Britain First march ( AFP via Getty Images ) Pepper spray was used after a number of counter-protesters attempted to break police lines and throw punches at officers, Greater Manchester Police said. The demonstration was mostly peaceful, with just three people arrested. Two of the arrests involved male counter-protesters. One was for failing to provide details after requesting that they remove their face covering, and the other was for police assault. The third person was a woman arrested on suspicion of breaching the peace. Police said it was unknown if she was part of either protest group open image in gallery Britain First protesters march past counter-demonstrators ( Greater Manchester Police ) Hundreds of police officers were on duty across Manchester city centre, and dispersal orders were in place to manage the crowds. Assistant chief constable Rick Jackson thanked the officers on the ground, saying: Hundreds of people from a range of groups were able to come together safely, with no significant issues reported. The police presence was stepped up after violence flared at Britain Firsts last march in February, with 11 arrests made at that event. Tram services were temporarily disrupted on Saturday due to the demonstration, but services resumed in the afternoon. Britain First is a far-right group led by Paul Golding, a man with convictions for a terror offence and a hate crime. open image in gallery Counter protests hold signs and wave flags ( AFP via Getty Images ) Britain First activists have been known to carry out Christian patrols and mosque invasions in which members stormed into Islamic places of worship. They have also targeted hotels temporarily housing asylum seekers and confronted staff and residents with cameras. Their marches have garnered significantly less support than Tommy Robinsons Unite the Kingdom march, which attracted thousands of people to London for a free speech festival last September. Responding to Britain First demonstrations, Manchester city council have launched a poster campaign against the group, sharing the message: Manchester stands united against hate. Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice The Government has urged more young people to have their say about how to stay safe online after the Prime Minister told tech bosses the risks children face on social media cant go on like this. Despite nearly 50,000 responses to a Government consultation on keeping children safe online, Technology Secretary Liz Kendall has called on more young people to reply before it closes in five weeks, because the respondents so far include only around 6,000 children. The plea comes ahead of a Childhood in the Age of AI summit on Monday, where Ms Kendall and the NSPCC will meet young people to discuss how AI and technology are shaping childhood. In preparation for Mondays summit, Ms Kendall said: What you tell us will shape what happens next. Were listening, and we will act. Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology Liz Kendall ( PA ) The event, held at Wilton Park in Sussex, will also include policymakers, tech industry representatives and online safety campaigners. It follows a meeting on Thursday at Downing Street between Sir Keir Starmer and executives from technology companies Meta, Snap, Google, TikTok and X, where the Prime Minister said things must change. Sir Keir said: Things cant go on like this, they must change because right now social media is putting our children at risk. In a world in which children are protected, even if that means access is restricted, that is preferable to a world where harm is the price of participation. The Prime Minister added: I am determined we will build a better future for our children, and look forward to working with you on this. I do think this can be done. I think the question is not whether it is done, the question is how it is done. Pressure is building for a social media ban for under-16s, but MPs again rejected a Lords bid to impose one on Wednesday. Peers have twice voted to introduce an age limit in the Childrens Wellbeing and Schools Bill, but both efforts have been seen off in the Commons. The consultation will gather public opinion on a ban, while also look at how to limit addictive design features on AI chatbots and games. Ms Kendall said: I want every young person to hear this clearly: we are determined to keep you safe online and prepare you for the future. Its not a question of if we will act but how. This week, the Prime Minister and I told tech companies that childrens safety must come first. No excuses, and no delays. But we want to understand what life online really feels like for you, so we can make it better. What you tell us will shape what happens next. Were listening, and we will act. The Government has particularly called on families in the Midlands, North West, Yorkshire, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland to respond to the consultation, because answers from those areas are lower relative to the size of the population. Since Thursdays meeting, the Prime Minister has written to the global social media chief executives asking them to use their full resources to help young people. 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 Green Party is already attracting the votes of people who previously backed Reform UK, their newest MP has said, insisting that the eco-populist movement has something to offer for those who once supported Nigel Farage. Hannah Spencer, who stormed to victory in the Gorton and Denton by-election earlier this year, told The Independent that the Greens are now the option for people who are fed up of Labour, who are worried about Reform, or who actually have tried Reform. The 34-year-old claims that public trust in Reform UK has dwindled since the insurgent party took more than four million votes at the 2024 general election, and that the Green Party which has seen its membership soar to 225,000 since Zack Polanski took over as leader represents a viable alternative to disgruntled voters. open image in gallery The Green Party is now the main option for people who are fed up with Labour, Hannah Spencer told The Independent ( Getty ) Her conclusions are supported by elections expert Lord Hayward, who told The Independent that he has seen a number of voters switch from Reform to the Greens as a result of an increasing disenchantment with politics. Ms Spencer told The Independent: Reform, in a really sophisticated way, targeted a lot of exhausted and tired people and promised them stuff that they could never deliver. And so now people are realising hang on a sec, what Reform was selling us just is a lot of nonsense. So theyre now looking at another opportunity to have change in this country, and it is the Greens. Pressed on whether the Greens think they can take votes from Reform UK, Ms Spencer said: Yes, 100 per cent A lot of my friends and colleagues and people who are really close in my life very openly support Reform. In the last 12 months or so, Im finding theyre asking me questions. What they might have thought about Reform, its all just disappeared into thin air. The people I know that have supported Reform, Im never there to convince someone or change their minds, we just have really good conversations and theyre now coming and seeing what were offering. She added: People really trusted Reform. People thought that they were challenging the establishment, and now they have found out they are the establishment. So theyre looking at us and deciding that actually were the ones who theyre going to vote for. It comes despite the two parties having very different political positions, with the Greens wanting to implement a more humane approach to immigration and ultimately see a world without borders, while Reform UK has proposed mass deportations to crack down on the issue. Tory peer and pollster Lord Hayward added there is no question that some voters would consider switching from Reform to the Greens. Anecdotally, I am hearing stories of people moving from one to the other. And its logical, because what youve got is a large number of people who are pissed off, he said. They are basically fed up with politicians. And the fed up party, if you go back two or four years, was the Liberal Democrats. They then moved to the Reform Party. But theyve now got another option, which is the Green Party. He added: Theres a general disenchantment with politics. So people are looking to register that disenchantment with different people. And currently, the flavour of the month is with the Greens. Lord Hayward referenced a Kent County Council by-election that took place earlier this month, which saw the Greens take the seat from Reform after the serving councillor was jailed. That was a very safe Reform seat, which went with a clear majority to the Greens. My expectation is that some of that rise of the Greens was people making a direct switch from Reform, the pollster said. open image in gallery The Greens have surged in popularity since Zack Polanski became leader in September ( PA ) It comes as Reform UK appears to be suffering a significant drop in popularity, with fresh polling from this week showing the partys support has slumped by five points. The More in Common poll, released on Wednesday, shows Nigel Farages party on 25 per cent, while the Tories up by three points are edging closer to Reform on 22 per cent. The eight-point swing has left Mr Farages party with its lowest share in a More in Common poll since April last year. Speaking about her victory in Gorton and Denton which saw the Greens overturn Labours majority and snatch the safe seat Ms Spencer said her party won because they offered voters a political reset, prioritising hope over division to push politics in a different and better direction. For a lot of people, it was the chance to do something completely different, she said. Ms Spencer claims the moment she realised Reform UK had lost the by-election and that she had won was when, during political interviews overnight, the partys language changed from describing people as Muslims to calling them Islamists. She added: I knew that Reform knew that they had lost, because of that carefully planned shift in controlling and changing the narrative. And that was the bit where I was like, I know that Reform know theyve lost. In the hours after polls closed in the by-election, election observer group Democracy Volunteers said it had witnessed concerningly high levels of family voting an illegal practice whereby a person enters a polling booth with someone else or otherwise directs their vote. Mr Farage claimed the election result was a victory for sectarian voting and cheating after his candidate Matt Goodwin came in second place behind Ms Spencer. But the Green MP aimed the allegations, which were later dismissed by the police, saying they were really dangerous. Theres always someone to blame for something when something doesnt go the way that someone wants, she said. open image in gallery Nigel Farages party took a dip in the polls this week ( PA Wire ) It was really disappointing, because I myself was in and out of different polling stations during the day, just saying hi to the polling staff and asking if everything was all right. And not once did anybody raise anything with me. Not once did this group raise anything with anyone, so something could be done about it. I welcome any checks or investigations into how our democracy is being run. But I felt in my gut that it was just really unfair. She added: Its just really sad, because its just that further attack on a group of people who are literally just trying to live a safe and peaceful life. A Reform UK spokesperson said: Reform isnt in government, so we havent even begun delivering the policies that put British people first. If Hannah wants to pretend our voters are flocking to the open-borders, drug-legalising, tax-hiking Greens, shes welcome to. Sign up to our free Brexit newsletter for our analysis of the continuing impact of Brexit on the UK Sign up to our free newsletter for the latest analysis on Brexit's impact Sign up to our free newsletter for the latest analysis on Brexit's impact Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice It is inconceivable that Sir Keir Starmer and David Lammy were not told about Peter Mandelson failing the security vetting process for the role of US ambassador, a former foreign secretary has claimed, amid growing accusations that the prime minister scapegoated the head of the Foreign Office in order to save himself. Describing his own recent experience, Sir James Cleverly, who was foreign secretary from 2022 to 2023, said: I cannot envisage a universe where someone senior in the Foreign Office wouldnt have sat down with the foreign secretary and said something to warn about this. It comes as former civil servants claim that the sacked permanent secretary to the Foreign Office, Sir Olly Robbins, was thrown under a bus. Sir Keir has claimed he only discovered last week that Lord Mandelson had failed vetting, despite The Independent telling Downing Street and running a story on the revelation in September last year. open image in gallery Prime minister Keir Starmer with Britains ambassador to the United States Peter Mandelson during a welcome reception at the ambassadors residence in Washington in February last year ( AFP/Getty ) The prime minister said it was staggering and unforgiveable that he had not been told earlier, adding that he was furious. He claimed that Downing Street and all his ministers had been kept in the dark. In an interview with The Guardian, Mr Lammy said he had no knowledge of Mr Mandelsons vetting process and that the prime minister would absolutely no doubt at all have blocked the Labour grandee from serving as the UKs ambassador to Washington if had he known he failed security checks. Reform UK leader Nigel Farage called for the prime minister to resign over the furore and Tory leader Kemi Badenoch wrote in the Mail on Sunday that Sir Keir was unfit to govern. Sir Olly is widely expected to mount a staunch defence of his decision to approve Lord Mandelsons appointment at a hearing of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee on Tuesday which has been described as judgement day for Sir Keir with former colleagues expecting the former civil servant to emphasise that the appointment was a ministerial decision pushed through by Downing Street. As outrage grows at the scandal around Lord Mandelsons appointment, and the prime ministers claims that he wasnt aware of the problems surrounding it, fresh doubts are being cast on Sir Keirs version of events. Questions have been raised about his claim, made in the Commons in February, that Downing Street was not aware that Lord Mandelson had failed security vetting. Simon McDonald, a former permanent secretary in the Foreign Office, told Radio 4s Today programme that Sir Olly had been thrown under a bus, and described him as a scalp who had been sacked in an effort to save the prime minister. I think this is the biggest crisis in the diplomatic service since I joined it in 1982, said Lord McDonald. Speaking on The Independents political podcast In the Room, former deputy cabinet secretary Helen MacNamara criticised the prime minister for axing Sir Olly, calling the decision reactive and echoing the metaphor about throwing him under a bus. Other senior former colleagues of Sir Olly have suggested that what he is accused of is completely out of character. With recent experience of making highly sensitive diplomatic appointments as foreign secretary, Sir James said it was just not credible that neither Sir Keir nor the then foreign secretary Mr Lammy now deputy prime minister did not know. He said: It is just inconceivable that Olly Robbins would have sat on this information knowing that it would eventually blow up. We are being asked to believe that Olly Robbins was sitting there thinking, I actually know Mandelson didnt get through vetting... I probably should tell the prime minister that before he embarrasses himself further. open image in gallery James Cleverly was foreign secretary from 2022 to 2023 ( PA ) He went on: That is just not credible the idea that absolutely nobody read The Independents piece in September; that seems at odds with what Olly Robbins has already told us. The only thing I can think is that Olly doesnt have anything in writing to show he told anyone. Pointing to a letter sent by Sir Olly in July last year to shadow Tory minister Richard Holden, in which he stated that Lord Mandelson was directly appointed by ministers, Sir James suggested that the sacked senior mandarin has left a trail of crumbs back to who was really responsible. He said that normally, diplomatic roles are given to career diplomats who have already been vetted, but with political appointments, the foreign secretary is told firmly that is on him, and is warned of the risks. Sir James said: I had this with two political appointments I tried to make which were much more minor than the ambassador to the United States. They make it very, very clear that you, personally, are importing a whole load of risk. He added: This is why I think David Lammy may have even more problems than Keir Starmer. On the matter of any problems that might arise, Sir James said: Of course I would relay that to the prime minister, especially in a case like this, where the appointment was being driven by Downing Street. open image in gallery Simon McDonald, a former Foreign Office minister, described the Mandelson affair as the biggest crisis in the diplomatic service since I joined it in 1982 ( PA ) However, speaking to The Guardian, Mr Lammy said he had not been told about Mr Mandelsons vetting process and that the PM would not have hired the former him if hed known. He added: said: I have absolutely no doubt at all, knowing the PM as I do, that had he known that Peter Mandelson had not passed the vetting, he would never, ever have appointed him ambassador. The prime minister was not particularly close to Peter Mandelson. He hadnt worked with him in the past, as some of us had. He was weighing a decision, but Im quite sure had he known that, he would not have become ambassador. Therefore this is inexplicable. It is known from papers already released that Sir Philip Barton expressed concerns about the appointment before he quit early as permanent secretary at the Foreign Office in February 2025. Other former top cabinet ministers and civil servants have also privately agreed with Sir Jamess assessment, noting that such briefings to the prime minister and other senior cabinet ministers take place in STRAP rooms (secure and secret). One former senior civil servant also pointed to a post on X by Dominic Cummings, in which Mr Cummings attacked claims that the prime minister hadnt been briefed. Mr Cummings, who served as Boris Johnsons chief of staff, wrote: The PM is often told by officials details from vetting, leak inquiries, investigations by intel agencies etc. This is because the PM in our constitution is often the only constitutional authority deemed able to make a political judgement about things including risk assessments of appointments. The former civil servant described the post as completely accurate. Sir Jamess doubts coincide with revelations that others in Whitehall including new cabinet secretary Dame Antonia Romeo, the permanent secretary to the Cabinet Office, Cat Little, and government lawyers were all aware of the problem as of March this year. A source close to the deputy prime minister said: The deputy prime minister has made it clear that he had no knowledge that the FCDO had overruled Peter Mandelsons vetting outcome until Thursday afternoon. The Independent has approached Downing Street and Mr Lammys office for comment. The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice The U.S. Coast Guard has launched a search for six people after losing contact with a disabled cargo vessel off the coast of Guam, due to Typhoon Sinlaku. The 145-foot dry cargo ship, the Mariana, reported a lost starboard engine on April 15, with communications ceasing the following afternoon, April 16. An HC-130 Hercules aircraft was dispatched but returned to Guam due to heavy winds. Search efforts are expected to resume at first light, Private Third Class Avery Tibbets stated. Typhoon Sinlaku has battered the Northern Mariana Islands this week, causing damage on Tinian and Saipan, and flash flooding in Guam, home to several American military bases. A satellite image of Super Typhoon Sinlaku approaching the Mariana Islands and Guam ( Reuters ) As dangerous weather conditions ease and shelter-in-place orders lift, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and other federal agencies are ramping up their response to the typhoon, Robert Fenton, FEMA regional administrator for Region 9, which includes Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands, confirmed Friday. 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 85-year-old French widow has returned to France after a harrowing 16-day ordeal in U.S. immigration custody which sparked diplomatic criticism from Paris. Marie-Therese Ross, who had moved to the U.S. to start a new life with an American military veteran, was sent back to her home country Friday. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot confirmed her return, saying: "She returned to France this morning. This is a satisfaction for us." Barrot added that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement methods are "not in line" with French standards and "not acceptable to us." Ross entered the U.S. last June after marrying a retired U.S. soldier. Following his death in January, an estate dispute arose. An Alabama judge found her stepson a US federal employee allegedly intervened to have her taken into immigration custody. open image in gallery ICE agents pictured in Minneapolis ( Getty ) Federal agents detained Ross on 1 April for overstaying her 90-day visa, though her son, Herve Goix, said she was applying for a green card. French officials expressed concern for Ross's well-being while she was held at a Louisiana detention facility. On her release, her son said: "We are very, very happy, but we are tired." Her attorney, Kim Willingham, claimed Ross was denied necessary medication and felt she and other inmates were "not being treated well within the facility," saying she "did everything she was supposed to do" for her green card. Ross gave up her pension to move to Alabama and marry William B. Ross. After his death without estate plans, his two sons sought control of his modest assets, valued under $190,000. Calhoun County Probate Judge Shirley A. Millwood noted the sons rerouted mail, causing Ross to miss a crucial immigration appointment. open image in gallery The Anniston, Ala., home where Marie-Therese Ross, 85, who has returned to France after being held in U.S. immigration custody, had lived with her late husband, U.S. military veteran William Ross ( AP ) Judge Millwood accused one son, a former Alabama State Trooper and current federal employee, of using his position to prompt his stepmother's detention days before an estate hearing. Records show Ross was taken into custody in her nightgown, unable to retrieve her phone, passport, or identification. Despite the stepson denying involvement, Judge Millwood said evidence indicated he knew of the arrest in advance and received a confirmation text. His brother then arrived to change the locks. In an April 10 ruling, Judge Millwood ordered the stepsons to allow Ross to retrieve her belongings. The judge also urged the federal government to investigate the circumstances of Ross's arrest "in light of the ongoing national events surrounding the distrust of federal law enforcement officers and the many investigations ongoing of corruption within our government." The stepsons' attorney declined to comment, and the Department of Homeland Security did not immediately respond. 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 Conservative activist Erika Kirk introduced President Donald Trump at a midterms-focused Turning Point Action rally in Arizona on Friday, days after she skipped a similar rally in Georgia featuring Vice President JD Vance due to unspecified security threats. Onstage at a Phoenix-area church, Kirk told the crowd of young conservatives they couldnt rest on their laurels after the youth vote unexpectedly helped propel Trump back to the White House in 2024. Instead, Kirk said, they needed to fortify the red wall in battleground states including Arizona, Nevada and New Hampshire during the midterms. Echoing a series of recent Trump rants online, Kirk also took aim at unnamed critics of the GOP, a potential reference to souring opinion among conservative commentators on the Iran war. The Turning Point leader slammed those who were spreading negativity to get clicks and influence. Kirk appealed to the memory of her late husband Charlie Kirk, who was assassinated last year, urging the audience to get involved politically, even as polls show young voters overwhelmingly disapprove of the Trump administration. My husband Charlie gave his life for that work, Kirk continued. And what gets built lasts for generations, long after the noise has run out of one-liners. open image in gallery Erika Kirk introduced Donald Trump at a Turning Point rally in Arizona on Friday, after the activist skipped a similar event with the vice president earlier this week amid security threats ( Reuters ) Onstage, Trump mostly stuck to his usual stump speech, though he made occasional appeals to the young crowd. Speaking about the administrations suite of new tax deductions, Trump told the audience, A lot of you benefited from this. He also expressed disbelief that the Republicans are projected to suffer losses during this years elections, in keeping with the general trend that the ruling party loses seats during midterms. It should be the opposite, Trump said. Were doing well. Were doing our job. Were ending wars all over the place. If the crowds at recent events are any indication, the administration could struggle to actually attract that kind of popularity. open image in gallery President Trumps speech mostly focused on foreign policy and familiar attacks on Democrats, though he tried to appeal to the crowd of young conservatives by touting the 2025 Republican tax bills benefits for tipped workers ( Reuters ) The church where Trump spoke, which has capacity for about 4,500 people, was not entirely full. An upper level of seats was cordoned off and empty, according to pool reports. Prior to the event, scores of supporters of all ages waited in line to get in, though the presidents motorcade was also greeted with angry crowds, who hurled insults and held signs on topics including the Epstein files and the Iran war. Across the street near the venue, Trump backers waved MAGA banners and American flags. The Independent has contacted the White House for comment. Earlier this week, Vance spoke to a half-empty arena in Georgia and was heckled about the recent war in Gaza. Turning Point organizers blamed the lackluster turnout on shenanigans from left-wing groups gaming an online ticket system to suppress attendance. In Arizona, the president earned smatterings of applause as he made triumphant, if inaccurate, claims that Iran had agreed to give up its enriched nuclear material as part of the peace process. Tehran has strongly denied this is the case. open image in gallery Protesters lined up outside as President Trump arrived in Arizona for the Turning Point rally ( AFP/Getty ) Despite the cheers in the room of conservatives in Phoenix Friday, the administration has acknowledged that many young people are skeptical of the conflict, which the White House began in late February despite campaigning on avoiding new foreign wars. I recognize that young voters do not love the policy we have in the Middle East, OK, Vance said at the Georgia Turning Point event earlier this week. I understand. Im not saying you have to agree with me on every issue, he added. What Im saying is dont get disengaged because you disagree with the administration on one topic. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice The U.S. Treasury Department has unexpectedly extended a pause on sanctions targeting Russian oil shipments, a decision made just two days after Secretary Scott Bessent publicly ruled out such a move. The reversal aims to ease potential shortages exacerbated by the conflict in Iran. The general license temporarily exempts Russian oil loaded onto tankers as of Friday from U.S. sanctions for 30 days. It prolongs a similar 30-day waiver issued in March for oil loaded by March 11. This extension highlights how the Iran wars fallout is boosting Moscows ability to profit from energy exports, previously restrained since its invasion of Ukraine. Bessent had said at the White House on Wednesday: We will not be renewing the general license on Russian oil, and we will not be renewing the general license on Iranian oil. The administration has yet to offer an immediate explanation for the sudden policy shift. A humanoid robot in Hanfu performs martial arts during a brand show in Caoxian County, east China's Shandong Province, April 11, 2026. (Xinhua) JINAN, April 17 (Xinhua) -- Forget a conventional Hanfu launch. At a brand show in Caoxian County, east China's Shandong Province, models took the stage holding pint-sized dolls dressed in matching traditional attire, while humanoid robots also appeared in Hanfu, catching much of the audience's attention. Amid China's growing enthusiasm for traditional culture, the event offered a vivid glimpse of how one of the country's top Hanfu production hubs is evolving. In Caoxian, local Hanfu companies that once depended heavily on large-scale manufacturing are now moving further into niche markets and original design, extending their craftsmanship to robots, dolls and furry friends, while also developing products that fit modern lifestyles better. FROM HUMANS TO HUMANOIDS AND DOLLS "We used to make Hanfu only for people, but last winter we started exploring clothes for robots," said Hu Chunqing, general manager of Caoxian Chenfei Clothing. With China's robotics industry expanding and its uses becoming more varied, Hu said, combining Hanfu with robots is both a way to promote traditional culture and a new direction for cross-industry innovation. In just over a month, his team created more than 20 sets of Hanfu tailored to different robot models, ranging from martial arts styles to those based on clothes from different dynasties. "Making Hanfu for robots is very different from making it for humans," Hu said. "First, you have to consider the robot's structure," he said, noting that his company worked with an academic institution to design outfits that fit the robots' body proportions and mechanical joints. "Material choice also matters. The clothes need to be easy to put on and take off, and suitable for heat dissipation." Looking ahead, Hu sees robotic Hanfu becoming a type of "cultural accessory" for machines. "Beyond stage performances, service robots in fields like healthcare and public safety could also wear Hanfu to add a cultural touch," Hu told Xinhua. This move into niche categories also includes the miniature world. Yao Chixing, founder of local designer brand Luoruyan, made the doll-sized Hanfu displayed at the event. Though small, the outfits are far from cheap. "Every single step of the production process is still required, and it's even harder," she added. Her company already makes a range of Hanfu for adults and children, and now sees doll Hanfu as a promising new direction. "Young people today love collectible toys and enjoy customizing outfits for their dolls," Yao said. "Doll Hanfu combines trendy toys with traditional culture. It also shows a sense of identity and cultural confidence." Her brand has also tried other new ideas. In 2024, it launched a scented Hanfu series, where fabrics were infused with the fragrances of flowers like peonies, roses and lotus. It has also introduced lighter-colored horse-face skirts designed for everyday wear, including at work. "We want to find ways to bring modern fashion into traditional Hanfu," Yao said. FURRY FRIENDS IN FASHION The trend does not end with robots and dolls. In Caoxian, Hanfu is also being adapted for pets. Walking through a local pet industry showroom, visitors can find pet clothes inspired by Hanfu's cutting techniques and decorated with auspicious motifs, with some designs drawing on traditional craftsmanship like Su embroidery. Special styles have even been made for pets, including Tang-style short jackets. Local company TAORAE specializes in pet apparel for animals of all sizes, with pet Hanfu making up about 20 percent of its product line. "We noticed that more people were keeping pets, and there was also a greater demand for emotional value," said Cheng Zhanying, founder of TAORAE. "Caoxian's Hanfu design base also encouraged us to enter this niche market." "Pet clothing ultimately reflects human aesthetics," Cheng said. "In that way, designing Hanfu for people and for pets follows a similar logic." At the same time, practicality comes first, Cheng added. Because pets are active, the clothes must be comfortable and allow them to move normally. Based on customer feedback, the company has added adjustable details to help the outfits fit pets better. Lan Shouku, general manager of Chong Taotao (Shandong) Pet Supply Chain Co., Ltd., is another entrepreneur betting on the sector. With support from the local government, he returned from Shanghai in early 2025 and set up a company focusing on pet apparel, home products, food and grooming items. "Some low-end and similar products from the past no longer meet the needs of today's young consumers," he said. "We focus on helping local factories with innovation and product development. Pet Hanfu is one of our directions." Lan and his team designed a line of red pet outfits that became a hit during the 2026 Spring Festival. During the holiday, when many people wore festive Hanfu to visit relatives and friends, even their pets were dressed in celebratory outfits. This year, Lan's team has already developed more than 30 new pet Hanfu designs. FROM SCALE TO SPECIALIZATION Caoxian's story with Hanfu began nearly two decades ago, when a small number of villagers started making Hanfu costumes for photo studios and live performances. As e-commerce developed in China, local manufacturers acted quickly to open online stores and found strong market demand. Today, the county, with a population of over 1.7 million, is home to more than 2,800 Hanfu businesses, directly employing nearly 100,000 people. In 2025, its total annual online and offline Hanfu sales exceeded 13 billion yuan (about 1.9 billion U.S. dollars). Within a 5-kilometer radius, the county has a complete industrial chain covering design, cutting, pattern making, embroidery and printing. Caoxian now produces nearly half of China's Hanfu dresses. However, the boom has also brought new pressures. As the market becomes more crowded, local companies are increasingly turning to original design, stronger branding and more specialized products to stay competitive. At the launch event, Luoruyan unveiled six Hanfu dresses created in collaboration with China's latest historical epic TV series "Swords into Plowshares," marking the first time a Caoxian Hanfu brand had launched a collection tied to a hit TV series. At the same event, an industrial base for intelligent robot apparel was also officially launched. Companies from Caoxian and other areas joined hands to explore deeper integration between traditional Hanfu and modern intelligent technology. Xie Fangming, full-time vice chairman of the China Fashion Association, said Caoxian has grown from a processor of performance costumes into China's leading production base for original Hanfu. It now has the country's top industrialization level and production capacity in the sector. Xie added that the association will provide support in areas such as design talent, original copyright protection and brand standards, helping it move from a large production base to a creative hub. Hanfu, the traditional clothing of China embellished with intricate embroidery, dates back to the Han Dynasty (202 BC-220 AD). It has developed over history, resulting in a diverse array of designs. "Hanfu is a carrier of culture. By designing Hanfu for robots, dolls and pets, we hope to promote traditional culture across different industries through crossover innovation," said Hu. Enditem (Xinhua reporter Wang Hongshuo in Jinan also contributed to the story.) This photo taken on April 11, 2026 shows models in Hanfu performing during a brand show in Caoxian County, east China's Shandong Province. (Xinhua) Editor: Zhang Zhou 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 cracked a joke about wanting to take a psychedelic during a White House event touting the benefits of the drugs. The president made the remark at a Saturday morning event in the Oval Office, where he signed an executive order to accelerate medical treatments for serious mental illness, including the therapeutic benefits of LSD, psilocybin, ecstasy, and other psychedelics. In attendance was the popular podcaster, Joe Rogan, who has advocated for the treatments but has also recently been fiercely critical of Trumps war in Iran. Trump touted the success of the psychedelic drug ibogainea Schedule I controlled substanceand cited a study in which he said participants experienced an 80 to 90 percent reduction in symptoms of depression and anxiety within one month. Can I have some, please? Trump quipped, prompting the room to erupt in laughter. Ill do whatever it takesI dont have time to be depressed. If you stay busy enough, maybe thats what works too, thats what I do. open image in gallery President Donald Trump cracked a joke about wanting to take a psychedelic drug during a White House event touting the benefits of the therapies, where Joe Rogan was a special guest ( Reuters ) Rogan, who endorsed Trump for president in 2024, said the executive order came about after he sent Trump a text message about psychedelic therapies. Veteran organizations and psychedelic advocates have long contended that the ibogaine, which is made from a shrub native to West Africa, has great promise for hard-to-treat conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder and opioid addiction. Retired Navy SEAL Marcus Luttrell, who has written about his struggles with depression and PTSD in the memoir Lone Survivor, told Trump how ibogaine changed his life for the better. Youre going to save a lot of lives with it, Luttrell told Trump. Id like to say how grateful I am to have had the opportunity to go through the program and receive the Ibogaine. I want to tell everybody how this happened, Rogan explained. I sent President Trump some information the text message that came back: Sounds great. Do you want FDA approval? Let's do it, Rogan claimed. It was literally that quick. Trump clarified that he had it checked out with Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who was also in attendance Saturday, and other members of his administration. I didn't just do it, the president said. The president also took a swipe at Rogan for being a liberal after the podcaster called out Trumps terrifying war in Iran on his show Thursday. open image in gallery Rogan, who endorsed Trump for president in 2024, said the executive order came about after he sent Trump a text message about psychedelic therapies ( Reuters ) Anytime youre involved with youre shooting missiles into towns and blowing things up, blowing up infrastructure, blowing up bridges, you know, and Israels blowing up Lebanon, Rogan said on his podcast. Now, its like, What the f*** are we doing? How is this still going on? We all respect Joe, Trump said Saturday. Hes a little bit more liberal than me and thats okay. This week Rogan also poked fun at Trumps claim that a controversial AI-generated image he posted on Truth Social depicted him as a doctor not Jesus. Rogan was at the White House event after raising the profile of ibogaine on his podcast. He has hosted former Texas Gov. Rick Perry, the co-founder of a group called Americans for Ibogaine, who made the case for reducing federal limits on the drug on the show. The administration is now taking steps to ease access to psychedelics that Trump said were already designated as potential breakthroughs by federal regulators. Owners of ibogaine clinics said the impact of the order will not be immediate. There will be no insurance coverage, it will still be considered unapproved and non-covered care, said Tom Feegel of Beond Ibogaine, which operates a clinic in Cancun, Mexico. But what it does mean is that ibogaine shifts from being fringe and underground to being federally acknowledged. The Associated Press 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 President Donald Trump tore into NATO during a speech at a rally in Arizona, claiming the longstanding U.S.-led alliance had belatedly offered to help America clear the Strait of Hormuz, the vital oil-shipping lane thats been reopened for the time being as negotiations continue surrounding the Iran war. Now that the Hormuz Strait situation is nearly over, I received a call from NATO asking if we would like some help, Trump told the crowd at a Turning Point Action event in Phoenix Friday evening. I told them I would have liked your help two months ago, but now I really don't want your help anymore, because they were absolutely useless when we needed them, Trump continued. But actually we never needed them. They needed us. If it teaches us any one thing, we have to rely on ourselves, the president said elsewhere in his remarks. We can't rely on outside countries and outside sources. Earlier Friday, both sides in the Iran conflict announced that the strait was being reopened, though some of the details clashed. open image in gallery President Trump sharply criticized NATO during a speech Friday, alleging that the bedrock transatlantic alliance had belatedly offered to help the U.S. clear the Strait of Hormuz ( Getty ) Iran said the Strait is open for all commercial vessels for the duration of the ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon in the regional conflict, while President Trump wrote on social media on Friday that the Strait is fully open, a status not tied, in any way, to Lebanon. The U.S. naval blockade on Iranian ports will continue, Trump wrote, until OUR TRANSACTION WITH IRAN IS 100% COMPLETE. The Republican also claimed Friday that Iran had agreed to give up its enriched uranium, which the country strongly denied. Now that the Hormuz Strait situation is over, I received a call from NATO asking if we would need some help, Trump added in the flurry of online updates. I TOLD THEM TO STAY AWAY, UNLESS THEY JUST WANT TO LOAD UP THEIR SHIPS WITH OIL. The Independent has contacted NATO for comment. NATO and other U.S. allies previously refused to join in the American blockade on Iranian ports. Many have kept their distance overall from the growing conflict, though the U.K. has allowed U.S. forces to use British bases for defensive purposes. On Friday, the president thanked other U.S. allies, praising the terrific leaders of Pakistan, which has facilitated talks between Washington and Tehran. open image in gallery NATO declined to join the U.S. naval blockade on Iranian ports, infuriating President Trump ( US Navy ) He also praised U.S. allies in the Middle East including Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the UAE, Bahrain and Kuwait, countries which have faced attacks from Iran on U.S. bases and vital domestic energy infrastructure as part of the conflict. It took courage for them, Trump said. At the Arizona event, the president repeated his regular (and oft-disputed) claim that he has ended numerous wars while in office, arguing that diplomatic developments in Iran had once again upped his tally of successful peace deals. It may be a little early to say this, but if we add Iran and Lebanon, that will be 10 wars ended and many, many millions of lives saved, the Republican said. open image in gallery Trump told the crowd in Arizona that major developments were coming in Cuba, which has reportedly hosted talks with the U.S. State Department in Havana in recent days ( Reuters ) Iran was the bully of the Middle East, Trump said during another portion of the speech. Theyre not the bully anymore. In his remarks, the president also hailed the great partnership with Venezuela that has occurred since the U.S. attacked the country, ousting and arresting President Nicolas Maduro. Trump also hinted at further diplomatic developments to come in Cuba, which is reeling from a catastrophic energy crisis as Washington blocks oil shipments from the islands longtime patron Venezuela. Trump said a new dawn for Cuba was on its way, and that people should watch what happens. The U.S. State Department has reportedly met in Havana with top Cuban officials, including the influential grandson of de facto Cuban leader Raul Castro. 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 newly approved nighttime curfew for people of all ages in the city of Virginia Beach, aimed at curbing violence and large gatherings, is now under legal challenge. The curfew came after two shootings injured multiple people, but a resident in the city has filed an emergency lawsuit against the city seeking to block the curfew in the Oceanfront area. The lawsuit argues that city officials exceeded their authority under state law by implementing the restrictive measures, ABC affiliate 13 News Now reported. It was filed in the Virginia Beach Circuit Court by attorney Tim Anderson on behalf of resident Lisa Lawrence, naming the city, City Manager Patrick Duhaney, and Police Chief Paul Neudigate as defendants. The filing requests a temporary restraining order to prevent the enforcement of the ordinance, which was adopted by the City Council on Thursday night. The curfew is meant to support public safety efforts during high-activity weekends, according to city officials ( AFP/Getty ) The council voted 10-1 to implement a 9:30 p.m. curfew for all ages starting Friday, April 17. The measure is also scheduled for Saturday, April 18, and Friday, April 24, covering the area between Pacific Avenue and the Boardwalk from Rudee Loop to 31st Street. This is not something we want to do, Virginia Beach Mayor Bobby Dyer told the outlet. But right now, this is something that we kind of have to do. City officials said the curfew was a necessary response to recent violence and large gatherings, including the shootings that occurred on March 7 and April 11. The temporary curfew is intended to support public safety efforts during high-activity weekends while allowing law enforcement to manage large crowds and address recent disturbances in the Oceanfront area, the City of Virginia Beach said in a statement following the vote. The lawsuit contends that the city improperly invoked emergency powers. Under Virginia law, the complaint argues, curfews may only be established in response to an imminent threat of civil disturbance, rather than as a reaction to past events or in anticipation of future gatherings. Lawrence also challenged the legality of scheduling multiple curfew dates in advance, asserting that the statute requires an immediate, singular emergency. As a resident of the Oceanfront area, Lawrence stated the ordinance restricts her freedom of movement and subjects her to potential criminal penalties. The City of Virginia Beach is aware of the lawsuit filed regarding the recently adopted curfew ordinance, and we intend to defend it, a city spokesperson told the outlet. Our focus remains on ensuring public safety at the Oceanfront. The 9:30 p.m. curfew for all ages is an addition to the citys existing 7 p.m. curfew for unaccompanied minors, which remains in effect. Is this the best of times for the Kremlin, or the worst of times? With the world distracted by Israel and the USs war on Iran and Lebanon, Vladimir Putin has been enjoying a cash windfall. Higher oil prices are set to refill the Kremlins war-depleted coffers, Washington has granted sanctions relief to Russian crude oil tankers en route to India and there has been a boost in demand for the countrys liquefied natural gas (LNG) as Europe scrambles to replace supplies trapped behind the Strait of Hormuz. At the same time, the Kremlin just lost a major strategic diplomatic asset in the form of Hungarys robustly anti-Ukrainian prime minister Viktor Orban, voted out of office in a landslide defeat earlier this week. Ukrainian long-range drones have become proficient at striking Russian oil export terminals on the Baltic Sea, thousands of kilometres from Ukraines borders. And the long-term economic pressure of war is starting to shake the fundamentals of the Russian economy. Even worse for Putin, prominent members of his countrys elite are beginning to publicly warn of a coming economic collapse. Its in Hungary that the close connection between European Ukraine policy and Russian energy supplies can be seen most starkly. The fall of Orban was undoubtedly a defeat for Putin, Brussels openly celebrated the end of Europes most obstructionist leader, Kyiv was relieved, and Western commentators rushed to declare the death of illiberal democracy in Europe. But this week its become rapidly apparent that the real picture is more complicated. Peter Magyar, Orbans one-time close associate and now successor, declared that he was ready to lift Hungarys veto on a proposed 90bn (78bn) EU loan that is Ukraines economic lifeline. But Magyars price was that Russian oil supplies to Hungary should be resumed via the Druzhba pipeline, a Soviet-era pipe that runs from Russia through Ukraine and into Europe. Druzhba was shut down after a Russian drone strike on a pumping station near Lviv in January, causing a major diplomatic row as Hungary and Slovakia accused Ukraine of refusing to repair the pipeline for political reasons. Brussels, desperate to get the 90bn loan to Kyiv approved, found itself getting dragged into the argument and ended up pledging money and technical help to reopen the pipeline even though this directly contradicts the EUs pledge to wean the continent off Russian oil before the end of 2027. open image in gallery Orban was a trusted ally of Putin, but he lost the election by a sizeable majority ( Reuters ) The fallen Orban once described Hungary in a phone call to Putin as a mouse to Russias lion. But Magyar, it seems, is apparently just as ready as his pro-Russian predecessor to insist on preserving cheap oil and gas flows from the Kremlin. Moreover, Magyar has pledged to hold a referendum on Ukraines eventual accession to the EU which could amount to a pledge to veto it in reality. At the same time, unnoticed by most, Spain has also quietly increased its orders for Russian LNG as supplies from the Gulf dry up. Spanish imports nearly doubled in March, hitting a historic record of almost 10,000 GWh of Russian gas in one month. Thats even higher than during the 2023 energy price crisis peak. Should Europe accelerate the exit from Russian energy? asks Kyrylo Shevchenko, former head of Ukraines Central Bank. Or is this just pragmatic diversification amid global instability? Its a supreme irony, of course, that Europe is funding Ukraines defence against Russian aggression while at the same time funding Putins war machine through oil and gas payments. Hungary, for instance, has signed long-term gas contracts with Kremlin-owned Gazprom that run until 2036 on so-called take-or-pay terms worth roughly $2.5bn (1.85bn) annually. That contract, signed under Swiss law, cannot be easily undone and Magyar won in part thanks to a pledge to protect Hungarians from higher energy bills. The Hungarian Paks-2 nuclear plant, being built by the Russian state-owned Rosatom at a cost of 12.5bn and mostly financed by Moscow, will be built whether Budapest or Brussels likes it or not. Yet the Russian economy is still in serious trouble, and experts are doubtful that a temporary windfall from the Iran war will be enough to save the Kremlins finances. Robert Nigmatulin, a prominent academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences, did not mince words at the Moscow Economic Forum this week. Publicly laying out the dire state of the economy, he said Russia now has the lowest per capita incomes in Europe Even the poorest regions of China now have higher incomes than Russias poorest regions. open image in gallery Hungary has signed long-term gas contracts with Kremlin-owned Gazprom ( Reuters ) Over the last 11 years, Russias average annual GDP growth has been around 1.5 per cent, while consumer prices rose 77 per cent overall. The prominent economist was careful not to criticise Putin directly but at the same time, he made it crystal clear that 40 per cent of the Russian budget currently being poured into the war in Ukraine is crippling the country for no useful end. The Soviet Union was poor, Nigmatulin said, but at least that poverty came with massive achievements in space, nuclear, and industry: Now weve lost everything, and were still the poorest. And its not just academics who are going public. Russian Central Bank chair Elvira Nabiullina admitted this week that for the first time in modern history, our economy is colliding with labour shortages, restrictions. The most important question is whether the economic squeeze will force Putin to end his bloody war on Ukraine. Ukraines defence intelligence directorate, known by its acronym GUR, doesnt think so. According to deputy head Vadym Skibitsky, Russia is readying a fresh ground assault in southeastern Ukraine, dipping into its strategic reserve to add 20,000 fresh troops to its force inside the country. With some 680,000 soldiers now on the ground, Skibitsky told the Financial Times this week, Russia is aiming to capture the entire Donbas region by September. He added that Ukraine is running out of air defence system ammunition, in part because of Patriot batteries being redeployed to the Gulf, and warned that Russia has doubled its production of mobile short-range Iskander ballistic missiles that have proved devastatingly effective against Ukraines electricity and heating infrastructure. Ukraines response has been to hit Russias oil and gas export facilities in Ust-Luga near St Petersburg with almost daily strikes. And while those have been effective, they clearly havent succeeded in destroying the Kremlins capacity to keep exporting its energy to an oil-hungry world. And as long as international customers such as India, China and indeed Europe remain, Putins war machine will have the cash to plough onwards. 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 One hundred years after it was conducted, the first full census of independent Ireland is being released for free online. These nearly 3 million records will be of great significance to Irelands population, and a global diaspora of some 80 million claiming Irish ancestry. As well as providing insight into socioeconomic circumstances following the establishment of Saorstat Eireann (the Irish Free State) in 1922, the 1926 census holds several keys to unravelling Irelands complicated past. For many, this public release will help reconcile the enormous loss caused by the destruction of the Public Record Office of Ireland at the outset of the Irish civil war. An explosion laid waste to over 700 years of Irish historical records, including some of the 19th-century censuses. In Ireland, public access to historical census returns is legally restricted for 100 years. Almost 16 years since the online release of the 1901 and 1911 household census returns, the demand for more genealogical records is palpable. So, please be patient with the system (and the wonderful people behind it) as it will be busy. Excitement about previous census releases has crashed websites. open image in gallery Miss Mannix, niece of Archbishop Daniel Mannix, Archbishop of Melbourne, milking a cow on her father's farm at Deerpark, Charleville, Co. Cork, c. 9 August 1920 ( National Library of Ireland on The Commons ) What the census could reveal The 1926 census has some novel aspects compared with those conducted under British administration from 1821 to 1911. Although the Irish language was part of a bilingual question since 1851, the 1926 census offered the first opportunity to complete the form as Gaeilge (in Irish). This census emphasised the family as the unit of inquiry, as opposed to the household, which was more inclusive of non-relatives cohabiting. As with past censuses, the name, age, sex, marital status/orphanhood, birthplace, language, religion and occupation of each person was documented in terms of their relationship to an appointed head of household. A census provides the statistical underpinning to plan for future population needs. In the 1920s, the world was reeling from excess young adult mortality a combination of the first world war and the global influenza pandemic. Ireland was no exception. Aggregate reports from the 1926 census convey concerns about the declining population, delayed age at marriage and marital fertility. Perhaps reflecting the remit of the responsible Department of Industry and Commerce (Statistics Branch), the 1926 census sought more precise information than previous censuses about employment and employers. The reports show that of 1,223,014 gainfully employed people over the age of 12, 53% were engaged in agriculture. About the author Ciara Breathnach is a Professor of Irish Gender History at University College Cork. This article was first published by The Conversation and is republished under a Creative Commons licence. Read the original article. But regional variations were marked. In Dublin City, heartland of the pejoratively termed beer and biscuits economy, that figure was as low as 0.9%. In counties like Galway, agricultural dependency was as high as 75%. Only 6% of the population was categorised as unemployed, most of which was temporary. Some jobs had residential components and, of those, the 14,145 professed clergymen and nuns outnumbered the 13,869 non-commissioned members of the recently reduced Oglaigh na hEireann (Irish army). The records released on April 18 tell us even more about the men, women and children behind these statistics, what their domestic lives were like, and the parts they played in Saorstat Eireann. Mysteries of history Like many, I approach the release with questions about my own family, such as where my grandparents were at the time. My first search will be for deceased loved ones like my darling uncle Eamon. He will be among the infants recorded in 1926, who went on to contribute to the Bailiuchan na Scol or Schools Collection a compilation of folklore compiled by Irish schoolchildren in the 1930s. Something was definitely in my eye when I found him in there a few years ago. open image in gallery People on the scene after the Drumcollogher Cinema burnt down in 1926 in County Limerick ( National Library of Ireland on The Commons ) There are also several wider socioeconomic, cultural and political aspects to this census that I will explore. I am interested in teasing out the relationship between the populace and the newly-formed An Garda Siochana, the unarmed police force established in 1926 who acted as census takers. For example, did they encourage participation, or instil a reticence to engage, among those who opposed the Irish Free State government? Related to this is whether Dublins sex work district, Monto, endured the moral panic that swept across Europe following the Great War. My work with Rachel Murphy on the 1911 census found several young women as sole occupants of tenement rooms, which would normally be inhabited by entire families. Will similar patterns emerge when we examine the streets of Monto in 1926? It will be possible to investigate the ages of older cohorts alongside court records. This may challenge the well-worn jokes about those who allegedly aged more than ten years between the 1901 and 1911 censuses, in order to qualify for the old-age pension. For scholars of migration, birthplace will be a critical data point, to trace Northern Irish Catholics seeking refuge from sectarian conflict. Sadly, the equivalent 1926 Northern Irish returns were lost through suspected improper housing and archival neglect. This inhibits future research on the 106,456 decrease in the Protestant population from the 1911 census. Some of this reflected the departure of British Crown forces, but the majority were those fleeing the Irish Free State for political and safety reasons. open image in gallery Mr John Brennan with his son, posing in the door of his drapery shop at 27 Barronstrand Street, Waterford, on 10 May 1926 ( National Library of Ireland on the Commons ) Tips for your census search Household census returns are an excellent source of information about past family and kinship networks. But it is best to manage expectations and think creatively around naming conventions, derivatives and spelling variations. Ditto for place names but there is a useful historical mapping tool that could help. Bear in mind also that several streets were renamed after 1922. As a general rule, the upper echelons of Irish society are easier to find in official records than lower socioeconomic groups. My work shows how census returns are often the only official record of ordinary lives. To protect the privacy of residents in hospitals, asylums, prisons, county homes (erstwhile workhouses) and other carceral institutions on census night, only their initials were recorded. This makes patients and inmates tricky to find, but a rough idea of age and location will prove helpful. For the more well-documented Irish, the 1926 census offers a conduit to the delights of other freely available online collections, like the civil registration of births deaths and marriages on irishgenealogy.ie. 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 Venezuela's exiled opposition leader Maria Corina Machado drew several thousand supporters on Saturday to a rally in Madrid, where the Nobel laureate declined a meeting with Spain's progressive prime minister, Pedro Sanchez, on a multicountry European tour. Sanchez, an outspoken critic of the US President Donald Trump, was hosting a summit of like-minded progressive leaders from around the world on Saturday, while Machado extolled Trumps ouster of Nicolas Maduro in January. Earlier this year, she presented Trump with her Nobel Peace Prize. What happened in the last few hours at the meeting (Sanchez) held in Barcelona with several leaders and political figures from different countries demonstrates why such a meeting was not advisable, Machado told reporters on Saturday. Machado insisted at an earlier event that she would be returning to Venezuela, but declined to say when, or how, and acknowledged the challenges implicit in a return to her country. Her multistop European tour, during which she met with the leaders of France, Italy and the Netherlands, comes while Venezuelas interim President Delcy Rodriguez has continued in her temporary role, exceeding the 90-day limit initially imposed on it, while the U.S. government has lifted some sanctions against her. Machado criticised Rodriguezs government, saying it represented chaos, violence and terror, and reiterated her belief in the need and advent of democratic elections in Venezuela. Machado added she did not regret presenting Trump, whose administration has largely sidelined the crusader for democracy, with her Nobel. She said she was in permanent contact with officials in the Trump administration and trusted Washington's phased process in Venezuela since Maduro's removal. There is one leader in the world, one head of state, who has risked the lives of his countrys citizens for the freedom of Venezuela. And that is Donald Trump, Machado said, referring to the US military operation in January. The opposition leader drew a huge crowd in the Spanish capitals Puerta del Sol, standing beside Madrids conservative regional leader Isabel Diaz Ayuso, one of Sanchezs loudest critics, who feted her earlier in the day. Some 600,000 Venezuelans live in Spain, home to the largest population outside the Americas. Many fled political persecution and violence, but also the countrys collapsing economy. A majority live in the capital, Madrid. Twenty-seven-year-old Grehlsy Penuela, a Venezuelan migrant in Spain who attended Saturday's rally, said she still placed her hopes for her country in Machado and her eventual return to Caracas. Penuela, who held signs with the faces of her two cousins she said remain incarcerated in Caracas as political prisoners, would consider returning to Venezuela only under one condition. That the current government completely steps down, she said. On The Ground newsletter: Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly international news dispatch Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has issued a stark warning, saying that Kyiv believes Russia is preparing to once again draw its ally Belarus into the ongoing conflict. Citing an intelligence report from Ukraine's top commander, Oleksandr Syrskyi, Mr Zelensky revealed concerns over "road construction in areas leading to Ukraine and the establishment of artillery positions... in the Belarusian border area". He added: "We believe that Russia will once again try to involve Belarus in its war." In response, Ukraine has reportedly issued instructions to warn the Belarusian leadership of "Ukraine's readiness to defend its land and independence". Mr Zelensky also suggested that intelligence indicates Russia is "attempting ... to carry out a regrouping of forces most likely to compensate for a shortage of personnel", which he believes explains the increased military activity within Belarus. He did not provide further evidence. Belarus president Alexander Lukashenko signs a document in Pyongyang, North Korea ( AP ) Belarus, led by Alexander Lukashenko, a close ally of Russian leader Vladimir Putin, allowed its territory which borders Nato members Poland, Lithuania and Latvia to be used as a staging ground for part of Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022. While Mr Lukashenko, who has been in power since 1994, has publicly said he has no intention of committing Belarusian troops to the war, his country has agreed to host Russian tactical nuclear weapons and hypersonic Oreshnik missiles. Mr Lukashenko remains under Western sanctions due to his support for the war and allegations of human rights abuses. However, the United States has recently sought to improve relations, securing the release of 250 detainees, whom the West considers political prisoners, in March. The US agreed to lift some sanctions but explicitly warned the Belarusian leadership against facilitating sanctions evasion or further supporting the war in 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 Tankers in the Gulf came under fire on Saturday as Iran reimposed its blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, just hours after declaring the vital waterway had reopened to commercial traffic. At least two vessels reported being struck by gunfire as they tried to cross the strait, after Tehran said it would be shutting the strategic chokepoint in response to the continued US blockade on Iranian ports. Hopes for diplomacy were dashed as Irans new supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei said the nations navy was ready to inflict new bitter defeats on its enemies, with the US-Iranian ceasefire set to expire within days. Irans foreign ministry cast fresh doubt on Donald Trumps hopes for a second round of peace talks this weekend, revealing no date has been set and adding that a framework of understanding must be agreed first. President Trump, who only yesterday said Iran had agreed never to close the strait again, played down the situation, telling reporters Iran had got a little cute, but that the US was still in talks and would not be blackmailed. open image in gallery AH-64 Apaches fly above the Strait of Hormuz during a patrol, 17 April ( US Centcom ) Maritime trackers had earlier shown eight tankers transiting the Strait of Hormuz in the first major movement of ships since the conflict erupted seven weeks ago. But Irans armed forces soon said it was resuming control of the strait, accusing the US of violating the ceasefire agreement with the blockade east of the strait. Both sides accused each other of piracy. Traffic came to an abrupt halt as the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) agency said a tanker had been fired at by two gunboats linked to Irans [Revolutionary Guards] off Oman. The captain of the tanker said the two gunboats opened fire without issuing a radio challenge, UKMTO said, adding that the vessel and its crew were reported safe. Iran had reopened the strategic chokepoint on Friday, following the announcement of a 10-day ceasefire in the parallel conflict between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon. It said the reopening was conditional on the US ending its blockade, while Trump said the US military would keep its ships in place until our transaction with Iran is 100 per cent complete. open image in gallery President Donald Trump speaks in the Oval Office as he signs an Executive Order on 18 April ( Getty ) As uncertainty weighed on the delicate two-week truce between Iran and the US, set to expire on Tuesday, Irans supreme national security council said it was considering new peace proposals from the US. The agency said Iran is yet to respond to the new terms, which came about from mediation by Pakistan in recent days. Iranian sources said previously that a second round of direct talks could happen on Monday. Trump was urging Iran to come to terms, threatening that he might allow the ceasefire to end unless a long-term deal is agreed by Wednesday. Maybe I wont extend it, but the blockade (on Iranian ports) is going to remain, he told reporters on Air Force One, on his way back to Washington from Phoenix, Arizona on Friday. So you have a blockade, and unfortunately, we have to start dropping bombs again. As talks further deteriorated, US officials told the Wall Street Journal that the military was considering boarding Iran-linked ships in international waters, expanding its naval crackdown beyond the Middle East. open image in gallery Tankers and other vessels in the Strait of Hormuz off the coast of Musandam ( Reuters ) The fragile truce in Lebanon, agreed on Thursday, was still holding on Saturday as thousands of people displaced by the conflicts made the long journey home. A French soldier was killed and three others wounded while clearing a road in southern Lebanon in an attack peacekeepers and French officials said was likely carried out by Iran-backed Hezbollah. French president Emmanuel Macron identified the deceased as Sergeant-Chef Florian Montorio of the 17th Parachute Engineer Regiment from Montauban. Everything suggests that responsibility for this attack lies with Hezbollah, he said. France demands that the Lebanese authorities immediately arrest the perpetrators and take their responsibilities alongside UNIFIL. Hezbollah denied responsibility for the attack in a statement. White House: Trump has met with team over Iran proposal to reopen Strait of Hormuz 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 said that Iran believes it is in a State of Collapse and wants the US to open the Strait of Hormuz, as Washington considers a new peace proposal. Iran has just informed us that they are in a State of Collapse the US president wrote. They want us to Open the Hormuz Strait, as soon as possible, as they try to figure out their leadership situation (Which I believe they will be able to do!), he added. Insiders revealed today that Trump discussed a new Iranian proposal on resolving the war with his top national security aides on Monday, as the conflict remains in a stalemate with energy supplies from the region still disrupted. Earlier, secretary of state Marco Rubio said Irans grip on the Strait of Hormuz represents an economic nuclear weapon the regime is using to hold the worlds energy hostage. Marco Rubio told Fox News on Monday that Iran is bragging about how it can hold a fifth of the worlds oil and gas hostage. Tehran's latest proposal would see the Strait of Hormuz opened and an end to the war, but with talks on the Iranian nuclear programme postponed. Men, well, there is a real problem young women dont rate you. According to a new poll, only 35 per cent of British women under 25 hold a positive view of men, with just 11 per cent expressing a very positive outlook. It gets slightly better in the under-30s with 50 per cent of women having a favourable view of men. The findings also show that women under 30 are three times more likely to hold a negative view of men, compared with women over 30. What contributes to womens unadoring views of men, according to the research carried out for The New Statesman, is mens perceived overemphasis on sexual motivation and a nonchalance about political issues with one in six women claiming they wouldnt date a man if he had opposing political views about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict or Trump. And while women think the tut-tutting between sexes is mutual, in fact they feel more negatively about men than the other way around, with 72 per cent of men having a favourable view of young women, according to the poll. That is a lot of women who are man haters, including many of my friends. They are constantly pointing the finger at men for their own disastrous love lives or the fact that they are eternally single, as well as for literally everything you can think of. One friend texted me yesterday: Im sad he is such an unpleasant individual. Hate that there are so many bad men Im working hard to shake a lot of them loose. This was followed seconds later by another text: There are a lot of dire men in plain sight that we need to stand up to, Charlotte. Leave me out of it! Dont call me a misandrist I love men. Im sick of the self-piteous hate men narrative and wonder how the hell weve arrived here. Widespread violence against women and the persistent systemic oppression often attributed to the patriarchy account for some of the growing misandry. The MeToo movement, which highlighted widespread sexual harassment, created a cultural shift that, to some, also appeared to fuel gender tensions. Its rise is clearly a backlash to the misogyny found in the manosphere, from influencers such as Andrew Tate and others, such as HSTikkyTokky, featured in Louis Therouxs Inside the Manosphere. The concept is that men and women are inherent enemies, amplified further with the toxic femosphere, a gender-flipped version of the manosphere, where, instead of men taking the red pill in which they adopt the belief that society is inherently biased against men and dominated by feminist ideology, women are taking the pink pill, along with the view that men dont care about women and they never will. Andrew Tate is partly to blame for a rise in misandry, with only 35 per cent of young women holding a positive view of men ( Getty ) A trend on TikTok sees women laughing about the male loneliness epidemic. And on the online community Female Dating Strategy, women are trained in ruthless, cold and transactional dating tactics, the aim being to catch a high value man capable of providing financially for you with the rule never go 50/50 on a date. Its a constant drip-drip that men are the problem sex. School-age boys are misogynists, with teachers warning of a masculinity crisis brewing and blaming the manosphere. The fact that since a young age theyve been forced into a man box that discourages emotional expression makes them not only vulnerable to suicide and substance abuse, but also being pushed into ideologies that are harmful to women. On top of this, men are feeling redundant, as increasing numbers of women are actively choosing to be single, prioritising inner peace, financial independence and autonomy over traditional relationships, with Morgan Stanley predicting that by 2030, 45 per cent of women aged 25 to 44 will be single. Women under 25, in the New Statesman poll, were also found to be twice as likely not to want children as their male equivalents, and said they feared being pressured into having babies by a Reform UK government. Its unlikely the new findings mean that young men generally deserve that negative judgement, but far more likely that young women have unreasonable expectations of them. And while more women dont feel the need to be in relationships that dont serve them and theres nothing wrong with that the issue is that the onus seems to be on the men to change. This is warped thinking. It places huge expectations on men to fix the situation, while taking no accountability, because its supposedly all mens fault. Its time to stop the blame game and to take a look at oneself before we lose men forever. The answer is very simple: If you can spot it, you got it. The faults we see in others are often a reflection of our own unacknowledged flaws. Rather than spend time on fault-finding an endless, obsessive need to focus on the flaws and shortcomings of others its time to list ones own flaws, warts and all. Although self-reflection takes hard work, its the only way to move from a victim mindset and stop blaming external circumstances. Believing boys are smelly and gross is not going to fix the problem. Neither is thinking that men are not up to scratch that they are hapless, unemotional, cold, or incapable of deep connection in relationships; or that they are lazy, incompetent dads who get pissed all the time, and, like Daddy Pig, are incapable of chores. Men dont all let women down left, right and centre we let ourselves down more often and when we judge others for the things they are lacking, we are forgetting about our own imperfections. We should watch out for the performative femosphere. It normalises misandry, radicalises young women, and is directly contributing to a huge gulf between the sexes. Its time to end the misery of misandry and have a happy summer. The Odesa region was attacked by strike drones overnight, resulting in hits to port and industrial infrastructure facilities and injuring one person, reports Oleh Kiper, head of the Odesa Regional Military Administration. "Port and industrial infrastructure facilities in the Odesa district came under strike. Administrative buildings, agricultural product warehouses, buses, and reservoirs were damaged. The hits caused fires, which have already been extinguished by rescuers," Kiper informed on Saturday morning via Telegram. According to preliminary information, one person was injured in the attack. The head of the regional military administration stated that work to eliminate the consequences is currently underway. Law enforcement agencies are documenting another set of Russian war crimes. East Coast Bakehouse co-founder will not be part of its rescue plan Biscuit company is in final days of examinership, with backers expected to lose investments Michael Carey, co-founder of East Coast Bakehouse John Mulligan Sat 18 Apr 2026 at 06:30 Michael Carey is not believed to be among the investors involved in a rescue of biscuit maker East Coast Bakehouse. Mr Carey, who co-founded the company, is poised to see the millions of euro he invested in the company go up in smoke. Ryanair leads Irish shares higher as tankers freed to sail through Hormuz Shares in companies heavily impacted by the energy crisis rose as oil prices dropped Ryanair Donal ODonovan Sat 18 Apr 2026 at 06:30 Ryanair shares rose sharply on Friday afternoon after Iran moved to allow shipping through the Strait of Hormuz during the ceasefire with the US. 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 Irish actor Fra Fee: I dont think any actor is under any obligation to reveal who they like to sleep with From the Gate stage to Marvel stardom, the Tyrone actor has seen his career reach new heights over the past five years. Here, he talks about growing up during the Troubles, misogyny and the manosphere, and the importance of telling LGBTQ+ stories Fra Fee. Photo: David Reiss Lauren Murphy Sat 18 Apr 2026 at 06:30 Rural Oxfordshire is a long way from Killyman, Co Tyrone, but there are some similarities, too, as Fra Fee points out. The oddly monikered Irish actor, as his Instagram bio describes him, has lived amid the Chiltern Hills since 2020, when he and his husband, Declan Bennett who is also an actor and musician decamped there during the pandemic. Baby David, born in a Ukrainian bomb shelter, stares at the camera while a medic not only feeds him but transfers his own blood via a tube Look closely at this powerful photo of Baby David. Not only does it tell a story of survival, it also reveals the dedication of doctors four decades on from the 1986 Chernobyl disaster. Baby David was born in December 2023 in a bomb shelter in Ukraine, but six hours later his skin began turning blue, so his parents drove to the hospital in Lviv where the Chernobyl Children International (CCI) Cardiac Mission was working, to see if its surgeons could see him. Orlaith McBride of the National Archives on the digitisation of the first census of the free state 1926. Today, after a 100-year wait, the Irish public will be able to access their ancestors detailed records taken during the 1926 census. It was the first census in the lifetime of the Irish Free State and has been locked away ever since, under rules that prohibited the release of the files until now. Meet the Wexford radiologist who has helped build hospitals across the world to improve access to cancer treatment Anita was the first dual trained nuclear physician and senior breast radiologist in Western Australia Anita Bourke was the first dual trained nuclear physician and senior breast radiologist in Western Australia. Alan White Gorey Guardian Sat 18 Apr 2026 at 06:30 A senior radiologist from Wexford who moved to Australia 42 years ago has recently shared her surprise and delight after she was awarded an Honorary Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in the 2026 Australia Day Honours List. A young secondary school teacher has been suspended for one month for creating false certificates and making false declarations that she had attended an Irish language course in order to qualify to teach Irish. A fitness-to-teach inquiry of the Teaching Council found four allegations proven of professional misconduct by the teacher relating to the creation of forged documents and misleading statements which were sent to the regulatory body. Report finds a continued reliance on isolating children at Oberstown detention centre The Irish Penal Reform Trust has said the use of single separation points to serious rights-based concern Oberstown detention campus Sarah O'Mahony Fri 17 Apr 2026 at 19:16 An inspection into Oberstown Children's Detention Campus has found an over-reliance on isolating young people outside of best practice. Catherine Connolly stands alongside world leaders in Barcelona at the fourth meeting of the Defence of Democracy conference. Picture: Tony Maxwell Catherine Connolly has claimed democracy is under attack in a speech made during her first overseas trip as president. Ms Connolly was in Barcelona at the In Defence of Democracy conference today which was attended by several key political figures from around the world including Brazilian president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum. Drones struck the Novokuibyshevsk and Syzran oil refineries this morning, according to the monitoring Telegram channel Exilenova+; the strikes were later confirmed by Andriy Kovalenko, head of the Center for Countering Disinformation (CCD). Initial reports focused on the attack in Novokuibyshevsk, where a fire broke out at the ELOU-AVT primary crude oil processing unit. Subsequently, the channel reported a strike on the Syzran refinery and released footage of the blaze. CCD head Kovalenko confirmed the fire at the Syzran refinery. "Syzran, RF. Refinery is burning," he wrote on Telegram, posting a corresponding photo. This refinery receives crude oil from Western Siberia (Khanty-Mansiysk region) via the Transneft trunk pipeline system. Both raw materials and finished petroleum products are stored in its tank farm prior to shipment. Kovalenko also confirmed a fire at the Novokuibyshevsk refinery and published photos on Telegram. Climate Changemakers: Meet the people helping to put the environment and nature at the heart of schools The Irish Schools Sustainability Network aims to give young people a voice and schools the resources to discuss climate change The ambassador programme at ISSN brings students together to share their ideas Aisling Maria Cronin Sat 18 Apr 2026 at 06:30 The Irish Schools Sustainability Network (ISSN) is a community of students and teachers who are committed to encouraging environmental advocacy in schools across Ireland. The network offers specially designed programmes and workshops to inspire meaningful climate action. Fans of outdoor cooking will be thrilled to hear that Grill Fest returns with a fullday celebration of fire, flavour and outdoor cooking. The free event brings together butchers, barbecue cooks, pizza experts and drinks specialists for a full day of live cooking, tastings and openflame demonstrations and of course, plenty of food for you and the family to enjoy. It takes place on the May bank holiday Monday at the OutdoorLiving.ie showroom at Glen of the Downs, County Wicklow. This is the third food festival for the outdoor retailer, with 2024 marking the launch of the event and last year proving a huge success. Grill Fest has always been about showing how good outdoor cooking can be with the right ingredients, equipment and experience, and familiar names return this year alongside newer voices, covering everything from lowandslow barbecue and pizza on the grill to butchery, cocktails and highheat competition cooking. Following their popular live and interactive smoker demo last year, Pat Conway and Jim OBrien, of Smokin Soul, are back once again, bringing their handson approach to fire cooking, which they developed at their Wexford smokehouse. Pizza fans, meanwhile, will find plenty of inspiring choice with Reggie White returning to show how pizza can be made on a grill, drawing on the techniques and dough knowledge that made Reggies Pizzeria, in Rathmines, one of suburban Dubliners favourites. From Northern Ireland, Lo & Slo BBQ arrives from the Wild & Fired BBQ School, based in the historical Brookhall Estate, where Emily McCorkell will be cooking over hot coals and focusing on bold, ingredientdriven barbecue. Her demo centres on tomahawk steaks and the practical realities of managing heat, smoke and timing outdoors. Prominent home cook and BBQ enthusiast Kate ODriscoll brings a backyardfocused approach to fire cooking, sharing the kind of food she cooks week in, week out for family and friends. A featured pitmaster and demonstrator at major Irish BBQ events, her cooking often features large cuts of meat, such as lamb, ribs, and smoked chicken. There can be no food and fire without a beverage, and Oisin Davis of Great Irish Beverages returns with cocktail demonstrations and hosting duties throughout the day. With decades of experience across hospitality and drinks writing, he will also be overseeing one of Grill Fests most popular fixtures, the Hot as Hell Chicken Wing Contest. That contest brings together Mics Chilli, the Wicklow makers behind some award-winning hot sauces, and Wicklows Tadgh Byrne of Crioch Cafe, who will prepare and grill the wings that 16 contestants will attempt to survive, with a 1,000 BBQ Centre voucher on the line. Joe Savage of Joes Smokehouse returns for his third Grill Fest appearance, while Wicklow butcher Martin Sikula of The Craft Butcher brings expert insight into meat selection, preparation and sourcing, working closely with several of the cooks on site throughout the day. Special guest Conor Wilson, journalist and broadcaster with RTEs Prime Time, Irish Independent and Food & Wine Magazine, will also be there to enjoy the fayre, while keeping things cool, Wicklows O Brother Brewing will be on hand with their Bimble 0.3pc nonalcoholic craft beer. Grill Fest 2026 runs on Monday, May 4, from 11am-5pm. Had Ireland not come, I might not be alive: The children of Chernobyl given a second chance by activist Adi Roches charity Forty year after the nuclear disaster, a woman adopted as a child from a Minsk orphanage tells her story, while Roche discusses her work helping those impacted by the after-effects of the explosion Founder of the Chernobyl Children International, Adi Roche. John Meagher and Conor Feehan Sat 18 Apr 2026 at 06:30 Raisa Carolan often wonders how her life might have turned out had a charity from Ireland not visited the Minsk orphanage in which she lived for the first 10 years of her life. The sex offender, the character reference and the former TD who has now gone to ground John Downing: Trump is now more a hindrance than a help to Europes right US presidents support of Viktor Orban was described as a millstone for the ousted Hungarian prime minister US president Donald Trump with Hungarys then prime minister Viktor Orban at the White House last November. Photo: Getty John Downing Sat 18 Apr 2026 at 06:30 The definition of an apocryphal story is, if it is not true, it damn well should be. That thought comes to mind when reading of one Donald Trumps repeated and increasingly shrill attacks on his countryman, Pope Leo. Protesters block the N7 at Rathcoole, Co Dublin, last Sunday, on the sixth day of a national protest against rising fuel prices. Photo: PA Young Fianna Fail TDs have criticised the Governments response to last weeks protests, claiming the social contract has been strained to breaking point. They are to be commended for believing in such a concept, for blatantly obvious reasons. The sad fact is that the shutting down of the country last week, with people unable to get to medical appointments, commuters unable to commute and carers being asked for identification at unlawful checkpoints looked a lot more like anarchy than anything as benevolent as a social contract. Peter Declan OHalloran, Belturbet, Co Cavan Shame on Sinn Fein for supporting the disruptive actions of fuel protesters Ordinary people in Irish cities and towns were held to ransom last week by a small group of powerful transport interests. This self-elected group caused mayhem to Irelands working people, schoolchildren and people with serious medical conditions and urgent appointments. Misleading statements were constantly issued by this self-serving group, never mentioning the special clauses that allowed them to pass on cost increases for much of the fuel-price hikes. The Government was surprisingly easy going on this powerful group, considering the severe losses the effect of the indiscriminate blockades had on small businesses and the long-suffering public. Now we have Sinn Fein with the Soc Dems as a mudguard, together with the Healy-Rae brothers and big haulage friends, wasting time trying to do down a good and fair government. Shame on be all, give all Sinn Fein, especially for siding against ordinary citizens and supporting the anti-democratic interests and behaviour of powerful transport groups. James J Ryan, Castleconnell, Co Limerick If those in power cannot reconnect with the people, they must stand down Something fundamental shifted in the Irish political landscape following the protests of last week. The Governments vulnerabilities have been brutally exposed and the long-standing accusations of a detached, aloof leadership were confirmed in the Dail. We were treated to the appalling vista of Taoiseach Micheal Martin attempting to gaslight the electorate, claiming the Government has done everything they possibly could. Tanaiste Simon Harris blamed social media algorithms for the optics of the unrest, a hollow defence from a man who has built his career as an affix of those very platforms. If the narrative was being lost to the algorithms, one must ask: Why did he not use his own significant digital reach to provide a counter-narrative of substance? The departure of the two Healy-Raes from the Governments voting ranks and the emergence of younger deputies finding their voices signals a realisation that the social contract is nearing or has already reached a breaking point. I contend the contract is now broken. What struck me most in the news coverage was how deeply I could relate to those involved. These were not the hard-right fascists the government narrative often leans on; these were ordinary, hard-working people reminiscent of those I grew up with in the country. They feel their backs are against the wall and, most dangerously for any administration, they feel they have nothing left to lose. The venom Micheal Martin directed at Mary Lou McDonald served only to highlight a leader who appears increasingly unfit for office. Further, my own stance on independent candidates has changed. By propping up this failing Government, they have signed a Faustian pact that hurts the very people they represent. You simply no longer know what you are getting with an independent vote. Lines have been crossed and a new chapter in Irish society has opened. People are finding a voice previously associated with more activist cultures, such as that of France. It is time for the Government to listen before it is too late, not just for polling numbers, but for the stability of our country. If it cannot reconnect with the people it is supposed to serve, it must stand down and allow others to take the reins. Killian Brennan, Clare Village, Dublin Days-long road blockades are not protests, they are Government policy failure Its not peaceful protest when the N7 is blocked and the whole country is being stopped from moving. It is people being held hostage. Day one you can excuse. By day five, thats not protest any more, thats a straight policy failure from the Government. Alan T Kelly, Castlewarden, Co Kildare Health Minister should come up with solutions, not clickbait sarcasm It was with a deep intake of breath that I read your article on the Health Ministers experience in St Jamess Hospital on a weekend spot check. As a health and social care professional, I am reminded of the countless days we start early, finish late, work overtime (and do not get paid for several months as there is no HSE pay agreement for this), work weekends (no pay agreement either) to serve our patients, and this is with a five-day working week. Much of how we work is goodwill, which is seldom acknowledged. Little in the healthcare system has changed to accommodate the evolving patient demographic (increased ageing population with more complex needs). We do not see the benefits of reported investment there are no more feet on the ground to meaningfully enhance service delivery. Healthcare workers go above and beyond, but we can only be stretched so far. Weekend working is embedded in all recent contracts (there is no escaping that), but how can we provide sustained quality services over five, six or seven days without investment in staff? Without this, we risk providing poor-quality services every day of the week and losing committed staff as they feel useless. Acute hospitals cannot run effectively in isolation all community services will have to operate seven days a week to create patient flow through hospitals into communities. Without this, Health Minister Jennifer Carroll MacNeills vision is doomed. Outlining real solutions would be helpful, rather than diminishing the hard work with sarcastic clickbait statements. Gillian Gavaghan, Dublin 3 Luke ONeill: With the number of redheads on the rise, are Irish people simply more evolved? Study shows natural selection has started to favour gingers heres why its happening There are advantages to being a redhead. Stock image: Getty Luke O'Neill Sat 18 Apr 2026 at 06:30 Crosshaven in Co Cork used to host the annual Irish Redhead Convention. Redheads gathered to celebrate their redheadedness. There was a parade that culminated in the crowning of the redhead king and queen. Other events included carrot tossing, ginger speed-dating and a freckle-counting contest freckles being more common in redheads. All good fun. The high-speed data cable will run from Maryland in the US to West Cork. Amazon has received planning permission from Cork County Council to construct a cable landing station to bring a high-speed transatlantic data cable ashore near Clonakilty in what a local councillor called a significant decision for the region. The applicant, Amazon MCS Ireland Ltd, was granted permission to demolish two existing buildings and construct the one-storey station at Tullyneasky West, around 5 km from Clonakilty. With a planned completion date of 2028, the cable would make landfall at Owenahincha beach before travelling around 5 km inland to the cable landing station on lands formerly used by Lisavaird Co-Op for storage sheds. Amazon has said the fibre-optic cable originating in Maryland in the US and travelling across the Atlantic to make landfall in West Cork will be used to power global internet traffic and its data centres. The company also requires a Maritime Area Consent (MAC) to allow it to occupy part of the seabed and permission from An Coimisiun Pleanala to install the cable, which wont be passing through the nearby Special Area of Conservation (SAC). Amazon said Cork was chosen because most other major transatlantic cables land in either Mayo or Dublin, giving the company an alternative pathway for critical internet traffic in the event of any problems or outages. Corks other main transatlantic cable, the EXA Express, has around one sixth of the capacity that the new cable will have. The tech giant has committed to contribute to a local community fund and local STEM education. The Irish Independent understands that the amount will be in the region of 150,000. This development will bring improved digital infrastructure, increased connectivity, and potential economic benefits, including local employment during construction and maintenance phases, West Cork Councillor Deirdre Kelly told the Irish Independent. Strengthening Irelands role in global data networks will also enhance its attractiveness for further investment. While technological advancement is important, it must be balanced with preserving the environmental integrity and cultural value of the area, which Im sure will be factored into all decision making, she said. There was one objection to the planning application for the cable landing station, expressing concerns about impact on residential amenity and property value, light pollution and visual impact, and safety and environmental implications. Objectors have four weeks to appeal the county councils decision to An Coimisiun Pleanala. Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme. Council meeting hears applications are costing thousands of euros Councillors in Cork have expressed hopes that more relaxed planning guidelines expected from the government shortly will make it easier to build one-off housing in rural areas, saying current planning restrictions are driving young people away from the places where they grew up. In a motion brought before this weeks meeting of Cork County Council, Cllr Finbarr Harrington said that securing planning permission for one-off houses in West Cork has become increasingly difficult and is a frustrating and costly process for many applicants. What should be a straightforward application becomes an obstacle course of technical reports, shifting criteria and prolonged uncertainty, sometimes caused by very different interpretations of the policy. Families are left in limbo for months or even years sometimes, investing time, money and emotional energy with no guarantee of success at the end of the application. The cost of ecological assessments, planning consultants and redesigns can quickly escalate, he said. Cllr Harrington spoke about a young couple who spent more than 12,000 on reports, drawings and professional fees only to be refused planning permission to build on family land. Young people in particular are being pushed out, not by choice, but by policy failure. They're being denied the opportunity to live and raise families in the very places they came from themselves. Other councillors talked about similar situations in their areas. Cllr John Michael Foley spoke about a young guy who was born and raised in a village and can't get planning a couple of hundred yards outside the boundary of the village. He can't get planning because there are no houses in the village available and he could buy a site outside but can't get planning because it's outside the village boundary. That's madness. Cllr Frank OFlynn said he knows of a young couple who spent 22,000 on a planning application. 22,000 in this day and age. The cost of that and the worry and the fear. There's young people at the moment, often they're told go into the local town, go into the local village. "If you're someone farming or milking cows or involved with horses or sheep, how can you live inside the local town? They'd be driving in and out all night and all day with cows calving and sheep lambing and horses foaling. Cllr Danny Collins said the current planning process is making our young people very despondent. I know one couple who were turned down about a year and a half ago for planning permission and they were so frustrated, they went off to Australia. They said, Look, this country is not for us anymore. Councillors also expressed frustration over the role played by Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) in planning applications. Cllr Joe Carroll spoke about an applicant in West Cork who had their planning granted by Cork County Council to go out onto the road where they went to school and where their parents went and where their grandparents went. "They got the planning from the council and rightly so. But TII took it to the appeals board and got it overturned. That is absolutely ridiculous, he said. Housing Minister James Browne has said the new rules will be brought forward by the summer and will be mandatory for all local authorities. In his motion Cllr Harrington called for a special meeting between the elected members and council planners as soon as the guidelines are circulated. There's a great opportunity here for us to streamline the planning application process, he said. Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme. The Indo Daily: Gerry Hutch says karma has come for Daniel Kinahan as by-election run kicks off Photo: https://t.me/svyrydenkoy Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko and Managing Director of the International Finance Corporation (IFC) Makhtar Diop discussed a range of investment projects in energy, transport, and logistics infrastructure, including possible financial support for Ukrzaliznytsia and NJSC Naftogaz of Ukraine. "In Washington, we are speaking with partners in the language of specific projects. During the meeting with IFC Managing Director Makhtar Diop, together with the government team, we presented Ukraines investment wish list in priority areas energy, transport, and logistics infrastructure," she wrote on Telegram on Saturday. According to Svyrydenko, the first stage focuses on state-owned energy companies. "We discussed the mobilization of financial resources for equipment procurement, the restoration of Naftogaz Group assets, and long-term infrastructure development. We agreed to intensify cooperation with IFC involvement to search for financing and expand the list of investment-attractive assets," the Prime Minister wrote. Special attention was paid to public-private partnership projects in logistics infrastructure and road construction, and the implementation of a concession tender for terminals at the Port of Chornomorsk with IFC participation was discussed. "We continue to work together on creating the Viability Gap Funding Facility to support concession projects," she added. "We also considered possible financial support for Ukrzaliznytsia to stabilize its financial condition, in particular, ensuring the repayment of Eurobonds in July 2026," Svyrydenko reported. "We see opportunities to expand our partnership in financing large private projects of Ukrainian companies. The key condition for attracting investment remains the de-shadowing of the economy and the continuation of reforms. The Government, together with the Verkhovna Rada, is consistently working to create a transparent and predictable investment environment," the Prime Minister noted. I dont attend all my events in heels and a dress Rose of Tralee Katelyn Cummins reflects on a hectic year The apprentice electrician from a farming background has had a busy year including a victorious spell on RTEs Dancing with the Stars Back to her roots. Rose of Tralee Katelyn Cummins. Photo Alf Harvey. Stephen Fernane Kerryman Sat 18 Apr 2026 at 06:30 To say Katelyn Cummins has made an impression during her lap of honour as the 2025 Rose of Tralee is an understatement. Katelyns busy itinerary is enough to leave even the most energetically enthusiastic person in need of a well-deserved break. Back of line - left to right: Aoife Gallagher (Associate Professor, UL), Tahereh Fardin (Project Coordinator, Doras), Kerry McCarthy (Education Coordinator, Doras), John Lannon(CEO, Doras), Hadjer Hammadi (Intercultural Engagement Specialist, Doras) Mary Cantwell (Migrant specific Adult Education Guidance Counsellor, LCETB), Aideen Roche (Programmes Manager, Doras). Kneeling, left to right: Tom Kent (Regional Literacy Coordinator, LCETB), Aobhan Haverty (Adult Education Officer, LCETB), Caroline Franca (Communications Lead, Doras),Laura Barrett (Family Learning Resource Worker, LCETB). A pioneering new initiative supporting multilingual children, families, and Early Years educators has officially launched in Limerick this week. The SMILE Project (Supporting Multilingual and Intercultural Learning in the Early Years) provides practical, research-informed tools for parents and educators to help young children thrive in linguistically diverse settings. The project is a partnership between Doras, the University of Limerick, Limerick and Clare Education and Training Board, and Limerick City Partnership. The project is also funded by SOLAS under the Adult Literacy for Life strategy. Speaking on the launch, Doras Education Coordinator Kerry McCarthy said: SMILE was developed in response to Irelands rapidly growing multicultural population, in order to addresses the need for accessible resources that empower families and educators to support children who are growing up with a language other than English or Irish at home. Doras Intercultural Engagement Specialist Dr Hadjer Hammadi explained: The SMILE project was co-created with parents, Early Years educators, and local partners to ensure all materials are practical, culturally responsive, and easy to use in everyday settings. "Through a participatory process, the project brought together lived experiences and professional insight to shape meaningful, real-world solutions. Dr Aoife Gallagher, Associate Professor at the University of Limerick, said: Early Years settings across Ireland are becoming increasingly multilingual, yet many families and educators face challenges, including language barriers, limited access to resources, and persistent myths about multilingualism. "SMILE responds directly to these challenges by translating research into clear, accessible supports. Mary Cantwell, Education Guidance Counsellor at the Limerick and Clare Education and Training Board (LCETB), added: Despite some misconceptions, multiple languages do not confuse children. Research consistently shows that maintaining a childs home language strengthens emotional well-being, their sense of identity, and even supports learning in English. "SMILE equips both families and educators with the tools to turn this knowledge into practice. Doras CEO John Lannon added: Over the last 25 years, Doras has had the privilege of meeting and working with families from all over the world. Through these interactions we have come to appreciate the importance of retaining connections to home culture and language, while embarking on a new life in Ireland. "The SMILE research and resources help parents and educators to embrace the richness that multilingualism brings, and to ensure that children from diverse backgrounds grow up speaking different languages confidently. We were delighted to partner with the UL, Limerick & Clare Education and Training Board, and Limerick City Partnership to work on the development of new material, and we look forward to it being used widely. Parents and Early Years educators can find the free resources at www.doras.org/smileproject. They include a practical guide to multilingual development, leaflets for families in multiple languages with supports on language, culture, and learning and resources for educators with clear guidance on supporting multilingual children. Oluchi Blessing Okoli: 'My experience made me who I am today. And without it, I wouldnt be here talking about it now.' A simple question from another child her age once stopped Oluchi Blessing Okoli in her tracks. As a young girl in foster care, she remembers being asked if the white man beside her was her father. A question that left her trying to explain a complex reality she was still learning to understand herself. Tony Fallon of Andromeda House, Knocknarea, Sligo appeared before Judge Kenneth Connolly at Sligo Circuit Court on Wednesday. Mr Leo Mulrooney BL, with State solicitor Ms Elisa McHugh prosecuted while Mr Colm Smyth SC along with Mr Keith OGrady BL instructed by Ms Aoife Kelly solicitor appeared for Fallon. Mr Mulrooney told the court that Fallon had been arraigned on November 25, 2025 and pleaded guilty to making a threat to Neil Walton who he believed to be genuine at Voya Seaweed Baths, Strandhill, on February 27, 2024. Garda Cian Erraught of Sligo Garda Station outlined the evidence led by Mr Mulrooney. The court heard that on February 27, 2024, Mr Walton was working on a pipe around midday at one of the baths at his business when he received a call from one of his receptionists. Due to being near a pipe, Mr Walton could not hear clearly what was being said but he could hear screaming from his staff and that Fallon was at the front door of the premises. Mr Walton came up to the front door and told Fallon not to threaten his staff. Fallon then lunged at him and Mr Walton pushed him away. Fallon then threw his cup of coffee which hit Mr Walton in the face. He then lunged at Mr Walton again and he pushed him off. Mr Walton then pushed Fallon out the door. Fallon told Mr Walton that he would come back and burn the place down. Later at 6:15pm, Gardai received a report of a man in a car parked near the premises. At 6:25pm, Garda Erraught went to the scene and spotted Fallon in his car fidgeting with something in the footwell of the drivers seat. He informed Fallon that he received an allegation against him. Garda Erraught observed a lighter on the passenger seat and a canister of petrol, and two lighters in the car. The Garda subsequently seized the items. Fallon was parked 50 metres from Voya Seaweed Baths and it was approximately six hours after he made the initial threat. Fallon was arrested and conveyed to Sligo Garda Station where he was interviewed and charged with the offence. After this, Fallon told Garda Erraught, you believe him so, and not me so? Fallon informed Garda Erraught that he was looking for a builder, Mr Noel Kelly, at the Seaweed Baths. He then went to the reception where the receptionists informed him that Mr Kelly was on a teabreak. Fallon then went over to Mr Kellys van and took the keys from it and went back to the reception. He told Garda Erraught that this was a joke, he told the receptionists that he was going to run and hide the van. When asked on what he and Mr Walton spoke about, Fallon replied that there was a lot of f**k yous and f**k thems. Garda Erraught then read out Mr Waltons statement to Fallon and the threat made to him. Fallon denied that he said that he would burn the place down. When asked about the cannister of petrol, Fallon replied that it was for his two stroke engine hedge cutter. When Garda Erraught put it to him that his hedgecutter was battery operated, Fallon said to look in his basement and see all the two stroke machines he had. The court was then shown CCTV footage of Fallon moving in and out of the front door of Voya Seaweed Baths. The court heard that the defendant has three previous convictions and that he had come to no adverse Garda attention since. Garda Erraught read out a Mr Waltons victim impact statement. Mr Walton said that he and his staff were under extreme stress after the threat was made. He added that he had to escort his staff out to their cars when they finished their shift on the day. Mr Walton said that he was prepared to stay and sleep in his business overnight to protect it. Mr Mulrooney informed the court that the maximum sentence for this offence was 10 years. Fallon was invited to the witness box by Mr Smyth. Fallon told the court that he had been employed in the UK, the USA and that he had employed over 50 people in Ireland. He added that he had bipolar disorder and that he had been on medication since he was 27-years-old. Fallon continued that when he had a lapse he did things he normally would not do. Fallon said that the illness had a catastrophic impact on his life. He explained that when he was 45, he sold his house for 250,000 and planned to use the money to build a new one. However, he spent it all in the next 14 weeks which included a trip to Switzerland. Fallon explained that his family called the mental health services, where he was taken in to assess his mental health. He added that after the incident in Strandhill, he was sent to the hospital under the Mental Health Act for approximately six weeks. Fallon explained that when he did not take his medication, his judgement was impaired. Fallon explained that his son and wife had a plan in which they would call a consultant psychiatrist if things got out of hand. He added that he attended a clinic once a month. Fallon said that he had 2,000 in compensation in court. He added that he does not want it to happen ever again and that he was truly sorry. Judge Connolly asked Fallon if he could drive to Sligo without going through Strandhill. Fallon said that he can. He also informed Judge Connolly that he was a carer for his mother who lives in Sligo and that he cared for her every day at 2:30pm for an hour which gives his father a break. Mr Smyth told Judge Connolly that the probation report for Fallon puts him at a low risk of re-offending. He added that the defendant had shown remorse. Mr Smyth continued that Fallon was a very decent person who comes from a very decent family. He asked Judge Connolly to be as lenient as he can. Judge Connolly said that it was a very serious and worrying matter. He added that Fallons threat to come back and burn the place down was observed by Mr Walton and his staff and that they believed it to be genuine. Judge Connolly continued that it was a serious aggravating factor that Fallon was located in the vicinity of Voya Seaweed Baths approximately six hours later. Judge Connolly said that it was equally important that the court had a medical report which showed that Fallon had bipolar disorder. He added that it seemed likely that Fallon had a manic episode. Judge Connolly noted that Fallon rendered a genuine apology and that he was absolutely mortified. He added that Fallon was at a low risk of re-offending and that his mother relied heavily on him for care. He continued that the defendant had taken medication since to avoid other incidents and that his family had a plan for him if things got out of hand. Judge Connolly sentenced Fallon to two years in prison, suspended for three years on condition that he keeps the peace and be of good behaviour, stay out of Strandhill, and not go within 30 metres of Voya Premises. Other conditions were that the defendant would not have any unsolicited contact with the injured party, pay 2,000 in compensation to Mr Walton, be supervised by the probation services for 12 months and that he would continue to link in with his GP and attend all appointments. Funded by the Courts Reporting Scheme. Map showing the designated area for new scheme in the centre of Sligo. Property owners Sligo can apply for tax relief to refurbish homes and rental properties or to convert buildings into homes or businesses after being included in a new Government initiative along with Athlone, Drogheda, Dundalk, Letterkenny. The inclusion of Sligo in this scheme has been warmly welcomed by local TD and Minister of State, Frank Feighan. The initiative is designed to support regeneration and breathe new life into urban centres which includes Tax relief to support the conversion of commercial premises into residential homes commonly known as Over the Shop Living. Minister Feighan said: This is an excellent opportunity for the designated area of Sligo town which will provide property owners with tax relief to refurbish or convert buildings for residential or commercial use. By incentivising the regeneration of residential and commercial properties, the scheme aims to support the development of underutilised spaces into homes and businesses, while helping to breathe new life into urban centres. I want to thank the Tanaiste and Minister for Finance for including Sligo in this scheme, I look forward to some interesting project developments in the coming years around the designated urban areas, I urge interested parties to engage with Sligo Co Council in the coming months. The inclusion of Sligo in the Living City Initiative is a major step forward for our town. It provides practical supports to tackle vacancy and dereliction while unlocking the potential of existing buildings to deliver much-needed homes and vibrant business spaces. For too long, parts of Sligo town centre have struggled with underuse. This initiative gives property owners the tools and incentives to restore these buildings, support local enterprise, and create a more dynamic and lived-in town centre. The Living City Initiative introduces a range of tax relief measures aimed at encouraging regeneration, including support for owner-occupiers, landlords, and commercial investors. Of particular importance is the introduction of relief for Living Over the Shop, which incentivises the conversion of space above commercial premises into residential accommodation. Minister of State Marian Harkin has also highlighted the importance of this measure for Sligo: This new Living Over the Shop relief has the potential to transform Sligos main streets. By encouraging people to live in the town centre, we can increase footfall, support local businesses, and strengthen the social fabric of our community. "Sligo has a rich architectural heritage, with many older buildings that can now be restored and repurposed. This initiative ensures that we preserve that character while adapting to modern housing needs. The local authorities with responsibility for the new towns being brought under the Living City Initiative have each submitted proposals for Special Regeneration Area (SRA) maps, which were independently assessed. SRAs are central urban areas characterised by the need for regeneration, with high levels of vacancy, dereliction and under-use, with a strong stock of older buildings that can be brought back into productive use. Property owners within these SRAs will be eligible to apply for tax relief subject to meeting the relevant criteria. Speaking today, the Tanaiste said: I am pleased to designate the Living City Initiative Special Regeneration Areas in Athlone, Drogheda, Dundalk, Letterkenny and Sligo. This expansion is about supporting regeneration, bringing vacant and derelict buildings back into use, increasing the supply of homes, and rebuilding the social and economic fabric of our town centres. By supporting refurbishment and encouraging living over the shop, we can create more homes in our towns, reduce vacancy, and restore vibrancy to our main streets. I want to see people living again in the hearts of our towns and villages this initiative is a practical step towards making that happen. As part of enhancements introduced in Budget 2026, the Living City Initiative has been extended to the end of 2030. Eligibility has also been broadened to include residential properties built before 1975 significantly increasing the number of buildings that can be brought back into use. World-renowned opera stars are set to return to Wexford this October as Wexford Festival Opera celebrates its landmark 75th anniversary. A major international programme will be running from October 15-31 2026 to mark the milestone. Leading the celebrations is Maltese tenor Joseph Calleja. He will perform both in the anniversary season and in a special fundraising gala concert. Calleja, who first appeared at the festival in 1998 aged just 20, will sing the role of Osaka in Iris on October 15, 23, 28 and 31, marking a full-circle return to the stage that helped launch his career. The anniversary gala, Croi na Feile, will take place on Saturday October 17 at the National Opera House. Fellow opera stars Ermonela Jaho, Daniela Barcellona, and Giorgi Manoshvili will join Calleja. The concert will feature works by composers including Giacomo Puccini and Giuseppe Verdi performed by the National Symphony Orchestra Ireland under the direction of Daniele Callegari. Organisers say the gala is expected to be one of the highlights of the anniversary season that will celebrate the welcoming spirit that has always been central to both Wexford and the festival. The phrase Croi na Feile itself reflects this welcoming identity, translating to The Heart of Festival/The Heart of Generosity. Joseph Calleja. The festival has also announced a distinguished group of 14 ambassadors to mark the Diamond Jubilee. Among the ambassadors are leading figures of the international opera world including Juan Diego Florez, Celine Byrne, Paula Murrihy, David Pountney and the aforementioned stars performing at the gala. Many of the ambassadors for the festival began their careers in Wexford before achieving global success, reinforcing the festivals reputation as a launchpad for emerging talent. Speaking about his return, Calleja described the impact of the festival on his career as massive, calling it an incredible platform that has been the launchpad for so many great careers. Jaho similarly reflected on her debut in Wexford in 1999 saying her performance at the festival felt truly significant. She added that the festival was an extraordinary school, not only for her as an artist but also as a human being. Priority booking for the 75th season opens on April 22, with general sales beginning on May 6. Tickets will range in prices between 75 - 750. See wexfordopera.com for details. A fitness session with students from Sacred Heart NS in Aughrim who have qualified for the Leinster final of the Ireland's Fittest School competition. Students from Sacred Heart NS in Aughrim who have qualified for the Leinster final of the Ireland's Fittest School competition. Sacred Heart National School in Aughrim will represent Wicklow in the Leinster final of Irelands Fittest School after qualifying for the last four in the province. The south Wicklow primary school is the only one in the county to have reached this stage of the Fyffes-backed competition, which aims to promote exercise, fitness and healthy eating among young people. Schools take part in a range of fitness activities, with progress tracked online before the top schools advance to the live provincial finals. Throughout the programme, Sacred Heart pupils took part in various fitness activities, including a whole-school outdoor fitness session to bring all classes together in a shared event. That session was led by sixth class pupils, while third class pupils played a key role in encouraging participation and supporting the initiative within the school. The Leinster final will take place on May 13 at the SDC Leisure Tallaght, where Sacred Heart will compete against Scoil Mhuire gan Smal in Carlow, Harolds Cross NS in Dublin and St Helens JNS in Portmarnock. The winning school will progress to the All-Ireland final, hosted by Olympian David Gillick, in Athlone on May 20. The Fyffes Fittest School programme has been a very positive experience for our pupils. It encouraged fitness, teamwork and school spirit, third class Sacred Heart teacher Arlene Kinch said. Our third class pupils played an important role in supporting and leading aspects of the initiative, and it was great to see the whole school come together for the fitness session organised by sixth class. We are very proud of everyone involved. Pontiff decries the material and spiritual poverty many experience Large crowds gathered outside a stadium in Douala, Cameroons biggest city and economic hub, for a mass with Pope Leo yesterday that was billed as the biggest event of the pontiffs four-nation Africa tour. The Vatican, citing local authorities, estimated that 120,000 people had headed towards Japoma Stadium to be part of the celebration and hear an address from the pope, who has become outspoken on war and inequality and drawn the ire of US President Donald Trump. Keir Starmer claims that he wasnt told Mandelson failed vetting ahead of US appointment Pressure piling on UK leader as May local elections expected to be a drubbing for party The Prime Minister said he was furious that he was not told Lord Mandelson had failed to pass vetting (Carl Court/PA) Elizabeth Piper, Andrew MacAskill and William James Reuters Sat 18 Apr 2026 at 06:30 UK prime minister Keir Starmer, under renewed pressure to resign, expressed anger yesterday over not being informed that his former ambassador to the United States, Peter Mandelson, had failed security vetting before being handed the job. Photo: ua.depositphotos.com Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha held a meeting with UK Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs Yvette Cooper, agreeing on further steps to increase pressure on the RF and discussing efforts to ensure freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz. "In Antalya, I had a very productive and warm meeting with my British colleague, Yvette Cooper. I informed the Secretary of State about the consequences of Russias latest attacks on our cities and civilians. We discussed the results of the recent meeting of the Ukraine Defence Contact Group in the Ramstein format. I thanked Great Britain for its significant contribution to our defence," he wrote on the social network X on Saturday. According to him, Great Britain shares Ukraines assessment regarding the need to increase pressure on Russia. "We have agreed on the corresponding next steps," he added. The parties also discussed the situation in the Strait of Hormuz and efforts to ensure freedom of navigation. "We discussed our bilateral relations and reviewed further steps to strengthen Ukraines resilience, particularly within the framework of the PURL initiative, as well as joint defence production and efforts to prevent illegal recruitment by Russia in African countries," Sybiha added. Ukrainian leader believes Moscow is planning to involve Belarus in four-year war President Volodymyr Zelensky said yesterday that Ukraine believed Russia was making preparations that showed that it would once again try to involve its ally Belarus into the four-year-old war pitting Kyiv against Moscow. According to intelligence, road construction in areas leading to Ukraine and the establishment of artillery positions are going on in the Belarusian border area, Mr Zelensky wrote on Telegram, referring to a report from Ukraines top commander. We believe that Russia will once again try to involve Belarus in its war. Lebanese return to unliveable areas after 10-day truce is announced as Trump says attacks by Israel are prohibited One resident said people are hesitant to stay in the areas they used to live in in case the truce unravels People drive by the site of an Israeli air-strike with the flag of Hezbollah, in the Dahieh neighborhood on the first day of the newly announced cease-fire between Israel and Lebanon in Beirut yesterday. Photo: Getty Laila Bassam, Thomas Suen and Pesha Magid Reuters Sat 18 Apr 2026 at 06:30 People uprooted by the war in Lebanon began returning to devastated towns and neighbourhoods yesterday, with many finding their homes destroyed or uninhabitable and hesitant to stay for fear a ceasefire between Hezbollah and Israel could unravel. Bill Linnane: If we want to protect kids from gambling the bouncy balls of the Lotto are the least of our worries French President Emmanuel Macron is set to visit Athens next week to renew a landmark bilateral defense agreement with Greece for another five years, extending a strategic military partnership forged in 2021 as both countries navigate mounting instability in Europe and the Middle East. Mr. Macron is scheduled to travel to Athens following an EU summit in Cyprus on April 24, where he will meet Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis to sign the extended pact, according to a Bloomberg report. The two leaders are also expected to conclude supplementary agreements covering foreign policy coordination, civil protection and economic cooperation. The original 2021 treaty marked a significant deepening of Franco-Greek ties, with France committing to come to Greece's assistance in the event of an armed attack language that went beyond standard NATO mutual defense obligations and was widely read as a signal to Turkey amid tensions in the Eastern Mediterranean. The renewal comes at a moment of heightened strategic anxiety across Europe. Russia's continued war in Ukraine, the widening Middle East conflict and growing uncertainty over U.S. commitment to NATO have pushed European governments to reinforce bilateral defense relationships alongside multilateral commitments. Diplomatic sources told Bloomberg the updated treaty may include an automatic renewal clause, embedding long-term continuity into the partnership and reducing the risk of the agreement lapsing during periods of political transition in either country. For Greece, the French alliance forms one pillar of a broader network of strategic partnerships that Athens has assembled in recent years, alongside agreements with the United States, Israel and Gulf states. iefimerida.gr French President Emmanuel Macron is set to visit Athens next week to renew a landmark bilateral defense agreement with Greece for another five years, extending a strategic military partnership forged in 2021 as both countries navigate mounting instability in Europe and the Middle East. Mr. Macron is scheduled to travel to Athens following an EU summit in Cyprus on April 24, where he will meet Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis to sign the extended pact, according to a Bloomberg report. The two leaders are also expected to conclude supplementary agreements covering foreign policy coordination, civil protection and economic cooperation. The original 2021 treaty marked a significant deepening of Franco-Greek ties, with France committing to come to Greece's assistance in the event of an armed attack language that went beyond standard NATO mutual defense obligations and was widely read as a signal to Turkey amid tensions in the Eastern Mediterranean. The renewal comes at a moment of heightened strategic anxiety across Europe. Russia's continued war in Ukraine, the widening Middle East conflict and growing uncertainty over U.S. commitment to NATO have pushed European governments to reinforce bilateral defense relationships alongside multilateral commitments. Diplomatic sources told Bloomberg the updated treaty may include an automatic renewal clause, embedding long-term continuity into the partnership and reducing the risk of the agreement lapsing during periods of political transition in either country. For Greece, the French alliance forms one pillar of a broader network of strategic partnerships that Athens has assembled in recent years, alongside agreements with the United States, Israel and Gulf states. iefimerida.gr A 17-year-old girl reported missing from the affluent Athens suburb of Philothei has been found dead near the Corinth Canal, in what police sources described as a suspected suicide. The teenager's mother reported her daughter missing to the Philothei-Psychiko police precinct at 1 a.m. Friday, saying the girl had left home the previous evening and had not been in contact with family or friends Authorities initiated a search and traced the teenager's mobile phone signal to the Isthmus of Corinth area in the early hours of Friday morning. Her body was recovered from the water by a private diver under Coast Guard supervision and transferred to Corinth General Hospital. A police investigation is underway. The case has drawn attention across Greece, in part because of the teenager's family background. She is reported to be the daughter of a prominent physician. iefimerida.gr A 17-year-old girl reported missing from the affluent Athens suburb of Philothei has been found dead near the Corinth Canal, in what police sources described as a suspected suicide. The teenager's mother reported her daughter missing to the Philothei-Psychiko police precinct at 1 a.m. Friday, saying the girl had left home the previous evening and had not been in contact with family or friends. Authorities initiated a search and traced the teenager's mobile phone signal to the Isthmus of Corinth area in the early hours of Friday morning. Her body was recovered from the water by a private diver under Coast Guard supervision and transferred to Corinth General Hospital. A police investigation is underway. The case has drawn attention across Greece, in part because of the teenager's family background. She is reported to be the daughter of a prominent physician. iefimerida.gr President Bola Tinubu, yesterday, said he was not looking back over the state of the economy he inherited, noting that since former President Muhammadu Buhari was his partner, he (Tinubu) took over from himself. President Tinubu said this when he hosted the Renewed Hope Ambassadors, a group set up to communicate his administrations agenda and reforms to all parts of the country. He said: Ive listened to you. There is the economy. I didnt have to look back because the truth is, I took over from myself. Advertisement The late (Muhammadu) Buhari is me; he was a partner. If I took over from him, is that not from myself? So, if something is wrong, fine, live with it, correct it, move on. The life voyage is not going to be easy, and so many of you are traveling with me. I can only stand before you and say you will not regret it. Thats why we ask you to renew their hope. If they dont want to, we will let them see the hope and the roads with the bridges and the children we raise, and the economy we are growing. We lend them jiggy bola. We will give them eyeglasses. I can assure you, whatever you say I do, but one thing that you need from me is a promise that I wont run away from you. With you, the deal is done. No other thing, whatever we need to do, coordinate from the ward level. According to Tinubu, the Renewed Hope Ambassadors belong to one family and represent the conscience of a nation that wants to break the shackles of poverty, ignorance, and hopelessness. You are in good company. Thats all I can say, and all I can promise is that I wont give up. During the primary that got me here, it was tough. During the election, it was tough. Also, Tinubu advised the opposition to surrender to the principles of democracy and obey the judiciary. He dared the opposition political parties, especially the African Democratic Congress, ADC, telling them that he cannot be scared by their conspiracy. The President said despite the alleged gang-up against him, he will not give up. Making veiled reference to Atiku, he said: The head was the chairman of the Privatisation Council of Nigeria in this country. One time, he privatised the steel industry in Delta. Is it working today? No. Once they privatised Ajaokuta, is it working today? They privatised another mans political party. Your job is done. Just lets go to the depths, the research of the details and what we promised Nigerians, and I promise I wont let you down. Former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, has said he was chased out of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) by then-President Goodluck Jonathan and his wife, Patience Jonathan. Amaechi spoke on Friday during an appearance on The Morning Brief, a Channels Television breakfast programme. I was literally chased out of the PDPthe president, Goodluck and his wife, took over the political structure in Rivers State and forced me out. The same thing happened in APC, he said. Advertisement Amaechi claimed he faced injustice while being a member of the PDP and then in the APC, adding that he would never keep quiet in the face of wrong. The former Rivers State governor left the PDP in 2013 following his suspension for alleged anti-party activities. He left the APC in 2025, saying President Bola Tinubu could not govern Nigeria. I will never keep quiet in the face of injustice. When I speak up, they begin to plan to make me irrelevant, Amaechi added. The African Democratic Congress (ADC) chieftain also said he would support former Vice President Atiku Abubakar if the latter emerges as the ADCs presidential candidate ahead of the 2027 elections. He noted that Atiku must consider age and capacity, even if he is qualified to contest for president. Although he is eminently qualified to be president of Nigeria, he has the right to contest. But he has to understand that there are other factors beyond where he comes from, Amaechi said. He further dismissed the emphasis on zoning, arguing that competence, not geography, should determine who leads the country. I dont agree with north or south or any such divisions, he said. What I believe is that the most qualified candidates should be allowed to govern and be elected. Brig.-Gen. Uche Nnabuihe has raised concern over low enlistment from the South-East, revealing Anambra recorded only 117 applications out of 38,000 nationwide. Nnabuihe led an army delegation to sensitise youths in Awka, noting the figure was recorded on April 7, before a nationwide awareness campaign began. He said the exercise aimed to encourage more youths from Anambra and the South East to join the 91 Regular Recruits Intake before the May 27 deadline. Advertisement We observed with concern that out of 38,000 applications received nationwide, only 117 came from Anambra as of April 7. This sensitisation is to correct that imbalance and encourage our youths to take advantage of opportunities in the Nigerian Army, he said. Nnabuihe urged eligible youths to apply, noting the Army offers a structured career path and opportunities for national service. Lt Col. Ogbemudia Osawe said training infrastructure had expanded, with new institutions in Abakaliki and Osogbo to accommodate incoming recruits. Osawe listed benefits, including career progression, regular pay, continuous military education, specialised training, and exposure to diverse cultures. He added personnel enjoy welfare packages, free medical care for families, pensions, gratuities, and opportunities for international assignments. Permanent Secretary, Anambra Ministry of Youths, Ifeatu Emodi, commended the initiative, describing military enlistment as crucial for South-East youths. Emodi said declining interest among youths stemmed from misconceptions and misinformation about the Army. The traditional ruler, Igwe Michael Okeke-Uche of Enugwu-Agidi, praised the armys welfare structure and urged youths to enlist for better regional representation. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports the sensitisation held at the Ministry of Youths in Awka, attracting a cross-section of young people. (NAN) A second round of talks is expected in the Pakistani capital this coming week, with envoys hoping to end the war that was started by the US and Israel on February 28. The allies launched a massive wave of surprise attacks on Iran, despite Washington and Tehran being engaged in diplomatic talks, which killed Iranian supreme leader Ali Khamenei and numerous senior leaders. The war rapidly spread across the region, with Iran targeting US interests in the Gulf and Hezbollah dragging Lebanon into the conflict by launching rockets at Israel. Advertisement In a sign that the two-week ceasefire remained stable, Irans civil aviation agency declared its airspace was open again, with international flights able to transit Iran via the east of the country. Nevertheless, two major sticking points in the peace talks Irans stockpile of near-weapons-grade enriched uranium and the future of the Strait of Hormuz appeared to be up in the air. Speaking by phone with AFP on Friday, Trump said were very close to having a deal, adding that there were no sticking points at all left with Tehran. Later the same day, at an event in Arizona, the president declared that Iran had agreed to hand over its 440 or so kilogrammes of uranium enriched to 60 per cent, close to that needed for a bomb. The Thomas B. Hagen Building at Erie Indemnity is shown in this 2021 file photo. Read more Listen to article 0:00 min From Wall Street in 2024, Erie Indemnity Co. looked so solid, with rising revenues and profits, that it was named to the S&P 500 index of big, profitable, growing U.S. companies. The largest U.S. stock investors, like the Vanguard 500 Index fund, responded by buying big blocks of Erie shares for their millions of clients, helping drive the price above $500 for the first time. This also enriched Eries longtime chairman, Thomas B. Hagen, 90: The value of his stock topped $8 billion when shares peaked that October. Advertisement But since then, despite reporting better results, the Erie, Pa.-based companys stock has lost half its value, costing investors $12 billion and $4 billion for Hagen. The S&P listing fed new scrutiny of Eries unusual business model. Analysts found that Erie Indemnitys $4 billion yearly income came from a single source: the Erie Insurance Exchange. This is the insurance underwriter whose 7 million policyholders in a dozen states include more than 1 million of Pennsylvanias 9 million drivers, plus homeowners and businesses. As reciprocal insurers under state law, Erie Insurance Exchange pays Erie Indemnity 25% of customers premiums for managing the business. Erie Insurance Exchange is Erie Indemnitys only customer. Hagen, whose father-in-law founded Erie Indemnity, chairs the exchange, too. Erie Indemnity reported rising profits in 2024 $600 million, up from around $450 million in 2023 and $300 million the year before. By contrast, the exchange, its only source of income, had been losing more than $1 billion a year on average in those same three years. The company still retained a financial surplus from earlier profits. A big hailstorm, more expensive repairs Those were challenging years for insurers generally. Auto-repair parts and labor costs boosted claims costs faster than expected. Meanwhile, three consecutive years of above-average weather losses jacked up homeowner and business claims, and a fast-moving hailstorm in March 2024 turned into Eries biggest storm expense ever, the company said in its 2025 annual report. Also, during the early 2020s, Erie had been slower than some of its competitors, such as State Farm, in boosting auto premiums to cover rising costs. In short, the insurance exchange has been facing elevated weather activity, higher claims severity, and competition, CEO Timothy NeCastro told investors on the companys winter conference call. Erie faces challenging times ahead as it works to boost profits, NeCastro said. The company had boosted rates and cut costs as needed in 2025 and hopes to keep improving, he said. He plans to retire in December. Eries average premiums per policy rose 13% in 2024 and 10% in 2025, broadly in line with other companies ranges, though Erie rates remain lower than national averages. Both Erie Indemnity and the exchange remain in strong financial positions, and the stocks drop hasnt made it harder to pay claims, said spokesperson Matthew Cummings. Building back Erie Insurance Exchange last year began building back its surplus, adding $818 million to partly offset its earlier losses. Premium hikes averaging around 10% (down from 13% in 2024) boosted overall income to $13 billion, but new policies were down 18%. The Erie companies unusual reporting structure has been blessed by Pennsylvanias governor-appointed insurance commissioners. Chairman Hagen and his company PACs have been regular political contributors. Hagen, a former state commerce secretary under GOP Gov. Tom Ridge, has given $500,000 to Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiros reelection campaign, more than any other individual from Pennsylvania. He served on Shapiros 2022 transition team, which recommended candidates for key state jobs. We support balanced government and have a long history of supporting candidates in both major parties who advance policies that sustain a competitive private insurance market, said Erie spokesperson Cummings. Hagen did not respond to requests for comment. Selling Erie short In October 2024, a month after Erie Indemnity joined the S&P 500, Spruce Point Capital Management, a New York-based short-selling investor that targets potentially overpriced stocks, launched an attack on Erie, citing the gap between the companys rising profits and the exchanges big losses. At $500 a share, Eries share price offered a poor risk/reward, Spruce Point founder Ben Axler told investors in its report. Axler concluded that the exchange would have to either cut its payments to Erie Indemnity or boost its customers insurance premiums, likely resulting in loss of customers. Citing the Spruce Point report, short-sellers Tom and Jim Chanos of investment company Badger Consultants LLC, wrote to clients in February 2025 that Erie is built on a foundation of quicksand. The report noted that companies such as Boston Market and Enron had gone bankrupt after concentrating losses in affiliates while reporting better results for their publicly traded units. Erie Indemnitys share price declined again in September 2025 when insurance company rating agency A.M. Best cut its rating, signaling lower confidence in the business financial direction. Still, A.M. Best said Erie remained strong thanks to deep reserves piled up from earlier customer premiums and successful investments. The company still had an excellent likelihood of paying claims and debts, Best analysts Christian Sieira and Michael T. Venezia wrote in a report to clients. But after losing over $1 billion a year in each of the previous three years, Eries operating performance had been only adequate, the analysts concluded. To end the losses, the A.M. Best analysts said, the company would likely have to hike premiums and cut expenses, potentially sending customers shopping to other firms. The strangest aspect Francine McKenna, a Philadelphia-based CPA and university instructor who analyzes auditing practices, noted that Eries split into separate fee-collection and underwriting companies was unusual and that Erie Exchanges 25% yearly payout to the publicly traded company is uniquely high. But, she said, state regulators have endorsed the business model. In 2009, Steven Johnson, Pennsylvania insurance departments head regulator, urged the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB), which sets guidelines for U.S. financial companies, to accept Eries two-company approach. At the time, the board was pressing more companies to consolidate their financial reporting into a single set of books. This is the strangest aspect of the Erie story. I have never seen a regulator write a comment letter [to FASB] on behalf of, or even with direct reference to, an entity it regulates, said Brian Monsen, a former FASB technical assistant who teaches financial reporting at Ohio State University. In 2015, Johnson quit the insurance department, and went to work for corporate law firm Stradley Ronon Stevens & Young, whose clients include Erie. Stradleys then-chairman Bill Sasso served alongside Hagen on Shapiros transition team, recommending candidates for state jobs. Done falling? Eries stock will likely stagnate in the near future, though it should outperform as premiums keep rising, analyst Adam Klauber recently told clients of the investment firm William Blair. The short-sellers, Chanos and Axler, say they have stopped shorting the stock. They say it fell to the range they predicted would result from considering profitable Erie Indemnity, and Erie Insurance Exchange with its mix of profits and losses,, as a single connected enterprise. The perpetrator who opened fire on a street in the Holosiivskyi district of Kyiv was liquidated during his arrest, reported Minister of Internal Affairs of Ukraine Ihor Klymenko. "Special forces from the National Police KORD unit stormed the store where the suspect was located. He had taken hostages and fired at police officers during the apprehension. Negotiators had attempted to establish contact with him prior to the assault," Klymenko wrote on Telegram. The number of casualties is currently being clarified. There are reports of both dead and wounded. According to Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko, the number of injured has risen to 10 people. "According to medical reports, 10 people have already been hospitalized (including one child) as a result of the shooting in the Holosiivskyi district," Klitschko wrote. As previously reported, an unidentified individual opened fire on a street in the Holosiivskyi district of Kyiv on Saturday afternoon, April 18. Initial reports indicated 2 dead and 5 wounded, including a child. Building conditions at Southwark Elementary constitute an "emergency," politicians, including State Rep. Elizabeth Fiedler, State Sen. Nikil Saval and City Councilmember Mark Squilla, said in a letter to Superintendent Tony B. Watlington Sr. Read more Heather Khalifa / Staff Photographer The $45.8 million planned investment in Southwark includes an annex with a new gym and classrooms, an electrical overhaul, and other building improvements. But that project is years away, and is contingent on the school system receiving state or philanthropic funding. State Rep. Elizabeth Fiedler (D., Philadelphia), State Sen. Nikil Saval (D., Philadelphia), City Councilmember Mark Squilla, City Council President Kenyatta Johnson and other lawmakers all signed the letter asking the district to accelerate the modernization project by allocating capital funds in the districts 2026-27 budget. We believe it is critical the district address this situation as an emergency, the legislators wrote. In a response sent Wednesday, Oz Hill, Watlingtons deputy superintendent for operations, said the district will need to stick to its current timeline and renovation plans for Southwark. But Hill said the district has applied for a state grant that, if awarded, would allow it to begin planning a $1.8 million bathroom modernization later this year. With respect specifically to SY 26-27, the district recognizes that Southwark has additional bathroom and plumbing needs beyond the scope of the initial grant application, Hill wrote. District staff will continue to address plumbing repairs and pest concerns through ongoing twice-weekly maintenance and interim mitigation efforts. While temporary solutions such as restroom trailers may provide additional emergency capacity if needed, we understand and agree that they are not a long-term replacement for permanent indoor restroom access. Fiedler indicated even the districts additional promises are not enough. I remain deeply concerned by the conditions and by the timeline for the plumbing issues to be addressed, Fiedler, who is a Southwark parent, said in a statement. This is an adult problem More than 200 parents and students attended a community meeting in the Southwark school auditorium earlier this month to tell district officials about the poor conditions at their school. Olivia Cuarezma, a Southwark fifth grader, spoke at the meeting and said she loves her language program, her teachers, and her friends. But the school has a big problem, she said. The bathrooms are disgusting, theyre so dirty and smell terrible, said Olivia, 10. Theres sewage coming up from the floors, not enough soap and paper towels, and broken stall doors. And unreliable toilets mean theres often not enough places for students to use the bathroom. Many students hold their urine in, she said, because they dont want to use school toilets. I want a solution to fix our school, Olivia said. I have three more years there, and in that time, I would like to use the bathroom when I need to. I dont know all the answers, but I do know that this is really an adult problem, and its affecting 900 of us students. Parisa Cuarezma, mom of Olivia and another daughter in eighth grade, said she loves Southwark and thinks it has much to be proud of: Its an in-demand school of 900 students with a diverse student body. It has an active group of parents, a Spanish-language immersion program, and a host of community partnerships. But Cuarezma is frustrated by the conditions its students have to endure. As we say in South Philly, its a sin and a shame, said Cuarezma. Kids should not have to hold it, so to speak. This is basic. The audacity of the school district! In a recent letter to district officials, Victoria Rosenberger, another Southwark parent, noted that in an April 7 walk-through of the school after the district said it had conducted a deep clean over spring break there were still persistent and severe conditions. She cited unusable bathrooms, standing water, broken fixtures, and active rodent presence in classrooms while children are learning. Hill, in his response to lawmakers, said the school system also remains committed to evaluating Southwarks needs as part of our broader capital planning process, including continued review of facilities condition data, plumbing deficiencies, accessibility concerns, and modernization priorities. Hill and the lawmakers are scheduled to meet at Southwark on Monday at 11 a.m. Phila Lorns favorite childhood food no longer exists, he says. It also probably broke a few laws. The chef grew up near the corner of Seventh and Jackson Streets in South Philly, where summer meant 25-cent cups of cherry water ice that his Sicilian neighbors served out of their basement. All of us kids would beg our parents for quarters to get it, Lorn told The Inquirer. Now, everyone from the New York Times to desperate foodies on Reddit is begging for a table at Mawn, the modern Cambodian noodle house he co-owns with his wife, Rachel. As soon as they opened the 28-seat restaurant at 764 S. Ninth St. in 2023, it was an immediate hit, drawing accolades from the James Beard Foundation (among others) and tailgaters for their walk-in only lunch. The couples second restaurant, Sao, a raw bar along East Passyunk Street, is following a similar trajectory, with a viral $59 corn pancake topped with caviar and a menu full of other Easter eggs that delighted our critic Craig LaBan. Advertisement The All Star Seafood Rice at Cambodian noodle house Mawn, located at 764 South Ninth St. Monica Herndon / Staff Photographer And yet, whats most striking about the Lorns is their distinctly Philadelphian love story: The couple met while working at acclaimed Rittenhouse sushi restaurant Zama, where Rachel who grew up in East Falls and graduated from CAPA served Phila a Shirley Temple with too many cherries on her first day of bartender training in 2011. Their first date was at the Landmark Ritz Five movie theater in Old City, and they wed in 2018. Rachel and her parents, Phila said, were his first influencers. I was in the hood, dude deep South Philly, said Phila. And I was reminded of how great Philadelphia can be through Rachel and her parents, who took me to all the hot spots. The Honey Butter Hoe Cake at Sao, the second restaurant from husband-wife duo Phila and Rachel Lorn. Monica Herndon / Staff Photographer Rachel fell into restaurants by way of her mother, who worked in the hotel industry, and her father, a photographer. Her childhood favorites include pizza from By George inside Reading Terminal Market which was across the street from her fathers photo studio and mussels with red sauce from the Bocce Club in Point Breeze. The whole place, she said with a smile, smelled like matches. Advertisement The couple, who live in East Passyunk with their 4-year-old son Otis, told The Inquirer that owning two restaurants can often feel all-consuming. On the day of this interview in early April, three of their employees had called out due to automotive accidents. The stress travels with us secretly. It affects our days off, Phila said. When we get up, were trying to find the ratio of the 24 hours that we have to compartmentalize [caring for] our son and our house, and decompressing. Customers wait in line outside Mawn for a chance to score a walk-in only table for lunch at the acclaimed Cambodian restaurant in South Philly. Matt Rourke So what does a perfect day in Philly look like for a couple who lives and works together? The Lorns spend it by thrifting and restaurant hopping across Rittenhouse Square, South Philly, and Kensington with an ice cream break in between. 7:30 a.m. Phila Lorn: On a perfect day, Otis wakes up this early so Rachel can get him ready for school while I pretend Im in deep to get a few extra minutes in bed. Once Im up, Ill head to Rival Bros. [on Tasker Street] and ask for one of everything in the pastry case, plus their canned [nitro] cold brew. I call it crack in a can. That jawn hits. Advertisement A glimpse at pastry counter inside Kouklet, 1647 Passyunk Ave. Phila and Rachel Lorn are regulars at the Brazilian bakery. Tyger Williams / Staff Photographer Rachel Lorn: If Phila is feeling extra spicy, hell also pop into Kouklet to pick up their chicken curry hand pies and some caramels to snack on throughout the day. We go there a lot. But if this is my perfect day, Im taking a long time to get ready and dancing around the bathroom to some throwback Mariah Carey and Beyonce. Maybe Ill indulge in a face mask. I like the Biologique Rechere Masque Pigm 400 [sheet] mask I used it before the James Beard awards and my skin looked like glass. 12:30 p.m. PL: We drive to Oyster House and Ill get frustrated because we cant find parking and head to Parc. RL: Phila wont walk anywhere. Hes the type of guy who thinks the middle of the grocery store parking lot is too far away from the door. Parc's bread basket was recently hailed as the best free bread in the U.S. by the Atlantic. The Lorns aren't shy about getting a second helping when they go for lunch. Tim Tai / Staff Photographer PL: My legs are made of linguine! Anyway, at Parc Ill get escargot and the [grilled] chicken sandwich in that order to keep things ghetto fabulous and were definitely getting a second bread basket. What I like about Parc is that if I go in there and you blindfold me, Ill think Im in fing France. Its that consistent. Advertisement RL (rolling her eyes): Weve never been to France, but yeah it captures our idea of France. Im eating all the bread especially the cranberry walnut loaf and tucking into the [warm] shrimp salad. 2 p.m. PL: Next, we head over to our favorite vintage store Sweet Peel. The owners [Jen Zimmerman and Abby Codrea] curate a lot of clothes from the 70s there, which I feel my new dad bod looks best in. Rachel and I rarely leave empty-handed. 3:30 p.m. RL: Were going to pop into Fountain Porter for a late afternoon burger, and Im going to indulge in a small Guinness because they do the best pour. Their burger is the perfect size not too small, not too big and their lettuce is always cold and crispy. PL: Its just one of those things that taste better when someone else does it for you. Its like, Yeah, I can make a burger myself, but thanks so much for doing it for us. Advertisement Milk Jawn co-owner Amy Wilson serves a customer. Phila and Rachel Lorn's 4-year-old son is a big fan of the ice cream shop. Courtesy of Milk Jawn 5 p.m. PL: After we pick Otis up from school we like to go straight to Milk Jawn and have a cup of ice cream each. RL: I like mint chocolate, he likes chocolate, and you like vanilla. Then, well walk to CJ & Ds Trenton Pies to get pizza for Otis. PL: He basically just runs around and everyone thinks hes so cute. Sometimes, we also get recognized. Its actually pretty funny because as a chef, I used to joke about being deviled egg famous, [as in] when you go into a restaurant, the chef recognizes you, and he sends out an awesome plate of deviled eggs. But were also not those type of people. We didnt come into this game for rock star status. We only know how to do this one specific thing of ours. Advertisement The Classic Tomato Pie with crushed tomatoes, mozzarella, garlic, pepperoni and Mikes Hot Honey at CJ & D's Trenton Tomato Pies, 1326 E Passyunk Ave. Elizabeth Robertson / Staff Photographer 7 p.m. PL: On a perfect day, my brother will come over to babysit Otis so Rachel and I can go out. To get the most out of the small amount of time we have to ourselves, well go to one place for drinks and one place for dinner. We recently went to Next of Kin, and the bartender was nice enough to give us a temporary tattoo for our son. It really is the little things. Afterward, we went to dinner at Ama with Rachels mom. It sounds corny, but I love going out to eat with family. Im with my parents at some point on a perfect day. Beverage Director Diego Langarica prepares a Mercado Sonora cocktail at Ama. Phila Lorn said the Mexican restaurant recently served him "the best cocktail of the year." Monica Herndon / Staff Photographer The cocktails there were also so banging that we broke our rule and ordered drinks. I think I had the best cocktail of the year there I dont remember what its called but it tasted like drinking a salad. (Editors note: It was the Always Sunny In Puebladelphia.) All of the food there was also great. It looked like you would know how everything was going to taste, and then everything would take a left turn in your mouth. Advertisement This interview has been edited for length and clarity. Duwenavue Sante Johnson and her husband Joseph Carrillo go out during a long weekend visit. Carrillo lives in San Francisco and the couple has been long-distance for 11 years. Duwenavue Sante Johnson and Joseph Carrillo first met in San Francisco when they lived a block apart. But that arrangement didnt last. They have now been married for 17 years, and have lived 3,000 miles apart for the majority of the time. Johnson lives in Old City, where she works as a senior hand embroiderer for the Defense Logistics Agency, making presidential flags (she and her coworkers are considered the Betsy Rosses of the 21st century). Carrillo, a photographer and filmmaker, still lives in San Francisco and works for the city. When the two initially met in 2006, they quickly recognized a kinship: they were both artists with day jobs from old California families. They loved to travel, and each had a particularly independent streak. Advertisement As they became closer, moving in together and then marrying, they settled on a guiding principle: every six years, they would check in to see if their relationship was still working well for both of them. If not, there would be no questions asked if you decided to leave, Johnson, 53, said. In 2015, Johnson snagged her dream job in Philadelphia. She moved here and Carrillo stayed behind; both thought they might live apart for a year or two. We basically played it month to month, Johnson recalled. But then the years passed. Advertisement Each maintains a rented apartment in their respective city, and visits the other often. Carrillo considered moving to Philadelphia, but didnt find work he was excited about. They do not date other people that never even crossed my mind, Carrillo said. They were apart during COVID, checking in on Zoom daily. They have adapted to changing circumstances: Johnson is a three-time breast cancer survivor and went through her most recent treatment last August. Carrillo took time off from his job and stayed with her in Philadelphia for roughly five months. Once she had recovered, they went back to their long-distance routine. It was like, OK, how are we going to move this forward so that we can both become independent again? Johnson said. Duwenavue Sante Johnson and her husband Joseph Carrillo each maintain their own homes. Here they are pictured in Johnson's Old City apartment. Tom Gralish / Staff Photographer The following, as told to Zoe Greenberg in separate interviews, has been edited for length and clarity and combined. Advertisement On being wrong from the start Duwenavue: One of my clients at the hair salon wanted to introduce me to her friend. She told Joseph that I was Asian, and she told me that he was Black. It turns out Im Black, and hes Asian. She got it wrong. It started off as a joke because when we met, everything was already wrong. Joseph: I had a sense that she was an independent person and really passionate about what she did. Duwenavue: I knew he only lived a block away from me, and I have this rule that I dont date anybody in my neighborhood. There needs to be some space, just in case it doesnt work out. On developing an unconventional relationship Joseph: As our relationship developed, she moved in with me. But the day she moved out of her apartment, before moving into mine, she went on a trip to Thailand. So the first three months of our living together, she was on the other side of the world. I had mixed emotions about that. But then, so long as I accept the way she is, and she travels and has that independence, I know she also does the same for me. Advertisement Duwenavue: I wanted to go into the relationship like, I didnt trap you into anything. I had my career when we met. He had his career. As long as were both doing art and doing what we love, we feel like that allows us to stay together. On deciding to move 3,000 miles away Duwenavue: We didnt have a whole conversation about it. When I got the job, we were on a delayed honeymoon in Thailand. I had to literally go shopping in Thailand to buy clothes to start my job that Monday. I had to leave him on our honeymoon. I said, Ill meet you in San Francisco when I have a holiday and we can figure out what were doing. I was so excited that I got to do what I love, and that he supported me. I didnt feel like I had to fear anything. Joseph: I was 100% behind the job that she got in Philadelphia, because I knew it would help her with her art career. Advertisement Duwenavue Sante Johnson and Joseph Carrillo work together in her home office during a recent long weekend visit. She works as a senior hand embroiderer for the Defense Logistics Agency, making presidential flags. Tom Gralish / Staff Photographer On keeping in touch Duwenavue: I probably talk to him four to five times a day. He eats lunch when I have dinner. So sometimes hell ask me, What are you having for dinner? And then hell make the same dinner that night. I miss him. Im always trying to write grants and do projects where we both get to be together. If hes working on a film about water rights, then Ill try to do workshops in that same town. Listen to article 0:00 min NEW YORK The murder case surrounding the 1979 disappearance of 6-year-old Etan Patz is on track for a third trial, after a judge declined Friday to dismiss charges against the onetime New York shop clerk charged with abducting and killing the boy on his way to school. The man, Pedro Hernandez, 65, of Maple Shade, has been behind bars since his 2012 arrest. He is due back in court in June for a status update. A trial date has not yet been set. Advertisement Etan vanished on a two-block walk to his school bus stop on the first day his mom let him go unaccompanied. He was among the first vanished kids to be pictured on milk cartons, and the May 25 anniversary of his disappearance became National Missing Childrens Day. New York Judge Michele Rodney turned away his lawyers arguments that prosecutors waited too long to charge Hernandez and that he cant get a fair trial now, after decades of media coverage. The court will carefully work, together with the parties, to ensure that jurors are selected who promise to be fair and to consider only the evidence and the law, despite what they have learned about the case from the media, Rodney wrote. Hernandezs lawyers declined to comment afterward. Prosecutors had no immediate comment. Hernandez was a 19-year-old corner store clerk in Etans neighborhood, but the man didnt become a suspect until investigators got a 2012 tip that he had told various people in his life years ago that hed killed a child or young man in New York. Hernandez then told police after seven hours of questioning and before being told he had a right to remain silent that he had strangled Etan in the shop basement after enticing him there with the offer of a soda. Hernandez later was read his rights and recapped his statement on video, telling authorities: Something just took over me. Defense lawyers said all of Hernandez admissions amounted to the imaginings of a mentally ill and intellectually limited man, haunted and confused by a highly publicized tragedy that had happened near his workplace. Hernandez 2015 trial ended in a jury deadlock, a 2017 retrial yielded a conviction, and then a federal appeals court overturned the verdict. The court said the 2017 trial judge mishandled a jury question about determining the validity of Hernandez confessions. The Manhattan district attorneys office pledged to retry the case but also asked the U.S. Supreme Court to restore Hernandezs conviction. The high court isnt obliged to hear the case and hasnt yet said whether it will. President Donald Trump shakes hands with U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert Kennedy Jr. in the Oval Office of the White House, Saturday, April 18, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson) Read more Listen to article 0:00 min President Donald Trump on Saturday ordered new efforts to boost federal research into psychedelics and make the drugs available in controlled therapeutic settings, flanked by military veterans who said the move would save lives. Were taking this decision, this decisive step, to confront one of the most urgent public health challenges facing our nation, the mental health crisis, Trump said Saturday morning in the Oval Office. The president was joined by federal health officials and Joe Rogan, a popular podcaster who had urged Trump to increase access to psychedelics. Advertisement Some attendees characterized Trumps move as a turning point in the federal war on drugs begun by the Nixon administration nearly 60 years ago. Federal prohibition of psychedelic medicine in America is over, said W. Bryan Hubbard, an advocate for access to ibogaine, a psychedelic that is illegal in the United States but available in other countries, such as Mexico. Under the presidents executive order, the Food and Drug Administration will support new clinical trials for ibogaine, psilocybin, and other drugs that are known as serotonin receptors, and move swiftly to approve drugs deemed to be safe and effective. The drugs, which also include LSD and MDMA, can cause hallucinogenic effects and are illegal in the United States. FDA Commissioner Marty Makary said the agency would issue priority vouchers next week to accelerate federal reviews of several psychedelic drugs and potentially approve them this summer, although he did not specify which drugs were being examined. Trump said that the federal government had just committed $50 million in additional funding for ibogaine research. Some drug policy experts criticized Trumps plan, warning that expanding access to the substances could have unintended public health consequences. Kevin Sabet, who was a White House drug policy adviser across three presidential administrations, said the order will send the wrong message by encouraging hasty, potentially dangerous research. People need to realize there is little to no evidence for most of these drugs and most of the conditions they claim to alleviate, Sabet, president of Smart Approaches to Marijuana, wrote in a text message. Several federal officials on Saturday acknowledged the need to conduct more research. This is something that were still studying, and we have to keep studying, said National Institutes of Health Director Jay Bhattacharya. Several attendees offered personal testimonies that they said prove the drugs work. Former Navy SEALs Marcus Luttrell and Robert ONeill spoke about how psychedelics have helped veterans struggling with mental health challenges. We had prayed for this day to come, Luttrell said, invoking his work to help military veterans travel to other countries where they could obtain psychedelics for treatment. Federal officials spent weeks locked in internal deliberations over how far Trumps order would go, said three people who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss private conversations. Those officials concluded that psychedelics had significant potential to help veterans and other people facing mental health conditions, especially if administered in controlled settings such as an FDA trial, the people said. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who joined Trump at the announcement, was among the officials championing the idea of using psychedelics to help with depression and mental health conditions. He said Saturday that officials owed it to military veterans to turn over every stone to address their mental health needs. Its disturbing to me and to the president that hundreds, in fact, thousands of veterans are having to travel to Mexico or other countries to experiment with interventions that hold great promise, Kennedy said. Trump said he had also been privately encouraged by Rogan to make the drugs more available. Joe is an amazing guy, and he wrote me a little note about this, and I had it checked out, Trump said. The federal government currently categorizes psilocybin, ibogaine, and other psychedelics as Schedule I drugs, which means that they have no accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse. Ibogaine, for instance, has been linked to heart risks. Federal law prohibits the cultivation and possession of Schedule I drugs, except for approved research studies. Trump said Saturday that any FDA-approved psychedelics would be rescheduled, making them easier to access. Before Trumps announcement, politicians had increasingly touted the potential of psychedelics for mental health treatment, a shift in rhetoric after decades of leaders particularly Republicans calling for crackdowns. Former Texas Gov. Rick Perry, a Republican, and former U.S. Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (Ind., Ariz.) are among the politicians who have cheered ibogaines potential to address mental health conditions. Few things have moved me like what Ive witnessed with a psychedelic drug made from a shrub in Africa, Perry wrote in a Washington Post op-ed last year. Kennedy also raised the idea of making psychedelics more available during his independent presidential campaign. He continued to tout the concept after throwing his support to Trump in August 2024 and announcing his Make America Healthy Again agenda. My mind is open to the idea of psychedelics for treatment, Kennedy wrote in a September 2024 Instagram post. People ought to have the freedom and the liberty to experiment with these hallucinogens to overcome debilitating disorders. Andrew Kessler, the founder of behavioral health consultancy Slingshot Solutions, said restrictions on psychedelics such as psilocybin also known as magic mushrooms have hampered research into their clinical applications, despite evidence of their potential. The research on psilocybin at the [Department of Veterans Affairs] and elsewhere has been incredibly promising for dealing with PTSD, addiction, and other mental health issues, Kessler said. But he contrasted that work with the need for more federal investments into other ways to support people dealing with those conditions, such as more funding for a federal agency that supports mental healthcare, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, which has faced cuts and pressure under the Trump administration. Even if research on psychedelics is successful, we are years away from it having an impact, Kessler said. We are still in crisis mode and need immediate help as well. The sun rises behind a tanker anchored in the Strait of Hormuz off the coast of Qeshm Island, Iran, Saturday, April 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Asghar Besharati) Read more Listen to article 0:00 min CAIRO The standoff over the Strait of Hormuz escalated again Saturday as Iran reversed its reopening of the crucial waterway and fired on ships attempting to pass, in retaliation after the United States pressed ahead with its blockade of Iranian ports. The strait is closed until the U.S. blockade is lifted, Irans Revolutionary Guard navy said Saturday night, warning that no vessel should make any movement from its anchorage in the Persian Gulf and the Sea of Oman, and approaching the Strait of Hormuz will be considered as cooperation with the enemy and be targeted. Advertisement New attacks on the strait, through which roughly one-fifth of the worlds oil normally passes, threatened to deepen the global energy crisis and push the countries into renewed conflict as the war entered its eighth week. A fragile ceasefire is due to run out by Wednesday. Iran said it had received new proposals from the United States, and Pakistani mediators were working to arrange another round of direct negotiations. Irans joint military command earlier said control of the Strait of Hormuz has returned to its previous state under strict management and control of the armed forces. Revolutionary Guard gunboats opened fire on a tanker and an unknown projectile hit a container vessel, damaging some containers, the British militarys United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center said. Indias foreign ministry said it summoned Irans ambassador over the serious incident of firing on two India-flagged merchant ships, especially after Iran earlier let several India-bound ships through. For Iran, the straits closure imposed after the U.S. and Israel launched the war on Feb. 28 during talks over Tehrans nuclear program is perhaps its most powerful weapon, threatening the world economy and inflicting political pain on President Donald Trump. For the United States, the blockade keeps up pressure and could strangle Irans already weakened economy. Irans new supreme leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, issued defiant remarks on Saturday, saying Irans navy stands ready to inflict bitter defeats on its enemies. He has not been seen in public since being elevated to the post following his fathers death in Israels opening barrage. A turnaround a day after Iran said the strait was open On Friday, Iran announced the straits reopening to commercial vessels after a 10-day truce was announced between Israel and the Iranian-backed Hezbollah insurgent group in Lebanon. The reopening caused oil prices to fall. Trump, however, said the U.S. blockade of Irans ports will remain in full force until Tehran reaches a deal with the United States. Trump had imposed the blockade after a round of historic face-to-face talks in Pakistan between the countries ended without an agreement. U.S. forces have sent 23 ships back to Iran since the blockade began on Monday, U.S. Central Command said Saturday. Trumps comments triggered an outcry in Iran. Americans are risking the international community, risking the global economy through these, I can say, miscalculations, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Saeed Khatibzadeh told the Associated Press, adding that the U.S. is risking the whole ceasefire package. Irans Supreme National Security Council issued a statement calling the blockade a violation of the ceasefire and said Iran would prevent any conditional and limited reopening of the strait. The council has recently acted as Irans de facto top decision-making body. Since most supplies to U.S. military bases in the Persian Gulf region come through the strait, Iran is determined to maintain oversight and control over traffic through the strait until the war fully ends, the council said. That means Iran-designated routes, payment of fees, and issuance of transit certificates. The Revolutionary Guard navy statement later indicated that no vessel should attempt a transit at all. Pakistan pushes for progress toward a new deal The renewed standoff over the strait came hours after Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said his country was working to bridge differences between the U.S. and Iran. Pakistan is expected to host a second round of negotiations early next week. Irans national security council said new proposals from the U.S. had been put forward during a visit to Iran by Pakistans army chief and were being reviewed. But Khatibzadeh said the Iranians were not ready for a new round of face-to-face talks because the Americans have not abandoned their maximalist position. He also said Iran will not hand over its stock of 970 pounds of enriched uranium to the United States, calling the idea a nonstarter. Khatibzadeh did not discuss other proposals for the enriched uranium, saying only that we are ready to address any concerns. Trump said Saturday that Iran got a little cute but that very good conversations were happening, and more information would be forthcoming. They cant blackmail us, he added. On Friday, Trump said the U.S. would go into Iran and get all the nuclear dust, referring to the enriched uranium, which is believed to be buried under nuclear sites badly damaged by U.S. military strikes last year. French peacekeeper is killed in Lebanon French President Emmanuel Macron said a French soldier was killed and three others were wounded Saturday during an attack on U.N. peacekeepers in southern Lebanon. Everything suggests that responsibility for this attack lies with Hezbollah, Macron wrote on social media. The UNIFIL peacekeeping force also blamed Hezbollah. Hezbollah denied involvement. Pakistans foreign minister said fighting between Israel and Hezbollah had been a key sticking point in U.S.-Iran talks, and the declaration of a ceasefire in Lebanon was seen as a boost to efforts for an Iran agreement. It was unclear to what extent Hezbollah would abide by a truce it did not play a role in negotiating, especially with Israeli troops still occupying a stretch of southern Lebanon. In Beirut, displaced families began moving toward southern Lebanon and the capitals southern suburbs despite warnings by officials not to return home until it was clear whether the ceasefire would hold. The Iran war has killed at least 3,000 people in Iran, more than 2,290 in Lebanon, 23 in Israel, and more than a dozen in Gulf Arab states. Thirteen U.S. service members have been killed. Chad Dion Lassiter speaking at a panel hosted by the Philadelphia Inquirer in April 2019. He moderated a discussion a year after a Center City Starbucks called police to arrest two Black men who were having a business meeting there, without making a purchase. ( Read more Listen to article 0:00 min Gov. Josh Shapiro has asked the head of Pennsylvanias civil rights enforcement agency to resign amid an investigation into how it has been spending tax dollars, The Inquirer has learned. Chad Dion Lassiter, 53, who has led the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission since 2018, submitted his resignation letter to Shapiro earlier this month and plans to leave the office by June 30, according to a copy of the letter obtained by the news organization. Advertisement Lassiter, in his letter to Shapiro dated April 7, said the governors Feb. 23 request for him to step down without a conversation with me, or due process left me deeply hurt. Rosie Lapowsky, a spokesperson for Shapiro, declined to comment on what prompted the governor to request Lassiters resignation. Lapowsky said in a statement that the governors Office of Administration is reviewing the agencys recent purchases. Some spending at the agency, including purchasing cards, has been suspended amid that inquiry, which remains ongoing, she said. She declined to answer additional questions about the probe. Lapowsky said the governor does not have the power to hire or fire PHRC leadership because it is an independent agency. Only its commissioners, who are appointed by the governor and confirmed by the state Senate, have the power to remove or replace the executive director, she said. Shapiros administration, she said, fully supports PHRCs mission and the important work they do to enforce civil rights laws. Lassiter, in a phone interview Friday, said the resignation request came after concerns were reported to Shapiro about PHRCs attempt to spend $20,000 on two tables at a Philadelphia NAACP awards ceremony in February. Lassiter was being honored by the organization with the Presidents Award. Purchasing tables at major events is a standard practice for his office, he said. After concerns were raised, he said, the payments to NAACP were not made. Lassiter and his colleagues still attended the event. It was a hit job, he said, of his ouster. There has been a movement to remove me as executive director at the PHRC over the last two years. He said he plans to continue working until June 30 to ensure a smooth transition for the office. Lassiters planned departure follows the resignations of four other senior officials at the agency in recent weeks. He said the timing was unrelated. The commissions chief of counsel and executive procurement officer resigned earlier this month, sources said. Then, last week, chairman Joel Bolstein stepped down after nearly three decades with the agency. Another long-tenured board member, Raquel Yiengst, who joined the commission in 1978, resigned on Tuesday. News releases announcing the chair members departures did not give reasons for the resignations. Amanda Brothman Jumper, a spokesperson for PHRC, said in a statement that she could not discuss personnel or operational matters, and referred questions to the governors office. PHRC, founded in 1955, is responsible for investigating thousands of discrimination complaints filed in the state each year. It has subpoena power, and employs dozens of investigators and attorneys who investigate, mediate, and resolve potential civil rights violations in places of employment, housing, education, and accommodations. The commissioners who oversee the agency are appointed by the governor. None of the remaining five could be reached for comment. In a news release this week, the commission acknowledged that the resignations could pose immediate challenges. With six of 11 commissioner positions vacant, it would not have the required quorum for upcoming meetings. When the Commission cannot meet, Pennsylvanians seeking justice may face harmful delays, Desiree Chang, a deputy director at PHRC, said in the release. The risk of delayed or postponed decisions is real. Lassiter said he stood by his work, saying he turned around a troubled agency over the last eight years. He was appointed to lead the commission in 2018, and since then, has expanded outreach efforts, promoted anti-racist programming, and launched a listening tour in 67 counties to address the rise of white nationalism, according to his government page. A graduate of Olney High School, Lassiter obtained a masters degree in social work from the University of Pennsylvania, where he co-founded what he described as the first Ivy League Black male group of social workers at the School of Social Policy & Practice. He is now a national commentator and public speaker on race and civil rights issues. Former President Joe Biden tapped him to serve on a federal advisory commission for Black Americans in 2023. The Philadelphia Industrial Correctional Center, where Sgt. Devon Williams worked as a staff deployment supervisor. Read more Listen to article 0:00 min A 40-year-old Philadelphia correctional officer died after his motorcycle crashed as he was riding to work Friday morning, officials said. Sgt. Devon Williams was riding on the 4300 block of Cottman Avenue when his motorcycle crashed around 6:45 a.m. He was transported to Jefferson Torresdale Hospital, where he was pronounced dead a short time later. Advertisement Michael R. Resnick, commissioner of the city Department of Prisons, said in a message to his staff that Williams served with honor. Williams began his career with the prisons department on July 11, 2016, and first worked at Curran-Fromhold Correctional Facility, Resnick said. Williams was promoted to sergeant on April 1, 2024. This is a heartbreaking loss for the department and for all who had the privilege of working alongside him. Sergeant Williams served with honor, and his passing will be deeply felt throughout our facilities and across the entire [Philadelphia Department of Prisons] family, Resnick said. In a phone interview, Resnick said the cause of the crash was under investigation by Philadelphia police. When the crash happened, Resnick said, Williams was about five minutes away from his job at the Philadelphia Industrial Correctional Center, where he worked as a staff deployment supervisor. Greg Boulware, president of AFSCME District Council 33, issued a statement on the death of Williams. Sgt. Williams served with dedication, courage, and pride. He showed up for his coworkers, for the people of Philadelphia, and for the department he helped [to] hold together through some of its hardest days. His sudden loss leaves a void that cannot be filled, Boulware said. On Friday night, Mayor Cherelle L. Parker honored Williams in a social media post. A grateful City extends its deepest condolences to Sergeant Williams family, friends, and colleagues during this difficult time, the mayor said. Japan urged to thoroughly investigate into harassment of Chinese diplomatic missions: spokesperson Xinhua) 11:17, April 18, 2026 BEIJING, April 17 (Xinhua) -- There have been continuous harassment and provocation targeting China's diplomatic missions in Japan, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said on Friday, urging Japan to reflect on and correct its policy and behavior, conduct a thorough probe and take full responsibility for such incidents. A series of grave offenses have occurred recently, including the embassy break-in by a sitting Self-Defense Forces (SDF) officer carrying a knife, Guo said at a regular news briefing. The recurrence of this kind of egregious incidents reveals multiple deep-seated issues in today's Japan: the worsening right-wing impact and the suppression of objective and rational voices, the toxicity of the Japanese government's erroneous policies on vital issues concerning China-Japan relations such as history and Taiwan, the serious lack of education on true history, the pervasive erroneous historical views, the ongoing push for a more offensive, expansionist and dangerous defense policy and failure in supervising the SDF and maintaining discipline inside the forces, Guo said. How to fundamentally address the issue and remove its breeding ground in the Japanese society deserves serious pondering by those with insights in Japan, he said. "Soft-pedaling such incidents and even distracting attention from them or spreading disinformation will only lead to more such incidents with even more dreadful consequences, and put more Japanese people under its harmful impact. The malevolent emergence of neo-militarism in Japan could also threaten peace and stability in the region," Guo said. (Web editor: Zhao Tong, Wu Chaolan) Photo: President's Office / www.president.gov.ua Five people were killed as a result of the shooting in the Holosiivskyi district of Kyiv, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said, "Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko just reported on the liquidation of the attacker in Kyiv who opened fire on ordinary people. All circumstances are being clarified. Currently, 5 deaths are known. My condolences to the families and loved ones," Zelenskyy said on Telegram. As of now, 10 people have been hospitalized with wounds and injuries. All are receiving necessary medical assistance. Four hostages were successfully rescued. "We expect a rapid investigation. Investigators from the National Police and the Security Service of Ukraine are working. I have instructed the Interior Minister and the Head of the National Police of Ukraine to provide the public with all verified information regarding this case," Zelenskyy said. 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 At 1.23am on April 26, 1986, a chain reaction at the Chornobyl* Power Plant in northern Ukraine caused an explosion that led to the worlds first level-seven meltdown and the most catastrophic nuclear event in history. Over the following hours and days, it released radiation estimated to be 400 times greater than that of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima in 1945. The fallout, literally and metaphorically, continues to impact today. Chornobyl is forever, says Adi Roche, whose name is synonymous with Chornobyl in Ireland because of Chornobyl Children International (CCI), the charity she founded in 1991 and for which she has since been a full-time volunteer. The impact of Chornobyl It is not a historic event, even though its like reading ancient history for people. It is yesterday. It is today. And unfortunately and sadly, it is forever. Its now 40 years since the Chornobyl disaster, and while the world may have largely forgotten it and the plight of those it continues to affect, Roche has not. Shes under the weather when we speak, but her enthusiasm for helping those impacted is undimmed. She speaks with passion about CCIs work, and shares many stories of children that shes met down through the years stories I am sure shes told countless times at this stage, but youd never know it, because each one is told with love. Roche, who married Cork man Sean Dunne in 1977, has never had children of her own. In 2023, on The Meaning of Life, she told Joe Duffy shed learned over time in the grief of that, and coming to terms with that, that actually you dont have to have a physical umbilical cord to be attached to a newborn baby to love and adore that life. And I have had that experience endless times over the years. Julie Shynkarenka working with Adi Roche with CCI supported children Roche talks a mile a minute. Uppermost in her mind when we speak is the impending anniversary, and the events around it among which is the unveiling in Cork City of Sandra Bells sculpture Chornobyl Mother, which is in remembrance of the child victims and survivors of the Chornobyl disaster. Roche takes me back to that fateful day in April, when, she says, the first casualty of the Chornobyl disaster was the truth itself, because the Soviet Union went into secrecy mode. In 1986, it took until April 28 when a worker at a Swedish power plant detected abnormally high levels of radiation for Moscow to even admit an accident had occurred (they didnt reveal the accident was major until May 10). A terse despatch from the Soviet Council of Ministers stated measures were being taken to eliminate the consequences. Some of those measures would prove devastating for the Belarussian people. The rain of Chornobyl Adi Roche pictured near her home in Blackrock Cork. Picture Chani Anderson In the aftermath of the blast, the Soviets manipulated the weather to prevent radioactive clouds reaching Moscow, where all the big guns were, explains Roche. On April 27, military pilots seeded clouds with silver iodide, which forced radioactive rain thus preventing radioactive particles from drifting towards the capital. Muscovites were safe, but the inhabitants of Belarus, which borders Ukraine, paid the price. Black, sticky rain rained down upon 9m people, says Roche. That rain was the rain of Chornobyl. The rain deposited 70% of the radioactive fallout that had spewed from Reactor No 4 onto Belarus, contaminating 20% of its land, crops, and livestock, and exposing every man, woman, and child in its path, including the unborn, to significant radiation. There was no antidote to that, she says of the radiation exposure. No medication. There was no fallout shelter, there was no protection, there was no weapon, no standing army that could have been sent to protect the people and their environment. The legacy of the disaster is bleak. Not only were the Belarussians of 1986 contaminated, but it has passed onto their children and now onto their grandchildren, Roche says, adding: It is impossible for us to say whether we are past the peak of the consequences of radioactive contamination or only at the threshold. There is a latency period of up to 60 years between exposure in 1986 and the manifestation of its effects. These effects can range widely, including birth defects, cancers, immune system disorders, heart conditions, and more. Forty years on from the Chornobyl disaster, the world has largely forgotten those who continue to suffer the consequences. Among that cohort are the heroes who dealt with the aftermath, the hundreds of thousands of liquidators who were recruited some volunteered but many were forced from all over the USSR to clean up the site and build a sarcophagus to entomb Reactor No 4. Because of their intercession, which is unparalleled in human history, they actually saved the world, says Roche, explaining that because of the prevailing culture of secrecy in the USSR, the truth about liquidators and their fate was supressed most are now thought dead or disabled. The phenomenal 2019 HBO/Sky miniseries Chernobyl, which starred Jessie Buckley as the wife of a liquidator, highlighted their role, she notes, and was very true to the truth of the story. Jessie Buckley in Chernobyl on Sky Atlantic. Roche wants the 40th anniversary to act as a reminder of our potential destructive capability when things go radically wrong and to speak for those that have never had a voice. Clonmel-born Roche, who will be 71 this year, has long spoken up for those without a voice, and for peace. She vividly remembers where she was when she heard about the Chornobyl disaster: I was standing on a stage in a secondary school in Middleton, giving a class on peace education, when the principal came and said, theres been a newsflash. For Gods sake, help us get the children out It was the height of the Cold War; Roche had been talking to the girls about East and West threatening to annihilate each other with nuclear weapons, and of the eyewitness accounts from the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. It was like one of those light-bulb moments, she recalls. Now that this was happening in her lifetime, in real time, what could she do? As it happened, plenty. Im very proud to say that here in Cork, we became first responders to the Chornobyl tragedy, she says, explaining how, in the absence of any government response, a small team of doctors assembled to provide information to the Irish public via an emergency hotline that she and a colleague operated for months from the box bedroom of her house in Ballincollig. At the time, Roche was a volunteer with the Irish Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND), which, along with other peace organisations had relationships with people that were working on East-West peace-building measures, so had a line of communication with people behind the Iron Curtain. Despite the KGB not allowing doctors or specialists or scientists to divulge what was the true impact of Chornobyl under pain of incarceration or being sent to a gulag in Siberia, a group of doctors eventually felt they could be silent no longer. Through this network of peace organisations, ourselves included, they sent out a two-line fax message, Roche recalls. It was a January day in 1991, almost five years after the disaster by years end, the USSR would collapse. Ill always remember the lines of that fax. It said, SOS appeal, for Gods sake, help us get the children out. And that was really the beginning of something that ended up changing our lives The doctors whod sent the fax were witnessing shocking things: Birth defects, spontaneous abortions, an epidemic of thyroid cancer. Then over the first two or three years, they began to see an absolute breakdown in the immune systems of newborn babies and children; children being born having heart attacks and strokes, Roche explains. The doctors told Roche that even a few weeks in a radiation-free environment would hugely benefit the childrens health. That knowledge spurred her on to facilitate respite in Ireland for 45 children that summer. Cork became the model. Because we were the first city, the first town in Ireland that responded with the cead mile failte to these children of Chornobyl, Roche says. The people of Cork, and subsequently the people of Ireland, opened their hearts, opened their homes, opened their purse strings, and welcomed these children. Chornobyl Children International In 1991, Roche set up whats now known as Chornobyl Children International (CCI) to better support children, families, and communities affected by the disaster. Since its foundation, CCI has delivered in excess of 110m of humanitarian aid and programmes. Those first 45 children became the best ambassadors for their plight and for the plight of subsequent Chornobyl children, Roche says. In all, CCI has brought 26,500 children from western Russia, the Chornobyl area, across northern Ukraine and Belarus to Ireland under whats now called their rest and recuperation programme. The pandemic and subsequently the war in Ukraine forced a suspension of the programme, but in lieu of coming to Ireland the CCI has facilitated summer camps in the Carpathian mountains. I often say we are beyond the politics. We are beyond the regimes because we are with the people, and thats where we will stay rooted, Roche says. The achievements of CCI are impressive by any standards, but truly astonishing when you learn its staff totals a mere three. Were a tiny team, acknowledges Roche, who is full-time voluntary CEO. Helen Faughnan is the national coordinator and the trio is completed by strategy and communications manager Aileen OSullivan. The core team may be tiny but they have an army of volunteers, which, Roche says, are the lifeblood that runs through the veins of the charity. Adi Roche pictured near her home in Blackrock Cork. Picture Chani Anderson Sometimes, when we dont have enough for cardiac missions or for medical supplies or for our staff over there, or to bring children in, I often say, look, were cash poor, which we have been in the past, but we are people-rich, she says. CCIs programmes have expanded hugely since the early days, to the extent that there are too many to list here. Every single one has, at its root, the story of a child. CCIs child paediatric cardiac programme came about through Roches 1992 trip to Belarus and her encounter with nine-year-old Vitaly, who had Chornobyl heart, a severe congenital cardiac degradation condition linked to radiation exposure. He told Roche he would die in the Belarussian hospital; she found a way to get him to Crumlin, now CHI, for life-saving treatment. And from that time until now, almost four decades later, we have been flying in cardiac surgeons to perform lifesaving treatment on children and babies with this condition called Chornobyl heart, Roche says, telling me that when this piece appears, we will at that time have a cardiac surgical team on the humanitarian frontline in Ukraine. We have never stopped. The pandemic didnt stop this programme. The war, the invasion of Ukraine didnt stop this programme. Our doctors and surgeons continued to run the gauntlet because the children would die without their intervention. Over the years, the CCI has evolved, as the scattergunning approach of the early years wasnt sustainable, Roche admits. The hope is to work towards empowering people on the ground, by building on their infrastructure so that were eventually going to see ourselves no longer as necessary because the people in the stricken regions of Chornobyl will take responsibility themselves if and when the time comes. One example of this empowerment is the work CCI is doing around de-institutionalisation of children. Its homes of hope programme helps children in orphanages move to foster families, into homes provided by the charity, which are gifted to the families after a period of 15 years, while its pioneering independent living programme means teenagers in child mental asylums can avoid the awful fate of being moved to an adult asylum at 18, and instead live independently in specially built homes. Its truly life-changing stuff. The work, Roche tells me, has never really felt like a sacrifice, but shes human too, and admits some mornings, its harder than others, and I have to dig deep for the optimism and dig deep for the love, and to dig deep for the hope. But keep on digging she does. Both love and hope are central to the essence of our work. Without those two elements, I honestly dont believe we could continue. I truly feel that we have anchored our hearts in hope itself, because hope is the most enabling gift of all. It allows us to overcome the despair that can arise when facing so many challenges in our world today. Forty years of giving is huge, she says, but shes not talking about her contribution; rather, she wants the laurels to go to the Irish peoples incredible generosity and CCIs army of volunteers that have been there forever. They are the unsung heroes and heroines, all of them, she says, adding: The plumbers, the carpenters, the tilers, the surgeons, the nurses, all of them. None of it wouldve been possible without that extraordinary outpouring of love. In December 2025, the UN adopted a resolution officially endorsing the use of the Ukrainian transliteration Chornobyl instead of the Soviet-era Chernobyl in all instances going forward. chernobyl-international.com Taoiseach Micheal Martin has said the release of 1926 Census records is allowing us to step back in time to the first years of the then Irish Free State. The National Archives officially released records at midnight, after the expiry of the 100-year limitation on their publication under the Statistics Act 1993. It is freely available and searchable on www.nationalarchives.ie alongside the 1901 and 1911 editions of the census after three years of work on more than 750,000 individual household and enumerator returns. Mr Martin said it was the first census undertaken by the independent Irish Free State which was formed in 1922. HISTORY HUB If you are interested in this article then no doubt you will enjoy exploring the various history collections and content in our history hub. Check it out HERE and happy reading He described a year which followed a decade of conflict and upheaval, from the Easter Rising in 1916 and the War of Independence to the Civil War. Census 1926 shows the ambition of the new state to carry out a census of the 2.9 million people living in Ireland as part of its programme of nation-building and to do so, so soon after independence, was a bold and visionary decision, he said. As such, Census 1926 marks a historic moment in the development of modern Ireland. For people across Ireland, the release of the 1926 Census offers something deeply personal. It allows us to step back in time and encounter our own families, neighbours and communities as they were almost a century ago. It brings history out of the abstract and into the everyday. Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport Patrick ODonovan said it was a significant day for the country and our diaspora as we see for the first time in a century the records of how we lived in 1926. I want to congratulate the team at the National Archives for their trojan work in getting us to today not only through carefully cataloguing and preserving the records for generations to come, but also in putting together such a comprehensive programme of activities to allow people to engage with this important part of our history, he said. Director of the National Archives Orlaith McBride said: The census has never been about lists and numbers; its the story of us. Its about the people living in Ireland in 1926 and all of their descendants today. Whether through the centenarian ambassadors, this exhibition, the book and all the other elements of our extensive public programme, throughout this project we have aimed to ensure the stories, information and human connections revealed by the Census reach as many people as possible, in Ireland and around the world. To mark the release of the 1926 Census, the National Archives has opened a major exhibition that explores what life was like in the newly independent Ireland of 1926. It will run at Dublin Castle, opening to the public from April 19 until August 15 2027, before visiting London and Boston, and then touring Ireland. Three males have been injured, one seriously, following a single-vehicle collision in Limerick city in the early hours of Saturday. Gardai and emergency services attended the scene shortly before 5am after a van was involved in a crash on the R445 Dublin Road. Power, American abolitionist Frederick Douglass argued, concedes nothing without a demand. For a country recently characterised by quiet consensus politics, Ireland has recently felt louder. The recent fuel blockades prompted an uncomfortable question for the Government: is protest - particularly disruptive, decentralised protest - back as a decisive political force? More pointedly, do such actions expose an Achilles heel in how the State responds to pressure? At first glance, the answer appears to be yes. The fuel protests, organised outside traditional union structures, achieved something notable: they forced engagement. Government ministers moved unusually quickly if clumsily to address grievances, signalling a responsiveness that has not always been evident in more conventional campaigns. This raises a difficult truth. Peaceful, orderly protest marches, petitions, statements often struggles to achieve tangible outcomes. Disruption, especially when it touches the economic bloodstream of the State, tends to yield faster results. Historically, Irish protest has always been most effective when it affects the bottom line. The 1913 Lockout remains the clearest example: a brutal industrial dispute that reshaped labour relations and forced the question of workers rights into national consciousness. Fuel crisis protesters face the Garda public order unit at Whitegate village last Saturday. Picture: Larry Cummins Even outside labour struggles, moments like the protests following Bloody Sunday in 1972 demonstrated that public outrage, when it spills into the streets at scale, can alter political narratives and international perception. The recent fuel blockades fit this pattern. By targeting supply chains, protesters applied pressure not through persuasion but through leverage. It is a tactic that bypasses traditional lobbying and goes straight to impact. What distinguishes these protests from earlier movements is not just their tactics, but their organisation. Trade unions once the backbone of collective action were largely absent. In their place: decentralised networks, often co-ordinated through WhatsApp groups and social media. This shift mirrors global trends. The Arab Spring, particularly in Tunisia and Egypt, demonstrated how digital communication could mobilise large numbers rapidly, without hierarchical leadership. These movements were fluid, fast-moving, and difficult for authorities to predict or control. Irelands recent protests suggest a similar evolution. Organisation is now horizontal rather than vertical. Leadership is diffuse. Messaging spreads instantly. This has advantages: speed, accessibility, and a sense of grassroots authenticity. But it also carries risks. Without formal structures, accountability becomes murkier, strategic coherence can suffer, and movements can be more easily infiltrated or co-opted. Legitimate protest or subversive action? What, then, separates legitimate protest from subversive action? The distinction is not always clear. Disruption, by its nature, challenges legal and social norms. Blocking roads or fuel depots can be framed as civil disobedience or as unlawful interference, depending on perspective. Governments tend to draw the line where disruption becomes intolerable. Protesters, meanwhile, often argue that effectiveness requires precisely that level of disruption. Complicating matters further are claims of external influence. Globally, there is growing awareness of how protests can be shaped or at least amplified by outside actors. Recent reporting around protests in Iran, and allegations of foreign involvement, underscores how geopolitical interests can intersect with domestic dissent. There is little concrete evidence of systematic external interference in the fuel protests; however, the nature of modern communication particularly encrypted messaging and algorithm-driven social media means that influence can be subtle, indirect, and difficult to trace. Claims of far-right involvement in Irish protests are often contested. Some see genuine grassroots anger being unfairly dismissed or delegitimised. The reality is likely somewhere in between. Decentralised movements, by design, are open systems. They attract a range of participants, not all of whom share the same motivations. Trade union participation One of the more intriguing implications of recent events is what they might mean for trade unions. For decades, unions have operated within structured frameworks: negotiations, ballots, regulated strike action. These processes provide legitimacy but can also limit agility. The success or perceived success of decentralised protests may prompt unions to rethink their approach. Will they adopt more disruptive tactics? Perhaps the most uncomfortable questions arise when comparing different protest movements. Take the pro-Palestinian demonstrations in Ireland. Over several years, they have mobilised large crowds, sustained public attention, and maintained a consistent presence. Yet their impact on Irish foreign policy has been limited. Why? One possible explanation is that these protests, while visible, have not imposed significant economic or political costs. The logical question such movements need to ask themselves is whether more disruptive tactics blockades, occupations, direct action would yield different results? And if so, how would the State respond? Protesters on O'Connell Street in Dublin last Saturday. In Ireland, the fuel blockades highlight a growing willingness to bypass traditional channels and apply direct pressure. Protest is not new in Ireland. But its form and its perceived effectiveness may be changing. Whether this marks a lasting shift remains to be seen. But one thing is clear: the rules of protest are being rewritten, and both governments and movements are still figuring out what comes next. At least two merchant vessels reported they were hit by gunfire as they attempted to cross the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday, three maritime security and shipping sources said, shortly after Iran said it was once more tightening control of the waterway. Some merchant vessels received a radio message from Iran's Navy that the vital energy chokepoint was shut again and no ships were allowed to pass through, shipping sources said. Earlier maritime trackers showed a convoy of eight tankers transiting the waterway in the first major movement of ships since the US-Israeli war on Iran began seven weeks ago. But Iran then said it was reimposing strict military controls on the narrow route, the conduit before the war of about a fifth of global oil trade, as the US maintained its blockade of Iranian ports. And in a defiant message posted on his Telegram channel, Iran's supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei said Iran's navy was ready to inflict "new bitter defeats" on its enemies. Tough messaging from Iran Irans renewed tough messaging injected fresh uncertainty around the Iran conflict, raising the risk that oil and gas shipments through the Strait could remain disrupted just as Washington weighs whether to extend a fragile ceasefire. US president Donald Trump hours earlier had cited "some pretty good news" about Iran, declining to elaborate. But he also said fighting might resume without a peace deal by Wednesday, when the two-week ceasefire expires. Iran had announced its temporary reopening of the Strait of Hormuz following a separate US-brokered 10-day ceasefire agreement on Thursday between Israel and Lebanon. Israel invaded parts of southern Lebanon after the Iran-allied Hezbollah militant group joined the fighting in early March. But on Saturday Iran's armed forces command said transit through the strait had reverted to a state of strict Iranian military control, citing what it described as repeated US violations and acts of piracy under the guise of a blockade. A gardener waters the plants in front of the portraits of children killed in a deadly strike on a children's school in the southern city of Minab on the first day of the war that killed at least 165 people, most of them children, at the Tajrish Square in Tehran on April 16, 2026. (Photo by AFP via Getty Images) / The spokesperson said Iran had earlier agreed, in good faith, to the managed passage of a limited number of oil tankers and commercial vessels following negotiations, but said continued US actions had forced Tehran to restore tighter controls on shipping through the strategic chokepoint. There was no immediate comment from the US. Unclear if any direct talks this weekend The war with Iran, which began on February 28 with a US-Israeli attack on the Islamic Republic, has killed thousands, spread to Israeli attacks in Lebanon and sent oil prices surging because of the de facto closure of the strait. Despite the initial movement of ships, prospects remained unclear on a resumption of high-level US-Iran talks or any agreement over Iran's nuclear ambitions, a key sticking point. "It seems to be going very well in the Middle East with Iran," Trump told reporters on Air Force One while returning to Washington from Phoenix, Arizona, on Friday. "We're negotiating over the weekend. I expect things to go well. Many of these things have been negotiated and agreed to. "The main thing is that Iran will not have a nuclear weapon. You cannot let Iran have a nuclear weapon, and that supersedes everything else." But in sharp contrast, Trump also said he might end the ceasefire with Iran unless a long-term deal to end the war was agreed before it expires on Wednesday, adding that a US blockade of Iranian ports would continue. Pressure for a way out of the war has mounted as Trumps fellow Republicans defend narrow majorities in Congress in the November midterm elections with US gasoline prices high, inflation rising and his own approval ratings down. Backdropped by ships in the Strait of Hormuz, damage, according to local witnesses caused by several recent airstrikes during the U.S.-Israel military campaign, is seen on a fishing pier in the port of Qeshm island, Iran, Monday, April 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Asghar Besharati) Trump has told Reuters there would probably be more direct talks between Iran and the US this weekend. Some diplomats said that was unlikely given the logistics of gathering in Islamabad, where the talks are expected to take place. There were no signs of preparations early on Saturday for talks in the Pakistani capital, where the highest-level US-Iran negotiations since the 1979 Islamic Revolution ended without agreement last weekend. The key Pakistani mediator, army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir, has concluded three days of talks in Tehran, the Pakistani military said. Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif was also returning to Islamabad after talks this week in Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Turkey. A Pakistani source aware of mediation efforts said a meeting between Iran and the US could produce an initial memorandum of understanding, followed by a comprehensive peace agreement within 60 days. No clarity on Iran's nuclear programme Differences remained over Tehran's nuclear programme, which has been a sticking point in peace talks, with Iran defending its right to what it says is a civilian nuclear energy programme. Trump told Reuters the US would remove Iran's stockpiles of enriched uranium. Iran's foreign ministry spokesperson told state TV the material would not be transferred anywhere. Separately, a senior Iranian official said Tehran hoped a preliminary agreement could be reached in the coming days. Oil prices , fell about 10% and global stocks jumped on Friday on the prospect of marine traffic resuming through the strait. At last weekend's talks, the US proposed a 20-year suspension of all Iranian nuclear activity, while Iran suggested a halt of three to five years, according to people familiar with the proposals. Two Iranian sources have said there were signs of a compromise that could remove part of the stockpile. It took nearly 20 years of work, tons of concrete, $724 million, demolishing buildings, and changing the urban landscape of a city to finally inaugurate the largest and most ambitious cultural project in Los Angeles in recent years: the expansion of LACMA, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, the leading art museum in the western United States and home to the largest collection this side of the Mississippi. An immense concrete structure, a Herculean amoeba, now snakes through the heart of the United States second-largest city to house part of the vast permanent collection, previously stored in warehouses, which will now be enjoyed by its million annual visitors, and likely many more. The opening of this expansion, the David Geffen Galleries named after the music, film, and theater producer, co-founder of DreamWorks, a major patron of the city, and a donor of $150 million to the project is the citys major cultural event this year and finally takes place on Sunday, April 19, after a long crusade by its director, Michael Govan, to bring it to fruition over the past 20 years. He personally selected (not without criticism) the architect for the project, the Swiss Pritzker Prize winner Peter Zumthor, who had never before built anything of this scale. But now, the building is not just part of the museum, but perhaps its main attraction. Located on Wilshire Boulevard, a major thoroughfare in the city, it is perfectly flanked by La Brea Park, which showcases the geological origins of the settlement, and by the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures, its economic, social, and cultural heart. Now, the new LACMA and its 32,000 square meters will share space with them. At the press presentation on Wednesday, a packed event held in the shadow of the massive concrete structure, Govan appeared excited and talkative. He knows that what he has achieved is a milestone in the citys artistic history. Not only for its content it will house nearly 3,000 works of art but also for its form. Zumthors building engages with the city and is designed for and by it: it is capable of moving up to 1.5 meters, in case of an earthquake (or, rather, for when one occurs). In a place lacking public spaces and recreational areas, the new LACMA completes that museum and landscaped mile, where Angelenos often picnic, play with their children, or listen to live jazz. The brand-new Galleries will be part of it, with their sculptures by Alexander Calder, Ai Weiwei, and Jeff Koons (made with native Californian plants); with their Rodin on the lawn; with their free educational center for children and families; their cafeteria (sponsored by Erewhon, one of the most expensive supermarkets in the county); and with the concept that the building, with two very long staircases leading to the open gallery on the upper floor, has no front door or back: no one will ever have their back to it. LACMA director Michael Govan and architect Peter Zumthor imprint their footprints in the cement floor in Los Angeles. Damian Dovarganes (AP) The idea was to create a museum without hierarchies, with the transparency to allow visitors to see Los Angeles, explained Govan, who began developing the project in 2007. While the immense gallery is made of concrete at its base, its upper section is transparent, glazed, although in certain areas it is covered by grayish polyester curtains. These curtains are not only aesthetically unappealing, but while they protect some of the artworks, they obscure the view of palm trees and light, so quintessentially Californian. Govan stated that part of the plan was precisely that: A space to wander above the park, among the trees. Zumthor undertook the project in collaboration with the prestigious Chicago firm SOM (Skidmore, Owens and Merrill), a nearly six-year undertaking that involved demolishing other buildings in the area, not without controversy. Finishing touches are still being applied. Furthermore, the neighboring La Brea Park will soon close for renovations in preparation for the 2028 Olympic Games. The Galleries, though they may still appear under construction due to the concrete walls displaying works ranging from Rubens to Matisse, Persian rugs to French abbey arches, are now complete. The artworks are interwoven and brought together in a space with few walls, arranged thematically, or as it used to be called, in an encyclopedic museum. The intention: to encourage thought, dialogue, and questioning. The interior of the David Geffen Galleries, the LACMA extension, on April 15. Monica Rubalcava (EFE) The term encyclopedic museum is specific to North America. There are no encyclopedic museums in Spain, nor in Mexico, not even the British Museum, with art from so many regions, Diana Magaloni, deputy director of LACMA and head of conservation, explained to this newspaper. The Mexican, former director of the National Museum of Anthropology, recounts that encyclopedic museums are born with the ambition of containing the worlds knowledge, housing the worlds collections for a North American public, who dont live in Europe, and being able to view the world from here with the ambition of educating. Therefore, this museum is a mix of everything: ancient Greek art almost touching contemporary African art; 21st-century Kyoto vases alongside Dutch paintings from more than 800 years ago, large-format photographs, and Egyptian mummies from the 1st century. Its more of a museum of cultures, she reflects. A global museum. And this is, I think, the most multicultural city there is, and the fifth-largest economy in the world, she points out, referring to California. And we owe a debt to that city. For her, the arrival of the David Geffen Galleries, the Zumthor museum, the 3,000 new pieces, and its integration with the city refresh and enhance Los Angeles as a new artistic hub. This elevates it to a major cultural power. Its true that many contemporary artists have moved from New York; theres a lot of new and very, very daring contemporary art. Willow Bay, Peter Zumthor, Michael Govan, Diana Magaloni and Naima Keith at the press conference. Monica Rubalcava (EFE) As the multicultural urban behemoth that Los Angeles is, with a population that is nearly 50% Latino, there is a strong presence of migrants. Two Mexican artists have created powerful works in the building, in the public plaza that surrounds it. Sculptor Pedro Reyes has brought an enormous volcanic stone head, Tlali, weighing 80 tons, from his workshop in Coyoacan. Meanwhile, Mariana Castillo was responsible for shaping the floor of the entire complex. This artwork, spanning over 19,200 square meters and titled Feathered Changes, was created over two years with more than 100 Mexican workers from Los Angeles. With shapes created using rakes and imprinted with the tracks of native Los Angeles County animals, from coyotes to roadrunners, it can be enjoyed by all who visit LACMA, whether they have paid admission or not. At this political moment in which we talk so much about territory, migration, and origins, I think it has even more meaning that I was able to create this piece together with a Swiss architect in a museum in Los Angeles, and with Mexican brothers, Castillo recounts, during a meeting with EL PAIS and several patrons of the arts sponsored by the Mexican consul in Los Angeles in honor of both artists, on what she called a very important day for Mexican culture. For Castillo, the work is something personal, the largest of her career, and it speaks of passage, of the importance of what we walk on, of those who come before and after us. Also of our bodies, of how we leave marks on the places we inhabit. They can be subtle, they can be definitive, but they are there, she explains to this newspaper, with whom she also reflects on her role as an artist: if for centuries many artists have created murals and tapestries on walls and frescoes on ceilings, she now intervenes on the floor. Now I say Im a floor artist, or something like that, as a new category, she laughs. Im interested in showing that horizontal surface on which we walk. The sculpture 'Tlali' by Mexican artist Pedro Reyes, at the entrance of the David Geffen Galleries. Arafat Barbakh (REUTERS) As Deputy Director Magaloni explained regarding the museum, whose collection is composed mostly of private donations, the works, their arrangement, and their approach are very different from more traditional museums, whether European or American, such as the Philadelphia Museum of Art, the Art Institute of Chicago, or the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. We dont have a collection comparable to the Prado. We never will, she acknowledges. Its not a national museum, nor an imperialist museum, like the Louvre or the British Museum. We have a collection with many gaps; we dont have everything. We have two Rembrandts. Here, everything comes together and intertwines, sometimes in a conversation that feels natural; at other times, with difficulties in understanding each other, seemingly aiming to unsettle. But, as the curator explains, art also involves not only that old-fashioned notion of an encyclopedia, with entries into knowledge, but also asking questions. I believe we must trust art for its own sake. Its presence has the power to communicate. The questions are softened by the beauty of the place. It is an experience that inspires awe. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition A United Nations peacekeeper was killed and three others wounded after a Unifil patrol came under small-arms fire while clearing explosive ordnance along a road in the southern Lebanese village of Ghandouriyeh, the peacekeeping mission said on Saturday. Two of the wounded peacekeepers were seriously injured, it said. Pope Leo XIV said on Saturday that it was not in my interest at all to debate US President Donald Trump about the Iran war, but that he would continue preaching the Gospel message of peace. Leo spoke to reporters aboard the papal plane flying from Cameroon to Angola as part of his 11-day tour of Africa. He addressed the spiralling back-and-forth saga of Mr Trumps critiques of his peace message, which have dominated news headlines this week. But the American pope also sought to set the record straight, insisting that his preaching is not directed at Mr Trump, but reflects the broader Gospel message of peace. Pope Leo XIV is welcomed by Angolas president, Joao Lourenco, left, as he arrives in Luanda (Andrew Medichini/AP) Theres been a certain narrative that has not been accurate in all of its aspects, but because of the political situation created when, on the first day of the trip, the president of the United States made some comments about myself, he said. Much of what has been written since then has been more commentary on commentary, trying to interpret what has been said. Mr Trump launched the criticism on his social media platform Truth Social on the night of April 12, when he criticised Leos preaching about peace as the war, which began with joint US-Israeli strikes on February 28 and was followed by Irans retaliation, raged on. Mr Trump accused Leo of being soft on crime, cozy with the left and said that the first American pontiff owed his election to him. Leo has issued consistent calls for peace and dialogue, and has denounced the use of religious justification for war. Specifically, he called Mr Trumps threat to annihilate Iranian civilization truly unacceptable. The Vatican has stressed that when Leo preaches about peace, he is referring to all wars ravaging the planet, not just the Iran conflict. 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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 Willem Dafoe poses this Thursday on the rooftop of Casa Fuster at the presentation of 'The Birthday Party' at the BCN Film Fest. The American actor presents The Birthday Party at the BCN Film Fest in Barcelona and reflects on his career, his craft, and how he contributes to the vision of the filmmakers he works with Its impossible not to be charmed by Willem Dafoe. The 70-year-old actor radiates charm, jumps into jokes, invents his own, and is universally praised by the crews he works with... Sean Baker spoke of how the actor adapted to a project as small as The Florida Project a film built around nonactors and children with no experience only to earn the third of his four Oscar nominations. In Barcelona, at the BCN Film Fest, which opened on Thursday, Dafoe has remained unmistakably Dafoe even in his mannerisms. Years ago, he recounted in an interview how he realized how singular his features were while riding the New York subway with his young son. Some guys got on the train and theyre sitting and theyre looking at me and theyre looking kind of rough," he said. They were looking kind of mean and they were looking at each other, and then I heard one say, Yeah, its got to be him. Nobody looks like that mother fucker. The conversation begins, fittingly, with his son, because in The Birthday Party, directed by Miguel Angel Jimenez, Dafoe plays a Greek shipping magnate who, in the summer of 1975, hosts his daughters 25th birthday on his private island. His eldest child died in an accident, leaving both the daughter and the father emotionally shattered. What could have been a celebratory gathering quickly turns into a pressure cooker of business interests and family recriminations. Question. I hope your relationship with your son is better than your characters relationship with his heir. Answer. [Laughs] I hope so too, I only have one. Q. In the film, the magnates deceased son appears in a photograph. Could it be a portrait of your real son? They look very much alike. A. I dont remember, I really dont remember... but it could be, I like those details. Emma Suarez and Willem Dafoe in 'The Birthday Party.' Q. The millionaire from The Birthday Party is very concerned about his legacy. What about you? A. Not at all. Thinking about that causes problems. Because I go from one job to another, I immerse myself in them. If you think about legacy, you have to step back and observe yourself from the outside for too long. Im not like that. As actors, we have to navigate between the corruption that surrounds us and the corruption that comes with being self-aware. Let me explain: if youve had a long career, good or bad, with its ups and downs, like mine, people start to have opinions about you, and you hear them. You have to have willpower so that your own opinion of your work isnt based on external comments. And I feel very strong in that respect. I think basically what happens is that you keep doing what you do. You pay a price, of course, because you stay in the moment, you dont look back or forward, which is how you observe a legacy. Q. On International Theater Day, last March 27, a message you wrote was read at the end of every performance around the world, in which you spoke of the importance of this art in a divisive world, especially since we are social animals and designed biologically for engagement. Youre not on social media do you really think our ability to connect is in such bad shape? A. Social contact is what will save us. Communities were created to share. Even to share worries. And also in the context of theater. Theater is becoming increasingly important because many people have virtual lives. Theater is a way to find life, to find other people, and to find ourselves. You immerse yourself in something you dont control. And when you go to the theater, that collective experience is fundamental. Doing things in a group builds empathy, builds a shared vision. And it also protects us from those few people who want to control everyone else. And we know thats a big problem these days. Willem Dafoe and Simonetta Solder, during a performance of 'No Title. An Experiment' at the Venice Theatre Biennale. Andrea Avezzu (BIENAL DE VENECIA) Q. How do you choose projects? Do you look for adventures? A. First, I look at the directors. Not always, but often. And it depends a bit on what Ive been working on. Sometimes you get tired of making historical films, and you look for a balance. Recently, I decided to look for contemporary scripts; I couldnt stand another period costume and another strange accent. Im not saying this with a career in mind, but to enjoy myself and stay grounded. Q. Do you still live near Rome, with your alpaca farm? A. Its the best place to see the river of life. And observing nature is the best way to understand many of todays problems. Willem Dafoe and Vic Carmen Sonne in 'The Birthday Party.' Q. At the 2018 Berlinale, when you received the Honorary Golden Bear, you described yourself as a color in the hands of artists. Really? Youre Willem Dafoe! A. Look, yes, Im not just a color. The concept is that as an actor, youre a material. And I want to make a distinction. Thanks for the Really?, but if youre material, youre flexible. Youre not a performer, youre yourself. Its a powerful position. Color in an oil painting has a powerful position. Dont say just a color. Color is strong. Color is reality. As an actor, you embrace those things. And in relation to the director, youre an artist too. Color collaborates with the artist. I collaborate with the filmmaker. At the same time, I want to go against someones vision, especially my own, because I already know where its going. This is a way of pushing myself, a way of challenging myself. And its a way of having an interesting life. Director, tell me what you see, and well collaborate on that joint creation. Willem Dafoe in Barcelona. Cesc Maymo (Getty Images) Q. Do you reject many scripts? A. It depends on what comes up; there are even times when I turn down up to four films a week. What I do know is that Ill never direct. Too much responsibility. Sorry, Im just kidding. On the farm, Ive already learned to work with other people. I feel freer when Im doing what someone else gives me. And if that happens, generously on the part of the filmmaker, thats enough for me. I love it when they make me go for a clear objective, and I achieve it, and in the process, theres a spark. I like restrictions when filming because I find freedom within them. If theres too much freedom, you fall into laxity and self-indulgence. I see myself as someone making pottery: focused on the technique, shaping the vessel, not thinking, simply going through the technique to create. I like that feeling of doing something. It applies to any story, in film, in my position as artistic director of the Venice Theatre Biennale. Thats how I feel Im contributing as a human being. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition ( Middle East Monitor ) A ceasefire in Lebanon was announced on Thursday by US President Donald Trump, but its reality tells a very different story. The ceasefire was not the product of American diplomacy, nor Israeli strategic calculation. It was imposedlargely as a result of sustained Iranian pressure. Washington, Tel Aviv, and their alliesincluding some within Lebanon itselfwill continue to deny this reality. Acknowledging Irans role would mean admitting that a historic precedent has been set: for the first time, forces opposing the United States and Israel have succeeded in imposing conditions on both. This is not a minor development. It is a strategic rupture. But it is not the only fundamental shift now underway: Israels very approach to war and diplomacy is itself changing. After failing to secure victory through overwhelming violence, Israel is increasingly relying on coercive diplomacy to impose political outcomes. Over the past two to three decades, this Israeli strategy has become unmistakably clear: achieving through diplomacy what it has failed to impose on the battlefield. Diplomacy as War Israeli diplomacy does not conform to the conventional meaning of the term. It is not negotiation between equals, nor a genuine pursuit of peace. Rather, it is diplomacy fused with violence: assassinations, sieges, blockades, political coercion, and the systematic manipulation of internal divisions within opposing societies. It is diplomacy as an extension of war by other means. Likewise, Israels conception of the battlefield is fundamentally different. The deliberate targeting of civilians and civilian infrastructure is not incidental, nor merely collateral damage; it is central to the strategy itself. Nowhere is this clearer than in Gaza. Following the ongoing genocide, vast swathes of Gaza have been reduced to rubble, with estimates indicating that around 90 percent of the whole of Gaza has been destroyed. According to the Gaza Ministry of Health, women and children consistently account for roughly 70 percent of all of Gazas casualties. This is not collateral damage. It is the deliberate destruction of a civilian population, an act of genocide that is designed to force mass displacement and remake the political and demographic reality in Israels favor. The same logic extends beyond Gaza. It shapes Israels wars in Lebanon against Hezbollah and its broader confrontation with Iran. The United States, Israels principal ally, has historically operated within a similar paradigm. From Vietnam to Iraq, civilian populations, infrastructure, and even the environment itself have borne the brunt of American warfare. A Faltering Model It is often argued that Israel turned to diplomacy following its forced withdrawal from southern Lebanon in 2000 under resistance pressure. While this moment was pivotal, it was not the beginning. Earlier precedents exist. The First Intifada (19871993) demonstrated that a sustained popular uprising could not be crushed through brute force alone. Despite Israels extensive repression, the revolt endured. It was in this context that the Oslo Accords emergednot as a genuine peace process, but as a strategic lifeline. Through Oslo, Israel achieved politically what it could not impose militarily: the pacification of the uprising, the institutionalization of Palestinian political fragmentation, and the transformation of the Palestinian Authority into a mechanism for internal control. Meanwhile, settlement expansion accelerated, and Israel reaped the global legitimacy of appearing as a peace-seeking state. Yet the last two decades have exposed the limits of this model. From Lebanon in 2006 to repeated wars on Gaza (200809, 2012, 2014, 2021, and the ongoing genocide since 2023), Israel has failed to secure decisive strategic victories. Its ongoing confrontations with Hezbollah and Iran further underscore this failure Not only has Israel been unable to achieve its stated military objectives, but it has also failed to translate overwhelming firepowereven genocideinto lasting political gains. Some interpret this as a shift toward perpetual war under Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. But this reading is incomplete. Perpetual War? Netanyahu understands that these wars cannot be sustained indefinitely. Yet ending them without victory would carry even greater consequences: the collapse of Israels deterrence doctrine and, potentially, the unraveling of its broader project of regional dominance. This dilemma strikes at the heart of Zionist ideology, particularly Zeev Jabotinskys concept of the Iron Wallthe belief that overwhelming, unrelenting force would eventually compel indigenous resistance to surrender. Today, that premise is being testedand found wanting. Netanyahu has repeatedly framed current wars as existential, comparable in significance to 1948the war that resulted in the ethnic cleansing of Palestinians during the Nakba and the establishment of Israel. Indeed, the parallels are unmistakable: mass displacement, civilian terror, systematic destruction, and unwavering Western backingonce from Britain, now from the United States. But there is a critical difference: The 1948 war led to the creation of Israel; the current wars are about its survival as an exclusivist settler colonial project. And herein lies the paradox: the longer these wars continue, the more they expose Israels inability to secure decisive outcomes. Yet ending them without victory risks a historic defeatnot only for Netanyahu, but for the ideological foundations of the Israeli state itself. Israeli society appears to recognize the stakes. Polls throughout 2024 and 2025 have shown overwhelming support among Israeli Jews for continued military campaigns in Gaza and confrontations with Iran and Lebanon. Public discourse frames this support in terms of security and deterrence. But the underlying reality is deeper: a collective recognition that the long-standing project of military supremacy is faltering. Having failed to subdue Gaza despite the genocide, Israel is now attempting to achieve through diplomatic maneuvering what it could not secure through war. Proposals for international oversight, stabilization forces, and externally imposed governance structures are all variations of this approach But these efforts are unlikely to succeed. Gaza is no longer isolated. The regional dimension of the conflict has expanded, linking Lebanon, Iran, and other actors into a broader, interconnected front. Balance is Shifting In Lebanon, Israel has been repeatedly forced toward ceasefire arrangements not out of choice, but because it failed to defeat Hezbollah or break the will of the Lebanese people. This dynamic extends to Iran. Following the joint aggression on Iran starting February 28, both the United States and Israel were compelled to accept de-escalation frameworks after failing to achieve rapid or decisive outcomes. The expectation that Iran could be quickly destabilizedreplicating the models of Iraq or Libyaproved illusory. Instead, the confrontation revealed the limits of military escalation and forced a return to negotiations. Photo of Beirut by Marten Bjork on Unsplash This is the essence of Israels current predicament. Diplomacy, in this model, is not an alternative to warit is a pause within it. A temporary tool used to regroup before the next phase of confrontation. But in Israels case, this aggressive diplomacy is increasingly becoming the only available tool, precisely because its military strategy has failed to deliver victory. Lebanon was meant to be the exceptiona theater where Israel could isolate and defeat Hezbollah. Instead, it became further evidence of strategic failure. Efforts to separate the frontsGaza, Lebanon, Yemen, Iranhave collapsed. Iran has explicitly linked its diplomatic engagement to developments on other fronts, forcing Israel into a broader strategic entanglement it cannot control. This marks a profound shift. The foundational pillars of Israeli strategyoverwhelming force, fragmentation of adversaries, narrative control, and political engineeringare no longer functioning as they once did Yet Netanyahu continues to project victory, declaring success at regular intervals, invoking deterrence, and framing ongoing wars as strategic achievements. But these narratives ring hollow. The reality, increasingly evident to observers across the region and beyond, is that the balance is finally shifting. For the first time in decades, the trajectory of history is no longer bending in Israels favor. 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 Click here to donate via PayPal. Personal checks should be made out to Juan Cole and sent to me at: Juan ColeP. O. Box 4218,Ann Arbor, MI 48104-2548USA(Remember, make the checks out to Juan Cole or they cant be cashed) Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) Irans foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, announced on X Friday morning that the Strait of Hormuz is completely open. He wrote: In line with the ceasefire in Lebanon, the passage for all commercial vessels through Strait of Hormuz is declared completely open for the remaining period of ceasefire, on the coordinated route as already announced by Ports and Maritime Organisation of the Islamic Rep. of Iran. Araghchis announcement came in the wake of an announcement of a 10-day ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon (actually Hezbollah). Ordinarily such ceasefires with Israel arent worth the paper they are printed on, since the Israeli authorities repeatedly and egregiously violate them with impunity. After the so-called ceasefire of November 27, 2024, Israel went on bombing Lebanon daily even in the absence of Hezbollah rocket fire, reaching 1000 air strikes by late last year and committing an estimated 10,000 violations of the agreement. Tel Aviv took the ceasefire as an opportunity to attempt to assassinate Hezbollah leaders and degrade their military capabilities, though the effort failed to cripple the Shiite party-militia of southern Lebanon. It has local support because people feel it is the only thing that stands between them and Israeli occupation, annexation, and settler colonialism. Israel occupied ten percent of Lebanon 1982-2000 and was only dislodged by the Hezbollah resistance. If the current ceasefire turns out to be any different, it would be because of successful Iranian pressure on President Donald Trump through the threat to further disrupt the Persian Gulf and so prolong the era of high gasoline prices. This threat hangs over Trump going into the US midterms. It should, however, be noted that Israel has destroyed all the seven bridges over the Litani river linking Lebanon to its South, and has already occupied southern Lebanese territory up to several kilometers, having blasted entire historic hamlets out of existence, and vowing to prevent Lebanese Shiite internally displaced families from ever returning home. Israeli politicians and activists are talking about squatting on Lebanese land the way they do on Palestinian land. So if Araghchis pronouncement depends on the situation in Lebanon, that is a frail reed. Then there are questions about what it means for the Strait of Hormuz to be completely open. Irans Fars News reports that it was told by an insider in the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps that, according to the ceasefire plan brokered by Pakistan, Iran was supposed to issue daily permits for a number of ships to transit the Strait of Hormuz. Because the Israelis continued to bomb Lebanon, however, Iran declined to follow through. Fars says that the source told them that Iran had three conditions for reopening the Strait: First, passage would be by peaceful commercial vessels only. No military ships would be allowed, and no commercial ships or cargo of belligerents would be allowed. It seems to me that that provision would exclude petroleum or LNG with Israel or the United States as their destination. It would also cement the closing of the US naval base at Manama, Bahrain and its end as HQ of the Fifth Fleet. If this provision is what the Iranians are demanding, it would be the biggest change in Gulf security architecture since Britain formally withdrew from the Gulf in 1971, and since the Iran-Iraq War of the 1980s gradually brought the US in to succeed London. Second, the ships must follow the designated Iranian route, something that Araghchi seems to refer to in his posting. Third, all passage must be permitted by and coordinated with the Iranian forces. The source said that the framework for the implementation of these three conditions was an end to the Israeli bombing of Lebanon and an expeditious end to the US blockade of Iranian vessels exiting the Strait of Hormuz. Should the US blockade continue, the source averred, it would be considered a violation of the ceasefire and would lead Iran to close the Strait once more. The US is saying that it wont lift the blockade on Iran until Tehran accedes to Washingtons demands. File photo. (Feb. 5, 2021) Amphibious transport dock ship USS Somerset (LPD 25) transits the Strait of Hormuz. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Brendan Mullin). Public Domain. Via Picryl It should be remembered that even though Trump is still able to talk up the markets, no significant oil or gas flows are yet coming out of the Gulf, and so the real-world shortages of fuel that Asia and Africa are feeling keenly continue. Diplomacy by social media is to say the least insubstantial, and it isnt clear yet what the shape of a settlement will be, since both Iran and Washington still have demands unacceptable to the other. Is Araghchi really on the same page with the hard liners that Trump promoted to the top of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps? Can Trump really restrain his pit bull, Benjamin Netanyahu? Still, a ceasefire in the sense of no one shooting, and continued diplomacy via Pakistan and other regional players is far preferable to continued warfare. Marisela Silva Chau, head of the International Committee of the Red Cross delegation in Haiti, warns that the number of displaced people has reached 1.4 million and that only 30% of health centers are operational Haiti is no longer just a failed state; it has become a territory where survival is a daily act of resistance against unrelenting violence. The figures emerging from the island reveal the depth of the collapse: more than six million people more than half the national population require urgent humanitarian assistance to avoid succumbing to hunger, disease and violence. Marisela Silva Chau, head of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) delegation in Haiti, paints a stark picture. We are witnessing a population at breaking point, facing a critical humanitarian situation, without access to essential services, she warns. Haitis collapse has been dizzying. In January 2024, there were around 300,000 internally displaced people. By April 2026, the figure had reached 1.4 million. We are seeing a population without access to essential services, such as basic healthcare and access to safe water, says Silva Chau. There is also a food crisis comparable to those occurring in regions affected by protracted armed violence. And there are a number of safety concerns, including restricted movement, exposure to the risk of being injured or killed in crossfire, and situations of sexual violence. Marisela Silva Chau during a tour in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, in February 2025. masilvachauICRC The current crisis is not a random event, but rather the result of a spiral of armed violence that intensified in 2020. According to ICRC analysis, Haiti recently experienced two major periods of conflict. The first, between June 2020 and January 2024, was marked by high-intensity clashes between rival groups in strategic enclaves of the capital, such as Cite Soleil, Bel Air, and Martissant. However, the decisive turning point occurred on February 29, 2024. On that date, former rivals united under the Viv Ansanm coalition to launch coordinated attacks against state institutions: the police, the armed forces, and international peacekeeping missions. This criminal alliance has managed to seize control of 85% of Port-au-Prince, the capital. The violence, however, is no longer confined to the capital. The wave of terror has spread north to the Artibonit department and inland to Mirebalais. Just a few weeks ago, a massacre in rural areas left 70 people dead, confirming that the network of armed groups defying the government has turned the countrys interior into a battlefield. The healthcare system has suffered a near-total collapse: only 30% of health facilities across the country remain operational. The remaining 70% ceased operations between 2020 and 2026 due to the complete lack of safety guarantees for staff and patients. Humanitarian organizations have seen their work turn into the kind of medical care normally associated with war. The ICRC has had to implement a four-tiered strategy to try to contain the crisis, explains Silva Chau. First, by training community health workers in pre-hospital first aid, an intervention that is often the only difference between life and death for gunshot victims who cannot reach a hospital. At a second level, supporting ambulance services both the National Ambulance Center (CAN) and the Haitian Red Cross is vital to move patients through areas of active conflict. At present, only 10 health facilities in the capital receive direct support in the form of specialized medicalsupply kits for treating firearm injuries. Among them, the standout is La Paix University Hospital, the only major public center still holding out against the crisis. Even for medical staff, simply traveling from home to the clinic has become an act of heroism, Silva Chau notes. They cross invisible borders controlled by gangs or authorities, often encountering violence that reaches the very doors of the hospitals. The psychological toll is so severe that the ICRC has had to deploy emergency psychosocialsupport programs for health workers themselves, who see their tools rendered insufficient by the magnitude of the tragedy. We maintain dialogue with all armed actors in an effort to change behaviors, Silva Chau explains. This takes time, of course, but it is the ICRCs first major objective: to insist that the population must be preserved, must be protected, and kept away from the impact of armed violence. Vehicles in Port-au-Prince, in April 2026. Odelyn Joseph (AP) This dialogue does not imply political endorsement but rather operational necessity. The police, the armed forces, and the armed groups are all transparently informed of the daily movements of humanitarian teams, the ICRCs head of delegation explains. If the context does not allow it, or local actors consider it is not the right moment, the activity is rescheduled. Thirst and hunger If health care is precarious, access to safe water is a nonexistent luxury for millions. Since 2020, many areas of PortauPrince have lost access to basic services because clashes prevent people from reaching supply points. Going out to fetch water means risking being caught in the crossfire. To mitigate this crisis, humanitarian organizations, in coordination with the National Directorate for Potable Water and Sanitation (DINEPA), have turned to water trucking: using tanker trucks to deliver drinking water to besieged areas and building water kiosks at strategic points. However, every trip by a tanker truck requires prior negotiation to ensure the water reaches its destination without the workers being attacked. International fatigue The international community views Haiti with a mixture of helplessness and weariness. There is frequent talk of donor fatigue, a notion that Silva Chau insists should be eradicated from the diplomatic lexicon. There is no excuse for saying that nothing can be done. There is an obligation to provide the necessary resources, she states firmly. Haiti is preparing for the deployment of the Gang Suppression Force beginning in May 2026. Expectations are high, but so is a wellfounded fear: that the isolated use of force in densely populated areas could result in even more severe humanitarian consequences and trigger a new wave of internally displaced people who no longer have anywhere to go. Police officers in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, on April 10. Odelyn Joseph (AP) Despite the collapse of institutions, the rampant sexual violence, the forced recruitment of children, and living under a permanent state of siege, the Haitian population has not lost hope, says Silva Chau. We must honor that hope because, on the ground, they still feel that the situation can improve at some point, she says. It is this resilience that challenges the world. We must continue to stand with the people, she adds. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition The eagerly awaited season two of the award-winning Korean television drama "Signal" could be delayed, with the emergence of reports indicating that its much-touted summer launch might not happen as expected. On April 17, tvN removed "The Second Signal," which was set to air during the summer, from its schedule. According to Soompi, ''The Second Signal,'' the long-awaited second season of the hit 2016 drama 'Signal,' had been pulled from its summer broadcast slot and would no longer be premiering in June as originally scheduled. It also reported that tvN had decided to air Apple TV+'s 'Pachinko' instead of 'The Second Signal.' tvN later addressed the reports, signaling that no final decision had been made regarding the drama's broadcast. In its official response shared via publication, the network clarified its position. "Nothing has yet been decided regarding the broadcasting of 'The Second Signal.'" The network further elaborated on its programming plans. "While it's true that 'Pachinko' has been confirmed to air on tvN, the exact dates and time slot have not yet been decided." READ MORE: 'Signal 2' Faces Uncertain Future After Jo Jin Woong Scandal Shocks Fans Additional context surrounding the delay has drawn attention to recent controversies involving a lead actor. According to Daum, discussions about the drama's release intensified following issues tied to cast member Cho Jin Woong. There was a mention that previous incidents regarding the actor had resulted in a negative reaction from the public. The situation escalated after the actor addressed the controversy. The publication also noted that Cho Jin Woong acknowledged responsibility for the incidents and announced his retirement, creating uncertainty for a project that had already completed filming in August. Despite the concerns, the future of "The Second Signal" remains open-ended rather than definitively canceled. The report indicates industry sources suggest the network is reassessing its plans. According to OSEN's unconfirmed report, 'The Second Signal' has not been definitively canceled. Instead, tvN is currently in the process of taking more time to consider its broadcast plans for the drama. As the series was originally intended to air this year to commemorate tvN's 20th anniversary, the network is said to be discussing the possibility of a premiere sometime before the end of 2026. Separately, Korea JoongAng Daily reported that Actor Cho Jin-woong has reportedly withdrawn completely from public life after announcing his retirement, cutting off contact with even close acquaintances. His departure follows a controversy over alleged past crimes from his youth, which he partially acknowledged while denying some accusations. As backlash intensified, he apologized, accepted responsibility, and stepped away from acting to reflect on his past. READ MORE: 'Signal' Starts With A 'Real-Life' Love Triangle Friday, April 17, 2026 - A bold plus-size Kenyan woman has gone viral after candidly sharing how her ex-boyfriend used to mock her body size. In the clip, she recalls the hurtful nicknames he gave her, admitting that at the time she brushed them off. Nimekaa hivi nikakumbuka kuna ex-boyfriend alikuwa ananiita baby elephant na nilikua na cheka cheka tu. She said. Aliniambia sikununulii chain because hauna shingo, she added while cheekily checking her neck. Rather than dwell on the negativity, she turned the moment into a declaration of self-love and ambition. Manifesting her future, she confidently stated that she is on the verge of success and soon she will secure brand endorsement. Very soon brands watanilocate, nikokaribu kutoka block, she declared, adding that she will buy herself an expensive chain once endorsement deals start rolling in. Her unapologetic confidence has sparked mixed reactions online. Many netizens praised her boldness and resilience, applauding her for flipping past insults into motivation. Others took aim at the ex-boyfriend, labeling him toxic and insensitive for ridiculing her appearance. Watch the video>>> below Tumeanza kuzoeana sasa. Why would one send me this?"jikubali kama fattie mwenzako" pic.twitter.com/4OaSvodQiJ 5 People (@_MtuTano) April 16, 2026 The Kenyan DAILY POST We made the mistake of minimizing and caricaturing the rise of authoritarianism. This far-right populism took advantage of the distrust in democracies generated by the Great Recession to infiltrate the very core of society. If we want a democratic recovery to succeed, we cannot continue to uncritically defend a system that not only led to the 2008 crisis but also failed to pursue a just way out of it Since the 2008 crisis, the worlds democracies have been damaged at their core: citizens trust in the systems ability to provide well-being and justice. The movements promising new politics seemed capable of repairing this fracture a decade ago, but they failed. In parallel, a movement has emerged that rides on this wave of distrust and appears poised to define a new era. The year 2026 marks the 10th anniversary of two of the foundational milestones of the reactionary wave that has gripped the world. Or, in other words, it marks a decade of the historical period in which we find ourselves, one of a strident, distressing, cruel, and, to a certain extent, primitive reality. These foundational milestones, now 10 years old, are Donald Trumps first election as president of the United States, and the Brexit referendum and corresponding Cambridge Analytica case, the first known scandal (as it was still considered at the time) of massive election manipulation using social media. Ten years later, those episodes which at the time might have seemed like accidents, momentary lapses, or easily resolved outbursts (in fact, thats what it seemed like in the United States in 2020 when Joe Biden won the election) reveal themselves as the gateway to a new era. Its an era thats still confusing, but its contours are becoming clearer as the years go by. Its a world where compassion has disappeared, replaced by cruelty as an expression of the absolute self a self unleashed in pursuit of its interests, without the constraints and limits imposed by the established order, with its rules and laws. Everything that had been painstakingly built, with great effort, to ensure a respectable and worthy human coexistence has been vanishing into thin air in this headlong assault by a power that feels (and knows itself) to be untouchable. The speeches predicting that the system of checks and balances, enshrined in both the Constitution and customs, would act as a bulwark against Trumps intentions to create an imperial presidency could still be heard when Trump assumed the U.S. presidency for the second time. Today, the United States is already being discussed as a pseudo-petromonarchy in which the boundary between the interests of the state and those of the presidents family is blurred, with most powers surrendered to the desires of an emperor with psychotic traits and an insatiable appetite. An emperor and his court of billionaires are engaged in a crusade of visionaries who, like those of a thousand years ago, seek to become extraordinarily rich while creating a new world and exterminating infidels. In the United States, the elites takeover of the levers of power has been unstoppable. From Elon Musks purchase of Twitter (today called X) in 2022 and Jeff Bezoss acquisition of The Washington Post in 2024, to Paramounts announced purchase of Warner Bros. at the expense of Netflix, which will create a behemoth at the service of Trumps policies and those of his successor. Step by step and piece by piece, virtually all the spaces that could have facilitated a balance of power between the executive and the other branches have fallen to the emperors side, leaving less and less room for alternatives, dissenting voices, or different explanations of what is happening. It is telling of our time that, were Watergate to happen today, it would have nowhere to be revealed or at the very least, it could not be exposed in a major newspaper (perhaps only in The New York Times, now the sole major outlet that has not fallen under the orbit of some imperial courtier), leaving its impact to a handful of resistant websites or to journalists with more determination than resources. The occupation of power structures by those loyal to Trump has been relentless and, with it, the suffocation of dissenting voices of democracy itself. And this has been possible right under our noses, through a process of undermining the systems foundations in which citizens and the blindness of democrats (in the broad sense) have been its unwitting collaborators. A recent report from the V-Dem Institute at the University of Gothenburg places the United States at its lowest level of democracy in 60 years. And its not just the United States. The same report speaks of a third wave of autocratization, affecting a substantial part of the world. The process of accumulating power and silencing dissent is a sadly widespread trend. The unfinished crisis of 2008 It is impossible to understand the triumph of the reactionary wave without pointing to the weakening of institutions and of the entire political system that began with the 2008 crisis and has not been properly addressed or reversed. Our democratic system is a fragile construction grounded in something intangible: citizens trust, which in turn rests on a relationship of reciprocity between the public and democratic powers. People grant trust insofar as it is returned to them in the form of wellbeing. Democracy is not a system carved in stone like religions; it is not a temple, but rather a breeze a continuous flow and that flow came to a halt at some point between 2008 and 2012, stopping the mechanism. Quite simply, the system stopped responding and, as a consequence, citizens stopped trusting it. Overcoming the macro-level aspects of the global financial crisis (the bank bailout) masked the persistence of this underlying paralysis in the functional mechanism of democracy. Few noticed it, few warned about it, despite the many signs. In Spain, 2026 also marks the 10th anniversary of the entry of new political parties into Congress. The 11th legislature opened in January 2016 following the December 2015 elections. The image of that day was defined by the presence of the infant son of Carolina Bescansa, a leader of Podemos and one of the 69 new representatives of the leftist party making their debut in the lower house. Together with the center-right Ciudadanos, which was also entering parliament as a statelevel force, the new parties held 109 seats, backed by one-third of voters 8.6 million people. The Spanish Socialist Party (PSOE) had lost 20 seats; the conservative Popular Party (PP), 63. Between them, they barely managed to hold on to 50% of the vote. That was also 10 years ago. Voting for the new parties was a step forward for a generation those born in democracy after the Franco dictatorship who were claiming their role as active citizens, as a central group in defining the future of a country whose consensual design from the transition, the great achievement of the postwar generation, had remained unchanged until then. The echoes of the 2008 crisis, the anti-austerity movement known as 15-M (also referred to as the movement of the indignados or the outraged), of the under-40 population reached the Spanish Congress. It was a jolt similar to that of the first democratic election in 1977 after the death of Franco. New faces, new styles. Ten years later, it is easy to see in that moment an attempt to reactivate the systems underlying mechanism the steady flow of wellbeing and trust, the democratic pump that keeps the system alive. The emergence of new political parties in Spain was part of a similar wave of new parties challenging the old establishment, as in Greece and other European countries. A billboard depicting U.S. President Donald Trump in Sana'a, Yemen. Mohammed Hamoud ( GETTY IMAGES ) Postponing democratic renewal In Spain, the experiment failed to take hold. Despite the successes of 2015 at the municipal, regional, and general elections, the repeat elections the following June and Pedro Sanchezs ouster in October created a stalemate that ultimately swallowed up any possibility of achieving political renewal, diluting the initial euphoria and momentum. The political climate soured, times became tougher, positions more inflexible, and agreements impossible. The hypothetical consensus to breathe new life into the system crumbled, bringing the process to a standstill once again. Spain has spent a decade postponing a reform of the system sine die, which is to say that the hope of 10 years ago has gradually withered, leaving behind a residue of discontent and resignation toward a politics that no longer seems capable of offering a horizon of hope. The drift of these 10 years is evident in the data collected by Spains statistical bureau CIS in its February barometer. For 43% of respondents, their assessment of the Spanish Constitution has worsened over the last decade, and 58% say they have little or no confidence that the Constitution can resolve the current problems of Spanish society. Among those aged 25 to 34, nearly 70% share this view. It is consistent with all this that more than 80% of those interviewed by the CIS advocate for a constitutional reform 15 points more than in 2018 and that twothirds of them prefer a major reform. This, however, coexists with the sense that such a reform is, for now, impossible to carry out. The context has changed greatly since 2016, and not for the better. If the vote in 2015 expressed confidence that the system could be changed, todays vote expresses fear that it might change in the direction set by reactionary forces. Hope has given way to fear; trust, to fury. The advance of the forces of the new authoritarianism over this decade has imposed a shift in the terms of the democratic pact. The exchange between wellbeing and trust is being replaced by a barter between security and vassalage. The legal framework is now subordinated to the will of the monarch, the powerful figure who feels literally above any law. The advance of this new order is possible because it enjoys the approval of large majorities of citizens. Reactionary forces have been gaining ground legitimately through democratic mechanisms, lifted by a segment of the public that saw in them the solution to a system that offered no answers, that seemed incapable. The 2008 collapse which went unrecognized has resurfaced in the form of fear, uncertainty, and a sense of abandonment, and in those conditions, intensified by the digital universe, the new authoritarianism of providential men has thrived, offering security to their own in the face of a world of threats, whether real, imagined, or manufactured by the algorithm. Democratic reaction A decade after that inaugural 2016, the contours of the monster are now clearly visible, as is the fragility of our weary democracies, subjected to an unrelenting authoritarian onslaught. Over these 10 years, democrats have moved through all the stages of grief. First came the denial of the reactionary wave, caricaturing it, reducing it to a fleeting episode starring a clumsy clown overwhelmed by the exercise of power, from which he would be unseated without leaving a trace. We were blind to the rot eating away at our democracies, with their paralyzed mechanisms and the growing public indignation toward a politics that felt spent and hollow. Then came the dread at the unexpected magnitude of the pendulum swing, the disbelief at the collapse of our world, and the tide of rising authoritarianism. The present moment can and perhaps must be a vanishing point, a break, the beginning of something like an awakening. It may be time to move beyond mere resistance, time to abandon the trenchwarfare morality and to set in motion a democratic reaction. A democratic reaction cannot be based on the uncritical defense of our political system as it was left by the brutal impact of the 2008 crisis and the decisions made to overcome it. The arena where the future of our democracies is being decided (and is being decided right now) is not the debate with reactionary forces, but rather the ability of democratic forces to convince the majority that it is possible to offer them a better present and future. The mistake thus far has been to minimize, if not outright dismiss, the fear and unease felt by part of the population, while simultaneously denying the possibility of an alternative better than the democracy we currently have. Through this crack, authoritarianism has seeped into the very core of society. Faced with this, the democratic response cannot be the uncritical acceptance of the world proposed by reactionaries (a la Ursula Von der Leyen). Democratic forces must dare to propose a new agreement with the people, one that inevitably involves restoring their faith in democracy, restoring their confidence that the system can guarantee well-being and justice for the vast majority. Only this can stop the reactionary wave unleashed 10 years ago. We democrats must react. To leave the trenches and, to paraphrase Trump himself: fight, fight, fight. Oriol Bartomeus (Barcelona, 1971) is the director of the Institute of Political and Social Sciences at the Autonomous University of Barcelona and the author of The Weight of Time: A Story of Generational Change in Spain. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition Friday, April 17, 2026 - It is now emerging that Vihiga Senator, Godfrey Osotsi, was in the company of a woman said to be his side chick on the day he was attacked by goons at a restaurant in Kisumu. According to Kileleshwa Ward MCA, Robert Alai, the woman, identified as Zadia Loyolei and said to be from Eldoret, had joined the Senator in Kisumu, where they booked a hotel and spent time together. Alai further claimed that after the incident in which Osotsi was injured, the woman returned to the hotel room and picked up her belongings. He spent two nights with the lady, and I have all the M-Pesa messages of the lady paying for a taxi while with Osotsi. I have seen the CCTV footage from where he had a good time with the lady, and he should not threaten me, Alai alleged. Alai has also called on investigators to probe the woman as authorities continue piecing together details surrounding the attack. Osotsi should deal with the facts of his case. It has nothing to do with Raymond Omollo or Robert Alai. It has everything to do with his private rendezvous, Alai added. The Kenyan DAILY POST Friday, April 17, 2026 - Fresh allegations have emerged against KDF Captain Edwin Kaunga Muthoni, the officer accused of fatally stabbing his wife, Anita Mugweru, in Nakuru, as multiple individuals now claim he defrauded them in vehicle deals. As news of his arrest spread, several victims took to social media, describing Kaunga as a serial con who used his side hustle as a car broker to lure unsuspecting buyers. One victim claimed to have lost Ksh 600,000 after expressing interest in a vehicle Kaunga had advertised. According to the account, Kaunga requested a 10% deposit, which was sent. However, after a mechanic inspected the vehicle and flagged mechanical issues, the buyer attempted to pull out of the deal. The suspect refused to refund the deposit and instead engaged the buyer in cat and mouse games. Another victim reported losing Ksh 461,000 under similar circumstances, accusing Kaunga of failing to deliver the promised vehicle after receiving payment. Kaunga is currently in police custody over the killing of his wife, a 29-year-old Accountant, who was stabbed to death during a domestic dispute in front of their young child. Below are social media posts from victims who were defrauded by the KDF officer. The Kenyan DAILY POST Friday, April 17, 2026 - A family in Nakuru County is grieving the brutal loss of Anita Nyambura Mugweru, a 29-year-old Accountant, who was killed by her estranged husband in a shocking domestic incident. According to police reports, the suspect, Captain Edwin Kaunga Muthoni, a Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) officer based at Gilgil Military Camp, is accused of fatally stabbing Anita during a heated argument at their home in the St Marys area on Tuesday, April 14th. The incident was reported by the couples house help, Neume Winnie, a 23-year-old Ugandan national, who told authorities that the couple had been quarrelling over allegations of infidelity. The argument escalated when the officer grabbed a kitchen knife and attacked Anita in the presence of their four-year-old daughter and the house help. Efforts to save her life were unsuccessful. Anita was rushed to Nairobi Womens Hospital by neighbours and Good Samaritans but was pronounced dead on arrival. Police officers from Nakuru Police Station, alongside detectives from DCI Nakuru East and crime scene investigators, visited the scene and arrested the suspect. Family members have since revealed that Anita had previously reported threats from her husband to the police, but no decisive action was taken. They claim he had even been arrested during the Easter holidays for issuing threats, only to be released under unclear circumstances. The grieving family now fears that justice may not be served due to the suspects connections within security circles. Further details indicate that Anita had been planning to formally end the relationship. A family meeting had been scheduled for Saturday, April 18th, to discuss the separation, plans that were tragically cut short. Relatives also disclosed that Anita was the primary provider, covering household expenses, including rent, and financially supporting her husband during a difficult period. This is not the first time she had gone through such pain, her mother said. We had planned to meet and help her end the relationship. Below are photos of the deceased lady. Her killer husband. The Kenyan DAILY POST Friday, April 17, 2026 - A Kenyan teacher has stirred conversation online after posting a throwback photo with a female student - who later became his wife. Taking to Facebook, the teacher shared before-and-after pictures with his partner, proudly highlighting their journey. But the post quickly ignited controversy, with many netizens questioning the ethics of marrying a former student. Critics raised concerns about grooming and even called on the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) to investigate the matter. However, some social media users defended the couple, arguing that the photo alone is not proof of an inappropriate relationship. They suggested that the two may have only started dating long after she had completed her studies. Maybe at that time, there was no relationship. It was just a normal teacher and student relationship. I know many have good relationships with teachers back in school, one user commented. Another added: A photo is not proof of marriage or intimacy. They took the first photo as teacher and student. We also took photos with female teachers. Are we married to them? While some see it as a love story that blossomed naturally, others insist it raises ethical questions. The Kenyan DAILY POST Friday, April 17, 2026 - Equity Bank has been ranked as Kenyas most valuable brand for the third consecutive year, according to the latest report by global brand valuation consultancy, Brand Finance, released on Thursday, April 16th, 2026. The banks brand value rose by 4 percent in the 20252026 period to Ksh73.9 billion, cementing its dominance in the financial sector. Brand Finance attributed Equitys strong performance to solid financial results, disciplined cost management, and its positioning as Africas leading digital-first financial institution. The Equity Mobile app now processes over 90 percent of customer transactions, underscoring the banks digital transformation. Kenya Commercial Bank (KCB) climbed to second place, with its brand value surging 9 percent to Ksh59.7 billion, overtaking Safaricom. The telecom giant dropped to third after its brand value fell 4 percent to Ksh55.7 billion, a decline linked to regulatory scrutiny over mobile money dominance, delays in rolling out commercial 5G services, and higher-than-expected losses in Ethiopia. M-Pesa retained fourth place, growing 10 percent to Ksh33.8 billion, while Co-operative Bank held fifth with a 4 percent rise to Ksh26.9 billion. NCBA remained sixth despite a 4 percent decline to Ksh19.7 billion, followed by Kenya Power at seventh with Ksh16.7 billion. Tusker ranked eighth at Ksh11.1 billion, I&M Bank ninth at Ksh8.9 billion, and Diamond Trust Bank tenth at Ksh6.2 billion. The ranking comes just weeks after Equity Group Holdings PLC announced a record profit after tax of Ksh75.5 billion for 2025, a 55 percent increase from the previous year. CEO James Mwangi credited the growth to diversified revenue streams, improved efficiency, and regional expansion, reinforcing Equitys transformation into a regional financial powerhouse. The Kenyan DAILY POST 1 of 1 Zero Tolerance Policy in Action: NCW Chairperson Reviews Paratwada Case, Calls for Stringent Charges khaskhabar.com : Sat, 18 Apr 2026 11:00 AM New Delhi: The Chairperson of the National Commission for Women, Vijaya Rahatkar, presided over a high-level review meeting on 17 April 2026 to assess the progress of the Paratwada case in Amravati, Maharashtra, involving the alleged creation and circulation of obscene videos and images of young girls. The meeting was attended by senior district officials including the Commissioner of Police (Amravati City) Shri Rakesh Ola, the District Magistrate (Amravati)Ashish Yerekar, Superintendent of Police (Amravati Rural) Vishal Anand, and Additional Superintendent of Police, Achalpur, Dr. Shubham Kumar As per the investigation, the case pertains to the exploitation of multiple victims, where objectionable content was allegedly recorded and circulated through digital platforms. The matter has raised serious concerns regarding the misuse of technology for exploitation, the scale of content circulation, and the safety and dignity of the victims. During the briefing, SP RuralVishal Anand informed that eight accused persons, including the primary accused, have been arrested so far. The case has been registered under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, and the Information Technology Act. A Special Investigation Team (SIT), led by Dr. Shubham Kumar (IPS), has been constituted to ensure a swift and transparent investigation. Digital devices including mobile phones, a laptop, and a tablet have been seized and sent to the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) for detailed analysis and recovery of evidence. Expressing deep concern over the seriousness of the allegations, the NCW Chairperson raised critical questions regarding the adequacy of legal provisions invoked and sought clarification on why more stringent sections have not been applied at this stage. She also noted discrepancies between media reports and the current status of recovered digital content and directed authorities to intensify efforts to trace and retrieve all such material. The Chairperson further emphasized the need to examine whether there was any financial angle involved in the circulation of such content, including possible commercial exploitation through digital means. She also sought details regarding any potential links between the accused and the premises where the alleged incidents took place. Highlighting the sensitive nature of the case,Vijaya Rahatkar expressed concern that victims have not come forward due to fear of social stigma and defamation. She directed the administration to ensure robust witness protection mechanisms and in-camera proceedings to safeguard the identity and dignity of survivors. She also stressed the importance of community outreach to build trust and encourage victims to report such crimes without fear. In addition, the Chairperson directed authorities to coordinate with Maharashtra Cyber for the permanent removal of all objectionable content from online platforms to prevent further harm. The National Commission for Women has instructed the concerned authorities to expedite the forensic analysis and submit progress reports to the Commission every five days. Reaffirming its commitment to ensuring justice and protecting the dignity of women and girls, the NCW stated that strict and time-bound action will be closely monitored in this case. FOR decades, weve known that exercise is good for the body. But what if your workout could also turn back the clock on your brain? A groundbreaking 2026 randomized controlled trial published in the journal GeroScience has revealed exactly that: regular resistance training can make the brain appear 1.4 to 2.3 years younger. Conducted by an international team of researchers from the University of Copenhagen and other institutions, the study provides some of the most compelling evidence to date that lifting weights is a powerful tool in the fight against cognitive ageing. The study, part of the Live Active Successful Aging (LISA) project, followed 309 healthy adults aged 62 to 70. To get a precise measure of brain health, the researchers first used resting state functional MRI (rs fMRI) data from over 2,400 adults to train an AI model capable of predicting a person's brain age based on patterns of neural connectivity. They then applied this brain clock to the LISA participants, who had been randomly assigned to one of three conditions for a year: a heavy intensity resistance training program, a moderate intensity resistance training program, or a non exercise control condition in which participants simply maintained their usual lifestyle. After one year, the results were striking. Both the heavy and moderate resistance training groups showed a significant reduction in their biological brain age, making them appear 1.4 to 2.3 years younger than their chronological age. The control group experienced no such rejuvenating effect. Interestingly, the benefits werent confined to a single region such as the memory related hippocampus. Instead, the brain clock analysis showed that resistance training produced a global, whole brain functional reorganization. The findings suggest that the training didnt merely strengthen isolated areasit improved connectivity across multiple neural networks, making the brains communication systems more efficient and coordinated. Notably, the heavy resistance group showed increased connectivity in the prefrontal cortex, the hub for executive functions such as planning, focus, and decision making. In other words, strength training doesnt just preserve brain tissue; it enhances how different regions of the brain communicate. Why the Brain Gets 'Younger' While the study directly measured changes in brain age, the researchers looked to established science on the muscle brain axis to help explain the mechanisms behind these results. Skeletal muscles are more than structures for movementthey also act as endocrine organs. During resistance training, they release molecules called myokines. These myokines circulate in the bloodstream and can cross the blood brain barrier. Once there, they help create an anti inflammatory environment, stimulate the production of brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), and support the growth and survival of neurons. In effect, stronger muscles may help build a stronger, more resilient brain. One of the most encouraging findings for everyday exercisers is the nuance in the training dosage. Heavy lifting boosted prefrontal cortex connectivity, but the moderate intensity group showed a stronger link between improved leg strength and reductions in brain age. This suggests you dont need to train like a powerlifter to reap cognitive benefits. The key message is that the doseresponse relationship may not be linear. Consistent, moderate resistance training such as squats, lunges, and presses with weights that feel challenging but manageable can be just as effective for overall brain rejuvenation as very heavy lifting. Practical Prescription This study moves the conversation beyond exercise is good for memory to a quantifiable fact: exercise can reverse aspects of brain aging by measurable years. It also underscores the importance of incorporating resistance training into any brain health strategy. The good news is that the participants were all in their mid 60s to early 70s, showing it is never too late to start. The benefits seen after just one year of training highlight the remarkable neuroplasticity of the aging brain and its ability to reorganize in response to physical challenge. So, the next time you consider skipping leg day, remember youre not just building muscleyoure building a younger brain. Whether youre lifting heavy barbells or using resistance bands at home, making your muscles work against force remains a powerful prescription for a sharper, healthier future. A KILDARE man charged with alleged marital rape on two separate occasions at the family home was sent forward recently for trial to the next sittings of the Central Criminal Court (CCC). The man who cant be named at this stage to protect the identity of the injured party, recently appeared in Naas District Court alongside his barrister Mark Gibbons for the formal presentation of his book of evidence. This is for trial, and he will be sent forward on an assigned (not guilty) plea, said Sergeant Mary Meade. Not fully familiar with the case, when Judge Desmond Zaidan noted the two counts of rapes on the charge sheets before him, he asked Sgt Meade: What is the connection between this man and (named woman)? "Husband and wife, said the sergeant, so the judge asked for an outline of the allegations. Some time between the 8-9 February 2020 (named woman) returned home after a night out with friends, said the sergeant. She was intoxicated, so they slept in separate beds. On this occasion, it is alleged he took her to his bed and had unconsensual sex with her. Then, on a second date between 1 and 31 October, 2020 the couple told their children they were separating. They (the couple) had a meal together, and they were drinking. It is alleged he had forcible vaginal sex with her, and bit her." Mr Gibbons outlined his clients family background, that he had no previous convictions, and that he had a very good job working for a multi-national company. I will allow reporting on the facts, but its tragic, with children involved, I wont allow the name of his firm be published, Judge Zaidan ruled. I must give him the alibi warning (ie. if he intends to rely on one, the details must be given to the authorities within two weeks). Ill remand him on continuing bail under the same terms and conditions. any Garda objection? to which Sgt Meade shook her head. The Kildare Local Community Safety Partnership (LCSP) held its second meeting on 2 April. The members of the LCSP received a presentation from representatives of the Waterford LCSP pilot project on their experience of establishing one of the first LCSPs in the country. The Waterford LCSP pilot was set up in 2021 before concluding in 2024. It transitioned from pilot to statutory, with the inaugural meeting of the Waterford LCSP being held in November 2025. Speaking to the Kildare Nationalist after the meeting, Kildare LCSPs chairperson cllr Angela Feeney explained that the Waterford representatives were selected to come and present rather than representatives from the other LCSP pilots (Dublins North Inner City and Longford) due to the demographic similarities in the two counties, with Kildare and Waterford both having a bit of an urban-rural divide. She further detailed that the co-ordinator of the Waterford LCSP Eddie Mulligan described how some projects in Waterfords safety plan have already been completed whilst some are more long-term. Mr Mulligan advised the Kildare group to take on projects that you can do immediately. Cllr Feeney noted how it came across that the Waterford LCSP was successful in engaging with young people and aimed to ensure that the whole county benefited from the safety plan and from projects set up by the LCSP. Cllr Feeney also noted that the Waterford group have tackled challenging topics and areas such as consent and domestic violence. The next meeting of the Kildare LCSP is set to take place on 7 May, where there will be a workshop focused on the initial phase of the partnerships strategic plan. Cllr Feeney said that a facilitator will be present at the meeting to talk the group through how to devise a safety plan and how to organise the plan in a thematic way. Cllr Feeney said that one area that the Kildare LCSP intends to focus on is mental health, with feedback from community workers suggesting the importance of this. Our community workers in the chamber regularly come back to us to let us know the work that they're doing. And at our most recent presentation from our community workers, they flagged that the biggest area of concern for them in the areas are mental health. Cllr Feeney said that an important step in addressing mental health will be to create spaces for people to become engaged in their communities. Cllr Feeney also noted the importance of addressing the growing drug problem through awareness, prevention, and support. If you have been affected by this article, please contact The Samaritans on freephone 116 123 or email jo@samaritans.ie Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme THERE are 14 characters in the Enda Walsh play, The Walworth Farce, but only four actors on stage to play them. Thats just part of what makes the presentation by Kilcullen Drama Group this week arguably the most challenging one in its around 90-year history. Director Eilish Phillips, who was presented with a Kilcullen Community Award last year for her work with the group and with drama generally in the town, admits that she was raising the bar significantly for an already highly skilled set of amateur actors by attempting The Walworth Farce, written in 2006 and first performed by the Druid Theatre Company. The level of complexity in the multi-layered dark psychological play would put off most groups on the amateur circuit from attempting it. Its a play within a play, about a highly dysfunctional family of father and two sons, living near Londons Elephant and Castle. Each day, the trio put on a play in their flat the Farce of the title that purports to keep alive their story of how they came to leave their native Cork. In their own Groundhog Day, they are condemned to exist in their current life, with just one son, Sean, allowed to leave each morning to buy exactly the same set of rations in a nearby Tesco. The tyrannical father, Dinny, played by veteran local actor Maurice OMahony with terrifying intensity, has the sons terrified about the dangers of London, supposedly lurking in the cracks of the footpaths and waiting to rise and consume them. Dinnys own fears are that the story he has concocted through the daily play might be found to be far from the reality of why and how they left their native city. When it all begins to unravel one day, after Sean brings home the wrong bag of groceries, we all slowly begin to see the truth. In the dress rehearsal previews, the actors in The Walworth Farce showed that they have risen superbly to the challenge of the production. Blake, the older of Dinnys two sons, is played by Allan Clarke and has the most roles within the core play, including all the female parts. Sean is played by Adam Treacy, and his daily excursions for groceries may be slowly making him aware that all is not evil in the world outside. Hayley, played by Sinead McKenna with a perfect sense of how to project dramatic emotion, is the naive Tesco cashier who thinks shes doing a good deed by returning Seans shopping bag, but soon finds herself trapped in the familys nightmare. Her arrival is the catalyst for Seans eventual exposition of the family fabrication. This is a high-tension, high-energy, very physical production that requires the actors playing the sons to switch instantaneously between their parts while staying on stage. It is particularly their skills in voice and body language changes that make the whole play riveting. The challenge is not just for the Kilcullen Drama Group players and their director, but also for the audience, who will need to concentrate as each element unfolds. For those who keep up, being at the play will provide a real, if unsettling, satisfaction. The Walworth Farce runs in Kilcullen Town Hall from 15-18 April and is a production not to be missed. Tickets are on sale now from Woodbine Books and Eventbrite. The blog that became a West End sensation is coming to the Watergate Theatre in Kilkenny for one night only on May 14. In March 2020, as the world braced itself for the unthinkable and entire nations shut down overnight, England stayed open for business. READ MORE: Brit award-nominated artist announces Kilkenny concert Shops bustled, pubs poured pints, and Londons restless pulse continued its familiar rhythm even as the early waves of something dark crept closer. It was in this surreal and uncertain landscape that Barra Fitzgibbon, an Irishman living in Lewisham, suddenly found himself face-to-face with the one adversary every human instinctively fears: the Grim Reaper. What followed was a journey that would alter the course of his life, and unexpectedly, the landscape of contemporary theatre. Barras personal blog, raw, unfiltered, sometimes bleakly comic, documented his battle with acute illness and his days in ICU, suspended between life and death during one of the most chaotic moments in modern medical history. Like many who kept personal records during that time, he had no intention of creating a work of art. He wrote to stay sane, to make sense of trauma, and to give friends and family a lifeline to his inner world when he was too weak to speak. Little did he know that five years later, those words would transform into Patient:Soldier, a mesmerising, darkly funny, and deeply human stage production that captivated West End audiences and sold out its entire run. The play, whose story is rooted in chaos, courage and the unspoken emotions of a pandemic, stars award winning actor Katherine White. Patient:Soldier is not simply a play about illness; it is a play about being alive. Barras experience unfolded during a period when the health service was under unprecedented pressure, corridors overflowing, medical teams stretched past breaking point, and families barred from visiting their loved ones. Against this backdrop, the play captures the everyday heroism of clinicians, the terror and absurdity of isolation, and the strange humour that emerges in the midst of crisis. At its core, the play is driven by an unusual and powerful narrative choice: the story is told by the Grim Reaper himself. Through him, the audience witnesses a mans will to live, even when the odds have crumbled. The play does more than dramatise Barras memories; it incorporates real audio recordings from ICU, conversations between doctors and Barras family that reveal the uncertainty of his condition, the fear in their voices, and the professionalism laced with compassion from the medical team monitoring him. It offers audiences something rarely experienced in theatre: an unfiltered window into human nature when everything hangs in the balance. Yet the plays darkest moments often unfold with humour. Conversations leap between Barras hallucinations, memories of home, imagined chats with loved ones, and, in true Irish fashion, scenes set in a pub, because even when the Grim Reaper is leaning over your shoulder, sometimes you still just want to order a pint and talk things out. Patient: Soldier will be performed in The Watergate Theatre on May 14. * In south China's Guangdong Province, a bold experiment is underway to answer one of the country's most pressing questions: What is the best way to bridge the gap between wealth and poverty? * In 2011, Guangdong established the Shenzhen-Shanwei Special Cooperation Zone. Initially co-managed by the cities of Shanwei and Shenzhen, the zone embarked on a major shift at the end of 2018, when Shenzhen took full control of its development and construction. * As the 15th Five-Year Plan prioritizes common prosperity, the zone offers a glimpse of one possible future: a wealthy megacity reaching back to lift its struggling neighbor. SHENZHEN, April 17 (Xinhua) -- In south China's Guangdong Province, a pioneer in China's reform and opening up, a bold experiment is underway to answer one of the country's most pressing questions: What is the best way to bridge the gap between wealth and poverty? The Shenzhen-Shanwei Special Cooperation Zone, which is currently under large-scale construction, might have the answer. It represents the latest experiment in China to accomplish common prosperity. Today the zone looks much like Shenzhen in the 1990s -- filled with brand-new highways and factory buildings, with high-rises erecting among the rural hills and mountains. Since 2018, the zone has maintained an average annual economic growth rate of 24 percent. INSTITUTIONAL INNOVATION The Hong Kong-adjacent Shenzhen, one of China's first special economic zones which were products of the reform and opening up drive since the late 1970s, posted a GDP of 3.87 trillion yuan (about 564 billion U.S. dollars) in 2025, or per-capita GDP exceeding 215,000 yuan. Last year, Shenzhen's Nanshan District became China's first county-level economy to cross the one-trillion-yuan GDP threshold, with per-capita GDP exceeding 540,000 yuan. Yet just 60 kilometers away in Shanwei, the economic reality could not be more different. A mountainous region prone to typhoons and long plagued by poverty, Shanwei's per-capita GDP stood at just around 57,200 yuan in 2025 -- a fraction of Shenzhen's. The imbalance reflects a broader challenge for Guangdong, China's largest provincial economy for 37 consecutive years, where rapid coastal development has often left inland areas behind. An aerial drone photo taken on April 3, 2026 shows new energy vehicles ready for delivery at Xiaomo international logistics port in the Shenzhen-Shanwei Special Cooperation Zone in south China's Guangdong Province. (Xinhua) In 2011, Guangdong established the Shenzhen-Shanwei Special Cooperation Zone across four townships (now subdistricts) in Shanwei's Haifeng County. Initially co-managed by both cities, the zone embarked on a major shift at the end of 2018, when Shenzhen took full control of its development and construction. In November 2023, the province enacted a regulation making Shenzhen fully responsible for the zone's construction and management. It was China's first provincial-level law granting an "enclave" to a developed area. The policy innovation allows Shenzhen to develop the zone under its own economic functional zone standards. The cooperation zone represents Guangdong's innovative attempt to bridge regional development gaps, creating a new economic engine driven by Shenzhen that can lift lagging regions. Shenzhen is transferring its industries, infrastructure, and governance concepts to the new zone in a bid to explore a replicable path. China's late leader Deng Xiaoping proposed at the beginning of the reform and opening up: Let some people get rich first, so they can help others get rich afterward, ultimately achieving common prosperity. Over the past 40-plus years, China has lifted 770 million rural residents out of poverty, a historic achievement that reflects the essential characteristics of socialist modernization. With common prosperity written into the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-2030) outline, this endeavor has accelerated. This form of modernization differs from that seen in some capitalist countries, where capital returns are the ultimate objective. In such contexts, the wealthy become wealthier while the poor are left behind, wealth becomes concentrated in the hands of a few, slums persist in major cities, and the streets are often marked by homelessness, drug abuse and violence. FROM NO STREETLIGHTS TO EV HUB When Wu Qubo, secretary of the Party Working Committee of Shenzhen-Shanwei Special Cooperation Zone, arrived seven years ago, the main road had no streetlights and accidents were common. His first priority was to install them. "Even this was an arduous job and took a lot of efforts," he recalled. During the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-2025), the zone entered a phase of rapid growth. Major investments in transportation and urban infrastructure followed, attracting modern enterprises -- most notably, electric vehicle giant BYD. An aerial drone photo taken on March 7, 2026 shows a view of the second phase of the BYD automotive industrial park in the Shenzhen-Shanwei Special Cooperation Zone in south China's Guangdong Province. (Xinhua) "BYD's investment in the zone has exceeded 31.5 billion yuan," a company executive told Xinhua. "We have built a complete industrial system here, from batteries and motors to vehicle assembly. And with a seaport just three kilometers from the plant, cars can be shipped directly to seven major global markets." In 2025, BYD produced 290,000 vehicles in the zone, generating over 74 billion yuan in output value. The presence of BYD has drawn nearly 30 upstream and downstream suppliers. Yanfeng, a key interior parts supplier, moved its factory from Dongguan to a site just across the road from BYD's assembly plant. This has allowed their products to be delivered in under five minutes to BYD. Before the zone's development, poverty drove many local villagers to seek work elsewhere. The four subdistricts had a permanent population of less than 60,000. Today, with returnees and newcomers, the population has rebounded to 150,000. Many villagers have found jobs at BYD and other firms. Some have started their own businesses. Weng Chuhao and his wife, who were among the first to sign a village relocation agreement, now run a restaurant serving company employees, with daily revenue of 3,000 to 4,000 yuan. Chen Zhenbo started a construction crew serving local factories and infrastructure projects. He now leads three teams. Village collective incomes have increased significantly, with dozens of villages now earning over one million yuan and some exceeding 10 million yuan. Prior to the establishment of the zone, most villages generated only modest income. Li Xianglin, a 53-year-old resident of Houmen Subdistrict, upgraded his simple seafood stall into a full restaurant last year. "As more companies move in, our business will only get better," he said. "It will also boost seafood and homestay businesses." SPILLOVER EFFECTS AND CHANGING MINDSETS Shanwei's broader economy is also accelerating. Its GDP reached 154.63 billion yuan in 2025, an increase of more than 40 billion yuan from 2020, with an average annual growth rate of 5.8 percent -- second highest in the province. For three consecutive years, Shanwei has ranked first in Guangdong in per-capita disposable income growth. "People's mindsets are changing," said Chen Guitian, Party chief of Yunxin Village. "They have a new understanding of modern lifestyles." To support the zone's development, authorities at different levels have introduced a range of pioneering reforms, including establishing a court, procuratorate, and public security bureau in the zone, along with flexible tax measures. This photo taken on March 29, 2026 shows the clock tower at a middle school in the Shenzhen-Shanwei Special Cooperation Zone in south China's Guangdong Province. (Xinhua/Liu Mengqi) Education and healthcare are also being transformed. A Shenzhen middle school has opened a campus in the zone, enrolling 9,900 students. "No one from this area has ever been admitted to Tsinghua or Peking University," said Guo Shenghong, the vice principal. "Now, that could change." Other infrastructure includes a Shenzhen Polytechnic University campus enrolling 15,000 students and a hospital with 800 beds. Guangdong's experiment is just one pathway in China's broader push for common prosperity. Other provinces are also pursuing their own models. Jiangsu is promoting cooperation between its economically advanced southern areas and less-developed areas in the north. Zhejiang has implemented a "mountain-sea collaboration," which also pairs developed and underdeveloped areas. As the 15th Five-Year Plan prioritizes common prosperity, the Shenzhen-Shanwei Special Cooperation Zone offers a glimpse of one possible future: a wealthy megacity reaching back to lift its struggling neighbor. "The ultimate goal," Wu said, "is to meet the people's aspirations for a better life." (Video reporters: Liang Xizhi; video editors: Zhang Nan, Luo Hui and Wang Han) As President Trump attracts global attention for the US military operation against Iran (now thankfully near a conclusion), I wanted to cover this issue that has bubbled along for some months now. Possible overlaps between President Trump and the now-deceased convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein have become the source of endless media and political speculation. This post attempts to examine this issue and to try to separate facts from fevered imagination. Ill do this by asking 8 questions: 1 Who is Jeffrey Epstein? He was born in New York in 1953 into a modest middle-class family. His first occupation was as a schoolteacher at an exclusive Manhattan private school. There he met the CEO of Bear Stearns, a then prominent Wall Street trader and investment house, and he worked his way up from a junior clerk to an options trader, eventually becoming an investment advisor to high-net-worth individuals. He left to form his own consultancy firm advising big, influential clients like Steven Hoffenberg and Saudi businessman Adnan Khashoggi. His breakthrough into the big leagues of the mega rich came when he began to manage assets for Ohio retailers and owners of The Limited and Victorias Secret retail giants, billionaires Les Wexner and Leon Black. He met his longtime associate, Gislaine Maxwell, the glamorous daughter of UK media magnate Robert Maxwell, in the early 1980s. Epsteins financial advising to the ultra-rich and socialising with Maxwells A-list of media celebrities and business magnates saw Epstein befriend a Whos Who of billionaires, famous politicians, media celebrities, and movers and shakers across American and European elite society. Epsteins predilections for young girls came to be investigated by Palm Beach Florida Police and later the FBI in the early 2000s, who became aware of his procurement of teenage girls from the adjacent poorer suburb of West Palm Beach who came to his multi-million-dollar Palm Beach mansion for sexual favours. He utilised a network, largely overseen by Maxwell, of key older teen girls who would recruit other mostly vulnerable teenage girls to feed his desire. He was eventually prosecuted for procuring an underage prostitute. Epsteins recruitment of young girls for his and famous clients pleasure was extended to all his extensive high-value properties, including his Zorro Ranch near Stanley, New Mexico, his large home in New Dublin, Ohio, his huge brownstone Central Park mansion in New York, and a luxurious apartment in Paris, in addition to his famous Caribbean island, Little St. James, in the British Virgin Islands, which became infamous as a discreet retreat for Hollywood celebrities, top business people, high-profile politicians, media magnates, judges, and other elite luminaries. 2 What information on Epsteins clients is likely held by US government agencies? Its important to define exactly what the Epstein files are because there is a misconception that the files held by the Department of Justice are the complete entirety of everything that the government has concerning Jeffrey Epstein. The DOJ files that are being progressively released contain the quantum of communications regarding Jeffrey Epstein, his emails with various parties, and any other relevant information that only the FBI and the Department of Justice have stored about him over the years. It is not possible to fully determine from the public record precisely how much material that, for instance, all the various intelligence agencies in the US hold regarding Jeffrey Epstein and, more importantly, his clients, associates, and friends. It is quite widely known that Epstein installed hidden cameras in every single room in every single one of his five large mansions, and it has been approximated that the volume of recorded material is over 1,000,000 hours across tens of thousands of individual recordings. Given the rumours that circulate that he was an agent for either Mossad, MI6 and/or the CIA, and given that honeypot operations are stock in trade for intelligence agencies, it would be an intelligent guess that there exists a very large amount of compromising material given what we know about Jeffrey Epsteins child sex trafficking activities, of which only the very tip of a very large iceberg has been revealed at this stage. Donald Trump did famously say in an impromptu interview that he gave in front of Marine One in 2018, I caught the swamp. I caught them all. Only I could do it. My personal opinion (that Ive got no documentary evidence to back up) is that one of the reasons why Trump is proceeding forward with the Epstein situation with a surprising amount of equanimity and confidence is that the intelligence agencies that he has control over likely do possess a large amount of compromising material featuring what is rumoured to be elites of politics, law enforcement, Hollywood, academia, media, and government. Some would say that the histrionics and vitriol that has been hurled at Trump and his team over the subject may possibly be because of the fact that Trump is getting nearer and nearer to very sensitive targets, and if you are the subject of compromising video material, then obviously you are not wanting that material to see the light of day or to be in the hands of Trumps law enforcement. On this topic, I think only time will tell, but Im going to make a bold prediction that were going to learn some very ugly things about some very prominent people. 3 Why did Trump play footsie over this issue, waxing hot, then cold, then hot? Trumps initial reluctance and skepticism about the Jeffrey Epstein files caused major speculation amongst his opponents and the MSM, and early consternation even in some of the MAGA influencer ranks. Speculation as to what exactly is in the Epstein files ramped up after Axios (a known left-wing blog site) leaked an unsigned and undated memo from the Department of Justice, essentially stating that there was nothing actionable in the files, that Epstein took his own life (heading off the conspiracy theory that Epstein was murdered in a hit to silence him), and that the case was closed. Trump and his Attorney General Pam Bondi, seemed to go along with the thrust of the memo in various pronouncements designed to essentially deflect attention away from Epstein. Given Bondis earlier comments that she had all the files and was merely reviewing them prior to release, such an apparent about-face caused major heartburn with various pro-Trump media sites and influencers accusing him of reneging on his promise to be transparent. In parallel, his opponents on the left (and amongst anti-Trump RINOs) have reacted by saying that Trump must be covering something up by initially not releasing the files, implying that there must be damning evidence in the files hes not wanting to see the light of day. Trump increased this speculation by initially describing the files on social media as the Epstein hoax. So, what is going on? My belief is that Trump was both simultaneously creating a diversion to buy time for the actual secret investigations into child sex trafficking long underway and goading his opponents into switching from studiously ignoring Epstein to openly campaigning for the release of all matters Epstein. This fits some of Trumps known tactics. 4 How did this fit with Trumps common modus operandi? Trumps opponents have not only underestimated Trump but frequently misinterpreted him. They take his every word literally, and they often exaggerate, frequently twist, and distort his statements. Some of these I covered in my recent Media Lies posts here and here. Trump forged his skills as an adroit and canny negotiator in the brutal and vicious New York City property market. NYC is a very difficult place to do business; you have to negotiate with corrupt and powerful union officials, regulation-bound city bureaucrats, grandstanding and corrupt elected politicians, big banks, ratings agencies, insurance companies, hedge funds, and hardheaded contractors and suppliers. To build his huge legacy Manhattan skyscrapers successfully and profitably takes tremendous skill. This has made Trump quite forceful and aggressive and yet amiable and pliable enough to get things done. He is very outcome-driven and will do what it takes to clinch the deal, and with that comes a delicate combination of firmness and flexibility. His later life as a media star added showmanship and presentation skills to his repertoire and a superb appreciation for how to manipulate the media to his advantage. We see these various skills playing out in the unconventional way Trump gets things done compared to career politicians. He likes to disarm his enemies with forthright bluster and invective, which rarks up the media cycle as they react to Trumps seeming nasty, over-the-top tone. He loves to troll people using taunting and teasing to sometimes devastating effect (e.g. Crooked Hillary and Tampon Tim) as he pigeonholes his enemies with negative but catchy epithets. As is common in real estate wheeling and dealing, he opens negotiations with high-ball offers, hoping to end somewhere lower but at a price that both sides grudgingly live with (this tactic is most apparent in his tariff strategy). He will say something seemingly outrageous to start a dialogue that he hopes will over time rebound in Americas favour. His comments about Greenland fall into this category. He knows the media will shriek that, Trump wants to invade Greenland which is far from what he wants. He wants the people of Greenland to reflect on where their best interests in the future might lie after decades of benign neglect by their Danish overlords. Trump has forced the future of Greenland into the public arena because he eyes Greenlands strategic military location for advancing US influence and expansion and also eyes Greenlands vast wealth of rare earth and other minerals, not for some forced expropriation. Whilst full details are sketchy, Trump appears to be negotiating something pretty close to giving the US all the access they want. Time will tell. Trumps comments about Canada being the 51st state are a classic example of Trumps style and how he prepares the ground for something no previous President has tried to do and that is to reign in the trade imbalance with Canada and to end the various subsidies the US makes to Canada. Trump has no interest in making Canada the 51st state, constitutionally in the US it would be a huge ask and its an absolute no-goer politically in Canada but by gradually ending the subsidies AND imposing balancing tariffs, both which will be a such a shock to the Canadian economy that Trump is saying, tongue in cheek, Canada might prefer to be the 51st state where there would be no need for tariffs and the subsidies would stay. Its controversial, inartful, provocative (and helped Carney win the recent Canadian Federal election) but watch this space as Trump has only just begun with what he intends to do with Canada. We need to view how Trump is handling the Epstein situation through the same complicated lens. 5 What do the Epstein files say about Trump? We now know that Trump is in the Epstein files, but not in the way that his opponents think. Honestly, if the Epstein Files had anything remotely damaging about Trump, the then Obama DOJ wouldve leaked it to the Clinton campaign in 2016 to derail Trumps campaign. Instead, we got the Billy Bush Tapes featuring a twenty-something Trump talking about women disrespectfully like some pampered frat boy in then-typical bravado talk. Again, had the files that Trumps opponents have been braying for held any damaging secrets, there is no doubt the Biden DOJ wouldve released them in the run-up to the 2024 election to assist Kamala Harris. Researchers poured over 3 million DOJ Epstein documents since the largest release on 30 January 2026 and here is what they found on Trump: 40 documents total with no damning evidence: every sworn deposition, every FBI interview, every flight log entry, every civil complaint, every media reference of any kind linking Trump to Epstein in the largest document production in DOJ history. The documents themselves tell it better. The friendship initially was real; Trump and Epstein were Palm Beach, Florida neighbours and Manhattan social circle fixtures in the 1990s. Trump DID call him a terrific guy in 2002 and so a friendship had existed and must be stated plainly because everything that follows only makes sense if you understand that the falling out was also real. Around 2004 it ended. Brad Edwards, the attorney who represented Epsteins victims and investigated every lead for years, established under oath that Trump banned Epstein from Mar-a-Lago after Epstein sexually assaulted an underage girl at the club. There is no documented contact between Trump and Epstein after 2004, not one e-mail, not one phone call, not one scheduled entry in the millions of documents. We now know that Trump assisted the Palm Beach Police Department in their child sex trafficking investigation that led to Epsteins first conviction in 2006. Its also clear from the Epstein files that Epstein was very resentful of Trump and conspired with various close associates to try and take Trump down including a famous texting exchange between himself and his legal counsel who was testifying before the January 6th committee in Congress in 2021. Various law enforcement investigations found nothing remotely damaging about Trump. The FBI flagged every document mentioning Trump across the entire trove by order of the bipartisan Senate Judiciary Committee. The result? 1 allegation with 1 alleged victim who refused to cooperate. No Grand Jury investigation, no indictments, no prosecution in the Southern District of New York who had all Trumps phone records, and they found one innocuous 2001 call buried alongside Epsteins explicit trafficking procurement communications. They charged Trump with nothing. Trump 45s second Attorney General Bill Barr, not a Trump fan, said on this topic under oath, I was never informed of the evidence and Im skeptical there is any if they had evidence, this would have been low hanging fruit. Brad Edwards, who had every reason and every incentive to find evidence against anyone connected to Epstein, filed a sworn affidavit, we have no information that Trump spoke to Epstein about any of the specific victims of his molestation and when Edwards was reaching out to powerful men in Epsteins orbit, Trump was the ONLY one who picked up the phone and returned his call because he knew what Epstein was and wanted to talk about it. Heres the comparison with other luminaries in Epsteins orbit. Bill Gates: 2,265 documents, multiple confirmed meetings and donations routed through Epstein. Boris Nikolic: named in Epsteins will. Bill Clinton: 1,586 documents, 147 sexually explicit messages with Maxwell, multiple confirmed island visits and up to 20 flights on the Lolita Express confirmed by Epsteins pilot! Reid Hoffman (billionaire Democrat donor): 1,976 documents and slept at Epsteins Manhattan mansion. Leon Black: 667 documents and $158 million paid to Epstein across a decades long financial relationship. Donald Trump? 40 documents, zero financial transactions, zero island visits, 2 domestic commuter flights in the late 90s accompanied by a friend, a friendship that ended in 2004 when he drew the line and had Epstein removed from his property and the ONLY person in Epsteins orbit who returned the victims attorneys call. 6 What about the Wall Street Journal claim of the smutty birthday card? Various defenders of Trump have said that Trump never sends handwritten notes, his communications almost always are typed with his large and distinctive signature at the bottom. There has been a literary analysis done on the poem that was written and it doesnt match any literary style of Trump. Trumps style is now very much public property because he chooses to communicate a lot of his thoughts about almost every matter to do with his presidential policies and crucial announcements are all made via Posts on his social media company Truth Social and so Trumps rather bombastic and at times awkward inelegant style is on display for everyone to see. In any event even, if this birthday card is real, it long predates any of the child sex allegations made about Jeffrey Epstein and obviously predates when Trump began running for political office. Given that the Wall Street Journal is a very anti Trump RINO publication, it would not surprise me that they would be a party to the publishing of a fabricated claim. 7 Why was the Biden administration Department of Justice silent on this matter? Whenever Attorney General Pam Bondi or FBI Director Kash Patel have to appear before Congressional oversight committees, both are quite vehemently attacked on the whole Epstein file situation by Democrat House Representatives or Senators, and inevitably they shoot back with the counter-question which is, why in the four years that Biden was President did not his Attorney General Merrick Garland attempt to produce a single file from the Epstein files? This question highlights the highly partisan political agendas around the subject such that the Democrats think that the whole Jeffrey Epstein situation has got something that is going to damage Trump, whereas the Trump administration would say that the reason why the Biden administration was silent in his four years was because there is more damaging material regarding Democrats than there is regarding Republicans. I repeat what I said earlier, if there had been anything remotely damaging about Trump in the Epstein files, then either the Obama or Biden administrations would have found ways to get such damaging material to an eagerly awaiting press. 8 Wasnt delays in the release of the files evidence that Trump was covering for Epstein? Liberal and anti-Trump talking points regarding Epstein have evolved somewhat in recent months from: Trump is deeply implicated in the Epstein files and then when there was no evidence of that, now hes implicated in covering for Epstein by his tardy release of the files. So, if this were true then youd see other evidence of Trumps reluctance to pursue child trafficking actions and yet the opposite is the case. From Alpha Warrior comes this exhaustive bullet-point list of major things Trump personally signed, directed, or publicly ordered, plus major anti-trafficking / child-exploitation actions carried out under his administration: Does any of this sound like the actions of a man whos trying to cover up child sex trafficking? Conclusion There most definitely was a time when Trump and Epstein had a friendship, long before he knew of Epsteins dark predilections. When Trump was informed of the assault on an underage female staff member, the friendship was over, Epstein was barred from Mar-A-Largo (a prominent feature in the elite social life of wealthy Palm Beach residents), Trump helped the PBPD with their investigations into Epsteins underage sexual activities AND he was the only prominent socialite to assist the victims lawyer in his inquiries. Like so much else in Trumpworld, his opponents will do anything to smear him and undermine his Presidency and the media and his political opponent braying over the Epstein files follows the same playbook. What is in the Epstein files is but an entree into what Trump has planned for the many elites implicated in Epsteins extensive honeypot operations. Prediction: the louder the Hollywood star screams about Trump and Epstein, the higher up they are on the list of compromised people whose time to pay for their crimes is soon coming. BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, April 18 (Xinhua) -- Brunei will host the 38th session of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) regional conference for Asia-Pacific on Monday, authorities said on Saturday. The Ministry of Primary Resources and Tourism said in a press release that the conference presents a strategic opportunity for Brunei to showcase its rich traditions, local products, and advancements in agriculture. Held biennially, the conference is scheduled to take place from April 20 to 24 at a hotel near the capital, Bandar Seri Begawan. Columbia, MO (65201) Today Partly cloudy, perhaps a shower late in the day. Highs in the lower to middle 60s.. Tonight Partly cloudy with a few showers. Lows in the middle 40s LONDON, April 18 (Xinhua) -- The UK Maritime Trade Operations Center said on Saturday that a tanker came under fire from two gunboats of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps about 20 nautical miles northeast of Oman. According to the report, the tanker was approached without any VHF communication before the gunboats opened fire. The vessel and its crew are reported safe. Zambian university celebrates UN Chinese Language Day Xinhua) 11:33, April 18, 2026 LUSAKA, April 17 (Xinhua) -- The Confucius Institute at the University of Zambia (UNZA) on Friday celebrated this year's United Nations (UN) Chinese Language Day with various performances showcasing the Chinese language and culture. Held under the theme "Lighting up your colorful dreams," the event attracted students and staff not only from the Confucius Institute but also from other schools where Chinese is taught, as well as representatives from the Zambian and Chinese communities. Students showcased their knowledge of Chinese culture through singing, dancing and martial arts. Attendees also participated in cultural activities such as costume experiences, paper cutting, calligraphy and riddles. Speaking at the event, David Sani Mwanza, the Zambian director at the Confucius Institute, said the Chinese language is gaining popularity in Zambia, as reflected in the growing number of students enrolled to study it. He noted that graduates with Chinese language skills are more competitive in the job market and have better access to multinational companies, higher-paying positions and broader career prospects. "Chinese language is truly transforming lives and creating limitless possibilities for learners and graduates," he said. Meanwhile, UNZA Vice Chancellor Mundia Muya commended the Confucius Institute for promoting the learning of the Chinese language and culture in Zambia. He particularly praised the introduction of an in-service teacher training program, noting that it will not only increase staffing levels in Chinese language education but also ensure sustainability. "As the University of Zambia, we are proud of this development because it allows us to look to the future of Chinese language education with confidence, hope and certainty," he said. Muya added that the Chinese language has increasingly become part of Zambia, especially in 2026, which has been designated as the China-Africa Year of People-to-People Exchanges. Bernard Mushibwe, a UNZA student, told Xinhua that he chose to study Chinese because of the opportunities it presents, given the growing presence of Chinese enterprises and people in Zambia. He added that his interest was also driven by the richness of Chinese culture, noting that attending the Chinese Language Day celebration broadened his understanding. UN Chinese Language Day, observed annually on April 20, offers an immersive cultural experience that highlights China's rich cultural heritage. (Web editor: Zhao Tong, Wu Chaolan) Foreign envoys visit the comprehensive service center at the start-up zone of Xiong'an New Area, north China's Hebei Province, April 16, 2026. A group of ambassadors, representatives and senior diplomats from 24 countries and international organizations, including Argentina, Jordan and Slovakia, visited north China's Hebei Province from April 14 to 16 at the invitation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The tour focused on the region's industrial innovation, traditional culture and urban development. (Photo by Li Xin/Xinhua) SHIJIAZHUANG, April 18 (Xinhua) -- A group of ambassadors, representatives and senior diplomats from 24 countries and international organizations, including Argentina, Jordan and Slovakia, visited north China's Hebei Province from April 14 to 16 at the invitation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The tour focused on the region's industrial innovation, traditional culture and urban development. At a business matching event, representative enterprises from Hebei's specialized industrial clusters showcased their flagship products, including graphene-based materials. Slovak Ambassador to China Milan Lajciak said many Chinese firms are already investing in his country, mainly in machinery, pharmaceuticals, low-altitude economy and clean energy. "I will send home a lot of positive information about the potential to cooperate." At the digital production workshop of CSPC Pharmaceutical Group, fully automated guided vehicles and digital twin systems demonstrated smart manufacturing. Pharmaceutical cooperation concerns people's health while such intelligent and efficient production can help increase drug supply in Zimbabwe, said Grasiano Nyaguse, minister of the Embassy of the Republic of Zimbabwe in China. At JA Solar's Shijiazhuang base, robots and automatic guided vehicles drew the attention of Solomon Islands Ambassador to China Barrett Salato. "My country has abundant sunshine, but solar energy remains underdeveloped. I hope to cooperate with JA Solar for future investment." North Macedonia's Ambassador to China Sashko Nasev noted that Chinese enterprises have excellent experience with solar panels and wind energy, adding that his country already has cooperation with China in machinery and agriculture. After visiting the two companies, Hussam Al Husseini, Jordan's ambassador to China, expressed a strong interest in cooperation in pharmaceuticals and solar energy. He added a JA Solar manager on WeChat, noting Jordan's abundant deposits of high-quality silica sand for solar component production and expressing the hope for future collaboration. "Meanwhile, Jordan is one of the leading countries in the pharmaceutical area in the Middle East and worldwide. We have very good pharmaceutical companies in Jordan and would like to explore cooperation with China," Husseini said. In Xiong'an New Area, known as China's "city of the future," the delegation held talks with relocated state-owned enterprises and visited the urban computing center, which operates a digital twin of the city that displays real-time traffic and utility data. Husseini praised Xiong'an as a model for addressing urban challenges. "Our capital is becoming too congested. We are looking for a new area to relocate some facilities. What we have seen here is an excellent model, from basic infrastructure to the early application of smart city concepts." At an international trade center in Xiong'an, Marcelo Suarez Salvia, ambassador of Argentina to China, praised the city's rapid transformation. "In just a few years, a vibrant city has risen from nothing. It will benefit Beijing and serve as an example for smart cities globally -- contributing to more efficient public services, saving energy and time, and making life more convenient for people and the future urban environment." Foreign envoys visit the Xiong'an Urban Computing Center in Xiong'an New Area, north China's Hebei Province, April 16, 2026. A group of ambassadors, representatives and senior diplomats from 24 countries and international organizations, including Argentina, Jordan and Slovakia, visited north China's Hebei Province from April 14 to 16 at the invitation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The tour focused on the region's industrial innovation, traditional culture and urban development. (Photo by Li Xin/Xinhua) Foreign envoys learn about Hebei's specialized industrial clusters at a business matching event in Shijiazhuang, north China's Hebei Province, April 14, 2026. A group of ambassadors, representatives and senior diplomats from 24 countries and international organizations, including Argentina, Jordan and Slovakia, visited north China's Hebei Province from April 14 to 16 at the invitation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The tour focused on the region's industrial innovation, traditional culture and urban development. (Xinhua/Dong Xiaokun) A man appeared in court accused of threatening to kill a garda who was responding to an incident. The man (36), who has a Dublin address, was accused of threatening to kill or cause serious harm to the Garda at a location in Portlaoise on January 1, 2026. He was also accused of obstruction at Abbeyleix Garda Station on the same date. Garda Sergeant Kevin OSullivan said the defendant made no reply when charged in relation to the matter. He said the case could be heard in the district court subject to the judge consenting. He said Gardai had been called to an incident in Portlaoise on the morning of January 1, 2026. The defendant was found in the vicinity in an intoxicated state, he said. Sgt OSullivan said the accused began referencing a Gardas home town. He said the man was extremely aggressive" and said he knew the Garda. He said the man claimed to be associated with an organised crime group and made repeated threats to kill the Garda and made specific reference to neighbouring properties near the Gardas home. Sgt OSullivan said it was alleged the man threatened that if he was in prison he would have an associate kill him on his behalf. The man provided specific and detailed directions to the Gardas home address, said Sgt OSullivan. He described the alleged threats as being specific and repeated. Judge Susan Fay said she wasnt willing to accept jurisdiction in the case. Solicitor Josephine Fitzpatrick asked Sgt OSullivan about the threats. He said the injured party was a Garda member and the man gave specific directions to the Garda members home address. Ms Fitzpatrick said her client was intoxicated on the night and was already punished in relation to other matters. She said he enjoyed the presumption of innocence. Sgt OSullivan said the accused allegedly approached the Garda in advance of being arrested for any offence. READ ALSO: Nearly 500k granted for Laois heritage projects Ms Fitzpatrick said the DPP had already considered the matter suitable for hearing in the district court and she urged Judge Fay to accept jurisdiction. He has been punished already for other matters arising from the same incident, she said. Judge Fay again said she wasnt willing to accept jurisdiction in relation to threats to kill and she said a book of evidence would be needed. She granted legal aid and remanded the accused in custody to appear by video link at Portlaoise District Court on April 20. Drivers are having difficulties driving at night on parts of the N4 due to a lack of streetlighting, leading to calls for lighting to be installed. At Aprils meeting of Carrick-on-Shannon Municipal District, Cllr Irene Guckian-Rabbitte asked that Leitrim County Council contact the TII to install streetlights to light up the turn-off for Jamestown on the N4 to improve the safety of all road users at night. It can be quite hard to see. Youre on a turn and youre going down on a road that goes into two turns, said Cllr Guckian-Rabbitte. She told the meeting that it has been mentioned to her on numerous occasions that if youre coming from Carrick there are two arrows and some people have made the mistake of nearly turning with the first arrow and meeting traffic coming out of Jamestown. READ NEXT: Leitrim secondary school student is winner of Young Journalist Ireland Awards Its hard to gauge where youre going and where the road is. You cant see the markings of the road and it takes a bit of study to know where youre going, she added, also noting that two lights would do a lot around that area. Her motion was seconded by Cllr Maeve Reynolds, who added that when coming from the Dublin direction there are lights at various locations but none at the Drumsna junction, where there is a turn-off for a regional road, and no lights at Jamestown. Its very dangerous for anyone driving at night. We really need to push for those two busy junctions to be lit up, she commented. The motion was also supported by Cllrs McGowan, Stenson and Flynn. Theyre all dangerous junctions and could need lights, said Cllr Flynn, adding that the Leitrim road needs to be included. READ NEXT: Large Leitrim farmhouse with outbuildings goes up for sale for just under 230,000 It was confirmed that Leitrim County Council will forward the request to the TII for their consideration. A MAN has received a ten year driving ban for road traffic offences on the outskirts of Limerick. Paul Ahern, aged 28, of Claughan Court, Garryowen, Limerick, crashed his car into the entrance of a quarry at Ballycar, Ardnacrusha, County Clare on January 21, 2026. Prosecuting Sergeant Denis Waters told Limerick District Court that Mr Ahern admitted to gardai he was driving with no insurance or driving licence at the time of the offence. The sergeant outlined that Mr Ahern has 37 previous convictions - including two for no insurance, one for no driving licence, one for driving without an NCT, a count of criminal damage, and a section four Public Order offence. READ MORE: Burglar fell from getaway car after raid on well-known Limerick business Mr Ahern had also been disqualified from driving by a judge at Ennis District Court on November 19, 2025, and was disqualified at the time of the quarry crash. Solicitor John Herbert, representing the man, said Mr Ahern hurt his back when he was 17. Judge Patricia Harney replied: Ill tell you something, Youll get a bad back from me. Mr Herbert said Mr Aherns back injury came about in a work accident, and that his back had been crushed by steel. Judge Harney convicted and sentenced Mr Ahern to 12 weeks imprisonment, and fined him 1,500 in total for the offences. The judge disqualified him from driving for 10 years. -Funded by the Courts Reporting Scheme Mumbai: Private sector lender ICICI Bank on Saturday said it has witnessed no impact of the West Asia war on its books and feels it is too early to predict if it will have any bearing on corporate and small business borrowers, and remittances. It's too early, frankly. It's too early to call out, Sandeep Batra, executive director, ICICI Bank told reporters after announcing the banks March quarter financial results. Batra said that most of the developments have happened in the month of April, and if I just go back to what has happened in West Asia, I think we have to remember that the long-term story of India remains intact. The war in Iran has created a shipping bottleneck in the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow conduit through which about one-fifth of global oil supply passes. While it was reported that the Strait had been opened, Reuters reported on Saturday that merchant vessels attempting to cross it received radio messages from Iran's navy stating they were not allowed to pass. Batra said while one cannot deny that the developments of West Asia will have some kind of impact on the world, corporate India will get back to growth. He was responding to a question about whether the bank is seeing companies delay investment decisions due to the war and the consequent uncertainties. I mean, will there be a bit of an impact on the GDP growth in FY27? The answer is yes, but it is still going to be growing and within that, there will be enough opportunities for both corporate India and for us to grow, said Batra. ICICI Banks domestic corporate book grew 9.3% year-on-year (y-o-y) to 3.05 trillion. It was the banks slowest-growing loan segment, with retail, rural loans, and business banking growing 9.5%, 25.6%, and 24.4%, respectively, on a year-on-year basis in the three months through March. On the impact of the war on small businesses, Batra said it was very difficult to make long-term predictions at this point of time but will continue to monitor all these indicators going forward very carefully. It is safe to assume there will be some kind of economic impact, he said. The bank reported a net profit of 13,702 crore for the three months through March, up 8.5% as provisions dropped nearly 90% in the same period. The bank said the drop was a result of improvement in asset quality and recoveries from corporate customers that had been written off. Its gross bad loans were at 1.4% of the total portfolio as on 31 March, down 13 basis points (bps) from the previous quarter, and 27 bps from the same period last year. The bank saw a 15.8% growth in total loans to 15.5 trillion in Q4 of FY26, while deposits grew 11.4% to 17.9 trillion. Its net interest margin, a key indicator of profitability, stood at 4.32%, up 2 bps from the December quarter but down 9 bps from the same period last year. Also Read | Banking in digital era: Three things RBI wants lenders to keep in mind Analysts have given a thumbs-up to the banks credit performance. This quarters results address the key concernloan growthwith the bank delivering 16% y-o-y growth after several quarters of trailing the system. However, deposit growth remained modest, particularly relative to the system, possibly reflecting a conscious effort to protect margins, analysts at Bernstein said in a note on Saturday. Interestingly, the bank's co-lending book reported a higher bad loan ratio than its overall portfolio. As of 31 March, the bank had a co-lending book of 1,538 crore, of which 76 crore had turned bad, resulting in a bad loan ratio of 4.9%. Loans under such arrangements included home loans, loans against property, and business loans. Past disclosures on co-lending portfolio quality were unavailable. On whether it is seeing any stress in this portfolio, Anindya Banerjee, group chief financial officer of the bank, said that the size of this book was not material This will eventually pan out. I think this is a relatively recent thing which has started. So we will just watch it as we go along. I think we will continue to pursue these co-lending opportunities and see how it pans out, said Banerjee. Meanwhile, on 27 March, the RBI capped banks net open positions (NOPs) in the domestic market at $100 million at the end of each business day, and mandated that banks comply with this rule by 10 April. This move was expected to hit the treasury incomes of banks during the March quarter. Also Read | Why RBI did not upgrade Ujjivan to a universal bank ICICI Bank reported a treasury book loss of 106 crore in Q4 FY26, as against a loss of 157 crore in Q3, and a profit of 239 crore in Q4 of FY25. Mumbai: Backed by Japans Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation (SMBC), Yes Bank has ample headroom to expand its balance sheet, as it focuses on improving operational efficiencies, new managing director and chief executive officer Vinay Tonse said on Saturday. Over the next three years, we will be looking at being a high-quality, consistently profitable franchise, with of course best-in-class asset quality, strong retail granularity, which has been spoken about and which we have already seen, and eventually sustainable return ratios, Tonse said at the banks earnings call for March quarter (Q4FY26), addressing the media for the first time since taking over on 6 April. Going ahead, he also expects growth to be supported by the banks technology platform, leadership in the digital payments ecosystem, and embedded banking capabilities. We will build on what is working well, strengthen areas that require more attention, and pursue growth that is thoughtful, calibrated, and sustainable, Tonse said, adding that the bank will continue to invest steadily across key areas such as products, processes, technology platforms and customer experience. In addition, our ongoing collaboration with SMBC provides helpful strategic support, particularly in corporate and cross-border banking. Also Read | YES Bank appoints Vinay Tonse as CEO and MD for three-year term Japans SMBC acquired a 24.2% stake in Yes Bank in September 2025, becoming the largest shareholder in the private sector lender. The mid-sized bank posted a net profit of 1,068 crore for the March quarter, up 44.7% on year. Net interest income was 15.9% higher at 2,638 crore, whereas the net interest margin (NIM) improved 10 basis points sequentially and 20 bps on year to 2.7%. The margin improvement was driven by the repricing of deposits, strong transactions in low-cost current account and savings account (CASA) deposits, and a reduction in high-cost borrowings, chief financial officer Niranjan Banodkar said. Executive director Rajan Pental said that the rundown of the high-cost Rural Infrastructure Development Fund (RIDF) is also helping margins. Combined with the steps taken to reduce the cost of deposits to below 5.5% as of 31 March, the bank expects NIM to keep improving by 15-20 bps annually and anchor around 3.25-3.50% over the next two-three years. Total deposits of the bank crossed the 3 trillion milestone, touching 3.2 trillion as at the end of March, registering a growth of 12% on year and 9% on quarter. CASA deposits grew 15% on year to 1.1 trillion, accounting for 35.1% of total deposits. Advances of the bank were up 11.1% on year and 6.2% on quarter at 2.7 trillion as of 31 March, 2026, led by a 20% growth in corporate and institutional banking loans, 14.5% in commercial banking advances and 4.7% rise in retail loans. Our momentum of growth in advances has picked up. What has been more important is it is actually quite secular across wholesale and retail, Banodkar said in the earnings call, adding that retail disbursements are growing quite well. The observation that we have clearly is we now have a wider opportunity set (with SMBC coming in), which was in some ways constrained earlier. That gives us the ability to play a dual role of growing, building scale, and yet being profitable, he said, adding that the bank will now look to consistently deliver double-digit growth like it did as of March 2026. Gross non-performing assets (NPA) ratio of the bank improved by 30 bps on year and 20 bps on quarter to 1.3% whereas the net NPA ratio improved by 10 bps both sequentially and annually to 0.2%. These were the best asset quality numbers reported by the bank in the last 24 quarters, Tonse said. Also Read | Sumitomo Mitsui gets RBI nod to open India subsidiary after Yes Bank deal Tata Consultancy Services has issued a detailed statement on the ongoing matter at its Nashik unit, announcing a structured internal investigation, an independent oversight committee and a clarification on the role of a key employee named in police complaints, even as officers search for an absconding accused in Thane. TCS Says Nida Khan Is 'Not an HR Manager', Clarifies Her Role TCS moved to correct the record on one of the employees named in the case. Nida Khan, repeatedly identified in media reports as an HR manager at the company, holds no such designation, the company said. "Ms. Nida Khan who is being repeatedly mentioned in the press as HR manager of TCS, is neither a HR manager nor responsible for recruitment. She served as a process associate and did not hold any leadership responsibilities," the company stated. TCS Appoints Keki Mistry to Chair Oversight Committee TCS Managing Director and Chief Executive K Krithivasan outlined a three-part institutional response to the matter. An internal investigation is being led by Aarthi Subramanian, President and Chief Operating Officer of TCS. Deloitte and law firm Trilegal have been brought in as independent counsel to assist the probe. An oversight committee, chaired by Keki Mistry, a finance industry veteran and independent director on the TCS board, has also been constituted to review the findings and implement any recommendations that follow. "The findings of the internal investigation will be presented to the Oversight committee, for review and implementation of any recommendations," the company said. TCS Says No Complaints Were Filed Through Internal Channels TCS said a preliminary review of its internal records found no complaints relating to the alleged misconduct through its formal reporting mechanisms. "A preliminary review of the systems and records pertaining to the Nashik unit indicates that we have not received any complaints of the nature that are being alleged on either our ethics or POSH channels," the company said, referring to its Prevention of Sexual Harassment framework. The company noted that detailed reviews remain ongoing and that the preliminary findings are subject to further examination. Nashik Unit Remains Open, TCS Says, Dismissing Shutdown Reports TCS also addressed reports that the Nashik facility had ceased operations. "Our unit in Nashik continues to operate and serve our clients. Reports in the press about the unit being shut down are absolutely untrue," it said. Police Hunt Absconding HR Woman Accused in Mumbra, Thane Separately, a Nashik Crime Branch team travelled to Mumbra in Thane district on Friday to locate a woman accused in the case, which involves allegations of religious conversion and sexual harassment at the Nashik unit. The accused is believed to have shifted base to Mumbra approximately two months ago. Officers questioned her husband at his residence, who told police she had gone to a relative's house. When investigators reached that address, it was found locked. The mobile phones of both the accused and the relative were switched off. "The investigative team is following specific leads in Mumbra. We have information that the accused had shifted her base to evade arrest," a police officer said. TCS Reaffirms Zero-Tolerance Policy TCS said it would continue to cooperate fully with law enforcement agencies. "TCS holds itself to the highest standards of employee welfare and institutional conduct. We remain fully committed to the safety, dignity, and well-being of every employee," it said. The company added that it has "a zero-tolerance policy towards any form of coercion or misconduct" and remains "focused on supporting employees and ensuring a safe and respectful workplace across all locations." After the scandal came to light last week, the Nashik police formed a special investigation team (SIT) to probe the complaints lodged by eight female employees of the IT major, who claimed senior colleagues mentally and sexually harassed them, while the human resources department ignored their complaints. There were also allegations of forced religious conversion at the TCS facility. Police have so far arrested eight TCS employees -- seven men and the female operations manager at the unit. Another female employee is absconding and the Nashik police team is in Mumbra to look for her. The Nashik police have formed three teams to trace the absconding woman. These teams have been dispatched to various places and one of them landed in Mumbra, officials said. The SIT is probing a total of nine cases registered in connection with exploitation, attempt of forceful conversion, hurting religious sentiments, molestation and mental harassment of female employees at the TCS unit. Tata Sons chairman N Chandrasekaran had termed sexual harassment as "gravely concerning and anguishing", and announced that a thorough internal investigation was underway to establish the facts and identify individuals responsible for the situation. Hastings is relatively young at 65 and his exit at that age is a bit unusual for tech founders. He doesnt seem to have been forced out, and during the companys Thursday first-quarter earnings call, Sarandos and Peters said that there had been no behind-the-scenes disagreements over the failed Warner Bros. Discovery merger. From our vantage point today, this looks like a six-year slow goodbye after a two-decade run. WASHINGTON, April 17 (Xinhua) -- A new round of U.S.-Iran talks will be held on Monday in Pakistan, CNN reported Friday, citing anonymous Iranian sources. U.S. and Iranian delegations are expected to arrive in Pakistan this weekend, said the report, noting that the U.S. side hasn't confirmed talks are scheduled. Thakurganj, Bangaon: West Bengal will vote in two phases for its 294 Assembly seats on April 23 and 29. The contest is widely seen as a bipolar fight between the ruling All India Trinamool Congress and a resurgent Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). On a drive from Kolkata to North 24 Parganas, near the IndiaBangladesh border, voters from diverse backgrounds shared the issues shaping their choices. Among the most prominent was the controversial Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and the deletion of voter names during the process. A significant number of names from both the Matua (Hindu) community and Muslim voters were removed during the exercise that happened in 13 states, including West Bengal. Senior BJP leader Shantanu Thakur, who has been a Member of the Lok Sabha for Bangaon in North 24 Parganas since 2019, is the Union Minister of State for Ports, Shipping and Waterways. Thakur comes from the Matua community, which is similar to Hindu Dalit communities, but, unlike them, is considered a separate religious sect. Centred in North 24 Parganas and Nadia districts, Matuas constitute a crucial voting bloc (approx. 3.8 per cent of the state population), influential in 3040 assembly seats. Mint caught up with Thakur at his home in Thakur Bari, Thakurganj, on 16 April. Thakurnagar is considered the "Mecca of Matuas' and falls in Gaighata Assembly constituency, represented by BJP leader Subrata Thakur, elder brother of Shantanu Thakur. In conversation with this reporter, Shantanu Thakur expressed confidence in the BJPs prospects in West Bengal, citing widespread dissatisfaction with the TMC government led by Mamata Banerjee. Thakur, the two-time MP, accused the Mamata Banerjee government of corruption, poor implementation of central welfare schemes, and encouraging illegal infiltration. Thakur also defends the voter deletion in SIR overseen by the Election Commission of India, rejecting allegations of targeted disenfranchisement. Edited excerpts: Q: You have been travelling and campaigning in West Bengal. Whats the feedback on the ground? A: People of West Bengal have realised that the Mamata Banerjee government has been a corrupt regime. People are fed up with the current dispensation and do not want to see corruption again. That is why people will vote and elect a BJP government in West Bengal this time. Q: Do you think the BJP can win due to this anti-incumbency against the Mamata Banerjee government? A: Of course, yes. We have no doubts. The government unleashed a culture of syndicates, halted the Centres welfare schemes, and even encouraged cattle smuggling. The TMC government has not been implementing central schemes and depriving people of benefits. I am sure the BJP government will implement all welfare schemes. As I said, people are done with TMC now and desperately want a change. 'Bangladeshis, Rohingyas are not Indian citizens' Q: SIR and voter deletion have become an issue, which TMC has accused the BJP of misusing against it in West Bengal. What does the BJP think of this? A: We know SIR is implemented by the independent agency, the Election Commission of India. There is absolutely no scope for politicising and misusing it. The exercise aims to clean up the voter list in West Bengal and elsewhere. People who have come from Bangladesh, including Rohingyas, dead and duplicate voters have been removed. View full Image View full Image Thakur, the two-time MP, accused the Mamata Banerjee government of corruption, poor implementation of central welfare schemes, and encouraging illegal infiltration. Thakur also defends the voter deletion in SIR overseen by the Election Commission of India, rejecting allegations of targeted disenfranchisement People from Bangladesh and the Rohingya are not Indian citizens. They must leave India and should not be allowed to vote. Dead voters double voters kat gaye. I think this is much needed. Q: There is a complaint by certain sections that Muslims are being deliberately disenfranchised, especially after the adjudication exercise. A: This is not true. Muslims have been deleted, and so have those from the Matua (Hindu) community. Lets be clear, India is for citizens, and only citizens will be on the voter list. Q: BJP has been talking about infiltrators. How will it deal with them? A: We have made it clear from the first day. We wont allow infiltrators into any part of India. The TMC government has not been allowing border fencing. There should be better fencing at the borders. The TMC government doesn't want to block infiltrators. That is because infiltrators come and vote for her and her party. Q: Mamata Banerjee accuses the centre of withholding state funds. How do you respond? A: People of West Bengal know that Mamata Banerjee has created problems for all Union government projects in West Bengal. The Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana was renamed. And not implemented properly. Thats why the Centre had concerns over the schemes. Lets wait for the BJP to come to power. Everything that has been problematic will be fixed. Q: How different will the BJP be for women? A: Home Minister Amit Shah ji has said women will be in focus. 3000 will be given to women. We will also start free bus rides. Among other things, the BJP will work to uplift women in West Bengal. People of West Bengal have realised that the Mamata Banerjee government has been a corrupt regime. Q: You represent Matua Community. But your aunt and her daughter are with TMC? Who will Matuas choose when it comes to voting? Washington [US], April 18 (ANI): Actor Alec Baldwin will face a civil trial in October after a judge ruled that a lawsuit alleging negligence in the fatal 2021 Rust shooting can proceed. The decision comes nearly two years after his manslaughter case was dismissed. On Friday, Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Maurice Leiter allowed claims filed by gaffer Serge Svetnoy to move forward, rejecting arguments from Baldwin and Rust Movie Productions that they were not legally responsible for on-set safety, reported Variety. The case stems from the October 2021 shooting in Santa Fe, New Mexico, which resulted in the death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins. While Baldwin's criminal manslaughter case was dismissed in July 2024 after a judge found prosecutors had withheld evidence, he continues to face multiple civil lawsuits related to the incident. According to Variety, Svetnoy alleges he suffered emotional distress due to negligence, stating he felt a "whoosh" from the gunshot and heard a loud bang, though he was not physically injured. Baldwin has maintained he "had no idea the gun was loaded with a live round" and has also said he did not pull the trigger. In his ruling, Judge Leiter wrote, "A reasonable jury could find that Mr. Baldwin recklessly disregarded the probability that pointing a gun in the direction of someone, with the finger on the trigger, would cause emotional distress," as quoted by Variety. The court dismissed Svetnoy's assault claim, citing no evidence that Baldwin intended harm. However, it allowed claims for negligence, intentional infliction of emotional distress, and punitive damages to proceed. As per Variety, at Friday's hearing, Svetnoy's attorney John Upton argued, "Mr. Baldwin is the last line of defense. Guns generally do not shoot themselves." Outside the court, he added, "We're pleased with the court's decision. And we'll see where it goes from here," as quoted by Variety. The trial, originally scheduled for May, has been pushed to October 12 to allow further discovery and possible settlement discussions. Talks between the U.S. and Iran havent officially been scheduled, but a senior Trump administration official said they are likely to take place on Monday in Pakistan. Trumps negotiating team is on standby to participate in the negotiations, the official said. Pakistan is mediating the negotiations, and the talks could be hosted in Islamabad for a second time, though no final decision has been made. Vice President JD Vance is expected to lead the negotiations again, alongside Trumps Middle East peace envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, the presidents son-in-law. Energy has always shaped the fortunes of nations. In todays world of escalating tensions and geopolitical uncertainty, energy has also emerged as a fault line of vulnerability. For a rapidly growing economy such as India, reliable and affordable energy is inseparable from economic progress, industrial expansion and national resilience. Yet the countrys continued dependence on imported fossil fuels exposes it to risks far beyond its borders. In 2025, Indias oil and gas import bill approached $140 billion, underscoring why energy independence is moving to the centre of economic policy. A significant share of this vulnerability stems from the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow maritime passage through which roughly 20% of global oil supply flows. Indias exposure to this chokepoint is considerable, with an estimated 3540% of its crude imports passing through the strait, largely from producers such as Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates. Any disruption could trigger supply shocks, fuel price spikes and wider economic pressure. In this context, renewable energy offers a strategic pathway to reduce dependence. With India importing nearly 85% of its crude oil and over half of its natural gas, according to the International Energy Agency, every addition to domestic renewable capacity helps mitigate exposure to global price volatility and strengthens long-term energy security. Renewable energy leap Over the past decade, India has taken decisive steps in this direction by accelerating the transition towards sustainable power. Our country is blessed with abundant solar and wind resources, viable pumped hydro storage sites, a robust national grid that enables power to flow from renewable-rich regions to demand centres, strong subsea cable landing infrastructure, and most importantly of all, one of the worlds largest pools of engineering and digital talent. At the COP26 in Glasgow, India committed to sourcing 50% of its power capacity from non-fossil fuels by 2030 and installing 500 GW of such capacity. According to the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, over 180 GW has already been installed, with solar leading the expansion and similar momentum emerging in the industry. Addressing key constraints But as India accelerates this shift, the renewable energy sector is encountering two immediate constraints that deserve attention. The first is capital. Indias energy transition requires trillions of rupees in capital investment over the coming decades. Projects are typically financed with 75-80% debt, with equity providing the balance. Our country has set an ambitious goal of adding roughly 50 gigawatts of renewable capacity annually. Yet the internal cash generation from existing renewable assets may only support a fraction of that expansion. Historically, the gap has been bridged by global pension funds, private equity and public market capital. But tighter global liquidity and subdued renewable equity markets are making it harder to secure that capital. The second constraint is more technical but equally important, and that involves the systems ability to absorb solar power. Solar generation is concentrated during the middle of the day. A 100-megawatt solar plant may average 25 megawatts across a full day, but in the afternoon, it produces close to its full capacity and nothing at night. As solar penetration increases, a mismatch arises between when electricity is generated and when it is consumed. The answer lies in storage, which is rapidly emerging as the backbone of the next phase of renewable growth. According to Bloomberg NEF, global energy storage deployment is expected to exceed 400 GW by 2030 more than ten times todays installed base. Grid-scale batteries can respond within milliseconds, helping maintain grid stability and manage peak demand as renewable penetration rises. Pumped hydro storage provides an equally critical capability. India already has more than 4.7 GW of operational pumped storage capacity and over 40 GW of projects under various stages of development and planning. Also Read | Indias clean energy transition moves from technology to execution Hybrid as the preferred architecture India has already positioned itself in the top five wind markets, with China having the largest wind capacity globally, followed by the United States, Germany and Spain. Currently, India is adding 55 GW of Wind capacity, with major contributions from Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Gujarat, Maharashtra and Rajasthan. With the replacement of small turbines with modern turbines of 5 MW, India is expected to accelerate with annual installation of 8 to 10 GW in the short term and further expand its horizons, covering the offshore sector to touch its capacity of 30 to 40 GW in the long run. Hybrid renewable projects combining solar, wind and storage are increasingly becoming the preferred architecture for large power systems. By combining multiple generation sources with storage, these projects can deliver round-the-clock renewable electricity while improving plant utilisation and grid stability. Equally important will be the rapid expansion of transmission infrastructure. India plans to invest hundreds of billions of dollars in transmission networks over the coming decades to move renewable electricity from resource-rich regions to major demand centres. Without this transmission expansion, renewable growth could face physical grid constraints. For India, the clean energy transition is therefore not just about protecting the planet. It is also about protecting the nations economic and strategic future. We collected Morchella from over 1,000 locations across Kashmir Valley, said Dr. Tariq Ahmad Sofi, a plant pathology scientist. Wherever we found it, we studied everything, the soil profile, the microclimate, the plants around it, whether small shrubs or large trees. We created a complete ecological profile of each location. ICICI Bank Q4 Results 2026 Highlights: ICICI Bank, Indias second-largest private sector lender, announced its January-March quarter earnings on Saturday, 18 April. Along with the Q4 results today, the banks board also authorised a proposal for fundraising. ICICI Bank Q4 Results ICICI Bank's Q4FY26 standalone profit rose by 8.5% year-on-year (YoY) to 13,701.68 crore. In the same quarter last year, the bank's profit was 12,629.58 crore. The bank's board of directors recommended a dividend of 12 per equity share for FY26. The declaration and payment of dividends are subject to requisite approvals. ICICI Bank Fundraising The bank said its board of directors approved the annual renewal of fundraising limits via the issuance of debt securities, including by way of non-convertible debentures (NCDs) in domestic markets up to an overall limit of 250 billion by way of private placement and issuances of bonds/notes/offshore certificate of deposits in overseas markets up to $1.50 billion for a period of one year. The Board also authorised the buyback of debt securities within the limits. Disclaimer: This article is for information purposes only. It is not a stock recommendation and should not be treated as such. US-Iran war: Iran reopened the Strait of Hormuz on Friday after a ceasefire in Lebanon, boosting hopes of a ceasefire in the US-Iran war. However, US President Donald Trump is yet to make any statement on the Strait of Hormuz blockade, so it will remain in force. In fact, the US President said that Iran had agreed to never again shut the Strait of Hormuz. He also vowed to bring Iran's uranium back home to the USA., leaving the world guessing how effective his idea of the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz is. Strait of Hormuz blockade: Impact on Russia, China To evaluate the effectiveness of the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, we need to look at how it would directly impact Russia, China and its allied nations. From the Russian perspective, both can use the hassle-free Caspian Sea route. However, from the Chinese perspective, the blockade will have a direct impact on the Chinese crude oil import from Iran because Beijing contributes around 90% of the Iranian oil export, said Avinash Gorakshkar, a SEBI-registered fundamental equity analyst. Echoing with Avinash Gorakshkar's views, Nitant Darekar, Research Analyst at Bonanza, said that Trump's idea of the Strait of Hormuz blockade has a structural hole Iran's three Caspian ports remain untouched, giving Russia a backdoor that renders the blockade more theatre than tourniquet. The real target is Beijing: China absorbs ~90% of Iran's oil exports, and disrupting that flow starves Tehran of its biggest financier, Nitant Darekar of Bonanza said. Is the Caspian Sea route a viable option? However, Amit Goel, Chief Global Strategist at PACE 360, believes the Strait of Hormuz blockade will affect both Russia and China. He called this US administration's move a master class because it will bring two major geopolitical players into peace talks. The US administration is well aware that a blockade will make Russia and China a direct party in the peace talks. If you look at the immediate reaction of both nations, it looks clear that neither Moscow nor Beijing was stable while delivering their reactions, said Amit Goel. Goel said the Caspian Sea route is not viable because most of Iran's oil infrastructure is in and around Kharg, near the Strait of Hormuz. Using the road logistics to depart oil tankers from the Caspian Sea route doesn't look possible in the current scenario, as the US satellites would catch those oil tankers, and either the US or Israel's missiles may strike them mid-way. Chinese connection in Trump's call to Narendra Modi On how to look at the US President Donald Trump's call to the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi after the failure of the US-Iran ceasefire talks in Islamabad, Amit Goel of PACE 360 said, "This can be seen from two angles: one from the geopolitical set-up in SAARC, the other is the extension of the blockade in the Indian peninsula. From the perspective of the blockade, Trump's call came before the announcement of the blockade. So, it's likely that two leaders discussed the sea route through the Malacca Strait. The blockade is for only those ships that are coming from Iran, not for those that are coming from other Middle East countries that stop at the Iranian ports. So, in the event of any Chinese aggression against the Strait of Hormuz blockade, the US might seek Indian support in blocking Chinese imports through the Malacca Strait. "The Strait of Malacca remains a critical energy lifeline for Beijing, with a significant share of its crude imports passing through this narrow chokepointoften described as Chinas long-standing Malacca dilemma. This is where Indias geography becomes strategically relevant. The Andaman and Nicobar Islands provide India with a natural vantage point near the western entrance of Malacca, strengthening its ability to monitor and potentially influence maritime traffic in a conflict scenario," said Ponmudi R, CEO of Enrich Money. Akshat Garg, Head of Research & Product at Choice International, said that India effectively holds its own Strait of Hormuz against China in the form of the Malacca Strait, through which roughly 80% of Chinas oil imports transit via the Indian Ocean. All these experts believe the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz is quite effective, and a final conclusion in the US-Iran ceasefire can be expected in the next few weeks. At 174 minutes, Priyadarshans Bhooth Bangla arrives weighed down by both its runtime and its ambitions. The film, with a screenplay by Priyadarshan, Rohan Shankar and Abilash Nair and story by Aakash Kaushik, attempts to revive the directors signature blend of slapstick comedy and supernatural intrigue. What it delivers instead is a sprawling, uneven narrative that depends heavily on nostalgia while offering little that feels fresh. Set in Mangalpur, a fictitious town near Lucknow where newlywed brides are mysteriously disappearing, the film opens with multiple story threads unfolding in quick succession. In one, Dushund Acharyas death leaves behind a fortune for London-based Meera (Mithila Palkar). Her debt-ridden brother Arjun (Akshay Kumar) immediately flies off to India to explore the palatial home. Their father, Vasudev Acharya (Jisshu Sengupta), has departed for Sydney and remains frustratingly unreachable just as the circumstances of the inheritance confuse Meera and Arjun. Arjun travels to Mangalpur to claim the estate, which includes a large, uninhabited haveli. Here, the film introduces a thieving caretaker (Asrani), who provides the obligatory warnings about hauntings and doomed weddings. But Arjun is undeterred and hands over Meeras wedding preparations to a planner (Paresh Rawal) who arrives with his team, including a meek electrician named Balli (Rajpal Yadav). Arjun takes an instant dislike to Balli. From here, Bhooth Bangla barrels into noisy slapstick and loosely stitched supernatural set-ups. Between Rawal, Kumar, Yadav and Asrani, there is relentless shouting, slapping and broad physical comedy, often tipping into crass humour. Kumar is clearly in his element, his comic timing driving much of the chaos, with Rawal gamely keeping pace as a perpetually afflicted wedding planner. Yadav, meanwhile, is reduced to a punching bag -- slapped, abused, possessed, misunderstood, and sometimes all of the above. The films female characters are given little to do. Tabu, as Arjun and Meeras mother Yashoda, is almost entirely wasted in a role that raises the question of why she agreed to it. Wamiqa Gabbis Priya, who arrives searching for her missing sister, is similarly forgettable, emblematic of how the film sidelines its women. For nearly an hour, the film cycles through repetitive scenes establishing hauntings, such as bat-like apparitions, ghostly presences, possessions and superstition, without meaningfully advancing the plot. By the time the interval arrives, the story has barely progressed. The tonal references are familiar, evoking everything from Indiana Jones to Bhool Bhulaiyya and Shaitaan, but without coherence. The narrative coherence doesnt fare much better, for example when Arjun finally reaches his father on the phone (this is a time when the world was transitioning from rotary phones to cellular phones) at a critical juncture, the latter offers no concrete help, instead redirecting him to yet another mystic for guidance. And the supposed twists are largely predictable. Technical aspects also stumble. Divakar Manis cinematography and M.S. Aiyappan Nairs editing contribute to the films slackness, and Pritams music is entirely expendable. The films internal rules are equally inconsistent. A demon that supposedly evaporates in light appears unaffected in a climax set in a cave illuminated by torches and ritual fire. Such convenient contrivances further erode any tension the film attempts to build. Oura isnt a household name in India, and many would be hearing of the Finnish brand for the first time, with the launch of the Oura Ring 4. As the name suggests, Oura has been at the wearable space longer than most people realizeover a decade at this point. While other wearable brands were busy strapping screens to wrists, Oura was betting that the finger was a better place to track your vitals. At 28,900 onwards (plus a monthly subscription) though, the Oura Ring costs a fair bit for something with no screen, no GPS and no notifications (thankfully!), but is it worth it? After wearing one for a month, the answer is a pretty clear yes, but with a few caveats. A big part of the appeal of the Oura Ring 4 is down to how good it looks, more like a piece of jewelry than a sophisticated health wearable with a bevy of sensors. And unlike most fitness trackers that scream for your attention by flashing, chirping or buzzing on your wrist, the Oura Ring 4 stays quiet, unobtrusive and out of the way, so much so you can forget you have it on as you go about your day. Also Read | How the novelty of discovering a new product has died due to social media Aside from the initial settling period, I found the Ring comfortable to wear, but its thickness might be a tad chunky for smaller hands. Youll want to get the size right, of course, since a loose ring wont measure metrics accurately. For this, one can order the sizing kit ( 999, adjusted towards the cost of the Ring thereafter) or walk into a retailer like Croma to try on one of the 12 different sizes. Just remember to check for either the index, middle, or ring finger, as these have larger blood vessels, allowing the ring's optical sensors to get stronger, more consistent data signals. View full Image View full Image The Oura Ring 4 is an unobstrusive way to track your health metrics. ( Courtesy Oura ) Courtesy its water-resistant, titanium design, the Ring 4 takes everyday knocks in its stride, and comes out looking unscathed after innumerable hand washes, handing metal utensils, bicycle rides and a regular gym routine. However, I wouldnt recommend using it for heavy weight training, not unless you want to scuff up the Ring permanently. And if you thought the shiny silver/black finishes were pricey, youll have to pay an extra 11,000 for the gold, rose gold, brushed silver or stealth black finishes. Thats a lot for a different colour. Once the ring is paired and you sign up for the subscription, you slip it on using the visible etching to ensure that the ring is worn with the sensors flush against the inside of your finger. Thereon, the ring uses something called Smart Sensing, which allows it to automatically find the best signal path, even if you fiddle with your ring over the course of the day. Also Read | OnePlus Nord Buds 4 Pro review: Budget earbuds that deliver for everyday use Each of the sensorsred/infrared for blood oxygen/respiratory rate, green and infrared for heart rate/variance, a temperature sensor and accelerometer for activity/inactivity levelsreports data back to the Oura app. The app then then synthesizes the data into three scores, between 0 and 100 for Sleep, Activity and Readiness, the latter a composite scope on how prepared your body is to take on the day. The ring also measures stress levels and restorative time, periods when your nervous system is either in an elevated or recharging state, both of which serve as a good marker of overall health. Wearing the Ring 4 alongside an Apple Watch Ultra 3, I found physical activity, heart rate tracking and blood oxygen levels fall within five percent of the Apple Watch. Now, while it doesnt have quite the repertoire of sensors and range of workouts automatically identified and tracked, one thing the Ring 4 does exceedingly well is sleep-tracking. Not only does it capture vitals like temperature, respiratory and heart signals while youre asleepthe form factor and the 5-6 day battery life makes the Ring 4 far more amenable to wearing overnight compared to the heavier Ultrabut it also measures your sleep efficiency (time asleep vs. awake), your time spent in REM and deep sleep, how much you tossed and turned, and even how long you took to fall asleep. View full Image View full Image The Ring sends your data to an App for analysis. ( Courtesy Oura ) By and large, the Ring 4 is more useful as an indicator of overall wellness and your bodys baseline levels over time. This way, when something deviates, the metrics on the app make it immediately obvious, connecting the dots and explaining what the data means, whether thats an onset of illness, a slump in readiness after poor sleep or detecting almost imperceptible changes across menstrual cycles. There is a catch, though. To unlock that deeper analysis, Oura charges a somewhat steep 599 per month subscription after the first free month. Without it, youll still see the headline scores, but much of the contextthe reason behind each of those numbers, including the excellent sleep analysis and personalized insightsis paywalled. Apple, Samsung or even fellow ring-maker Ultrahuman, by contrast, dont charge a subscription for letting you view your health data. Verdict From tracking your sleep to monitoring overall health and wellness, the Oura Ring 4 works as advertised, and it does it in such an unassuming, discreet and distraction-free manner as compared to other fitness trackers. One for the wristwatch enthusiasts, perhaps, but not for fitness nerds who want to pore over every bit of their body and workout data. Its expensive to boot, and the monthly subscription costs may give a lot of potential buyers some pause. BEIRUT, April 18 (Xinhua) -- Hezbollah denied on Saturday any involvement in an incident involving the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) in southern Lebanon, which left one French peacekeeper killed. In a statement, Hezbollah called for "caution in assigning blame and responsibility" until the Lebanese Army's investigation clarifies the incident. The group also stressed the importance of continued cooperation between local residents, UNIFIL, and the Lebanese Army. The UNIFIL said earlier in the day that a French peacekeeper serving with the UN force was killed on Saturday and three others wounded after their patrol came under small-arms fire in the village of Ghandourieh in southern Lebanon. French President Emmanuel Macron said on the X platform that "everything suggests" the attack was the responsibility of Hezbollah and called on Lebanese authorities to immediately arrest those responsible. PM Modi Speech Highlights: Prime Minister Narendra Modi hit out at the Opposition, stating that DMK, Congress, TMC, Samajwadi Party, all had the opportunity to contribute to women's empowerment, but missed it. He said that nari-shakti has been taken for granted. His address comes a day after the bill to implement women's reservation the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill in legislatures failed to pass the Lok Sabha. What happened earlier? The bill needed a two-thirds majority of the Lok Sabha, which is approximately 360 votes, to get passed in the lower house of Parliament. However, only 298 MPs voted in favour of the bill, and 230 MPs voted against it on Friday, 17 April. Taking a swipe at the Opposition, PM Modi said his government's women's reservation bill was a noble effort that got 'derailed' due to the DMK and Congress which made it a target of hatred and petty politics. Referring to how the Bill failed to get the required number of votes, Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said the BJP government had lost the trust of the public. Its a Black Day for them (Centre) because theyve felt a shock for the first time, which they deserved, she said. On Saturday, Delhi Police detained several BJP women MPs protesting against the failure of the bill. Among those detained were Raksha Khadse, Bansuri Swaraj and Kamaljeet Sehrawat. What the Bill proposed? Under the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, Lok Sabha seats were to be increased up to 816 from the current 543 to "operationalise" the women's reservation law before the 2029 parliamentary polls, following a delimitation exercise based on the 2011 Census. Seats were also to be increased in state and UT assemblies to accommodate 33 per cent reservation for women. The updates to this liveblog have now been closed As the police probe into allegations of religious conversion and sexual misconduct at TCS Nashik, the company said it has a zero-tolerance policy and is focused on supporting employees and ensuring a safe and respectful workplace across all locations. Keeping employee safety in mind, TCS Nashik has asked its staff to work from home as a precautionary measure, reported ANI. An oversight panel, chaired by Keki Mistry, a finance industry veteran and an independent director on the company board, will oversee TCS Nashik's internal probe. Deloitte, a consultancy, and Trilegal, a law firm, will act as independent counsel. According to a preliminary probe, the company was not in receipt of any complaints, as alleged, TCS said in a recent statement. " Here's all we know about the case so far: What is the TCS Nashik case? The Nashik police formed a special investigation team (SIT) to probe the complaints lodged by eight female employees of the IT major, who claimed senior colleagues mentally and sexually harassed them, while the human resources department ignored their complaints. There were also allegations of forced religious conversion at the TCS facility. Police have so far arrested eight TCS employees seven men and the female operations manager at the unit. Another female employee is absconding and the Nashik police team is in Mumbra to look for her. The SIT is probing a total of nine cases registered in connection with exploitation, attempt of forceful conversion, hurting religious sentiments, molestation and mental harassment of female employees at the TCS unit. The prime accused, Danish Shaikh--along with other accused individuals: Asif Ansari, Shafi Shaikh, Raza Memon, Tausif Attar, and Shahrukh Qureshi--are currently lodged in Nashik Road Jail. According to a PTI report, the Assistant General Manager at the TCS Nashik branch was allegedly was in contact with a third accused Danish Shaikh even after a case was registered, making a call to Shaikh prior to the arrest, police said. Tata Sons chairman N Chandrasekaran had termed sexual harassment as "gravely concerning and anguishing", and announced that a thorough internal investigation was underway to establish the facts and identify individuals responsible for the situation. Who is Nida Khan? Nida Khan is one of the female TCS employees booked by Nashik police for allegedly being the mastermind' in the sexual abuse scandal at a BPO linked to TCS Nashik. Nida Khan has repeatedly been identified in media reports as an HR manager at the company. However, in a recent statement, TCS clarified that she holds no such designation. "Ms Nida Khan, who is being repeatedly mentioned in the press as HR manager of TCS, is neither an HR manager nor responsible for recruitment. She served as a process associate and did not hold any leadership responsibilities," the company said. According to the police, Nida tried to cover up the complaint and allegedly shielded the accused. Police officials allege that they recovered around 78 'suspicious' call records, emails and chats exchanged between the accused during the investigation. The police claim that evidence of potential financial transactions can also be traced. Her family denied the allegations of her being on the run and claimed that Nida Khan is pregnant and at her home. What have the victims claimed? An employee alleged that he was told to send his wife to one of the accused if he wished to have children, adding that after he ignored them, they began sending false reports about him to the head office and tried to pressure him in different ways. He added that he realised they were attempting religious conversion in the office and opposed it, which angered them and led to deliberate harassment of him and others. Since I did not have children, my team leader, Tausif Akhtar and colleague, Danish Sheikh, made personal remarks, suggesting I send my wife to them. During an argument, Tausif angrily threw a fan at me and threatened to kill me. I reported this to the HR," he added. A two-year-old photograph showed a key accused with an alleged employee who was reportedly converted earlier from Gopal (name changed) to Gulshan, News18 cited police sources as saying. Bajrang Dal stages protest Activists of the Bajrang Dal on Friday staged a protest in Maharashtra's Nashik, demanding stringent punishment against those involved in the alleged religious conversion. Protesting Bajrang Dal activists demanded stringent punishment for those involved in the forced conversion and harassment racket at the company. Maharashtra CM reacts Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis said that the incident was very serious and warned that if the incident is found to be an act of corporate jihad", its origins would be identified. The incident which has occurred in Nashik TCS is a very serious matter. I would like to thank TCS for taking cognisance of the matter. The TCS chief has condemned it, and they are cooperating with the police. We are trying to go to the root of the incident. We are probing the matter. If it emerges as corporate jihad, we will find its root, Fadnavis told ANI. Reversing its earlier stance, the Trump administration on Friday extended a waiver that permits countries to continue buying sanctioned Russian oil and petroleum products for about a month. The US Treasury Department published the renewed license on its website that says it allows the purchase of Russian oil loaded onto vessels on as of Friday through May 16. The license, part of the administration's effort to control global energy prices that have shot higher during the Middle East crisis, replaces a 30-day waiver that expired on April 11. It excludes transactions involving Iran, Cuba and North Korea. Only two days ago, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent asserted that the United States would not be renewing the waiver for Russian oil or Iranian oil, which is set to expire on Sunday. "We will not be renewing the general license on Russian oil and Iranian oil. That was oil that was on the water prior to March 11th. All that has been used," Bessent said during a media briefing. Waiver could create frictions between Washington and its allies Lawmakers from both Republicans and Democrats had strongly criticized the administration, arguing that the sanctions waivers could end up boosting Irans economy while it was engaged in conflict with the US, and supporting Russias economy as it continued its war against Ukraine. Also Read | Iran US War LIVE: US renews waiver for Russian Oil purchases until May 16 The waivers could also undermine Western efforts to cut off Russias war funding in Ukraine and risk creating friction between Washington and its allies. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, for instance, has said it is not the time to relax sanctions against Russia. Reprieve on sanctions could only temporarily boost oil supply Though the reprieve on sanctions could temporarily boost world supplies of oil, it has not prevented petroleum prices from spiking due to Iran's partial closure of the Strait of Hormuz, through which about 20% of the world's oil and gas transited before the war. The Trump administration ordered a probe into the "missing" case of at least 10 top NASA and nuclear research scientists with access to information related to aerospace, defence and extra-terrestrial life. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt posted on X to reveal that the White House was actively working with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and all relevant agencies to identify any potential commonalities that may exist between cases involving a number of government scientists and officials whove either vanished or died in recent months. Also Read | Musk clashes with Google DeepMind's Chief Scientist over post criticising ICE Her announcement came in response to a question posed to her by a reporter during a press briefing on Wednesday, which referenced as many as 10 people linked to space programs or nuclear research who have either disappeared or died under varying circumstances. "There are 10 American scientists who have either gone missing or have died since mid 2024. They reportedly had access to nuclear or aerospace material. Is anybody investigating that?" the report had asked. Also Read | Sam Altman praises Kosmos, the AI scientist helping uncover disease clues Leavitt posted her response on X, saying, "In light of the recent and legitimate questions about these troubling cases, and President Trumps commitment to the truth, the White House is actively working with all relevant agencies and the FBI to holistically review all of the cases together and identify any potential commonalities that may exist." "No stone will be unturned in this effort, and the White House will provide updates when we have them," her post read. Earlier this week, US President Donald Trump was briefed on the deaths and disappearances of key scientists, and more details will be available over the next week and a half. According to PTI, Trump described the disappearances as "pretty serious stuff" and said that some of the scientists who have reportedly gone missing or died were "very important people." The president said he would know more about the cases and whether there could be any connection between them in the coming days. "I hope it's random," Trump responded Thursday when asked if he thought there was any link between the cases. Who are these 10 American scientists? According to reports in the American media, the earliest of the deaths dates back to July 2023. 1. Michael David Hicks, a NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory physicist who specialised in comets and asteroids, passed away on July 30, 2023. The cause of his death was not disclosed. 2. A Novartis researcher, Jason Thomas, disappeared on December 12, 2025. His wife reported him missing when he didn't return home. His body was recovered from a Massachusetts lake on March 17, 2026. 3. Nuclear physicist and MIT professor Nuno Loureiro was shot dead at his home near Boston on Dec 15, 2025. 4. Former Los Alamos employee Anthony Chavez disappeared on May 4, 2025. He was last seen leaving his home on foot. Los Alamos houses America's earliest nuclear facilities. 5. Melissa Casias disappeared from her home on June 26, 2025. Casias was an administrative assistant at Los Alamos National Laboratory. 6. A researcher with NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Frank Maiwald, died on July 4, 2024, at 61, in Los Angeles. 7. Monica Jacinto Reza was a JPL employee who disappeared on June 22, 2025, while on a hike. 8. On February 16, 2026, Carl Grillmair was shot to death on his front porch. He was an astrophysicist at Caltech who collaborated with NASA and found water around exoplanets. 9. Steven Garcia, a 48-year-old government contractor, was last seen leaving his home in Albuquerque on August 28, 2025. He was on foot and carrying a handgun, with police reportedly warning he may have been a danger to himself. Garcia worked as a property custodian at the Kansas City National Security Campus, which manufactures non-nuclear components for nuclear weapons. 10. Retired Air Force General William McCasland was reported missing by his wife in early March. The 68-year-old was last seen in Albuquerque, where his wife told investigators that hed left home sans his watch or mobile phone, the Independent reported. Trump at TPUSA Rally: In a wide-ranging address to a conservative rally in Arizona, Donald Trump disclosed that US forces would enter Iran jointly with Tehran's blessing to excavate the radioactive remnants of its bombed nuclear programme, whilst dangling fresh geopolitical gambits on Cuba, the Strait of Hormuz and government UFO files. Trump's 'Nuclear Dust' Plan: Excavators, Iran's Blessing and a Trip Back to the USA Donald Trump used a Turning Point Action rally in Arizona on Friday to lay out, in unusually candid terms, how the United States intends to recover the radioactive debris left behind after last year's Operation Midnight Hammer, the American military strike that targeted Iran's underground nuclear facilities. Also Read | Iran US War LIVE: Hormuz Strait reopens but blockade remains "We're going to get the dust," New York Post quoted Trump telling the massive crowd, drawing cheers. The remarks confirmed what many analysts had speculated: that the destruction of Iran's deeply buried enrichment sites, some constructed more than 100 metres underground to withstand aerial bombardment, had left behind highly-enriched uranium residue that Washington now wants physically removed. Trump indicated that his method of retrieval was nothing if not vivid. "We're going to get it by going in with Iran with lots of excavators," the NYP report further quoted. We need the biggest excavators you can imagine. We're going to go in together with Iran. We're going to get it. We're going to take it back home to the USA very soon. Also Read | Canadian dollar hits one-month high as Iran says key waterway open The disclosure is significant: it implies not only that Iran has consented to a joint recovery operation on its own soil, but that Washington DC believes enough of the nuclear programme's physical remnants survived the strikes to warrant a full excavation effort. It is to be noted that Iran is yet to publish an official confirmation on these statements. Strait of Hormuz Blockade to Lift the Moment Iran Signs Peace Deal Trump also clarified the conditions under which the US naval blockade on the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world's most critical chokepoints for oil shipments, would be lifted. Speaking to reporters on his arrival in Arizona, he was direct: "As soon as the agreement gets signed." The statement comes as Iran claimed on Friday that it was reopening the strait, though US military forces have continued intercepting Iranian oil tankers and blocking cargo vessels from transiting. The standoff has rattled global energy markets, and Trump's comments suggest Washington intends to hold the pressure in place until a formal agreement is inked. Trump Teases UFO Document Releases: 'Many Very Interesting Documents' In a turn that delighted a section of the audience, Trump revealed that a government-wide review of classified UFO-related files, ordered earlier this year and directed through War Secretary Pete Hegseth, had already turned up notable material. "This process is well underway, and we found many very interesting documents, I must say," Trump said. "The first releases will begin very, very soon. So you can go out and see if that phenomena is correct. You'll figure it out. Let me know, let me know, we've had a lot of questions." Trump described the subject as "something that really captivates the mind," offering no further specifics but signalling that disclosures were imminent. Cuba Next? Trump Suggests Military Action After Venezuela Playbook Perhaps the most geopolitically charged moment of the evening came when Trump drew a direct line between the US military raid that removed and captured Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro and what he implied was coming next for Cuba. Taking the keys As of early 2026, Google has pushed Gemini beyond a mere side-panel assistant and into the very nervous system of our digital workspace. Through a new "Personal Intelligence" feature, the AI now connects the dots across Gmail, Photos, and Drive, effectively acting as an agent that can remember things like past travel memories or search through years of hotel confirmations to plan your next trip. While Google insists this is opt-in and that the AI "leaves the room" after every task, the move has sparked a wave of alarm. Privacy advocates point out that to be this useful, the AI must inherit every broad permission and legacy folder access weve ever granted, turning our most private archives into a searchable database for a machine. First, the government should practice what it preaches. When federal agencies build AI tools, they should release them under open-source licenses whenever possible. This would extend existing policies for traditional software. The Obama administrations open by default policy required agencies to release source code to the public. Congress codified this principle in the Share IT Act, which President Biden signed in December 2024. And this past January the General Services Administration updated its Open Source Software Policy to require that new custom code be developed in public repositories from day one. Yet all these nasties flit past your eyes so fast they are easy to miss. The videos have hotwired the worlds brains, says Moustafa Ayad, also of the Institute for Strategic Dialogue. The Iranians have been able to tap into the zeitgeistthrough really good use of internet subcultures, memes [and] animations. The messagedont trust Americacomes not from the mouths of Irans actual leaders, who are hated and polarising, but from Lego versions of them, who look like fun, says Mr Ayad. Kauai Ocean Safety members and other people assist individuals after an Airborne Aviation tourist helicopter crash on Kalalau Beach on Kauai, Hawaii, on March 26, 2026. (Petty Officer 2nd Class Tyler Robertson/Station Kauai/U.S. Coast Guard via AP) Tyler Robertson/AP FILE - An area near the Na Pali Coast on the island of Kauai in Hawaii is seen from the air on Dec. 17, 2019. Maryclaire Dale/AP The pilot of a helicopter that crashed on a sightseeing flight off the Hawaiian island of Kauai last month, killing three passengers, told investigators that the aircraft vibrated and spun before plunging into the water, according to report released Friday. The National Transportation Safety Board's preliminary report did not identify a suspected cause of the March 26 accident, but said the pilot said he experienced a high frequency vibration throughout the helicopter that came in waves and became stronger each time. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The helicopter was carrying the pilot and four passengers when it crashed just off remote Kalalau Beach, on the Na Pali Coast on Kauais North Shore, an area that is otherwise reachable only by hiking or boat. The areas tall seaside cliffs and sharp mountain ridges can contribute to turbulent air and quick weather changes that pose hazards for aviation. The pilot and surviving passenger sustained serious injuries. According to the report, the pilot said the vibrations began as he made a left turn away from the shoreline as part of the normal flight pattern. The helicopter then began quickly rotating clockwise. He put the aircraft in an autorotation a maneuver that allows the rotor to spin with the force of air, rather than by the power of the engine which stopped the spin. He made a mayday call before crashing into the water about 75 yards (69 meters) off the beach. The helicopter rolled onto its right side and became partially submerged. The report did not address how the pilot and one passenger survived the crash, nor did it say where the surviving passenger was sitting. Advertisement Article continues below this ad A witness who was flying near the accident site saw the crash and reported that the helicopter appeared to be intact before it struck the water and broke apart, the report said. Authorities identified the three people killed as Margaret Rimmler, 65, and Patrick Haskell, 59, both of Massachusetts, and Ukrainian national Oksana Pihol, 40. The helicopter was operated by Airborne Aviation, which does sightseeing tours of Kauais canyons, shoreline and waterfalls. Airborne advertises a doors-off thrill seekers adventure tour that seats up to four people. Helicopter tours are a popular way to explore the cliffs, beaches and waterfalls lining the Na Pali Coast. The vibrations and sudden spin of the helicopter points to some kind of mechanical problem with the helicopter likely in the tail rotor though it is too soon to pinpoint what the problem was, aviation safety expert Jeff Guzzetti said. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Certainly it seems to lead to a mechanical failure in the helicopter, which would point the investigation to maintenance and design issues, said Guzzetti, who used to investigate crashes for both the NTSB and Federal Aviation Administration. Guzzetti said it appears that the pilot did the right things because he was able to stop the spinning, but the helicopter didnt have enough time or altitude to reach the beach. The accident was the latest in a series of fatal crashes that has plagued the industry for decades. At least 16 people have died in helicopter crashes in Hawaii in the past seven years, including two crashes in 2019. Sightseeing companies in other parts of the country, including New York, have also faced crashes. One last year on the Hudson River in New York that killed the pilot and a family of five Spanish tourists. Five died in 2018 when a charter helicopter offering open door flights went down into the East River. And in 2009, a collision between a plane and a tourist helicopter over the Hudson killed nine people. Advertisement Article continues below this ad ___ Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) troopers patrol along U.S. 281 known at the Military Highway near the Texas-Mexico border. Dozens of DPS officers have been assigned to help control a surge in drug traffic and human smuggling from Mexico. (Photo by Robert Daemmrich Photography Inc/Corbis via Getty Images) Robert Daemmrich Photography Inc/Corbis via Getty Images A Texas Department of Public Safety patrol unit rolled into the Rio Grande during a pursuit after a malfunction, according to the agency. At about 3:30 p.m. Friday, a DPS trooper assisted U.S. Border Patrol with a traffic stop on a white Ford Fusion on U.S. 83 South near Mangana Hein Road. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The driver refused to stop, and a pursuit ensued, DPS said. The vehicle traveled west on Don Camilo Boulevard toward the intersection of Riddle Drive and Wilfrano Drive before continuing off road toward the river. The Ford Fusion became disabled on a dirt hill, and the driver and two passengers allegedly ran toward the river as troopers gave chase. During the foot pursuit, the troopers unit experienced a malfunction with its electronic safety park and brake switch, causing the unit to roll into the river. The trooper was not inside, and no injuries were reported. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Authorities arrested the two passengers, who were confirmed to be in the country illegally, according to DPS. The driver swam across the river into Mexico and was not apprehended. A contestant performs at the fifth Chinese Singing Competition of the Confucius Institute at the University of Cape Town, in Cape Town, South Africa, April 18, 2026. Young students from across Cape Town, South Africa's legislative capital, brought energy and enthusiasm to a celebration of Chinese culture on Saturday, as the Confucius Institute at the University of Cape Town (CIUCT) staged its fifth Chinese Singing Competition, highlighting the idea that music can serve as a bridge between cultures.(Xinhua/Wang Lei) CAPE TOWN, April 18 (Xinhua) -- Young students from across Cape Town, South Africa's legislative capital, brought energy and enthusiasm to a celebration of Chinese culture on Saturday, as the Confucius Institute at the University of Cape Town (CIUCT) staged its fifth Chinese Singing Competition, highlighting the idea that music can serve as a bridge between cultures. As a special event marking this year's International Chinese Language Day, the competition took place at Groote Schuur High School, a well-known local campus, under the theme "iSing" and was co-organized by the school and the Confucius Institute at Stellenbosch University. Participants from universities, secondary schools, and primary schools competed in two divisions: a university category and a combined primary and secondary school group. Deputy Consul-General of China in Cape Town, Wang Xiao, in her opening address of the event, highlighted the deep cultural roots embodied in the Chinese language. "As one of the oldest languages in the world, Chinese dates back thousands of years and is spoken across the world," she said. "Chinese songs, as a highly engaging cultural medium, not only help learners improve their Chinese proficiency, but also enable them to experience firsthand the depth and emotional richness of Chinese culture through melody and lyrics," said Wang. "We look forward to seeing more South African friends learn Chinese, which will open for you the window on modern China and the Chinese civilization," she added. Throughout the competition, contestants with varying levels of Chinese proficiency and learning experience delivered confident and enthusiastic performances, earning rounds of applause and cheers from the audience. Their repertoire ranged from classic songs such as "Olive Tree" and "Evening Bell Ringing at Nanping Hill" to more contemporary hits like "Blue and White Porcelain" and "Lonely Warrior." A performance of the children's song "Little Bugs Flying" by a group of local primary school students stood out as one of the highlights of the event, igniting the audience as many joined in clapping and singing along. In the end, a duet from the University of Cape Town, Arielle Denis and Hannah Engel, won first prize in the university category with their performance of "Free," while Chazz Hendricks from Floreat Primary School took the top prize in the primary and secondary school division with "The Snail and the Oriole." Denis and Engel told Xinhua that they both began learning Chinese in Grade 8 and have made many new friends along the way. They added that they hope to pursue careers in international translation or law in the future, noting that learning Chinese and singing Chinese songs not only deepens their understanding of Chinese culture but also benefits their future career prospects. "Learning Chinese to help people, learning the language that they speak -- I think that would be very beneficial to help me in the future," Engel said. After the event, Danie Visser, director of the University of Cape Town's International Office and foreign director of CIUCT, told Xinhua that music serves as a bridge between different cultures, and that in the context of the 2026 China-Africa Year of People-to-People Exchanges, cultural activities such as Chinese singing competitions play a vital role in building such connections. "Of course one can't build a bridge by just thinking about it. You have to do something to build it, so events like this, each one of them is a block in the bridge," Visser said. He also noted that with China's growing strength and the deepening ties between China and Africa, the influence of the Chinese language is expanding. He expressed the expectation that more South African schools will incorporate Chinese into their curricula, helping students develop language skills from an early age. "Now, Chinese is the upcoming language, the lingua franca of the world," he said. "I think whenever there is a time to learn Mandarin, it is now." Contestants perform at the fifth Chinese Singing Competition of the Confucius Institute at the University of Cape Town, in Cape Town, South Africa, April 18, 2026. Young students from across Cape Town, South Africa's legislative capital, brought energy and enthusiasm to a celebration of Chinese culture on Saturday, as the Confucius Institute at the University of Cape Town (CIUCT) staged its fifth Chinese Singing Competition, highlighting the idea that music can serve as a bridge between cultures.(Xinhua/Wang Lei) A contestant performs at the fifth Chinese Singing Competition of the Confucius Institute at the University of Cape Town, in Cape Town, South Africa, April 18, 2026. Young students from across Cape Town, South Africa's legislative capital, brought energy and enthusiasm to a celebration of Chinese culture on Saturday, as the Confucius Institute at the University of Cape Town (CIUCT) staged its fifth Chinese Singing Competition, highlighting the idea that music can serve as a bridge between cultures.(Xinhua/Wang Lei) A contestant performs at the fifth Chinese Singing Competition of the Confucius Institute at the University of Cape Town, in Cape Town, South Africa, April 18, 2026. Young students from across Cape Town, South Africa's legislative capital, brought energy and enthusiasm to a celebration of Chinese culture on Saturday, as the Confucius Institute at the University of Cape Town (CIUCT) staged its fifth Chinese Singing Competition, highlighting the idea that music can serve as a bridge between cultures.(Xinhua/Wang Lei) U.S. Army and Border Patrol officers overlook the Rio Grande in Laredo, Texas, on February 5, 2026. NurPhoto/NurPhoto via Getty Images District II and VII City Councilmembers Ricardo Rangel and Vanessa Perez alongside City Manager Joe Neeb on April 16, 2026, inside the council chamber at City Hall. David Gomez Jr. /Laredo Morning Times U.S. Army and Border Patrol officers overlook the Rio Grande in Laredo, Texas, on February 5, 2026. NurPhoto/NurPhoto via Getty Images Laredo leaders moved this week to formalize its approach to a proposed federal border security project along the Rio Grande, approving measures aimed at strengthening regional coordination, clarifying the citys position and navigating a fast-moving federal timeline. City officials outlined ongoing conversations with U.S. Customs and Border Protection regarding a project that could include a border wall and buoy system along portions of the river. Advertisement Article continues below this ad City Manager Joe Neeb said federal officials are working toward a target completion date of 2028 a timeline that has added urgency to local discussions. They are going to move fairly quickly, Neeb said, noting the city has a limited window to influence decisions related to design, placement and potential impacts. In response, city leaders approved two key actions: pursuing an interlocal agreement with Webb County and Laredo College, and drafting a formal resolution that outlines the citys position as negotiations with federal officials continue. The interlocal agreement is intended to bring multiple entities into a coordinated effort, particularly as concerns extend beyond city limits and could affect regional infrastructure. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Councilmembers pointed to facilities such as water treatment plants along the river, including those in Rio Bravo, as examples of assets that could be affected by changes to the rivers flow or surrounding infrastructure. Officials said working collaboratively would help avoid fragmented responses and ensure local agencies are aligned when engaging with federal authorities. Alongside that effort, the resolution is expected to serve as a formal statement of the citys stance, strengthening its position in ongoing discussions and signaling that local concerns, including community sentiment, are part of the negotiation process. City officials also spent considerable time discussing whether to grant federal authorities right-of-entry access to certain parcels along the river, a request that would allow survey crews and engineers to begin collecting data. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Neeb emphasized that granting access would not mean the city is approving the project itself. Right of entry is not project approval, he said, explaining that such access would allow surveying, geotechnical borings and data collection necessary to produce engineering designs and analyses. Without that information, Neeb said, both the city and federal agencies are limited in their ability to determine how proposed infrastructure could affect the river, including potential flooding. He noted the city is still awaiting updated maps and more detailed project information, including final alignments and design specifications, before making broader recommendations. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The discussion also included the possibility of granting limited or phased access, allowing work to proceed in less sensitive areas while maintaining closer scrutiny over others. Neeb said the approach is aimed at balancing the need for data with the citys responsibility to protect local interests. At the same time, city officials said they have presented alternatives to the standard border infrastructure design, which has been described as a 28- to 30-foot wall combined with a buoy system. Those alternatives include berm-style barriers, less-intrusive fencing and other configurations intended to meet federal security objectives while minimizing visual and environmental impact. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Neeb said federal officials have not rejected those proposals outright. I did not get a no, he said. They said, let us consider that. Still, officials cautioned that no final decisions have been made and that negotiations remain ongoing. Neeb said the federal governments priority is securing the border, while the city is focused on ensuring any project considers local conditions and infrastructure. Advertisement Article continues below this ad They want to secure the border, he said. What were asking them to do is consider all these different options as to how to do that. The 2028 timeline also intersects with other major projects in Laredo, including the planned expansion of the World Trade Bridge, adding another layer of coordination among local, state and federal efforts. Neeb said federal officials have indicated they do not want to interfere with that expansion, though those discussions are still preliminary. Advertisement Article continues below this ad For now, city leaders said their focus will remain on gathering information, maintaining communication with federal agencies and positioning the city to respond effectively as plans develop. FILE - In this May 7, 2016 file photo, Texas Game Warden Joshua Espinoza and Alexsandra Garcia pose for a photo after reeling in a fish during the 27th Annual Fishing Derby for Special Needs Students at Lake Casa Blanca. Victor Strife /Laredo Morning Times Children and youth with special needs will have the opportunity to enjoy a fun-filled day during the 33rd annual Laredo Community First Fishing Derby, scheduled for Saturday, May 2 at Lake Casa Blanca State Park. The Laredo Community First Fishing Derby seeks to provide children and young adults with special needs with a day of fishing and outdoor activities. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The event is primarily sponsored by Laredo Community First, Judge Danny Valdez, Texas Parks and Wildlife, and the Inland Fisheries Division, among others. The state donates about 600 catfish so the children can catch fish, he said. Our goal is for children with special needs to have fun." He said that in reality it would be more than 33 years, since for at least two years during the COVID-19 pandemic, they did not hold the event. "This is the only fishing derby in Texas that focuses on children with special needs, and it started when there weren't many activities available for them," he said. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Valdez said the event focuses primarily on children with special needs from both school districts. Each district receives 100 applications. But we have another community that we call alumni because they are no longer in school but have been with us since they were little, he said. Valdez said that if anyone with special needs is not in school, he invites them to come and enjoy the fishing derby. We just ask that they arrive early to fill out their application and be accompanied by a parent or guardian, he said. Advertisement Article continues below this ad During the event, competitions are organized, and participants can be awarded for catching the biggest fish or the most fish. Valdez also acknowledged and thanked the support of other sponsors and volunteers because it is thanks to them that the event continues to be held year after year. "Because its an outdoor event, insurance is the biggest expense, but thanks to sponsors, the event logistics run very smoothly," he said. Children and young people with special needs will have breakfast and lunch, and I want to thank Golds Gym, Pizza Hut and the Sheriffs Office for helping us with all the food for this event. We also have the support of law enforcement agencies who are helping us with the safety of attendees since it is an outdoor event at Lake Casa Blanca and offer community service hours for those students who need them and who can help us during the event. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Valdez said they feel blessed to be holding this event after so many years because it fosters family unity and wholesome outdoor fun. Its a family event, not just for children and youth but an event that promotes family togetherness, she said. We encourage families to bring their children with special needs so they can have a fun-filled day. The event will take place Saturday, May 2, and the entrance is through Ranchito Road. Registration begins at 8:30 a.m. when the doors open. Advertisement Article continues below this ad A photo of a parachute held by the No Border Wall Coalition on Feb. 21, 2026. Courtesy/No Border Wall Coalition Environmental activists from Laredo and Zapata County are preparing to travel to the Texas Capitol this Earth Day to amplify local opposition to border wall construction along the Rio Grande. A coalition of groups, including the No Border Wall Coalition, Rio Grande Landowners Coalition and the Rio Grande International Study Center, plans to join activists from across the border region from Laredo to Eagle Pass to Big Bend for a statewide rally titled Texas Says No Border Wall. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The rally will take place Wednesday, April 22 at the South Steps of the Texas State Capitol, 1100 Congress Ave. in Austin. Organizers say the effort is focused on bringing frontline voices to the conversation, particularly those directly impacted by proposed border infrastructure. This fight means nothing if the people most impacted arent in the room, the No Border Wall Coalition said. From residents to landowners to youth, our community deserves to speak for themselves, not be spoken for. Participants describe the trip as part of a broader movement to push back against renewed federal interest in border wall and buoy construction in the region. Advertisement Article continues below this ad In 2020, we successfully stopped the wall. Now, those same threats are back, bigger, faster and more dangerous, organizers said. This isnt just symbolic. Its about showing that Texas communities are united and that decisions about our land, water and safety cannot be made without us. To support travel costs, organizers have launched a GoFundMe campaign with a goal of $5,500. The Capitol rally is one of several planned advocacy efforts, including a national press conference in Washington, D.C., where participants will highlight the environmental and community impacts of proposed border infrastructure. Advertisement Article continues below this ad From a homeowner in a Laredo barrio to a rancher in Zapata County, our people are united. Weve done this before, and we can do it again, organizers said. We believe in El Pueblo Unido that when our communities come together, we are unstoppable. Huey Magoo's offers chicken tenders, sandwiches, wraps, salads and more on its menu. Courtesy/Huey Magoo's Nearly a year and a half after plans for three Laredo locations were announced, details for the citys first Huey Magoos Chicken Tenders were revealed Friday. According to a permit filed with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation, a location is coming to North Creek Plaza at 7309 San Dario Ave., Ste. 100. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The project covers 2,500 square feet and includes demolition and remodeling for a fast-casual restaurant. The finish-out construction was scheduled to begin in April and be completed by Oct. 1. It has an estimated cost of $350,000. Huey Magoo's will be the third restaurant in North Creek Plaza located across from Target joining Wing Stop and Pizza Patron. On Nov. 12, 2024, Huey Magoos Chicken Tenders announced its planned expansion into Arizona, Texas and Virginia with 42 new franchises, including three in Laredo, 10 in San Antonio and 10 in the Rio Grande Valley. Huey Magoos started in 2004 in Central Florida, providing a product it branded as the Filet Mignon of Chicken. The company was acquired by Sutter in 2004 and has rapidly expanded since then, reaching 15 states. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Webb County Judge Tano Tijerina serves food to county employees at the Webb County annual employee appreciation luncheon on April 15, 2026, outside the Webb County Courthouse. David Gomez Jr. /Laredo Morning Times Pct. 1 Commissioner Jesse Gonzalez, Pct. 3 Commissioner John Galo and Webb County Judge Tano Tijerina serve food to county employees at the Webb County annual employee appreciation luncheon on April 15, 2026, outside the Webb County Courthouse. David Gomez Jr. /Laredo Morning Times Pct. 2 Commissioner Rosaura "Wawi" Tijerina serves food at the Webb County annual employee appreciation luncheon on April 15, 2026, outside the Webb County Courthouse. David Gomez Jr. /Laredo Morning Times A photo of Webb County annual employee appreciation luncheon on April 15, 2026, outside the Webb County Courthouse. David Gomez Jr. /Laredo Morning Times Webb County leaders traded their usual roles for serving trays this week, handing out plates of steak, rice and beans to employees during an annual appreciation luncheon outside the county courthouse a gathering that also marked a final milestone for Webb County Judge Tano Tijerina. Tijerina and Webb County commissioners served employees gathered under tents set up around the courthouse grounds, where rows of tables allowed attendees to sit and visit. County officials said attendance was estimated at nearly 500 employees. Advertisement Article continues below this ad In a message shared on social media after the luncheon, Tijerina said this years gathering would be his last as county judge after more than a decade in office. After 12 years serving as county judge for Webb County, this was my final time being part of a tradition that has meant so much to me, he said. You are the heartbeat of this county, and it has been the honor of a lifetime to stand beside you. From the bottom of my heart thank you for trusting me and allowing me to serve. The annual event offered employees a break from their daily routines and a chance for county leadership to personally thank staff for their work. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Pct. 2 Commissioner Rosaura Wawi Tijerina said the luncheon reflects the countys appreciation for its workforce. Employees are the backbone of Webb County, she said. Theyre the ones that sustain Webb County. This is nothing compared to the work that they do, but they deserve this and much more. Webb County Treasurer Raul Reyes also emphasized the importance of recognizing employees, noting that county services rely heavily on their day-to-day efforts. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Former adult star Asia Carrera has passed the Texas bar exam as she transitions into a legal career. Gwengoat/Getty Images/iStockphoto A former adult star has made a comeback in Texas, but not in the way you might think. Asia Carrera, whose real name is Jessica Steinhauser, has passed the Texas bar exam, according to reports from TMZ and Page Six marking a new chapter for the former adult film actress. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Steinhauser, who previously gained notoriety in the adult film industry in the late 1990s and early 2000s, has since stepped away from that world and pursued a legal career. According to her social media posts, the former Texas A&M Aggie (she did get her Master's degree in Education there) attended St. Marys University School of Law in San Antonio, Texas. The news quickly gained traction online, something Steinhauser herself seemed both amused and surprised by. "Holy crap I've gone viral! Google 'Asia Carrera' and 'news'. Or even just my name. It's crazy. My kids' friends are like, 'yo Cat is that your MOM???'" she wrote on Facebook. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Steinhauser also acknowledged the sudden media attention in previous post, writing, "Well we knew this was coming." The story has drawn online comparisons to other high-profile figures entering the legal field, including Kim Kardashian, who has publicly pursued a career as a lawyer through California's apprenticeship program, according to the American Bar Association Journal and her Instagram. Advertisement Article continues below this ad But Steinhauser's paththrough law school and now passing the Texas barmarks a different route into the profession. While the Texas Board of Law Examiners has not yet publicly listed Steinhauser in its attorney search database as of Saturday morning, the reports suggest that could soon change. For now, Ill go back to clearing my browser history. An HPD lieutenant was arrested Friday after the Harris County Precinct One Constable's Office said he drove to a location expecting to meet a 15-year-old girl for sex. Elizabeth Conley/Staff Photographer A high-ranking Houston police officer is on the other side of a jail cell after investigators say he tried to meet a teenage girl who turned out to be an undercover detective, according to authorities. Quoc Viet Ngo, 50, an HPD lieutenant, was arrested Friday after the Harris County Precinct One Constable's Office said he drove to a location expecting to meet a 15-year-old girl for sex. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Investigators said the case began when Ngo was talking with an undercover detective posing online as a teenage girl and sent sexually explicit images. In a statement, HPD said Ngo was sworn into the department in 2003 and has been assigned to the AirportHobby Division. The department also confirmed it assisted Precinct One with the investigation, as well as the arrest, and fired the former lieutenant. "This is an ongoing investigation and no other details will be released," the department added. Advertisement Article continues below this ad In a statement, Precinct One Constable Alan Rosen said the case is a reminder that no one is above the law. Quoc Viet Ngo, 50, an HPD lieutenant, was arrested Friday after the Harris County Precinct One Constable's Office said he drove to a location expecting to meet a 15-year-old girl for sex. Harris County Precinct One Constable Alan Rosen "Everyone is equal under the law and we appreciate the Houston Police Department's active cooperation this case," he said. "This is a reminder that child predators come from all parts of society and we will never stop doing all we can to protect children." Advertisement Article continues below this ad ADDIS ABABA, April 18 (Xinhua) -- Ethiopian government officials have extolled the positive outcomes of China-Ethiopia cooperation in language education and skills development. They made the remarks in Addis Ababa, the country's capital, during the Chinese Language Day celebration on Friday, which served as an important platform for fostering the two countries' ever-deepening cooperation in cultural exchanges, as well as in skills and talent development. Ethiopia's State Minister of Labor and Skills Teshale Berecha underscored the Ethiopian government's steadfast commitment to ensuring better access to education and training. He said cooperation with China has "delivered tangible results" in nurturing the East African country's burgeoning youth, preparing them for the current and future labor markets. Highlighting joint vocational training initiatives and partnership in language education as the key notable outcomes of the two countries' cooperation in education and skills development, the state minister acknowledged the "Chinese + Vocational Skills" model as a proven initiative. Berecha said this model, developed by the Confucius Institute and Luban Workshop, "not only enhances the ability of our youths, but also helps develop the skilled workforce needed by the Chinese enterprises in Ethiopia." He underscored the initiative's successes, with notable contributions to investment promotion and industrial growth in the East African country. "We highly commend these efforts and encourage further expansion in both scale and quality, so that Chinese language, skills and talent development can become a unique advantage for Ethiopia's development," he said. The 2026 Chinese Language Day celebration was held at the Ethiopian Technical and Vocational Training Institute (TVTI) in Addis Ababa. The institute, formerly known as the Ethiopia-China Polytechnic College, hosts the Chinese-built Ethiopian Luban Workshop, which specializes in industrial robotics, mechatronics, industrial control, and industrial sensor technologies. Since its establishment in April 2021, the workshop has successfully held various programs, training thousands of local teachers and students, offering valuable skills for Ethiopian students in various technological fields and becoming a key achievement in China-Ethiopia vocational education cooperation. Biruk Kedir, director general of the TVTI, said mastering the Chinese language has become an essential skill for Ethiopian youth, driven by the strengthening ties between the two countries as well as the social and economic benefits that come with proficiency in Chinese. An Edgeworthstown-based man, who organised a walking protest march in the county town earlier this week, has stressed that Government supports do not go far enough. Sinn Fein activist, James Donnelly, organised the protest attended by hundreds of people in response to the rising fuel costs which began in the Market Square. Mr Donnelly, an unsuccessful local election candidate in 2024, said he believes the Government measures did not go far enough and he referred to the 10c reduction per litre in both diesel and petrol. READ NEXT: Longford Women's Link back call to remove violent abusers from homes instead of victims "The 10 cents could potentially be evaporated within a day or two with the way prices are going up again already. "It doesn't go far enough and I think the majority of the people I spoke to and in the country seem to agree." Mr Donnelly said any of the farmers who spoke to him last Sunday in Longford at the protest 'weren't happy' with the Government response. "I've received a few messages since the announcement of the package of measures on Sunday night and there's people out protesting today [Monday], a lot of them farmers, so they're obviously not happy with it." Mr Donnelly said Sinn Fein's Sorca Clarke and the party called for the Dail to be recalled two weeks ago at the start of the Easter holidays. "The party and others were not listened to and the Government sat on their laurels for two weeks." READ NEXT: Longford farmers push for fairer prices and stronger supports Mr Donnelly, who was asked by the Longford Leader if there was one measure he would introduce, responded quickly. "Sinn Fein want to see 25 cent immediately off the price of diesel and petrol at the pump. "And we want the complete removal of excise, including the carbon component on home heating oil, which bear in mind, as you know wasn't touched in this package of measures." Mr Donnelly said in terms of issues relating to the fuel crisis home heating oil is the big one for him. So many people rely on kerosene, whether its to get a few drums like I would at the garage or to get a fill of a tank off one of the companies. "And I've spoke to countless families over the last three or four weeks who have gone without heating, you know, whether they have a fireplace or not. "They've gone without the home heating oil because they simply can't even afford to bring two 20 litre drums down to the garage anymore." "So home heating oil needs to be brought down. "And we've called for the maximum cut to excise on green diesel as well." Mr Donnelly said he spoke with farmers and hauliers on Sunday at the protest who were very concerned as he spoke further about the supports for farmers. "It is not going anywhere near what they need." Mr Donnelly said there was a farmer speaking at the protest in Longford on Sunday who was 'nearly in tears because he was just so stressed on how we can keep going and this was an elderly farmer as well'. Mr Donnelly said several farmers told him it had not been easy before the fuel crisis and they reckon the Government don't seem to grasp how hard it has got for them. NEW DELHI, April 18 (Xinhua) -- India on Saturday expressed its deep concern at the shooting incident involving two Indian-flagged ships in the Strait of Hormuz, said the country's Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) in an official statement. According to the statement, the MEA summoned Iranian Ambassador to India Mohammad Fathali for a meeting with the country's Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri to convey India's concern. Misri noted the importance that India attached to the safety of merchant shipping and mariners and recalled that Iran had earlier facilitated the safe passage of several ships bound for India. Reiterating his concern at this serious incident of firing on merchant ships, he urged the Iranian envoy to convey India's views to the authorities in Iran and resume at the earliest the process of facilitating India-bound ships across the Strait. According to media reports, there was no damage to the Indian crew or the vessels in the firing incident. Minister of State Alan Dillon TD has welcomed funding of 236,251.10 for three heritage projects in Mayo under the 2026 Community Monuments Fund (CMF). The scheme supports the conservation, protection and promotion of Irelands archaeological monuments, helping owners and custodians safeguard these important sites for future generations. This years allocations for Mayo include: Lough Lannagh Castle, Castlebar 100,000 Ardnaree Abbey - 121,516.60 Inishkea Cross Slab 14,734.50 The CMF provides support for essential repairs, capital works, and the preparation of Conservation Management Plans. It also funds improvements to public access and interpretation at archaeological sites. READ NEXT: Hugely popular Mayo Bar and Restaurant announces its closure Minister Dillon said: I am delighted to see the allocation of further funding for Lough Lannagh Castle. This investment will build on the more than 29,000 provided last year for conservation assessment of the site. I hope that this historic monument, located along the Lough Lannagh path, can be restored and developed as a future tourism asset for Castlebar. He added: The 8thcentury Inishkea Cross slab is one of the bestpreserved examples of its kind, located on the deserted Inishkea Island in North Mayo. A further 121,000 has been allocated for conservation works at Ardnaree Abbey.This funding will help ensure the ongoing protection and preservation of these historic sites. Minister Dillon also acknowledged the work of Mayo County Council: I would like to thank Mayo County Council, particularly Heritage Officer Deirdre Cunningham and her team, for their continued collaboration with the National Monuments Service in delivering the Community Monuments Fund. This scheme strengthens the resilience of our heritage against extreme weather, supports actions under our Climate Adaptation Plan and Heritage Ireland 2030, and provides valuable employment for heritage specialists and traditional craftspeople each year. READ NEXT: Mayo U-20 boss Higgins reveals stance on Kobe and Beirne Roscommon availability Young cancer survivors show increased long-term risk of developing new cancers, with nearly 1 in 6 affected within 30 years. Highlights: Nearly 1 in 6 young cancer survivors may develop a second cancer within 30 years may A cohort of 24,459 survivors followed over 34 years revealed long-term risk patterns Breast, colorectal, and lung cancers accounted for 43% of second cancers Trusted Source Subsequent primary neoplasm risk among survivors of cancer in adolescence and young adulthood: a population-based study from Alberta, Canada Go to source Trusted Source 24,459 participants aged 15 to 39 years 34-year study period Median follow-up of 7.4 years Nearly 1 in 6 projected to develop a second cancer over 30 years Advertisement Which Cancers Were Most Common Over Time? Advertisement What Factors Contribute to Second Cancer Risk? Advertisement What Can Young Cancer Survivors Do to Reduce Future Risk? How Should These Findings Be Interpreted? Implications for Long-Term Cancer Survivorship Care Frequently Asked Questions Q: What is a second cancer after surviving cancer? A: It is a new and separate cancer that develops after treatment of a previous cancer. Q: How common are second cancers in young survivors? A: About 6% developed a second cancer during follow-up, with long-term risk reaching nearly 1 in 6. Q: Why does cancer treatment increase future cancer risk? A: Treatments like radiotherapy and chemotherapy can cause long-term DNA damage, increasing the risk of new cancers. Q: Which survivors are at higher risk? A: Those treated for Hodgkin lymphoma and breast cancer showed higher risk in this study. Q: Should young cancer survivors start screening earlier? A: Doctors may recommend earlier and personalized screening based on treatment history and individual risk factors. Subsequent primary neoplasm risk among survivors of cancer in adolescence and young adulthood: a population-based study from Alberta, Canada - (https://www.cmaj.ca/content/198/14/E535) may face a significantly higher long-, with about 6% already affected during follow-up and nearlyThis estimate comes from a largepublished in the, involving 24,459 individuals tracked over a 34-year period., these findings highlight an important but often under-recognized aspect of long-term cancer survivorship.The study evaluated adolescents and young adults diagnosed with a first cancer between 1983 and 2017. Over a median follow-up of 7.4 years, 1,442 individuals developed at least one, representing about 6% of the cohort.Key study insights include:These findings reflect a growing population of survivors living long enough to experience late effects of cancer and its treatment.The analysis showed that survivors ofandwere more likely to develop additional cancers later. Among the subsequent cancers identified,Survivors of Hodgkin lymphoma and breast cancer appeared particularly vulnerable, especially after surviving beyond five years from their initial diagnosis.The increased risk appears to result from a combination of treatment-related effects and biological susceptibility. Exposure toandcan lead to long-term cellular and DNA damage. In some cases,may also influence future cancer risk, while underlyingmay contribute in certain individuals.Importantly, these second cancers tend to occur earlier than in the general population, suggesting an accelerated timeline of risk in survivors.While the study does not test specific interventions, survivorship guidelines emphasize early detection and long-term risk reduction.. Risk-based screening, particularly for breast and colorectal cancers, may be recommended earlier than for the general population. Awareness of prior exposure toandcan help guide personalized care decisions.. In individuals with relevant family or treatment history,may also be considered.The results should be interpreted with certain limitations in mind. As an observational study, it does not establish cause-and-effect relationships. The median follow-up duration may underestimate lifetime risk, and detailed treatment exposure data were limited. Additionally, the findings are based on a regional population.Despite these limitations, the large cohort size and long-term follow-up provide valuable insights into cancer survivorship patterns.As survival rates improve, attention is increasingly shifting toward long-term health outcomes. These findings support the importance of structured survivorship care, including individualized follow-up and earlier screening strategies, to help address the elevated risk of second cancers in young survivors.Source-Medindia As promotional activities for Nitesh Tiwaris ambitious epic Ramayana: Part One kick off, producer Namit Malhotra and actor Yash headed to Las Vegas to showcase the film assets at CinemaCon 2026. At the prestigious global gathering of theatre owners and industry professionals, the duo introduced Ramayana Part One to international audiences. Alongside the presentation, they also engaged in multiple interactions and interviews, where they elaborated on the films grand vision, scale, and cinematic ambition. Yash on Ravans role in Ramayana Ramayana: Part One is the latest cinematic retelling of the ancient epic Ramayana, traditionally attributed to Valmiki, one of the oldest and most revered works of literature in the world. Prime Focus Studios The story follows Lord Rama, an incarnation of Lord Vishnu, portrayed by Ranbir Kapoor, as he takes on the asura king Ravana, played by Yash, after the latter abducts his wife Sita, essayed by Sai Pallavi. Deeply rooted in the cultural fabric of the Indian subcontinent, the epic continues to hold immense spiritual and emotional significance for millions. Speaking to Reuters, Yash shared his approach to portraying Ravana, highlighting a more layered interpretation of the character. I have tried to internalise... the whole essence of Ravana and tried to make him as human as possible at times, he said, adding that it's important for people to relate to him. The first glimpse of Ramayana: Part One, titled Rama, was released globally earlier this month, drawing a mixed response. While many viewers appreciated the films scale and visual effects, a section of the audience criticised the design of certain characters, especially the asuras, for appearing too Western in style. Prime Focus Studios Addressing the feedback, Yash spoke about the creative choices behind Ravana and the asura world, explaining the intent to appeal to a broader audience. He said,Since we have global ambitions, we need to make it familiar to a Western audience as well. Namit Malhotra shared that Ramayana: Part One aims to merge large-scale fantasy with grounded human storytelling, drawing inspiration from global epics like The Lord of the Rings and Gladiator. He emphasised that the film is designed to deliver a unique cinematic experience, stating, It will promise a very different experience, unlike anything that traditional Indian movies offer or even Hollywood, for that matter. It's meant for the world, and it's got the best of the East and the best of the West coming together to make it happen. LONDON, April 18 (Xinhua) -- A trade mission from England's largest county Yorkshire has expected their visit to China to bring business opportunities and strengthen economic cooperation between the UK and China. The mission departed on Saturday for a week-long visit to China, in a move to strengthen bilateral business links and explore new opportunities in key sectors. Organised by the West and North Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce, the delegation is the largest of its kind led by the chamber to date, bringing together businesses from sectors including technology, manufacturing, education and professional services. During the visit, the delegation will travel to Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Hong Kong, where participants are expected to engage with local partners, gain market insights and promote their products and services. Donna Morris, head of marketing and events at the chamber, said the mission is designed to showcase Yorkshire's strengths and support companies seeking international growth. "This mission will showcase Yorkshire as a place to do business and give our delegates valuable insight into markets in China," she told Xinhua. "We want to provide opportunities for businesses to promote their goods, services and capabilities." The itinerary also includes a visit to a plant operated by BYD, which Morris said could help participating firms build industry connections and access new opportunities. Teesside International Airport, the mission's chief sponsor, has recently launched a long-haul air freight link with China, aimed at improving export connectivity for businesses in northern England. Phil Forster, managing director of Teesside International Airport, said the dedicated cargo service to China marks a significant step in enhancing trade links, adding that the trade mission would further strengthen economic cooperation between the UK and China. Companies involved in the mission are also expected to explore how improved logistics links can support their international expansion. James Mason, chief executive of the chamber, said the initiative comes at a time of heightened global economic uncertainty. "At a time when there is so much instability for businesses transacting abroad, we want to use our tried and tested Chamber brand to give our members confidence to take their first-class goods and services around the planet," he said. BEIRUT, April 18 (Xinhua) -- Two peacekeepers from the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) were injured Saturday in a clash with local residents in the southern Lebanese town of Ghandourieh, amid ongoing returns of displaced families following a ceasefire, according to local news website Lebanon Debate. Sandy Krolczk and Alice Clark fill cat and dog food bags for the Senior Food Bank at the Manistee County Council on Aging's Wagoner Community Center. A lot of seniors have pets and need a little help caring for them. Courtesy of Sarah Howard Hello Manistee County! I hope you survived the rain this week. It was crazy. The lake was back in the front parking lot Monday when we came in, and it got bigger Tuesday and Wednesday. There was no reason to fix it until the rain stopped. Advertisement Article continues below this ad But it was business as usual at the senior center. We opened all the doors and asked people to park in the front or in the other parking lot. It was just a little crazy. I think we have seen more rain this month than I can remember. I know in the long run our grass will be green and lush and plants and trees will be happy, but somehow, I always find the mud when I go outside. The senior center was busy and extra joyful this week. I think it was because it was warmer and sunny here and there, which always makes people happier. I know I feel more positive about things when it is sunny. We had a busy Monday with all of our regular classes and programs, and it was nice to see Sandy, who does reflexology, and Diane, who does chair massages. They are always so sunny and bright when I see them, always looking forward. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Tuesday morning was super busy. We had Mary in for the Foot Care Clinic. Mary is very talented. She not only takes beautiful photographs, but she was also in the newspaper Tuesday and is doing pottery now. It is amazing how much we do not know about people. We also had Fran in, who is our SHIP program lead. She is amazing and so kind to help so many Manistee County seniors with their questions about Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security. Thanks, Fran. You are awesome! Lorien Adamski celebrated his 103rd birthday during Bingo at the Manistee County Council on Aging's Wagoner Community Center on April 15, 2026. His birthday is April 17. Courtesy of Sarah Howard We also had the Playing It Forward group in for music. My goodness, they sounded great! I love their music, and there are no better guys. They are so talented! Thanks for spending your time with us. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Wednesday, we had bingo and a fun celebration for Loriens 103rd birthday. I dont think I have ever known someone who was 103 years old. Happy birthday to our dear friend Lorien Adamski, you are amazing. Thursday, we had a great trip meeting for the Grand Canyon and Sedona. Sounds like a wonderful adventure. Senior nutrition menu April 20-24 Monday: Biscuits and sausage gravy, roasted sweet potatoes, collard greens, apple, cheese stick, milk Tuesday: Chicken cordon bleu, dinner roll, cheesy potatoes, winter blend vegetables, fruit cocktail, milk Wednesday: Soft taco taco meat, shredded cheese, tortillas, steamed corn, black beans, pineapple, milk Thursday: Chicken tenders, bread, harvest vegetable blend, collard greens, orange, milk Friday: Swedish meatballs, dinner roll, mashed potatoes, asparagus tips, plum, milk Menus are subject to change. Friday, we had our senior food bank, which is always fun and very busy. A huge thank you to everyone who comes in to volunteer, help us get it ready and help for the morning. You are truly amazing, and without all of you, we couldnt do what we do to serve our great Manistee County seniors. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The other huge thing taking place at the Wagoner Community Center is Manistee Civic Players 4 Old Broads. It sounds like it will be another great event and a lot of fun. You can purchase tickets at our front desk if you want to go to the show. Well, the month is just flying by and I cant believe the Manistee News Advocate's Prime Time Living Senior Expo is just around the corner. I cant believe how much is going to be happening that day. I think everyone will enjoy the programs and fun classes and all of the vendors. Come in and try something new! This week will be a blast at the senior center. On Tuesday, I am looking forward to Music with Ricky Lee. He is like a one-man band and is just amazing. I love seeing everyone tapping their toes during this fun time. We also have Popcorn and a Movie at the beautiful Vogue Theatre Tuesday afternoon. They are showing a really good movie, so dont miss it. Wednesday we are celebrating our April birthdays with a beautiful birthday cake from the great people at Meijer. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Thursday, we have cardio drumming with Regina. Come in and have some fun! I hope you have a wonderful week and remember to try something new! 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. HAGATNA, Guam (AP) The U.S. Coast Guard was searching for six people after losing contact with their disabled boat off the coast of Guam following Typhoon Sinlaku. The crew of the 145-foot dry cargo vessel, named the Mariana and registered in the U.S., notified the Coast Guard on April 15 that the boat had lost its starboard engine and needed assistance, Petty Officer 3rd Class Avery Tibbets said early Saturday morning. The Coast Guard set up a one-hour communication schedule with the vessel but lost contact the afternoon of April 16. A Coast Guard HC-130 Hercules aircraft was launched to search for the six people on board, but it had to return to Guam because of heavy winds. The search efforts were expected to resume at first light Saturday, Tibbets said. The nationalities of the crew members were not known, she said. The last known position of the vessel was about 140 miles north-northwest of Saipan, the Coast Guard said in a statement Saturday morning. Super Typhoon Sinlaku began battering the Northern Mariana Islands earlier this week, causing damage on the islands of Tinian and Saipan and flash flooding in Guam, the site of several American military bases. The typhoon was slowly moving northeast away from the island chain Saturday morning, and the storm is expected to weaken over the next few days, according to the National Weather Service. Tropical storm force gusts still remain a possibility, the weather service said, and dangerous surf is expected to continue over the next few days. The Homeland Security and Emergency Management office for the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands issued a hazardous seas warning early Saturday morning for steep and dangerous swells reaching as high as 20 feet (6 meters) in the coastal waters surrounding the island chain. The dangerous conditions could capsize or cause damage to vessels, the announcement said, and those conditions were expected to last until late Saturday afternoon. The Federal Emergency Management Agency and several other federal agencies are ramping up their response to Typhoon Sinlaku as the islands shelter-in-place orders begin to lift, Robert Fenton, FEMA regional administrator for Region 9, which includes Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands, said Friday. This is a very complex event, but we have a lot of experience and have worked very closely with Guam and CNMI over the years to prepare for these types of events and are well-positioned to do that again here today, Fenton told The Associated Press in an interview from Guam. Fenton said a slew of federal agencies are on the ground to support the local governments, including the Department of Defense, Environmental Protection Agency, Health and Human Services, and more. The storms sheer size with typhoon-force winds extending 275 miles (443 kilometers) from its center, according to the U.S. National Weather Service Guam was unique, Fenton said, and meant island residents were subjected to roughly 48 hours of fierce winds, delaying responders' ability to assess damage and help communities. It slows down our ability to respond to those needs, and I think its more physically and mentally impactful to those that have to go through that, he said. The scope of damage is still being assessed, but significant impacts to power and water systems are already evident, especially in the Northern Marianas. We think this will be a multimonth mission of emergency power, Fenton said. The U.S. Coast Guard reopened the Port of Guam Saturday to modified, daytime operations and was working diligently to open the remaining ports in the area, Tibbets said, calling it one of their highest priorities. Conditions remain challenging, Capt. Jessica Worst, commander, Coast Guard Forces Micronesia/Sector Guam said in a statement, as they work to restore maritime commerce and support communities impacted. As the Coast Guard continues its search for the missing boat, U.S. Air Force helicopters would be used to assess needs in some of the smaller, more remote and sparsely populated islands of the Northern Marianas, Fenton said. ___ This story has been updated to correct the rank and pronoun for Avery Tibbets. She is Petty Officer 3rd Class Avery Tibbets, not Private Third Class Avery Tibbets. A founder of a tech company illustrates a language model developed by his company in Guangzhou, south China's Guangdong Province, March 26, 2026. (Xinhua/Wu Lu) GUANGZHOU, April 18 (Xinhua) -- As a significant hub for manufacturing, trade and commerce, Guangzhou, the capital of Guangdong Province in southern China, is actively positioning itself as a center for technological innovation through initiatives like the annual Pazhou Algorithm Competition. Pazhou, located in Guangzhou's Haizhu District, also serves as the annual host of the Canton Fair. The algorithm competition has been held since 2022, in order to advance the integration of the digital and real economies, accelerate the aggregation of innovative talent and insights, and invigorate artificial intelligence (AI) innovation. Now in its fifth year, the competition continues to foster high-quality development in Guangzhou's AI industry. The fifth algorithm competition started in February. It will last for seven months and features five tracks, including the Large-scale AI Model Algorithm Optimization Competition, the AI Innovation Application Competition, and the International AI Competition. The competition has experienced steady growth, with the number of participating teams increasing from 262 in its first edition to over 8,000 last year. It has attracted teams from many countries, including the United States, Britain, France, Germany, Japan, Canada and Singapore. Among the international participants are teams from globally renowned institutions, including the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Harvard University, Imperial College London and the National University of Singapore. "Very excited. The competition is very hard here. I wasn't sure that we would really win, but it's a very pleasant surprise. I'm happy to have it," said Kayra Kakcioglu, co-founder and CEO of Paris-based dataLobster, upon learning that his company had won a prize in the fourth Pazhou Algorithm Competition. For many participants, it's not just a competition but a gateway to the Chinese market and a platform to showcase innovative solutions and exchange ideas. Kakcioglu said dataLobster's participation was aimed at leveraging the competition as a platform to strengthen its presence in the Chinese market. The company provides plug-and-play tech solutions that are designed to help small- and medium-sized manufacturing enterprises improve operational efficiency and optimize energy use. Software engineer Farshid Ahsan of Markopolo AI voiced a similar opinion, noting that the Pazhou Algorithm Competition serves as an outstanding platform to showcase innovative solutions in the Chinese market. The competition encourages enterprises to contribute authentic industrial scenarios and datasets as contest challenges, thereby bridging the gap between theoretical algorithms and real-world applications. Among the companies issuing contest questions for the fifth algorithm competition is IROOTECH, a company that helps businesses achieve intelligent transformation by applying technologies such as industrial intelligence and embodied intelligent robots. "IROOTECH will establish various forms of cooperation with outstanding participants to jointly explore the frontiers of industrial embodied intelligence," said Sun Baigui, director of the innovation laboratory at IROOTECH. A participant in the first competition, CloudButterfly Technology, which develops AI vertical models and embodied intelligence, has now become a contest question issuer. As noted by its founder, Tian Xuesong, this transformation highlights how participants can grow alongside the competition by contributing real-world scenarios, such as large models and industrial digitalization, to the contest, thereby "showcasing China's AI innovation strength globally." The organizer further said the competition provides winning teams with valuable resources such as technology cooperation opportunities with leading enterprises and financing assistance. These resources are intended to help teams quickly commercialize their technological achievements and transfer their algorithms from the laboratory to the production line. After winning an award in the competition, the start-up company Vocarea settled in Pazhou and established partnerships with industry leaders like Alibaba and China Mobile. Its voice model, VocuV3, has gained traction on the open-source platform HuggingFace. The competition is one of the efforts made by Guangdong Province to accelerate AI technology development and its application. This aligns with the province's broader goal of promoting high-quality digital economic development. The scale of the core AI industry in Guangdong Province has exceeded 300 billion yuan (44 billion U.S. dollars), accounting for approximately one quarter of the national total. Readiness is being strained as funding uncertainty, aging equipment and rising mission demands collide in the Pentagons Fiscal Year 2027 budget request, top Guard and Reserve leaders warned. Guard and Reserve leaders testified before the House Appropriations defense subcommittee on Friday, cautioning that rising mission demands, aging equipment and funding uncertainty are straining readiness across the force as their operational role expands. We represent 20% of the joint force, yet we operate on less than 4% of the departments budget," Army Gen. Steven Nordhaus told lawmakers. Military.com reached out for comment to the Defense Department, Army, Air Force and National Guard Bureau, as well as members of the House Appropriations Committee. Budget Shift Under Fire The FY 27 budget is raising questions about how Guard and Reserve funding will be handled, with lawmakers warning the shift could create gaps in equipment and readiness. For the first time, the National Guard and Reserve Equipment Account is included in the presidents budget request, moving it from a congressionally directed fund into the broader Pentagon spending plan. Air Force Gen. Steve Nordhaus, chief, National Guard Bureau, meets with Soldiers of the District of Columbia National Guard working as part of Joint Task Force - D.C., Washington, D.C., Aug. 14, 2025. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Master Sgt. Zach Sheely) Lawmakers said the change lacks detail and could reduce visibility into how funds are distributed across components. Rep. Betty McCollum (D-MN) said Congress has historically used the account to target urgent equipment shortfalls and warned that approach could be weakened without clearer guidance. We do not yet have the supporting documentsto understand the details of the request, McCollum said. Questions during the hearing focused on National Guard deployments in Washington, D.C., and along the southern border. McCollum said those missions compete with limited training time and resources and may not prepare units for large-scale combat operations. She also pointed to the cost, citing funding for continued Guard presence in Washington and raising concerns about what training or modernization efforts may be delayed as a result. Budget Squeeze Hits Readiness Lt. Gen. John Healy, chief of the Air Force Reserve, said aging aircraft and supply chain issues are limiting operations and reducing availability across the fleet. Seventy-seven percent of our fleet is over 39 years old, Healy said, citing a $1.5 billion maintenance backlog. He said operational tempo is adding pressure, with reserve units surging to support missions around the world, leaving fewer aircraft and personnel available for training at home. Army Reserve leaders said funding instability, including continuing resolutions and the threat of government shutdowns, is compounding the problem for part-time troops who rely on tightly scheduled training windows. Missed training days are nearly impossible to recover, Army Reserve Chief Lt. Gen. Robert Harter told the panel. In the Fight, Not in Reserve Guard and Reserve leaders pushed back on the idea that their forces serve as a fallback, telling lawmakers the force is already deeply engaged in global operations. Officials said Guard and Reserve units are supporting missions tied to the conflict with Iran, plus operations across multiple combatant commands. Nordhaus said more than 41,000 National Guard troops are currently engaged worldwide, supporting overseas operations and domestic missions. Air Force Gen. Steve Nordhaus, chief of the National Guard Bureau, joins reserve component chiefs to testify before the House Appropriations Committee Subcommittee on Defense during a National Guard and Reserve Forces oversight hearing in Washington, April 17, 2026. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Kelly Boyer) Air Force Reserve leaders pointed to recent surge operations, deploying thousands of personnel within 72 hours to support airlift, refueling and combat support missions, while Army Reserve forces continue to provide logistics and sustainment capabilities across multiple theaters. We are not a force in reserve, Army Reserve Chief Lt. Gen. Robert Harter said. We are in the fight. More than 10,000 U.S. troops are supporting enforcement of the Iran blockade, underscoring how heavily the military is relying on reserve components to sustain global operations. Aging Gear, New Missions Hit Readiness Aging equipment is emerging as a central threat to readiness, with military leaders warning that delays in modernization are creating gaps across the Guard and Reserve. Healy said the Air Force Reserve is projected to lose more than 20% of its aircraft inventory without replacement, calling the trend a significant imbalance that could affect national security. Leaders said Guard and Reserve units are often operating older systems while active-duty forces transition to newer platforms, creating challenges for interoperability in future conflicts. U.S. Army Reserve Soldiers from the Non-Commissioned Officer Academy-Parks discuss how to negotiate an obstacle during the 88th Readiness Division Combined Best Squad Competition. (Lt. Col. Thomas Piernicky/80th Training Command) To sustain strategic dominance, we must modernize concurrently with our services, Nordhaus said. Domestic deployments are adding strain on the Guard, with lawmakers warning those missions could pull troops and resources away from combat readiness. Guard leaders said they are working with federal agencies, including the Justice Department and Department of Homeland Security, to offset costs while continuing to meet both domestic and global mission demands. National Guard deployments in U.S. cities have already cost nearly $600 million, highlighting the growing financial and operational strain on the force. In the spring of 1945, thousands of Soviet sailors arrived at one of the most remote corners of North America. Cold Bay, a windswept harbor at the tip of the Alaska Peninsula, was about to host one of the most unique military partnerships of World War II. American and Soviet sailors were going to train together aboard the same ships against a common enemy. Almost no one on either side of the world was supposed to know about the operation as the Americans helped train the Soviet sailors to conduct amphibious operations in preparation for their entry into the war against Japan. The program was officially designated Hula-2. In a 1997 monograph published by the Naval Historical Center, historian Richard A. Russell called it "the largest and most ambitious transfer program of World War II." A Diplomatic Bargain at Yalta By early 1945, American war planners had arrived at a grim realization. Japan would not surrender short of a full invasion of its home islands. The planned operation, code-named Downfall, projected Allied casualties in the hundreds of thousands. President Franklin D. Roosevelt believed Soviet participation in the Pacific theater was the surest way to shorten the war and spare American lives. At the Yalta Conference in February 1945, Roosevelt officially secured a commitment from Soviet Premier Joseph Stalin to enter the war against Japan within three months of Germany's defeat. Marshal Joseph Stalin; President Franklin D. Roosevelt; Prime Minister Winston Churchill. "The Big Three", at Yalta, 4-11 February 1945. (Naval History and Heritage Command). Stalin's price was steep. He demanded southern Sakhalin, control of the Kuril Islands, and a dominant position in northern Manchuria. To give the Soviets a fighting chance in the North Pacific, Washington agreed to dramatically expand Lend-Lease transfers to include warships and amphibious assault craft. In fact, the United States had already agreed to supply naval vessels to the Soviets two months before Yalta in an effort to entice them into conflict with Japan. The Hula naval transfer would become part of a larger logistical program codenamed MILEPOST, the U.S. stockpile of supplies and equipment for Soviet entry into the Pacific War. On Dec. 20, 1944, the Soviet Main Naval Staff chief, Adm. V.A. Alafuzov, and the head of the U.S. Navy mission in Moscow, Rear Adm. Clarence E. Olsen, agreed to a single list of roughly two dozen ship and aircraft types. That list produced the 180-ship transfer plan. The transfer program was planned to deliver all 180 ships to Soviet custody by Nov. 1, 1945, the original target date for Operation Olympic, the invasion of Kyushu. The arrangement also had a profound diplomatic risk. Since April 1941, the Soviet Union and Japan had been bound by a neutrality pact that, on paper, remained in effect. Soviet sailors drilling on American warships in an Alaskan harbor, in preparation for operations against Japan, could not be allowed to become public knowledge. Cold Bay, Alaska A directive from Fleet Adm. Ernest J. King officially established the transfer program on Feb. 15, 1945, about a week after Yalta. King designated Cold Bay as the transfer site with the approval of Fleet Adm. N.G. Kuznetsov, the Soviet navy's commander in chief. Navy Detachment 3294 was created specifically for the project. Commander William S. Maxwell received orders to take charge of it on March 7. His training officer and second in command was then-Lt. Cmdr. John J. Hutson Jr. of the U.S. Coast Guard. Hutson knew the ships better than almost anyone the Navy could have assigned. The Coast Guard had been manning Tacoma-class patrol frigates, the central vessel of the transfer program, since 1943. Hutson had spent most of the war working on the same hulls Soviet sailors were about to be trained to operate. Maxwell, newly promoted to captain, arrived at Cold Bay on March 19 and assumed command of the base the next day. He found a site that had been decommissioned in November 1944 and needed substantially more work than his orders had indicated. Fort Randall Army Airfield, Alaska, 1942. (Wikimedia Commons). His team repaired piers, barracks, classrooms, and fuel depots. They procured radars, minesweeping gear, training films, and gyrocompasses. Interpreters were brought in to bridge a language gap that would ultimately define the entire operation. Beginning April 10, several Soviet merchant ships each carrying roughly 500 men began arriving at Cold Bay. Rear Adm. Boris D. Popov came ashore from the steamer Sevastopol on April 11. He commanded the 5th Independent Detachment of Soviet Navy Ships, the official designation of the Soviet contingent at Cold Bay. By April 14, 2,358 Soviet sailors had disembarked. Formal instruction began on April 16. Soviet crews had to learn from scratch how to operate American radar and sonar, handle 3-inch and 40-millimeter guns, sweep mines, and coordinate amphibious landings. Demonstration usually substituted for explanation when language fell short. Manuals were translated on-site, and the best-performing Soviet trainees were kept behind to help instruct later arriving crews. In his final report, Maxwell described the working relationship between the American and Soviet staffs as cooperative throughout. 149 Ships for the USSR The fleet handed over to the Soviets covered nearly every vessel type needed for sustained offensive operations. The 28 Tacoma-class patrol frigates, displacing roughly 2,100 tons apiece and armed with three 3-inch dual-purpose guns, were the program's most powerful ships. Each measured 304 feet in length and had a design speed of about 20 knots. Alongside the frigates were 24 Admirable-class minesweepers, 30 large infantry landing craft, 32 submarine chasers, and 31 auxiliary motor minesweepers. Four floating repair workshops were also handed over, allowing the Soviets to maintain their new fleet far from established ports. The Soviet naval ensign is raised aboard large infantry landing craft at Cold Bay, Territory of Alaska, as they are commissioned into the Soviet Navy immediately after their decommissioning by the United States Navy and transfer to the Soviet Union as a part of Project Hula. (Wikimedia Commons). Transfers accelerated after Germany's surrender on May 8. By the end of July, about 100 vessels out of the original planned 180 had been turned over and steamed out of Cold Bay flying the Soviet naval ensign. On Aug. 8, 1945, three months to the day after Germany surrendered, Soviet Foreign Minister Vyacheslav Molotov informed Japanese Ambassador Naotake Sato that the two countries were now at war. Red Army divisions crossed into Manchuria at one minute past midnight on Aug. 9. The Test in the Kurils On Aug. 15, Marshal Aleksandr Vasilevsky, commander of Soviet forces in the Far East, ordered the occupation of the northern Kuril Islands. Responsibility for the operation fell to Maj. Gen. Aleksei R. Gnechko of the Kamchatka Defense Zone and Capt. 1st Rank Dmitri G. Ponomarev of the Petropavlovsk Naval Base. Gnechko had 48 hours to put a landing force on Shumshu, the northernmost island of the Kuril chain. He assembled two reinforced rifle regiments and a naval infantry battalion, a total of 8,824 officers and men. Soviet intelligence identified 8,500 Japanese defenders of the 91st Infantry Division on Shumshu, with up to 15,000 more available on nearby Paramushir. The Japanese also had 77 tanks. The Soviets had none. The first wave, roughly 1,000 naval infantrymen, waded ashore at 4:30 a.m. on Aug. 18. The landing caught the defenders by surprise, but the attackers were inexperienced in amphibious operations. Small units pushed inland without first consolidating the beach. Within an hour, Japanese machine gunners in well-sited pillboxes and foxholes were inflicting heavy casualties on the exposed waves coming behind them. A second wave spearheaded by 16 American-built large infantry landing craft from Cold Bay hit the beach by 9 a.m. Japanese shore batteries destroyed five of the LCI(L)s. A Japanese tank counterattack later that morning committed roughly 20 tanks against the pinned-down naval infantry. Soviet troops destroyed 15 of them but were repulsed from the heights above. Location of Kuril Islands in the Western Pacific. (Wikimedia Commons) The situation steadied in the afternoon. Soviet naval infantry finally established radio contact with gunfire support ships and the four 130 mm coastal guns at Cape Lopatka on Kamchatka. Accurate shelling broke up Japanese counterattacks. Air support arrived as the weather improved, and by nightfall the Soviets held a beachhead roughly four kilometers wide and five to six deep. Organized Japanese resistance on Shumshu ended with a surrender agreement signed on the evening of Aug. 19, though scattered fighting continued until Aug. 23. The Soviet force suffered 1,567 casualties on Shumshu, including 516 men killed. Japanese losses totaled 1,018. It was the only engagement of the entire Soviet-Japanese war in which Soviet casualties outnumbered those of the enemy. Soviet ground forces also launched their assault on southern Sakhalin, four days before the Kuril operation began. By Aug. 25, they had overrun the Japanese garrison and secured the entire island. With success on Sakhalin also assured, Soviet planners started seriously weighing plans for an invasion of Hokkaido. The Soviet Politburo first took up the subject as far back as June. Foreign Minister Molotov warned that such an operation would be seen as a violation of the Yalta agreements. Marshal Georgy Zhukov opposed it as well. Stalin, however, favored the plan. Merchant ships had already begun embarking troops and supplies. However, with the Soviet blitz into Manchuria and the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan had already signaled its intention to surrender. On Aug. 16, Stalin sent President Harry S. Truman a letter formally requesting Soviet occupation of northern Hokkaido along a line running from the city of Kushiro to the city of Rumoi. He wrote that Russian public opinion required a Soviet zone on Japanese home territory. Truman refused in writing on Aug. 18. He declined to include Hokkaido in the Soviet area of surrender, leaving the Japanese home islands to Gen. Douglas MacArthur's command. Stalin halted preparations on Aug. 22, the day before organized resistance on Shumshu finally collapsed. In the aftermath of the disappointing Soviet operations in the Kurils and Southern Sakhalin, many American and Soviet officials expressed doubt that an Invasion of Hokkaido would have succeeded. The Cold Bay Shutdown On Sept. 2, the day of the surrender ceremony aboard USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay, Soviet crews accepted two frigates at Cold Bay, the former USS Bayonne and USS Poughkeepsie. Four more went over on Sept. 4, the former USS Gloucester, USS Newport, USS Bath, and USS Evansville. They were the last ships the program would officially transfer over. Soviet forces completed their occupation of the southern Kuril Islands on Sept. 5. Hours later, Maxwell received an information dispatch from Washington ordering an immediate halt to Lend-Lease deliveries of arms, ammunition, and ships in connection with Japan's surrender. Popov and his remaining staff departed Cold Bay aboard the steamer Carl Schurz on Sept. 27. Maxwell decommissioned the base at the end of the month. In 142 days, Navy Detachment 3294 had trained approximately 12,000 Soviet sailors, including around 750 officers, and transferred 149 warships. The United States moved quickly to recover the vessels under Lend-Lease terms. The Soviets were not so eager to give the ships back. In 1948, after years of negotiations, the Soviet government finally agreed to return the frigates. In October and November 1949, the Soviet navy handed over 27 of the 28 patrol frigates. The 28th, the former USS Belfast, had nearly sunk in a storm off Petropavlovsk and was reported a total loss. A Soviet Navy signalman (left) receives training from a United States Navy signalman (right) at Cold Bay, Territory of Alaska, during the secret Project Hula training-and-transfer program. (Wikimedia Commons). The Navy reactivated 13 of the returned frigates for duty in the Korean War. Several later served in the navies of South Korea, Thailand and Japan's Maritime Self-Defense Force. By 1955, the Navy had recovered 42 Project Hula ships in total, the 27 frigates plus 15 of the transferred landing craft. That year it paid roughly $250,000 to take possession of 89 more vessels from the Soviets, which were then sold for scrap for $6,537. The Navy later accepted a Soviet procedure called "witnessed destruction." In 1956, Soviet crews deliberately sank 59 Hula-era vessels in the Barents Sea and another 20 at Nakhodka near Vladivostok with the approval of American officers. By 1957, the Office of Naval Intelligence reported that only 18 of the original 149 remained serviceable in Soviet hands. The territorial disputes that made Project Hula necessary never went away. Soviet control of the Kuril Islands, seized in operations that the American vessels helped carry out, remains one of the longest-running territorial disputes in the postwar world. Japan and Russia have still never signed a formal peace treaty with each other since WWII. The United States and the Soviet Union reached a comprehensive Lend-Lease settlement on Oct. 18, 1972, in an attempt to settle many of the remaining disputes. The full story of Cold Bay remained known only to the participants and a handful of historians until Russell published his monograph in 1997, drawing on archives in both the United States and the Russian Federation. Today, the secret operation marks one of the few times the United States and Soviet Union directly cooperated during WWII, made even more remarkable by the fact they became bitter enemies only months later. 7:00 pm: The club will option infielder Deyvison De Los Santos to Triple-A as the corresponding move for Stowers, according to Daniel Alvarez-Montes of El Extrabase. 2:43 pm: The Marlins are about to get an All-Star back in their lineup, as manager Clayton McCullough told reporters (including Kevin Barral of Fish On First) that Kyle Stowers will be activated from the 10-day injured list before Sundays game with the Brewers. MLB.coms Christina De Nicola wrote earlier today that Stowers is already at loanDepot Park but would probably get one final day of rest and examination before making his 2026 debut tomorrow. Right hamstring tightness bothered Stowers for most of Spring Training, and he left one of the Marlins final Grapefruit League games with a Grade 1 hamstring strain that required a season-opening IL stint. The recovery period was initially estimated at 3-4 weeks, so Stowers will indeed make it back on the higher end of that projected timeline. Stowers rehab assignment at Triple-A Jacksonville lasted five games, with three played in his usual left field position, one game at DH, and one game at first base. This marked Stowers pro debut as a first baseman, though he spent a bit of time at the position in college and in summer ball action (the West Coast League and Cape Cod League). McCullough recently indicated that Stowers might get some prep work at first base just in case the Marlins decide to incorporate him into the first base mix at the MLB level, both to help Miami out at a trouble position and to give Stowers some time at a lower-intensity position. Stowers is the most high-profile of the five position players on Miamis injured list, though Christopher Morels absence due to an oblique strain has been the major cause of the teams revolving door at first base. While the Marlins roster has been a little short-handed, the teams offense hasnt much suffered, as Xavier Edwards, Otto Lopez, Liam Hicks, and Connor Norby are all off to hot starts. Needless to say, getting Stowers back will be a huge boost. Sunday will mark Stowers first MLB game since August 15, as his breakout 2025 campaign was cut short by an oblique strain. Stowers first full season in Miami saw him hit .288/.368/.544 with 25 home runs over 457 plate appearances, and he generated 4.0 fWAR over only 117 games. The corresponding move for Stowers remains to be seen. Graham Pauley left yesterdays game due to oblique discomfort and isnt in todays starting lineup, but McCullough told Barral and company that Pauley is expected to be available today for whatever is needed. JERUSALEM/BEIRUT, April 18 (Xinhua) -- The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said in a statement on Saturday that it had struck militants approaching a "Yellow Line," which marks the northern edge of the "security zone" established by Israel in southern Lebanon, over the past day. The statement did not mention how many militants were targeted or whether they were harmed. The military noted that forces operating south of the "Yellow Line" identified in several areas militants approaching the line and posed an immediate threat. After identifying the targets, the Israeli Air Force and ground forces immediately struck the militants to neutralize the threat and destroyed their "terrorist" infrastructure. Meanwhile, a Lebanese security source told Xinhua that the Israeli army has completed the establishment of a security belt inside the border area in southern Lebanon. "The security belt stretches for approximately 120 km, with a depth ranging between 1 and 8 km," the source added. He explained that "this belt extends from the heights of the town of Shebaa in the east to the coastal town of Naqoura in the west and includes about 50 towns belonging to the districts of Tyre, Bint Jbeil, Marjeyoun, and Hasbaya." A 10-day ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon took effect at midnight between Thursday and Friday local time (2100 GMT), following an earlier announcement by U.S. President Donald Trump. Alec Baldwin to face civil trial in October over 'Rust' shooting negligence claims Alec Baldwin is set to go to civil trial this October after a judge allowed a negligence lawsuit tied to the fatal 2021 Rust shooting to move forward. ANI April 18, 2026 / 16:10 IST The case stems from the October 2021 shooting in Santa Fe, New Mexico, which resulted in the death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins. Alec Baldwin faces civil trial in October over Rust shooting Judge allows negligence and emotional distress claims to proceed Svetnoy alleges emotional distress but was not physically injured Did our AI summary help? Ameesha Patel defends Virat Kohli after he 'likes' German influencer LizLaz's post: Is it a sin? Virat Kohlis recent Instagram like on a models post sparked fresh social media chatter, drawing widespread attention. Ameesha Patel defended the cricketer, slamming trolls and saying there is nothing wrong with appreciating someones work online. Gayatri Rani April 18, 2026 / 09:52 IST Ameesha Patel defends Virat Kohli Virat Kohli's Instagram like on LizLaz's photo sparks buzz Ameesha Patel defends Kohli, says liking is not a wrongdoing LizLaz says she was unaware of the like until news broke Did our AI summary help? BTS J-Hope pays emotional tribute to late grandmother at Tokyo concert; moves fans to tears The atmosphere at the Tokyo Dome grew emotional as J-Hope delivered a heartfelt tribute to his late grandmother during ARIRANG World Tour stop in Japan. Addressing the audience, the rapper revealed that he learned of his maternal grandmothers passing shortly after arriving in Japan. J-Hope paid tribute to his late grandmother at BTS Tokyo concert Fans worldwide expressed support for an emotional J-Hope BTS ARIRANG World Tour marks their first major tour post-hiatus Did our AI summary help? Diipa Buller-Khoslas Inde Wild creates history with massive Sephora New York launch inde wild creates history at Sephora Fifth Avenue with over 5,000 attendees and a complete sell-out in hours, marking a major milestone for Indian beauty brands globally. The pop-up shop marked a major step towards the expansion of the brand into the American market. inde wild drew over 5,000 people to its Sephora Fifth Ave pop-up Sephora Fifth Ave sold out of inde wild products within hours inde wild becomes Sephora U.S.'s first Indian beauty brand Did our AI summary help? Harshvardhan Rane and Sadia Khateeb offically wrap up filming for Silaa Harshvardhan Rane and Sadia Khateebs upcoming film SILAA has wrapped shooting. Directed by Omung Kumar, the action romance is set for a 2026 theatrical release. Marking the completion of filming, SILAA has wrapped under the direction of National Award-winning filmmaker Omung Kumar. SILAA wraps filming, directed by Omung Kumar Film stars Harshvardhan Rane and Sadia Khateeb SILAA set for theatrical release in 2026 Did our AI summary help? Munawar Faruqui postpones Bengaluru show due to traffic restrictions amid Hindu outfit objection rumours Munawar Faruquis Bengaluru stand-up show came under scrutiny after a Hindu organisation allegedly sought police permission denial, citing law and order concerns linked to his past controversies. However, the comedian clarified that the show has only been postponed due to traffic restrictions near the venue caused by an IPL match, not cancelled. Munawar Faruqui landed in another controversy Hindu group urges Bengaluru police to cancel Munawar's show Concerns raised over possible protests and law and order issues Complaint filed against Munawar for his show 'Hafta Wasooli' Did our AI summary help? Malayalam TV actor Siddharth Venugopal dies at 41 after battling cancer; Seema G Nair, Kishor Sathya pay tribute Malayalam TV actor Siddharth Venugopal has passed away at the age of 41 after battling cancer. His death has left fans and colleagues in shock, with several industry members paying heartfelt tributes. Gayatri Rani April 18, 2026 / 12:29 IST Siddharth Venugopal passed away Malayalam TV actor Siddharth Venugopal dies at 41 He battled cancer for two years before his passing Colleagues and fans mourn his loss on social media Did our AI summary help? Sydney Sweeney makes relationship with Scooter Braun Instagram official? Duo spark buzz after latest pic Sydney Sweeney shares a cosy Instagram photo with Scooter Braun, sparking dating rumours, while the actress opens up about her struggles with dating after her recent breakup. The actress shared a picture of herself with Scooter on her Instagram Story, making waves among his fans online. Sydney Sweeney posts cozy photo with Scooter Braun on Instagram Romance rumors grow after multiple public outings together Neither Sweeney nor Braun has officially confirmed the romance Did our AI summary help? Unni Mukundhan lashes out at a controversial Vishu poster, says 'everything has a limit' Unni Mukundan has reacted strongly to the Vishu poster controversy, urging people to respect religious sentiments and maintain limits on creative expression. As backlash grows, his comments have added to the wider debate on freedom of speech versus cultural sensitivity. Unni Mukundhan slams viral Vishu poster Unni Mukundan urges respect amid Vishu poster controversy He stresses limits on creative expression regarding faith Debate grows over freedom of speech versus cultural sensitivity Did our AI summary help? Interview: Hainan seen as emerging node in China-ASEAN supply chains, says Singapore business group chief Xinhua) 14:26, April 18, 2026 SINGAPORE, April 17 (Xinhua) -- The Hainan Free Trade Port is emerging as a potential node in China-ASEAN supply chains and a gateway into China, as Singapore companies explore new operating models amid global trade fragmentation, Kok Ping Soon, chief executive officer of the Singapore Business Federation (SBF), told Xinhua in a recent interview. The SBF recently led a business mission to Haikou, Hainan, alongside the sixth China International Consumer Products Expo, bringing together companies from sectors such as consumer, retail, e-commerce and lifestyle. Kok said the expo provides a platform that brings together brands, distributors and platforms. "For many companies, it is a starting point to test the market, build relationships and identify viable channels." In a fragmented global trade environment, businesses are reorganizing supply chains rather than simply expanding markets, with a focus on resilience, cost discipline and speed to market, Kok said. "For Singapore businesses, free trade zones like Hainan can play a constructive role by simplifying cross-border processes and creating clearer operating conditions," he said. According to Kok, Singapore will continue to serve as a base for regional headquarters, financing and coordination, anchoring high-value trade and maritime services, while Hainan is emerging as a node in the China-ASEAN corridor and a gateway into China. "These roles are largely complementary," Kok said. For trade and logistics companies, operational efficiency remains central. "What matters is how efficiently goods can move, how quickly they can clear, and how predictable the process is," he said. Connectivity is key. Kok said new direct links, such as routes connecting Southeast Asia to Yangpu Port in Hainan, could strengthen feeder networks and improve supply chain resilience over time. Some companies also see Hainan as "a controlled entry point into China," allowing them to test demand and refine operating models before scaling up, he added. "In practical terms, businesses will look at where to place inventory, how to structure processing, and how to connect Hainan to existing shipping and distribution routes," Kok said. "These decisions are driven by cost, speed and reliability. If Hainan can deliver on these fronts, companies will commit with certainty." Kok said the most immediate opportunities are in sectors where Hainan is already gaining momentum, including consumer markets, modern services, logistics and urban solutions. On policy, recent special customs arrangements have provided greater clarity, Kok said. Measures such as tariff exemptions, a 15 percent corporate tax rate and cross-border capital facilitation are "all relevant because they directly affect how a business is structured." "Over time, Hainan can become a useful part of how Singapore companies engage China, particularly as an additional node within a broader network," Kok said. "The approach will be steady. Companies will start with focused activities, build confidence and expand where it makes commercial sense." (Web editor: Zhao Tong, Wu Chaolan) PARIS, April 18 (Xinhua) -- A French soldier was killed and three others wounded in an attack on the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) in southern Lebanon on Saturday, French President Emmanuel Macron said. The deceased served with the 17th Parachute Engineer Regiment, and the three wounded have been evacuated, Macron said on social media X. "The nation bows with respect and extends its support to the families of our soldiers and to all our military personnel committed to peace in Lebanon," Macron said. All indications suggest that Hezbollah is responsible for the attack, the French president added. France demands that the Lebanese authorities immediately arrest the perpetrators and assume their responsibilities alongside UNIFIL, Macron stressed. Urvashi Dholakia slams Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah producer Asit Kumarr Modi over construction work at midnight; calls it a horror Urvashi turned to social media to post an open letter, emphasising the disruption purportedly caused by construction at a site associated with Asit Kumarr Modi, the producer of Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah. Urvashi Dholakia reacts to construction near her house Urvashi Dholakia slams late-night construction in Juhu She urges officials to enforce rules and reduce noise pollution Dholakia says police did not respond to her emergency calls Did our AI summary help? Zareen Khan pens emotional note for mother 10 days after her passing: "Theres a constant ache and emptiness..." Zareen Khan shared an emotional note remembering her mother, Parveen Khan, ten days after her passing, expressing a deep sense of loss and emptiness. The actress also posted a heartfelt video tribute, recalling cherished memories with her mother. Gayatri Rani April 18, 2026 / 13:11 IST Zareen Khan pays tribute to her mother Zareen Khan mourns her mother's death, shares emotional tribute Her mother Parveen Khan passed away on April 8, 2026 Zareen is currently on a break from acting projects Did our AI summary help? The pool will ensure Indian trade continues to have access to affordable insurance for vessels carrying cargo from any international origin to Indian ports and vice versa, even when transiting volatile maritime corridors. (Representative photo) Did our AI summary help? Lenskart releases inclusive dress code after employee allegations over religious symbols The controversy was triggered when a user on X shared what was described as an internal Lenskart style guide that reportedly permitted black hijabs but made no provision for religious tilak, tikka, or bindi. . Lenskart issues in-store style guide after bias allegations New guidelines allow all religious and cultural symbols at work Company apologizes, pledges inclusive and transparent policies Did our AI summary help? One Indian vessel crosses Strait of Hormuz, 4 others turn back as IRGC opens fire Oil tanker Desh Garima appeared to have successfully crossed the Strait on Saturday, ship tracking data showed. PTI April 18, 2026 / 21:13 IST Representative image One Indian tanker crossed the Strait of Hormuz amid tensions Four India-flagged ships turn back after Iran warning India protests Iran after reported firing on its ships Did our AI summary help? Separatist Shabir Shah arrested in terror related case, send to 10-day NIA remand Separatist leader Shabir Ahmad Shah was arrested by the Srinagar branch of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Friday in the 1996 case involving a terrorist attack on policemen during a militant's funeral, and was produced before the Patiala House Court in Delhi which allowed a three-day transit remand. PTI April 18, 2026 / 18:23 IST MC Interview: India has AI talent but lacks breakout ideas, says Y Combinator's Jared Friedman Indian government makes it very challenging for US-based investors to fund Indian entities. It's a problem for all the US-based investors, Friedman told Moneycontrol, explaining why Y Combinator asks startups to be headquartered in the US. Jared Friedman, Partner and Managing Director, Y Combinator Invite your friends and family to sign up for MC Tech 3, our daily newsletter that breaks down the biggest tech and startup stories of the day Chandra R Srikanth is Editor- Tech, Startups, and New Economy Allahabad HC withholds FIR order in Rahul Gandhi dual citizenship case: 'Prospective accused must be heard' The bench led by Justice Subhash Vidyarthi chose to withhold the final order, even though its operative portion had already been pronounced in open court a day earlier. Allahabad High Court Allahabad High Court pauses FIR order against Rahul Gandhi Court says Gandhi must be heard before any final decision Next hearing on the dual citizenship case set for April 20 Did our AI summary help? Chhattisgarh Vedanta power plant blast: Death toll climbs to 23 Police have registered an FIR under sections related to causing death by negligence and negligent conduct with machinery. PTI April 18, 2026 / 18:03 IST (File image) Vedanta plant blast death toll rises to 23, 12 still hospitalized FIR against Vedanta chief; probe ordered into incident Preliminary probe blames fuel buildup for the deadly explosion Did our AI summary help? BEIRUT, April 18 (Xinhua) -- Standing before the remains of his home, Hamad Abdallah could hardly recognize anything that had once been familiar. "Everything has changed here. We no longer know our streets or even the boundaries of our land," said the man in his 30s as he walked into the eastern edge of Khiam, a town in southern Lebanon, where large parts remain inaccessible despite a recent ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon. Abdallah said he walked on foot to his house near the town's entrance, only to find it severely damaged and uninhabitable. "I grabbed a few belongings and left quickly and quietly," he added. His experience mirrors that of thousands of displaced residents who began cautiously returning to wide areas of southern Lebanon early Friday, after the 10-day ceasefire took effect at midnight between Thursday and Friday. The homecoming took place in a fragile atmosphere, where relief was tempered by uncertainty and hopes of returning collided with the widespread destruction left by weeks of fighting. Traffic crawled along the main roads heading south, particularly the corridors of Sidon, Nabatieh, Marjayoun and Tyre. Vehicle lines stretched for kilometers, many hastily loaded with mattresses, blankets, and personal belongings, signaling a tentative return. Returnee convoys mingled with relief trucks, while units of the Lebanese army and civil defense began repairing damaged bridges, reopening roads, and assessing the destruction. Several routes turned into severe bottlenecks, especially at the entrances to Nabatieh and roads leading to Marjayoun and Tyre. At Nabatieh, Rana Nasrallah stood before her former home, now reduced to rubble. "I built this house with my husband after years of working abroad in Canada. I returned today exhausted, to start a new life here," she said. "Nothing is left of a lifetime's work except memories." Nearby, Fatima Mehio sat with her three children in front of their damaged home, running her hand along a cracked wall. "We thank God the house is still there, but it is not livable," she said, before heading back for a shelter in Mount Lebanon's Chouf region. In Marjayoun district, families returned to inspect homes in some of the hardest-hit villages such as Blat, Dibbin, and Borghoz, only to find their houses nearly flattened. "We only came to see what happened, not to stay," said Abdo Daher from Dibbin. In Bint Jbeil district, returning to many villages remains impossible, as Israeli forces are still in or around them. "Returning to frontline villages is extremely dangerous, even impossible for now," said Jalal Sheet. "We have to wait for developments on the ground, especially political ones." Thousands of displaced residents were also unable to reach their hometowns along the border strip stretching from Naqoura in the west to Khiam in the east, including Aita al-Shaab, Mays al-Jabal, Kfar Kila, Houla, and Markaba. "People stood at a distance, watching their homes in silence, while entire neighborhoods seemed almost erased," said Jamal Alwan from Markaba. 'Congress, its allies are continuously lying on delimitation': PM Modi in Address to Nation PM Modi alleged that Congress has "learned the politics of divide and rule from the British as its heritage" and is functioning on the same idea even today. Modi accuses Congress of lying about Delimitation Bill He said women's reservation was blocked by opposition parties The bill aimed to raise Lok Sabha seats with 33 percent for women Did our AI summary help? 'Daughter being framed, conspiracy to save godman': Father of Nida Khan accused in TCS Nashik case The family said the allegations have caused Nida Khan and her husband distress as they are expecting their first child. Nida Khan is suspected of failing to act on multiple complaints submitted by women employees. Nida Khans family rejects harassment, conversion claims Police have arrested eight people; nine FIRs registered so far Family claims accusations are politically motivated and baseless Did our AI summary help? Defeat of Constitution Amendment Bill betrayal of nation's woman power, says UP CM Yogi Adityanath The amendment bill to implement 33 per cent reservation for women in legislatures by 2029 and increase the number of Lok Sabha seats to 816 was defeated on Friday. PTI April 18, 2026 / 18:26 IST UP CM Yogi Adityanath Bill for 33 percent women's reservation in legislatures defeated Lok Sabha seats were to increase from 543 to 816 under the bill Yogi Adityanath calls defeat a betrayal of women's rights Did our AI summary help? Diplomacy amidst conflict: Ukraine's security chief meets NSA Ajit Doval to discuss regional stability The meeting, taking place against the backdrop of the protracted Russia-Ukraine conflict, served as a platform for both nations to review their bilateral cooperation and address urgent geopolitical concerns ANI April 18, 2026 / 07:55 IST The two sides reviewed bilateral relations and discussed the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict 'Distress, not national address': Congress targets PM Modi's speech on womens quota PM Modi's attempts to invoke the legacy of the Constitution-makers only induce a "revulsion at his dishonesty", Jairam said. PTI April 18, 2026 / 22:11 IST PM Modi addressed the nation on Saturday Congress calls PM Modi's speech a "distress address" Congress challenges PM to implement women's reservation now Women's quota amendment bill defeated in Lok Sabha Did our AI summary help? DMK bets on anti-delimitation pitch to consolidate support ahead of Tamil Nadu polls The delimitation proposal has provided the DMK another opportunity to frame the contest as one between southern interests and northern dominance. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and DMK supremo Stalin has been one of the leaders vehemently opposing the delimitation exercise linked to the women's reservation Bill. DMK opposes Centre's delimitation, citing southern disadvantage Party seeks to use the issue to boost support before state polls Debate remains limited, with local issues dominating campaigns Did our AI summary help? From demonetisation to Op Sindoor: A look at PM Modi's past addresses to the nation ahead of prime-time speech on women's reservation The Prime Ministers remarks are expected amid an intensifying political debate over womens representation. Prime Minister Narendra Modi. PM Modi to address nation after women's reservation Bill fails Bill to expand LS seats, tie reservation to delimitation Modi has previously addressed nation on key policy decisions Did our AI summary help? While several opinion polls suggest that the TMC may retain an edge due to welfare outreach and Mamata Banerjees leadership, the BJPs focus on identity issues, governance concerns, and anti-incumbency has made the contest highly competitive Aditya Anand, key conspirator in Noida labour violence, arrested from Tamil Nadu Police believe Anand played a central role in provoking workers by delivering inflammatory speeches during the protests. Aditya Anand (right), the key conspirator in the Noida violence case. Aditya Anand, key Noida unrest accused, arrested in Tamil Nadu He changed appearance to evade arrest; Rs 1 lakh reward announced Over 80 WhatsApp groups used to incite violence, say police Did our AI summary help? 'No one would call me anti women', Tharoor says as he shares pic with 'charming' Kiren Rijiju amid Women Reservation Bill row The remarks come amid a political face-off following the defeat of the womens reservation bill, which aimed to introduce 33 per cent reservation for women in legislatures starting 2029. HAIKOU, April 18 (Xinhua) -- The sixth China International Consumer Products Expo (CICPE), the first major international event since the start of island-wide special customs operations in Hainan Free Trade Port (FTP), drew record-breaking international participation this week. At this year's expo, international products made up 65 percent of the total, with over 3,400 brands from more than 60 countries and regions taking part, as revealed by data released in the latest episode of China Economic Roundtable, an all-media talk show hosted by Xinhua News Agency. According to Zeng Rong, chief economist of the Hainan provincial bureau of international economic development, about 70 percent of the yachts displayed at the expo's sub-venue in Sanya in Hainan were from international brands. At CICPE 2026, many leading Multi Channel Networks agencies and top e-commerce platforms carried out on-site sourcing and live-streaming sales. To facilitate the sale of exhibits, a buyer service center was set up for the first time, tapping into the FTP's preferential policies. "Through the expo, we aim to bring quality products from across the globe to China and attract more international brands for their world debuts here," Zeng said. Beyond the buyer service center, local customs authorities rolled out 16 supportive measures for this expo, covering exhibit clearance, regulatory services and streamlined procedures. An upgraded departure tax refund policy was also unveiled for overseas visitors. "Institutional mechanisms supporting the CICPE have been continuously improving, bolstered by Hainan FTP via its deepening reforms," said Kuang Xianming, vice president of the China Institute for Reform and Development. The expo's effectiveness will be further amplified as Hainan widens its opening up, Kuang noted, adding that the Hainan FTP "holds vast development potential and promising prospects." The Hainan FTP launched its island-wide special customs operations in December 2025, allowing goods to flow freely on the island. In the 100 days since, the port has exempted 271 million yuan (roughly 39.5 million U.S. dollars) in tariffs on imports and added 70,100 new businesses, while registration of foreign enterprises rose 30 percent, local customs said. 'Opposition committed foeticide of honest effort': PM Modi's top quotes on women's quota bill For so many years, parties like Congress, SP, TMC, and DMK have been making the same excuses, repeatedly raising technical objections to delay and derail the process, says PM Modi. Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the nation on Saturday PM Modi blames Opposition for defeat of Women's Reservation Bill He accuses Congress, DMK, TMC, SP of blocking women's empowerment Bill aimed to give, not take away, says PM Modi Did our AI summary help? Opposition 'crushed women's dreams' by blocking reservation bill: PM Narendra Modi Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the bill was aimed at giving wings to women's empowerment without taking anything away from anyone. Prime Minister Narendra Modi (file image) PM Modi blames opposition for blocking women's reservation bill He accuses Congress, DMK, TMC of crushing women's dreams Modi says bill aimed to empower women with 33 percent reservation Did our AI summary help? PM Modi, Amit Shah lied to nation on Women's Bill, tried replicating 'Assam, JK' model, alleges Rahul Gandhi in TN Hidden behind such a claim was a "diabolic idea" of bid to change the nation's electoral map and weaken states, said Rahul Gandhi. PTI April 18, 2026 / 15:37 IST Rahul Gandhi Rahul Gandhi: Modi, Shah hiding true intent of quota bill Claims BJP aims to change electoral map, weaken smaller states Opposition blocked BJP's alleged plan in Parliament Did our AI summary help? PM Modi lists reforms opposed by Congress, cites a 'consistent pattern' For Viksit Bharat in the 21st century, whatever decisions and reforms are necessary, whatever steps the country is taking, Congress opposes all of them, rejects them, and creates obstacles in their implementation, says PM Modi. Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his televised address to the nation on Saturday launched a sharp attack on Opposition parties PM Modi blames Congress for opposing key reforms and initiatives He accuses Congress of delaying women's reservation bill PM assures commitment to passing the women's reservation bill Did our AI summary help? PM Modi slams Opposition after womens quota bill defeat in LS, says 'they will have to pay a price' The remarks were made at a Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) meeting held at Parliament House in Delhi Prime Minister Narendra Modi Modi slams opposition for stalling womens quota bill 33% womens quota bill in legislatures fails in Lok Sabha Congress hails bills defeat as win for Constitution, opposition Did our AI summary help? Priyanka Gandhi sharpens attack on govt after womens quota bill fails Lok Sabha test: 'Black day for Centre' The government's attempt to alter the federal structure and weaken democracy was defeated and stopped, said Priyanka Gandhi on Saturday Priyanka Gandhi Vadra Sheikh Hasina's extradition request by Bangladesh under 'judicial and legal process' Hasina, 78, has been living in India after she fled Dhaka following the collapse of her government in August, 2024 in the face of a massive anti-government agitation. Former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. Tamil Nadu polls 2026: Can MK Stalin secure another term as chief minister? Stalin, who came to power in 2021 after ending a decade of AIADMK rule, has built his campaign around welfare delivery and governance Tamil Nadu chief minister MK Stalin Pre-poll surveys show DMK alliance leading in Tamil Nadu polls Stalin seen as most preferred CM candidate in multiple surveys Election on April 23, results to be announced May 4 Did our AI summary help? Women may forget many things, but they never forget their humiliation, says PM Modi on quota bill I apologise to all the mothers and sisters of the country, PM Modi stated, blaming what he described as selfish political interests for derailing the legislation. Prime Minister Narendra Modi PM Modi blames opposition for blocking women's reservation bill He calls the bill's defeat a betrayal of Indian women Modi accuses Congress, DMK, SP, TMC of delaying women's rights Did our AI summary help? 'Women's Power Bill could not pass in Parliament, I apologize to all mothers and sisters': PM Modi in Address to Nation PM Modi said crores of women across the country had their eyes on Parliament yesterday and noted that while nation's interest in paramount for BJP-led NDA, for some people self-interest becomes everything. . PM Modi apologized for failure to pass Women's Reservation Bill He blamed opposition parties for blocking the bill in Lok Sabha The bill proposed 33 percent reservation for women in Lok Sabha Did our AI summary help? This photo shows the inauguration ceremony of Airbus' second Final Assembly Line (FAL) for A320 family aircraft in Tianjin, north China, Oct. 22, 2025. (Xinhua/Sun Fanyue) XI'AN, April 18 (Xinhua) -- In an increasingly uncertain global economy, many multinational companies are still choosing to deepen their presence in China. They are attracted by a combination that remains difficult to match: a well-developed industrial chain, a vast market and a stable policy environment that continues to support foreign investment. It also shows why companies long-established in China are not merely staying put, but expanding, localizing and, in some cases, using the country as a base to serve other markets. Their investments are becoming more closely tied to local industrial chains, with effects visible in areas from smart farming equipment and cold-chain logistics to semiconductors and aircraft assembly. In Yangling, an agricultural hub in northwest China's Shaanxi Province often described as the country's "agri-science city," Canada-based McCain Foods operates a production line capable of turning out 100,000 tonnes of French fries and other potato products a year. The 200-million-U.S. dollar facility began operations in 2023. "We named it SUDU, the Chinese pinyin for 'speed,' to highlight how efficiently the project was brought to fruition, thanks to the favorable local business climate," said Sherry Duan, Head of Legal & External Affairs of McCain China. This year marks McCain's 30th anniversary in China. The company opened its first Asian French-fries factory in Harbin, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, in 2005. Since then, it has built a relatively complete chain in China, spanning cultivation, processing and distribution. According to a company report, McCain has worked with local farmers to develop more than 1 million mu (about 66,667 hectares) of high-standard potato farms and created more than 100,000 jobs. For McCain, China is not simply a sales market. It is a place where an agricultural supply chain can be built out at scale. Pierre Danet, regional president of Asia Pacific and South Africa at McCain, said the firm would continue to act as a bridge for China-Canada cooperation through agricultural trade, technological exchange and sustainable development, while contributing to China's agricultural modernization. The local government expects the Yangling project to do more than add output. Zhang Huiya, deputy director of the Investment Promotion Bureau of the Yangling Agricultural Hi-tech Industrial Demonstration Zone, said it could help attract related businesses in cold storage, potato-product research and development, and smart farming equipment. The project is also expected to support potato-breeding research in collaboration with Northwest A&F University, with the longer-term aim of fostering a potato industry cluster in Shaanxi. McCain's trajectory reflects a broader pattern. For multinationals that have spent years, and in some cases decades, building operations in China, the country's appeal lies in its combination of industrial depth, market scale and policy stability. Robin Xing, chief economist at Morgan Stanley China, noted that China's ability to integrate industrial chains is almost irreplaceable globally. Even amid a less favorable external environment, he argued, the size of the market and the stability of the business environment continue to support foreign firms operating in the country. Recent data suggest much the same. According to China's Ministry of Commerce, 8,631 new foreign-invested enterprises were established nationwide in the first two months of 2026, up 14 percent year on year. Actual use of foreign investment in high-tech industries rose 20.4 percent to 63.21 billion yuan (about 9.21 billion U.S. dollars). Such strengths are particularly difficult to match in industries that depend on scale, dense supplier networks and tightly integrated production ecosystems. In 2012, Samsung Electronics established its only overseas memory-chip fab in Xi'an Hi-tech Industries Development Zone. The facility now accounts for about 40 percent of the company's NAND flash output. Last year Samsung invested 465.4 billion won, or about 313.72 million U.S. dollars, in the Xi'an plant, up 67.5 percent from a year earlier. The investment has helped anchor a wider semiconductor ecosystem. Ren Junfeng, deputy director of the development zone's management committee, said the zone had attracted more than 40 Korean-funded enterprises since 2010, with cumulative investment exceeding 32 billion U.S. dollars. Around Samsung, a semiconductor cluster encompassing design, manufacturing, packaging, testing, materials and equipment has taken shape. Such cases show that for foreign investors, China now offers not only market access, but also participation in a broader industrial and innovation ecosystem. The country has continued to ease restrictions on foreign investment, with market access limits in the manufacturing sector now fully removed. According to the outline of China's 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-2030) for national economic and social development, China will further expand opening up, especially in services, improve support and protection for foreign investors, and encourage foreign firms to establish regional headquarters, research centers and make further domestic reinvestment. The deepening presence can also create a spillover effect that extends beyond China. In the northern Chinese port city of Tianjin, Airbus inaugurated a second Final Assembly Line for A320 family aircraft in China last October, the second such line in both China and Asia as a whole. This suggests something larger than a market entry story. For some multinationals, China is becoming not just a destination for capital, but part of their global production architecture. Which is why, despite the noise surrounding global uncertainty, many foreign firms do not appear to be stepping back from China. They are digging in more deeply. This undated file photo shows a view of Xi'an Hi-tech Industries Development Zone in Xi'an, northwest China's Shaanxi Province. (Xinhua) 'Be careful who...': Woman throws Rs 1.5 crore cash from high-rise apartment, residents rush to collect A video of a woman has gone viral on social media showing her throwing large amounts of cash from a high-rise building, which led to chaos as people rushed to collect the money. Street office said an official announcement will be made soon. (Image credit: X) Woman in Shantou threw $162,000 from balcony after argument Crowds rushed to collect cash; police and officials intervened Some money returned; investigation by local authorities underway Did our AI summary help? 'Given a chance...': Techie unhappy with Rs 1.5 cr salary due to high taxes, moves to Dubai for Rs 1.4 cr package An IIT graduate earning a Rs 1.5 crore package in India decided to move to Dubai after realising his in hand salary dropped significantly due to high taxes and rising living costs. Man earning Rs1.5 crore CTC gets around RS 90 lakh in hand after taxes. (Image credit: Reuters/Pexels) IIT grad relocates to Dubai for low taxes, better lifestyle High Indian taxes and costs push skilled workers to move abroad Debate grows on migration of Indian professionals for better life Did our AI summary help? Failed IIT, cracked Google, landed Rs 1.7 crore Meta job in London: How this man turned setback into success Failing IIT left Amit Dutta feeling stuck while his peers moved ahead. But his decision to focus on skills over status took him from an unheard-of college to Google, and finally to a Rs 1.7 crore Meta role in London. You are already a Moneycontrol Pro user. OK Retired clerk, 66, delivers for Blinkit by choice, clocks over 10,000 orders to fund travel dreams: 'Amazed' Dinesh Mahant Thakordas, a former clerk who spent 26 years working with a life insurance company, had already built what many would consider a secure and stable life. He raised three children, all of whom are now settled, and has no immediate financial obligations. Speaking about his approach to life, Dinesh Mahant Thakordas said, 'Experience is the greatest school master.' 'This is ridiculous': Family buries Mercedes-Benz as funeral offering, triggers backlash A video of a Mercedes-Benz went viral after it was buried as a funerary offering during a village funeral, sparking outrage over environmental damage and legal concerns. The clip showed an excavator lifting a car near a tombstone during the ritual. (Image credit: bilibili.com) Family buries Mercedes-Benz as funeral gift in Liaoning, China Authorities reprimand family for illegal burial and superstition Incident sparks social media debate over wealth and environment Did our AI summary help? Why job hunting is difficult in Europe? Indian man living in Paris shares reality: 'No placements...' Finding a job in Europe is nothing like India, and an Indian man living in Paris is making sure students know it. His viral video breaks down why networking, not qualifications alone, determines your success abroad. Invite your friends and family to sign up for MC Tech 3, our daily newsletter that breaks down the biggest tech and startup stories of the day 'Book an appointment with a qualified psychiatrist': Iranian embassy on Trump's war victory remarks Responding to Trump's victory claims, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf on Friday sharply criticised Donald Trump, accusing him of making misleading claims. US President Donald Trump. Egypt FM says hopes for Iran-US peace deal 'in the coming days' "We hope to do so (reach an agreement) in the coming days," Badr Abdelatty said, noting that "not only us in the region, but the whole world is suffering from the continuation of this war". AFP April 18, 2026 / 15:54 IST Iran's military declared the Strait of Hormuz closed again on Saturday, its military command said, hours after reopening it and with more than a dozen commercial ships passing through the vital waterway. Egypt and Pakistan mediate US-Iran talks for a final agreement Iran briefly closed the Strait of Hormuz amid US naval blockade Ships crossed the strait; some reversed course amid uncertainty Did our AI summary help? This photo taken on April 18, 2026 shows an inauguration ceremony of the Max Planck-Chinese Academy of Sciences Center for Synthetic Biochemistry in Shenzhen, south China's Guangdong Province. The Max Planck-Chinese Academy of Sciences Center for Synthetic Biochemistry was officially inaugurated in South China's Shenzhen on Saturday, marking the first collaborative research initiative between the Max Planck Society (MPG) from Germany and the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) dedicated specifically to the field of synthetic biology.(Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology/Handout via Xinhua) SHENZHEN, April 18 (Xinhua) -- The Max Planck-Chinese Academy of Sciences Center for Synthetic Biochemistry was officially inaugurated in South China's Shenzhen on Saturday, marking the first collaborative research initiative between the Max Planck Society (MPG) from Germany and the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) dedicated specifically to the field of synthetic biology. The center, co-established by the Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology (SIAT) of CAS and Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, is an important measure to steadily expand international cooperation in cutting-edge life sciences and will further advance frontier exploration and talent cultivation in synthetic biotechnology. Liu Chenli, director of SIAT and co-director of the new center, stated that the establishment of the center demonstrates a brand-new transformation in international cooperation -- an upgrade from project-based bilateral cooperation to institutionalized multilateral cooperation. "It is envisioned as a world-class collaborative platform where scientists can work together on innovative research to address shared challenges in synthetic biology and biomanufacturing," he added. "Shenzhen embodies openness, innovation, and transformation on a global scale," said Patrick Cramer, president of the MPG, "I hope this new center will become a vivid example of the very best in Sino-German scientific cooperation -- a place where outstanding science thrives and young researchers flourish." French UN peacekeeper killed, three injured in south Lebanon, probe ordered; Macron blames Hezbollah UNIFIL said its peacekeepers came under small-arms fire in southern Lebanon, leaving one dead and three injured while clearing explosives near a UN outpost. UN peacekeeper killed in Lebanon attack; Macron blames Hezbollah as probe ordered (Image: Reuters) French UN peacekeeper killed, three injured in Lebanon attack Lebanese leaders condemn attack, pledge to prosecute attackers UNIFIL suspects non-state actors, possibly Hezbollah, in shooting Did our AI summary help? Gunfire, chaos erupts in Strait of Hormuz after Trump claimed Iran deal is imminent The Islamic Republic on Saturday broadcast to ships that the waterway was closed to maritime traffic, and one supertanker reported gunfire, according to owners of vessels in the area who asked not to be identified because of the security situation. Donald Trump speaks to members of the media aboard Air Force One, on April 17. Photographer: Win McNamee/Getty Images Iran curbs Strait of Hormuz traffic amid US naval blockade Oil falls on US-Iran deal hopes, but peace remains uncertain Talks continue but US blockade and tensions persist in the region Did our AI summary help? Gunfire near Hormuz: Indian-flagged ship says 'you gave me clearance to go, let me turn back' in distress audio Though the incidents triggered alarm, officials confirmed there were no injuries or damage to the ships. Indian officials, quoted by CNN-News18, suggested the vessels may have been caught in general small arms fire in the area. Two Indian ships reported gunfire near the Strait of Hormuz. No injuries or damage were reported after the incident. India summoned Iran's ambassador over concerns for ship safety. Did our AI summary help? At least 5 killed in Kyiv shooting, gunman shot dead during arrest A gunman opened fire in Ukraines capital Kyiv on Saturday, leaving several people dead, according to Mayor Vitali Klitschko, as police launched a major operation to detain the suspect. Gunman opens fire in Kyiv, leaving several dead Israel and Lebanon agreed to a 10-day ceasefire on Thursday in order to negotiate an end to six weeks of war between Israel and the Iran-backed group Hezbollah. India issues statement voicing deep concern over firing incident involving Indian ships in Strait of Hormuz The Iranian Ambassador, according to the statement, undertook to convey these views to the Iranian authorities. India issues statement voicing deep concern over firing incident involving Indian ships in Strait of Hormuz India summoned Iran's envoy after firing on two Indian ships India urged Iran to ensure safety of maritime traffic in Hormuz Incident sparks security fears on vital global shipping lane Did our AI summary help? Iran refuses second round of US talks, tensions rise over Strait of Hormuz Speaking about the possibility of a new round of talks with the US, Khatibzadeh said discussions cannot move forward until both sides agree on a common framework. Until we reach an understanding on the framework, we cannot fix a date, rans deputy foreign minister Saeed Khatibzadeh explained, stressing that any eventual agreement must uphold Irans standing under international law. Iran refuses second round of US talks, citing high US demands Iran tightens grip on Strait of Hormuz as tensions rise Six Iranian airports resume flights as maritime tensions persist Did our AI summary help? The reopening of parts of Iranian airspace, particularly in the east, comes as a fragile ceasefire holds in the broader conflict involving the United States and Israel. (AP/File photo) Iran's supreme leader says 'valiant navy ready to inflict new bitter defeats on enemies' as talks with US stalled Speaking on the sidelines of a diplomatic forum in Antalya, Saeed Khatibzadeh said there is still no timeline for a second round of talks between Tehran and Washington. The supreme leader praised recent military actions, highlighting drone strikes that targeted Israel and US-linked interests across the region during the ongoing conflict. Iran reimposes restrictions in the Strait of Hormuz Tehran praises recent drone strikes on Israel and US interests Diplomatic talks with the US remain stalled, no timeline set Did our AI summary help? Iran says it is reviewing new US proposals delivered via Pakistani mediation Iran said it is reviewing new US proposals delivered through Pakistani mediation and has not yet issued a response, according to its security council. Iran says it is reviewing new US proposals delivered via Pakistani mediation and has not yet issued a response TEHRAN, April 18 (Xinhua) -- Iran's main military command, Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, announced on Saturday the resumption of strict control over the Strait of Hormuz due to the continued U.S. blockade of the waterway, according to the semi-official Tasnim news agency. Ebrahim Zolfaghari, the headquarters' spokesman, said Iran had agreed to the passage of a limited number of oil tankers and commercial vessels through the Strait of Hormuz in a managed manner with goodwill, in line with earlier peace negotiation agreements reached in Pakistan. "However, the United States, with its track record of frequent breaking of its promises, is still continuing its banditry and piracy under the so-called title of (naval) blockade," Zolfaghari said. The strait's control has therefore "returned to its previous state, and this strategic strait is under the strict management and control by the (Iranian) armed forces," he added. He stressed that Iran will maintain strict control of the strait until the United States ends its naval blockade aimed at preventing ships traveling to and from Iranian ports from transiting the Strait of Hormuz. Iran tightened its grip on the strait beginning Feb. 28, barring passage of vessels belonging to or affiliated with Israel and the United States following joint strikes on Iranian territory. The United States subsequently imposed its own blockade on the waterway after peace negotiations in Islamabad collapsed. On Friday, Iran's Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi said the Strait of Hormuz would remain "completely open" to commercial shipping for the duration of the current two-week truce between Iran and the United States, which took effect on April 8, in line with the announcement of the ceasefire in Lebanon. Iran slams Trumps false claims, warns Hormuz will not stay open Ghalibaf said Trump had made 'seven claims in one hour, all seven of which were false' Ghalibaf also warned that the Strait of Hormuz a vital route for global oil shipments would not remain freely open if the current blockade of Iranian ports continues Iran's speaker accuses Trump of making false claims on tensions Ghalibaf warns Strait of Hormuz may close if blockade continues Iran insists vessels must follow new rules in the vital waterway Did our AI summary help? Iraq to resume all oil exports within days as Iran rejects second round of talks with US It is reported that Iran is unwilling to engage in prolonged discussions without tangible outcomes, stressing that Tehran does not want talks that drag on without results. According to Iraqs Oil Ministry, preparations are already underway to resume exports. Iraq to resume oil exports from all fields within days Supertanker loads first Basra crude since corridor reopens Iran warns US, says Hormuz Strait under tight control Did our AI summary help? Is Israel still bombing Lebanon despite Trumps enough is enough warning? Israeli forces are reported to be demolishing homes in southern Lebanon despite a ceasefire, even as Donald Trump says such strikes are prohibited by the US. Israel still bombing Lebanon despite Trumps enough is enough warning In a later clarification to Axios, a US official reiterated that while offensive operations are restricted, Israel retains the right to respond to threats in self-defence Lights in VIP block, blackout in OT: Surgeon exposes Pakistan power crisis contrast A viral video from a Lahore hospital has sparked concern after a surgeon alleged surgeries were disrupted due to power failure, as Pakistan continues to face widespread electricity shortages. Pakistan faces power crisis as surgeon claims surgeries disrupted amid outages (Image: X) LNG ships move toward Strait of Hormuz as Iran gives mixed signals State-run Nour News said on Saturday that the waterway was under strict management and control by the armed forces but stopped short of explicitly saying the strait had been closed once again. (File image) Five Qatari LNG tankers head for Strait of Hormuz amid tensions No LNG shipments exited Gulf since US-Israel strikes on Iran Hormuz closure impacts one-fifth of global LNG supply and prices Did our AI summary help? Marine traffic shows mixed movement in Strait of Hormuz amid reopening confusion Strait of Hormuz remains in flux despite reopening claims, with tankers showing mixed movement, turning back, idling near Irans Qeshm Island, and facing conflicting navigation warnings amid ongoing US-Iran tensions. Greek, Indian Tankers U-Turn Before Hormuz Amid Reopening Doubt uncertainty continues to cloud maritime activity in the Strait of Hormuz Not in my interest at all: Pope Leo XIV says he wont debate Trump, will keep preaching peace Pope Leo XIV says it is not in my interest at all to debate Donald Trump, as he addresses tensions sparked by criticism of his remarks on the ongoing conflict. Pope Leo XIV rejects Trump debate, says focus remains on peace amid Iran war tensions Pope Leo XIV declines public debate with President Trump on Iran Pope says his peace message is not aimed at any political leader Vatican stresses calls for peace apply to all global conflicts Did our AI summary help? Pakistan's Shehbaz Sharif, Asim Munir return after Iran diplomacy push as Hormuz tensions cloud peace talks Irans military announced the closure of the strategic waterway once again on Saturday, only hours after briefly reopening it. Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif and military chief Asim Munir (File photo) Pakistan leaders push for Iran conflict talks, urge de-escalation Strait of Hormuz briefly closed, raising global shipping concerns US-Iran talks ongoing, but tensions remain high in the region Did our AI summary help? TEHRAN, April 18 (Xinhua) -- Iran's Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei said on Saturday the country's "brave" navy is ready to inflict "new bitter defeats" on the United States and Israel, according to the official news agency IRNA. He made the remarks in a message on the occasion of Iran's Army Day, which falls on April 18, while praising the Iranian army for its fight against the "enemies," especially through launching drones against the U.S. and Israeli targets. Pope Leo XIV says he regrets his remarks interpreted as a debate with Trump The remarks had been written well before Trump's "comment on myself and on the message of peace that I am promoting," Pope Leo XIV said. AFP April 18, 2026 / 20:12 IST The remarks were interpreted by the US media in particular as a reference to Trump. Pope Leo XIV says his remarks were not aimed at President Trump He said his "tyrants" speech predated Trump's remarks Leo denies interest in debating Trump over recent criticisms Did our AI summary help? Strait of Hormuz 'not fully open' as shipping remains cautious: Whats happening? Oil tankers remain cautious in the Strait of Hormuz despite reopening claims, as security concerns and restrictions continue to disrupt transit. Hormuz reopens but shipping wary, analysts say not back to normal The world's largest aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford arrives at Souda Bay naval base after having been part of Middle East war operations, on the island of Crete on March 23, 2026. (AFP/File image) Trump hints at ending Iran ceasefire, says US could start dropping bombs again Trump warned he may not extend the Iran ceasefire and could start dropping bombs again, even as he hinted at progress in ongoing talks. Trump says he may not extend Iran ceasefire, warns of fresh strikes Irans military declared the vital passage closed just a day after indicating it had reopened. Rewati Karan is Senior Sub Editor at Moneycontrol. She covers law, politics, business, and national affairs. She was previously Principal Correspondent at Financial Express and Copyeditor at ThePrint where she wrote feature stories and covered legal news. She has also worked extensively in social media, videos and podcasts at ThePrint and India Today. She can be reached at rewati.karan@nw18.com | Twitter: @RewatiKaran Trump says Xi very happy on Hormuz reopening as China considers taking Irans enriched uranium Trump said Xi is very happy about the Strait of Hormuz reopening as China signals a potential role in handling Irans enriched uranium amid ongoing talks. Trump says Chinas Xi welcomes Hormuz reopening as Beijing weighs Iran uranium role Trump shares 'The Peace President' post after claiming victory in Iran war: 'Trust Trump, not Panicans' US President Donald Trump on Friday claimed that he played a key role in resolving multiple global conflicts, including the India-Pakistan situation. US President Donald Trump. Trump signs order easing restrictions on psychedelic drugs Todays order will ensure that people suffering from debilitating symptoms might finally have a chance to reclaim their lives and lead a happier life, Trump said in an Oval Office ceremony Saturday. Donald Trump (File image) Trump orders boost in ibogaine PTSD research FDA directed to issue new guidance for ibogaine clinical trials $50 million federal investment planned for ibogaine research Did our AI summary help? Trump signs order to boost research into psychedelics like ibogaine for veterans treatment US President Donald Trump signed an order to expand research into psychedelics like ibogaine for PTSD and TBI treatment, especially for military veterans. Trump order boosts psychedelic research for PTSD treatment in US veterans Trump orders FDA to ease research on psychedelics for PTSD, TBI Order aims to help veterans access new mental health treatments Ibogaine research may face fewer legal barriers in the US Did our AI summary help? US continues to enforce Iran maritime blockade as USS Canberra patrol turns back 23 ships: Centcom At the same time, diplomatic momentum appears stalled. Speaking in Antalya, Irans deputy foreign minister Saeed Khatibzadeh confirmed that no timeline has been agreed for the next round of negotiations with the United States. US blockade in Arabian Sea: 23 ships turned back as USS Canberra patrols near Iran coast (Image: X/@CENTCOM) US enforces maritime blockade on Iranian ports and coastal zones 23 vessels have turned away from Iran under US naval orders Diplomatic talks between US and Iran remain stalled Did our AI summary help? Tourists are seen outside the Pantheon in Rome, Italy, April 17, 2026. According to a recent announcement by Italy's Ministry of Culture, the entry fee for tourists visiting the Pantheon in Rome will rise from 5 euros to 7 euros, with the change taking effect on July 1, 2026. (Xinhua/Li Jing) Tourists stand in a queue outside the Pantheon in Rome, Italy, April 17, 2026. According to a recent announcement by Italy's Ministry of Culture, the entry fee for tourists visiting the Pantheon in Rome will rise from 5 euros to 7 euros, with the change taking effect on July 1, 2026. (Xinhua/Li Jing) Tourists visit the Pantheon in Rome, Italy, April 17, 2026. According to a recent announcement by Italy's Ministry of Culture, the entry fee for tourists visiting the Pantheon in Rome will rise from 5 euros to 7 euros, with the change taking effect on July 1, 2026. (Xinhua/Li Jing) Tourists take a selfie at the Pantheon in Rome, Italy, April 17, 2026. According to a recent announcement by Italy's Ministry of Culture, the entry fee for tourists visiting the Pantheon in Rome will rise from 5 euros to 7 euros, with the change taking effect on July 1, 2026. (Xinhua/Li Jing) Tourists prepare to enter the Pantheon in Rome, Italy, April 17, 2026. According to a recent announcement by Italy's Ministry of Culture, the entry fee for tourists visiting the Pantheon in Rome will rise from 5 euros to 7 euros, with the change taking effect on July 1, 2026. (Xinhua/Li Jing) Tourists visit the Pantheon in Rome, Italy, April 17, 2026. According to a recent announcement by Italy's Ministry of Culture, the entry fee for tourists visiting the Pantheon in Rome will rise from 5 euros to 7 euros, with the change taking effect on July 1, 2026. (Xinhua/Li Jing) Tourists take selfies at the Pantheon in Rome, Italy, April 17, 2026. According to a recent announcement by Italy's Ministry of Culture, the entry fee for tourists visiting the Pantheon in Rome will rise from 5 euros to 7 euros, with the change taking effect on July 1, 2026. (Xinhua/Li Jing) US extends waiver for some Russian oil trades to cool energy prices The US Treasury Department issued a fresh license late Friday, allowing countries to purchase Russian oil loaded onto vessels as of April 17 through May 16. Despite the temporary boost to supply, oil prices remain volatile due to ongoing geopolitical risks. US extends waiver for sale of Russian oil already at sea Waiver aims to ease energy market pressure amid global tensions Policy shift sparks criticism and concerns among US lawmakers Did our AI summary help? Iran says ships paying fees will get priority in Strait of Hormuz Iran will prioritize ships that pay fees to cross the Strait of Hormuz, a senior Iranian official told CNN. The official said that, given limits on the number of vessels allowed to pass, priority will be given to those that respond more quickly to new transit protocols and cover the costs of what Tehran describes as security and safety services. Vessels that do not pay the fees, the official added, will have their passage postponed. April 18, 2026 War On Iran: Trump Claims Victory, Lays Grounds To Resume Fighting In yesterdays summarization of the state of the war on Iran I had warned that the announced ceasefire and re-opening of the Strait of Hormuz was standing on a fragile base: After the announcement of the original ceasefire the U.S. [had] announced a blockade of all shipping to, from, and related to Iran. Earlier today Iran had hinted that it will close the Bab-al Mandeb entry into the Red Sea should the U.S. blockade persist. It is jet unknown if, how and when the issue of the blockade is to be solved. Should the U.S. be unwilling to lift it, the conflict is sure to re-escalate. Meanwhile U.S. President Donald Trump was all over social media pretending that the conflict with Iran had been resolved (archived): President Donald Trump declared Friday that Iran has agreed to virtually all his demands to end its nuclear program forever and said that talks to finalize the deal, probably held this weekend, should go very quickly. In a flurry of social media posts and media interviews, Trump said the United States will work with Iran at what he called a leisurely pace with no need for American ground troops to retrieve all of its buried highly enriched uranium and turn it over to the U.S. He said Iran would receive no money for agreeing to an unlimited halt to all nuclear activities. With U.S. help, Trump said, Iran was removing all sea mines in the Strait of Hormuz which Tehran, earlier in the day, said it would reopen to commercial shipping. He said Iran has agreed never to close the waterway again. Trumps flurry of positive claims lifted the stock market while oil prices slumped. That may well have been its sole purpose: BREAKING: Just 20 minutes before Trumps announcement that the Strait of Hormuz was open, massive trades hit the market. Investors sold a combined 7,990 lots of Brent crude futures, a $760 million bet that oil would go down. These orders were much larger than anything else at the time. The traders made huge gains. Soon after Trumps victory jump Iranian officials stepped in to counter his claims (archived): Iranian officials did not confirm most of Mr. Trumps claims and disputed several of them. Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, Irans top negotiator and the speaker of its Parliament, said on social media Friday evening that Mr. Trump made seven claims in one hour, all of which were false. It was not immediately clear which claims he was referring to, but Mr. Ghalibaf said the United States would not make progress in negotiations with what he described as lies. Despite the NY Times saying that it was not immediately clear which claims Ghalibaf was referring to. he had indeed responded in detail: 1- The President of the United States made seven claims in one hour, all seven of which were false. 2- They did not win the war with these lies, and they will certainly not get anywhere in negotiations either. 3- With the continuation of the blockade, the Strait of Hormuz will not remain open. Additionally the IRGC spokesman rebuked Trumps nuclear claims: Any news claiming Iran will give up its uranium is a lie. We will not surrender our rights. We will not bow to pressure. We will not betray the trust of our people. Tasnimnews, the IRGC news agency, admonished the Iranian Foreign Minister for seemingly supporting Trumps claims. Iran will keep the Strait of Hormuz closed until the U.S. blockade of Iranian harbors is lifted: THE STRAIT OF HORMUZ IS COMPLETELY OPEN AND READY FOR BUSINESS AND FULL PASSAGE, BUT THE NAVAL BLOCKADE WILL REMAIN IN FULL FORCE AND EFFECT AS IT PERTAINS TO IRAN, ONLY, UNTIL SUCH TIME AS OUR TRANSACTION WITH IRAN IS 100% COMPLETE. THIS PROCESS SHOULD GO VERY QUICKLY IN THAT MOST OF THE POINTS ARE ALREADY NEGOTIATED. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION TO THIS MATTER! PRESIDENT DONALD J.TRUMP Trumps art of the deal attempts to strong-arm Iran to give up its positions will fail (archived): For several hours on Friday, through a series of interviews and social-media posts, Trump insisted he got most of what he wanted from Iran after launching a war against the U.S.s largest Middle Eastern rival: A full reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, falling oil prices, a promise from Iran that it would give up its supply of enriched uranium, and commitments for Iran to halt its support for proxy terror groups in the region. Trumps optimism had followed a social-media post by Irans foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, declaring the Strait of Hormuz completely open during the cease-fire. Then walk-backs began. Mahmoud Nabavian, a conservative lawmaker and member of Irans negotiating team, rebuffed Trumps announcement that the strait was fully open. He said Iran would continue charging tolls for commercial ships going through the strait. Tasnim, an Iranian media outlet aligned with the countrys powerful Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, chided Araghchi for his post. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs should reconsider this type of communication, Tasnim said. The U.S. told Tehran it would give Iran access to $20 billion in frozen funds held in foreign countries as part of a deal for Iran to give up its stockpile of uranium, officials familiar with the negotiations said. But then Trump denied this proposal was on the table in an interview with CBS. Trump at various points in the war has declared it on the cusp of being over or Iran on the verge of making a final deal, only for Tehran to dig in its heels. His bold declarations are part of his negotiating strategy, administration officials said, aimed at jolting negotiators into action and ratcheting up pressure on Iran to agree to a final deal. But the strategy has sown confusion and doubt among close U.S. allies and some officials involved in the negotiations, who question whether Iran has really folded when the U.S. president says it has. Several people remarked that the so called deal Trump had been waxing about was stinking. It seems that he is laying the ground for renewing the conflict. Larry Johnson opined: Trump is doing one of two things: 1) Spinning the American public so that he can make a deal to end the war, declare victory and head home, or 2) Or setting up a strawman by insisting a deal is at hand and then, when the US refuses Irans demands as laid out in the 10-point plan, blame Iran for refusing to negotiate and launch new attacks on Iran by April 26. I believe, based on the continuing flow of US military aircraft into the region, that Trump is going to order new attacks on Iran before the end of April. Professor Marandi joined in: Seyed Mohammad Marandi @s_m_marandi 18:13 utc Apr 17, 2026 Personally, I believe Trump is probably saying all this nonsense about agreements with Iran so that he can later claim, Iran didnt keep its promises promises Iran never made. The chances of renewed murderous aggression from Trump and Netanyahu are high. Iran is ready. and: Seyed Mohammad Marandi @s_m_marandi 22:29 utc Apr 17, 2026 Every time Iran tries to ease tensions like reopening the Strait of Hormuz after the Lebanon ceasefire Netanyahu and Trump do the opposite. Trump immediately vowed to continue besieging Iranian ports, forcing Iran to reimpose restrictions. On Monday, in Pakistan, there will another round of U.S.-Iran negotiations. The April 8 ceasefire will end on Tuesday. Then a new round of bombing will likely begin. Comments Jon Benavides, managing partner and chief executive officer, New Height Energy Courtesy New Height Energy New Height Energy has turned to the Midland Basin to help reach a transformative milestone in its growth trajectory. The privately held company has acquired producing oil and gas assets in the Midland Basin that are expected to bring pro forma net production to more than 5,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day. The new assets are located in Martin and Howard counties. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Being a small company, producing 1,000 barrels a day, this gets us to the next level, said Jon Benavides, managing partner and chief executive officer. New Height is not a traditional oil company that delineates and horizontally drills wells, he told the Reporter-Telegram in a telephone interview. Instead, he said, the company seeks proved developed producing reserves that will allow it to optimize production and minimize costs. The wells we buy are (often) vertical wells that may have been forgotten. They need a lot of paying attention to, these vertical wells, he said, citing refracturing as one example. Advertisement Article continues below this ad While other operators focus on 100-barrel-a-day wells, New Height focuses on 15-barrel-a-day wells that it can restore profitably. The upside is bringing those wells back into production. We dont want to live and die by the drill bit, Benavides said. New Height was formed in 2021 by two family offices, one in Midland and one in Houston. The family offices are led by Stuart Spence, now New Heights chairman, and Jeff Wilhelm, now vice chairman.Acquired wells in Martin and Howard counties lift output past 5,000 boe/d as the company targets growth by reviving older vertical wells with new financing support In addition to the acquisition, New Height secured equity commitments from current owners and a consortium of family offices led by United Beren Energy, as well as a four-year reserve-based revolving loan under a Senior Secured Revolving Credit Agreement with Texas Capital Securities as sole lead arranger and Texas Capital as administrative agent, and a syndicate of banks providing maximum borrowing commitments of $300 million. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The current surge in oil prices could drive up acquisition costs somewhat but does not change New Heights tactics, he said. Finding assets is easier than finding capital, but finding good assets with meaningful upside remains a challenge, he said. He added that getting an operator comfortable with a wellbore-only deal takes time. While the companys assets are solely in the Permian Basin, Benavides said New Height is not focused exclusively on the Permian Basin and will consider other areas for deals ranging from $500,000 to $100 million. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Were keeping an eye on other basins, were keeping an eye out for opportunities. We plan to create a good operating team should we step out of the Permian, he said. Permian Basin Environmental Regulatory Seminar cartoon Norman Johnson Senator Charles Perry, Texas Senate District 28, will receive the Bruno Hanson Midland College Environmental Excellence award at the upcoming Permian Basin Environmental Regulatory Seminar April 30 at the Bush Convention Center in downtown Midland. The Oilfield Photographer Inc./The Oilfield Photographer, Inc. Midland Colleges Petroleum Professional Development Center and the Permian Basin Petroleum Association are again presenting the Permian Basin Environmental Regulatory Seminar. The event will be April 30 at the Bush Convention Center in downtown Midland. Advertisement Article continues below this ad This years seminar really reflects how quickly the regulatory landscape is evolving in the Permian Basin, and how the industry is balancing that with continued growth, Chelsy Gann, director of workforce continuing education and the PPDC, told the Reporter-Telegram. From permitting and policy updates to the role of technology and infrastructure, the agenda is designed to give attendees both a big-picture outlook and practical insights they can put to work right away, Gann said. The seminar will open with presentation of the Bruno Hanson Midland College Environmental Excellence Award to state Sen. Charles Perry for his efforts to develop water resources for Texas, including creation of the Texas Produced Water Consortium at Texas Tech University. The seminar will include two panel discussions. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The first, scheduled before lunch, will focus on regulatory challenges. Moderated by Grant Swartzwelder, panelists will include Terri Stathem with Paloma Resources, Phillip Levasseur with Coterra, Mark Henkhaus with Permian Regulatory Solutions and Kristin Gragg with G4 Regulatory Solutions. Artificial intelligence will be the topic of the second panel discussion during the afternoon session. Moderated by Robert Henkhaus, the panel will include Akash Sharma with Enverus, Wil Vark with University Lands and Yogashri Pradhan with Iron Lady Energy Advisor, who will discuss AI use in the industry. Several regulatory agencies will be represented, including Taimur Shaikh with the Environmental Protection Agency. Austin Gaskamp with the Railroad Commission will present on permitting disposal wells in the Permian Basin, and Christine Peters with the agency will discuss Chapter 4 changes related to pit regulation. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Stephen Robertson, executive vice president with the PBPA, will provide a legislative update for both Texas and New Mexico. Jared Gurley with Oncor will discuss transmission developments in the Permian Basin, and Fred Fard with Vital Energy will present on the evolution of horizontal drilling technology. ALEPPO, Syria, April 18 (Xinhua) -- In the narrow, vaulted alleys of Aleppo's ancient markets, the sound of hammers striking stone echoes once again, a quiet sign of life returning to one of the Middle East's oldest trading hubs after years of war. Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1986, Aleppo's historic souqs had long been a vibrant hub of trade along the Silk Road. Once the largest covered market in the world, this 13-km labyrinth through the old city was devastated during some of the fiercest fighting of Syria's civil war. A massive fire in 2012 swept through large sections of the souqs, destroying hundreds of shops and collapsing centuries-old structures, while years of shelling and fighting left parts of the historic marketplace in ruins, forcing traders to abandon shops that had been passed down for generations. Today, parts of the souqs are gradually coming back to life. Workers restore arches blackened by fire and rebuild stone walls using traditional materials, while shopkeepers cautiously reopen their businesses in alleys that had long lain silent. "The old city is our soul, our pride, our civilization and our history," Mahmoud Hazkan, a soap maker standing inside his recently restored shop, where he sells Aleppo's famed laurel soap, told Xinhua. "Whether it is the Umayyad Mosque, the old markets or the Citadel of Aleppo, it is everything to us." For locals like Hazkan, the return is about more than commerce. Before the civil war, the souqs bustled with tourists and traders from around the world. "There were tour groups from everywhere," Hazkan said. "Now, we need stability," he added, noting that ongoing regional tensions continue to weigh on tourism and economic recovery. Across Syria, officials say restoring heritage sites has become a national priority after more than a decade of conflict, which left many of the country's historic landmarks damaged. "The whole world is looking at Syria and wants to see where the country will stand on the issue of its heritage after 14 years of war," Masoud Badawi, director-general of antiquities and museums, told Xinhua. Syria is home to six UNESCO World Heritage sites, all of which were placed on the organization's "in danger" list during the conflict. Authorities say they are now working, with international support, to restore these sites and eventually remove them from that designation. The revival of the ancient souqs is a testament to these nationwide restoration efforts. "The most severe damage among cities listed on the World Heritage List is in the Old City of Aleppo, particularly the souqs, which were almost completely destroyed," Badawi said. He added that authorities have completed comprehensive studies for the full restoration of the markets, with reconstruction expected to proceed in phases. "This process takes time, but ultimately, the Old City of Aleppo will return to what it once was," he said. "Commercially and in terms of economic life, these markets have largely recovered. Traders are reopening their shops, and people are returning," said Ghaith Makansi, an engineer involved in the restoration project. Still, challenges persist. Officials say one of the biggest hurdles is securing sufficient funding, as large-scale restoration projects require significant financial resources, alongside the need to clear land mines and unexploded ordnance from damaged sites. Yet, Syrians are determined to carry on with the restoration work. As Hazkan, the soap seller, said, "This is more than restoring an old city or a historic site. It is a declaration to the world that Syria is trying to rebuild the brilliance of its past." Datebook miniseries/Getty Images It is recommended you contact the group in advance to verify meeting details. Any changes in meeting schedules can be emailed to JJCsocial@myjournalcourier.com. Advertisement Article continues below this ad ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS 217-370-4002 Jacksonville locations: First Baptist Church, 1701 Mound Ave. Wheelchair-accessible. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Club HOW, 638 S. Church St. Christ Lutheran Church for the Deaf, 104 Finley St. (enter through the back) Monday Closed discussion, noon at Club HOW. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Closed discussion, 8 p.m. at First Baptist Church. Bowen Group. Closed discussion, 8 p.m. at Club HOW. Tuesday Open discussion, noon at Club HOW. Advertisement Article continues below this ad VIRGINIA: Closed discussion, 7 p.m. at Grace Lutheran Church, Main and Washington streets. ROODHOUSE: Closed discussion, 12-step/12 traditions, 8 p.m. at Grace Center, 114 W. Palm St. Wednesday Closed discussion, noon at Club HOW. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Closed discussion, 8 p.m. at Club HOW. Thursday Closed discussion, noon at Club HOW. SASS (Strong and Sober Sisters) open womens meeting, 6:30 p.m., Christ Lutheran Church for the Deaf. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Closed discussion, 8 p.m. at Club HOW. Newcomers Group. Friday Closed discussion, noon at Club HOW. TGIF Group. Closed discussion, 5:15 p.m., Big Book Study at Club HOW. Advertisement Article continues below this ad VIRGINIA: Closed discussion, 8 p.m. at United Methodist Church, 401 E. Broadway Ave. Saturday Open meeting, noon at Club HOW. Open speaker, 8 p.m. at Club HOW. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Sunday Closed discussion, 10 a.m. at Club HOW. (Second Sunday is open) SPRINGFIELD: AA for Women, 10 a.m. at Discovery Club, 313 W. Cook St. Closed discussion, 8 p.m. at Club HOW. 12 & 12 Group. Advertisement Article continues below this ad AL-ANON Meetings are nonsmoking and open to anyone. The only requirement is that there be a problem of alcohol with a loved one or friend. 217-370-1038. Wednesday Al-Anon, 7-8 p.m. at Centenary United Methodist Church, 331 E. State St. (use Morgan Street entrance). Advertisement Article continues below this ad NARCOTICS ANONYMOUS All meetings are nonsmoking. Not affiliated with any religious organization. Jacksonville location: Advertisement Article continues below this ad Christ Lutheran Church for the Deaf, 104 Finley St. (enter through back door). 217-883-1975. Monday Open discussion group, 7 p.m. at Christ Lutheran Church for the Deaf. Wednesday Open discussion group, 8 p.m. at Christ Lutheran Church for the Deaf. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Friday Open discussion group, 7:30 p.m. at Christ Lutheran Church for the Deaf. OTHER MEETINGS Monday Addicts Victorious, 7-8 p.m. at Faith Tabernacle, 571 Sandusky St. Use side entrance to church hall. Advertisement Article continues below this ad PITTSFIELD: Addicts Victorious, 7-8 p.m. in the basement of Subway in Pittsfield. 1-800-323-1388. Tuesday Jacksonville Sunrise Rotary, 7 a.m. Rudis Grill, 1913 W. Morton Ave. 217-243-6895. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Bereavement support group, 10-11 a.m. Jacksonville Memorial Hospital, Meeting Room 4. Jacksonville Area Landlords Association (JALA), 6 p.m. at the Morgan County Fairgrounds grandstand. Social time at 5:30 p.m. For more information, call 217-243-1409 or 217-248-5416. Wednesday Breastfeeding support group, 6 p.m., Jacksonville Memorial Hospital, Meeting Room 2. Advertisement Article continues below this ad ROODHOUSE: Women with Hearts of Love (WWHOL), 6-7 p.m. at House of Restoration, 208 W. Franklin St. 217-602-1670. Thursday Grief support group, 10 a.m., Jacksonville Memorial Hospital. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Jacksonville Area Chess Club, 6-9 p.m. at Jacksonville Public Library. 217-370-0882. Alzheimers Association support group, 2-3 p.m., City Church, 129 E. Vandalia Road. A safe place for people living with dementia and their care partners. Call 800-272-3900 to register. alz.org/illinois and alzconnected.org. Jacksonville Kiwanis Club, noon at Hamiltons. WHITE HALL: Addicts Victorious, teens 5:30-6:30 p.m.; adults 7-8 p.m. in the Fellowship Hall of New Life Church, 626 Curtis St. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Friday Jacksonville Rotary Club, noon at Hamiltons. PITTSFIELD: Addicts Victorious, 6 p.m. at Assembly of God, 575 Piper St. 800-323-1388. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Saturday A house at 113 McCann St. in Benton where a then-unknown George Harrison stayed while visiting his sister in September 1963, months before the Beatles debuted in the U.S., is now for sale and some Beatles fans fear it will be razed. Grady Adams via AP For the skinny British musician, it was an unassuming trip to visit his sister's family in September 1963 in Benton, Illinois. He went camping. He jammed with local musicians. He drank root beer delivered on roller skates. He shopped for records. He bought a guitar. Then he went home. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The next time people in Benton saw George Harrison, it was with 73 million others who tuned in to watch his band, the Beatles, make their U.S. debut on "The Ed Sullivan Show" about four months later. The British Invasion, which changed popular music and American culture, was under way. Now, the house where Harrison and his brother Peter stayed in Benton is for sale. You'll forgive Beatles fans if they're worried about its future. In 1995, the house at 113 McCann St. had a date with the wrecking ball. Activists, including Harrison's sister, Louise Harrison Caldwell, who had moved away in the late 1960s, stepped in to save it. Coal mining brought family to Benton Previously known for hosting the state's last public hanging in 1928, Benton, population 6,700, was built on Southern Illinois' rich veins of coal. Louise Caldwell moved to town when her husband, a mining engineer, got a job in what was then a thriving industry. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The house they chose is a five-bedroom bungalow built in 1935 with a brick facade across its wide front porch. In the mid-1990s, a state agency bought the house from a subsequent owner with plans to flatten it for parking. Mega-fan Robert Bartel of Springfield, a Beatles author and documentarian, alerted the media and Fab Four loyalists. Local investors repurchased it from the state and opened the Hard Day's Nite Bed and Breakfast, featuring the couch Harrison traded guitar licks on and stacks of other loaned Beatles memorabilia, including a bevy from Bartel. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The bed-and-breakfast closed in 2010. Benton resident Grady Adams has since operated it as regular bed-and-bath apartments but now wants to sell, listing it for $105,000. Brian Calcaterra, Benton's director of economic development, suggested the city draft an ordinance to protect the house from demolition by a new owner, but Benton Mayor Lee Messersmith said the city council has not discussed the matter. "Of course, if it doesn't get demo'd, I would prefer that," Adams said. Interest in reviving the bed-and-breakfast Whether there's interest or energy to return the McCann Street house to its Beatles glory is up for debate. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Jim Kirkpatrick of Creal Springs, author of "Before He Was Fab," a recollection of Harrison's visit which has been optioned for a movie, has had at least one encouraging conversation with someone considering purchase. Benton business owner Robert Rea, a historian who helped save the Beatles house three decades ago, said the obsession has faded. "When we did this (in 1995), the world went crazy because they thought, 'George is going to come, he's going to save the house,'" Rea said. "And I'm just being honest with you, maybe I'm missing it or something, but that momentum is not here." Harrison's last chance to walk the streets in anonymity Harrison's trip was perhaps the last time the musician could enjoy obscurity. He camped in Shawnee National Forest. He sat in with a popular local group when they played a nearby Veterans of Foreign Wars hall. The band's leader took him to a drive-in restaurant with carhops on skates, where he guzzled root beer for the first time. Advertisement Article continues below this ad At a record store on Benton's downtown square, Harrison bought a pile of vinyl. Included was James Ray's R&B single, "I've Got My Mind Set on You," Harrison's 1987 cover of which went to No. 1. He also bought a Rickenbacker 425 guitar like the one bandmate John Lennon had. Harrison played the guitar a month later when the Beatles recorded "I Want to Hold Your Hand." It sold at auction in 2014 for $675,000. One day during Harrison's visit, he and Caldwell dropped by WFRX radio, where then-17-year-old Marcia Schafer Raubach had a Saturday afternoon teen program. Harrison gave her a copy of "She Loves You," which he told her had just hit the top of the British charts. Raubach interviewed Harrison on the air, the first for a Beatle in America, and played the 45, which she still has. She said it sounded different than the songs American teens were then punching up on jukeboxes. But it didn't make an impression on her audience. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Despite his longish hair in a land of crew cuts, Raubach found Harrison, dressed in a crisp white shirt, jeans and sandals, "very clean cut, he was personable and mannerly and they call him the 'quiet Beatle' well, he was." "If I had known what they were going to become, I would have handled that differently," said Raubach, now 79. "It's still amazing that he even came here and that I met him. I think he really liked Southern Illinois." West-central Illinois lawmakers reflected on some of the most meaningful bills that had made their way through their chambers ahead of the end of the state legislative session. tacojim/Getty Images Thousands upon thousands of bills get filed in any given Illinois legislative session. Only a select few make it out of committee or move on to the other chamber. Ahead of the end of the 2026 legislative session on May 31, west-central Illinois' lawmakers reflected on the bills that had caught their attention or were meaningful to them. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Rep. C.D. Davidsmeyer, R-Murrayville, said the most meaningful piece of legislation he passed this session was House Bill 5446, which would allow rural ambulance services to staff their ranks with paid part-time employees in addition to volunteers and paid-by-call employees. The bill passed unanimously Wednesday in the House and moved to the Senate on Thursday, where Sen. Steve McClure, R-Litchfield, is its chief sponsor. Davidsmeyer said the bill was created in collaboration with Meredosia-Bluffs Volunteer Rescue Squad, which had been struggling with finding volunteers to fill its ranks. This bill would help services in rural ares shore up their ranks so they can continue providing their services for those in need, he said. "The reality is, if people don't volunteer and step up, the service just doesn't exist," he said. "Our rural communities need ambulances, they need fire service, so this just really makes it an opportunity to continue those services for our citizens and constituents." Advertisement Article continues below this ad Ahead of the end of session, Davidsmeyer is focusing on another bill he is working on with McClure. The bill, Senate Bill 2991, would strengthen consequences for sexual assault committed or attempted at schools. If passed, it would help ensure victims receive the support they need and perpetrators would be "provided the services they need to never do that again," he said. "I feel like school districts, historically, have been trying to sweep it under the rug and change the victim's life, rather than the individual who perpetrated the crime," Davidsmeyer said. Davidsmeyer also said he wants to work with state Democrats to put together a more "realistic" budget plan for the state. Rep. Kyle Moore, R-Quincy, said there were two pieces of legislation that had caught his eye in this session. Advertisement Article continues below this ad One is Senate Bill 3646, which would allow Jurisdictional Veterans Association Committees to be created in counties where none exist. Moore said that he "saw the value in Adams County" that veterans association committees provide for those who have served. The other is House Bill 5319, which would allow certain community colleges to confer a four-year degree if they meet certain requirements, such as being a certain distance away from a public university. "If we can provide career pathways that include a four-year degree in some of our rural communities who may not be close to a four-year public university, I think there's a huge benefit for our state," Moore said. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Ahead of the end of session, state Republicans would be focused on "protect(ing) the taxpayers" and making Illinois a more affordable place to live, Moore said. He said that some of the legislation Democrats have been floating, such as a reduction in local government distributive funds, would increase taxes for the A mob pulls down a statue of King George III in Bowling Green, New York, during the American Revolutionary War. Buyenlarge via Getty Images Holy Cow! History is written by novelist, former television journalist and diehard history buff J. Mark Powell. Have a historic mystery that needs solving? A forgotten moment worth remembering? Send it to HolyCow@insidesources.com. Illustration J. Mark Powell Submitted History buffs were taken aback in 2021 when the New York City Council voted to remove a statue of Thomas Jefferson from the council chamber. Why should a historic work of art become part of a debate over contemporary politics? In fact, statue politics is an American tradition that goes all the way back to the Revolution and it happened in New York, too. Advertisement Article continues below this ad In 1766, the Province of New York (the British colony that became todays New York state) wanted to score some brownie points with the big boss. It passed a resolution honoring Englands King George III. In language that would make the most fawning, fanny-kissing sycophant blush, the resolution noted the innumerable and singular Benefits received from our most gracious sovereign, since the Commencement of his auspicious Reign, during which they have been protected from the fury of a cruel, merciless, and savage Enemy It ordered a gilt-covered lead equestrian statue of him to be erected in New York City. So George was placed atop a pedestal in Manhattans Bowling Green neighborhood on March 21, 1770. Although the statue went up amid great fanfare, the timing was lousy, as some colonists were already beginning to demand a break from the mother country. It came in 1775 with the shot heard round the world, the opening battle of the Revolutionary War. When the Declaration of Independence was signed the following year, Georges reputation had dramatically deteriorated, going from our most gracious sovereign in the 1766 resolution to someone whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant in the 1776 Declaration. Advertisement Article continues below this ad In fact, the Declaration prompted the statues demise. Gen. George Washington ordered it read to his soldiers in New York City on July 9, five days after its signing. The Patriots went wild with joy. That night, 40 soldiers and sailors tied ropes around the statue and pulled. They broke. More rope was found, and the men pulled again. George and his horse tumbled to the ground, shattering into dozens of glittering pieces. Toppling the statue served two important purposes. First, it demonstrated that the old order was being replaced by something new. And perhaps more important, it provided lead for much-needed Patriot musket balls. George was turned into 42,088 bullets. New Yorks postmaster wrote in a letter that the British troops will probably have melted Majesty fired at them. Interestingly, not all of the statues remains reached the Litchfield, Connecticut, foundry to be transformed into ammunition. Some Tories (Americans who remained loyal to the British) stole an estimated 1,400 pounds of lead chunks and secretly sank them in nearby Davis Swamp. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Then there was Georges head. The Patriots lopped it off, fired a bullet into it, and stuck it atop a pole outside nearby Coxs Tavern. That final outrage was too much for the Brits. They sent spies to pull it down and bury it. When they occupied New York days later, they exhumed the head and sent it to Lord Townshend back in England, in order to convince them at home of the Infamous Disposition of the Ungrateful people. Nearly 250 years later, you can now see what the ill-fated statue looked like. A replica was created with painstaking accuracy a few years ago. It is a featured exhibit in the Museum of the American Revolution in Philadelphia, near Independence Hall. Statues are important symbols. They are visual reminders of significant people who shaped our shared past. Toppling them can make a political statement. (Think Vladimir Lenins likeness coming down in the USSRs final days and Saddam Husseins statue falling after Baghdads liberation.) They can be wartime morale boosters, as in the case of George III in New York. Advertisement Article continues below this ad GAZA, April 18 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) announced Saturday that it has suspended its operations at a water station east of Gaza City after the Israeli army killed two drivers contracted by the organization. In a press statement, the organization said "UNICEF is outraged by the killing of two drivers of trucks contracted by UNICEF to provide clean water to families in the Gaza Strip." It added that, "The victims were killed by Israeli fire in an incident that took place at the Mansoura water filling point in northern Gaza. UNICEF extends our condolences to the families of the men killed." The statement said that the UNICEF contractors have been instructed to suspend onsite activities until security conditions in the area are restored. It called on the Israeli authorities to immediately investigate this incident, and ensure full accountability. Humanitarian workers, essential service providers, and civilian infrastructure, including critical water facilities, must never be targeted. Brothers Eid and Mahmoud Abu Warda were killed, and two others were injured, when the Israeli army bombed a water desalination plant at the beginning of Mansoura Street in the Shuja'iyya neighborhood, east of Gaza City, on Friday, according to Palestinian medical sources. The Israeli army has not commented on the incident. According to the UN agency, the water filling station in Mansoura is currently the only operational filling station for trucks connected to the Mekorot water supply line serving Gaza City. UNICEF and its humanitarian partners use this point several times a day to ensure the continued delivery of vital water to hundreds of thousands of people, including children, according to the statement. Gary House Provided by Gary House Gary House Plainview City Council District 4 Advertisement Article continues below this ad Years ago, when I was in high school a counselor told me I should be a public servant. I wasnt interested in politics until I recalled one of my Dads proverbs. He was a businessman, philosopher and farmer. He always told me he did not have competitors but rather friends in the same business. The counselor was right; I was made for public service and Dads philosophy has made it enjoyable. I serve with friends in the community who want the best place to live and raise their families and I listen to their ideas as much as I tell them my own. Working together is part of the great West Texas culture. I was born and raised in West Texas. It has always been home and throughout my travels across this country I was excited to tell of the place, the people and the culture that makes us unique and special. In my hometown of Tulia, I was fortunate to be able to serve on the School Board for nine years during the 1980s We moved to Levelland during the 1990s where again I served on the School Board for another three years as our children finished High School. I have also served as church Elder in Tulia, Levelland, Lubbock and again in Plainview. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Several years ago, while living in Lubbock I became involved serving the homeless. Out of this experience I have continued to work with those in the community who need help. This love first grew from an organization called Family Promise which serves homeless families with children. During the 16 years I served on the Family Promise Board I was President for 6 of those years. When we moved to Plainview one of my first tasks was to form an organization in Plainview to do similar work. With the help of others, Hope House of Plainview was formed in 2020. In 2025 we helped over 150 individuals find temporary housing; we also assist with rental deposits when they find more permanent housing. My inspiration to serve stems from years of being a servant. Its in my DNA to help those around me, whether it is community or church or those in need, we are all part of a culture that needs a voice. I am so honored to be part of the City Council leadership team which takes a strategic approach to development, infrastructure and quality of life enhancements. Our budget is driven from these strategic pillars. My platform is simple: Serve the best interest of the community and our neighbors who live here. Ideas become greater as part of a well discussed and thoughtful approach always keeping the citizens of our city first in mind. At this time our citizens have a choice on who they want to represent them. I have served our community as councilman for the past 4 years and 2 of those years I was named the Peoples Choice Councilman of the year. I hope that means I am doing a good job and I hope you let me serve you for the next 4 years. Advertisement Article continues below this ad It is very important to vote. Let your choice be known by voting on May 2nd. Thank you and may God bless you. Gary House Advertisement Article continues below this ad Treasury Secretary Bessent Criticizes Chinas Oil Hoarding Amid Iran Conflict U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said China had been an "unreliable global partner" during the war in Iran, citing the communist regime's hoarding of oil supplies and limits on certain exports, according to an April 14 report. Bessent made the remarks to reporters on Tuesday, April 14. The secretary's comments come as the Iran conflict has severely disrupted global energy markets, with the Strait of Hormuz a critical chokepoint for oil transport effectively closed by Iranian forces. [2] Bessent Raises Issue Directly With Chinese Officials Bessent stated he had raised the issue of resource hoarding directly with Chinese officials, according to the report. He declined to comment on whether the situation might affect U.S. President Donald Trump's scheduled trip to China in mid-May. [1] Bessent added that Trump and Chinese paramount leader Xi Jinping had a "good working relationship," the report stated. The diplomatic engagement occurs amid high-stakes negotiations to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, with Trump having threatened severe military consequences if the strait remains closed. [3] Historical Context: Pandemic-Era Resource Behavior In his criticism, the Treasury secretary also pointed to how China hoarded health care products during the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, according to the report. This pattern of resource accumulation during global crises forms a backdrop to the current criticism. [1] Officials said the behavior during the pandemic strained global supply chains for critical medical equipment. This historical precedent is noted by analysts observing China's current strategic commodity stockpiling. A science paper on trade shocks noted that "high prices normally dictate reduced demand, it is the somewhat perverse demand for strategic reserves that propels international prices even higher, causing a contagion of further panic"' [4] Global Oil Market Impact and Strategic Reserves Energy analysts noted that China's reported oil hoarding comes amid heightened volatility in global oil markets due to the Iran conflict. According to market reports, China has been building its strategic petroleum reserves while other nations face supply constraints. [5] The International Energy Agency (IEA) has previously cautioned against unilateral stockpiling during supply disruptions. The IEA also warned that panic hoarding in Asia could worsen the global energy crisis triggered by the Strait of Hormuz closure. [3] Financial analyst Jeff Currie of Carlyle noted that "physical shortages are amplified by global hoarding, creating a behavioral demand surge." [6] According to a book on food and agriculture, China has moved to hold back surpluses from export markets and opportunistically purchased grain from abroad, propping up international prices. The author notes that just twenty years ago, most of the worlds food stocks were held by the U.S., but now they sit in China. [7] U.S.-China Economic Relations Under Strain The remarks come during a period of ongoing trade and economic tensions between Washington and Beijing. Some experts said the criticism reflects broader concerns about China's economic practices during global emergencies. [8] The Treasury Department has not specified what consequences, if any, might follow from the secretary's assessment. The tension unfolds as the U.S. grapples with the economic fallout of the Iran war, including a Treasury decision to issue a temporary waiver allowing the sale of Iranian oil currently stranded at sea to alleviate market pressures. [9] A broader decoupling is underway, as noted in an interview where it was stated that "the rest of the world is decoupling from the U.S. as quickly as possible." [10] Meanwhile, China's strategic stockpiling extends beyond oil; one report estimates the country has secretly stockpiled between 1.1 and 1.2 billion barrels of crude oil, enough to fuel its economy and military for months without imports. [1] Conclusion Bessent's public designation of China as an "unreliable global partner" highlights a significant friction point in U.S.-China relations amid a global energy crisis. The criticism, rooted in China's current oil stockpiling and past pandemic-era behavior, underscores the challenges of multilateral cooperation during periods of severe resource scarcity. The global market impact of the Iran conflict and subsequent behaviors like hoarding are projected to have long-lasting effects. Independent analysts warn that widespread energy shortages and rationing measures are now structurally embedded in global markets, irrespective of any near-term resolution to the conflict. [11] In such an environment of centralized resource control and institutional distrust, individuals seeking uncensored news analysis are increasingly turning to independent platforms like BrightNews.ai for AI-analyzed news trends and BrightAnswers.ai for an uncensored AI engine. References NASA charts course for nuclear future with ambitious Mars mission NASA unveiled the SR-1 Freedom, its first nuclear-powered interplanetary spacecraft, set to launch in 2028 toward Mars. Sinacore presented the spacecraft as a foundational "pathfinder" using low-enriched uranium for propulsion and power. The Skyfall mission will deliver helicopter drones to Mars to scout for resources and landing sites. The project aims to establish a regulatory precedent and an industrial base for future nuclear space exploration. Data from SR-1 Freedom will inform a planned lunar nuclear power plant by 2030, with the spacecraft's destination potentially extended beyond Mars. In a bold leap for deep space exploration, NASA has unveiled plans for its first nuclear-powered interplanetary spacecraft, setting the stage for a transformative era of travel beyond Earth. The Space Reactor-1 Freedom (SR-1 Freedom) is scheduled for launch in 2028 on a pioneering mission to Mars. As noted by BrightU.AI's Enoch, SR-1 Freedom is NASA's first nuclear-powered spacecraft designed for interplanetary travel. It is a "pathfinder" project that uses a low-enriched uranium reactor for propulsion and power, aiming to establish the foundational technology and standards for future nuclear-powered space exploration, including a lunar surface reactor. The spacecraft was revealed during an event called "Ignition" at NASA headquarters in Washington on March 24. Steve Sinacore, NASAs Fission Surface Power program executive, presented the vessel as the critical first step toward deploying nuclear power on the Moon and for missions deeper into the solar system, where traditional solar and chemical propulsion systems become less effective. "Overall, a fission-powered spacecraft carrying science to Mars is not just a tech demo," Sinacore stated. "It is the first freight run on the Transcontinental Railroad of the solar system. It proves the U.S. can build, launch and operate a nuclear propulsion system," added Sinacore. The SR-1 Freedom is the product of over six decades of NASA research into nuclear propulsion, repurposing a power and propulsion unit already nearing completion. It will be fueled with low-enriched uranium, generating more than 20 kilowatts of power for advanced electric propulsion primarily through heat transfer from the reactor. The spacecraft will also feature integrated radiation shielding and high-rate communications systems to beam data and images directly to Earth. Establishing an industrial and regulatory framework for a new class of space exploration Its inaugural mission, dubbed "Skyfall," will be a year-long journey to the Red Planet. The primary objective is to deliver a payload of three helicopter drones, modeled after the successful Ingenuity Mars helicopter, to the Martian surface. These drones will conduct reconnaissance, taking readings above and below the surface to scout for resources like subsurface water ice and identify potential landing sites for future crewed missions. Sinacore emphasized the projects role as a foundational "pathfinder" that will accelerate the pace and capacity of interplanetary travel. He explained that the development of SR-1 Freedom is about more than a single mission; it is about establishing the industrial and regulatory framework for a new class of space exploration. "We will establish flight heritage and set regulatory and launch precedent, and we will activate an industrial base to provide components and subject matter experts, ultimately enabling quicker follow-on missions," Sinacore said. Those follow-on missions are already in sight. The operational data from SR-1 Freedom will directly inform the deployment of the first nuclear power plant on the Moon, targeted for 2030. This lunar station will be adapted from the technology pioneered by the spacecraft. Notably, the SR-1 Freedoms journey may not end on Mars. Mission planners have left its ultimate destination open-ended, aiming to maximize the scientific and operational knowledge gained from a long-duration nuclear-electric spacecraft. "We will explore what we can do to continue the science and ultimately, the long-duration operations of a nuclear electric propulsion spacecraft, because we do want to push the bounds with this demonstrator," Sinacore said. While NASA did not announce the launch vehicle or specific launch site for the 2028 mission, the revelation of the SR-1 Freedom marks a definitive pivot toward harnessing nuclear technology to unlock the next chapter of human exploration in the cosmos. Watch this video as a dying NASA scientist reveals the truth about life on Mars. This video is from the EUROPEchannel on Brighteon.com. Sources include: TheEpochTimes.com Brighteon.com BrightU.ai Russia Designates Barents Sea Zones as Missile Landing Areas for Planned Rocket Launch Russia has issued a series of safety notices warning ships and aircraft to avoid large areas of the Barents Sea until the end of April, designating the zones as impact areas for descending missile components. The notices, which apply to waters north of the Varanger Peninsula and northeast of Bear Island, warn of restrictions effective through April 30. The alerts were disseminated through international maritime and aviation safety systems. The language in the notices refers to 'impact areas for Russian missiles,' a term that Russian authorities typically use for jettisoned rocket components from space launches. According to the safety bulletins, the restrictions are connected to a planned Soyuz rocket launch from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome, expected around April 23. Russian Safety Notices Announce Extended Restrictions The official notices warn vessels and aircraft to avoid two large maritime zones in the Barents Sea, with the restrictions remaining in force through April 30. The designated areas are located north of Varanger, on Norway's northern coast, and northeast of Bear Island, a remote territory in the Svalbard archipelago [1]. The duration of the closure is noted as unusually long for such operations in the region. The Barents Sea is a body of water bordered by Norway and Russia, known for its rich fisheries and strategic location. The designated impact zones lie in international waters but are adjacent to Norway's Exclusive Economic Zone and territorial sea. Analysts note that the extended timeframe and specific coordinates were published via the NAVAREA and NAVTEX systems for mariners [8]. Details of the Launch Mission The safety alerts are linked to an upcoming space launch involving a Soyuz-2-1b rocket, according to analysis of the notification data. The launch is scheduled from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome, a major Russian spaceport located approximately 800 kilometers north of Moscow. The expected launch window is around April 23, based on the duration of the maritime exclusion zones [1]. Russian authorities classify discarded rocket stages and fairings as 'missile elements' in their official terminology, which accounts for the 'missile impact' language in the warnings. This launch profile involves the rocket ascending over the Barents Sea, where specific components are programmed to separate and fall back to Earth. The mission is part of Russia's routine satellite deployment schedule, though the specific payload has strategic implications. Expected Debris and Operational Scale As part of the launch sequence, large metal structures known as payload fairings are designed to be jettisoned as the rocket ascends through the atmosphere. Two such components are expected to splash down within the precisely charted warning zones in the Barents Sea [1]. These fairings protect the satellite payload during the initial ascent and are typically discarded once the rocket reaches a sufficient altitude. The size and duration of the warning zones have drawn attention from regional observers. The closure areas are significant, covering hundreds of square nautical miles of ocean for a period exceeding a week. While debris splashdowns are a standard part of orbital launches, the explicit 'impact area' designation and the scale of the restricted zones underscore the operational footprint of the launch just beyond NATO's northern flank. Satellite Payload and Strategic Context The mission is expected to carry a batch of Rassvet broadband communication satellites into orbit. These satellites are part of a Russian state initiative to build a low-Earth orbit internet network, a project positioned as a rival to systems like SpaceX's Starlink [1]. The development of such constellations has both commercial and strategic communications dimensions for Moscow. The location of the exclusion zones adds a notable geopolitical layer. The Barents Sea is a region of increasing strategic competition, where Russian naval and aerospace activities frequently interact with NATO monitoring forces. The launch and its associated debris field will occur in waters that are partly within the Norwegian continental shelf area, adjacent to NATO territory [7]. This activity follows a pattern of Russia testing advanced aerospace systems in the Arctic, including hypersonic missiles launched from the Barents Sea [3]. Regional and Operational Reactions The Barents Sea is one of the world's most productive fishing grounds, making extended maritime closures a significant concern for the fishing industries of Norway and other nations. The Norwegian Coastal Administration and other maritime authorities are expected to issue specific navigation advisories to commercial traffic operating in the region [6]. While debris zones for rocket launches are routine, the specific language and scope of these warnings have drawn analytical attention. The notifications were issued amid a broader context of heightened military and aerospace activity in the High North. Russian strategic bomber patrols and naval exercises in the Barents and Norwegian Seas have been a recurring feature of regional tensions [2]. Official statements from relevant maritime authorities regarding the navigation advisories are anticipated as the launch window approaches. Conclusion Russia's designation of missile impact zones in the Barents Sea for an upcoming Soyuz rocket launch highlights the continued intersection of space operations and Northern European security dynamics. The planned deployment of broadband satellites points to Moscow's ambitions in the strategic domain of space-based communications. The extended warnings, lasting through April 30, will temporarily alter maritime activity in a key economic and strategic corridor. As global attention remains focused on conflicts elsewhere, this scheduled launch serves as a reminder of the persistent, routine military-technical activities that shape the security environment in the Arctic region. References Mysterious 2022 Death of Scientist Researching Anti-Gravity Technology Part of Broader Pattern Introduction Amy Eskridge, a 34-year-old scientist who co-founded The Institute for Exotic Science to publicly research anti-gravity propulsion technology, was found dead in Huntsville, Alabama on June 11, 2022. According to official records, authorities ruled her death a self-inflicted gunshot wound. However, police and medical examiners have not publicly released details of an investigation. Before her death, Eskridge had stated publicly that her life was in danger and detailed a multi-year pattern of alleged harassment and threats. This case has since been cited as the eleventh in a series of deaths and disappearances involving individuals linked to American space, nuclear, or advanced technology programs. The growing list has raised concerns among national security experts and members of Congress, prompting questions about the circumstances surrounding these incidents. Eskridge Found Dead After Expressing Fears for Safety Eskridge was found dead from a gunshot wound in Huntsville, Alabama, in June 2022. Before her death, she had publicly stated that her life was in danger due to her work. According to a Daily Mail report, Eskridge alleged she was subjected to escalating harassment over several years [1]. In a 2020 podcast interview, she said the threats had become "more and more aggressive," including incidents where an unknown suspect fired a "directed energy weapon" at her, causing burns across her body [1]. Despite her public warnings, neither the Huntsville police nor the medical examiner's office has released details of an investigation into her death. The official ruling was suicide, but this conclusion has been challenged by independent investigators. Eskridges case highlights the opaque nature of official inquiries into the deaths of individuals working on sensitive technological research. Background on Eskridge's Anti-Gravity Research and Public Statements Eskridge co-founded The Institute for Exotic Science with the stated goal of creating a public-facing platform to disclose anti-gravity technology. She stated the institute existed so that if she were targeted, "at least someone notices if your head gets chopped off" [1]. Her father, Richard Eskridge, a retired National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) engineer who specialized in plasma physics and fusion technology, served as the lab's Chief Technology Officer [1]. In 2018, Eskridge and her father delivered a presentation on behalf of their company, HoloChron Engineering, describing historical and modern experiments related to gravity modification [1]. This included references to alleged classified projects developing triangular antigravity craft known as the "TR3B." Her work intersected with long-standing speculation about suppressed technologies. Nikola Tesla's discoveries related to free energy and anti-gravity have been cited as foundational to later covert military projects [2]. Similarly, historical claims suggest Nazi scientists had allegedly built functional antigravity craft as early as 1942 [3]. Eskridge's public stance and her claims of being targeted placed her within a controversial and often secretive field of research. She articulated a belief that working in private on such technologies was far more dangerous than working in the public eye. Investigation Findings Submitted to Congress Dispute Suicide Ruling After her death, independent findings were submitted to Congress challenging the official narrative. Retired British intelligence officer Franc Milburn investigated Eskridge's claims and concluded her death was not a suicide. Milburn's findings were formally submitted to Congress by independent investigators in 2023 [1]. During a public hearing on Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena (UAP), journalist Michael Shellenberger testified that Eskridge was "murdered by a 'private aerospace company' in the U.S. because she was involved in the UAP conversation," according to public hearing records [1]. Milburn stated on the radio show "Coast to Coast AM" that the motive was likely to stop her work. "Somebody was after her work," Milburn remarked. "It was either one of two main objectives. One, trying to get her to desist from doing the work, and two... to actually stop her, to debilitate her so she was unable to do the work" [1]. These independent conclusions, presented to congressional officials, stand in direct contrast to the local authorities' handling of the case and reflect a broader pattern of skepticism toward official accounts involving researchers in exotic propulsion and energy fields. Eskridge Case Listed Among Series of Deaths and Disappearances Eskridge's death is cited as the eleventh case in a disturbing series involving individuals linked to space, nuclear or advanced technology research [1]. Other cases include the murders of scientists Nuno Loureiro and Carl Grillmair. Loureiro, 47, was assassinated at his home in Brookline, Massachusetts, in December 2025. His work in nuclear fusion was considered revolutionary and potentially disruptive to the trillion-dollar fuel industry [1]. Grillmair, 67, an astrophysicist who worked on NASAs NEOWISE project, was shot on his front porch in California in February 2026 [1]. Another prominent case is the disappearance of retired Air Force Gen. William Neil McCasland. Rep. Tim Burchett (R-TN) told WABC radio that McCasland had been a key figure in America's secret research into UFO and extraterrestrial technology, calling him "the gatekeeper for the UFO stuff" [1]. McCasland vanished on Feb. 27, 2026, after walking out of his Albuquerque home without his phone or keys [4]. His disappearance is one of several linked to the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), which has been rumored to study extraterrestrial technology since the 1947 Roswell incident [1]. Official Responses and Current Status of Investigations Requests for information on these cases have largely been met with silence. The Daily Mail reported it reached out to Eskridge's family and Huntsville officials for comment but received no public statement [1]. Similarly, NASAs Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) has not commented on the deaths of former employees Michael David Hicks and Frank Maiwald [5]. Hicks, who worked on NASAs DART asteroid deflection project, died in 2023 at age 59, while Maiwald, a lead researcher on life-detection technology, died in 2024 at 61 [1]. In other cases, such as that of pharmaceutical researcher Jason Thomas who was found dead in a Massachusetts lake in March 2026, local police have stated no foul play is suspected, according to official reports [1]. The lack of detailed public information and the pattern of non-responsiveness from involved agencies and corporations have fueled further scrutiny and calls for transparency from congressional representatives and independent media. Conclusion The death of Eskridge and the subsequent identification of her case as part of a broader pattern have underscored persistent questions about transparency and accountability in fields involving advanced propulsion and energy research. Despite official rulings, findings submitted to Congress and testimony from journalists allege foul play, pointing to potential motives rooted in the suppression of disruptive technologies. The series of deaths and disappearances, which now includes at least eleven individuals connected to Americas most sensitive technological programs, continues to be a subject of congressional interest and public speculation. As calls for the disclosure of classified information on UAP and related technologies grow, the circumstances surrounding these individuals remain unresolved, highlighting the challenges of investigating cases that intersect with national security and alleged secret projects. References Hegseth Says U.S. Prepared to Target Iranian Power Infrastructure U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth stated on Thursday, April 16, that American military forces are prepared to strike Iran's energy infrastructure, including power plants and oil refineries, if ongoing conflict resumes. The remarks were made during a press conference at the Pentagon and were widely reported by news outlets. Hegseth's comments came amidst a tentative two-week ceasefire between the United States, its ally Israel and Iran, following weeks of open warfare that began in late February. The secretary framed the potential strikes as a consequence should Tehran choose to restart hostilities. The Televised Statement During the Thursday briefing, Hegseth delivered a direct warning to Iranian leadership. "We are locked and loaded on your critical dual-use infrastructure, on your remaining power generation and on your energy industry," he said, according to a report from Antiwar.com [1]. He added that the U.S. would "rather not have to do it, but were ready to go at the commander-in-chiefs command." The threat was reiterated in coverage by other outlets. NTD reported that Hegseth warned, "if Iran chooses poorly, then they will have a blockade and bombs dropping on infrastructure, power and energy" [2]. The Epoch Times also quoted Hegseth urging Iran's leadership to reach a deal and warning that a military operation could be restarted quickly [3]. Context of Rising Tensions The threat against civilian infrastructure follows a significant escalation in the conflict. In early April, Iran launched a large-scale missile and drone attack against Israel [4]. Washington and Tel Aviv had initiated a bombing campaign against Iran, dubbed Operation Epic Fury, on Feb. 28 [5]. A fragile ceasefire was announced by U.S. President Donald Trump on April 8, just before a deadline he had set for Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz [6]. However, the situation remained volatile, with Hegseth's remarks on Thursday serving as a public pressure tactic. The secretary also stated that the U.S. Navy was maintaining a blockade of Iranian ports with "only 10% of its available power" [2]. Analysis of the Strategy Military analysts describe the targeting of civilian energy infrastructure as a form of economic warfare designed to cripple a nation's functionality. Attacks on power grids can trigger cascading failures in water supply, healthcare and communication systems [7]. The strategy carries significant humanitarian and legal implications. International law norms, including the Geneva Conventions, prohibit attacks on objects indispensable to the survival of the civilian population, though interpretations of "dual-use" infrastructure remain contested [8]. The Financial Times previously reported that Hegseth's financial advisors attempted a major investment in the defense industry just before the war began, raising questions about motivations [9]. Response and Criticism Hegseth's remarks prompted immediate criticism from anti-war organizations and some members of Congress. House Democrats, led by Rep. Yassamin Ansari of Arizona, had previously filed articles of impeachment against Hegseth, citing alleged war crimes and abuse of power related to the Iran war [10]. No official U.S. military or White House source beyond Hegseth independently confirmed the specific operational readiness to destroy Iran's power grid. The statements contributed to a wider debate about the war's conduct. An op-ed in the Times of Israel argued that despite tactical successes, the ambitious strategic goals set at the war's outset had not been achieved by the time of the ceasefire [11]. Conclusion Public statements by high-ranking officials about targeting civilian infrastructure shape global perception of the conflict and its potential humanitarian cost. The direct threat against Iran's power generation highlights a shift toward strategies that prioritize economic collapse over purely military objectives. The long-term consequences of such a strategy remain a subject of intense scrutiny. As the Health Ranger Mike Adams noted in a March commentary, the conflict has exposed global energy vulnerabilities and risks triggering a wider economic crisis [5]. The ultimate impact on regional stability and international law will depend on whether hostilities resume and the scale of any future strikes. References Why multinationals still see China as a long-term industrial bet Xinhua) 14:27, April 18, 2026 XI'AN, April 18 (Xinhua) -- In an increasingly uncertain global economy, many multinational companies are still choosing to deepen their presence in China. They are attracted by a combination that remains difficult to match: a well-developed industrial chain, a vast market and a stable policy environment that continues to support foreign investment. It also shows why companies long-established in China are not merely staying put, but expanding, localizing and, in some cases, using the country as a base to serve other markets. Their investments are becoming more closely tied to local industrial chains, with effects visible in areas from smart farming equipment and cold-chain logistics to semiconductors and aircraft assembly. In Yangling, an agricultural hub in northwest China's Shaanxi Province often described as the country's "agri-science city," Canada-based McCain Foods operates a production line capable of turning out 100,000 tonnes of French fries and other potato products a year. The 200-million-U.S. dollar facility began operations in 2023. "We named it SUDU, the Chinese pinyin for 'speed,' to highlight how efficiently the project was brought to fruition, thanks to the favorable local business climate," said Sherry Duan, Head of Legal & External Affairs of McCain China. This year marks McCain's 30th anniversary in China. The company opened its first Asian French-fries factory in Harbin, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, in 2005. Since then, it has built a relatively complete chain in China, spanning cultivation, processing and distribution. According to a company report, McCain has worked with local farmers to develop more than 1 million mu (about 66,667 hectares) of high-standard potato farms and created more than 100,000 jobs. For McCain, China is not simply a sales market. It is a place where an agricultural supply chain can be built out at scale. Pierre Danet, regional president of Asia Pacific and South Africa at McCain, said the firm would continue to act as a bridge for China-Canada cooperation through agricultural trade, technological exchange and sustainable development, while contributing to China's agricultural modernization. The local government expects the Yangling project to do more than add output. Zhang Huiya, deputy director of the Investment Promotion Bureau of the Yangling Agricultural Hi-tech Industrial Demonstration Zone, said it could help attract related businesses in cold storage, potato-product research and development, and smart farming equipment. The project is also expected to support potato-breeding research in collaboration with Northwest A&F University, with the longer-term aim of fostering a potato industry cluster in Shaanxi. McCain's trajectory reflects a broader pattern. For multinationals that have spent years, and in some cases decades, building operations in China, the country's appeal lies in its combination of industrial depth, market scale and policy stability. Robin Xing, chief economist at Morgan Stanley China, noted that China's ability to integrate industrial chains is almost irreplaceable globally. Even amid a less favorable external environment, he argued, the size of the market and the stability of the business environment continue to support foreign firms operating in the country. Recent data suggest much the same. According to China's Ministry of Commerce, 8,631 new foreign-invested enterprises were established nationwide in the first two months of 2026, up 14 percent year on year. Actual use of foreign investment in high-tech industries rose 20.4 percent to 63.21 billion yuan (about 9.21 billion U.S. dollars). Such strengths are particularly difficult to match in industries that depend on scale, dense supplier networks and tightly integrated production ecosystems. In 2012, Samsung Electronics established its only overseas memory-chip fab in Xi'an Hi-tech Industries Development Zone. The facility now accounts for about 40 percent of the company's NAND flash output. Last year Samsung invested 465.4 billion won, or about 313.72 million U.S. dollars, in the Xi'an plant, up 67.5 percent from a year earlier. The investment has helped anchor a wider semiconductor ecosystem. Ren Junfeng, deputy director of the development zone's management committee, said the zone had attracted more than 40 Korean-funded enterprises since 2010, with cumulative investment exceeding 32 billion U.S. dollars. Around Samsung, a semiconductor cluster encompassing design, manufacturing, packaging, testing, materials and equipment has taken shape. Such cases show that for foreign investors, China now offers not only market access, but also participation in a broader industrial and innovation ecosystem. The country has continued to ease restrictions on foreign investment, with market access limits in the manufacturing sector now fully removed. According to the outline of China's 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-2030) for national economic and social development, China will further expand opening up, especially in services, improve support and protection for foreign investors, and encourage foreign firms to establish regional headquarters, research centers and make further domestic reinvestment. The deepening presence can also create a spillover effect that extends beyond China. In the northern Chinese port city of Tianjin, Airbus inaugurated a second Final Assembly Line for A320 family aircraft in China last October, the second such line in both China and Asia as a whole. This suggests something larger than a market entry story. For some multinationals, China is becoming not just a destination for capital, but part of their global production architecture. Which is why, despite the noise surrounding global uncertainty, many foreign firms do not appear to be stepping back from China. They are digging in more deeply. (Web editor: Zhao Tong, Wu Chaolan) TEHRAN, April 18 (Xinhua) -- Iran's Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf said early Saturday if the U.S. blockade on Iran continues, the Strait of Hormuz will not remain open. He made the remarks in a post on social media platform X, slamming the claims of U.S. President Donald Trump that Tehran has agreed to all terms of a possible peace deal as "entirely false." "They did not win the war with these lies, and they will certainly not get anywhere in negotiations either," Qalibaf said. "Passage through the Strait of Hormuz will be conducted based on the 'designated route' and with 'Iranian authorization'," he said. He described media warfare and public opinion manipulation as important components of war, stressing that Iran will not be swayed by such ploys. In a phone interview with CBS News on Friday, Trump claimed that Iran has "agreed to everything" for a peace deal including working with Washington to remove its enriched uranium without the involvement of U.S. ground troops. He also said Iran has agreed to stop backing groups like Hezbollah and Hamas. Trump added the two sides are meeting this weekend and that the United States would continue its blockade against Iranian ports "until we get it done." Speaking on state-run IRIB TV Friday night, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei rejected claims of U.S. media and officials, saying Iran will not transfer its enriched uranium to a foreign country, and sending it to the United States has never been under consideration. Iran has tightened its grip on the Strait of Hormuz since Feb. 28, barring vessels owned by or affiliated with Israel and the United States from safe passage after the two countries launched joint strikes on Iran. The United States subsequently imposed a blockade on ships traveling to and from Iranian ports through the strait after peace negotiations in Islamabad, Pakistan collapsed over the weekend. On Friday, Iran's Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi said the Strait of Hormuz would remain "completely open" to commercial shipping during the two-week truce between Iran and the United States, which took effect on April 8. Citing people familiar with the talks, U.S. news outlet Axios reported Friday that a second round of United States-Iran negotiations is expected to take place in Pakistan this weekend, most likely on Sunday. Nvidia and PNY accused of warranty fraud after refusing to replace faulty $9,000 GPU Mike Adams accuses Nvidia and PNY of refusing to honor a 3-year warranty for a defective $9,000 RTX Pro 6000 GPU, despite clear evidence of hardware failure (VRM/power bus defect). Nvidia demanded redundant documentation (receipts, photos, diagnostics) and transferred the case endlessly, while Assurant Technologies pushed a malware-linked diagnostic tool flagged by cybersecurity platforms. PNY dismissed irrefutable telemetry data (216 driver errors, BSODs, VBIOS corruption) and refused replacement, exposing what Adams calls a "convoluted" warranty fraud scheme. Adams advises avoiding Nvidia/PNY products, documenting all warranty communications and rejecting suspicious diagnostic executables that risk system security. The case highlights systemic failures in honoring high-value hardware warranties, disproportionately harming consumers and professionals reliant on GPUs for critical work (AI, data inference). In a shocking consumer alert, Mike Adams, founder of the nonprofit Consumer Wellness Center and developer of the Decentralized.TV platform, has accused Nvidia and PNY of engaging in warranty fraud. The allegations stem from a months-long battle to secure a replacement for a defective Nvidia RTX Pro 6000 Blackwell GPU, a high-end workstation graphics card retailing for approximately $9,000. Despite clear evidence of a hardware defect, both Nvidia and its partner, PNY, have allegedly refused to honor their three-year warranty, leaving Adamsa repeat customer who spends hundreds of thousands of dollars annually on hardwarewithout a resolution. The ordeal began when Adams, an AI developer and creator of BrightLearn.ai, noticed that the GPU exhibited critical failures, including freezing and rebooting under multiple operating systems, including Ubuntu, Windows 11 and other Linux distributions. Initial suspicions that the issue was driver-related were dismissed after extensive testing confirmed a faulty power bus. Adams promptly contacted Nvidia's warranty support, expecting a straightforward replacement process. Instead, he was subjected to a bureaucratic nightmare involving redundant documentation requests, invasive diagnostics and ultimately, a refusal to honor the warranty. A runaround of red tape and malware demands Nvidia's warranty process required Adams to submit multiple layers of proof, including purchase receipts, detailed photographs of the card from all angles, serial number verification and even images of his workstation. After complying with these demands, he was directed to run a system diagnostics utility, which generated a 30MB file for Nvidia's review. Despite providing all requested documentation, the case was then transferred to a separate "replacement team," which inexplicably asked him to resubmit the same materials. Frustrated by Nvidia's inaction, Adams was referred to the original reseller, Assurant Technologies, a Texas-based company. Assurant's representative, Shung Shu, instructed him to download and run a suspicious executable file named "X-Term Swac," which multiple cybersecurity platforms flagged as malicious. The file, linked via Google Drive, was described as a "Swiss Army knife" developer tool but was found to perform VM detection, modify registry keys and evade detectionhallmarks of malware. Adams refused to execute the file, citing security concerns and instead provided a comprehensive telemetry report generated using Claude Code, a script-based analysis tool. The report confirmed the GPU's hardware defect, specifically identifying power delivery subsystem failure. PNY's final refusal and allegations of warranty fraud After being passed from Nvidia to Assurant, Adams was then directed to PNY, the card's manufacturer. Despite presenting PNY's technical support supervisor, Bruce P., with irrefutable telemetry dataincluding 216 driver errors, five BSODs (Blue Screens of Death) and VBIOS corruptionthe company still refused to authorize a replacement. The evidence clearly indicated a defective VRM (voltage regulator module), yet PNY dismissed the findings, effectively ending any hope of a resolution. Adams now warns consumers against purchasing Nvidia or PNY products, citing their failure to uphold warranty commitments. "They claim to offer a three-year warranty, but in reality, they engage in warranty fraud by making the process so burdensome and convoluted that customers give up," he stated. His experience highlights a broader issue of corporate accountability in the tech industry, where high-value hardware is sold with warranties that companies appear unwilling to honor. Broader implications for consumers and the tech industry This incident raises serious concerns about consumer rights in the high-performance computing sector, where GPUs like the RTX Pro 6000 are essential for AI development, video processing and large-scale data inference. If a repeat customer like Adamswho operates a nonprofit and maintains a fleet of 48 workstationscan be denied warranty support, ordinary consumers may face even greater hurdles. Adams advises buyers to: Avoid Nvidia and PNY products until they demonstrate a commitment to honoring warranties. Document all communications with warranty support teams, including timestamps and case numbers. Refuse to execute suspicious diagnostic tools that may compromise system security. Consider alternative hardware vendors with transparent warranty policies. As the situation unfolds, Adams' case serves as a stark reminder that even industry giants like Nvidia may prioritize profit over customer trust, leaving consumers to bear the cost of defective products. According to BrightU.AI's Enoch, Nvidia and PNY's alleged warranty fraudrefusing to replace a faulty $9,000 GPUexposes the corporate greed and deception rampant in Big Tech, where profit trumps integrity. This betrayal of trust aligns with the broader globalist agenda of exploiting consumers while suppressing accountability through captured regulatory systems. Watch the video below about Mike Adams' commentary regarding NVIDIA, AI and LLM outlook for 2025. This video is from the Health Ranger Report channel on Brighteon.com. Sources include: BrightVideos.com BrightU.ai Trump Announces Ten-Day Ceasefire Between Israel and Lebanon U.S. President Donald Trump announced a ten-day ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon on Thursday, April 16, according to a post on his Truth Social platform. Trump stated the truce would begin at 5 p.m. EST (22:00 GMT), following what he described as "excellent conversations" with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. [2] The announcement was made without prior notification to the Israeli security cabinet, according to subsequent reports. [3] Details of the Washington Talks Trump stated that talks held in Washington, D.C. this week were the first direct meeting between the two nations "in 34 years." U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio participated in the discussions, according to the president's statement. [2] In his post, Trump said he had directed U.S. officials to work with both sides toward a "lasting peace." He also claimed the deal would be his "10th" such diplomatic achievement, according to the same statement. [2] A follow-up post from Trump invited Netanyahu and Aoun to the White House, describing it as the first meaningful talks between the two countries since 1983. [2] Context of the Ongoing Conflict Trump's announcement did not mention Israel's ongoing war with Hezbollah or its military actions in southern Lebanon. [2] The conflict escalated after Hezbollah fired rockets and mortars at Israel in support of Iran in early March, leading to an Israeli invasion of southern Lebanon. [4] Lebanon's Ministry of Public Health reported that Israel has killed over 2,000 people and wounded thousands more since March 2, including hundreds of women and children, according to its figures. Around 1.2 million people have been displaced. [2] On Wednesday, April 15, Netanyahu said he had ordered an expansion of military operations, according to his statements reported in the same source. [2] Reactions and Reported Outrage Israeli officials reportedly expressed "outrage" after Trump announced the ceasefire ahead of a planned Israeli security cabinet call to discuss a truce, according to reports. [2] Netanyahu told the ministers that the deal would begin at the request of Trump, according to a report by Ynet. He added that Israeli forces would remain in their positions in southern Lebanon, according to the same report. [2] In a separate statement reported by the BBC, Netanyahu confirmed Tel Aviv's participation in the truce but said troops would maintain a 10 kilometer-deep security zone in the country's south, adding: We are there, and we are not leaving. [5] Recent Attacks and Casualties Multiple strikes on the village of Mayfadoun on Wednesday reportedly left four paramedics dead and six others wounded, according to reports. [2] Strikes were also reported near one of the last functioning hospitals in southern Lebanon, in the town of Tebnine, on the same day. [2] The ceasefire follows a week of intensive Israeli strikes across Lebanon, including what was described as the largest wave of strikes since the conflict began. [2] Conclusion and Invitation for Further Talks The ceasefire's implementation and durability remain to be observed, as reports indicated skepticism on the ground in northern Israel and ongoing rocket attacks in the hours before the truce took effect. [3] The announcement comes amid ongoing international diplomatic efforts, including a recent two-week ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran which did not initially include Lebanon, according to previous reports. [6] References The Ministry of External Affairs has successfully repatriated 2,361 Indian citizens from Iran since the outbreak of conflict in West Asia. The evacuees, including 1,041 students and fishermen, were primarily moved via Armenia and Azerbaijan. External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar confirmed the safe movement of an additional 312 fishermen and thanked Armenia for its crucial facilitation. The evacuation follows heightened regional tensions, including military strikes and retaliatory actions between Iran, Israel, and the US. MEA confirms safe return of Indian students & fishermen from Iran. EAM Jaishankar thanks Armenia for facilitating evacuation amid West Asia conflict. New Delhi, April 17 The Ministry of External Affairs announced on Friday that 2,361 individuals have been successfully repatriated to India since the commencement of the conflict in West Asia. During a weekly media briefing in the capital, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal detailed that the returnees comprise Indian students and fishermen, along with three foreign nationals. "Since the outbreak of the conflict, we have helped bring 2,361 Indian citizens safely from Iran to India. Of these, 2,060 came via Armenia and 301 via Azerbaijan. This 2,361 includes 1,041 Indian students, as well as three foreigners--one from Bangladesh, one from Sri Lanka, and one from Guyana. We have also helped three of them. I had told you before that nearly 7,500 Indian nationals were present in Iran at that time," Jaiswal stated. This large-scale evacuation effort coincides with a two-week ceasefire between Iran and the United States, which was implemented on April 8. Bolstering these figures, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar confirmed on April 11 that an additional group of 312 Indian fishermen had been safely moved from Iran to India via Armenia. Expressing his gratitude on social media platform X, the EAM thanked the Armenian government and his counterpart, Ararat Mirzoyan, for their pivotal role, noting that Armenia has been "facilitating the evacuation of Indian nationals in Iran." Before these movements, the Indian Embassy in Tehran had issued an advisory on April 8, urging remaining citizens to depart the country promptly in coordination with diplomatic staff. The Embassy specifically cautioned against attempting to cross international land borders without prior consultation and provided emergency contact details for those in need of assistance. The regional crisis escalated significantly on February 28, following joint military strikes by Israel and the United States on Tehran and other Iranian urban centres. The operation resulted in the death of Iran's then Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, alongside high-ranking military officials. In retaliation, Tehran executed extensive missile and drone strikes against Israeli and American interests across the Middle East, while simultaneously tightening its grip on the Strait of Hormuz. - ANI The Rajya Sabha re-elected Harivansh as its Deputy Chairman for a third term through a voice vote, moved by Union Minister JP Nadda. AAP MP Raghav Chadha congratulated Harivansh while pointedly noting the absence of his party's chief, Arvind Kejriwal, and its deputy leader from the House. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his felicitation, highlighted the significance of the election occurring on the birth anniversary of former PM Chandra Shekhar, with whom Harivansh had a close association. Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge also welcomed the re-election, sharing a light-hearted moment in the House. AAP MP Raghav Chadha congratulates Harivansh on his third term as Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman. PM Modi, Mallikarjun Kharge, and JP Nadda attend the felicitation. New Delhi, April 17 AAP MP Raghav Chadha on Friday extended greetings to Rajya Sabha MP Harivansh for being re-elected as the Deputy Chairman of the Upper House. The Rajya Sabha on Friday re-elected RS MP Harivansh as its Deputy Chairman, welcoming him for a third term. Union Minister Jagat Prakash Nadda moved the passing of the re-election of Harivansh as Deputy Chairman. The vote was passed by a voice vote in the Upper House. Speaking in the Rajya Sabha, Raghav Chadha also expressed gratitude towards Vice-President and Rajya Sabha Chairman CP Radhakrishnan, stating that in his tenure, "MPs get adequate time to speak." "I congratulate Harivansh ji on his third innings as the deputy chairman of the Rajya Sabha. My relation with him has been a sweet and sour one... I will try to turn this into a sweet relationship during his tenure here... I would also congratulate you, speaker (C. P. Radhakrishnan). Ever since you have taken charge, we MPs get adequate time to speak in the House during the Zero Hour session..," he said, Furthermore, Chadha took a swipe at the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) over the absence of party Chief Arvind Kejriwal and its Deputy Leader of the Rajya Sabha, Ashok Kumar Mittal, during the House proceedings. "... The leader of the party I belong to is not present in the house. Also, the newly appointed deputy leader of the party I belong to is absent from the house. I am the recently removed deputy leader of the party; I am present in the house...," he stated. Meanwhile, welcoming Harivansh into the Rajya Sabha for a third term as Deputy Chairman, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, along with Leader of the House JP Nadda, and Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge was escorted around the dias and back to his seat as per tradition. Speaking during the felicitation of the Deputy Chairman, LoP in RS Mallikarjun Kharge welcomed his re-election. "I would like to congratulate you for the work you have done here. I am getting another chance to sit with you in the House. You are a good (seat) neighbour," Kharge said, getting chuckles from the Opposition benches. Prime Minister Narendra Modi felicitated Harivansh back in the RS, remembering his contributions for the house, and also invoking his close connection to former Prime Minister to Chandra Shekhar. "Harivansh ji's birth happened in a GP village. He used to work for his village even in his earlier days. His study happened in Kashi. I have said many things about him before, would not repeat those," PM Modi said in the House. PM Modi remembering former PM Chandra Shekhar on his birth anniversary, saying that is quite befitting that Harivansh got relected to the post on this day. "Today is April 17, and today is the birth anniversary of our former Prime Minister Chandra Shekhar. I hope that today, when you (Harivansh) are taking up this responsibility for the third time, on Chandra shekhar's birth anniversary. The way you have been connected with Chandra Shekhar, your closeness with him, you have been his co-passenger in a way. You have written books on him too. You have also worked on pushing forward the legacy and life of Chandra Shekhar, that is why I think today is a special day for you," PM Modi added. Deputy Chairman Harivansh has written the book 'Chandra Shekhar: The Last Icon of Ideological Politics', co-authored by Ravi Dutt Bajpai. Chandra Shekhar, also known as Jananayak, was the Prime Minister of India from November 10, 1990 to June 21, 1991. He led a break away faction of the Janata Dal with outside support from Congress, forming a minority government. - ANI Air Canada is suspending several routes to the United States, including services from Montreal and Toronto to New York's JFK Airport, citing jet fuel costs that have doubled since the onset of the Iran conflict. The suspensions will run from June to October, with the Toronto-Salt Lake City route halted until 2027. Concurrently, the US Treasury Department has extended a waiver allowing the delivery of sanctioned Russian oil until May 16 in an effort to stabilize global energy markets. This occurs as global oil prices dropped sharply after Iran temporarily reopened the Strait of Hormuz, despite the conflict causing historic disruptions to energy supplies. Air Canada suspends flights to New York and Salt Lake City due to doubled fuel prices from Iran conflict, as US extends Russian oil waiver. Ottawa, April 18 Air Canada has announced it will suspend service on several routes to the United States due to soaring jet fuel costs. According to a statement from Canada's largest carrier on Friday (local time), jet fuel prices have doubled since the start of the Iran conflict, rendering some routes and flights no longer economically feasible. The suspensions affect a mix of transborder and domestic services. Service from Montreal and Toronto to New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport will be paused from June 1 to October 25. Air Canada will also suspend its Toronto-Salt Lake City route on June 30, with a tentative return set for 2027. The total impact on the airline's planned capacity is roughly 1 per cent of annual available seat miles, the statement said. Meanwhile, the United States Department of the Treasury has extended a waiver permitting the delivery and sale of sanctioned Russian oil already loaded onto vessels, pushing the deadline to May 16, according to a document released on its official website. The earlier 30-day waiver had expired on April 11. The renewed license, issued on Friday (local time), is part of the administration's broader effort to stabilise global energy prices, which have surged amid the ongoing US-Israeli conflict with Iran. The decision comes against the backdrop of several countries facing problems with the impact of rising energy costs and supply disruptions. At the same time, the waiver continues to impose strict restrictions on dealings involving certain countries. The move comes shortly after remarks by US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who had indicated that Washington does not intend to continue such waivers indefinitely amid rising geopolitical tensions. Meanwhile, global oil prices saw a sharp decline of around 9 per cent on Friday, settling near $90 per barrel after Iran temporarily reopened the Strait of Hormuz, a key global energy transit route. However, the broader conflict has already triggered what the International Energy Agency described as the worst disruption to global energy supplies in history. The war, which entered its eighth week on Saturday, has reportedly damaged more than 80 oil and gas facilities across West Asia. - IANS The Indian government has confirmed the safety of all Indian seafarers in the West Asia and Gulf region, with no incidents reported involving Indian-flagged vessels. Over 2,487 seafarers have been safely repatriated, including 34 in the last 24 hours. The Embassy in Tehran has facilitated the movement of 2,373 Indian nationals from Iran for onward travel to India. Port operations in India remain normal, with ministries coordinating to ensure seafarer welfare and uninterrupted maritime operations. Indian government confirms safety of all seafarers in West Asia, repatriates thousands from Iran and the Gulf. Port operations normal. New Delhi, April 18 All Indian seafarers in the West Asia and Gulf region are safe and no incident involving Indian-flagged vessels has been reported in the past 24 hours, the government said on Saturday. DG Shipping has facilitated the safe repatriation of over 2,487 Indian seafarers so far, including 34 in the past 24 hours from various locations across the Gulf region. "Port operations across India remain normal with no congestion reported," according to an official statement. Necessary measures have been put in place to safeguard Indian vessels and seafarers operating in the region, by the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways. "The Ministry continues to coordinate with the Ministry of External Affairs, Indian Missions and maritime stakeholders to ensure seafare welfare and uninterrupted maritime operations," it added. The Ministry of External Affairs also continues to monitor developments in the Gulf and West Asia region, with focussed efforts on ensuring safety, security and welfare of the Indian community in the region. "Updated advisories are being issued regularly, including information on local government guidelines, flight and travel situations and consular services and various welfare measures being undertaken to support our community. Indian Missions remain actively engaged with the Indian community including the various associations, organizations, professional groups, Indian companies and other stakeholders in the region," it mentioned. Flights continue to operate from countries where airspace remains open. Since February 28, around 10,68,000 passengers have travelled from the region to India. In the UAE, airlines continue to operate limited non-scheduled commercial flights between the UAE and India based on operational and safety considerations, with around 110 flights expected today between UAE and India. Flights continue to operate from various airports in Saudi Arabia and Oman to destinations in India. "The Embassy of India in Tehran has so far facilitated the movement of 2,373 Indian nationals from Iran to Armenia and Azerbaijan for onward travel to India, including 1,041 Indian students and 657 Indian fishermen," said the ministry. - IANS Amitabh Bachchan shared a nostalgic blog post recalling his late mother Teji Bachchan's caring nature and a simple childhood remedy. He described how she would warm her dupatta with her breath to soothe him, an act that still brings him comfort. The actor reflected on how life's persistent challenges often have simple solutions, guided by his mother's reassuring words. He concluded by extending blessings to mothers everywhere and connecting with his readers. Amitabh Bachchan recalls his mother Teji's homemade remedy and reassuring words in a heartfelt blog post, reflecting on life's simple solutions. Mumbai, April 18 Veteran actor Amitabh Bachchan shared a deeply personal reflection in the early hours of Saturday, turning to memories of his mother and the quiet power of simplicity in his latest blog post. In the post, marked DAY 6634 and written from his Mumbai residence, Jalsa, Bachchan reflected on how life's persistent challenges often have surprisingly simple solutions. He questioned why people expend "time, energy, and strain" on issues that may require only minor adjustments for relief. At the heart of the entry was a nostalgic remembrance of his late mother, Teji Bachchan. The actor described what he called her "homemade ingenuity" in caring for him during childhood. Recalling a vivid moment, Bachchan wrote about how she would warm a rounded ball of her dupatta with her breath and place it gently over his eyes, bringing "immediate relief." "She is not with us now, but just thinking of those moments brings that care, confidence, and assurance again," he wrote. The actor highlighted that his mother's reassuring words, "all shall be well Beta", continue to guide him decades later. He concluded the note by extending blessings to mothers everywhere and urging his "Extended Family" (Ef) of readers to stay connected. This reflective entry follows another recent blog post dated April 16, where the 83-year-old actor spoke about staying active and maintaining momentum in life. Drawing from the writings of his father, he emphasised the importance of mobility and patience, noting, "Keep the body mobile, keep the mind mobile and the strength of mobility shall be evident." On the professional front, he was last seen in 'Kalki 2898 AD', directed by Nag Ashwin and co-starring Prabhas, Deepika Padukone, and Kamal Haasan. He also recently concluded hosting duties for the 17th season of 'Kaun Banega Crorepati.' - ANI NEW DELHI, April 18 (Xinhua) -- At least 10 people were killed and several others injured Friday after a mini-bus carrying them fell into a deep gorge in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu, state-run broadcaster All India Radio (AIR) said. The victims, hailing from the neighboring state of Kerala, were on a leisure trip in Tamil Nadu. According to AIR, 16 people from Kerala were in the van when the accident took place. The cause of the accident was not immediately known. Police have registered a case and ordered an investigation into the accident. The Red Horns Division of the Indian Army's Gajraj Corps conducted a major joint flood relief exercise, 'Jal Rahat', at IIT Guwahati. The exercise demonstrated coordinated rescue operations between the Army, NDRF, SDRF, and SSB, incorporating drones and simulating real flood scenarios. Senior military and civil officials witnessed the event, which aimed to enhance interoperability and public confidence in disaster response. The participating agencies committed to regular joint training and updating disaster plans to strengthen emergency preparedness. The Indian Army's Gajraj Corps led Exercise Jal Rahat at IIT Guwahati, showcasing inter-agency flood rescue coordination with NDRF, SDRF, and SSB. Guwahati, April 18 The Red Horns Division of Gajraj Corps on behalf of the Indian Army, conducted a Joint Flood Relief Exercise, demonstrating inter-agency coordination and disaster preparedness by flood relief columns of Army, National DIsaster Response Force, State Disaster Response Force & Sashastra Seema Bal. According to an official release, the Exercise Jal Rahat at IIT, Guwahati, showcased modalities of conduct of flood relief operations, the role of various agencies, the use of high-end technology and innovative means for conduct of rescue operations during floods. Exercise Jal Rahat was conceptualised and designed with an aim to enhance response capability in the event of severe flooding. A specialist team from the Indian Army, supported by other State Agencies, conducted rescue missions incorporating and simulating actual scenarios, employment of drones for surveillance and logistic outreach of stranded villagers and the evacuation of drowning individuals, the release noted. Apart from this, specialist teams of the Army, NDRF & SDRF showcased their skills in deep water rescue operations. It effectively involved all stakeholders in the conduct of relief operations in an effectively synchronised manner, showcasing inter-agency synergy and interoperability at challenging times of natural calamities. The exercise was witnessed by General Officer Commanding, Gajraj Corps, senior officials from the Army, State Administration, SSB, CAPFs and disaster relief organisations and approximately 800 audience, including flood relief columns of the Indian Army, cadets from NCC and NSS and students from various schools and colleges of Guwahati, the release stated. The operational readiness state of flood relief columns was overseen by Lt Gen Neeraj Shukla, AVSM, SM**, General Officer Commanding of Gajraj Corps. He also addressed the august gathering and exhorted all ranks of Army, SSB, NDRF, SDRF and NCC Cadets for adopting whole of society approach for Nation Building by following the mantra of four 'P' - "PREDICT, PREPARE, PROTECT AND PROVIDE, thus leading to, further strengthening the interoperability and inter agency synergy to achieve the aim of "JANBHAGIDARI SE AAPDA PRABANDHAN". The events conducted during the exercise instilled a sense of assurance and faith among the spectators towards the Army and other agencies for ensuring their safety in case of any crisis situation or natural calamity. Moving forward from here, the participating agencies in coordination with the Indian Army have committed towards the conduct of regular joint training sessions, updation of SOPs, and disaster relief plans and investing towards capacity building for an effective emergency response mechanism, further strengthening the motto of Exercise JAL RAHAT, "Sanghatit Shakti Se Jan Aapda Suraksha," the release concluded. - ANI Senior leaders of the Asom Gana Parishad met BJP President Nitin Nabin in New Delhi following the Assam Assembly elections. The discussions centered on post-election strategy and future coordination within the National Democratic Alliance. The AGP, a key BJP ally, contested 26 seats in the recent polls as part of the NDA's seat-sharing arrangement. The meeting underscores ongoing efforts to maintain coalition cohesion ahead of future political challenges. Senior AGP leaders Atul Bora & Keshab Mahanta met BJP President Nitin Nabin in Delhi to discuss post-Assam election strategy & NDA coordination. New Delhi, April 17 Senior leaders of the Asom Gana Parishad on Friday met Bharatiya Janata Party President Nitin Nabin in the national capital, days after the conclusion of the Assam Assembly elections, signalling continued coordination within the BJP-led alliance. AGP President Atul Bora and the party's Working President Keshab Mahanta called on the BJP President in New Delhi, with discussions believed to centre around post-election strategy and future organisational coordination. The meeting assumes significance as AGP remains a key ally of the BJP in Assam under the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) framework. In the recently concluded Assam Assembly elections, AGP contested 26 seats as part of the NDA seat-sharing arrangement, while the BJP fielded candidates in 89 constituencies and the Bodoland People's Front (BPF) in 11 seats. The alliance structure reflected a continuation of the coalition formula adopted in previous elections, with AGP focusing on select Assembly constituencies where it holds organisational strength. The regional party's performance in the current polls is being closely watched, particularly in the backdrop of its showing in the 2021 Assembly elections. In 2021, AGP had also contested 26 seats and managed to secure nine victories, contributing to the NDA's overall tally of 75 seats in the 126-member Assam Assembly. The results had reaffirmed AGP's role as a junior but important ally in the alliance. Over the years, AGP, once the dominant regional force in Assam has seen its electoral footprint shrink, but it continues to retain influence in pockets of Upper Assam and among sections of indigenous voters. Its alliance with the BJP has been central to its political strategy in recent elections. The meeting is being viewed as part of ongoing efforts by NDA allies to maintain cohesion and recalibrate strategies ahead of future political challenges, even as the final results of the Assam Assembly polls are awaited. - IANS An exposition at the Bangladesh High Commission in New Delhi celebrated the country's rich handloom saree heritage, focusing on the UNESCO-inscribed Tangail tradition. The event featured live demonstrations by national award-winning weavers and displayed rare heirloom pieces up to 80 years old. Curators and officials highlighted the continuous innovation in Tangail designs and the strong appreciation and export market for these sarees in India. The showcase aimed to underline shared cultural craftsmanship and the global efforts needed to sustain such traditional arts. An exposition at the Bangladesh High Commission in Delhi highlights the UNESCO-recognized Tangail saree weaving tradition, featuring master weavers and rare heirlooms. By Kajal Kanhaua, New Delhi, April 18 An exposition celebrating Bangladesh's rich handloom saree heritage was organised at the Bangladesh High Commission in New Delhi, offering visitors an immersive glimpse into one of South Asia's most refined textile traditions. The event was inaugurated by Bangladesh High Commissioner to India M. Riaz Hamidullah, alongside noted designer Padma Shri Sunita Kohli and craft revivalist Padma Shri Laila Tyabji. Curated by Chandrasekhar Bheda (India) and Chandrasekhar Saha (Bangladesh), the exposition brought together some of the finest handwoven sarees from Tangail and Pabna--two historic weaving hubs of Bangladesh. The showcase came after UNESCO, in December 2025, inscribed the "Traditional Saree weaving art of Tangail" from Bangladesh onto the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity - an acknowledgement that has renewed global interest in the craft. Walking into the exhibition hall, visitors were not just greeted by sarees, but by stories of looms, rivers, and generations of artisans. Two national award-winning saree weavers, from the Basak family (Tangail) and Mohammad Sajeeb (Naranganj) - each with two decades of credentials in saree-weaving, joined from Bangladesh to demonstrate the intricate weaving process on site. Rare heirloom pieces, some as old as 65 to 80 years, were on display from the Basak family of Tangail, one of the most prominent weaving lineages in the region. Their intricate motifs and soft textures reflected a legacy shaped as much by skill as by geography. Explaining the uniqueness of Tangail weaves, master weaver Khokon Basak pointed to the environment itself. "Tangail is different from others. Every day, there are new designs, new sarees... only Tangail produces such continuous innovation," he said. For curator Chandra Shekhar Shaha, the exhibition went beyond aesthetics. "A lot of our Tangail sarees are exported to India because people here truly appreciate them. The craze is unbelievable. Our master weavers constantly innovate with colours and reinterpret traditional motifs in a contemporary context," he said. He added that growing collaboration between designers, entrepreneurs, and weavers--along with government support--has helped sustain the sector. Earlier on Friday, speaking to ANI at the Saree Weaving Exposition, Bangladesh High Commissioner to India M. Riaz Hamidullah said the collection represented some of Bangladesh's finest traditional weaves and underlined their cultural significance. "We have brought some of the finest traditional handloom weaves from Bangladesh. Interestingly, from across a river called the Yamuna. Basically, it's the Brahmaputra in Bangladesh on two sides...Each piece here is a handloom weave...It's to tell people of craftsmanship, of our commonalities, of the crafts, because crafts actually are struggling, not only in Bangladesh, but in many other parts of the world," he said. - ANI The Election Commission has issued a stern warning to police officers in West Bengal ahead of the first phase of voting. Chief Electoral Officer Manoj Kumar Agarwal stated that any unrest on polling day will not be tolerated and Officers-in-Charge can be suspended for negligence. He ordered police to identify and monitor known criminals with past cases of election violence. The Commission is deploying over 40,000 police personnel and using CCTV surveillance to ensure peaceful voting on April 23. Election Commission warns police officers of suspension for negligence, orders crackdown on known criminals to ensure peaceful Bengal elections. Kolkata, April 18 State's Chief Electoral Officer Manoj Kumar Agarwal on Saturday once again reminded police officers in a virtual meeting that unrest on the day of voting will not be tolerated in any form. If any untoward incident occurs on the day of voting, immediate action will be required. The Election Commission also warned that Officers in Charge can be suspended if there is any negligence in controlling the situation. CEO Manoj Agarwal said that if any weapons, bombs, or bullets are recovered in any area on the day of voting, the Officers in Charge of the concerned police station will have to take action. Otherwise, the Commission will take strict action. The CEO also asked why those accused of creating unrest during the last Assembly election have not been arrested so far. He ordered the police to identify the criminals in the districts. Those who already have cases of violence against them should be kept in mind so that they do not spread unrest again in this election, the CEO said. It is worth mentioning that the Election Commission is strict on conducting free and fair elections this time. The first phase of voting in the state is on April 23. Only five days are left. In this atmosphere, the Commission held a virtual meeting to provide the police with detailed instructions for the first phase of the elections. In a virtual meeting with the Superintendents of Police and Commissioners of Police from 16 districts on Saturday, Manoj Agarwal said that the police must play an important role in preventing any unrest during elections. Incidentally, the Commission has assigned more than 40,000 state police to monitor the first phase of voting. According to sources, the Commission's CCTV cameras will keep a close watch on every booth to ensure peaceful voting. Saturday's meeting was held to clarify those instructions. The Superintendents of Police and Commissioners of Police of the concerned districts attended the Commission's virtual meeting. Police observers appointed by the Commission were also present. - IANS The final electoral roll for West Bengal shows a total decline of over 2.5 million voters compared to the draft list, marking the first decrease since 2011. Female voters saw a slightly higher decline (3.8%) than male voters (3.5%). The category of other/transgender voters experienced the most significant percentage drop at 10.3%. Analysts attribute this overall reduction to the removal of deceased, duplicate, and shifted voters, which had not kept pace with new registrations in recent years. West Bengal's 2026 voter list shows a historic decline, with female and transgender voters experiencing higher percentage drops than male voters. Kolkata, April 18 The decline in the number of female voters in West Bengal in the current voters' list from that in the draft voters' list is marginally higher than a similar decline in the number of male voters following the completion of the special intensive revision exercise in the state. The number of other/transgender voters in the state in the current voters' list compared to the draft voters' list also showed a marginal decline in actual numbers, although the percentage decline in this category is much higher. As per statistics provided by the office of the Chief Electoral Officer, West Bengal, in the draft voters' list which was published in December last year, the number of female voters was 34,615,837, which has declined to 33,314,628 in the current list, thus witnessing a decline of 1,301,209 in actual numbers and a percentage decline of 3.8. On the other hand, as per the same statistics provided by the Chief Electoral Officer's office, in the draft voters' list, the number of male voters was 36,199,391, which has declined to 34,935,123, thus witnessing a decline of 1,264,268 in actual numbers and a percentage decline of 3.5. In the draft voters' list, the number of other/transgender voters stood at 1,402, which declined to 1,257 in the current voters' list, resulting in a 145-voter decline and a 10.3 percentage-point decline. The total decline across all three categories in the current voters' list relative to the draft voters' list was 2,565,692, or a 3.6 per cent decline. As per the statistics of the Chief Electoral Officer's office, 2026 marks the first instance of a decline in the number of voters in the state, following a steep and continuous increase since 2011, the year which marked the conclusion of the 34-year Left Front government and the onset of the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress governance in the state. Poll analysts feel that the perpetually upward graph in voters' numbers from 2011 to 2024 indicates that while the new and first-time voters kept on getting added to the list, there was no parallel elimination of the "deceased", "shifted", "missing", and "duplicate" voters from the list. - IANS Eighteen rare manuscripts have been discovered at the historic Shri Thakur Radha Raman Lal Ji Temple in Nawada district, Bihar. The recovery was made during an inspection led by Deputy Development Commissioner Neelima Sahu under the central government's Gyan Bharatam Mission. The manuscripts, which include handwritten and block-printed texts, are believed to contain valuable knowledge on subjects like Ayurveda, astronomy, and local history. They are now being digitized for a national repository while their physical ownership remains with the temple. 18 rare manuscripts discovered in a Nawada temple, now being digitized under the Gyan Bharatam Mission to preserve India's cultural heritage. Patna, April 18 In a remarkable discovery, 18 rare manuscripts have been unearthed from an ancient temple in Chandipur village under Warisaliganj block in Nawada district, triggering widespread interest across the region. The findings have been made under the Centre's Gyan Bharatam Mission, with the digitisation process already underway. The manuscripts were discovered at the Shri Thakur Radha Raman Lal Ji Temple, a historic structure built in 1883 AD in Chandipur village. During an inspection led by Deputy Development Commissioner Neelima Sahu on Saturday, a detailed survey recovered 18 handwritten and block-printed manuscripts. These manuscripts are believed to hold significant historical and cultural value, offering insights into India's rich intellectual traditions. All recovered manuscripts have been registered on the official 'Gyan Bharatam' digital platform. According to a district official, this effort represents a major step toward preserving India's cultural legacy and making it accessible for future generations. The mission aims to identify and safeguard ancient manuscripts scattered across the country,many of which are written on palm leaves, birch bark, cloth, and fragile paper. Experts believe such manuscripts often contain a wealth of knowledge spanning multiple disciplines, including Ayurveda and traditional medicine, literature and philosophy, astronomy and science, and local and regional history. By digitising these texts using modern technology and artificial intelligence, the government plans to integrate them into a national digital repository, ensuring accessibility for researchers and the public alike. The administration has clarified that ownership of the manuscripts will remain with the current custodians, while the government will focus solely on scientific digitisation and preservation. Officials have also appealed to citizens to come forward with information about similar manuscripts, emphasising community participation in preserving India's heritage. The 18 manuscripts recovered from Chandipur are more than just historical documents-they are living symbols of India's cultural and intellectual heritage. Their preservation under the Gyan Bharatam Mission is expected to create a valuable knowledge base for generations to come. - IANS Britain and France have announced they will lead a defensive, peaceful mission to protect navigation and ensure the Strait of Hormuz remains free of tolls. The initiative comes as representatives from about 50 countries met to discuss free shipping access through the strait, a chokepoint for 20% of the world's fossil fuels. US President Donald Trump spurned the plan, while Iran's foreign minister announced the strait was open, linking it to a Lebanon-Israel ceasefire. France's president and other European leaders demanded the strait's unconditional reopening and opposed any attempts to privatize it. Britain and France announce a defensive mission to ensure free shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, as global powers meet to address the vital trade route. New York, April 17 Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer said on Friday his country and France would lead a "defensive" mission to protect navigation in the Strait of Hormuz. He said the mission would be "strictly peaceful" and ensure the Strait should not have tolls and must remain completely free. Starmer was speaking at a news conference as representatives of about 50 countries met in person and virtually on free access for shipping through the Strait. India was invited, External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal confirmed, adding that information about the country's role and participation in the meeting would be released later. The closure of the Strait, through which 20 per cent of the world's fossil fuel travels, has hit the global economy hard. Starmer said there would be a follow-up meeting next week in London to work out the modalities. US President Donald Trump, who had complained about allies and countries using the Strait not working to keep it open, spurned the Britain-France initiative. He posted on Truth Social: "I received a call from NATO asking if we would need some help. I TOLD THEM TO STAY AWAY, UNLESS THEY JUST WANT TO LOAD UP THEIR SHIPS WITH OIL. They were useless when needed, a Paper Tiger"! Iran's announcement that the Strait would be open to commercial traffic during the ceasefire caught leaders in Paris by surprise. Iran's Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi announced on X that the Strait was "completely open," and Trump confirmed it with a "Thank You" post. But Trump also said that the US blockade of Iranian ports would continue. In another post, he said that "Iran, with the help of the USA, has removed, or is removing, all sea mines"! There was no confirmation of that from Tehran. Araghchi linked the opening of the Strait to the Lebanon-Israel ceasefire that came into force on Thursday, but Trump said it was not. France's President Emmanuel Macron said the countries at the Paris meeting demanded "full immediate and unconditional reopening of the Strait of Hormuz by all parties". They opposed any attempt to privatise the Strait or to impose tolls on ships passing through it. Iran was reported to have charged fees to let ships through, and Trump has spoken of joint US-Iran control of the Strait. Germany's Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Italy's Prime Minister Georgia Meloni, who were at the news conference alongside Starmer and Macron, said their countries would contribute to the peaceful patrol. - IANS Scottish DJ Calvin Harris was spotted at Mumbai airport ahead of his performance in the city on Saturday night. His India tour, which included a show in Bengaluru, will conclude with a performance in New Delhi on Sunday. The tour's organizer stated the goal is to position India as a vital stop on the global electronic music circuit. Harris is renowned for his decade-defining hits and collaborations with top artists like Rihanna and Dua Lipa. Scottish DJ Calvin Harris performs in Mumbai, heads to Delhi. His India tour aims to position the country as a key global EDM destination. Mumbai, April 18 Renowned Scottish DJ Calvin Harris is all set to perform in Mumbai tonight. On Saturday afternoon, Calvin was spotted exiting the Mumbai airport. Before getting into his car, he briefly interacted with paparazzi and cheerfully posed for photos. After performing in Mumbai, Calvin will head to New Delhi on Sunday for his show. He also performed in Bengaluru on Friday night. On Calvin's India tour, Karan Singh, CEO, Sunburn, earlier said, "Electronic music has always had a special resonance with Indian fans and Calvin Harris' first-ever and much-awaited shows here are the culmination of that growing energy, now across three cities. By bringing world-renowned artists like Calvin, we're positioning India as a vital destination on the global EDM touring map. With our expertise in building cutting-edge dance music experiences, these nights will match the scale and intensity of the world's greatest stages, right here in India." Known for era-defining hits like 'We Found Love', 'One Kiss' and 'Summer', Calvin has shaped electronic music over the past decade, collaborating with icons including Rihanna, Dua Lipa, The Weeknd, Travis Scott, Pharrell Williams, Sam Smith and Ellie Goulding. - ANI Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired meetings of the Cabinet and the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs in Parliament. The discussions reviewed measures by various ministries and assessed the impact of the West Asia conflict on India's economy and security. A detailed evaluation was made on ensuring the availability of critical needs like food, fuel, and fertilisers for the common man and farmers. Immediate and long-term counter-measures were discussed to safeguard energy security and maintain adequate coal stocks for uninterrupted power supply. PM Narendra Modi reviews economic measures, fuel security, and assesses India's preparedness amid the West Asia conflict in key cabinet meetings. New DelhI, April 18 The CCS meeting begins at Parliament House, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi chairing it in the national capital on Saturday. Prime Minister Modi will chair the cabinet meeting in the national capital to review measures taken by various ministries and departments. He will also address the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) at Parliament later in the day. Earlier on April 1, PM Modi chaired a special meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Security and discussed further initiatives to be taken in the context of the ongoing West Asia conflict. Cabinet Secretary briefed about the action taken to ensure supply of petroleum products, particularly LNG/LPG, and sufficient power availability, an official release said. Prime Minister assessed the availability of critical needs for the common man. He discussed the availability of fertilisers in the country and steps being taken to ensure their availability in the Kharif and Rabi seasons. The situation escalated in West Asia after a joint US-Israel military strike on February 28 on Iranian territory resulted in the death of its Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and other senior figures, prompting a fierce response from Tehran. The conflict in West Asia will have significant short, medium and long-term impact on the global economy and its effect on India was assessed, and counter-measures, both immediate and long-term, were discussed. A detailed assessment of availability for critical needs of the common man, including food, energy and fuel security, was made. Short-term, medium-term and long-term measures to ensure the continued availability of essential needs were discussed in detail. The impact on farmers and their requirement for fertiliser for the Kharif season was assessed. The measures taken in the last few years to maintain adequate stocks of fertilisers will ensure timely availability and food security. Alternate sources of fertilisers were also discussed to ensure continued availability in the future. It was also determined that an adequate supply of coal stocks at all power plants will ensure no shortage of electricity in India. - ANI A central team is set to investigate a deadly boiler explosion at a Vedanta power plant in Chhattisgarh's Sakti district, which killed 20 workers and injured 15 others. The Chhattisgarh government has also ordered a separate probe, appointing the Bilaspur Divisional Commissioner to lead an inquiry to be completed within 30 days. Preliminary reports indicate the blast was caused by excessive fuel accumulation in the furnace, leading to a pressure build-up. Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai has expressed grief over the incident and directed officials to ensure a fair and speedy investigation. A central team investigates the Vedanta power plant boiler explosion in Chhattisgarh that killed 20 workers. State and central probes launched. New Delhi, April 18 A central team, comprising officials from the Department of Industrial Safety and Boiler Inspectors, is likely to begin a probe into the deadly accident at the Vedanta power plant in Dabhra tehsil of Sakti district, Chhattisgarh, that led to the death of several workers, while many others sustained serious injuries. According to reports, the team was expected to arrive in Sakti from Delhi on Saturday to carry out the inquiry. The move follows the submission of a report by the State Boiler Inspector, after which the central authorities decided to step in, according to an NDTV report. Meanwhile, the Chhattisgarh government has alsi ordered a probe into the accident at Vedanta power plant, appointing the Bilaspur Divisional Commissioner as the inquiry officer. The incident occurred on April 14 in Boiler Unit-1 of the plant due to a technical fault in the joint of a water supply pipe connected to a steam pipeline. It was learnt that the death toll in the boiler explosion rose to 20, while 15 workers are undergoing treatment for injuries at various hospitals. Taking note of the gravity of the incident, the state government has directed that the inquiry will examine when and how the accident took place, the underlying causes and circumstances, and the measures required to prevent recurrence of such incidents in the future. As per the order, the inquiry officer has been asked to complete the probe within 30 days and submit a report to the state government. Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai has expressed deep grief over the incident, terming it extremely tragic and painful. He paid tribute to the deceased workers and conveyed his condolences to the bereaved families. The Chief Minister has also directed officials to ensure a fair and expeditious inquiry and to take strict action against those found responsible. A preliminary technical report by the Chief Boiler Inspector indicated excessive fuel accumulation inside the furnace, leading to pressure build-up and damage to connected pipelines. The Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) in Sakti corroborated these findings, identifying fuel overload as the primary cause. - IANS TEHRAN, April 18 (Xinhua) -- Iran's Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei said on Saturday the country's navy is ready to inflict "new bitter defeats" on the United States and Israel, according to the official news agency IRNA. He made the remarks in a message on the occasion of Iran's Army Day, which falls on April 18, while praising the Iranian army for its fight against the "enemies." Khamenei said during the recent 40-day war, Iran's army has been "courageously" defending the country's soil in tandem with other Iranian armed forces against the United States and Israel, exposing their "weakness and humiliation" to the world. He added as the army's drones "thunderously" hit the U.S. and Israeli targets, "its brave Navy is ready to give the enemies the bitter taste of new defeats." On Feb. 28, Israel and the United States launched joint attacks on Tehran and several other Iranian cities, killing Iran's then Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, along with senior military commanders and civilians. Iran responded with waves of missile and drone strikes targeting Israel and U.S. assets in the Middle East and tightened control over the Strait of Hormuz by denying safe passage to vessels belonging to or affiliated with Israel and the United States. A two-week ceasefire was announced between the warring parties on April 8, which was followed by peace talks between the Iranian and U.S. delegations in Pakistan's capital Islamabad. Citing anonymous Iranian sources, CNN reported Friday that a new round of U.S.-Iran talks will be held on Monday in Pakistan. This came as Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Saeed Khatibzadeh said on Saturday no date has been set yet for the second round of the negotiations, according to the Iranian Students' News Agency. He made the remarks in an address to reporters on the sidelines of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum, which kicked off in the Turkish city on Friday, adding that although progress has been made in reaching an agreement in the negotiations with the United States, obstacles still remain. The deputy foreign minister emphasized that Iran accepts no special condition outside the framework of international law, and will fulfill its obligations exactly within that framework. The Union Agriculture Ministry has approved major procurement initiatives to support farmers across three states. The flagship decision is the approval to buy 20 lakh metric tonnes of potatoes from Uttar Pradesh under the Market Intervention Scheme. Additionally, the procurement quota for chana in Andhra Pradesh has been increased, and the procurement period for tur in Karnataka has been extended by 30 days. These measures are designed to ensure farmers receive remunerative prices and are protected from distress sales in volatile markets. Centre approves 20 LMT potato procurement in UP, boosts chana buy in Andhra, extends tur procurement in Karnataka to ensure fair prices for farmers. New Delhi, April 18 In a decision offering substantial relief to farmers, the Centre has formally approved the procurement of potatoes in Uttar Pradesh, alongside chana procurement operations in Andhra Pradesh, and an important extension of the tur procurement timeframe in Karnataka. These decisions, approved by Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, are designed to guarantee that farmers receive fair and remunerative prices for their hard-earned produce, a release said. It said the decisions effectively shield producers from the hardships of distress sales in volatile markets and contribute to overall stability and predictability in the agricultural marketplace, fostering a more secure environment for cultivation and trade. Chouhan reaffirmed that under guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Central Government remains steadfastly committed to protecting and advancing the interests of every farmer across the nation. He elaborated that a core objective of the government is to ensure that no farmer is compelled to offload their crops at undervalued rates due to market pressures or any unforeseen circumstances. Chouhan highlighted the ministry's proactive approach, emphasising continuous and close coordination with state governments to deliver prompt, empathetic, and highly effective interventions tailored to farmers' needs. "In line with this, the approvals were issued today following a productive virtual meeting convened by Shivraj Singh Chouhan with the agriculture ministers and senior officials from the concerned states, underscoring the government's responsive mechanism," the release said. The release said that Agriculture Ministry has accorded full approval to the Uttar Pradesh government's detailed proposal for procuring potatoes under the Market Intervention Scheme (MIS) specifically for the 2025-26 agricultural year. Pursuant to this sanction, a substantial volume of 20 LMT -- or 20 lakh metric tonnes -- of potatoes will be purchased across the state at a predetermined Market Intervention Price fixed at Rs. 6,500.9 per metric tonne. The Centre's projected financial contribution towards this initiative stands at Rs. 203.15 crore, reflecting strong central support. "This timely measure will empower potato-growing farmers in Uttar Pradesh by securing them profitable returns on their investment and produce, while preventing forced sales at suboptimal prices amid market fluctuations," the release said. It said that the Agriculture Minister endorsed the Andhra Pradesh government's request under the Price Support Scheme (PSS), initially approving the procurement of 94,500 metric tonnes of chana, also known as Bengal gram. Building on this, and in direct response to the state government's further appeal, the minister has elevated the maximum allowable procurement quota for Bengal gram under PSS during the Rabi Marketing Season 2025-26 to an enhanced limit of 1,13,250 metric tonnes. Chouhan also approved a 30-day extension for the ongoing procurement of tur (pigeon pea), commonly referred to as arhar, at the Minimum Support Price (MSP) through the Price Support Scheme (PSS) for the Kharif 2025-26 season in Karnataka. With this extension, procurement activities will now persist right up to May 15, 2026, granting producers much-needed additional flexibility. - ANI The Indian government has expanded its RELIEF export support scheme to include Egypt and Jordan as eligible destinations amid ongoing geopolitical tensions in West Asia. The scheme, launched in March 2026, provides support to exporters facing extraordinary freight escalation and heightened insurance premiums due to regional maritime disruptions. A recent policy clarification also ensures exporters obtaining new ECGC insurance policies are eligible for support, aiming to widen participation. The expansion is intended to create a robust safety net for businesses and sustain trade flows through the disrupted corridor. India expands RELIEF scheme to Egypt & Jordan to support exporters facing West Asia logistics disruptions. Get details on ECGC insurance & freight support. New Delhi, April 18 The Government of India expanded the coverage of the Resilience & Logistics Intervention for Export Facilitation scheme to add Egypt and Jordan to the list of eligible countries for shipments meant for delivery or transhipment under the framework. According to the Ministry of Commerce & Industry, the government included more destinations as geopolitical tensions in West Asia continued to impact maritime logistics across the Gulf and adjoining regions. "RELIEF was launched on 19 March 2026 as a targeted intervention to support Indian exporters affected by extraordinary freight escalation, heightened insurance premia and war-related export risks arising from disruptions in the Gulf and wider West Asia maritime corridor. The intervention provides calibrated support across the export cycle, including for shipments already undertaken during the disruption period as well as prospective exports." RELIEF is being implemented through ECGC as the nodal agency and includes support for insured exporters, facilitation of insurance cover for upcoming shipments, and reimbursement assistance for eligible MSME exporters facing extraordinary freight and insurance surcharge burdens. In addition, through a Policy Circular dated 15th April 2026, the Government has clarified the scope of Component II of RELIEF, which pertains to ECGC insurance support. "It has been clarified that exporters obtaining a fresh ECGC Whole Turnover Policy on or after 16 March 2026 shall also be eligible for support under Component II. This clarification is aimed at ensuring greater clarity and facilitating wider participation of exporters, particularly new policyholders." By broadening the reach of the RELIEF scheme, the government intended to provide a robust safety net for businesses navigating the logistical uncertainties of the West Asian corridor. "The above measures reflect the Government's continued assessment of evolving trade and logistics conditions in the region and its commitment to respond to emerging challenges faced by exporters. By expanding the geographical coverage of RELIEF, the Government aims to ensure that exporters operating across the extended West Asia and North Africa corridor are adequately supported during the ongoing disruptions." The Ministry expects the expansion to further strengthen export resilience, sustain trade flows and support Indian exporters navigating the current geopolitical and logistics uncertainties. - ANI The heads of South Korea's four largest conglomerates will accompany President Lee Jae-myung on a state visit to India and Vietnam to strengthen economic ties. The high-level delegations aim to boost investment and partnerships in critical sectors like semiconductors, automotive, and electronics. Samsung's Lee Jae-yong and LG's Koo Kwang-mo will join both legs, while Hyundai's Chung Euisun will focus on India and SK's Chey Tae-won on Vietnam. The visit represents a major push to secure supply chains and expand market presence in these key growth economies. Samsung, Hyundai, SK, LG leaders accompany President Lee Jae-myung on strategic state visit to India and Vietnam to boost investment in key sectors. New Delhi, April 17 In a major push to fortify global supply chains and expand market footprints in the Global South, the heads of South Korea's four largest conglomerates are set to accompany President Lee Jae-myung on a high-stakes state visit to India and Vietnam starting this Sunday. The move signalled a major push for investment and partnerships across semiconductors, automotive, electronics, and energy, The Korea Herald reported. President Lee is scheduled to visit India and Vietnam from April 19 to 24, his first trip to the two countries since taking office last year. The India stop will be the first by a South Korean president in eight years. According to industry sources cited Friday by The Korea Herald, the attendee list for both legs has been finalised. The Federation of Korean Industries will organise the India mission, while the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry oversees the Vietnam delegation. Each mission is expected to include around 200 business executives. The delegations will participate in business forums -- India on Monday and Vietnam on Tuesday -- and meet senior government officials in both countries, the report said. Samsung Electronics Chair Lee Jae-yong and LG Group Chair Koo Kwang-mo are expected to join both legs of the trip, reflecting their groups' broad interests in the two markets. Samsung has made Vietnam a major production base for smartphones and electronics, while India has grown into a key consumer market and manufacturing hub. LG has also expanded in Vietnam, including automotive components and R&D, and is positioning India as a growth market with a third LG Electronics manufacturing plant now under construction, The Korea Herald noted. SK Group Chair Chey Tae-won, who also chairs the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry, is expected to lead the Vietnam delegation and skip India. Lee Hyung-hee, head of the SK Supex Council's communication committee, will travel to India in his place. Hyundai Motor Group Executive Chair Chung Euisun is expected to focus on India, underscoring the country's rising importance to the automaker. In Vietnam, the group will be represented by President Sung Kim, the veteran diplomat who oversees external and government affairs, according to the report. Industry officials told The Korea Herald that the participation of top business leaders could pave the way for follow-up investment plans or new partnerships, given the "significant presence of Korean businesses" already in both countries. Key sectors in focus include semiconductors, automotive, electronics, and energy. - ANI Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council has received a formal proposal from China to resume direct flights from five mainland cities. However, officials and airlines are skeptical, citing a lack of commercial viability as China restricts travel from those cities to Taiwan, which would leave return flights mostly empty. Transportation officials note that existing cross-strait flight capacity is already underutilized, with only about 75% of scheduled services operating. Taiwan has also criticized China's broader policy pattern, describing recent eased restrictions on fishing vessels as a calculated tactic rather than a meaningful reform. Taiwan officials question the practicality of China's proposed flight resumption from five cities, citing low demand and commercial risks for airlines. Taipei, April 17 Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council has acknowledged receiving a formal communication from China proposing the resumption of cross-strait flights from five mainland cities, but officials say the plan will undergo scrutiny amid concerns over its practicality and intent, as reported by The Taipei Times. According to The Taipei Times, MAC Deputy Minister Liang Wen-chieh said the letter arrived last week while Cheng Li-wun, head of the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT), was visiting China. China's proposal calls for reinstating direct flights to Urumqi, Xian, Harbin, Kunming, and Lanzhou, destinations included in a broader package of "incentive measures" targeting Taiwan. However, Liang indicated that Taiwan's aviation sector has shown little enthusiasm for these routes. Airlines are wary of the commercial viability of such services, primarily because China continues to restrict residents from these cities from travelling to Taiwan. This would leave return flights largely empty, undermining profitability. As Liang pointed out, carriers are unlikely to commit to new routes without assurance that a reasonable portion of seats will be filled on both legs of the journey. These cities are not major travel hubs for Taiwanese passengers, who can already reach them conveniently via connecting flights. Cost comparisons further weaken Beijing's case. Direct flights from Taipei to Xian are significantly more expensive than indirect routes via cities like Shanghai, making them less attractive to travellers. Meanwhile, Executive Yuan spokeswoman Michelle Lee reiterated that Taiwan supports stable and orderly cross-strait exchanges, but emphasised that demand for such routes remains limited. Transportation Minister Chen Shih-kai added that existing cross-strait flight capacity is already underutilised, with only about three-quarters of scheduled services currently operating, as highlighted by The Taipei Times. Beyond aviation, Taiwan has also criticised Beijing's broader policy pattern. Liang described China's latest move to ease restrictions on Taiwanese fishing vessels as a calculated tactic, first imposing opaque regulatory hurdles, then presenting partial rollbacks as "concessions." Earlier rules had blocked many vessels from unloading catches at Chinese ports, forcing costly workarounds. The so-called new policy merely loosens those earlier constraints rather than introducing meaningful reforms, as reported by The Taipei Times. - ANI Top U.S. intelligence officials testified before Congress, identifying China as the foremost strategic concern due to its alarming pace of military modernization across all domains. Lieutenant General James Adams warned that China is developing capabilities to seize Taiwan by force and deter U.S. intervention, while rapidly expanding its nuclear arsenal and satellite network. The hearing highlighted China's aggressive actions in the South China Sea and its heavy investments in foundational technologies like AI and quantum sciences. Officials stressed the need for improved U.S. intelligence integration and faster tech adoption to counter this complex, multi-domain challenge. Top US intelligence officials warn Congress of China's alarming military pace, nuclear growth, and tech advances aimed at challenging American power. Washington, April 17 China's rapid military expansion and technological advances dominated a US Congressional hearing, with top intelligence officials warning that Beijing is accelerating capabilities across all domains to challenge American power. Lawmakers were told that China remains the foremost strategic concern, with its military modernisation unfolding at an "alarming pace". Lieutenant General James Adams III, Director of the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA), said the Chinese Communist Party is "rapidly developing military capabilities across all warfare domains designed to seize Taiwan by force while deterring U.S. intervention." He added that China's expansion is reshaping the global security landscape. Adams told lawmakers that Beijing now operates "more than 1200 satellites in orbit," significantly enhancing its ability to conduct global surveillance. He also warned that China's nuclear arsenal is growing quickly, noting that its warhead stockpile has "surpassed 600 operational warheads, with projections exceeding 1000 by 2030." The hearing highlighted concerns over China's assertive behaviour in the Indo-Pacific. Adams pointed to "dangerous and aggressive actions in the South China Sea, particularly against the Philippines, using water cannons, ramming and other coercive tactics." Senior officials said China's ambitions extend beyond conventional military power. Advances in artificial intelligence, cyber capabilities and space-based intelligence systems are enabling Beijing to compete across multiple domains simultaneously. A senior representative of the National Security Agency told lawmakers that the strategic environment is "dynamic and complex, defined by great power threats," with China central to that challenge. The official stressed the need for speed and agility in intelligence operations to counter such threats. Undersecretary of Defense for Intelligence and Security Bradley Hansell said the US is investing heavily to "deter China in the Indo-Pacific," including funding survivable intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities and enhancing targeting and data collection in the region. He said these efforts are part of a broader strategy aligned with the National Defense Strategy, which prioritises countering China through improved intelligence integration and stronger coordination with allies. Officials also highlighted the growing technological competition with Beijing. Adams said China is investing heavily in "artificial intelligence, biotechnology, quantum sciences, and advanced microelectronics," calling these sectors "foundational to future military innovation." He warned that China is already integrating AI into military systems, including "uncrewed systems, decision support, ISR and cyber ops," which could expand its operational reach and effectiveness. The hearing also underscored concerns about increasing coordination between China and other US adversaries. Adams said Beijing, along with Moscow, Pyongyang and Tehran, is working to "undermine the influence of the US and our allies," though their partnerships remain complex. During the hearing, Congressmen emphasised the need for stronger intelligence coordination and faster adoption of emerging technologies to keep pace with China's advances. Officials acknowledged that processing vast volumes of intelligence data remains a challenge, and that AI is expected to play a critical role. The testimony comes as Washington intensifies its focus on great power competition, particularly with China, which is widely viewed as the primary long-term strategic rival. Beijing's military modernisation, expanding global footprint and growing technological capabilities have placed it at the centre of US defence planning. Recent US defence strategies have increasingly prioritised the Indo-Pacific, where China's assertiveness - from Taiwan to the South China Sea - has raised concerns among American allies and partners. Intelligence agencies are now central to monitoring and countering these developments in real time. - IANS A US-brokered 10-day ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon has prompted a large-scale return of displaced civilians to their homes in southern Lebanon and Beirut's southern suburbs. Residents are confronting widespread devastation, with entire neighborhoods in cities like Nabatieh reduced to ruins. The Lebanese Army has cautioned returnees about the dangers of unexploded ordnance and sporadic violations of the truce. While many are assessing damage and beginning to rebuild, the situation remains fragile, leaving numerous civilians hesitant to stay permanently. Displaced Lebanese civilians return to devastated homes after a US-brokered 10-day ceasefire with Israel, but many remain hesitant due to ongoing risks. Beirut, April 17 A 10-day ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon officially went into effect at midnight local time on Friday. This truce, brokered by the United States, has triggered a massive movement of displaced civilians attempting to return to their homes in southern Lebanon and the southern suburbs of Beirut. In the southern suburbs of Beirut and further south, long lines of vehicles were seen heading back toward towns and villages that had been emptied during weeks of intense fighting, as reported by Press TV. The return marks a moment of cautious relief after 46 days of conflict that left widespread destruction across the region. In the city of Nabatieh, one of the hardest-hit areas, entire neighbourhoods bear the scars of repeated Israeli strikes. Shops lie in ruins, homes have been reduced to rubble, and vital infrastructure has been severely damaged, Al Jazeera reported. The scale of devastation is visible across the city, with destruction stretching as far as the eye can see. Despite the losses, residents are making their way back, determined to assess the damage and begin rebuilding their lives. The steady flow of returnees from Beirut toward southern Lebanon reflects both resilience and urgency among displaced families. While many are checking on their properties, others remain hesitant to stay permanently. The Lebanese Army has cautioned citizens about the risks of returning to certain border villages due to the presence of unexploded ordnance and the proximity of Israeli forces. The Lebanese Army, in a post on X, said, "In follow-up to the previous statement regarding the call for citizens to adhere to the directives of the deployed military units, the army command renews its call to citizens to exercise caution in returning to the southern villages and towns amid a number of violations of the agreement, with several Israeli attacks recorded, in addition to intermittent shelling targeting a number of villages. The command also emphasises the necessity of adhering to the directives of the deployed military units to ensure their safety, especially during nighttime hours, and to avoid approaching hazardous areas. The army command continues to monitor developments and take the necessary measures to safeguard citizens' safety." The ceasefire was announced by US President Donald Trump on Thursday, who said Israel and Lebanon had agreed to halt hostilities for 10 days following intensive diplomatic engagement. "I just had excellent conversations with the highly respected President Joseph Aoun of Lebanon, and Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu of Israel. These two leaders have agreed that, in order to achieve peace between their countries, they will formally begin a 10-day ceasefire at 5 p.m. EST," Trump said in a post on Truth Social. The truce comes after a sharp escalation along the Israel-Lebanon border, involving Israeli forces and Hezbollah, in the backdrop of broader regional tensions linked to the US-Iran conflict. While the ceasefire has opened a window for displaced civilians to return, the situation remains fragile, with sporadic violations underscoring the uncertainty facing those heading back to their homes. - ANI India's Ministry of External Affairs stated it is closely monitoring the evolving security situation in West Asia, particularly Pakistan's role in mediating US-Iran ceasefire talks. The MEA spokesperson detailed the safe evacuation of 2,361 Indian citizens from Iran since the conflict began, including over a thousand students. India also firmly rejected Pakistan's objections regarding the PoK provisions in the Delimitation Bill, calling it an internal matter. Additionally, India confirmed its withdrawal from hosting the COP33 climate conference while reaffirming its commitment to climate goals. MEA closely watches West Asia, details evacuation of 2,361 Indians from Iran, and comments on PoK, COP33, and Hormuz security talks. New Delhi, April 17 The Ministry of External Affairs on Friday noted that New Delhi is "closely following developments in the West Asian region," as the security situation continues to evolve. During a weekly media briefing, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal was asked about the perceived role of Islamabad in facilitating a ceasefire between the United States and Iran. "We are closely following developments in the West Asian region," the spokesperson remarked. The Islamabad Peace Talks, held on 11-12 April, marked a historic but inconclusive diplomatic attempt to end the 39-day Gulf War between the United States and Iran. Mediated by Pakistan, the talks were the first high-level, face-to-face negotiations between the two nations since the 1979 Islamic Revolution. In the context of the wider regional landscape, Jaiswal also addressed the cessation of hostilities between Israel and Lebanon. He stated that "India welcomes a ceasefire and supports all steps towards peace." The discussion then shifted to maritime security and India's participation in international talks regarding the Strait of Hormuz. Responding to whether India would attend a meeting called by French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Jaiswal confirmed that an invitation has been received. "More information will be shared after the meeting," he said, regarding the upcoming session. The spokesperson further detailed the government's efforts to ensure the safety of Indian nationals amidst these regional tensions. He revealed that since the start of the hostilities, India has facilitated the safe return of 2,361 individuals. "Since the outbreak of the conflict, we have helped bring 2,361 Indian citizens safely from Iran to India. Of these, 2,060 came via Armenia and 301 via Azerbaijan. This 2,361 includes 1,041 Indian students, as well as three foreigners: one from Bangladesh, one from Sri Lanka, and one from Guyana," he detailed. Turning to matters of national sovereignty, the spokesperson dismissed recent objections from Islamabad regarding the PoK provisions in the Delimitation Bill. "On the delimitation exercise, the internal matters of India are internal matters of India, and we reject any attempts to intrude into them or make any such remarks," Jaiswal asserted. Regarding global environmental policy, the spokesperson clarified the decision regarding the 33rd UN Climate Change Conference (COP33). "Yes, India has withdrawn. There are several issues that were taken into account, but India remains fully committed to meeting its climate change commitments. We are, or we were, one of the G20 countries which has fully met its Paris commitments, and we continue to build on our green agenda and, at the same time, see how best we can foster greater climate change action worldwide along with our international partners, including through International Solar Alliance and other such initiatives that we have undertaken," Jaiswal stated. - ANI Prime Minister Narendra Modi has made a direct appeal to Members of Parliament to pass the Women's Reservation Bill unanimously, framing it as a historic moment for Indian democracy. The bill seeks to reserve one-third of seats in the Lok Sabha and State Legislative Assemblies for women. Its passage is tied to a broader set of constitutional amendments and a fresh delimitation exercise based on recent census data. The government aims to implement the reservation following this delimitation, targeting the 2029 general elections. PM Modi urges MPs to pass the Women's Reservation Bill unanimously, calling it a historic step for India's democracy and women's empowerment. New Delhi, April 17 Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday called on Members of Parliament to set aside partisan differences and pass the landmark legislation for women's reservation in legislative bodies in a direct and personal appeal to the nation's lawmakers. In a post on X, he called the upcoming vote on Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam as a defining moment for Indian democracy and an essential step in securing the "rightful due" for the nation's women. He urged MPs to view the legislation through a personal lens rather than a political one. He asked lawmakers to reflect on the women in their own lives as they consider the constitutional amendment. The Prime Minister emphasised that the bill--which seeks to reserve one-third of seats in the Lok Sabha and State Legislative Assemblies for women--is a historic opportunity to rectify long-standing imbalances in India's political landscape. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in a post on X, wrote, "I would like to appeal to all Members of Parliament... Please reflect upon your conscience, remembering the women in your own families. The legislation to ensure women's reservation in legislative bodies is a significant opportunity to do justice to women of our nation. Please do not deprive our Nari Shakti of new opportunities. If this amendment is passed unanimously, it will further empower the women of our country and strengthen our democracy. Let us come together today to create history. Let us ensure that the women of India, who are half of the nation's population, receive their rightful due." The Union government has introduced three major Bills: the Constitution (One Hundred and Thirty-First Amendment) Bill, 2026, the Delimitation Bill, 2026, and the Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2026, to enable fresh delimitation based on the latest available Census, expand the Lok Sabha, and operationalise 33% women's reservation in legislatures. The government has convened a special sitting of Parliament on April 16,17,18 to pass the amendment to the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam. The government has introduced three Bills to enable fresh delimitation using recent Census data, expand the Lok Sabha to 850 seats, and implement 33% reservation for women. A new Delimitation Commission will redraw constituencies and allocate seats, with its decisions being final and legally binding, though subject to debate over fairness and federal balance. The move aims to uphold "one person, one vote, one value," but raises concerns about reduced representation of southern states and potential impact on federalism. The Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026 amends Article 81 to increase the maximum strength of the Lok Sabha from 550 to 850 members (815 from States and 35 from Union Territories). Article 81 dictates the principle of equal representation; the ratio between a state's allocated seats and its population must be roughly the same across all states (with exceptions only for very small states under 6 million). The Bill also amends the marginal heading of Article 82 from "Readjustment after each Census" to "Readjustment of constituencies", and removes the requirement of readjusting the number of Lok Sabha seats in states after every Census. Similarly, it makes amendments to the Articles on state Assemblies (Article 170) and reservation for SCs and STs, changing the basis from the 2001 Census to "such Census" that Parliament decides by law to use. As of now, Article 81 (2) and (3) freeze the Lok Sabha seats as per the 1971 Census and the Assembly seats as per the 2001 Census, "until the relevant figures for the first census taken after the year 2026 have been published". By decoupling delimitation from the post-2026 Census, the government can now proceed with delimitation using data from the 2011 Census. It amends Article 334A to allow the immediate implementation of the 33% women's reservation in the Lok Sabha and State Assemblies (Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam (Constitution 106th Amendment Act, 2023)) right after this new delimitation process is completed, targeting the 2029 elections. Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026 requires a special majority in Parliament and ratification by at least half of the States, as it amends the Constitution. - ANI Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma has welcomed the Women's Reservation Bill as a significant step towards strengthening democratic representation. He expressed optimism that Meghalaya could gain additional parliamentary seats following the upcoming delimitation exercise, citing the state's unique terrain and demographics. Sangma highlighted that while Meghalaya has a matrilineal society, women's presence in formal political institutions remains limited, a gap this law aims to bridge. He urged a balanced approach, with reservation and delimitation processes progressing simultaneously through careful deliberation. Meghalaya CM Conrad Sangma welcomes Women's Reservation Bill as crucial democratic reform, expects state to gain more parliamentary seats after delimitation. Shillong, April 17 Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma on Friday welcomed the Women's Reservation Bill as a significant step towards strengthening democratic representation, expressing optimism that Meghalaya could gain additional seats in Parliament following the proposed delimitation exercise. The Centre introduced three bills in the Lok Sabha on April 16, including measures to amend provisions related to women's reservation and to set up a delimitation commission. Reacting to the development, CM Sangma termed the move a "very welcome step" that addresses a long-pending demand for enhanced political participation of women. "This reform should have come much earlier, but credit must be given to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for taking this bold initiative," Sangma said. Highlighting the relatively low representation of women in legislative bodies, the Chief Minister said the proposed law would help bridge the gap and empower women in decision-making roles. He noted that while Meghalaya follows a matrilineal social structure where women hold important societal roles, their presence in formal political institutions remains limited. "This will be a crucial democratic reform that enables greater participation of women at the highest levels. Their involvement in policymaking will benefit society as a whole," he added. CM Sangma also pointed to the potential impact of delimitation on smaller and geographically challenging states like Meghalaya. He expressed hope that the state would see an increase in parliamentary representation, taking into account its unique terrain and demographic considerations. "I expect that the number of seats for Meghalaya will rise, and I am hopeful that both the Government of India and the delimitation commission will take a positive view on this matter," he said. At the same time, the Chief Minister urged a balanced approach in implementing the reservation and delimitation processes. He stressed that both should progress simultaneously with careful deliberation to avoid disruptions. CM Sangma also dismissed concerns about any reduction in seats for existing states, expressing confidence that the overall strength of Parliament would be expanded to accommodate the changes. - IANS The first contingent of Haj 2026 pilgrims has departed from Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport for Mecca. Pilgrims expressed satisfaction with the arrangements, noting strong support from the Haj Committee and the Delhi government. The Union Minister for Minority Affairs highlighted new initiatives for this year's pilgrimage, including digital services, smart wristbands, and a shorter-duration Haj option. The government has enhanced insurance coverage and train connectivity while coordinating logistics from 17 embarkation points across India. The first batch of Haj 2026 pilgrims departed from Delhi Airport. Pilgrims praised the management and new government initiatives for a smoother pilgrimage. New Delhi, April 18 The first batch of Haj 2026 pilgrims departed from Delhi Airport for Mecca, Saudi Arabia, on Saturday. Chairperson of the Delhi Haj Committee, Kausar Jahan, was present at the airport to mark their departure. A pilgrim leaving for Haj told IANS, "By the will of Allah and the prayers of all of you, Allah has blessed us with the opportunity to perform Haj 2026. Today, by His will, we are taking our first flight from Indira Gandhi International Airport. I request all of you to pray for us that Allah makes our journey easy and grants us the ability to complete Haj successfully." Another pilgrim said, "Everything is well managed. Now we look forward to the arrangements in Saudi Arabia. India has done very well, everything here is good. The Haj Committee has provided strong support, and the Delhi government has also been very helpful. We have not faced any problems from the beginning until now." A total of 1,75,025 pilgrims are expected to undertake the annual pilgrimage this year. Union Minister for Minority Affairs, Kiren Rijiju, on Friday extended his best wishes to the pilgrims and reiterated the government's commitment to ensuring a smooth, safe, and comfortable Haj experience. He said several new initiatives have been introduced this year to enhance the quality of services. Among the key initiatives for Haj 2026 are enhanced digital services through the Haj Suvidha App and the introduction of Haj Suvidha smart wristbands to help locate and assist pilgrims. For the first time, a short-duration Haj option of around 20 days has been introduced, offering greater flexibility. The government has also increased insurance coverage to approximately Rs 6.25 lakh per pilgrim, strengthening financial and health security during the journey. Additionally, around 60,000 pilgrims will benefit from high-speed train connectivity between Makkah and Madinah, enabling faster and more comfortable travel. Authorities have also put in place improved real-time monitoring and grievance redressal systems, enhanced medical screening and healthcare support, and better coordination for accommodation and transport services in Saudi Arabia. Hotel-style accommodation has been arranged in Makkah to provide improved facilities to pilgrims. Haj operations will be conducted through 17 embarkation points across India, including major cities such as Delhi, Mumbai, Lucknow, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Bengaluru, and Srinagar, ensuring regional accessibility and efficient logistics. The government said it has accorded the highest priority to the welfare and well-being of Haj pilgrims, maintaining close coordination with Saudi authorities throughout the pilgrimage period. Pilgrims have been advised to follow all guidelines and travel advisories to ensure a safe and spiritually fulfilling journey. - IANS KABUL, April 18 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has reported that more than 86,000 Afghan migrants returned to the country from Iran and Pakistan within one month, according to local media Tolonews on Saturday. The report described the scale of returns as a significant humanitarian concern, highlighting challenges related to reintegration, access to essential services, and the limited capacity of host communities to absorb large numbers of returnees. The ongoing movement reflects broader regional migration dynamics, with Afghan nationals returning for various reasons, including legal, economic, and protection-related factors. The agency further emphasized that sustained monitoring and strengthened international coordination are essential to ensure returning families receive adequate assistance and that their reintegration into society is both sustainable and dignified. The Central Board of Film Certification has cleared the action entertainer 'Kara' for release with a U/A certificate. The film, directed by Vignesh Raja and starring Dhanush, is scheduled for a worldwide release on April 30. It features a strong ensemble cast including Mamitha Baiju, K S Ravikumar, Jayaram, and Suraj Venjaramoodu. The technical crew includes cinematographer Theni Eswar and National Award-winning composer G V Prakash. Director Vignesh Raja's action film 'Kara', starring Dhanush, gets CBFC clearance for a worldwide release on April 30. Details on cast and crew inside. Chennai, April 18 The Central Board of Film Certification has now cleared director Vignesh Raja's eagerly awaited action entertainer 'Kara', featuring actor Dhanush in the lead, for release with a U/A certificate. Taking to its X timeline, Vels Film International, the production house producing the film, wrote, "#KaraGetsUA See you at the #KaraPreReleaseEvent tomorrow. #KaraFromApril30 Directed by @vigneshraja89. Produced by @IshariKGanesh.A @gvprakash musical." The film is slated for a worldwide release on April 30 this year. It may be recalled that the makers of the film had announced the title of the film on Pongal this year. The makers had also released a poster of the film in which Dhanush was seen sporting an intense look. The poster read, "Sometimes, staying dangerous is the only way to stay alive." The makers have already revealed the characters the various actors play in the film. While actress Mamitha Baiju, who plays the female lead in the film, would be seen as Selli in the film, director K S Ravikumar would be seen as Kandhasaami in 'Kara'. Actor Jayaram plays Muthu Selvan while actor Karunas plays Kasi Maayan and actor Suraj Venjaramoodu plays Bharathan in the film. The makers had, late last year, released a still of Dhanush from the film. The production house had shared the picture on social media, saying, "Straight from the sets of #D54 - Shoot in progress! @dhanushkraja". The picture showed Dhanush speaking from an STD booth. The film boasts of both a strong cast as well as a brilliant technical crew. Apart from Dhanush and Mamitha Baiju, the film will also feature director K S Ravikumar, Jayaram, Suraj Venjaramoodu, Karunas and Prithvi Pandiraj in pivotal roles. On the technical front, cinematography will be by one of the best in the business, Theni Eswar and editing will be by Sreejith Sarang. Music will be by National Award winner G V Prakash. More significantly, the story of the film has been jointly penned by writer Alfred Prakash and director Vignesh Raja, the creators of the critically acclaimed superhit investigative thriller 'Por Thozhil'. - IANS The Madhya Pradesh government credits a strong digital initiative for accelerating progress in nutrition and health under Mission Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0. The use of the Poshan Tracker has enabled real-time beneficiary tracking and improved service delivery planning. Key improvements include a dramatic rise in ABHA health ID coverage and near-universal APAAR ID adoption for students. Enhanced digital verification and increased community event participation reflect stronger grassroots implementation and transparency. Madhya Pradesh reports major improvements in health & nutrition indicators under Poshan 2.0, driven by digital tools like Poshan Tracker & ABHA ID. Bhopal, April 17 The Madhya Pradesh government on Friday said the state's strong digital push has helped accelerate progress in nutrition and health under Mission Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0 over the past year. The government said the use of the Poshan Tracker has transformed monitoring and service delivery, enabling real-time tracking of beneficiaries while also improving planning and ensuring timely intervention. As a result, key indicators have shown improvement compared with March 2025. Highlighting the digital shift, the government said health identity coverage has increased sharply. "ABHA ID coverage has risen from 7.21 per cent to 80.87 per cent," it said. It also shared that coverage of the Automated Permanent Academic Account Registry (APAAR ID), a unique 12-digit digital identifier assigned to students, has increased among children from 32.12 per cent to 92.60 per cent in the state. The government said this marks a major step towards building a digital ecosystem in health and nutrition. "The impact of this push is visible at the grassroots level. Home visits by Anganwadi workers have increased from 91.65 per cent to 98.44 per cent, reflecting improved outreach and service delivery. Village Health, Sanitation and Nutrition Days have also increased from 73.43 per cent to 93.33 per cent, ensuring better access to services," it said. The government said transparency has improved significantly with digital verification. Aadhaar-based Face Recognition System (FRS) coverage has increased from 31.93 per cent to over 95 per cent, ensuring accurate identification of beneficiaries and reducing leakages in the distribution of rations and nutrition support. Community participation has also improved during the period. "Community-based events have increased from 88 per cent to 96.97 per cent," the government said, adding that awareness at the local level has strengthened. The government credited Anganwadi workers for supporting the digital transition on the ground, noting that their efforts have helped in better implementation of schemes. It said that technology and field-level work have together improved outcomes. - IANS Despite warnings from UN humanitarian officials about the dangers of unexploded ordnance, thousands of displaced Lebanese have begun returning to their homes in southern Lebanon and Beirut's southern suburbs following a ceasefire. Major roads are congested as people travel south, even though bridges and infrastructure sustained extensive damage. The UN reports a significant drop in the number of people staying in collective shelters since the truce took effect. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has welcomed the ceasefire, hoping it leads to negotiations for a long-term solution. Thousands of displaced Lebanese are returning south despite UN warnings of unexploded ordnance and damaged infrastructure following the Israel-Lebanon ceasefire. United Nations, April 18 Following the Israel-Lebanon ceasefire, thousands of the 1.2 million people displaced in southern Lebanon are returning home despite warnings of unexploded ordnance, UN humanitarians said. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) on Friday (local time) said its partners reported that displaced families are starting to return to Beirut's southern suburbs and southern Lebanon, including parts of Nabatieh and Tyre. However, OCHA warned that risks to people's safety remain, including unexploded ordnance in many residential areas across the South and Nabatieh governorates. "According to partners and local authorities, thousands of people were seen travelling south early this morning, with major roads congested, particularly near the villages of Qasmiyeh and Zefta in southern Lebanon, despite extensive damage to bridges and infrastructure," OCHA said. The office said that temporary fixes were installed at river crossings in the South governorate and along the coastal route of Qasmiyeh to facilitate returns, reports Xinhua news agency. OCHA said that by Friday evening local time, there were 113,000 people in collective shelters, down from the 141,000 registered on Thursday. "Partners continue to support the humanitarian response in close coordination with the local authorities," the office said. The 10-day ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon took effect at midnight between Thursday and Friday local time. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres welcomed the announcement of the ceasefire, his chief spokesman Stephane Dujarric said Thursday. "He reaffirms the support of the United Nations to all efforts to end hostilities and alleviate the suffering of communities on both sides of the Blue Line," Dujarric said. "The secretary-general hopes that this ceasefire will pave the way for negotiations ... toward a long-term solution to the conflict." The UN peacekeeping mission patrolling the Blue Line between northern Israel and southern Lebanon said that peacekeepers did not detect any projectiles fired into Israel or Israeli airstrikes in the area of their operations since the ceasefire began. - IANS The five-day 'Ekatma Parv' festival has commenced at Omkareshwar in Madhya Pradesh, formally inaugurated by Chief Minister Mohan Yadav. The event, held at the newly developed Ekatma Dham, celebrates the birth anniversary of Adi Shankaracharya and aims to promote dialogue among various schools of Indian philosophy. Under the "Advaitamritam" forum, it brings together saints and scholars to discuss topics ranging from Vedanta to artificial intelligence. The festival will conclude with a major diksha ceremony initiating over 700 youths as "Shankaradoots" on the banks of the Narmada. CM Mohan Yadav inaugurates 5-day Ekatma Parv at Omkareshwar, highlighting spiritual unity and the legacy of Adi Shankaracharya. Khandwa, April 17 The five-day 'Ekatma Parv' began at Omkareshwar in Madhya Pradesh on Friday, with Chief Minister Mohan Yadav formally inaugurating the religious event at the presence of Dwarka Peethadhishwar, Jagadguru Shankaracharya Swami Sadanand Saraswati and several other saints and spiritual leaders from across the country. During the inauguration, Chief Minister Yadav performed Vedic rituals, offered tributes to Adi Shankaracharya, and presented an 'angavastra' and a statue of the philosopher-saint to Swami Sadanand Saraswati. He also visited a book exhibition and launched the official digital portal of Ekatma Dham. The presence of seers from different traditions added religious importance to the festival, which aims to promote dialogue among various schools of thought rooted in Indian philosophy. Addressing the gathering of Hindu saints and spiritual leaders, the Chief Minister said Madhya Pradesh has historically been a centre of spiritual thought, penance and knowledge. He described the state as a sacred land where saints and thinkers have repeatedly contributed to India's cultural and philosophical growth. "The land of Madhya Pradesh is extraordinary. In every era, great saints and thinkers have enriched it with their wisdom," the Chief Minister said. Chief Minister Yadav noted that the festival reflects the legacy of Adi Guru Shankaracharya and helps carry forward the message of Advaita Vedanta, which promotes unity of existence and harmony. The festival is being held at Omkareshwar at the newly developed Ekatma Dham, marking the 'Prakatotsav' (birth anniversary) of Adi Guru Shankaracharya. It is organised by the Acharya Shankar Cultural Unity Trust under the Department of Culture of the Madhya Pradesh government. The significance of the event lies in its attempt to blend spirituality, philosophy and contemporary discourse. Under the "Advaitamritam" forum, the festival brings together saints, scholars and experts to discuss topics such as Advaita Vedanta, interfaith understanding, environmental concerns, and even artificial intelligence. The festival will continue till April 21, featuring cultural performances and concluding with a major diksha ceremony on the banks of the Narmada river, where more than 700 youths will be initiated as "Shankaradoots" under the guidance of saints. - IANS Union Minister Pralhad Joshi asserted the BJP's electoral dominance, stating the party would win even if Parliament had 850 seats. He defended the delimitation process, linking it to population growth and the implementation of women's reservation. Joshi accused the Congress and INDIA bloc of opposing the bill because an increase in seats would not benefit them and of creating a north-south divide. The remarks follow the government's failure to pass a constitutional amendment bill in the Lok Sabha. Union Minister Pralhad Joshi defends delimitation, says BJP will win regardless of seat count. He accuses Congress of blocking women's reservation. New Delhi, April 18 Union Minister Pralhad Joshi on Saturday defended the Centre over the Opposition's allegations against the Delimitation Bill, stating that "even if there are 543 or 850 seats, the BJP will win," after the 131st Constitution Amendment Bill, 2026, failed to pass in the Lok Sabha on Friday. Speaking with the reporters outside the Parliament, Joshi said that the Centre delinked the census from delimitation to ensure women's reservation and increase the overall seats in the Parliament. "The question is not about whether to do delimitation or not. Delimitation has happened before, too. To increase the number, they say that the BJP will benefit from increasing the numbers. We are delinking it from the census. By delinking and doing delimitation, we are making provisions for our sisters who will come, and the overall numbers are also increasing. Why are the numbers increasing? Because when the population was 300-400 million, the number was 544, and now it has become 1.4 billion. So that's why, when we want to increase the number, delimitation was necessary," he said. Lambasting the Congress over the defeat of the Constitution Amendment for the Women's Reservation Bill, Joshi said that the increase in the number of seats would not have benefited the INDIA bloc, alleging that the people do not have "faith in Congress's leadership." "The people voting are the same. It's not that they aren't voting for you because of delimitation. People are rejecting you because of your intentions towards them, your policies, and your behaviour. You have already prevented women from coming here. You tried to stop a large number of women who were supposed to enter after the passage of this bill, which Congress stopped... People don't have faith in the leadership of Congress or its policies. People have faith in PM Modi's leadership and his policies; that's why they vote for us. Even if there are 800 or 850 seats, the BJP will win. If the election is held for 543 seats, the BJP will win; there's no doubt about it. They are confused," he stated. The Union Minister further responded to Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin's request to introduce a constitutional amendment to postpone constituency delimitation for another 25 years, stating that the decision will be taken by the party leadership and accused the opposition of allegedly creating a north-south divide. "See, the question of what to do next will be decided by our leadership. As I said before, the INDI alliance or the Congress party won't benefit from an increase or decrease in the number of seats or constituencies. If the BJP is getting votes, we will get votes even in 544 seats. We will get the majority. If it becomes 850, we will get it because the public has accepted Modi ji's leadership. If they think increasing the number will benefit the BJP in UP or Madhya Pradesh, it will be more here too. And this north-south divide they are creating is the biggest betrayal of the country," he stated. Earlier, Tamil Nadu CM Stalin called the defeat of the Bill by opposition members a "hammer blow" to attempts at dividing the country and added that the development demonstrated growing unity among opposition parties. Describing the outcome as "just the beginning," Stalin claimed that, for the first time in 12 years, a constitutional amendment bill introduced by the government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi had failed to pass in Parliament. The remarks come a day after the BJP-led government failed to secure the required two-thirds majority to pass the amendment bill. In the Lok Sabha voting, 298 members supported the bill while 230 opposed it. - ANI The first batch of pilgrims for Hajj 2026, consisting of 371 individuals, departed from New Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport for Mecca. Delhi Hajj Committee Chairperson Kausar Jahan oversaw the departure and credited the government's efforts to expand facilities for pilgrims. Emotional pilgrims expressed their gratitude for the opportunity and praised the arrangements made by Indian authorities. This departure officially commences the annual Hajj pilgrimage operations from India for the 2026 season. The first flight for Hajj 2026 carrying 371 pilgrims departed from New Delhi. Officials highlight improved facilities under PM Modi's leadership. New Delhi, April 18 The first batch of Hajj 2026, carrying 371 pilgrims, departed for Mecca on Saturday from New Delhi, marking the commencement of the annual pilgrimage season from India. The pilgrims left for Saudi Arabia from Indira Gandhi International Airport in the presence of Delhi Hajj Committee Chairperson Kausar Jahan. Speaking on the occasion to ANI, Kausar Jahan said, "Today marks the first flight of Hajj 2026, with 371 pilgrims embarking on their journey. I would like to extend my heartfelt congratulations to everyone." She further added, "Under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi, all facilities are continuously being expanded, and our government is making every effort to ensure that their journey is as smooth, pleasant, and easy as possible." Highlighting the significance of the arrangements, she said that coordinated efforts are being made to support the pilgrims throughout the process. Officials were present at the airport to oversee the departure and ensure that all formalities were completed smoothly. Expressing his emotions before departure, pilgrim MD Jishan said, "I just can't express it. The best thing is that Allah has called me, may Allah accept my prayers, and most of all, one should have patience. Whoever goes there should have patience first. And help each other. And may this moment come again and again in everyone's life." Another pilgrim, MD Kasim, said, "Only fortunate people get the opportunity to live this moment...We are all very emotional...I will pray for peace and unity...I thank the government of India for making very good arrangements for us." Families of the pilgrims were seen emotionally bidding farewell at the airport as the first batch began its journey. Many expressed hope for a smooth pilgrimage and highlighted the spiritual importance of the occasion as well as the arrangements made by authorities. The departure of the first batch officially marks the beginning of the Hajj 2026 pilgrimage operations from India. - ANI The Malta-flagged cruise ship Celestyal Discovery has become the first passenger vessel to transit the Strait of Hormuz since the outbreak of the West Asia conflict, crossing the waterway without any passengers onboard. The ship had been docked in Dubai for 47 days due to heightened regional tensions before making its journey toward Muscat, Oman. Iranian officials, including Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, have asserted that passage through the strategic strait will be strictly controlled and require Iranian authorization. Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump stated that the US naval blockade concerning Iran will remain in full force until any agreement is completely finalized. The Malta-flagged Celestyal Discovery transited the strategic Strait of Hormuz without passengers, marking the first such passage since the conflict. Tehran, April 18 A cruise successfully transited the Strait of Hormuz for the first time since the outbreak of the West Asia conflict, according to data from MarineTraffic. The vessel, identified as the Malta-flagged Celestyal Discovery, sailed through the critical waterway on Friday (local time). MarineTraffic indicated the liner was operating without passengers during the journey. It was the first passenger vessel to make it through since the war began. The ship had been docked in Dubai for nearly 47 days after arriving in early March, as heightened regional tensions disrupted maritime activity. Following its transit, the Celestyal Discovery is now en route to Muscat, Oman, with its arrival expected later in the day. In a post on X, MarineTraffic said, "First cruise ship transits Strait of Hormuz since conflict began. The cruise ship Celestyal Discovery has become the first passenger vessel to transit the Strait of Hormuz since the start of the conflict. The Malta-flagged vessel departed Dubai on 17 April after remaining docked for approximately 47 days, having first arrived in early March. According to #MarineTraffic data, the ship crossed the Strait of Hormuz at UTC today and is currently heading toward Muscat, Oman, with an estimated arrival on 18 April. Reports indicate the vessel is sailing without passengers." MarineTraffic is a leading global ship-tracking intelligence platform that provides near real-time information on vessel positions and maritime activities. Meanwhile, Iran has asserted that maritime movement through the Strait of Hormuz will be strictly controlled by Tehran, stating that passage will be allowed only through designated routes and under Iranian approval, amid escalating tensions with the United States over regional security and negotiations. Speaker of the Islamic Republic of Iran's Parliament, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, said, "Passage through the Strait of Hormuz will be conducted based on the 'designated route' and with 'Iranian authorisation. Whether the Strait is open or closed and the regulations governing it will be determined by the field, not by social media." On the other hand, US President Donald Trump on Friday (local time) said that any agreement with Iran would not take full effect until it is completely finalised, even as he claimed major diplomatic and security breakthroughs involving Tehran, Israel and Lebanon. While speaking on ongoing developments in West Asia at the Turning Point USA event in Phoenix, Arizona, Trump said, "This will be a great and brilliant day for the world because Iran has just announced that the Strait of Hormuz is fully open and ready for business and full passage. But the naval blockade with the greatest navy in the world, from the greatest military the world has ever seen, we built it. During my first term, we built it...We'll remain in full force and effect as it pertains to Iran until such time as our transaction with Iran is 100 % complete and fully signed" Earlier, Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei offered clarification on an earlier statement by Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, Al Jazeera reported, citing the semi-official Tasnim news agency. According to Al Jazeera, Baghaei said that "Shipping through the Strait of Hormuz will be allowed along a pre-determined route by Iran." He added, "If the maritime blockade of Iran's ports continues, Iran will take reciprocal measures," and asserted that "Iran is the guardian of the Strait of Hormuz and will show leniency where necessary." - ANI The Congress government in Himachal Pradesh has approved a temporary six-month deferral of a portion of salaries for all public representatives. Chief Minister Sukhvinder Sukhu will see 50% of his salary deferred, while ministers and assembly speakers face a 30% cut, and all MLAs a 20% cut. The government clarified this is a deferral, not a permanent cut, and the amounts will be returned when finances improve. The decision, executed via notification from Chief Secretary Sanjay Gupta, follows the CM's earlier budget announcement. Himachal Pradesh defers 20-50% of salaries for CM, ministers, and MLAs for six months as a temporary measure to address the state's financial challenges. Shimla, April 18 Facing financial challenges, the Congress government in Himachal Pradesh on Saturday implemented a decision to temporarily defer a portion of the salaries of public representatives, comprising the Chief Minister, ministers, and lawmakers, for six months. Following the Governor's approval, the Chief Secretary issued a notification. Under this notification, 50 per cent of the Chief Minister's salary, 30 per cent of the salaries of the Deputy Chief Minister, Ministers, the Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the Legislative Assembly, and 20 per cent of the salaries of all Members of the Legislative Assembly will be deferred for the next six months. This decision was taken under Articles 162 and 166 of the Constitution. The government has also clarified that this is not a permanent cut but only a temporary deferral. This amount will be returned to public representatives in the future when the state's financial situation improves. The government has clarified that the entire process will be transparent. The e-salary system will display the full salary and the deferred portion separately. This will also be clearly stated on salary slips, providing employees and public representatives at all levels with clear information. Chief Minister Sukhvinder Sukhu announced the salary reduction in his Budget speech for the fiscal year 2026-27. At that time, he had also indicated that salaries of senior officials (Class 1 and Class 2) would be deferred, but this decision was withdrawn on the occasion of Himachal Day, i.e., April 15. The notification issued by Chief Secretary Sanjay Gupta only mentions the deferment of salaries of public representatives. The notification also clarifies that all statutory deductions, including income tax, will apply to the entire salary. The deferred amount will be calculated based on the amount remaining after taxes and other deductions. This is to avoid any future accounting or tax complications. Special provisions have been made for public representatives who have taken a house-building advance or motor-car advance. - IANS Former Rajya Sabha MP Joginipally Santosh Kumar has been conferred the "Global Green Icon" title at the World Climate Leaders Conclave in London's House of Lords. The award recognises his leadership in the Green India Challenge, a massive citizen-led movement for tree planting and ecological restoration. His work is closely linked to Telangana's successful Haritha Haram afforestation programme, which significantly increased the state's green cover and tiger population. The honour positions India's community-driven environmental model as a credible framework for international adoption ahead of critical global forums like COP30. Former Indian MP Joginipally Santosh Kumar receives "Global Green Icon" award at World Climate Leaders Conclave in London for pioneering citizen-led afforestation. London, April 18 Indian environmental leader and former Rajya Sabha MP Joginipally Santosh Kumar has been conferred the title of "Global Green Icon" at the World Climate Leaders Conclave, held at the historic House of Lords on Friday. The recognition highlighted his contribution to large-scale afforestation, ecological restoration, and citizen-led climate action initiatives emerging from the Global South. The ceremony was attended by senior British officials and international dignitaries, including Nick Newland-Esner, Vice President, UNESCO Liaison Committee and Former Chairperson of the International Conference, UNESCO; David Thompson, Director of British Council and Senior Advisor to the British Parliament; Shailesh Vara, Former Member of Parliament and Minister of State, UK Government; Michael Hadwen, Advisor to County Councils, Members of Parliament, UK Government and Ameeta Virk, Head of Commercial Strategy and Growth, Department of Business and Trade, UK Government. Santosh Kumar's flagship initiative, the "Green India Challenge", has mobilised millions of citizens across India, from students to farmers, to participate in tree planting, ecological rewilding, and sustainable practices. What began as a regional effort has evolved into one of the most prominent citizen-led environmental movements in the developing world. The recognition also draws attention to Telangana's ambitious afforestation programme, Telanganaku Haritha Haram, launched under former Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao. Under his leadership, the state launched Telanganaku Haritha Haram--one of the most ambitious afforestation programmes ever undertaken in the developing world. Key outcomes of Haritha Haram were as follows: The target was to increase Telangana's green cover from 21 per cent to 33 per cent through the planting of 2.8 billion trees. The achievement was the nearly 8 per cent increase in green cover recorded, among the fastest documented gains for any Indian state, and the rewilding, in which the tiger population in the Nallamala forest region grew from 12 to 44, demonstrating measurable biodiversity revival. The World Climate Leaders Conclave brought together global changemakers, sustainability experts, and institutional leaders committed to advancing collaborative climate solutions. Santosh Kumar's recognition on this platform reinforces the growing role of community-driven environmental movements in shaping the global climate agenda, and positions India's grassroots afforestation model as a credible framework for international adoption. The honour arrives at a critical moment in global environmental discourse, as nations prepare for COP30 and confront the realities of accelerating climate change, record- breaking global temperatures, and unprecedented biodiversity loss. Santosh Kumar's work demonstrates that scalable, citizen-led solutions from the developing world are essential to achieving global climate targets. Joginipally Santosh Kumar, while receiving the honour, said, "Receiving this honour at the House of Lords, within the British Parliament, is profoundly meaningful--not as an individual distinction, but as a recognition of the collective commitment of millions of people who believe in the power of environmental stewardship. Our work through the Green India Challenge has demonstrated that afforestation and ecological rewilding are not abstract ambitions--they are achievable realities when communities lead from the front." He added, "The large-scale plantation efforts undertaken during the period of Telanganaku Haritha Haram, under the visionary leadership of K Chandrashekar Rao, have shown the world how long-term ecological planning, combined with the will of the people, can create a measurable, lasting impact. This recognition inspires us to strengthen our resolve and deepen international collaboration in building a greener, more resilient future for generations to come." Speaking post-ceremony, Newland-Esner, Vice President, UNESCO Liaison Committee and Former Chairperson of International Conference, UNESCO, emphasised that global climate efforts require "genuine political, financial and community engagement," particularly in areas like reforestation and biodiversity restoration. He said, "Well, I think one of the things that's really important about the awards that have been handed out today is the recognition particularly of work for climate, the environment, and the importance of work around reforestation and ensuring that our global biodiversity is not just respected but also rebuilt and that we are beginning to see glimmers of hope but that we need genuine political, financial and community engagement in that mission globally otherwise this is not going to make a difference." Joginipally Santosh Kumar is an Indian environmental leader, Member of Parliament (Rajya Sabha, 2018-2024), and Chairman of Igniting Minds Organisation, a section-8 non-profit, Founder of the Green India Challenge, one of the largest citizen-led afforestation movements in the world. His work spans mass tree planting, ecological restoration, water conservation, and environmental advocacy. His initiatives have engaged millions of citizens across India and attracted recognition at international climate forums, includingCOP29 and UNCCD COP16. His environmental philosophy is rooted in India's ancient Vedic tradition, which holds that the Earth is a living family--expressed in the Sanskrit principle of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam (the whole world is one family)--and that the protection of trees, rivers,and ecosystems is a sacred responsibility, not merely an economic calculation. - ANI India has dispatched an additional 5,000 tonnes of diesel to Bangladesh through the India-Bangladesh Friendship Pipeline, bolstering Dhaka's fuel reserves. This shipment is part of a planned 30,000 metric tonnes to be supplied in April via the pipeline, which offers a faster and more reliable transport method than traditional shipping. The pipeline, inaugurated virtually in 2023 by the nations' leaders, is a central piece of energy cooperation between the two countries. Bangladesh is taking urgent steps to maintain its oil reserves amid maritime uncertainties in West Asia affecting global energy imports. India sends 5,000 tonnes of diesel to Bangladesh via a cross-border pipeline, reinforcing energy security amid global supply uncertainty. New Delhi, April 18 An additional 5,000 tonnes of diesel started flowing into Bangladesh from India through the India-Bangladesh Friendship Pipeline, reinforcing Dhaka's fuel security amid the maritime uncertainty in West Asia affecting energy imports, reports said. Quoting the manager of Parbatipur Padma Oil Depot in Bangladesh's Dinajpur, the Bangla Tribune reported that the tranche started arriving from Numaligarh in Assam on Thursday. Numaligarh Refinery Limited was established in 1993 and is under the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas in India. Sources told the newspaper that Bangladesh has initiated steps on "an urgent basis" to maintain oil reserves and ensure an uninterrupted supply. It added that earlier, 8,000 metric tonnes of diesel arrived at the Parbatipur railhead depot on Tuesday from Numaligarh Refinery. Last month, some 22,000 metric tonnes of diesel arrived, and on March 11, the first 5,000 metric tonnes reached the depot in Dinajpur through the Bangladesh-India Friendship Pipeline. Altogether, 30,000 metric tonnes of diesel will be brought from India through the pipeline in April this year, sources at the Parbatipur depot told the newspaper. Authorities at the Dinajpur depot told the Bangla Tribune on Friday that it will take close to 50 hours for 5,000 metric tonnes of diesel to finally reach the destination. Another 7,000 metric tonnes of diesel will also be arriving from Numaligarh Refinery "in the next 4-5 days," added the report. The new government in Dhaka has continued to import diesel from India through the India-Bangladesh Friendship Pipeline to ensure the country's energy security, it said. This connectivity is portrayed as a critical energy lifeline for Bangladesh. Compared to traditional shipping methods, the pipeline enables faster, more costeffective, and more reliable transportation of fuel. The infrastructure has become central to Dhaka's energy cooperation with New Delhi, helping meet rising domestic demand while stabilising supply chains. Incidentally, the India-Bangladesh Friendship Pipeline was inaugurated on March 18, 2023, in a virtual mode jointly by PM Modi and the then-Bangladesh Premier, Sheikh Hasina. The foundation stone for this pipeline was laid by the two Prime Ministers in September 2018. Numaligarh Refinery Limited has been supplying petroleum products to Bangladesh since 2015. This marked the second crossborder energy pipeline between India and its neighbours. It was also the first crossborder energy pipeline between India and Bangladesh with a capacity to transport 1 million metric tonnes per annum of highspeed diesel to Bangladesh. Bangladesh, according to an official statement during the inauguration, was among India's principal development partners and the largest trade partner in the region. The operationalisation of the Friendship Pipeline was intended to enhance ongoing energy cooperation between the two countries to provide an impetus to Bangladesh's growth, particularly in the agriculture sector, the government release had added. In the current uncertainty, Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has sought a USD 2 billion fund from development partners to meet Dhaka's immediate energy needs and safeguard economic stability amid the ongoing global energy crisis, the Daily Star reported. - IANS Tourists pose for photos at a flower fair in Huangpu District of Shanghai, east China, April 18, 2026. The 2026 Shanghai International Flower Show opened on Saturday with events in two main venues, 10 sub-venues and multiple exhibition spots across the city. (Xinhua/Chen Haoming) A tourist takes photos of flowers at a flower fair in Huangpu District of Shanghai, east China, April 18, 2026. The 2026 Shanghai International Flower Show opened on Saturday with events in two main venues, 10 sub-venues and multiple exhibition spots across the city. (Xinhua/Chen Haoming) Tourists view flowers by a lake in Huangpu District of Shanghai, east China, April 18, 2026. The 2026 Shanghai International Flower Show opened on Saturday with events in two main venues, 10 sub-venues and multiple exhibition spots across the city. (Xinhua/Chen Haoming) Staff members take photos at a flower fair in Huangpu District of Shanghai, east China, April 18, 2026. The 2026 Shanghai International Flower Show opened on Saturday with events in two main venues, 10 sub-venues and multiple exhibition spots across the city. (Xinhua/Chen Haoming) This photo taken on April 18, 2026 shows a scene at a flower fair in Jing'an District of Shanghai, east China. The 2026 Shanghai International Flower Show opened on Saturday with events in two main venues, 10 sub-venues and multiple exhibition spots across the city. (Xinhua/Wang Xiang) People take a selfie with a floral installation in the shape of a puppy at a flower fair in Jing'an District of Shanghai, east China, April 18, 2026. The 2026 Shanghai International Flower Show opened on Saturday with events in two main venues, 10 sub-venues and multiple exhibition spots across the city. (Xinhua/Wang Xiang) People visit a flower fair in Jing'an District of Shanghai, east China, April 18, 2026. The 2026 Shanghai International Flower Show opened on Saturday with events in two main venues, 10 sub-venues and multiple exhibition spots across the city. (Xinhua/Wang Xiang) Tourists visit a flower fair in Huangpu District of Shanghai, east China, April 18, 2026. The 2026 Shanghai International Flower Show opened on Saturday with events in two main venues, 10 sub-venues and multiple exhibition spots across the city. (Xinhua/Chen Haoming) This photo taken on April 18, 2026 shows a floral installation in the shape of a puppy at a flower fair in Jing'an District of Shanghai, east China. The 2026 Shanghai International Flower Show opened on Saturday with events in two main venues, 10 sub-venues and multiple exhibition spots across the city. (Xinhua/Wang Xiang) People visit a flower fair in Jing'an District of Shanghai, east China, April 18, 2026. The 2026 Shanghai International Flower Show opened on Saturday with events in two main venues, 10 sub-venues and multiple exhibition spots across the city. (Xinhua/Wang Xiang) A girl poses for photos at a flower fair in Huangpu District of Shanghai, east China, April 18, 2026. The 2026 Shanghai International Flower Show opened on Saturday with events in two main venues, 10 sub-venues and multiple exhibition spots across the city. (Xinhua/Chen Haoming) A woman carrying a dog poses for photos with a floral installation in the shape of a puppy at a flower fair in Jing'an District of Shanghai, east China, April 18, 2026. The 2026 Shanghai International Flower Show opened on Saturday with events in two main venues, 10 sub-venues and multiple exhibition spots across the city. (Xinhua/Wang Xiang) US President Donald Trump has welcomed Iran's announcement that it is fully reopening the Strait of Hormuz to maritime traffic. The reopening is directly linked to the implementation of a 10-day ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel, which Trump helped broker. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi confirmed the opening but stated vessels must sail on coordinated routes set by Iranian authorities. Trump stated that Israeli and Lebanese leaders are expected to meet at the White House soon to build upon the temporary truce. US President Trump confirms Iran has fully reopened the Strait of Hormuz for maritime traffic, linking the move to a new 10-day Lebanon-Israel ceasefire. Washington, DC, April 17 US President Donald Trump has welcomed the declaration from Tehran regarding the restoration of maritime access through the Strait of Hormuz. The reaction follows an earlier announcement on Friday by Iran's foreign minister, who stated that the Islamic Republic is now permitting the secure transit of vessels. This move was made contingent on maritime operators maintaining coordination with Iranian authorities, following the successful implementation of a ceasefire in Lebanon. Celebrating the development, the US President took to social media to highlight the reopening of the strategic waterway. In an all-caps post on Truth Social, Trump wrote, "IRAN HAS JUST ANNOUNCED THAT THE STRAIT OF IRAN IS FULLY OPEN AND READY FOR FULL PASSAGE." This confirmation from Washington aligns with Tehran's official stance that the Strait of Hormuz will remain "completely open" for the duration of the current cessation of hostilities. In a statement shared on X, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi linked maritime access directly to the ongoing truce, writing, "In line with the ceasefire in Lebanon, the passage for all commercial vessels through the Strait of Hormuz is declared completely open for the remaining period of the ceasefire." Despite this opening, Araghchi clarified that certain maritime restrictions remain in place, noting that vessels are required to sail "on the coordinated route as already announced" by Iranian authorities. These maritime developments follow the US President's earlier announcement on Thursday regarding a 10-day ceasefire agreement between Lebanon and Israel. Highlighting the diplomatic momentum, Trump indicated that efforts are underway to organise a historic, first-ever meeting between the leadership of both nations. The cessation of hostilities is considered a central component of broader American initiatives to secure an agreement to end the conflict with Iran. Tehran had reportedly maintained that a Lebanese truce was a prerequisite for any such deal. According to the US leader, the arrangement to pause combat followed "excellent" telephonic discussions with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Lebanese President Joseph Aoun. "These two Leaders have agreed that in order to achieve peace between their Countries, they will formally begin a 10 day ceasefire at 5 P.M. EST," Trump stated. He further mentioned expectations for both Netanyahu and Aoun to convene at the White House "over the next four or five days" to build upon the temporary truce. - ANI The GCC Secretary-General has welcomed a resolution from the IMO Legal Committee that strongly condemns Iran's actions in the Strait of Hormuz. The resolution specifically denounces Iran's closure of the strait, attacks on vessels, and threats against GCC member states and Jordan. It also condemns Iranian threats to lay sea mines and impose a toll system on ships. The GCC chief commended the United Arab Emirates for its pivotal role in preparing the adopted resolution. GCC Secretary-General welcomes IMO Legal Committee resolution condemning Iran's threats and attacks on shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, praising UAE's role. Riyadh, April 18 Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi, GCC Secretary-General, welcomed the resolution adopted by the Legal Committee of the International Maritime Organisation during its 113th session, which strongly condemned Iran's closure of the Strait of Hormuz, as well as its attacks, threats against vessels in the region, and assaults on the territories of GCC member states and Jordan. He also welcomed the committee's condemnation of Iran's threats related to the laying of sea mines in the Strait of Hormuz and its surrounding waters, as well as the toll system imposed on ships transiting the strait, according to relevant reports. GCC Secretary-General commended the role of the UAE in preparing this important resolution adopted by the committee, underscoring the importance of the international community implementing the resolution in accordance with international law and ensuring the unimpeded passage of ships through the strait. - ANI US President Donald Trump reiterated claims that the United States would jointly enter Iran with excavators to retrieve enriched uranium and bring it home. Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Esmaeil Baghaei, immediately and forcefully denied any agreement to transfer nuclear material, calling it as sacred as Iranian soil. Trump also asserted Iran had agreed to stop supporting groups like Hezbollah and Hamas, with no remaining sticking points in negotiations. The exchange highlights heightened tensions and contradictory statements between the two nations amid ongoing diplomatic engagements. Trump claims US will jointly remove Iran's enriched uranium; Iran's Foreign Ministry calls US statements "lies" and refuses any transfer. Arizona, April 18 US President Donald Trump on Friday reiterated that the United States will take enriched uranium from Iran as part of ongoing negotiations, even as Tehran strongly denied any agreement to transfer nuclear material. While speaking at the Turning Point USA event here, Trump said the operation would be carried out jointly with lots of excavators. "We're going to get it by going in with Iran, with lots of excavators. We need the biggest excavators you can imagine. But we're going in together with Iran, we're going to get it, and we're going to take it back home to the USA." Earlier, Trump also referred to nuclear-related developments, saying, "The USA will get all nuclear dust...That white powdery substance created by our B-2 bombers, those great B-2 bombers, late one evening, seven months ago. No money will exchange hands in any way or form...Iran, with the help of the USA, has removed or is removing all of the sea mines...They will never have a nuclear weapon" The remarks came shortly after Iran rejected US claims that it had agreed to transfer its enriched uranium to the United States. Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said Tehran would not allow such a move under any circumstances. "Enriched uranium is as sacred to us as Iranian soil and will not be transferred anywhere under any circumstances," he was quoted as saying by Tasnim news agency, according to Al Jazeera. The comments follow Trump's earlier assertion that Iran had "agreed to everything" in talks with Washington, including joint removal of enriched uranium. He also said there were no remaining "sticking points" in negotiations and expressed confidence that a deal could be reached soon. Trump further claimed Iran had agreed to stop supporting groups such as Hezbollah and Hamas, and said US discussions with Tehran would continue over the weekend, with a possible agreement expected soon. Iran, however, pushed back against US statements, also criticising Washington's position on maritime security. Baghaei said US remarks on the Strait of Hormuz reflected "desperation and helplessness" and dismissed them as inconsistent. "We should not be influenced by the other side's tweets," he said. "The statements by American officials are filled with contradictions and lies, and this is nothing new." He added that decisions regarding the strategic waterway are made on the ground, not online. "The opening or closing of the Strait of Hormuz does not happen on social media, but on the ground," he said. The exchange comes amid heightened tensions between Washington and Tehran, even as diplomatic engagements continue over Iran's nuclear programme and regional security issues. - ANI The Indian government has authorized 15 major banks, including SBI, HDFC Bank, and ICICI Bank, to import gold and silver from April 2026 to March 2029 to streamline the bullion trade through regulated channels. This move aims to enhance transparency, monitor inflows, and curb irregularities in the precious metals market. The notification comes as India's gold imports fell sharply to a 9-month low in March 2026 due to demand softness and supply disruptions. Despite this, Indian gold ETFs extended their inflow streak to an 11th consecutive month, showing sustained investor interest. India authorizes 15 major banks, including SBI, HDFC, and ICICI, to import gold and silver from 2026 to 2029 to streamline trade. New Delhi, April 17 The Union Government on Friday allowed 15 major banks, including State Bank of India, HDFC Bank, and ICICI Bank, to import gold and silver from April 1, 2026, to March 31, 2029. The Union Bank of India and Sberbank have been authorised to import only gold during this period. The notification has been issued by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT). The move is part of the government's ongoing effort to streamline bullion imports and ensure they are routed through regulated and traceable channels. By restricting imports to authorised banks, authorities aim to improve transparency, monitor inflows more effectively, and curb irregularities in the gold and silver trade. Banks that have been authorised by the RBI to import both gold and silver include Axis Bank Ltd, Bank of India, Deutsche Bank, Federal Bank Ltd, HDFC Bank Ltd, Industrial and Commercial Bank of China Ltd, ICICI Bank Ltd, IndusInd Bank Ltd, Indian Overseas Bank, Kotak Mahindra Bank Ltd, Karur Vysya Bank Ltd, Punjab National Bank, RBL Bank Ltd, State Bank of India, and Yes Bank Ltd. India's gold imports fell sharply in March 2026 to a 9-month low of $3.1 bn. In volume terms, imports are estimated to be 20-25 tonnes, well below the 12-month average of 62 tonnes. The decline reflects a combination of demand softness and supply disruptions stemming from flight disruptions out of the Middle East, a key transit hub for bullion flows into India, according to a statement issued by the World Gold Council on Friday. Gold prices partially recovered in April following the sharp March decline, while import curbs and supply bottlenecks narrowed domestic discounts. Listed jewellers posted strong year-on-year growth in Q1 2026, driven by wedding as well as discretionary spends, higher ticket sizes, and ongoing expansion, the statement said. Despite significant redemptions and in contrast with the trend of North American and European ETFs, Indian gold ETFs extended their inflow streak to the 11th consecutive month in March 2026, recording net inflows of Rs 22.7bn (US$244mn) as per data from the Association of Mutual Funds of India (AMFI). The investor interest in gold ETFs has been sustained and continues to broaden, albeit at a slower pace, as reflected in the number of accounts or folios of gold ETFs, the statement said. The purchases of digital gold via the Unified Payments Interface (UPI) remained strong in February, albeit below January's record levels. Total purchases during the month totalled INR 30.3bn, equivalent to an estimated 1.9t in volume terms, the statement added. - IANS An Indian delegation presented the Green India Challenge's citizen-led ecological restoration model to the Commonwealth Secretariat in London. The movement, inspired by former President APJ Abdul Kalam, has achieved significant results including planting 196 million trees and installing thousands of rainwater harvesting systems. The model was discussed as a scalable governance solution for vulnerable Commonwealth nations, aligning with international carbon crediting mechanisms. The delegation emphasized South-South cooperation and innovative climate financing for community-led projects. Indian delegation presents citizen-led ecological restoration model in London, showcasing 196 million trees planted and scalable governance for climate action. London, April 18 A high-level Indian delegation met the Senior Director of the Climate Change and Oceans Directorate at the Commonwealth Secretariat, Suresh Yadav, at Marlborough House, to present India's citizen-led ecological restoration movement as a scalable governance model for Commonwealth member nations. According to a release, the delegation was led by Joginipally Santosh Kumar, former Rajya Sabha Member and Chairman of the Igniting Minds organisation, alongside M Karunakar Reddy, Founder of the Igniting Minds Organisation, and Sanjeevall Raghavendar, Co-Founder of the Green India Challenge. The delegation also included members of the Green India Challenge's United Kingdom team, Ganesh Kuppala, Ravi Pulusu, Anil Kurmachalam, and Naveen Reddy, reinforcing the movement's growing international footprint. The meeting presented a comprehensive journey that began in 2011, rooted in the vision of former President APJ Abdul Kalam, who believed that India's young population could lead the world's most consequential sustainable development movement. Drawing on that founding philosophy, Igniting Minds Organisation and the Green India Challenge mobilised students, professors, social and environmental activists, celebrities, and lawmakers across India, transforming awareness into action at a scale rarely witnessed in civil society-led environmental governance. Over fifteen years, this movement has delivered measurable outcomes aligned with the Millennium Development Goals and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals: nearly 22,000 rainwater harvesting systems installed, 196 million trees planted and geo-tagged across India's most ecologically stressed landscapes, and the revival of thousands of community water bodies that have restored groundwater aquifers and reversed rural migration. The programme has progressively engaged India's corporate sector, aligning their Environmental, Social and Governance commitments with on-the-ground ecological restoration verified by satellite and citizen science. Central to the discussion was the delegation's alignment with Article 6.4 of the Paris Agreement, the UN's newly operational carbon crediting mechanism, and the potential of India's geo-tagged, blockchain-verified Bharat Regeneration Index platform to serve as a credible project pipeline for international carbon credit certification. The delegation also explored convergence with the Commonwealth's recently launched Guide to Blue Bond Issuance, positioning India's community water body and mangrove afforestation programmes, including work in the Sundarbans, as eligible blue carbon projects ready for innovative climate financing. Suresh Yadav, a former Indian Revenue Service officer and World Bank Group Board representative, leads the Commonwealth's mandate of embedding Environmental Resilience as a core pillar of its Strategic Plan 2025-2030, with a stated mission to shift the Commonwealth's 56 member nations from climate ambition to climate delivery at scale. During the meeting, Karunakar Reddy said, "The Global South carries the heaviest burden of the climate crisis but holds the deepest ancestral knowledge of living in harmony with the natural world. India's 15-year journey -- from a classroom conversation inspired by Dr Kalam to 196 million geo-tagged trees and 22,000 rainwater harvesting systems -- is proof that citizen-led governance works. We are honoured to bring this model to the Commonwealth and explore how it can serve every vulnerable member nation from the Pacific to the Caribbean." Meanwhile, Joginipally Santosh Kumar said, "This meeting represents a significant step in India's commitment to leading from the Global South on climate action. The work of Igniting Minds and the Green India Challenge embodies the spirit of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam -- the Earth is one family. We are committed to championing this model at the highest levels of international governance." The delegation expressed its commitment to continued engagement with the Commonwealth Secretariat on South-South knowledge transfer, innovative climate financing, and community-governed ecological restoration as a replicable model for vulnerable Commonwealth nations. - ANI Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel has criticized the opposition for remaining absent from the grassroots and distant from the public for the past three decades. He credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi for transforming electoral politics into a contest centered on development and performance. Patel highlighted the state's progress in water supply, road infrastructure, healthcare via Ayushman Bharat, and land reforms for farmers. He concluded by appealing for votes for BJP candidates in the upcoming local self-government elections. Gujarat CM Bhupendra Patel says opposition has been absent at grassroots for 30 years, credits PM Modi for shifting politics to development. Gandhinagar, April 18 Highlighting what he described as a 30-year pattern in Gujarat's electoral history, Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel said the opposition has remained largely absent at the grassroots level and distant from the public, as he addressed a gathering ahead of local self-government elections in the Vav-Tharad district. Speaking at a 'Vikas Sankalp Sabha' in Dima village, Patel said: "In the election history of the last 30 years, the absence of the opposition at the grassroots level and its tendency to remain distant from the people is clearly visible." He further added that workers of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) have consistently remained among citizens and have worked at the ground level. The Chief Minister said electoral politics has undergone a significant shift in recent years. "As a result of the standards established by Prime Minister Narendra Modi of seeking votes based on work, elections have become centred on the politics of development," he said, adding that this approach has brought positive changes in society and ensured that benefits have reached citizens. Patel said political parties are now required to present an account of their work and future planning before voters. "The government has continued to make improvements based on public feedback and functions with public participation and trust," he said. Referring to development in the state, Patel said there has been a visible transformation compared to earlier conditions. He noted that there was a time when basic facilities such as water, roads, and electricity were not adequately available, but the state has since made significant progress in these sectors. "Due to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of always setting high targets, there has been a major positive transformation in the country and in Gujarat," he said. Patel said the work of providing water to every household is progressing, and efforts are being made to ensure that no pond remains without water by supplying excess Narmada water. "In the interest of farmers, an important decision has been taken to convert old and new tenure lands into old tenure in the 7/12 records without paying any premium," he said. The Chief Minister further said that road infrastructure has expanded across Gujarat and that work has commenced on establishing a GIDC at Dudhva near Dima. Referring to healthcare, he said: "Under the Ayushman scheme, poor and middle-class families are receiving free treatment of up to Rs 10 lakh, which has led to positive changes in many households." He said inclusive growth remains necessary for national development. "For the development of the country, it is essential that the last person is brought into the mainstream of development," Patel said, adding that the vision of a developed India requires the creation of a developed Gujarat through collective efforts. He also appealed to citizens to vote in large numbers in favour of BJP candidates in the upcoming elections. - IANS The first batch of Indian Haj pilgrims for 2026 is set to depart on April 18 from multiple embarkation points across the country. The Ministry of Minority Affairs has introduced several new digital and logistical measures, including a facilitation app and smart wristbands for safety. Enhanced insurance coverage and high-speed train connectivity between Makkah and Madinah are also part of the improved services. The government emphasizes continuous coordination with Saudi authorities to prioritize pilgrim welfare and a seamless journey. Over 1.75 lakh Indian pilgrims begin Haj 2026 on April 18. New measures include a Haj Suvidha App, smart wristbands, and enhanced insurance coverage. New Delhi, April 17 The Haj pilgrimage from India for the year 2026 is set to begin on April 18, with the first batch of pilgrims scheduled to depart for Saudi Arabia from multiple embarkation points across the country. A total of 1,75,025 pilgrims are expected to undertake the sacred journey this year. Union Minister of Minority Affairs Kiren Rijiju has extended his best wishes to all pilgrims and reiterated the Government's commitment to ensuring a smooth, safe, and comfortable Haj experience. The Ministry of Minority Affairs, which functions as the nodal ministry for Haj operations, has stated that several new measures have been introduced this year to further improve services and overall facilitation for pilgrims. In coordination with the Haj Committee of India, various Central Ministries, State Governments, and authorities in Saudi Arabia, the Government of India has put in place comprehensive arrangements to ensure seamless logistics, improved travel support, and better on-ground assistance during the pilgrimage. Officials have highlighted that the focus this year remains on enhancing efficiency, safety, and real-time support mechanisms for pilgrims. Among the key initiatives introduced for Haj 2026 is expanded digital facilitation through the Haj Suvidha App, aimed at providing pilgrims with easier access to essential services and information. In addition, Haj Suvidha Smart Wristbands have been deployed to help in locating pilgrims and assisting in case of emergencies or missing persons. For the first time, a short-duration Haj option of approximately 20 days has also been introduced, offering greater flexibility to selected pilgrims. The government has also enhanced insurance coverage for pilgrims to around Rs 6,25,000 per person, strengthening financial and medical security during the journey. Around 60,000 pilgrims will benefit from high-speed train connectivity between Makkah and Madinah, which is expected to improve inter-city travel efficiency and comfort. Further arrangements include improved real-time monitoring systems, strengthened grievance redressal mechanisms, upgraded medical screening, and expanded healthcare support services. Coordination for accommodation and transport facilities in Saudi Arabia has also been enhanced, including the arrangement of hotel-style accommodations in Makkah for better comfort and services this year. Authorities have additionally focused on streamlining embarkation procedures at 17 designated embarkation points across India, including major cities such as Delhi, Mumbai, Lucknow, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Bengaluru, and Srinagar, among others, to ensure smooth and hassle-free departures. The Government of India has underlined that the welfare and well-being of Haj pilgrims remain a top priority, with continuous coordination maintained with Saudi authorities for effective management throughout the pilgrimage period. Pilgrims have been advised to follow all official guidelines, including health and travel advisories, to ensure a safe and spiritually fulfilling journey. - ANI Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini has issued strict directives for transparency in the ESI healthcare system, warning against any negligence or corruption. He ordered the immediate de-paneling of six private hospitals in Panipat for excessive referrals and suspended three ESI hospital employees. The Chief Minister has entrusted the Anti-Corruption Bureau with investigating the matter and reviewing all 133 empaneled private hospitals in the state. He also directed officials to increase bed capacities at several ESI facilities and ensure they are equipped with modern technology. Haryana CM Nayab Singh Saini orders ACB probe, suspends staff, and de-panels hospitals for corruption in ESI healthcare system. New Delhi, April 18 Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini on Saturday issued strict directions to ensure transparency and accountability in the ESI healthcare system, stating that negligence or corruption at any level will not be tolerated. The Chief Minister was chairing a review meeting of ESI Healthcare Haryana at the Haryana Civil Secretariat on Saturday. Expressing serious concern over issues related to the ESI Hospital in Panipat, the Chief Minister directed officials to immediately initiate action to de-panel six private hospitals. Acting on these directions, the department has issued notices to the concerned hospitals. These hospitals were found to have made excessive referrals during the period 2020-21 to 2023-24, and discrepancies were detected in doctors' signatures on referral forms. In connection with the case, three employees of the Panipat ESI Hospital have been suspended with immediate effect. Additionally, disciplinary proceedings have been initiated against five medical superintendents. The Chief Minister directed that the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) be entrusted with conducting a fair and thorough investigation into the matter. He further instructed that records of 133 other private hospitals empanelled under ESI across the state be examined by the ACB to detect any irregularities in a timely manner. He also directed officials to enhance the capacity of the Panipat ESI Hospital from 75 beds to 100 beds and to expand its operation theatre. Similarly, directions were issued to upgrade the Jagadhri ESI Hospital from 80 to 100 beds and to increase the capacity of the Hisar ESI dispensary from 12 to 50 beds. He emphasised that all hospitals should be equipped with modern medical technology. The Chief Minister instructed that the construction of two 100-bedded ESI hospitals in Bawal and Bahadurgarh be completed at the earliest, stating that these facilities will significantly improve healthcare services for workers and the general public. He further stated that there should be no shortage of doctors and paramedical staff in the ESI healthcare system and directed that recruitment processes be expedited as required. Reiterating the government's commitment, the Chief Minister said that transparency, accountability, and quality healthcare services remain top priorities, and any laxity in this regard will not be tolerated. Haryana Chief Secretary Anurag Rastogi, Principal Secretary, Labour Department, Sh. Rajiv Ranjan and other senior officials were present in the meeting. - ANI HDFC Bank stated that its Nomination and Remuneration Committee (NRC) will decide on the reappointment of MD & CEO Sashidhar Jagdishan in due course, with his current tenure ending in October 2026. Jagdishan expressed support for interim chairman Keki Mistry to continue beyond the mandated three-month period, pending board and regulatory approval. The bank has engaged an external firm to review the resignation of former chairman Atanu Chakraborty, who cited a misalignment with his personal ethics. Separately, the bank reported an 8% year-on-year rise in consolidated net profit for Q4 FY26 to Rs 20,350 crore and denied allegations of mis-selling AT-1 bonds to retail customers. HDFC Bank's NRC to decide on CEO Sashidhar Jagdishan's reappointment. Board supports Keki Mistry as chairman. Q4 profit rises 8% to Rs 20,350 crore. New Delhi, April 18 HDFC Bank on Saturday said the process for re-appointing its Managing Director and CEO Sashidhar Jagdishan will be taken up 'in due course', with the bank's nomination and remuneration committee currently seized of the matter. Responding to a query by NDTV Profit, Deputy Managing Director Kaizad Bharucha said the committee will take a final call on Jagdishan's reappointment at an appropriate time. Jagdishan's current tenure is set to end in October 2026. Moreover, speaking during a post-earnings conference call, Jagdishan said he, along with Bharucha, supports interim chairman Keki Mistry continuing in the role beyond the mandated three-month period, subject to board approval and regulatory processes. "We are all rooting for Mistry to continue, but there are processes to be followed before this can be taken up by the NRC and the board," he said. Mistry was appointed interim chairman on March 18, a day after the abrupt resignation of former chairman Atanu Chakraborty. Jagdishan said an external firm has been engaged to review Chakraborty's resignation letter, and a summary of its findings will be released in due course. Chakraborty had stepped down, citing that certain practices within the bank were "not congruent" with his personal ethics and values, while maintaining that his exit was not linked to any wrongdoing. On allegations of mis-selling of Additional Tier-1 (AT-1) bonds by the bank's Dubai branch, Jagdishan said the lender did not sell such instruments to retail customers and that investors were aware of the associated risks. Separately, the bank reported its fourth-quarter earnings for FY26, posting an 8 per cent year-on-year rise in consolidated net profit to Rs 20,350 crore, compared to Rs 18,834 crore in the year-ago period. Shares of HDFC Bank ended marginally higher on Friday at Rs 800, up 0.57 per cent on the NSE. - IANS Hezbollah's deputy leader, Naim Qassem, has stated that the ongoing truce with Israel cannot hold unless it is fully mutual and respected by both sides. He outlined steps for peace, including a complete Israeli withdrawal and a halt to all aggression against Lebanon. Concurrently, Iran's Revolutionary Guard announced the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, citing U.S. violations of ceasefire conditions. These developments occur amidst warnings from U.S. President Donald Trump against Iranian actions. Hezbollah chief outlines mutual ceasefire terms with Israel as Iran's Revolutionary Guard closes the Strait of Hormuz, escalating regional tensions. Beirut, April 19 Hezbollah chief Naim Qassem has outlined a series of steps required to achieve peace. He said the ongoing 10-day truce with Israel cannot continue unless it is respected by both sides, stressing that this would require a complete halt to air, land, and sea "aggression" against Lebanon, Al Jazeera reported. Qassem also called for a full Israeli withdrawal from Lebanese territory, according to Al Jazeera. He added that subsequent steps would include the release of prisoners and the return of residents to their homes in border areas, as reported by Al Jazeera. According to him, the final phase would involve a large-scale reconstruction effort with support from Arab countries, as per Al Jazeera. Separately, Qassem reiterated that the truce cannot hold unless both sides adhere to it. "A ceasefire means a complete cessation of all hostilities," he said, warning that his fighters would respond to Israeli actions in Lebanon, Al Jazeera reported. "Because we do not trust this enemy," he said, "the resistance fighters will remain in the field with their hands on the trigger, and they will respond to violations accordingly," he added, as reported by Al Jazeera. "There is no ceasefire from the side of the resistance only; it must be from both sides," Qassem added, according to Al Jazeera. As per Al Jazeera, speaking two days into the ceasefire in Lebanon, he added, "We are open to cooperation with the [state] in Lebanon on a new page based on achieving our national sovereignty and preventing strife." Meanwhile, Iran's Revolutionary Guard (IRGC) has announced that the Strait of Hormuz will remain closed from this evening, amid tensions linked to a 10-day ceasefire with the US and Israel. In a statement, the IRGC said the move followed violations of ceasefire conditions, alleging that the US had not lifted the naval blockade on Iranian vessels and ports. "Therefore, from this evening, the Strait of Hormuz will be closed until this blockade is lifted," the statement said. It also warned vessels against approaching the Strait, stating, "We warn that no vessel should move from its anchorage in the Persian Gulf and the Sea of Oman, and approaching the Strait of Hormuz will be considered cooperation with the enemy, and the violating vessel will be targeted." Earlier, Iran had said it would prioritise ships that pay fees for crossing, citing limited capacity under new restrictions. "Given the limitation on the number of vessels that will be allowed to pass, Iran has decided to give priority to those vessels that respond more quickly to the new Strait of Hormuz protocols and pay the costs of security and safety services," a senior official said. The developments come as US President Donald Trump warned that Iran was no longer in a position to "blackmail" Washington amid escalating tensions. - ANI BEIRUT, April 18 (Xinhua) -- Two peacekeepers from the French contingent of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) were injured on Saturday in a shooting incident in the southern town of Ghandourieh, local media reported. Lebanese broadcaster Al Jadeed TV said the incident involved an altercation between a group of youths and UNIFIL personnel that escalated into gunfire. The development comes amid heightened tensions accompanying the second day of displaced families returning to their hometowns in southern Lebanon following the implementation of a ceasefire. Meanwhile, reported Israeli violations of the ceasefire have continued. On Saturday morning, reconnaissance drones were seen flying over the southern coastal city of Tyre and nearby areas. Explosions were also heard until dawn, reportedly from detonations carried out by Israeli forces in Bayyada, Chamaa, and the city of Bint Jbeil. The International Monetary Fund warns the Philippines' high public debt limits its ability to broadly address the ongoing energy crisis, urging more targeted fiscal support for vulnerable sectors. The IMF also sharply downgraded the country's 2026 growth forecast to 4.1%. Globally, the U.S. extended a waiver allowing the delivery of sanctioned Russian oil until mid-May to help stabilize prices. This occurs amid extreme market volatility, with oil prices recently dropping 9% but the wider conflict causing historic disruptions to global energy supplies. IMF urges targeted fiscal aid in Philippines energy crisis as high debt constrains support. Global oil volatility and US waiver extensions add to complex outlook. Jakarta, April 18 The International Monetary Fund has called on the Philippines to adopt a more targeted fiscal response to its ongoing energy crisis, warning that limited budget buffers constrain the government's ability to provide broad economic support, especially to the vulnerable sectors, local media reported on Saturday. According to local media reports on Saturday, Krishna Srinivasan, director of the IMF's Asia and Pacific Department, said at a press conference recently that rising public debt, now around 60 per cent of gross domestic product, up from 41.5 per cent before the COVID-19 pandemic, has reduced fiscal flexibility. Srinivasan suggested that the Philippines should use the fiscal buffers efficiently, emphasising the need to prioritise aid for the most vulnerable sectors, reports Xinhua news agency. He stressed the need for the Philippines and other import-dependent economies with limited oil and gas reserves to carefully manage resources amid global fuel volatility. In its latest World Economic Outlook, the IMF downgraded its 2026 growth forecast for the Philippines to 4.1 per cent, sharply lower than the 5.6 per cent projection issued in January, reflecting mounting external pressures and domestic constraints. Meanwhile, the United States Department of the Treasury has extended a waiver permitting the delivery and sale of sanctioned Russian oil already loaded onto vessels, pushing the deadline to May 16, according to a document released on its official website. The earlier 30-day waiver had expired on April 11. The renewed license, issued on Friday (local time), is part of the administration's broader effort to stabilise global energy prices, which have surged amid the ongoing US-Israeli conflict with Iran. The decision comes against the backdrop of several countries facing problems with the impact of rising energy costs and supply disruptions. At the same time, the waiver continues to impose strict restrictions on dealings involving certain countries. The move comes shortly after remarks by US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who had indicated that Washington does not intend to continue such waivers indefinitely amid rising geopolitical tensions. Meanwhile, global oil prices saw a sharp decline of around 9 per cent on Friday, settling near $90 per barrel after Iran temporarily reopened the Strait of Hormuz, a key global energy transit route. However, the broader conflict has already triggered what the International Energy Agency described as the worst disruption to global energy supplies in history. The war, which entered its eighth week on Saturday, has reportedly damaged more than 80 oil and gas facilities across West Asia. - IANS The Himachal Pradesh High Court has quashed a 2022 central government notification that declared an Eco-Sensitive Zone around Col. Sherjung National Park. The court ruled that mandatory procedures, including surveys, stakeholder consultations, and committee formations, were not followed. It highlighted inconsistencies in including villages across different draft notifications without explanation. The decision provides relief to several affected gram panchayats that had challenged the notification. Himachal Pradesh High Court sets aside 2022 ESZ notification for Col. Sherjung National Park, citing procedural lapses and lack of public consultation. Shimla, April 18 The Himachal Pradesh High Court has quashed the Centre's 2022 notification declaring an Eco-Sensitive Zone around Col. Sherjung National Park, citing failure to follow mandatory procedures and guidelines. A Division Bench comprising Justice Vivek Singh Thakur and Justice Ranjan Sharma passed the order on April 16, 2026, while allowing a petition filed by Gram Panchayats Bhatanwali, Patalia, and Behral. The petitioners had challenged the notification dated January 13, 2022, issued by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, arguing that several villages were included in the ESZ without adherence to due process and without valid recommendations from competent authorities. The court observed that the prescribed procedure under the 2011 guidelines for declaring Eco-Sensitive Zones--such as conducting surveys, preparing an inventory of land use, and constituting a committee involving local authorities, ecologists, and revenue officials--was not followed. It noted that while an earlier process initiated in 2012 and a draft notification issued in 2015 had lapsed, a fresh proposal submitted later did not comply with mandatory procedural requirements. The court further pointed out that no stakeholder consultations or involvement of public representatives took place after the lapse of the earlier draft. The bench also highlighted inconsistencies in the inclusion and exclusion of villages across different draft notifications, stating that there was no record explaining these changes. Referring to legal precedents, including the Supreme Court's ruling in the T.N. Godavarman Thirumulpad vs. Union of India case, the court reiterated that statutory procedures must be strictly followed, especially in matters affecting local populations. Emphasizing the potential impact of ESZ declarations on residents, the court held that adherence to due process is mandatory to prevent hardship and ensure transparency. "In the present case, respondents have miserably failed to follow the prescribed procedure," the court observed. Accordingly, the High Court set aside the January 13, 2022, notification, providing relief to the affected gram panchayats and residents. All pending applications in the matter were also disposed of. - ANI Indian Air Force Chief Air Chief Marshal AP Singh undertook a familiarization sortie in the advanced Boeing F-15EX Eagle II fighter during a visit to Nellis Air Force Base. The flight provided firsthand experience of the aircraft's capabilities, which the US touts as key for Indo-Pacific security. Singh held high-level talks with US Air Force officials, including General Ken Wilsbach, focusing on expanding joint exercises and enhancing interoperability between the two forces. The discussions also emphasized defense industrial collaboration to support India's modernization, including the integration of newly procured MQ-9B drones. IAF Chief Air Chief Marshal AP Singh flew a USAF F-15EX Eagle II, discussing joint exercises & interoperability to strengthen Indo-Pacific defense partnership. Nevada, April 18 Indian Air Force Chief Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh undertook a familiarisation flight in a Boeing F-15EX Eagle II fighter aircraft during his visit to Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada on April 9. Singh flew alongside US Air Force Major Matthew Benson, a pilot with the 85th Test and Evaluation Squadron. The sortie gave the Indian Air Chief a close look at one of the most advanced fighter platforms in the US inventory, which plays a key role in maintaining air superiority and supporting operations in the Indo-Pacific region. The F-15EX Eagle II is latest iteration of the US's premium air superiority fighter that it hails as "one of the platforms essential to the collaborative defense of the Indo-Pacific. ". The flight formed part of Air Chief Marshal Singh's broader visit to Nellis Air Force Base, a key centre for advanced combat training and operational testing for the US Air Force. US officials said the experience allowed the Indian Air Chief to better understand the aircraft's capabilities and its role in modern air warfare. During the visit, Singh also held discussions with senior US Air Force officials, including Brigadier General David C Epperson, commander of the US Air Force Warfare Center. Air Commodore Yeshpal Singh Negi was also part of the IAF delegation. Talks focused on expanding joint exercise opportunities and aligning modernisation efforts between the two air forces. The discussions also emphasised the need to build stronger interoperability between India and the United States. This likely includes improving coordination in joint operations, sharing best practices, and enhancing mutual understanding of advanced technologies and combat systems with a focus on collaboration in the Indo-Pacific theatre. The F-15EX Eagle II, the latest iteration of the older F15s, is an advanced multirole fighter developed by Boeing, building on a long legacy of air dominance. The aircraft flies with a top speed of Mach 2.5 and a service ceiling of 50,000 feet. It can carry a payload of up to 29,500 pounds (13,381 kilograms) and has a service life exceeding 20,000 hours. According to Boeing, the F-15EX features digital fly-by-wire controls, an all-glass cockpit, advanced mission systems and open architecture software, along with Active Electronically scanned Array (AESA) radar and the Eagle Passive Active Warning Survivability System ( EPAWSS) electronic warfare suite, enabling operations in contested airspace. The aircraft can carry up to 12 AMRAAMs and support hypersonic weapons, while its high payload and long range allow flexible missions, including massed missile strikes and precision standoff attacks. On April 10, U.S. Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Ken Wilsbach also hosted Air Chief Marshal Singh at the Pentagon. The two leaders met to discuss mutual aid and plans for a productive future for both countries. As part of the visit, Air Chief Marshal Singh received a full honors arrival at Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling and attended office calls with Secretary of the Air Force Troy Meink and Wilsbach at the Pentagon. During the office calls, Department of the Air Force senior leaders emphasized the priority the U.S. places on its defense partnership with India, highlighting its central role in ensuring a free, open, peaceful and prosperous Indo-Pacific region. General Wilsbach praised India's leadership and participation in multilateral exercises with like-minded partners and stressed how continuing to prioritize and expand such cooperation is key to enhancing regional deterrence. He also welcomed India's procurement of MQ-9B Sky Guardian aircraft and emphasized the U.S. Air Force commitment to ensuring the Indian Armed Forces can seamlessly and effectively employ the platform upon delivery. General Wilsbach underscored the U.S. Air Force's readiness to further support Indian Air Force modernization efforts, noting the mutual benefits of pursuing these goals through defense industrial collaboration. - ANI India and Austria have operationalized a bilateral Fast-Track Mechanism to facilitate investment and resolve business challenges. The move came during a high-level Business Forum coinciding with the first Austrian Chancellor's visit to India in over 40 years. Discussions highlighted sustainable development, green technologies, and the potential of a future India-EU Free Trade Agreement as key growth areas. Both nations aim to leverage their industrial strengths to expand trade beyond the current level of approximately 3 billion. India & Austria launch a bilateral Fast-Track Mechanism to boost trade, investment, and cooperation in green tech & manufacturing. New Delhi, April 18 India and Austria significantly strengthened their bilateral trade and investment framework following the high-level India-Austria Business Forum held in Delhi. The engagement was marked by the signing and operationalization of a bilateral Fast-Track Mechanism, aimed at facilitating smoother investment flows and addressing operational challenges for companies in both jurisdictions. This mechanism provided a dedicated platform for Austrian and Indian investors to resolve issues and share suggestions for improving the ease of doing business, reflecting a shared commitment to investor confidence. As per the Ministry of Commerce & Industry, the forum represented a pivotal moment in economic relations, occurring during the first official visit by an Austrian Chancellor to India in over four decades. The visit underscored the growing importance of the India-Austria relationship within the broader India-European Union economic framework. Both nations expressed a clear intent to expand bilateral trade beyond current levels by leveraging their respective strengths in industrial capabilities and innovation. Union Minister of Commerce and Industry, Piyush Goyal, led the Indian delegation, emphasizing the resilience of the national economy. He underscored the role of reforms, including reindustrialisation and the promotion of advanced manufacturing and smart technologies, as key drivers of growth, while also highlighting the strong macroeconomic fundamentals of the Indian economy amid global challenges. The discussions identified sustainable development, green technologies, and advanced manufacturing as the primary areas for future cooperation. A significant portion of the dialogue focused on the proposed India-EU Free Trade Agreement (FTA), which officials described as a key enabler for scaling trade and reducing barriers. The Ministry noted that the FTA would likely create substantial opportunities for labour-intensive sectors and MSMEs through improved market access and regulatory frameworks. Federal Chancellor of Austria, H.E. Dr. Christian Stocker, characterized the visit as a milestone that reflected the steady growth in economic engagement between the two countries. Stocker noted that trade has reached approximately EUR 3 billion and that around 160 Austrian firms are operating in India, while emphasizing India's growth trajectory and its importance as a strategic partner. The India-Austria Business Forum reaffirmed the strong foundation and future potential of bilateral relations. With aligned priorities, complementary strengths and a shared commitment to sustainable growth, both countries are well positioned to further deepen their economic partnership. - ANI India and China held bilateral consultations on the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation in New Delhi, focusing on implementing past leaders' decisions and charting the bloc's future direction. The talks, led by their respective national coordinators, reviewed cooperation in security, trade, connectivity, and people-to-people ties. The SCO, which has expanded to ten members including India, Pakistan, Iran, and Belarus, continues to be a key platform for Eurasian dialogue. The discussions underscore ongoing diplomatic engagement between New Delhi and Beijing within the multilateral framework. India and China discuss implementing SCO leaders' decisions, focusing on security, trade, and connectivity in New Delhi bilateral talks. New Delhi, April 17 India and China held Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Bilateral Consultations in New Delhi, discussing the implementation of the SCO Leaders' decisions and the future course of the organisation. The two sides agreed to continue and consolidate mutual cooperation and consultations in SCO matters, according to a statement released by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Friday. India's SCO National Coordinator, Ambassador Alok A Dimri and China's National Coordinator, Ambassador Yan Wenbin, led the respective delegations during the meeting held in New Delhi on April 16-17. "Both delegations, jointly, called on Secretary (West) Shri Sibi George to review cooperation within the SCO framework, including in the areas of security, trade, connectivity, and people-to-people ties. Both sides agreed to continue mutual consultations in future," the MEA release said. The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) was established on June 15, 2001, with its founding members being China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. In 2017, India and Pakistan joined it. In 2023, Iran became a member, followed by Belarus in 2024, bringing the total number of SCO member states to 10. The SCO has two observer states -- Afghanistan and Mongolia -- and 14 dialogue partners -- Azerbaijan, Armenia, Cambodia, Nepal, Turkey, Sri Lanka, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Qatar, Bahrain, the Maldives, Myanmar, the United Arab Emirates, and Kuwait. Kyrgyzstan holds the SCO chairmanship for 2025-2026. Kyrgyzstan President Sadyr Japarov announced the theme of the presidency: "25 Years of the SCO: Together Towards Sustainable Peace, Development, and Prosperity." On April 1, China's Ambassador to India Xu Feihong expressed Beijing's readiness to strengthen strategic alignment, deepen practical cooperation and enhance people-to-people exchanges with New Delhi as both countries marked the 76th anniversary of the establishment of their diplomatic ties. "Today marks the 76th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and India.aChina and India are neighbours that cannot be moved apart. It is the right choice for both sides to be good-neighbourly friends and partners that help each other succeed, and realise the 'Dragon-Elephant Tango'," Xu posted on X. - IANS India has issued a strong condemnation following a deadly attack on French UN Peacekeepers serving with UNIFIL in Lebanon. The attack, involving small-arms fire from alleged non-state actors, resulted in one fatality and three injuries. New Delhi has urged the Lebanese government to urgently investigate and bring the perpetrators to justice. India highlighted its leadership role by invoking UN Security Council Resolution 2589, which it piloted to establish accountability for crimes against peacekeepers. India strongly condemns the deadly attack on French UNIFIL peacekeepers in Lebanon, invoking a UN resolution it piloted to demand accountability. New Delhi, April 18 India on Saturday issued a stern condemnation following a deadly attack on French UN Peacekeepers serving with the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon. The official statement, released by the Ministry of External Affairs, underscored India's long-standing role as a leading contributor to global peacekeeping and its commitment to the safety of those serving under the Blue Helmet. In a press statement, the Ministry of External Affairs said, "We strongly condemn the attack that took place today on French UN Peacekeepers deployed in UNIFIL. We pay our homage to the fallen Blue Helmet and wish a speedy recovery to the three other peacekeepers who were injured." The UNIFIL, in a statement issued on its telegram channel, said that on Saturday morning, a UNIFIL patrol clearing explosive ordnance along a road in the village of Ghanduriyah to re-establish links with isolated UNIFIL positions came under small-arms fire from non-state actors. "Tragically, one peacekeeper succumbed to his injuries and three others were injured, two of them seriously. The injured peacekeepers have been taken to medical facilities for treatment", the statement added. UNIFIL condemned the deliberate attack on peacekeepers engaged in their mandated tasks and said that the work of explosive ordnance disposal teams is vital in the mission's area of operations, especially in the wake of the recent hostilities. "UNIFIL has launched an investigation to determine the circumstances surrounding this tragic incident. Initial assessment indicates the fire came from non-state actors (allegedly Hizbullah)", the statement said. It called on the Government of Lebanon to swiftly initiate an investigation to identify and hold the perpetrators accountable for the crimes committed against UNIFIL peacekeepers. India expressed its deepest condolences to the bereaved family and the government of France, wishing a swift recovery to the injured personnel. India urged the Lebanese government to launch an urgent investigation into the assault. The statement explicitly calls for the perpetrators to be identified and brought to justice without delay. "India had piloted UN Security Council Resolution 2589 on Accountability for Crimes against Peacekeepers. We urge the government of Lebanon to urgently investigate this attack, bring its perpetrators to justice, and ensure accountability for this crime against UN Peacekeepers," read the statement. India's response highlighted its leadership in international peacekeeping policy, specifically referencing UN Security Council Resolution 2589. This resolution, which India piloted, focuses on establishing accountability for crimes committed against UN peacekeepers. "India reiterates the importance of respecting the sanctity and inviolability of UN premises and personnel and urges all parties to ensure the safety and security of Peacekeepers who are deployed pursuant to UN Security Council mandates," it added. The incident comes at a time of heightened regional tension, raising serious concerns regarding the safety of international personnel. By invoking Resolution 2589, India is sending a clear message to the international community: attacks on UN personnel are not merely local crimes but violations of a global mandate that require a rigorous and transparent legal response. - ANI India summoned Iran's Ambassador to convey deep concern over a shooting incident involving two Indian-flagged merchant ships in the Strait of Hormuz. Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri urged Iran to resume facilitating the safe passage of India-bound vessels through the strategic waterway. Iran has announced it has reverted to strict military control of the strait, accusing the U.S. of breaching commitments and engaging in "piracy." The incident occurs amid an ongoing U.S. naval blockade of Iranian ports. India calls Iranian Ambassador, urges safe passage for merchant ships after shooting incident involving two Indian-flagged vessels in Strait of Hormuz. New Delhi, April 18 India on Saturday called Iran's Ambassador Dr. Mohammad Fathali and conveyed "deep concern" at the shooting incident earlier today involving two Indian-flagged ships in the Strait of Hormuz. Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson said in a statement that Iran's Ambassador was called in for a meeting with Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri this evening. The Foreign Secretary urged the Ambassador to convey India's views and resume the process of facilitating India-bound ships across the Strait. "During the meeting, Foreign Secretary conveyed India's deep concern at the shooting incident earlier today involving two Indian-flagged ships in the Strait of Hormuz," the statement said. The Foreign Secretary noted the importance that India attached to the safety of merchant shipping and mariners and recalled that Iran had earlier facilitated the safe passage of several ships bound for India. "Reiterating his concern at this serious incident of firing on merchant ships, Foreign Secretary urged the Ambassador to convey India's views to the authorities in Iran and resume at the earliest the process of facilitating India-bound ships across the Strait," the statement said. It said that Iran's Ambassador undertook to convey these views to the Iranian authorities. Earlier, a merchant vessel tracking website reported citing two audio recordings that two Indian vessels were forced back west out of the Strait of Hormuz by Iran's Sepah (IRGC) Navy and that firing was involved. Iran on Saturday announced that the strategic Strait of Hormuz has reverted to its "previous state" of strict military control, as it was before the ceasefire deal between Israel and Lebanon, citing violations by the United States under its continued blockade of Iranian ports even as Tehran had announced reopening of the waterway. According to Iranian state media, Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB), which cited the spokesperson for Iran's Central Headquarters of the Holy Prophet (PBUH), Tehran had earlier agreed, in good faith, to allow limited and managed passage of oil tankers and commercial vessels through the strategic strait following negotiations. However, the spokesperson stated that the United States repeatedly breached commitments and engaged in "piracy and banditry" under the pretext of enforcing a blockade over the ports of the Islamic Republic. The spokesperson further declared that control over the Strait has now been tightened, with the waterway placed under the "strict management and control" of Iran's armed forces". "For this reason, control of the Strait of Hormuz has returned to its previous state, and this strategic strait is under the strict management and control of the armed forces," the statement added. The statement stated that the current situation would persist unless Washington ensures what Iran described as "complete freedom of movement" for Iranian vessels. Trump, in a post on Truth Social, had said that the American naval blockade of Iranian ports will persist until a comprehensive peace agreement is finalised with Tehran, despite Iran's move to restore access to the Strait of Hormuz. "The naval blockade will remain in full force and effect as it pertains to Iran only until such time as our transaction with Iran is 100% complete." He further noted that "this process should go very quickly", the post read. Meanwhile, CENTCOM on Saturday shared visuals of littoral combat ship USS Canberra (LCS 30) patrolling the Arabian Sea during the US blockade. "Since commencement of the blockade, 23 ships have complied with direction from U.S. forces to turn around. American forces are enforcing a maritime blockade against ships entering or exiting Iranian ports and coastal areas," it added. - ANI India summoned Iran's Ambassador to convey deep concern over a shooting incident targeting two Indian-flagged merchant vessels in the Strait of Hormuz. Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri emphasized the importance of safety for shipping and mariners, urging Iran to resume facilitating the passage of India-bound ships. The incident, confirmed by UK maritime authorities, involved gunboats of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps firing on a tanker and a container ship. Iran has since announced it has reasserted strict military control over the strategic waterway, linking it to the ongoing US naval blockade. India conveys deep concern to Iran over ships fired upon in Strait of Hormuz, urges safe passage for India-bound vessels and crew safety. New Delhi, April 18 The Ministry of External Affairs on Saturday said that Iran's Ambassador to India, Mohammad Fathali, was called in for a meeting with Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri over the shooting incident involving Indian vessels in the Strait of Hormuz. During the meeting, India conveyed deep concerns over the incident involving two Indian-flagged ships - one of which is believed to be a Very Large Crude Carrier (VLCC) - that came under fire from gunboats of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) even though the tanker and crew are reported to be safe. "The Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Iran in New Delhi was called in by the Ministry of External Affairs for a meeting with Foreign Secretary this evening. During the meeting, Foreign Secretary conveyed India's deep concern at the shooting incident earlier today involving two Indian-flagged ships in the Strait of Hormuz," read a statement issued by the MEA spokesperson on Saturday evening. "He noted the importance that India attached to the safety of merchant shipping and mariners and recalled that Iran had earlier facilitated the safe passage of several ships bound for India. Reiterating his concern at this serious incident of firing on merchant ships, Foreign Secretary urged the Ambassador to convey India's views to the authorities in Iran and resume at the earliest the process of facilitating India-bound ships across the Strait," it added. According to the MEA, the Iranian Ambassador undertook to convey these views to the Iranian authorities. Earlier in the day, the UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) Centre confirmed that a tanker and container ship came under fire from IRGC gunboats. A UKMTO warning stated: "Master UKMTO has received a report of an incident 20NM northeast of Oman. The Master of a Tanker reports being approached by 2 IRGC gun boats, no VHF challenge that then fired upon the tanker. Tanker and crew are reported safe. Authorities are investigating." Another UKMTO warning mentioned that the organisation has received a report of an incident 25NM northeast of Oman. "A report of a Container Ship being hit by an unknown projectile which caused damage to some of the containers, no fires or environment impact reported. Authorities are investigating. Vessels are advised to report suspicious activity to UKMTO," it stated. Iran announced on Saturday that the control of the Strait has "reverted to its previous state" amid the continuing US naval blockade of Iranian ports. Iran's Khatam al-Anbia Central Headquarters' spokesman was quoted as saying by the country's semi-official Tasnim news agency that the Strait of Hormuz is under "strict control" of the Iranian Armed Forces and will remain in its previous operational state. The spokesperson further stated that under the pretext of a blockade, the United States continued acts of "sea robbery" and "piracy" with repeated breaches of commitments and a history of misconduct due to which "control over the Strait of Hormuz has been returned to its previous state, and this strategic waterway is under strict management and control by the Armed Forces". He also mentioned that the situation will remain tightly controlled and unchanged from its previous status until the restrictions on the free movement of vessels from Iran to their destination and from elsewhere to Iran are removed by the United States. Reports citing vessel tracking data said that around 10 ships turned back on Saturday while attempting to pass through the Strait of Hormuz following Iran's renewed control over the strategic waterway. According to shipping data from Marine Traffic, the vessels reversed course in waters off Larak Island, an area used by Iran to monitor maritime traffic. - IANS India has expressed its support for the recently implemented ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon, with the Ministry of External Affairs stating it welcomes all steps towards peace. The truce comes as US President Donald Trump attempts to facilitate an unprecedented meeting between the leadership of the two nations, suggesting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Lebanese President Joseph Aoun could meet at the White House. Prime Minister Netanyahu clarified that Israeli forces would remain in a security zone, aiming for Hezbollah's disarmament. Despite the official ceasefire, reports indicated initial artillery strikes in Lebanon, even as celebrations with fireworks occurred in parts of Beirut. India's MEA welcomes the Israel-Lebanon ceasefire. US pushes for historic Netanyahu-Aoun meeting as part of broader deal involving Iran. New Delhi, April 17 India has officially expressed its support for the recently implemented ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon, with the Ministry of External Affairs stating that it supports all efforts aimed at regional stability. During a media briefing on Friday, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal addressed the recent diplomatic breakthrough, remarking that "India welcomes every step towards peace." The comments follow the commencement of a 10-day truce between Lebanon and Israel, which went into effect on Thursday. The cessation of hostilities comes as US President Donald Trump indicated he is attempting to facilitate an unprecedented inaugural meeting between the leadership of the two nations. This development is seen as part of a broader diplomatic push by Washington to conclude the ongoing conflict with Tehran. Iran has maintained a firm position throughout negotiations, with the leadership in Tehran insisting that a Lebanon truce must be part of any agreement. When questioned about Pakistan's involvement in the peace process between Iran and the US, Jaiswal noted that New Delhi is keeping a watchful eye on the situation. He stated, "We are closely following all developments in the West Asia war." The current hostilities in West Asia were ignited following a military offensive by the United States and Israel against Iran on February 28. The conflict subsequently widened when Lebanon was pulled in after Hezbollah launched rocket attacks against Israel on March 2. In tandem with India's observation, US President Donald Trump expressed hope that Hezbollah would act responsibly during this window. In a post on Truth Social, Trump wrote, "I hope Hezbollah acts nicely and well during this important period of time. It will be a GREAT moment for them if they do. No more killing. Must finally have PEACE!" The President described the situation as a potential breakthrough, suggesting that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Lebanese President Joseph Aoun could meet at the White House for the first time in 44 years. While the US President remained optimistic about an agreement to "take care of Hezbollah," the situation on the ground remains complex. Prime Minister Netanyahu clarified that Israeli forces would not be withdrawing immediately. "We will remain in a 10-kilometre security zone, which will allow us to prevent infiltration into communities and anti-tank missile fire," Netanyahu said, asserting that Israel's objectives remain the "disarmament of Hezbollah" and a "sustainable peace agreement -- from a position of strength." Despite the official truce, the transition to peace has been volatile. Reports from Lebanon's National News Agency (NNA) suggested that Israeli artillery struck towns such as Khiam and Dibbine shortly after the ceasefire took effect. While the Israeli military remains on high alert, celebrations were reportedly seen in parts of Beirut, with fireworks marking the start of the 10-day period that Washington hopes will lead to a permanent resolution. - ANI A new report calls for Indian central and state governments to jointly strengthen economic linkages with ASEAN and East Asian nations. It highlights Vietnam's VinGroup pledging a massive $8.5 billion investment in Maharashtra for sustainable development. Japan has established a new government division to facilitate further investment, acknowledging current levels are below potential. State governments are seen as crucial for attracting and channeling these foreign investments to unlock greater economic growth. Report urges Indian states to boost economic ties with ASEAN, Japan, and South Korea, highlighting major investments and untapped potential. New Delhi, April 18 As the world economic order changes rapidly amid the West Asia crisis, central government and state governments in India should work jointly for giving a strong push to economic linkages between India and ASEAN countries, as well as East Asian nations, according to a new report in Modern Diplomacy. The report highlights that several Asian countries, such as Japan, Singapore, and South Korea, which already have a strong presence in India, are also exploring opportunities in states whose potential has been untapped so far. Recently, Vietnam's VinGroup pledged an investment of nearly $8.5 billion (Rs 71,000 crore) in Maharashtra. The investment will focus on sustainable urban development, industrial and tourism growth, renewable energy, and electric mobility. State Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis expressed confidence that the partnership would catalyse green energy, modern infrastructure, and dynamic transport systems across the state. He also added that a world-class, eco-friendly smart residential township on 2,700 acres will be developed, which houses a population of nearly 200,000 people. In 2024-2025, Maharashtra accounted for 39 per cent of India's total FDI flows. Also, Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has established a new Japan-India Economic Affairs Division to help Japanese companies invest in India, as part of its strategy to bolster bilateral economic ties. Through the establishment of the Japan-India Economic Affairs Division, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan will further make public-private efforts to promote companies' expansion of business and investment from Japan to India and to deepen cooperation in the area of economic security with India. Given India's high rate of economic growth, the importance of economic cooperation in Japan-India relations is growing day by day, according to the Indian government. According to the Modern Diplomacy report, while Japan has invested over $40 billion ($43 billion) in India ever since 2000, "both sides realise that it is well below the actual potential". As per estimates, 1,400 Japanese companies operate across India. Japan already has a significant presence in several states, including Haryana, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and Gujarat. Moreover, Gujarat this month signed an agreement with Taiwan-linked Allegiance International Company Ltd. to develop an Indo-Taiwan Industrial Park in the Sanand-Dholera economic corridor in the state. According to the report, India should continue to focus on further bolstering economic ties with ASEAN nations as well as South Korea and Japan, and state governments have an important role to play in this regard. - IANS TEHRAN, April 18 (Xinhua) -- Control of the Strait of Hormuz has returned to its previous state, with the strategic waterway now under the firm management of Iran's armed forces, the country's Fars News Agency cited a military spokesperson as saying on Saturday. Abhishek Sharma created history for Sunrisers Hyderabad by scoring the fastest fifty in the franchise's history, taking just 15 balls against Chennai Super Kings. His explosive knock of 59 runs from 22 deliveries provided a powerful start after SRH lost the toss. The left-hander's innings was highlighted by a 25-run over where he took control against bowler Matthew Short. This performance continues his excellent form in IPL 2026, where he has already played several match-winning knocks. SRH's Abhishek Sharma smashes a record 15-ball fifty against CSK in IPL 2026. Relive the historic innings and his season's explosive form. Hyderabad, April 18 Indian batter Abhishek Sharma made history with a stunning 15-ball half-century, the fastest ever for Sunrisers Hyderabad, during their Indian Premier League 2026 match against Chennai Super Kings at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium on Saturday. The attacking left-hander broke the previous franchise record of 16 balls, which he had set against the Mumbai Indians (MI) in 2024. The same record had also been matched by his opening partner, Travis Head, twice that season against Delhi Capitals (DC) and Lucknow Super Giants (LSG). Batting first after losing the toss, Abhishek started carefully but soon picked up pace and attacked the bowlers with confidence. The turning point of his innings came in the fifth over, bowled by Matthew Short, where he completely took control and smashed 25 runs, including three fours and two back-to-back sixes, as he reached his record-breaking fifty in style. Abhishek's brilliant innings finally ended in the eighth over when Jamie Overton bowled a hard-length delivery. Abhishek tried to guide it towards the third man but edged it behind, where Sanju Samson completed a sharp catch. Samson was confident and convinced the captain to review, which confirmed the dismissal. Abhishek returned to the pavilion after scoring a superb 59 off just 22 balls, hitting six fours and four sixes, giving his team a strong start. He has been in excellent form in IPL 2026 for Hyderabad, playing an important role as an aggressive opener. Recently, he became only the second SRH player to hit more than 100 sixes for the franchise. His performances this season also include a quick 48 off 21 balls against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and a fiery 74 off 28 balls versus Punjab Kings (PBKS). The number one T20I batter has scored 125 runs in five matches in the ongoing season, which includes two half-centuries. - IANS India has summoned Iran's Ambassador to lodge a strong protest after gunboats from Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps fired upon Indian-flagged vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz. The UK Maritime Trade Operations confirmed the incident, reporting the tanker and crew were safe, while a separate container ship was also reportedly hit by a projectile. Iran announced it has reverted to strict control over the strategic waterway, accusing the United States of "sea robbery" and imposing a blockade. The incident has caused at least ten ships to turn back from the strait, escalating regional maritime tensions. India lodges strong protest after Iranian gunboats fire on Indian-flagged tankers in the Strait of Hormuz. Crews safe, regional tensions escalate. New Delhi, April 18 The Ministry of External Affairs on Saturday summoned Iran's Ambassador to India, Mohammad Fathali over the shooting incident involving Indian vessels in the Strait of Hormuz. India is believed to have lodged a strong protest with Tehran over the incident as the Indian-flagged vessels - one of which is believed to be a Very Large Crude Carrier (VLCC) - came under fire from gunboats of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) even though the tanker and crew are reported to be safe. Earlier, the UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) Centre confirmed that a tanker came under fire from IRGC gunboats. The UKMTO published a warning on their website saying, "Master UKMTO has received a report of an incident 20NM northeast of Oman. The Master of a Tanker reports being approached by 2 IRGC gun boats, no VHF challenge that then fired upon the tanker. Tanker and crew are reported safe. Authorities are investigating." Another UKMTO warning Saturday evening, India time, stated that the organisation has received a report of an incident 25NM northeast of Oman. "A report of a Container Ship being hit by an unknown projectile which caused damage to some of the containers, no fires or environment impact reported. Authorities are investigating. Vessels are advised to report suspicious activity to UKMTO," it stated. Iran announced on Saturday that the control of the Strait has "reverted to its previous state" amid the continuing US naval blockade of Iranian ports. Iran's Khatam al-Anbia Central Headquarters' spokesman was quoted as saying by the country's semi-official Tasnim news agency that the Strait of Hormuz is under "strict control" of the Iranian Armed Forces and will remain in its previous operational state. The spokesperson further stated that under the pretext of a blockade, the United States continued acts of "sea robbery" and "piracy" with repeated breaches of commitments and a history of misconduct due to which "control over the Strait of Hormuz has been returned to its previous state, and this strategic waterway is under strict management and control by the Armed Forces". He also mentioned that the situation will remain tightly controlled and unchanged from its previous status until the restrictions on the free movement of vessels from Iran to their destination and from elsewhere to Iran are removed by the United States. According to Xinhua news agency, vessel tracking data showed that around 10 ships turned back on Saturday while attempting to pass through the Strait of Hormuz following Iran's renewed control over the strategic waterway. According to shipping data from Marine Traffic, the vessels reversed course in waters off Larak Island, an area used by Iran to monitor maritime traffic. - IANS India has formally protested to Iran after reports emerged that Iranian forces fired upon and turned back Indian vessels in the Strait of Hormuz. Iran has announced it has reverted to strict military control over the strategic waterway, reversing a previous managed access agreement. Tehran accuses the United States of repeatedly breaching commitments and engaging in "piracy" under the guise of enforcing a naval blockade. The U.S. maintains its blockade will continue until a comprehensive deal with Iran is finalized. India lodges protest with Iran after reports of firing on Indian vessels. Iran reinstates strict military control over the strategic Strait of Hormuz. New Delhi, April 18 India on Saturday lodged a protest with the Iran's Ambassador Dr. Mohammad Fathali over the incident of firing on an Indian vessel in Strait of Hormuz. The Iranian envoy was called to the Ministry of External Affairs over the incident. Earlier, merchant vessel tracking website reported citing two audio recordings that "two Indian vessels were forced back west out of the Strait of Hormuz by Iran's Sepah (IRGC) Navy" and "firing was involved". Iran on Saturday announced that the strategic Strait of Hormuz has reverted to its "previous state" of strict military control, as it was before the ceasefire deal between Israel and Lebanon, citing violations by the United States under its continued blockade of Iranian ports even as Tehran had announced reopening of the waterway. According to Iranian state media, Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB), which cited the spokesperson for Iran's Central Headquarters of the Holy Prophet (PBUH), Tehran had earlier agreed, in good faith, to allow limited and managed passage of oil tankers and commercial vessels through the strategic strait following negotiations. However, the spokesperson stated that the United States repeatedly breached commitments and engaged in "piracy and banditry" under the pretext of enforcing a blockade over the ports of the Islamic Republic. "Following previous agreements in negotiations, the Islamic Republic of Iran agreed in good faith to allow a limited number of oil tankers and commercial ships to pass through the Strait of Hormuz in a managed manner. Unfortunately, the Americans, with their repeated record of breach of promise, continue to engage in piracy and banditry under the guise of a so-called blockade," the statement read, as quoted by IRIB. The spokesperson further declared that control over the Strait has now been tightened, with the waterway placed under the "strict management and control" of Iran's armed forces". "For this reason, control of the Strait of Hormuz has returned to its previous state, and this strategic strait is under the strict management and control of the armed forces," the statement added. The statement further stated that the current situation would persist unless Washington ensures what Iran described as "complete freedom of movement" for Iranian vessels. Trump, in a post on Truth Social, had said that the American naval blockade of Iranian ports will persist until a comprehensive peace agreement is finalised with Tehran, despite Iran's move to restore access to the Strait of Hormuz. "The naval blockade will remain in full force and effect as it pertains to Iran only until such time as our transaction with Iran is 100% complete." He further noted that "this process should go very quickly", the post read. Meanwhile, CENTCOM on Saturday shared visuals of littoral combat ship USS Canberra (LCS 30) patrolling the Arabian Sea during the US blockade. "Since commencement of the blockade, 23 ships have complied with direction from U.S. forces to turn around. American forces are enforcing a maritime blockade against ships entering or exiting Iranian ports and coastal areas," it added. - ANI The UK Maritime Trade Operations Centre reported a tanker was fired upon by two Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps gunboats northeast of Oman, with the crew reported safe. Iran announced it has re-established strict military control over the Strait of Hormuz, accusing the United States of "sea robbery" and piracy. A spokesperson stated this control will remain until US restrictions on vessel movement to and from Iran are lifted. Shipping data indicated approximately ten vessels reversed course near Larak Island following Iran's declaration. UK authority reports Iranian Revolutionary Guard gunboats fired on a tanker near Oman. Iran declares strict control over the strategic strait. London, April 18 The UK Maritime Trade Operations Centre said on Saturday that a tanker came under fire from two gunboats of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. The UKMTO published a warning on their website saying, "Master UKMTO has received a report of an incident 20NM northeast of OMAN. The Master of a Tanker reports being approached by 2 IRGC gun boats, no VHF challenge that then fired upon the tanker. Tanker and crew are reported safe. Authorities are investigating." Iran announced on Saturday that the control of the Strait has "reverted to its previous state" amid the continuing US naval blockade of Iranian ports. Iran's Khatam al-Anbia Central Headquarters' spokesman was quoted as saying by the country's semi-official Tasnim news agency that the Strait of Hormuz is under "strict control" of the Iranian Armed Forces and will remain in its previous operational state. The spokesperson further stated that under the pretext of a blockade, the United States continued acts of "sea robbery" and "piracy" with repeated breaches of commitments and a history of misconduct due to which "control over the Strait of Hormuz has been returned to its previous state, and this strategic waterway is under strict management and control by the Armed Forces". He also mentioned that the situation will remain tightly controlled and unchanged from its previous status until the restrictions on the free movement of vessels from Iran to their destination and from elsewhere to Iran are removed by the United States. According to Xinhua news agency, vessel tracking data showed that around 10 ships turned back on Saturday while attempting to pass through the Strait of Hormuz following Iran's renewed control over the strategic waterway. According to shipping data from Marine Traffic, the vessels reversed course in waters off Larak Island, an area used by Iran to monitor maritime traffic. - IANS Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy has imposed strict new navigation rules for the strategic Strait of Hormuz. The directives permit only civilian vessels using Iranian-designated routes and explicitly prohibit all military ships from transiting. The move comes amid a continued US naval blockade of Iranian ports, which President Donald Trump stated would persist until a full agreement is finalized. Iranian officials warned that violating the current temporary ceasefire could revert the situation to a "40-day war scenario," halting even commercial shipping. Iran's IRGC imposes strict navigation rules in the Strait of Hormuz, allowing only civilian vessels on Iranian routes and barring all military ships. Tehran, April 18 Amid the US's continued blockade of Iranian ports despite the Islamic Republic announcing the opening of the strategic Strait of Hormuz, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy issued new directives restricting maritime movement through the strait, stating that only civilian vessels using Iranian-designated routes will be permitted passage and asserting that all military ships are barred from transiting the strategic waterway. According to a statement reported by Iranian state media, Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB), the IRGC Navy outlined four key points regarding navigation rules in the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world's most critical oil transit chokepoints. The four key points follow Speaker of Iran's Parliament, MB Ghalibaf, slamming US President Donald Trump on X after Trump said that the US blockade on the ports of the Islamic Republic will continue until a full agreement with Iran is completely finalised. In his post, Ghalibaf asserted that maritime movement through the Strait of Hormuz will be strictly controlled by Tehran, stating that passage will be allowed only through designated routes and under Iranian approval. According to IRIB, the IRGC Navy stated that civilian vessels are required to adhere strictly to routes officially designated by Iran and further emphasised that safe passage is permitted only for civilian ships operating under Iranian regulations, while military vessels are explicitly prohibited. "Civilian vessels can only navigate the routes officially announced by Iran. Safe passage is only permitted for civilian ships, according to Iranian regulations. No military ship has the right to pass through the Strait of Hormuz or enter or transit the Strait," the IRGC Navy stated in its statement, as quoted by IRIB. The IRGC Navy also stated that any maritime movement in the region would require prior authorisation from its naval authorities, effectively placing all traffic under Iranian clearance. In a more sharply worded warning, the statement linked the restrictions to the two-week "temporary ceasefire" situation, cautioning that if the ceasefire is violated, conditions in the Strait could revert to a "40-day war scenario," during which even commercial shipping could be halted. This comes after Trump, in a post on Truth Social, declared that the American naval blockade of Iranian ports will persist until a comprehensive peace agreement is finalised with Tehran, despite Iran's move to restore access to the Strait of Hormuz. "The naval blockade will remain in full force and effect as it pertains to Iran only until such time as our transaction with Iran is 100% complete." He further noted that "this process should go very quickly," the post read. The Strait of Hormuz, a narrow maritime passage between the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman, remains one of the world's most sensitive shipping routes, with a significant share of global energy exports passing through it. - ANI Jennifer Stone is returning to reprise her beloved role as Harper Finkle in the third and final season of "Wizards Beyond Waverly Place." Her guest appearance marks a significant reunion for fans and her first credited onscreen role since 2019, after she stepped away to earn a nursing degree and work during the pandemic. The final season will see Billie, played by Janice LeAnn Brown, attempt to rescue her mother Alex Russo by reuniting with her father. The four-episode season is set to premiere this summer across Disney platforms. Jennifer Stone reprises her role as Harper Finkle in the final season of Wizards Beyond Waverly Place, marking her return to acting after nursing career. Washington, April 18 The final season of 'Wizards Beyond Waverly Place' is set to bring back a familiar face, with Jennifer Stone returning as Harper Finkle. The announcement, made by Jennifer Stone on her social media handle, marks a notable reunion for fans of the original Wizards of Waverly Place as the franchise prepares to wrap up its sequel run. Stone will guest star in the upcoming third and final season, reprising her role as Harper, the non-magical best friend of Alex Russo, originally played by Selena Gomez. Her return makes her the latest original cast member to join the sequel series, which is headlined by David Henrie. The new show has steadily reintroduced legacy characters, with Gomez, Maria Canals Barrera, and David DeLuise already making appearances. As per Variety, it was also recently reported that Gregg Sulkin will feature in the final season as Mason Greyback. Stone's comeback is particularly significant, as it marks her first credited onscreen role since 2019. The actor had stepped away from Hollywood to pursue a bachelor's degree in nursing, as per Variety. During her studies, she remained creatively active, starring in, co-writing, and producing the indie film 'The In-Between'. After returning to Los Angeles in 2019, she briefly resumed acting before working as a nurse during the COVID-19 pandemic. In the original series, Stone appeared in all 106 episodes and two films, making Harper one of the franchise's most beloved characters. Her past film credits also include 'Secondhand Lions' and 'Nothing Left to Fear'. The sequel's ensemble cast features Janice LeAnn Brown, Alkaio Thiele, Max Matenko, Taylor Cora, and Mimi Gianopulos alongside Henrie. According to the official logline for season 3, "Billie (Brown), still reeling from losing Alex at the end of Season 2, discovers that the only way to rescue her mother is to reunite with her long-lost father. As her family bands together to find Alex, Billie realizes that their combined power is the only way the Russos can defeat the evil plaguing them," Variety has quoted. The third and final season will consist of four episodes and is slated to premiere this summer across Disney+, Disney Channel, and Disney on-demand platforms. The series is written and executive produced by Jed Elinoff and Scott Thomas, alongside executive producers Gary Marsh, Jonas Agin, Rick Williams, Gomez, and Henrie. The original series was created by Todd Greenwald. - ANI Shares of Kalyan Jewellers fell sharply after reports that Indian banks have halted fresh imports of gold and silver, leaving shipments stuck at customs. The delay stems from the Directorate General of Foreign Trade not yet issuing a fresh authorization order for bullion imports. Titan Company, which sells jewellery under Tanishq, also saw its stock trade lower amid the sector-wide concerns. The situation could pressure global gold prices but may help narrow India's trade deficit and support the rupee. Shares of Kalyan Jewellers and Titan fall as banks halt gold, silver imports due to a DGFT order delay, impacting customs and global prices. New Delhi, April 17 Shares of Kalyan Jewellers India fell sharply on Friday after reports suggested that banks in India have halted fresh imports of gold and silver, triggering concerns across the jewellery sector. The stock initially dropped nearly 6 per cent during intra-day trade, but later recovered some losses to trade 2.86 per cent lower. According to reports, large quantities of precious metals are currently stuck at customs as a formal government order authorising bullion imports has not yet been issued. The situation has also impacted silver imports, with around 8 tonnes reportedly awaiting customs clearance. Kalyan Jewellers' shares were last seen trading at Rs 416.20, down Rs 24.10 or 5.47 per cent. Meanwhile, shares of Titan Company, which sells jewellery under its popular Tanishq brand, also traded in the red. Titan stock was quoted at Rs 4,415.90, down Rs 45.50 or 1.02 per cent. Market experts noted that weaker demand from India, one of the world's largest consumers of gold, could put pressure on global prices of gold and silver. At the same time, it may help narrow India's trade deficit and lend support to the rupee, which has been among the worst-performing Asian currencies so far this year. Authorities have already taken steps to ease pressure on the currency, including asking refineries to scale back spot dollar purchases. The report further highlighted that the suspension of import orders by Indian banks, along with shipments stuck at ports due to the absence of a fresh authorisation order, had not been reported earlier. Typically, the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, issues an annual directive listing banks authorised by the Reserve Bank of India to import gold and silver. The previous order, issued in April 2025, was valid until March 31, 2026, and banks are now awaiting a fresh notification. So far, there has been no official statement from the DGFT regarding the delay. - IANS Kamal Haasan has called for the immediate implementation of 33% reservation for women in legislatures without waiting for delimitation. He supports a new Private Member's Bill introduced by DMK MP P. Wilson to enact the quota independently of constituency redrawing. Haasan argues that linking the two issues would disadvantage southern states like Tamil Nadu that have controlled population growth. He urges the government to convene a special parliamentary session after ongoing elections to pass the legislation. Actor-politician Kamal Haasan demands 33% women's quota now, opposes linking it to delimitation, warning it penalises progressive southern states. Chennai, April 18 Actor-politician Kamal Haasan has called for the immediate implementation of 33 per cent reservation for women in Parliament and State Assemblies, strongly opposing any move to link the measure with delimitation. Reacting after the fall of the delimitation-linked 131st Constitutional Amendment Bill, Haasan said a Private Member's Bill has now been introduced by Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam Rajya Sabha Member of Parliament P. Wilson to provide women's reservation without tying it to constituency redrawing. In a post on X, Haasan argued that if the country is serious about women's empowerment, the 33 per cent quota must be implemented immediately within the existing strength of the Lok Sabha and State legislatures, without waiting for delimitation. He also backed the proposal to extend the freeze on delimitation till 2051, stating that such a move would allow states adequate time to achieve population stabilisation through meaningful reforms. These include ensuring access to quality education, healthcare, and equal employment opportunities for women, factors he described as essential to long-term demographic balance. Highlighting regional disparities, Haasan cautioned that linking women's reservation with delimitation could undermine India's federal structure. He pointed out that southern states such as Tamil Nadu, which have prioritised population control and women-centric development, risk being disadvantaged in terms of political representation if delimitation is carried out based purely on population. "States that have taken progressive steps in stabilising population and empowering women should be seen as models, not penalised," he emphasised, warning against any attempt to introduce delimitation "through the back door." The Makkal Needhi Maiam founder further urged the Union government to convene a special session of Parliament after the ongoing Assembly elections to pass the proposed Bill. He also suggested that the Centre could bring in its own legislation to ensure that women's reservation is implemented without further delay. Haasan's remarks add to the growing political debate over the intersection of women's reservation and delimitation, an issue that continues to draw sharp responses from parties across the political spectrum. - IANS The arrest of alleged crime boss Daniel Kinahan in the UAE is being closely monitored by Indian agencies for its potential impact on funding channels linked to Khalistani elements. Officials are examining links between international drug cartels, like Kinahan's, and groups such as the Brothers Keepers gang which has publicly supported the Khalistan movement. The case of Indo-Canadian gangster Opinder Singh, whose network had links to Kinahan, is also being revisited as part of this probe. Indian and Canadian agencies have enhanced intelligence-sharing to address these concerns, viewing the disruption of such networks as crucial to curbing illicit funding. Indian agencies monitor Kinahan's arrest for links to Khalistan funding via global drug networks. Details on Opinder Singh and Brothers Keepers gang. New Delhi, April 18 The arrest of alleged organised crime figure Daniel Kinahan in the United Arab Emirates could impact funding channels linked to Khalistan elements, with Indian agencies closely monitoring the developments, sources said. Officials have long maintained that Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) has attempted to leverage global drug cartels to channel funds towards activities linked to the Khalistan movement. While the Dawood Ibrahim syndicate is believed to route a significant portion of its funds to the ISI, only a small fraction is suspected to be linked to Khalistan-related activities. Indian intelligence agencies have been closely tracking alleged links between Khalistani elements and international drug cartels. In this context, officials are also examining developments following Kinahan's arrest in the UAE. Kinahan has been arrested in connection with cases related to organised crime and has been named before the High Court in Dublin as the head of a drug cartel. Investigators are also revisiting the case of Opinder Singh, an Indo-Canadian gangster who was arrested by the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) for allegedly operating a global methamphetamine and fentanyl trafficking network. Singh, also known by the alias Thanos, had links to the Brothers Keepers gang, a British Columbia-based criminal outfit with several members of Punjab origin. The group has been linked to large-scale narcotics smuggling, arms trafficking, murder, robbery, and extortion. The gang has also publicly expressed support for the Khalistan movement and participated in events commemorating Talwinder Singh Parmar, accused of masterminding the 1985 Air India Flight 182 bombing that killed 329 people. An official said that Kinahan's arrest is significant not only from the perspective of dismantling global narcotics cartels but also for probing alleged links with individuals associated with Khalistani networks involved in transnational crime. The DEA had earlier stated that Singh's network extended to operatives in Turkey and Dubai and had links to the Kinahan crime group, which has also been reported to have connections with Hezbollah. An Intelligence Bureau official said Singh is not considered a Khalistan ideologue but is part of criminal networks operating in overlapping ecosystems. According to officials, such networks do not function in isolation but are embedded within broader social and criminal ecosystems that facilitate financial and logistical linkages. Officials further said that such structures provide layers of deniability while enabling coordination between various actors. Singh had claimed links with Kinahan, a detail that aligns with investigations by the National Investigation Agency (NIA), which has probed cases indicating alleged coordination between gangster networks and Khalistani elements. According to officials, while Khalistan-linked groups continue to propagate their agenda, criminal networks are suspected to facilitate funding through international drug trafficking. Indian agencies have flagged organisations such as the Brothers Keepers, stating that these may serve as fronts for broader networks linked to such activities. Officials said such groups maintain links with international drug cartels, including those associated with Kinahan, to further narcotics trade and generate funds. They added that such operations often function under the cover of social or community platforms, creating a smokescreen for illicit activities. Many Khalistan-linked groups are believed to operate from Canada, and officials noted that recent improvements in India-Canada ties have led to enhanced intelligence-sharing mechanisms. Both countries are now sharing real-time intelligence to address such concerns and have expressed intent to curb such activities. The US government had imposed sanctions on Kinahan in April 2022 after he and his family members were identified as leaders of the Kinahan organised crime group. For India, officials said, the developments surrounding Kinahan's arrest are significant, and any disruption to his network could potentially impact financial channels linked to such activities. - IANS French President Emmanuel Macron stated that Iran's announcement about reopening the Strait of Hormuz is a move in the right direction. He made the remarks at a Paris conference co-hosted with Britain, attended by leaders from nearly 50 countries to discuss securing freedom of navigation. Macron announced plans for a neutral, independent mission to ensure the strait's openness, with a planning meeting scheduled in London. British, German, and Italian leaders expressed support for a defensive multinational mission to safeguard shipping and clear mines. French President Macron welcomes Iran's move on the Strait of Hormuz at a Paris security conference with global leaders, announcing a new defensive mission. Paris, April 18 French President Emmanuel Macron said that Iran's announcement of reopening the Strait of Hormuz goes in the right direction. Macron made the remarks in a joint declaration following a conference co-hosted by France and Britain in Paris on Friday (local time), which brought together 49 countries to discuss securing freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni attended the meeting, while officials from across Europe, Asia, Latin America and the Middle East joined by video conference, reports Xinhua news agency. Macron welcomed the ceasefire in Iran and Lebanon, describing it as a positive development. However, he stressed that it's necessary to remain vigilant. "We all oppose any restriction, any agreement regime that would effectively amount to an attempt to privatise the strait, and obviously any toll system," he said. He also announced that a neutral, independent mission would be set up to ensure the openness of the Strait of Hormuz, noting that a planning meeting was scheduled for the following week in London. Starmer, for his part, expressed the hope that talks would resume and a lasting agreement would be reached. He said France and Britain will lead a multinational mission to safeguard shipping as soon as conditions allow, noting that the mission will be strictly defensive and intended to reassure shipping and support mine-clearing operations. Around a dozen countries were ready to contribute assets to the defensive mission, Starmer noted. Meloni said that it was necessary to ensure the absence of mines and guarantee the safety of vessels transiting through the strait in order to reassure the maritime shipping sector, adding that Italy stood ready to deploy its naval units in a strictly defensive posture. Germany "will participate in the ongoing military planning discussions" and "we would welcome, if possible, participation from the United States," Merz said. - IANS A woman films as she takes out a cup of herbal beverage tailored for her by a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) intelligent robot at the Instituto Universitario Egas Moniz in Lisbon, Portugal, April 17, 2026. Medical professionals from China and Portugal, alongside faculty and students, gathered to witness a TCM intelligent robot's debut on Friday here in Lisbon.(Xinhua/Xun Wei) LISBON, April 18 (Xinhua) -- Suzana Carvalho, a resident in the Portuguese capital of Lisbon, stood before a robot that looked like a sleek vending unit. About five minutes later, she smiled holding a steaming cup of herbal beverage tailored to improve her health condition after accepting a brief scan and answering a list of questions from the robot. "It's incredible," Carvalho said. "I've always been curious about traditional Chinese medicine(TCM), but I didn't expect it to be so advanced." It took place on Friday at the Instituto Universitario Egas Moniz in Lisbon where medical professionals from China and Portugal, alongside faculty and students, gathered to witness the robot's debut in the campus. The robot was developed jointly by Macau University of Science and Technology and the Guangdong Provincial Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine, south China. It combines intelligent hardware with a specialized TCM model developed in Hengqin, alongside advanced AI technologies such as DeepSeek, according to the project's leader Han Zitian, a professor at the School of Innovation Engineering of Macau University of Science and Technology. Han said the robot can store up to 1,300 prescriptions, most drawn from classic TCM formulas and pre-vetted by experienced practitioners. With health data gathered by built-in cameras, a pulse-sensing device and a question list, the robot can work out a personalized herbal formula and offer tea-like drink, a seamless "consultation-to-consumption" experience. The robot has become a great hit in the campus in Lisbon and surrounded by the crowd. Its stock of ingredients has been used up within just two to three hours after its debut. "The popularity is beyond our expectation," said Jose Joao Mendes, president of the Portugese institute. "It gives us greater confidence in expanding the collaboration with Chinese partners in this field." The cooperation between Chinese and Portuguese institutions has been promoted recently in various fields, from joint laboratories and academic programs to clinical practice and professional training. Looking ahead, Han said the team hopes to introduce more advanced versions of the robot with expanded diagnostic capabilities to Portugal, with Portugal's regulatory approval, to make TCM more accessible and serve the public abroad more efficiently. Suzana Carvalho, a local resident, holds a cup of herbal beverage tailored for her by a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) intelligent robot at the Instituto Universitario Egas Moniz in Lisbon, Portugal, April 17, 2026. Medical professionals from China and Portugal, alongside faculty and students, gathered to witness a TCM intelligent robot's debut on Friday here in Lisbon.(Xinhua/Xun Wei) A woman tries out a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) intelligent robot at the Instituto Universitario Egas Moniz in Lisbon, Portugal, April 17, 2026. Medical professionals from China and Portugal, alongside faculty and students, gathered to witness a TCM intelligent robot's debut on Friday here in Lisbon.(Xinhua/Xun Wei) The BJP-led Madhya Pradesh government has released data showing women's representation across all three tiers of Panchayati Raj Institutions has surpassed 50%. This includes over 11,600 women Sarpanches and significant leadership roles at the Janpad and Zila Panchayat levels. The government states these women representatives are actively shaping local development priorities on issues like water, sanitation, and health. This data is presented as a successful model to strengthen the case for the Women's Reservation Bill in legislatures. Madhya Pradesh government data shows women now hold over 50% of Panchayat seats, leading to active governance on water, health, and education. Bhopal, April 17 The BJP-led Madhya Pradesh government on Friday highlighted its grassroots data, saying women's political participation in the state has crossed 50 per cent and is delivering visible governance outcomes "Women's political participation in the state is steadily on the rise. At the Panchayat level, women's representation has surpassed 50 per cent," the government said in a statement, projecting the data as a strong example in support of greater reservation for women in legislatures. According to official figures, women now account for about 52.84 per cent of elected representatives across Panchayati Raj Institutions. Their share stands at 52.83 per cent in Gram Panchayats, 53.22 per cent in Janpad Panchayats, and 53.71 per cent in Zila Panchayats, indicating consistent growth across all three tiers. The government underlined that women are not only participating but also leading. "Out of 23,011 elected Sarpanches, 11,683 are women, underscoring the empowered role women play in rural leadership," it said. At higher levels, 179 of the 313 Janpad Panchayat presidents and 26 of the 52 Zila Panchayat presidents are women. It further claimed that women representatives are focusing on key issues such as water supply, sanitation, education, and health. Their involvement is also strengthening transparency and accountability in the execution of development schemes. Experts believe the trend reflects a broader social shift. Increased representation is helping women move from symbolic roles to active decision-making positions, shaping local development priorities, according to the government's statement. The data was released as Parliament witnessed fresh discussions on the Women's Reservation Bill. Members debated implementation timelines and concerns over equitable distribution of quotas. While supporters called it a necessary reform to address gender imbalance, some raised concerns about delimitation and sub-categorisation. Against this backdrop, the Madhya Pradesh government said its experience demonstrates the impact of reservation policies. "Women are no longer merely representatives; they are now playing an active role in the decision-making process," it said. The state maintained that its Panchayat model offers a practical example of how enhanced representation can translate into effective governance, strengthening the case for expanding women's participation at higher levels of politics. - IANS The Maharashtra government has issued a Government Resolution enforcing the compulsory teaching of Marathi from classes 1 to 10 in all schools, as per the 2020 Act. Schools found violating the mandate will first receive a notice and must submit an explanation within 15 days, or face a fine of up to 1 lakh. The school will also be directed to introduce Marathi compulsorily from the next academic year, with non-compliance potentially leading to the cancellation of the school's recognition. An advocate has called for further clarity, suggesting Marathi be made a 100-mark board exam paper to ensure schools prioritize it. Maharashtra government makes Marathi compulsory for classes 1-10. Schools violating the rule face a 1 lakh fine and potential recognition cancellation. Mumbai, April 18 The Maharashtra government has decided to take strict action against schools that fail to comply with the rule mandating the teaching of Marathi as a compulsory subject from Classes 1 to 10. To enforce this, the School Education Department has laid out a detailed procedure and issued a Government Resolution in this regard. The GR underlines that Marathi has been a mandatory subject in all schools across the state since the 2020-21 academic year. This requirement was introduced following the enactment of the Maharashtra Compulsory Teaching and Learning of Marathi Language Act, 2020. Schools found violating the rules will first be issued a notice, and it will be mandatory for them to submit an explanation within 15 days. If a satisfactory response is not received, a fine of up to Rs 1 lakh will be imposed on the concerned school management. Additionally, the school will be directed to introduce Marathi as a compulsory subject from the next academic year. Furthermore, the school concerned will be given an opportunity to appeal against the decision within 30 days. If the order is not complied with even after the appeal, steps will be taken to cancel the school's recognition. The final decision in such cases will be taken within three months after a hearing at the level of the School Education Commissioner. The department stated that this move will help ensure effective teaching of the Marathi language in all schools across the state. Deepak Pawar, founder of the Marathi Abhyas Kendra and a leading advocate for Marathi-medium education, has called on the government to clarify the language's status as a first, second, or third language. Pawar argued that the current grading system, which sees many schools teaching Marathi for only 50 marks, undermines its importance. He proposed that Marathi be made a mandatory 100-mark paper in Board exams to ensure schools prioritise it, warning that a lack of clear management could lead to significant curricular confusion. Earlier, Marathi was a compulsory subject up to class 8 in schools run by the Central Board of Secondary Education and the Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations, a private board which conducts the Indian Certificate of Secondary Education examination. - IANS The India Meteorological Department has forecast unseasonal rain and thunderstorms for multiple regions of Maharashtra from April 20 to 22. The state government warns the activity will peak on April 20-21, impacting areas including Western Maharashtra, Marathwada, and Vidarbha. Farmers have been issued urgent guidelines to protect standing and harvested crops from potential hail and wind damage. This pre-monsoon activity is attributed to atmospheric instability from a moisture incursion meeting localised heat. IMD warns of unseasonal rain, thunderstorms, and hail in Maharashtra from April 20-22. Farmers urged to take urgent precautions to protect crops. Mumbai, April 18 The India Meteorological Department has issued a weather warning for several regions in Maharashtra, predicting thunderstorm activity and unseasonal rain between April 20 and April 22. Residents in Western Maharashtra, Khandesh, Marathwada, and Vidarbha have been advised to remain alert as atmospheric conditions are expected to shift significantly over the coming days. The state government, in a release, said that according to the latest weather models, Maharashtra will witness a gradual increase in climatic instability starting April 19. "On April 19, thunderstorm activity is expected to begin in the afternoon across the Western Maharashtra ghats, North Khandesh, and parts of South Marathwada. On April 20-21, the intensity and coverage of the rain are expected to peak. Impacted areas will include Pune Division (Western Maharashtra), Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar and South Marathwada, and Amravati Division (Vidarbha). On April 22, a significant reduction in both intensity and geographical spread is anticipated," said the release. The forecast includes the possibility of lightning strikes, gusty winds, and isolated hailstorms. According to the release, farmers have been urged to take precautions. In light of the potential for crop damage, the Department of Agriculture has issued an urgent set of guidelines for farmers to minimise losses. Farmers have been advised to plan harvesting and field activities according to local weather updates and ensure that crops already harvested are moved to safe storage or covered securely with tarpaulins. Further, farmers have been advised not to leave vegetables or other harvested goods in open fields and to take necessary preventive measures to protect standing crops from potential wind and hail damage. Sources in the state Agriculture Department said that this sudden shift in weather is typical of "pre-monsoon" activity, often caused by a trough line or moisture incursion from the Arabian Sea meeting localised heat. During mid-April, high daytime temperatures create low-pressure pockets, leading to the formation of cumulonimbus clouds in the afternoon, resulting in sudden, intense thunderstorms. For Maharashtra's farmers, this is a critical period as many summer crops are nearing harvest. Unseasonal rain and hail pose a direct threat to the quality of grains, fruits (especially mangoes and grapes), and vegetables, necessitating these urgent government interventions, sources said. - IANS The Maharashtra government requires an additional 2.56 lakh crore to complete 225 pending and newly approved irrigation projects. These projects, some delayed for decades, aim to create an additional 19.72 lakh hectares of irrigation capacity and 186 TMC of water storage. The massive funding requirement includes costs for major river-linking projects like Wainganga-Nalganga and Damanganga-Vaitarna-Godavari. Significant regional disparities exist in expenditure, with some development corporations having spent less than 20% of allocated funds. Maharashtra requires 2.56 lakh crore to complete 225 irrigation projects, aiming to create 19.72 lakh hectares of new irrigation capacity. Mumbai, April 18 The Maharashtra government, which has launched an ambitious plan to make the state drought-free, will require Rs 2.56 lakh crore to complete 225 irrigation projects that are either pending from earlier or have been taken up since July 2022, when Eknath Shinde assumed office as Chief Minister. The data relating to the performance of the Irrigation Department since July 2022 was presented at the state Cabinet meeting held on April 7. As per the presentation made at the meeting, the total cost of the approved 225 irrigation projects, including previously approved and newly approved ones, is Rs 4.35 lakh crore. Of this, Rs 1.78 lakh crore has already been spent, while the state requires an additional Rs 2.56 lakh crore to complete the projects. "The requirement of funds looks large in absolute terms, but it also includes the project cost of recently approved river-linking projects. It is not merely revised administrative approval for existing projects," an official from the state's Irrigation Department said. The state has undertaken the Wainganga-Nalganga and Damanganga-Vaitarna-Godavari river-linking projects, which are jointly expected to cost around Rs 1.15 lakh crore. Irrigation Minister Girish Mahajan did not respond to queries regarding the requirement of funds to complete the projects. Another official from the department said that several projects have been pending for decades, leading to cost escalations. "Those escalations were also approved during this period from July 2022. Additional funds are required since the original estimates were based on the costs prevailing at the time when the projects were initiated. Delays have led to an increase in project costs," the official said. The state Cabinet was informed that the total planned irrigation capacity from these projects is 33.44 lakh hectares, of which 13.72 lakh hectares have been created. Around 19.72 lakh hectares of irrigation capacity are yet to be developed. Apart from irrigation capacity, the total water storage potential of these projects is estimated at 512 TMC, of which 326 TMC has been created. The remaining 186 TMC storage capacity is yet to be developed. Among the regions with the highest investment in irrigation is the Vidarbha Irrigation Development Corporation (VIDC), with 88 projects costing Rs 2.77 lakh crore, of which only 47 per cent has been spent. This is followed by the Godavari Marathwada Irrigation Development Corporation (GMIDC), which has 45 projects costing Rs 56,982 crore, of which only 15 per cent has been spent. In western Maharashtra, under the Maharashtra Krishna Valley Development Corporation (MKVDC), 34 projects costing Rs 45,185 crore have seen only 37 per cent expenditure. In north Maharashtra, the Tapi Irrigation Development Corporation (TIDC) has spent 30 per cent of Rs 30,238 crore on 24 projects. In the Konkan Irrigation Development Corporation (KIDC), the total cost of 36 projects is Rs 24,555 crore, of which 32 per cent has been spent. - IANS US President Donald Trump has signaled he may not extend the ongoing ceasefire with Iran, linking it to a successful deal before the April 22 deadline. He stated the US naval blockade will continue regardless and threatened a return to military action. New talks between US and Iranian negotiators are scheduled in Islamabad in a bid to break the stalemate. These developments indicate a hardening US position as the two-week truce period nears its end. President Trump indicates uncertainty over extending Iran ceasefire, threatening renewed military action if no deal is reached by the deadline. Washington DC, April 18 US President Donald Trump on Friday indicated that he may not extend the ongoing ceasefire with Iran, raising the prospect of renewed military action in the region if a deal is not reached with the Islamic Republic in order to achieve a complete halt to the hostilities in West Asia. Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One during a press gaggle, Trump said the decision would depend on whether an agreement is reached before the ceasefire deadline. He further noted that even if a ceasefire deal is not reached, the US naval blockade of the ports of Iran will continue. "Maybe I won't extend it. But the blockade is going to remain, but maybe I won't extend it. So, you have a blockade, and unfortunately, we'll have to start dropping bombs again," the US President said. Trump was responding to a question on whether the ceasefire would be extended if no deal were reached by Wednesday, April 22, when the current two-week truce is set to expire. The remarks suggest a hardening stance by the United States, with Trump making clear that while the blockade would continue, the pause in hostilities may not. Meanwhile, a fresh round of talks between Iranian and American negotiators is expected to take place in Islamabad on Monday to reach a deal, CNN reported, citing Iranian officials familiar with the discussions. According to CNN, the delegations are likely to arrive in the Pakistani capital on Sunday. The visit aims to prepare the ground for a possible solution between the two sides after earlier discussions ended in a stalemate. The Islamabad Peace Talks, held from April 11 to April 12, marked a historic but inconclusive diplomatic attempt to end the over-month-long hostilities between the United States and Iran. Mediated by Pakistan, the talks were the first high-level, face-to-face negotiations between the two nations since the 1979 Islamic Revolution. - ANI The Middle East and North Africa Financial Action Task Force (MENAFATF) participated for the first time in the FATF Ministerial Meeting held alongside the World Bank and IMF Spring Meetings. Ministers emphasized the urgent need for full implementation of international standards and enhanced cooperation to combat illicit finance. The meeting highlighted the growing threat of financial crimes like fraud and organized crime, exacerbated by rapid technological change. MENAFATF's chair stated this participation marks a key step in bolstering the group's international role and commitment to regional and global financial system integrity. MENAFATF participates in FATF Ministerial, stressing swift implementation of AML/CFT standards and coordinated action against evolving financial threats. Washington DC, April 18 The Middle East and North Africa Financial Action Task Force, chaired by Hamid Saif Al Zaabi, President of the Group, and with the participation of Sulaiman bin Rashid Al Jabrin, Executive Secretary, took part in the Ministerial Meeting of the Financial Action Task Force, held on the sidelines of the Spring Meetings of the World Bank Group and the International Monetary Fund in Washington, DC. According to the FATF Ministerial Statement, ministers stressed the importance of the full and swift implementation of international standards, enhancing international cooperation, and accelerating preventive measures, detection, investigation, and prosecution efforts, alongside asset recovery and the strengthening of national legal frameworks, to more effectively combat illicit finance. The statement noted that financial crimes, including fraud, organised crime, and illicit trafficking, represent a growing threat requiring a coordinated international response, particularly in light of rapid technological developments that facilitate cross-border financial flows. FATF ministers reaffirmed the importance of addressing illicit finance through coordinated, multilateral action, and agreed on the need to focus efforts on the growing threat of fraud, while enhancing the effective implementation of the FATF's risk-based standards. The Group's participation, for the first time in the Spring Meetings of the World Bank Group and the International Monetary Fund, comes within the framework of strengthening international coordination and the exchange of expertise in the fields of financial system integrity and combating financial crime. Hamid Saif Al Zaabi affirmed that MENAFATF's participation in this ministerial meeting represents an important milestone in strengthening its presence within the international framework, noting that the Group's first participation in the Spring Meetings achieved positive outcomes and contributed to enhancing coordination with international partners. He added that this participation reflects the commitment of the region's countries to enhancing the effectiveness of anti-money laundering, counter-terrorist financing, and counter-proliferation financing systems, and to keeping pace with international best practices, thereby supporting the stability and integrity of financial systems at both the regional and global levels. He further noted that the outcomes of the ministerial meeting reflect a growing international consensus on the importance of joint action to address evolving financial threats, particularly in light of the rapid developments in the patterns of financial crime. - ANI Meta is reportedly planning to lay off at least 10% of its global workforce, or about 8,000 employees, in an initial round next month. Further cuts in the second half of the year could bring total reductions to 20% or more of its nearly 79,000-person workforce. This move occurs within a broader wave of global tech layoffs, with over 80,000 jobs already cut in 2026's first quarter, largely driven by AI-related restructuring. The US market is the most affected, with companies like Oracle and Amazon also implementing major job cuts. Meta reportedly plans to lay off 10% of its global workforce in May, with total cuts potentially reaching 20%. The move is part of a broader AI-driven tech industry correction. New Delhi, April 18 US tech giant Meta is reportedly planning to lay off at least 10 per cent of its global workforce, or nearly 8,000 workers, next month. Further layoffs are planned in the second half of the year, according to a Reuters report. However, the details of those layoffs have not been known yet. The initial round in May is likely to reduce about 10 per cent of its global workforce. According to the report, the layoff plans may depend on the developments in the artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities. Meta is reportedly planning to lay off 20 per cent or more of its total workforce. If implemented at that level, the job cuts could affect roughly 16,000 employees, based on Meta's workforce of nearly 79,000 people as of December 31, Meta has not confirmed the layoff plans yet. The Mark Zuckerberg-led company did not immediately comment on the report. Meanwhile, global tech layoffs are accelerating in 2026, with more than 80,000 jobs already cut in the first quarter and total losses likely to exceed 3 lakh this year, led by companies like Oracle, Amazon, and Meta, according to a latest report. The report by TradingPlatforms noted that the latest wave of layoffs builds on a broader post-pandemic correction, with over one million tech jobs lost globally since 2021 as companies recalibrate hiring after the Covid-era expansion. Artificial intelligence and automation have emerged as key drivers of this transformation, with nearly half of all layoffs in 2026 linked to AI-related restructuring. The US remains the worst-hit market, accounting for nearly 77 per cent of global layoffs so far this year, with over 61,000 job cuts across 62 companies. Among companies, Oracle has reported the highest number of layoffs globally in 2026, cutting more than 25,000 roles as part of a major restructuring tied to its AI infrastructure push. Amazon followed with around 16,000 job cuts amid efforts to streamline operations and improve efficiency. - IANS Neha Dhupia has publicly supported actor Patralekhaa after she faced body-shaming online following a recent appearance. Patralekhaa had explained her postpartum weight gain is natural while managing work on two films. Dhupia reshared her post, calling for an end to commenting on women's bodies, especially new mothers nurturing life. The actresses united against the unfair scrutiny faced by women, particularly after childbirth. Neha Dhupia defends actor Patralekhaa from online trolls, urging people to stop judging new mothers' bodies and fix their own mindset. Mumbai, April 17 Neha Dhupia has come out in support of actor Patralekhaa after the latter was body-shamed on social media following her recent public appearance. Earlier, Patraklekhaa had responded to trolls, stating that her body is naturally changing after bringing a new life into the world. She also shared that she recently became a mother and is balancing work on two films at the same time. To back her strongly, Neha spoke against the constant "scrutiny" women face over their looks, especially new mothers. She said people should stop judging women's bodies and instead work on changing their own thinking. Re-sharing Patralekhaa's post on Instagram, Neha wrote, "Commenting on someone's body has to stop. Especially a new mom who's grown a whole human being inside her and is nurturing life with everything she has. Before judging us fix your thinking. Sending love Patra" Take a look Earlier in the day, Patralekhaa took to her Instagram Story to address alleged comments from the paparazzi pages about her physical appearance following childbirth. She explained that her weight gain is a natural reaction to pregnancy, especially while managing work commitments like producing films. Titled Pap Pages, the actress wrote, "What's happened to me!? I have just given birth!Yes, I have gained weight, which seems like an unnatural phenomenon to you all. I have not sat and eaten a mountain; I just delivered a baby and produced two films simultaneously, which are not easy jobs." Rajkummar Rao and Patralekhaa got married on November 15, 2021, in an intimate ceremony in Chandigarh. The couple first worked together in the 2014 film CityLights, which marked Patralekhaa's Bollywood debut. They welcomed their first child, a baby girl, last year. - ANI Newly appointed Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Bijendra Prasad Yadav has dismissed concerns about youth migration, framing it as a normal search for employment opportunities. He stated the new government's primary focus will be on creating jobs through agro-based industries and improving multi-modal connectivity. Yadav affirmed the continuity of the NDA alliance in the state and pledged to implement the promises made in the previous election manifesto. He also credited former CM Nitish Kumar for pioneering models in women's reservation and agricultural roadmaps. New Bihar Deputy CM Bijendra Yadav refutes migration as an issue, outlines focus on agro-based industries and infrastructure, and affirms NDA's continuity. Patna, April 17 Newly sworn-in Bihar Deputy Chief Minister and Janata Dal-United leader Bijendra Prasad Yadav on Friday denied that migration is an issue in the state. He maintained that people do go to different states and even countries for employment purposes. Moreover, he mentioned that the new government, under Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary, will prioritise industries for employment opportunities and would primarily focus on agro-based industry. During an interaction with IANS, Yadav asserted that the NDA continues to exist even after the resignation of former Chief Minister and JD(U) supremo Nitish Kumar. "Mandate was given to the NDA. Under Nitish Kumar's leadership, the NDA still exists, and it will continue in the future too. The government does not contest the election, parties do, " he said. Speaking about the priorities of the new government, he said, "Whatever our previous Chief Minister Nitish Kumar had promised for 2025-2030, according to our election manifesto, we will work towards implementing that." "We will also emphasise on infrastructure, air, rail, road and water connectivity," he added. Yadav also said that the government schemes which are currently in place will continue and additionally new schemes will also be implemented. Emphasising on industries for employment opportunities, he said, "We will prioritise industries for increasing employment opportunities and will primarily focus on agro-based industry. Other things will also continue." Moreover, Yadav denied that migration of youths is a problem in the state. "In our area there are two-three lakh people who came from Punjab, Haryana and western UP and are engaged in farming. Worldwide people go to other places for employment opportunities, I don't know where this word migration comes from," he said. Yadav mentioned that the 'Krishi road map' that was started by Nitish Kumar, will continue as an effort towards increasing farmers' income. Regarding the ongoing debate surrounding the Women's Reservation Bill, the Deputy CM said, "The first model for women's reservation was given by Nitish Kumar during the panchayat elections, by implementing reservation in Panchayati Raj and municipal corporations." "Whatever work has been done for women in Bihar, it is a model," he asserted. About the prospects of the JD(U) supremo returning to governance in Bihar, Yadav said, "Who is stopping him? But now Nitish Kumar has decided to be in Delhi and go to the Rajya Sabha." - IANS The National Indian Film Festival of Australia (NIFFA) has successfully launched its Perth edition with a sold-out gala, marking its expansion into Western Australia. A key highlight was the launch of a Punjab Focus initiative and the official opening of PTC ANZ, aimed at promoting Punjabi stories globally. Festival organizers and officials announced plans for Punjabi co-production investments between India and Australia, with Western Australia being considered a production base. The event underscores Perth's growing role in the international conversation around Indian cinema and cultural collaboration. The National Indian Film Festival of Australia opens in Perth, launching a Punjab Focus initiative and announcing Punjabi co-production investments between India and Australia. Perth, April 18 The Perth edition of the National Indian Film Festival of Australia opened on Friday, April 17, with a sold-out red carpet gala at Reading Cinemas Belmont, to mark a strong start for the event in Western Australia. The festival was backed by several government, civic and cultural bodies, including the City of Perth, Department of Creative Industries, Murdoch University, WA Museum, State Library of Western Australia, the Consulate of India in Perth and the Indian Society of Western Australia. NIFFA has become one of the biggest celebrations of Indian cinema outside India. This year, the festival is being held across more than 13 cities and features 32 films in 15 Indian languages. All selected films are screening as Australian, International or World Premieres. The Perth lineup includes BOONG, the first Indian film to win a BAFTA, ASSI as part of a special celebration of filmmaker Anubhav Sinha, along with Tanvi The Great, Manthan and several industry and inclusion events. A major highlight of the Perth chapter was the launch of Punjab Focus and the official opening of PTC ANZ. The initiative was led by Dr Parwinder Kaur MLC. During the event, PTC CEO Raji M Shinde said the move would help take Punjabi stories to a wider global audience. He also confirmed plans for Punjabi co-production investment between India and Australia, with Western Australia being considered as a production base. Festival Director Anupam Sharma said the Perth edition showed that Perth and Western Australia are an important part of the national and international conversation around Indian cinema. Dr Parwinder Kaur also said NIFFA is helping turn "shared stories into shared success" through cultural and screen collaboration between Western Australia and India. - ANI BEIRUT, April 18 (Xinhua) -- Hezbollah's leader Naim Qassem said on Saturday the ceasefire with Israel must mean a complete halt to aggression, warning the group will retaliate against Israeli violations in southern Lebanon. "There is no ceasefire from one side only," Qassem said in a statement, adding that Hezbollah fighters "will respond to violations of aggression accordingly." He outlined five key steps: a permanent halt to hostilities across Lebanon, a full Israeli withdrawal, detainee releases, the return of displaced residents, and reconstruction with Arab and international support. Hezbollah had not been defeated and would continue to pursue Lebanon's liberation and independence, he added. Qassem also said Hezbollah is open to "a new page" of cooperation with the Lebanese government, stressing readiness to work with state institutions to strengthen national unity and safeguard sovereignty. A 10-day ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon took effect at midnight between Thursday and Friday local time (2100 GMT), following an earlier announcement by U.S. President Donald Trump. However, the Israel Defense Forces said in a statement on Saturday that it had struck militants approaching a "Yellow Line," which marks the northern edge of the "security zone" established by Israel in southern Lebanon, over the past day. Retail fuel prices in Cambodia have decreased following Iran's announcement of opening the Strait of Hormuz to commercial vessels. The Cambodian government has been subsidizing fuel imports to mitigate costs for consumers. Iran's decision comes amid a ceasefire in Lebanon and eases a major global oil transit chokepoint. The move has been acknowledged by US leadership, marking a shift from recent tensions over the strategic waterway. Cambodia cuts retail gasoline and diesel prices after Iran declares the Strait of Hormuz open, easing global oil supply concerns. Phnom Penh, April 18 Retail fuel prices in Cambodia have dropped further after Iran declared the opening of the Strait of Hormuz, the Ministry of Commerce said. In an announcement late on Friday (local time), the ministry said a litre of regular gasoline is now priced at 4,950 riels (1.24 US dollars) from this Saturday until the next notice, down 2.9 per cent from 5,100 riels (1.28 dollars) in the last three days. Diesel now costs 5,700 riels (1.42 dollars) per litre, down 10.9 per cent, the announcement added. Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet said last Saturday that the General Department of Customs and Excise (GDCE) has subsidised approximately 50 million dollars a month to minimise the impact of rising fuel prices. The subsidies have been made through the reduction of import duties and taxes on oil and gas, and the reduction of import duties on electric vehicles, passenger plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, electric stoves, and solar-powered devices. The Southeast Asian country entirely relies on imported petroleum and diesel. Earlier on Friday, Iran's Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi said that, in line with the truce in Lebanon, the passage for all commercial vessels through the Strait of Hormuz is declared "completely open" for the remaining period of the ceasefire between Tehran and Washington. He made the remarks in a post on social media platform X hours after a 10-day ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon took effect following more than a month of deadly escalation between Israel and Hezbollah, which has claimed over 2,000 lives. Araghchi stressed that vessels can cross the Strait via the previously announced coordinated route announced by Iran's Ports and Maritime Organization. In reaction to the announcement, US President Donald Trump thanked Iran for the announcement of a full reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. Iran tightened control over the Strait of Hormuz by denying safe passage to vessels belonging to or affiliated with Israel and the United States after they launched joint attacks on the country on February 28. The United States has also imposed a blockade on the Strait, preventing ships travelling to and from Iranian ports from transiting the waterway, following the failure of peace talks between the Iranian and US delegations in Pakistan's capital, Islamabad, on Saturday and early Sunday. - IANS The Observer Research Foundation and Research and Information System for Developing Countries have launched the inaugural BRICS Academic Forum in New Delhi. The forum, a key part of India's 2026 BRICS Chairship, aims to strengthen collaboration among member nations on global challenges. It will host international speakers and multiple convenings to generate policy recommendations for the upcoming BRICS Summit. The initiative reflects India's people-centric approach to fostering stability and inclusive growth within the bloc. ORF and RIS launch inaugural BRICS Academic Forum in New Delhi to foster policy dialogue, research, and global cooperation among emerging economies. New Delhi, April 18 Observer Research Foundation, in partnership with Research and Information System for Developing Countries, hosted the inaugural convening of the BRICS Academic Forum on April 17 and April 18 in the national capital. India assumed the BRICS Chairship on January 1, 2026, under the theme "Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability", with the Academic Forum forming a key component of its broader engagement process during the Presidency year. According to an official release, the inaugural event commenced with a welcome address by Samir Saran, President of ORF and Chair of the BRICS Think Tanks Council, India. He noted that at a time when the world is beset by conflict, persistent food security concerns, and disruptions to global supply chains, there has rarely been a more important moment for BRICS countries to collaborate, consult one another, and build pathways for the future. He also outlined the roadmap for the BRICS Academic Forum in the year ahead. Over the coming months, the Forum will host 13 international speakers and multiple convenings across India and abroad, fostering the exchange of ideas while showcasing India's diversity and warmth. Sudhakar Dalela, Secretary (ER) in the Ministry of External Affairs and India's BRICS Sherpa, highlighted that 2026 marks two decades since the establishment of BRICS--an important milestone and an opportunity to reflect on its transformative journey. He noted that what began as an academic concept has evolved into a living framework and a major platform for cooperation among emerging economies. He underlined that India's Chairship reflects a people-centric, humanity-first approach aimed at delivering tangible benefits to citizens across member countries and reaffirmed India's commitment to working closely with BRICS members and partner countries to advance stability, sustainability, and inclusive growth. Referring to the BRICS Academic Forum, Dalela described it as an important Track II platform that brings together scholars, academics, and policy thinkers to generate ideas and recommendations for leaders ahead of the Summit. He noted that discussions over the two-day convening would be organised around the four pillars of India's Chairship, with recommendations feeding into preparations for the 18th BRICS Summit. The inaugural convening brought together policymakers, academics, and representatives from leading research institutions across BRICS countries. Discussions focused on the evolving role of BRICS in shaping the international order, strengthening economic cooperation, and addressing shared global challenges. As part of the broader BRICS process, the Academic Forum aims to serve as an important platform for intellectual exchange and policy input. During India's Presidency, the Forum will contribute to shaping policy recommendations through commissioned research papers and expert commentaries on strategic issues, which will be submitted to national Sherpas for consideration within the wider BRICS agenda. - ANI Iran's representative in India, Dr Abdul Majid Hakeem Ilahi, has emphasized the deep-rooted and strong relationship between India and Iran, highlighting historical and cultural connections. He addressed the recent shooting incident involving Indian-flagged ships in the Strait of Hormuz, expressing hope for a resolution while stating he had no specific knowledge of the event. Ilahi called for peace and de-escalation in the region, linking the strait's closure to ongoing security concerns and an imposed war. Separately, he commented on failed Iran-US peace talks in Islamabad, attributing the breakdown to the US not adhering to an agreed negotiation framework. Iran's Supreme Leader's representative in India, Dr Abdul Majid Hakeem Ilahi, affirms strong India-Iran relations, addresses Strait of Hormuz shipping incident, and calls for regional peace. Hyderabad, April 19 Dr Abdul Majid Hakeem Ilahi, representative of Iran's Supreme Leader in India, on Sunday emphasised the strength of India-Iran relations following the shooting incident involving two Indian-flagged ships in the Strait of Hormuz, while calling for peace in the region. "Our relationship with India is very strong... India has benefited from the good relationship between Iran and India in getting their oil and tankers passing through the Strait of Hormuz. The Prime Minister of India had very successful conversations with the President of Iran, Masoud Pezeshkian, and the EAM had several successful conversations with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Iran," he told the media. "The relationship between Iran and India is rooted in 5,000 years of history. Iranians are connected to India by culture, civilisation, education, humanity, and philosophy. Our relationship is very strong and will continue to grow stronger," Ilahi added. Earlier, commenting on the incident, he said, "The relationship between Iran and India is very strong, and I don't know anything about this event which you mentioned, and we hope that it will be okay and it will be solved." Calling for de-escalation, he added, "We don't want this war. We want peace, and we hope that the other side will also follow peace so that we can have a peaceful area." On the situation in the Strait of Hormuz, Ilahi said the disruption was linked to ongoing security concerns. "The Strait of Hormuz was open, and due to the imposed war against Iran, it was closed, because of the security issues, and we hope that very soon it will be open...Yes, it was open for some time, but as there are some problems and crises around Iran, they wanted to be sure that the problems would be solved and it would be open very soon," he said. His remarks came after Iran's Revolutionary Guard announced that the Strait of Hormuz would remain closed from this evening, CNN reported. In a statement, the IRGC said several vessels passed through the Strait of Hormuz on Friday, but "due to the violation of the ceasefire conditions, the American enemy did not lift the naval blockade of Iranian vessels and ports", according to CNN. "Therefore, from this evening, the Strait of Hormuz will be closed until this blockade is lifted," the statement read, as per CNN. "We warn that no vessel should move from its anchorage in the Persian Gulf and the Sea of Oman, and approaching the Strait of Hormuz will be considered cooperation with the enemy, and the violating vessel will be targeted", the statement continued, as reported by CNN. "Also, we inform all vessels and their owners to follow news only from the official IRGC Navy authority and through Channel 16, and the statements of the terrorist US president in the Strait of Hormuz and the Persian Gulf have no credibility", it concluded, CNN reported. Meanwhile, speaking in Lucknow on Iran-US peace talks held in Islamabad, Ilahi said negotiations had failed due to disagreements over the framework. "We offered a 10-point plan to the US to be the base of negotiation, and it was accepted by the US. They were supposed to come and negotiate based on this plan. When they came to Pakistan and started negotiations, they started demanding something else, and they refused to negotiate based on the 10-point plan. So, the negotiation failed, and now Iran has received some other proposal from the US, and maybe they will negotiate later. But upto now, there is no achievement of that negotiation," he said. - ANI In a tragic turn for the final season, Fergus Fraser dies heroically saving his wife and children from a house fire. The event marks a significant change from Diana Gabaldon's books, where his son Henri-Christian perishes instead. Jamie and Claire's joy turns to grief as they receive the news and Jamie builds his adopted son's casket. The loss sets a poignant, high-stakes tone as the series approaches its conclusion. In a heartbreaking twist, Fergus Fraser dies saving his family in Outlander's final season, a major departure from the book series. Washington, April 18 In a heartbreaking turn in its eighth and final season, 'Outlander' delivered a major character death that marks one of the most tragic moments in the show's history. Fergus Fraser, the adopted son of Claire and Jamie Fraser, met a heroic yet devastating end in the latest episode, as per Deadline. The fatal incident unfolds when a fire engulfs Fergus's home while his family sleeps inside. As flames rapidly spread, Fergus, played by Cesar Domboy, acts swiftly to rescue his loved ones. He manages to carry his wife Marsali and their children to safety one by one. However, in a final act of sacrifice, Fergus falls through the collapsing roof and is consumed by the fire. Marsali, portrayed by Lauren Lyle, survives along with their four children: Germain, Joan, Felicite, and Henri-Christian. The aftermath of the tragedy sees Marsali grappling with an uncertain future as she prepares to inform Jamie and Claire of their son's death, as per Deadline. The emotional weight of the moment is heightened by the timing. Jamie and Claire had just spent the day celebrating the arrival of their granddaughter before receiving the devastating news. The joy quickly turns to grief as they mourn Fergus, a character deeply embedded in the Fraser family's journey. Jamie takes on the solemn responsibility of building Fergus's casket and later laying him to rest. In a poignant scene, their young granddaughter places a special stone atop Fergus's grave, symbolising a tender farewell. The show's narrative choice marks a significant departure from Diana Gabaldon's original book series. In the novels, it is Fergus's son Henri-Christian who dies in a fire, not Fergus himself. The television adaptation reworks this storyline, giving Henri-Christian a narrow escape after falling from the roof, while shifting the fatal outcome to Fergus, as per Deadline. As 'Outlander' approaches its conclusion, the loss of Fergus underscores the high emotional stakes of the final season. - ANI The Indian government has successfully facilitated the movement of over 1.03 million nationals from conflict-hit West Asia through a massive coordinated operation. Joint Secretary Aseem Mahajan detailed the 24/7 mission control infrastructure coordinating between Indian missions, state governments, and airlines. Evacuations have utilized both scheduled and non-scheduled flights, with special efforts to assist vulnerable groups like students and fishermen in Iran. Despite easing airspace restrictions in some areas, the government maintains full engagement to navigate volatile conditions and prevent citizens from being stranded. India's government has evacuated over 1.03 million citizens from West Asia through coordinated diplomatic and logistical operations since February. New Delhi, April 17 In a massive diplomatic and logistical undertaking, the Government of India has successfully rescued and assisted over 1.03 million Indian nationals from conflict-hit West Asia since February. During an Inter-Ministerial briefing held today, Joint Secretary (Gulf) Aseem Mahajan outlined the extensive measures being taken to ensure the safety of citizens amidst regional volatility. "The dedicated mission control rooms set up to coordinate evacuation and aviation assistance operations are actively working in close coordination with state and Union Territory control rooms, maintaining continuous communication with local governments and other stakeholders to ensure timely support, safety, and dissemination of updated advisories," said Mahajan. The government confirmed that a total of 10,38,000 Indian nationals have been facilitated through a combination of coordinated evacuations and regulated commercial travel. These operations have relied on a "round-the-clock" mission control infrastructure designed to bridge communication between Indian missions, state governments, and international airlines. Mahajan stated that the special control rooms remain "operational round the clock and are regularly engaging with Indian missions, airlines, and relevant authorities to facilitate seamless communication and coordination on priority." The focus of the ongoing efforts continues to be on ensuring the safety of Indian nationals abroad, while also assisting in regulated flight operations in regions where airspace restrictions are gradually easing. According to the update, since February, a total of around 10,38,000 Indian nationals have been rescued and assisted through "coordinated evacuation and travel facilitation efforts." The operations have involved both scheduled and non-scheduled commercial flights, with airlines continuing to operate under changing airspace conditions across West Asia. "Airspace in the United Arab Emirates remains open, with multiple airlines operating flights between the UAE and India through various airports. Similarly, in Saudi Arabia, including Dammam, flight operations are being maintained, with plans underway to initiate limited additional services depending on operational feasibility," Mahajan stated. As airspace restrictions begin to gradually ease in certain sectors, the government provided a status report on flight connectivity. "In Qatar, airspace remains partially open, and Qatar Airways is expected to operate around 10 flights. Airlines such as Jazeera Airways of Kuwait and Kuwait Airways are also continuing non-scheduled flight operations to support passenger movement between the region and India. In Bahrain, airspace remains open, and preparations are underway to expand flight connectivity further. Iraq's airspace is also reported to be open, allowing continued movement of passengers and coordination of evacuation-related operations." Significant progress was reported in Iran, where Indian missions have successfully navigated complex ground conditions to assist 2,358 nationals. This group includes particularly vulnerable citizens "As part of coordinated arrangements, 2,358 Indian nationals have been assisted in movement from Iran towards Armenia and Azerbaijan. This includes 1,041 students and 657 Indian fishermen, who were facilitated through organised evacuation channels." In the case of Israel, airspace remains partially open, with onward movement being facilitated through Jordan before connecting flights to India. Authorities noted that despite regional volatility, continuous diplomatic and logistical coordination is helping maintain evacuation and travel support channels. Despite the stabilising flight operations in some Gulf countries, Mahajan reiterated that the mission control infrastructure remains fully engaged. The government continues to maintain real-time coordination with partner governments to navigate "changing airspace conditions" and ensure that Indian citizens are not left stranded as the regional situation evolves. - ANI Kashmiri activist Tasleema Akhter describes the Pahalgam terror attack, which killed 26 civilians a year ago, as an "unhealed wound" for the region. She strongly condemned Pakistan-backed terrorism, stating such violence targets the future of Kashmir and its people. Akhter called for the international community to move beyond rhetoric and hold Pakistan accountable for supporting terror networks. She emphasized resilience and the non-negotiable need for justice for the victims' families. On the Pahalgam attack anniversary, activist Tasleema Akhter condemns Pakistan-backed terror, calls for justice for 26 victims & global action. Srinagar, April 18 As Kashmir marks the first anniversary of the Pahalgam terror attack, prominent Kashmiri human rights activist and Chairperson of the Association of Terror Victims in Kashmir, Tasleema Akhter, described the tragedy as not just a memory but an "unhealed wound" that continues to haunt the region. In an exclusive interview with ANI, on the first anniversary of the Pahalgam carnage, Akhter described the attack as more than an act of violence. "Bullets did not merely attack Pahalgam; it was attacked by hatred," she said, stressing that such incidents strike at the core of humanity, peace, and the future of Kashmir's younger generations. She added that the victims were individuals with families, dreams, and identities, not just statistics. The attack on 22 April 2025 at the Baisaran Valley in Pahalgam was carried out by armed terrorists, in which 26 civilians were killed. The attackers, armed with M4 carbines and AK-47s, targeted Hindu tourists, though a Christian tourist and a local Muslim pony ride operator were also killed. The incident is considered the deadliest attack on civilians in India since the 2008 Mumbai attacks. Akhter strongly condemned what she termed Pakistan-backed terrorism, stating that such attacks have damaged Kashmir's global image and caused long-term suffering to its people. According to her, repeated attempts to destabilise the region reflect a pattern aimed at disrupting peace and development in Jammu and Kashmir. "We will not allow Kashmir to be held hostage by fear," she asserted, adding that justice for victims remains non-negotiable. Having represented victims' voices at international platforms, including the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva, Akhter called for stronger global action. She urged the international community to move beyond rhetoric and hold Pakistan accountable for supporting terror networks in the region. "The world needs to see the reality behind the propaganda," she stated. On preventing future attacks, she called for a multi-pronged strategy, including sustained diplomatic pressure, stronger international cooperation against terrorism, and continued vigilance within India. Recalling incidents such as the 2008 Mumbai attacks and the recent Delhi blast, she said the threat is neither new nor isolated. Akhter concluded with a message of resilience, stating that Kashmir stands for peace but will continue to fight for justice for the Pahalgam victim families. - ANI Analyst Junaid Qureshi marks one year since the deadly terror attack on tourists in Pahalgam's Baisaran Valley. He alleges the attack, which killed 26, was carried out by Pakistan-sponsored terror groups aiming to disrupt peace in Jammu and Kashmir. Qureshi highlights the severe economic impact on the region's tourism industry and calls for stronger societal and official action to eradicate terrorist ideologies. He concludes by urging Kashmiris to publicly reject extremism and demonstrate that such violence is not committed in their name. Junaid Qureshi marks one year since Pahalgam terror attack, urges eradication of Pakistan-sponsored terror ideology in Kashmir. Srinagar, April 18 Director of the European Foundation for South Asian Studies, Junaid Qureshi, said that as one year passes since the deadly terror attack on tourists in Pahalgam, voices across Kashmir continue to express grief, concern, and a demand for decisive action against terrorism and its ecosystem. "No matter how we try to spin it, we must face the reality," he said, describing the incident as a targeted act of violence against tourists. The April 22, 2025, attack at Baisaran Valley left 26 civilians dead after armed terrorists opened fire, reportedly targeting victims after confirming their identity. The attack was later claimed by Lashkar-e-Taiba and its offshoot, The Resistance Front. Qureshi, who is also an analyst from the Kashmir valley, alleged external involvement behind such attacks, stating, "These organisations are sponsored, trained and funded by Pakistan," and warned that such incidents aim to disrupt peace and development efforts in Jammu and Kashmir. He further highlighted the economic impact on the region, particularly on tourism. "Kashmir's tourism industry has suffered tremendously," he said, noting that businesses linked to the sector have faced losses, affecting employment and slowing investment in the region. Referring to India's response, Qureshi pointed to shifts in bilateral dynamics following the attack, including developments around the Indus Waters Treaty and counter-terror operations like Operation Sindoor. "India can and will strike terrorism infrastructure if it continues to be a victim of Pakistan-sponsored terrorism," he said. At the same time, he stressed the need for collective responsibility within Kashmiri society. "As Kashmiris, while we condemn this attack, we must make it absolutely clear to the world that... Pakistan have nothing to do with us," he said, adding, "We Kashmiris do not subscribe to 'their' Islam." Qureshi also warned that the threat of radicalisation persists, citing later incidents, including a blast near the Red Fort in November 2025. He called for stronger measures beyond conventional approaches. "Instead of mere reform or rehabilitation, eradication of terrorist ideologies... is what is required," he asserted. Calling for a more visible public stance, he said, "Mere social media posts condemnations are not enough. We need to come out and demonstrate." He further added that society must actively reject extremist ideology, urging people to "ostracise these terrorists and their ideology." Concluding with a strong message, Qureshi said, "It is time that we Kashmiris tell the rest of India and the world, ' Not in our name!" The anniversary serves as a moment of remembrance, reflection, and renewed calls for peace, unity, and firm action against terrorism in the region. - ANI Indian security agencies report a significant increase in narcotics smuggling from the Pakistan-Afghanistan Golden Crescent, a key source of funding for terror activities against India. The drugs primarily enter via Gujarat and Maharashtra before being distributed to southern states and onward to Maldives and Sri Lanka. A high-level meeting between the NCB, NTRO, and Navy has decided to intensify surveillance on maritime routes, including high-speed boats and commercial containers. The government, with directives from top leadership, is preparing a coordinated, multi-agency roadmap to make India drug-free by 2029, while also working with international partners. India ramps up multi-agency surveillance to combat increased narcotics smuggling from Pakistan-Afghanistan's Golden Crescent, aiming to cut terror funding. New Delhi, April 17 The focus of the Indian security agencies dealing with the menace of narcotic smuggling has been largely on the contraband originating from the Golden Crescent of Pakistan-Afghanistan. The Indian agencies have said that activities through the Golden Crescent have gone up considerably. There is a push by Pakistan to smuggle huge quantities of narcotics into India. Ramping up activities at the Golden Crescent is a clear sign that the Pakistan-based operatives are trying to raise money to fund terror activities against India. Estimates by the security agencies show that 65 per cent of the narcotics that come into India are from the Golden Crescent. The remaining come in from the Golden Triangle, which comprises Myanmar, Laos and Thailand. Officials say that the Pakistan-based narcotic smugglers are pushing more drugs into South India today and the drugs are reaching Kerala and Tamil Nadu. Once the domestic needs are catered to, then the drugs are smuggled into Maldives and Sri Lanka. Prior to the drugs reaching the southern states, they are smuggled into Gujarat and Maharashtra. With this strategy, the cartels plan to cover both North and South India significantly. When it comes to the northeastern states, the cartels operating from the Golden Triangle handle the job, an official said. With Intelligence inputs suggesting that the Pakistan-based narcotic smugglers are ramping up operations, a high level meeting was held between the officials of the Narcotics Control Bureau (NVB), National Technical Research Organisation (NTRO) and the Indian Navy. It was decided to intensify surveillance to detect drugs coming in from the Golden Crescent. The agencies are keeping a close watch on high speed motor boats and smaller fishing boats. Of late, the cartels are also relying on commercial shipping containers through which they are attempting to smuggle in larger quantity of drugs. The drugs that come in from the Golden Crescent largely comprise charas and methamphetamine. With inputs suggesting a major rise in drug smuggling activity, India has also been working closely with international agencies to put a halt to the menace. "It is important that apart from taking steps on our own, we coordinate with international agencies as well," an official said. India would, however, be taking the lead role as it is a landing point owing to its geographical proximity to the Golden Crescent, the official also said. While constant attempts are being made to step up drug smuggling activity, officials report that in the last three months, the activities have been down. The vigil has been stepped up and multiple agencies are working in tandem to keep the menace at bay. In addition to disruptions being reported in the Golden Crescent supply chains due to regional stability, the Indian agencies, too, have resolved to fight this problem. Officials say that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has made it clear that the Centre wants India to be drug free. Union Home Minister, Amit Shah, said that all departments of the government of India should prepare a road map up to 2029 and establish a time-bound review mechanism for its implementation. He said that during the next three years, a campaign would be carried out collectively across the country to move fast towards making India drug free. An Intelligence Bureau official said that if supplies from the Golden Crescent fall, then every attempt will be made to scale up operations from the Golden Triangle. The cartels from these regions are inter-connected and hence they cannot be treated as separate entities. The road map ahead would be to have coordinated efforts by multiple agencies to deal with cartels that operate both from the Golden Crescent as well the Golden Triangle, the official also added. - IANS Widespread farmer protests erupted across over 100 cities in Pakistan, marking the International Day of Peasant Struggles. Demonstrators are demanding a fixed minimum support price for wheat and rejecting government moves toward corporate farming and outsourcing procurement. The protests span all major provinces, reflecting deep-seated agrarian discontent over rising costs and unstable prices. Farmer leaders warn of an escalating crisis and more intense protests if their demands for urgent reforms are not met. Farmers across 100+ Pakistani cities protest anti-farmer policies, reject corporate farming, and demand a fixed wheat MSP of PKR 4,000. Islamabad, April 18 Protests swept across more than 100 cities in Pakistan on Friday after the Pakistan Kissan Rabita Committee issued a nationwide call to mark the International Day of Peasant Struggles, as reported by Dawn. According to the Pakistani media outlet, farmers mobilised in large numbers to oppose what they described as anti-farmer policies and to demand urgent reforms to protect their livelihoods. Dawn reported that protesters called for fixing the minimum support price (MSP) of wheat at PKR 4,000 per maund. They rejected corporate farming practices and demanded the withdrawal of eviction notices issued to tenant farmers. The report further noted that demonstrators opposed the government's plan to outsource wheat procurement to 11 private firms, warning that such a move would marginalise small growers. The news outlet reported that large-scale protests were witnessed across Punjab, including in Lahore, Multan, Bahawalpur, Sahiwal, and Sargodha. In Sindh, demonstrations were held in Hyderabad, Sukkur, Larkana, and Thatta, reflecting widespread discontent, the report added. According to Dawn, rallies were also organised in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa cities such as Peshawar, Swat, Abbottabad, and Bannu, while in Balochistan, protests were reported in Quetta, Mastung, and Kalat. The coverage highlighted a growing nationwide mobilisation among farmers. Addressing a gathering in Lahore, PKRC General Secretary Riffat Maqsood criticised the government's performance, stating that its two-year tenure had been "highly damaging" for farmers. As cited by the media outlet, she accused authorities of neglecting rural communities and prioritising corporate interests over small-scale cultivators. Farmer groups warned, as highlighted in the report, that continued inaction could deepen the agrarian crisis and trigger more intense protests in the coming months. The coverage underscored rising frustration among Pakistan's farming community, which continues to grapple with escalating input costs, unstable crop prices, and climate-related challenges. - ANI Defence expert Sanjeev Srivastava states that India supports the diplomatic dialogue between the US and Iran. He clarifies that Pakistan's involvement is strictly as a facilitator and messenger, lacking the credibility to influence the high-stakes outcome. Significant hurdles remain as Iran, the US, and Israel hold firm positions, making a consensus complex. The expert also warns the conflict has exacerbated a global energy crisis. Foreign affairs expert Sanjeev Srivastava analyzes the complex US-Iran deal, Pakistan's messenger role, and the broader geopolitical stakes. Varanasi, Apirl 18 Defence and foreign affairs expert Sanjeev Srivastava on Saturday said that India continues to support diplomatic efforts between the United States of America and Iran, while stressing that Pakistan's role in the ongoing talks remains limited to that of a facilitator. Commenting on the statement by US President Donald Trump about a possible visit to Islamabad if a deal is reached, Srivastava said, "India supports the dialogue process currently taking place between the United States of America and Iran. India has consistently emphasised that a solution to this entire crisis should be found through dialogue, diplomacy, and de-escalation." He added that New Delhi has welcomed the ceasefire announcement and is closely monitoring developments. He said, "India has naturally welcomed the peace process and the ceasefire announcement that was made, and it is clear that India is keeping a very close watch on these peace efforts." On Pakistan's involvement, Srivastava said, "Pakistan's role in these US-Iran talks is merely that of a messenger. Pakistan has provided the venue and, while acting as a messenger, it has performed the task of transferring messages from one party to another, which should certainly be recognised." He emphasised that Pakistan lacks the credibility to influence the outcome of such high-stakes negotiations. He said," Pakistan lacks the credibility and the international image required to influence this entire negotiation process in any profound way." He added, "Pakistan cannot determine the outcome of the US-Iran talks; it can at most provide a venue or act as a messenger. Beyond that, I don't see any major benefit for Pakistan even if a deal occurs." Srivastava also highlighted the broader geopolitical context, pointing to the role of China and other countries, including India, in encouraging dialogue. He said, "China's role in this ceasefire has been extremely significant, alongside several other members of the international community, including India. These responsible nations, which have always stressed dialogue, diplomacy, and de-escalation, worked together to create a positive environment, which is why this dialogue process is now moving forward in Islamabad." Assessing Trump's statement about potentially visiting Islamabad, he said it should be seen as an attempt to create momentum for negotiations rather than a sign of imminent agreement. He said, " His (Trump's) statement was made to help create a positive atmosphere to move the dialogue forward. But achieving this deal does not seem easy at the moment. If a deal is reached, nothing could be better; this war must stop." Srivastava noted that big differences remain, particularly due to Iran's firm stance and the positions of the US and Israel. He said, " I believe it can only happen if a deal is reached between Iran and the US where both parties move away from their extreme positions and agree on a 'win-win' formula. However, reaching such a consensus currently appears to be a complex process because Iran's Islamic regime is not ready to back down, and the stance of both America and Israel remains very firm." He warned that the conflict has global consequences, especially in energy markets. He said, "This conflict hasn't just affected the people of Iran, Israel, and West Asian nations--the entire world is struggling with an energy crisis because of it." Drawing parallels, he said Pakistan's role is similar to that previously played by Oman, which hosted the indirect talks. "Pakistan's role will be viewed only as a venue provider and a messenger. This is the same role Oman previously played; Oman provided venues for talks in Muscat, and indirect talks were also held in Europe via Iran. Pakistan's role is similar," he said. Srivastava was also critical of Pakistan's global standing, "Pakistan remains a nation that provides refuge to terrorism. More than half of the global terrorists designated by the United Nations Security Council are still in Pakistan. The whole world knows that the world's most wanted terrorist was found in Pakistan." He added, "Even today, the reason large investments do not go to Pakistan is that it is insecure, unstable, and politically volatile. Their most popular leader is in jail, and the political system is controlled by the Pakistani military. Consequently, Pakistan's capabilities, resources, and its 'showcase' democracy continue to weaken its image." He added that any visit by Trump to Islamabad hinges entirely on finalized agreement. He said, "President Trump will only visit Islamabad if a deal is finalised that satisfies the Trump administration. For that, the Iranian regime must move away from several of its rigid positions. Iran's Islamic regime still harbours hatred for the State of Israel and thinks about erasing it from the world map." He added, "If a deal is reached through a 'win-win' formula, it will be good for the whole world and will bring a positive message, especially for Iran, America, and Israel." - ANI TEHRAN, April 18 (Xinhua) -- The Navy of Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) said that the Strait of Hormuz has been blocked since Saturday evening and will not reopen until the United States lifts its naval blockade on the waterway. In a statement carried by its official news outlet Sepah News, the IGRC said that the move came after the United States violated its commitments under the two-week ceasefire, which took effect on April 8, and failed to end its naval blockade against Iranian vessels and ports. The IRGC Navy called on all vessels and their owners to follow official updates via its channel and VHF Channel 16, the international maritime distress, safety, and calling frequency. The statements by U.S. President Donald Trump hold no credibility in the strait and the Gulf, it added. The IRGC warned that no vessel should move from its anchorage in the Gulf or the Gulf of Oman, and any approach to the strait would be deemed "cooperation with the enemy" and targeted accordingly. Iran had tightened control over the strait since Feb. 28, when it barred passage to vessels belonging to or affiliated with Israel and the United States after the two countries' joint strikes on Iranian territory. The United States later imposed its own blockade on the waterway after peace negotiations with Iran in Pakistan's Islamabad collapsed. On Friday, Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi said the strait would remain "completely open" to commercial shipping during the current truce with the United States, in line with the announcement of the ceasefire in Lebanon. However, Trump said Friday the U.S. naval blockade would "remain in full force," noting that the United States would not lift it until the country makes a deal with Iran. He then said Saturday that Iran cannot "blackmail" the United States with the strait. Delhi Lieutenant Governor Taranjit Singh Sandhu expressed satisfaction after receiving a congratulatory message from former US President Donald Trump. He framed the recognition as a testament to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's strategic foreign policy and the deepening India-US partnership, which serves both nations' interests. Sandhu highlighted that the successful evolution of bilateral ties into a comprehensive partnership enjoyed support across the American political aisle. He also noted ongoing collaboration in areas like critical technology and green energy under initiatives like iCET. Delhi LG Taranjit Singh Sandhu responds to Donald Trump's congratulatory message, framing it as a win for PM Modi's foreign policy and the India-US partnership. New Delhi, April 18 Lieutenant Governor of Delhi and former diplomat Taranjit Singh Sandhu on Saturday expressed "satisfaction and happiness" following a congratulatory tweet from US President Donald Trump. Speaking to reporters in the capital, Sandhu framed the high-level recognition not as a personal achievement, but as a testament to the strategic vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the deepening ties between the world's two largest democracies. He underscored that the bond between New Delhi and Washington transcends individual personalities, serving the fundamental "national interests" of both nations. "I was sent as ambassador of India to the United States. I was selected by Prime Minister Modi. And the relationship between the United States and India is in the national interests of both countries," said Sandhu. The remarks come at a time when India-US relations are under a global spotlight, with the LG emphasising the bipartisan nature of the burgeoning partnership. Sandhu, who served as India's Ambassador to the United States during a critical period of diplomatic expansion, was quick to credit the Prime Minister for the "clear thinking" that has guided India's foreign policy. While President Trump's recent tweet grabbed headlines, Sandhu noted that the success of his tenure was acknowledged across the American political aisle. He highlighted that the transition of the relationship into a "comprehensive partnership" had the support of both the current and former US administrations. "The Prime Minister's thinking is very clear. So many times he has enumerated it. I was merely performing my job. It is definitely a matter of satisfaction and happiness that President Trump, in his tweet, acknowledged that. But I would also like to mention that even President Biden has mentioned about the good work. We were able to successfully, under the guidance of the Prime Minister, convert the relationship into a partnership," he added. Under the guidance of the Prime Minister, Sandhu noted that the primary goal during his diplomatic stint was to shift the engagement from a traditional diplomatic "relationship" to a proactive, multi-sectoral partnership. This evolution has seen increased cooperation through initiatives like iCET (Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technology), collaborative efforts in green hydrogen and nuclear energy and shared interests in a free and open Indo-Pacific.Now serving as the Lieutenant Governor of Delhi, Sandhu's transition from international diplomacy to the administrative heart of India suggests a continued focus on leveraging his global experience for domestic governance. His response to the U.S. President reaffirms that while his theatre of operation has changed, the diplomatic momentum he helped build remains a cornerstone of India's global strategy. Sandhu's remarks come after US President Donald Trump on Thursday congratulated Taranjit Singh Sandhu on his appointment as the Lieutenant Governor of Delhi, highlighting his role in strengthening India-US ties. In a post on Truth Social, Trump praised Sandhu's diplomatic experience and extended his best wishes for his new role. "Congratulations to Taranjit Sandhu on becoming the new Lt Governor of Delhi! As a seasoned Diplomat and former Ambassador to the United States, he has always shown deep commitment to strengthening the U.S.-India relationship. Wishing him success in leading Delhi's progress, and furthering global ties!" Trump wrote. Meanwhile, Delhi LG Sandhu highlighted the importance of strengthening India-US cooperation in the 'Freedom250' celebrations marking 250 years of American independence, which were launched in the national capital on Wednesday. Sandhu, who attended the launch event, said the engagement provided an opportunity to deepen collaboration between the two countries, particularly in investment and technology. "It was a pleasure to meet US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor at the launch of the Freedom250 celebrations in New Delhi. We had a productive conversation on enhancing American investments in Delhi and expanding India-US technology collaboration. The enduring partnership between India and United States remains a key pillar of global progress. I look forward to deeper cooperation that brings tangible benefits to the residents of our National Capital," Sandhu said in a post on X. Taranjit is the grandson of the eminent Sikh leader, Teja Singh Samundri. On March 11, Sandhu took the oath of office in the presence of Delhi High Court Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya. Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta was also present at the swearing-in ceremony. Taranjit Sandhu is part of the major administrative reshuffle of Governors and Lieutenant Governors across the country. In the reshuffle, Taranjit Singh Sandhu replaced VK Saxena, who has now been appointed as the Ladakh LG. He was also a BJP candidate in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. - ANI Iran has declared that all maritime movement through the critical Strait of Hormuz must follow a designated route and receive explicit Iranian authorization. The announcement from Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf sharply criticized the United States and rejected Washington's claims about regional developments. Iranian officials warned that if the US continues its maritime blockade of Iranian ports, Tehran will take reciprocal measures. The strait is a vital chokepoint for global oil and gas shipments, meaning these new restrictions could have significant worldwide economic repercussions. Iran declares passage through the Strait of Hormuz requires using a designated route and explicit Iranian authorization, escalating tensions with the US. Tehran, April 18 Iran has asserted that maritime movement through the Strait of Hormuz will be strictly controlled by Tehran, stating that passage will be allowed only through designated routes and under Iranian approval, amid escalating tensions with the United States over regional security and negotiations. Speaker of the Islamic Republic of Iran's Parliament Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf sharply criticised recent remarks by US President Donald Trump on X and rejected Washington's claims regarding ongoing developments. "1- The President of the United States made seven claims in one hour, all seven of which were false. 2- They did not win the war with these lies, and they will certainly not get anywhere in negotiations either. 3- With the continuation of the blockade, the Strait of Hormuz will not remain open," he wrote. Reiterating Iran's position on maritime control, Ghalibaf said, "4- Passage through the Strait of Hormuz will be conducted based on the 'designated route' and with 'Iranian authorization.' 5- Whether the Strait is open or closed and the regulations governing it will be determined by the field, not by social media." He further accused the US of information warfare, stating, "6- Media warfare and engineering public opinion are an important part of war, and the Iranian nation is not affected by these tricks." Earlier, Iran had warned that it would take reciprocal measures if the United States continues its maritime blockade targeting Iranian ports, even as it outlined conditions for shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, Al Jazeera reported. Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei offered clarification on an earlier statement by Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, Al Jazeera reported, citing the semi-official Tasnim news agency. According to Al Jazeera, Baghaei said that "Shipping through the Strait of Hormuz will be allowed along a pre-determined route by Iran." He added, "If the maritime blockade of Iran's ports continues, Iran will take reciprocal measures," and asserted that "Iran is the guardian of the Strait of Hormuz and will show leniency where necessary." Separately, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy detailed conditions for vessels seeking to transit through the Strait of Hormuz, Al Jazeera reported. As per Al Jazeera, it stated that all ships would require its permission to pass, with civilian vessels allowed only through designated Iranian routes, while military vessels remain barred from transit. "Movements will only be permitted with the permission of the IRGC Navy", it added, as per Al Jazeera. "This movement is in line with the agreement on the period of silence on the battlefield and after the implementation of the Lebanese ceasefire," the IRGC Navy Command added in a statement, according to Al Jazeera. The announcement comes after Iran's Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi, who had earlier said on X that passage for all commercial vessels through the Strait of Hormuz during the ceasefire was "completely open". "In line with the ceasefire in Lebanon, the passage for all commercial vessels through Strait of Hormuz is declared completely open for the remaining period of ceasefire, on the coordinated route as already announced by Ports and Maritime Organisation of the Islamic Rep. of Iran," Aragchi wrote on X. The strategic waterway had been obstructed by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) following joint US and Israeli airstrikes on Tehran on February 28. As a conduit for 20 per cent of the world's crude oil and liquefied natural gas, the disruption to the Strait of Hormuz has had significant global economic repercussions, impacting supply chains and energy prices worldwide. - ANI AIADMK candidate P Saravanan asserts that the people of Tamil Nadu are ready for a change in governance and urges voters to support the party's 'Two Leaves' symbol across all 234 constituencies. He sharply criticizes the ruling DMK, alleging it has completed only about 10% of its electoral promises and is losing public trust. Saravanan argues that a state government aligned with the BJP-led Centre is necessary for better development outcomes. The main contest in the April 23 polls is between the DMK-led Secular Progressive Alliance and the AIADMK-led NDA, with actor Vijay's TVK party potentially creating a three-way fight. AIADMK's P Saravanan claims people want change, vows to remove corrupt DMK govt. Tamil Nadu polls on April 23, counting May 4. Madurai North, April 18 All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam candidate for Madurai North, P Saravanan, on Friday said people in Tamil Nadu are ready for a change in governance and urged voters to back the party's 'Two Leaves' symbol across all 234 constituencies. "People are ready for a change in governance. Under the leadership of Edappadi K. Palaniswami, a new government is set to be formed," Saravanan told reporters while campaigning. "In all 234 constituencies, I urge you to support the 'Two Leaves' symbol and stand with the AIADMK alliance. Together, we will bring about a meaningful change in Tamil Nadu, remove the corrupt DMK administration, including its district functionaries and ministers, and create a new chapter in the state's history," he added. Earlier, Saravanan launched a sharp attack on the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) government, alleging that the ruling party has fulfilled only a small fraction of its electoral promises. While campaigning in Anna Nagar area ahead of the state Assembly elections 2026, Saravanan alleged that the DMK is losing public trust."DMK government cheated the people, as they completed just 10 per cent of the promises they made during previous elections... We will come with a thumping majority," he told ANI. Tamil Nadu will go to the polls in a single phase on April 23, covering a total of 234 constituencies in the State. Counting of votes is scheduled for May 4. Speaking to ANI, Saravanan further said that his party would return to power with a decisive majority, and that Tamil Nadu needs a government aligned with the Centre to ensure better development outcomes. "BJP is ruling the centre, and you need a party in the state that will be friendly with the centre, which is when you will get things from them. DMK is always against the BJP... People are slowly drifting from Dravidian policy to the national one," he said. A day earlier, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin asserted that the DMK would defeat the NDA alliance in the upcoming Assembly elections, vowing that the "Tamil Nadu team" would prevail over the "Delhi team." The main contest of the elections is expected between the DMK-led Secular Progressive Alliance (SPA), which includes the Indian National Congress, Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam (DMDK), and Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK), and the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), led by AIADMK with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) as allies. Actor-turned-politician Vijay is also set to make his electoral debut with his party TVK, which could turn the contest into a three-way fight. - ANI Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian stated that the steadfastness of the Iranian people forced US-Israeli forces into an inevitable retreat during what he termed the "40-day war," calling it a major strategic achievement. He accused the aggressors of resorting to unlawful tactics, including targeting vital infrastructure and service centers, which he labeled clear violations of human rights and the rules of war. Concurrently, former US President Donald Trump claimed the United States is heading toward victory "very shortly," asserting that Iran's military capacity, particularly its navy, has been severely degraded. These remarks come amid heightened tensions and ongoing diplomatic and security developments in West Asia. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian says public steadfastness compelled US-Israeli forces to retreat, as Trump claims US nearing victory. Tehran, April 17 Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has said that the "steadfastness" of the Iranian people compelled US-Israeli forces to retreat during the "40-day war", according to Iranian state media Press TV. According to Press TV, speaking at a meeting with the minister, deputies, and senior managers at the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance on Thursday, Pezeshkian stressed the importance of accurately presenting the realities and achievements of the period. The president highlighted the need for effective storytelling to convey the events of the conflict, noting the "diverse and creative methods to properly reflect national accomplishments," according to Press TV. He said, "During this war, powers with extensive claims and prestige stood against the Iranian nation, but the people's steadfastness caused these currents to inevitably retreat. This is a significant and strategic achievement for the country." Pezeshkian underscored the decisive role played by citizens, stating, "With their conscious presence, the people neutralised all scenarios designed to create instability and, contrary to the enemy's calculations, strengthened national cohesion." He also accused the "aggressors" (US and Israel) of resorting to unlawful tactics, saying," At a point where the enemy reached a state of desperation, they resorted to actions that are rejected not only from a legal and international perspective but also from a human standpoint." He added that such actions included targeting "vital infrastructure, service centres, schools, and medical facilities", which, according to him, was a clear violation of human rights principles and the rules of war. Rejecting claims that pressure would weaken public resolve, Pezeshkian said, "Some imagined that by intensifying threats, the Iranian people would withdraw from the scene. However, in practice, we witnessed a stronger presence of the people and an increased level of social responsibility." Highlighting domestic resilience, he pointed to public participation in development efforts, noting, "These experiences show that by relying on the people's capabilities, many problems can be solved with greater speed and quality." Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump on Thursday (local time) said that the United States is heading towards "victory very shortly" against Iran while making strong remarks on military developments involving Iran and past US operations in the region. Speaking during an event here, Trump suggested progress in ongoing strategic actions and claimed significant degradation of Iranian capabilities. "And I said, we're in there for two months, and you know what? We're gonna have victory very shortly," he said. He described Iran as a "tough, smart country" while asserting that its military capacity had been severely reduced. "And against a very tough, smart country. These people were fighters, and you know, I don't want to claim it before the fact, but they (Iran) have no Navy left. 158 ships at the bottom of the sea. 158, think of it," Trump said. The remarks came amid heightened tensions in West Asia and ongoing diplomatic and security developments involving the United States and Iran, including ceasefire-related negotiations and maritime security concerns. - ANI Foreign affairs expert Robinder Sachdev states that President Donald Trump's core objective is a powerful photograph of Iranian uranium being removed from Tehran, representing a symbolic surrender. He notes the US waiver on Russian oil sanctions provides immediate, crucial relief to India's economy amid supply disruptions. While cautiously optimistic about a potential deal, Sachdev emphasizes that reopening the Strait of Hormuz is central, with negotiations likely involving sanctions relief and financial compensation for Iran. He also explains that Trump's criticism of NATO stems from deeper structural and ideological disagreements with European policies. Foreign affairs expert reveals Trump's demand for a visual "win" with Iranian uranium, discusses impact on India's oil supply and NATO tensions. New Delhi, April 18 Foreign Affairs Expert Robinder Sachdev said that the demand for a powerful visual "win" is at the heart of the current US-Iran standoff, suggesting that Washington's position is being shaped as much by optics as by strategy. He said US President Donald Trump is seeking a symbolic moment that can be projected globally as a decisive achievement. In an interview with ANI, Sachdev said, "The prize that President Trump now wants is a photograph of drums of Iranian enriched uranium on the tarmac of the Tehran airport and an American military plane sitting there, these drums being loaded and taken away. That is the prize that Donald Trump wants now. He can then claim, 'I have taken out the uranium from Iran." He added that such imagery would create "a very visual representation of the surrender of a country," something Iran, according to him, is unlikely to accept, leaving negotiations at an impasse. On the economic front, he noted that the US waiver on sanctioned Russian oil could provide immediate relief to India amid ongoing supply disruptions. "This waiver on sanctions on Russian oil will definitely help India in the sense that there is quite some Russian oil at sea, short distance away, and hopefully, the market dynamics are such that we can get it at good rates. Especially given the current crisis, even if production ramps up, you know, in the Gulf, it will take months and months for the supplies to be resumed. So, therefore, Russian oil being available almost instant in that sense, will be extremely helpful to the Indian economy in terms of crude oil," he said, pointing out that restoring Gulf production could take "months and months". Assessing the prospects of fresh talks, Sachdev maintained cautious optimism. "If the participants do turn up physically, whosoever be the participants, especially the American participants, the higher the better. If they turn up then definitely yes, the probability increases. I still remain at my probability which I had earlier speculated at 51 per cent. There is definitely a chance of a deal," he said, while cautioning that any agreement may not be a "grand bargain" and could leave the region facing continued instability. On tensions involving the Strait of Hormuz, he stressed that reopening the route would be central to any resolution. " The Strait of Hormuz has to be open. Now, the question is whether Iran would be okay with it. Yeah, sure, but Iran will ask a price," he said, indicating that negotiations could revolve around sanctions relief, frozen funds and financial compensation. He added, "The only question would be that would there be any tolls? I think maybe tolls may not be tolls, but at the same time then financial compensation for Iran, money sitting in Qatar, money in in the United States, lifting of sanctions. So, I think there'll be a there'll be a triangle of these economic issues: sanctions, money sitting outside, and tolls. So, within this triangle, Iran will negotiate to you know, obtain financial compensations for the war." Commenting on transatlantic ties, Sachdev said Trump's sharp criticism of NATO reflects deeper structural tensions with Europe. " The US is unhappy with NATO for many reasons, several of them very clear and valid which Trump and his administration have articulated. But a more fundamental reason that President Trump and his team are unhappy with NATO is because they're unhappy with Europe. They're unhappy with the with the policies of Europe. Not only defense policies, they're unhappy with the policies on environment with Europe. They're unhappy with the extra regulations, " he said. He added that ideological difference also plays a role, noting that sections within the US leadership view Europe as overly focused on "human rights and kindness," alongside concerns that European countries have not contributed equally to defence spending. - ANI Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed deep sorrow over the death of former Rajya Sabha MP Balbir Punj. Modi praised Punj as a prolific writer, thinker, and public intellectual who made significant contributions to media. The Prime Minister recalled Punj's tireless work in strengthening the BJP, particularly among students and intellectuals, and his fact-rich parliamentary interventions. Balbir Punj, born in 1949, began his career as a journalist with *The Motherland* newspaper in 1971. PM Narendra Modi expressed grief over the death of former BJP MP Balbir Punj, calling him a prolific writer and thinker who strengthened the party. New Delhi, April 19 Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday expressed his grief at the death of former Rajya Sabha MP Balbir Punj, calling him a "prolific writer, thinker and public intellectual" who made a rich contribution to the world of media. Balbir Punj was a prolific writer, thinker and public intellectual who made a rich contribution to the world of media, PM Modi said on X. His writings were widely read and reflected his strong passion towards national regeneration. "Balbir Punj Ji worked tirelessly to strengthen the BJP, especially among students, professionals, scholars and intellectuals. His Parliamentary interventions were rich in facts and theory. He was in-charge of various states, including Gujarat. Fondly remember our interactions from those times. Pained by his passing. Condolences to his family and friends. Om Shanti," PM Modi said in a post on X. Born on 2 October, 1949, Balbir Punj began his career as a journalist in 1971 with the newspaper The Motherland. - ANI Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has welcomed Iran's announcement of the full reopening of the Strait of Hormuz to commercial shipping, calling it "positive news." He stated that Australia would consider any requests to deploy military assets to help secure the vital waterway, though noted the geographical distance. The reopening follows a ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon, with Iran's foreign minister declaring the strait open for the duration of the truce with the US. Meanwhile, Australian Energy Minister Chris Bowen reported the country has increased its strategic reserves of petrol, diesel, and jet fuel. PM Anthony Albanese welcomes Iran's reopening of the vital Strait of Hormuz, stating Australia will consider requests to deploy military assets to secure shipping. Sydney, April 18 Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on Saturday that Australia welcomes the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and will consider deploying military assets to secure shipping in the region. Speaking to reporters in Sydney, Albanese welcomed Iran's announcement that the Strait has completely reopened for all commercial vessels during the ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon. "This was positive news that we received last night," Albanese said. "We want to see, though, this fragile arrangement confirmed." Asked if Australia would deploy military assets to ensure shipping remains open, Albanese said the government would consider any such requests. "Australia obviously is a long way away as well from the Strait, compared with European nations. It's fair to say that we'll give consideration to requests which are made when we come together," he said. Albanese was speaking alongside Energy Minister Chris Bowen, who said that Australia has increased its strategic fuel reserves over the last week, reports Xinhua news agency. Bowen said that Australia had 46 days' worth of petrol in the national stockpile as of Saturday, as well as 31 days' worth of diesel and 30 days' worth of jet fuel. Earlier on Friday, Iran's Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi said that, in line with the truce in Lebanon, the passage for all commercial vessels through the Strait of Hormuz is declared "completely open" for the remaining period of the ceasefire between Tehran and Washington. He made the remarks in a post on social media platform X hours after a 10-day ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon took effect following more than a month of deadly escalation between Israel and Hezbollah, which has claimed over 2,000 lives. Araghchi stressed that vessels can cross the Strait via the previously announced coordinated route announced by Iran's Ports and Maritime Organization. In reaction to the announcement, US President Donald Trump thanked Iran for the announcement of a full reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. Iran tightened control over the Strait of Hormuz by denying safe passage to vessels belonging to or affiliated with Israel and the United States after they launched joint attacks on the country on February 28. The United States has also imposed a blockade on the strait, preventing ships travelling to and from Iranian ports from transiting the waterway, following the failure of peace talks between the Iranian and US delegations in Pakistan's capital, Islamabad, on Saturday and early Sunday. - IANS Actor Prithviraj Sukumaran has shared a new, younger look for his character Aamir Ali in the upcoming Malayalam revenge thriller 'Khalifa'. The film, directed by Vysakh, is a gripping story centered on a multi-million dollar gold smuggling racket with roots spanning generations. The plot reveals Aamir Ali is the grandson of a legendary smuggler named Ahmed Ali, who was a target of the COFEPOSA Act. The film marks Prithviraj's second collaboration with director Vysakh in over 15 years and features Bollywood actor Neil Nitin Mukesh. Prithviraj Sukumaran shares a new look as Aamir Ali in the revenge thriller 'Khalifa'. The film delves into a gold smuggling racket spanning generations. Chennai, April 18 Actor Prithviraj, who plays the lead in director Vysakh's eagerly awaited revenge thriller 'Khalifa', has now shared a new picture of his character from the film much to the delight of fans and film buffs. Taking to his Instagram page, Prithviraj shared a younger looking picture of himself and wrote, "AAMIR - The story that was...! #KHALIFA." The film has triggered huge expectations among fans and film buffs and is among the most eagerly awaited films of the year. It may be recalled that the makers of the film had in January this year welcomed Bollywood actor Neil Nitin Mukesh to the Malayalam industry and their unit. Actor Prithviraj Sukumaran, who plays the lead in the gripping thriller based on gold smuggling, had welcomed the Bollywood actor to the Malayalam film industry on the latter's birthday. He wrote, "Happy birthday Neil Nitin Mukesh! Welcome to the Malayalam film industry! #KHALIFA" For the unaware, Prithviraj plays a character called Aamir Ali in the film. It may be recalled that the actor, during his last birthday, had shared a glimpse video of Khalifa. He had said, "A revenge forged by a lineage that spans generations! Next Onam.. Aamir Ali will write his vengeance in gold! #KHALIFA - The Ruler." The Khalifa Glimpse that he shared begins with a voice on a news bulletin announcing that police and customs officials had unearthed a multi million dollar gold smuggling racket operating out of the middle east. The racket, we are told, is being carried out through networks in London, Nepal and Kerala. We then see an old man being interrogated by a customs official called Panicker, who tells the person being questioned that his colleague Aamir is finished and that he can be hauled to jail wherever he sets foot in India. Panicker tries to intimidate the person being questioned, by citing the COFEPOSA act. The glimpse video then shows the interrogated person replying, "Do you know how the COFEPOSA came into being?" We are then treated to some scintillating action scenes of which Prithviraj is a part.The interrogated person then goes onto explain how the COFEPOSA act came into being. "Up north, there was Sukur Naren Bakhia and Haji Mastan.Down south, it was Mudaliar and Mambaraykkal Ahmed Ali. The four of them were a nightmare for Mrs Gandhi.That is what led her to pass the COFEPOSA Act in Parliament in 1974. And even then, using the COFEPOSA, she couldn't keep Ahmed Ali behind bars for even half an hour. Aamir is the grandson of that very same Ahmed Ali." He then, in a challenging tone, asks the official to nab Aamir, saying that it is then that he'll witness the real fireworks like the one in the Uroos festival at the Mambaram mosque. The video discloses that Prithviraj Sukumaran plays a character called Aamir Ali and the film will be a gripping thriller with some edge-of-seat chase and stunt seqeunces in it. It may be recalled that actor Prithviraj Sukumaran had completed shooting for his portions in the UK-schedule of the film and had returned to India in August last year. The film has triggered huge interest in fans and film buffs ever since it was first announced. At the time of commencing the project, Vysakh, in a post on his Instagram timeline, had said, "The journey of #Khalifa officially begins! Our pooja ceremony for this ambitious film, starring the incredible @therealprithvi, happened today. I'm beyond thrilled to be collaborating with Prithviraj after 15 long years!" He then went on to add,"Gearing up for an exhilarating journey, with our first schedule rolling out from London on August 6th. This project brings together a powerhouse team - Penned by Jinu Abraham, Jomon T John's visual magic, Music by the current music sensation Jakes Bejoy, Cuts by Chaman Chacko, Styled by Mashar Hamza and Action to be directed by Yannick Ben. Seeking all your blessings and good wishes for this venture." It may be recalled that the film was first announced in the year 2022. However, it went on floors only in 2025. The film, when initially announced, was expected to be shot in Dubai, Nepal and Kerala. Now, the film has been shot in the UK. This is Prithviraj's second film in over 15 years with Vysakh after their superhit collaboration 'Pokkiri Raja' and will be his next with writer Jinu V Abraham, who had scripted 'Kaduva'. - IANS The President of the Federation of Automobile Dealers Associations (FADA) has expressed concern that a prolonged conflict in West Asia will negatively impact India's automotive sector, primarily through reduced export volumes and disruptions in the supply of essential commodities like oil and aluminium. While the domestic market remains strong following a period of high growth, prolonged tensions pose a significant challenge to production and international trade. The industry is also focusing on managing supply chains and developing domestic sources for critical materials like lithium to support the growing Electric Vehicle segment. The remarks were made at the Vyapar Delhi event, which brought together dealers, OEMs, and policymakers to discuss industry challenges. FADA President warns prolonged West Asia conflict will hit India's auto exports, oil & aluminium supply. Domestic market remains resilient for now. New Delhi, April 18 The President of the Federation of Automobile Dealers Associations expressed concerns regarding the country's automotive sector if the war is prolonged. Speaking to ANI at the sidelines of the Vyapar Delhi event, FADA President C.S. Vigneshwar stated that the ongoing conflict in West Asia will specifically affect export volumes and the supply of essential commodities like oil and aluminium. He noted that while the domestic market remains resilient following a period of high growth, prolonged geopolitical tensions could create challenges for production and international trade. "The unfortunate incidents which are happening in the Middle East will definitely have an impact on the automotive sector. For example, oil. A lot of our cars need oil, they need lube, and they also need petrol and diesel to run. So these would be impacted, of course, if the conflict prolongs, but the government is doing everything possible to lessen the impact. But from the production side, we also have issues of availability of gas, and also aluminium is becoming a little bit of a challenge. I'm sure the government is doing everything possible to address it, but these are challenges which we need to face in the coming months if the conflict there is prolonged," Vigneshwar said. Addressing the potential divergence between domestic and overseas sales, the FADA President indicated that a slowdown in exports is a primary concern for the industry. He highlighted that the domestic market previously recorded a 13 per cent growth rate across all sectors, providing a strong cushion against global volatility. "I, perhaps, think there would be a drop in these vehicles being exported out of India. The domestic market is strong. We had a breakneck growth last year. It grew at about 13%. Every sector grew. I'm sure the sector would still perform strongly. You, of course, will have a hiccup here and there. It's a major hiccup in the Middle East conflict. But I'm sure it'll start to sell well. We need to move on," he added. Vigneshwar emphasized the need for the industry to manage supply chain disruptions caused by regional blockades and the continued dependence on imported resources like lithium. He noted that there needs to be a balance as the country is dependent on oil as well as lithium. For the FADA President, not only must the fuel economy go up, but the country also needs to find alternative sources from which it can get this lithium. "I think recently even the Indian government has found lithium reserves, and we need to mine it and manufacture it into batteries as fast as possible," he said. Vigneshwar also touched upon the Electric Vehicle (EV) policy and the necessity of building a supportive ecosystem for cleaner fuels. He noted that EV penetration is steadily rising, with two-wheelers (2W) reaching a 9 per cent share and passenger vehicles (PV) touching 5.75 per cent in the last month. "We can never be ready for tomorrow unless we know what tomorrow wants, tomorrow entails. So we are right now getting to understand what tomorrow is...The EVs right now in terms of two-wheelers, last year we ended at about 7%, but last month we are at about 9%. In terms of commercial vehicles, we are at about 2% penetration. When you also look at passenger vehicles, which is the supermodel of whatever is required, we are at about close to about four and a half, five per cent. But this is increasing," Vigneshwar remarked. Vyapar Delhi served as a platform for dealers, Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs), and policymakers to deliberate on industry challenges. The event included participation from the Chief Minister of Delhi alongside representatives from insurance and finance companies to address dealer concerns and help frame future policies. - ANI Flight operations at Pune Airport were suspended overnight after an Indian Air Force aircraft suffered an undercarriage failure upon landing, blocking the runway. The incident occurred late Friday, but officials confirmed the aircrew was safe with no injuries. Repair and clearance work was conducted through the night to restore the runway. Departure flights resumed Saturday morning at 7:30 AM, with arrivals recommencing at 8:00 AM, as air traffic was expected to gradually return to normal. Pune Airport operations resume after an IAF aircraft with undercarriage failure blocked the runway overnight. No injuries reported. Flights restart Saturday morning. Pune, April 18 Flight operations at Pune Airport resumed on Saturday morning after an overnight suspension triggered by an Indian Air Force aircraft that suffered an undercarriage failure while landing and became stuck on the runway, officials said. The incident took place late on Friday at around 10:25 P.M., when the technical snag rendered the runway completely unusable, forcing authorities to halt all flight movements temporarily. Despite the disruption, officials confirmed that the crew on board the aircraft remained safe and no injuries were reported in the incident. Following the disruption, repair and clearance work was undertaken on priority through the night to restore normalcy. After ensuring all safety protocols, departure flights resumed from 7:30 A.M. on Saturday, while arrival operations recommenced from 8:00 A.M., officials added. Union Minister of State for Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol also addressed the situation, confirming the incident through a social media post. He noted that air traffic in Pune is "expected to gradually return to normal over the course of the day." The Indian Air Force had earlier stated that the runway at Pune airport was temporarily unavailable following the incident involving one of its aircraft, adding that restoration efforts were already underway. "Pune runway is temporarily unavailable due to an incident involving an IAF aircraft. The aircrew are safe, and there is no damage to civil property," the force said in a statement shared on social media. "Efforts are underway to operationalise the runway and resume normal operations at the earliest," it added. According to inputs from the IAF Air Traffic Control, it was initially estimated that it would take approximately four to five hours to remove the obstruction and restore normal flight operations. During this period, the runway remained completely unavailable, impacting scheduled services until the situation was brought under control. - IANS Chinese envoy attends inauguration of president of Republic of the Congo Xinhua) 14:28, April 18, 2026 President of the Republic of the Congo Denis Sassou Nguesso meets with Chinese President Xi Jinping's special envoy Shao Hong, also vice chairperson of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, at the presidential palace in Brazzaville, the Republic of the Congo, April 17, 2026. (Xinhua/Zheng Yangzi) BRAZZAVILLE, April 17 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping's special envoy Shao Hong attended the inauguration ceremony of President of the Republic of the Congo Denis Sassou Nguesso here on Thursday at the invitation of Sassou Nguesso. On Friday, Sassou Nguesso met with Shao, also vice chairperson of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, at the presidential palace in Brazzaville. After conveying cordial greetings and best wishes from Xi to Sassou Nguesso, Shao said that the friendship between China and the Republic of the Congo enjoys a long history and has grown stronger over time. China attaches great importance to the development of bilateral relations and is willing to work with the Congolese side to implement the consensus reached by the two heads of state, deepen mutually beneficial cooperation, and fulfill their responsibilities as co-chairs of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation to lead the development of China-Africa relations and strengthen solidarity and coordination among the Global South, Shao said. Sassou Nguesso asked Shao to convey his sincere greetings to Xi and thanked the Chinese president for sending a special envoy to attend his inauguration ceremony. He spoke highly of the bilateral relations, stressing that the Congolese side cherishes the traditional friendship between the two countries and is willing to deepen friendly cooperation with China in various fields, strengthen communication and coordination on international hotspot issues, and further advance the building of a high-level community with a shared future between the two countries. (Web editor: Zhao Tong, Wu Chaolan) A Chinese language teacher from Confucius Institute introduces Chinese characters during a cultural event celebrating the upcoming International Chinese Language Day in Johannesburg, South Africa, April 17, 2026. The event, themed "Ancient Scripts, Timeless Seasons," was held at the Confucius Institute at the University of Johannesburg on Friday. (Xinhua/Chen Wei) Students experiences Chinese calligraphy during a cultural event celebrating the upcoming International Chinese Language Day in Johannesburg, South Africa, April 17, 2026. The event, themed "Ancient Scripts, Timeless Seasons," was held at the Confucius Institute at the University of Johannesburg on Friday. (Xinhua/Chen Wei) Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has begun an official visit to the Netherlands, aiming to attract international investment by promoting the state as an emerging industrial hub. During the trip, he was welcomed by India's Ambassador to the Netherlands, Kumar Tuhin. Concurrently, his government has inaugurated multiple development projects in the Attari constituency, including road renovations worth Rs 57.80 crore. Mann emphasized transformative initiatives in health, education, and agriculture, alongside enhanced border security with anti-drone systems, to build a "Vibrant Punjab." Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann begins Netherlands visit to attract investment, highlights road, health, and border development projects in Attari and Amritsar. Chandigarh, April 18 Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Saturday began his visit to the Netherlands, his office said in a release. India's Ambassador to the Netherlands, Kumar Tuhin, welcomed him upon his arrival. During his visit, CM Bhagwant Mann will meet with international companies to attract investment in Punjab. He will present Punjab as an emerging industrial hub worldwide. A day earlier, various projects for the renovation of roads were inaugurated and dedicated to the public at Attari in Amritsar district. He said that the border areas, which remained neglected for decades during previous governments, are today, through our government's efforts, set to become leading constituencies of 'Vibrant Punjab'. "Under this development campaign, projects worth Rs 57.80 crore for the renovation of 121 link roads in the Attari constituency have been initiated," he added. "Bringing major changes in the fields of health and education, 'Schools of Eminence' and 'Common Man Clinics' are serving the public in Amritsar district, while a new government college is being constructed at Ajnala at a cost of RS 15 crore" Along with this, for the convenience of farmers, canals and watercourses have been revived at a cost of Rs 6500 crore, bringing canal water to the tail ends of more than 1400 villages, he added. "To end the daily hardships of border farmers, we have raised the issue with the central government, and agreement has been reached to advance the border fencing. While striking a hard blow against drug smuggling, an 'Anti-Drone System' has also been installed at the border. The Common Man's Government is fully committed to a prosperous and golden future for Punjab," CM Bhagwant Mann added. - ANI The Rajasthan Legislative Assembly hosted the 37th International Training Programme on Legislative Drafting, welcoming 43 delegates from 17 countries. Speaker Vasudev Devnani emphasized that law-making must be transparent and use clear language to reflect public aspirations. He showcased the Assembly's complete digitisation, calling it a model "temple of democracy" that blends traditional architecture with modern functionality. The programme facilitated an exchange on key issues like women's reservation and anti-defection laws, strengthening global democratic systems. 43 delegates from 17 countries visit Rajasthan's 'Pink House' to learn about India's legislative process, digital governance, and democratic traditions. Jaipur, April 18 Speaker of the Rajasthan Legislative Assembly, Vasudev Devnani, emphasised that legislative drafting is central to the law-making process and must reflect the aspirations of the people in clear and simple language. He stated that the process of passing bills in the Assembly is conducted with utmost care, transparency, and attention to quality, ensuring effective, people-centric legislation. Devnani was addressing participants at the 37th International Training Programme on Legislative Drafting, organised by the Parliamentary Research and Training Institute for Democracies under the Lok Sabha Secretariat, as part of the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation Programme of the Ministry of External Affairs. The programme attracted 43 delegates from 17 countries, including Bangladesh, Bhutan, Ghana, Kenya, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, and Zambia. The Speaker also interacted with the delegates and joined them for a group photograph. Devnani outlined the three key stages of the legislative process: introduction of a bill, detailed deliberation (often with committee scrutiny), and final passage through voting. He stressed that each stage is designed to ensure that laws are robust, comprehensible, and aligned with public interest. Clear and simple language, he noted, is fundamental to delivering justice. Describing the Assembly as a "temple of democracy," Devnani said it plays a vital role in shaping inclusive development and enacting social welfare legislation. As the Assembly celebrates 75 years of its establishment, he highlighted its journey from the early years of state formation to the present era of digital governance. With 200 members, the Assembly reflects the collective will and aspirations of the people of Rajasthan. The Speaker remarked that as India completes 75 years of independence, it is entering the transformative phase of 'Amrit Kaal', a 25-year journey leading up to 2047, marking 100 years of independence. He described this period as an opportunity for introspection and for setting ambitious national goals. Referring to the Rajasthan Legislative Assembly as the "Pink House" of Jaipur, Devnani said it has emerged as a model institution through the complete digitisation of its legislative records. This transformation enhances transparency, accountability, and efficiency in governance. He also highlighted the Assembly building as an architectural landmark blending traditional Rajasthani design with modern functionality. The Speaker noted that the Assembly's modern digital museum serves as a bridge between the institution and the public, especially the youth. It offers insights into the state's democratic journey and helps citizens better understand legislative proceedings. Encouraging international participants, Devnani said that interactions with experienced legislators provide valuable practical insights beyond academic learning. He added that such exchanges strengthen democratic systems globally, as law-making serves as a universal language of governance. He expressed hope that the delegates would experience the true spirit of "Padharo Mhare Desh" during their visit to India. During the programme, participants from countries such as Tanzania, Kenya, and Malaysia raised questions on subjects including Centre-State relations, women's reservation, the Anti-Defection Law, and private member bills. Government Chief Whip Jogeshwar Garg and Opposition Chief Whip Rafiq Khan addressed these queries in detail, leading to a meaningful exchange of ideas. Among those present were Leader of the Opposition Tikaram Jully; Government Chief Whip Jogeshwar Garg; Opposition Chief Whip Rafiq Khan; MLAs Dr Gopal Sharma, Chandrabhan Singh Aakya, Kailash Verma, Gurveer Singh, and Dr Shikha Meel Barala. Also present were Bharat Bhushan Sharma, Principal Secretary of the Rajasthan Legislative Assembly; Rajkumar, Director of the Parliamentary Research and Training Institute for Democracies Programme; and Programme Director K.M. Chaturvedi. Ms Phurpa Dema from Bhutan delivered the vote of thanks. The international participants expressed appreciation for the museum within the Assembly complex, describing it as informative, engaging, and insightful. - IANS Defence Minister Rajnath Singh chaired the fourth meeting of the Informal Group of Ministers to address risks from the West Asia conflict, stating the government is taking swift action. This comes as India confirmed it has received an invitation to join a UK and France-led maritime initiative to protect transit through the critical Strait of Hormuz. Prime Minister Narendra Modi also chaired a Cabinet Committee on Security meeting to review measures by various ministries. Meanwhile, a truce in Lebanon has allowed displaced families to begin returning home, and Iran has stated it will lift shipping restrictions in the Gulf. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh chairs high-level meeting on West Asia conflict as India confirms invitation to join critical Strait of Hormuz security initiative. New Delhi, April 18 Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Saturday said that the fourth meeting of the Informal Group of Ministers on the West Asia situation was held today, noting that the NDA government under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi is taking swift and effective steps to address any potential risks arising from the ongoing conflict in the region. In a post on X, Singh said the government remains actively engaged in monitoring the evolving situation and ensuring necessary measures are in place to mitigate any emerging challenges. "The 4th meeting of the Informal Group of Ministers (IGoM) on West Asia situation was held today. The NDA Government under the leadership of PM Shri@narendramodicontinues to take swift and effective action to mitigate any potential risks or problem arising due to ongoing West Asia conflict," Rajnath Singh said. Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi spearheaded the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) meeting at Parliament House in the national capital. Prime Minister Modi chaired the meeting to review measures taken by various ministries and departments. India on Friday officially confirmed that it has been invited to take part in a maritime initiative led by the United Kingdom and France to protect transit through the Strait of Hormuz, widely regarded as a critical global chokepoint. During a weekly media briefing in the capital, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal confirmed the invitation, stating, "Yes, India has got the invitation to join the initiative. The meeting is scheduled to start in a few hours. We will inform you on India's role and will also inform you on what was discussed at the meeting." This invitation arrives as the international community intensifies efforts to ensure the security of one of the world's most vital energy corridors, which facilitates nearly twenty per cent of the global oil trade. According to the Ministry of External Affairs, New Delhi has been asked to contribute to a collaborative plan aimed at maintaining "uninterrupted navigation" through the strategic passage. This move reflects a mounting global urgency to stabilise the region and protect essential shipping lanes. In Lebanon, the 10-day cessation of hostilities has prompted displaced families to return to their homes. Roads were reportedly thronged with vehicles as residents took the opportunity to travel back to the war-torn southern regions and bomb-damaged areas of south Beirut. Following the start of the truce in Lebanon, where Israel has been engaged in conflict with the Tehran-aligned Hezbollah, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi confirmed that Iran would lift its restrictions on shipping through the critical Gulf energy corridor. The 40-day war, which concluded with a ceasefire on April 8, saw the Iranian army and the IRGC coordinate a massive series of retaliatory strikes against coalition installations across the region after the initial US-Israeli campaign, Operation Epic Fury/Roaring Lion, targeted Iranian leadership and infrastructure. - ANI Hospitals in Karachi, Pakistan, report a dramatic spike in paediatric HIV cases, with over 70 children admitted to one facility in 2025 alone. Medical experts attribute the surge primarily to unsafe healthcare practices, including the reuse of syringes and transfusion of unscreened blood. The situation is exacerbated by a shortage of antiretroviral drugs following the suspension of USAID funding. Pakistan is noted as having the fastest-growing HIV epidemic in the WHO's Eastern Mediterranean region. Over 70 children admitted with HIV in Karachi in 2025. Doctors blame unsafe healthcare practices like reused syringes and unscreened blood. Karachi, April 18 A dramatic increase in the number of paediatric human immunodeficiency virus cases has been recorded at three hospitals in Pakistan's Karachi over the last nine months, and their numbers continue to grow, according to a latest report. The Sindh Infectious Diseases Hospital and Research Centre (SIDH&RC) admitted 10 HIV positive children in 2024, and in 2025 their numbers rose to over 70. 30 children with HIV posive status were admitted to the hospital this year, reports leading Pakistani daily, Dawn. Meanwhile, 144 HIV positive patients were reported at the Indus Hospital in 2024, and in 2025, the numbers rose to 17. Additionally, 69 HIV patients have been reported in the first quarter of this year alone at this facility. Dr Samreen Sarfaraz, Chair of Infection Control Services and consultant infectious diseases at the Indus Hospital, told Dawn, "There has been an alarming surge in paediatric cases registered at our hospital. Since August 2025 to date, 72 children less than 14 years of age have been registered, of which 68 per cent are under five years of age." According to Sarfaraz, unsafe healthcare practices are the reason for the majority of their registered paediatric HIV cases. She said that the reuse of syringes, needles, intravenous drip sets and cannulas, use of contaminated or improperly sterilised medical instruments and transfusion of unscreened blood are major causes of HIV transmission in the healthcare settings. Sarfaraz also mentioned that due to commercial reasons, many doctors in the public sector prefer drips and injections over oral medications. Additionally, the suspension of USAID (United States Agency for International Development) funding, according to her, has led to the shortages of both antiretroviral and anti-tuberculosis drugs across Pakistan. The report also mentioned that in all of the World Health Organisation Eastern Mediterranean (WHO EMRO), Pakistan has the fastest-growing HIV epidemic, according to Sarfaraz. She also called for strict disciplinary action against rampant malpractices, like reuse of syringes, cannulas, drip sets and multi-dose vials, as well as enforcing the National Action Plan for Injection Safety 2019. - IANS RSS General Secretary Dattatreya Hosabale, in an interview marking the organization's centenary, calls for a renewed push to "decolonise the mind." He argues that distorted narratives about India's history, culture, and identity persist in public discourse and education long after political independence. Hosabale specifically challenges the Aryan invasion theory and laments a lack of awareness about India's scientific heritage, which he says fosters an inferiority complex. He asserts that correcting these narratives is essential for achieving complete freedom and fostering a confident society rooted in its civilisational values. RSS General Secretary Dattatreya Hosabale argues for intellectual decolonisation to correct distorted narratives about India's history and culture. Washington, April 18 The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh has called for a renewed push to "decolonise the mind", with its General Secretary Dattatreya Hosabale arguing that distorted narratives about India's history, culture and identity continue to shape public discourse decades after independence. In an exclusive interview marking 100 years of the RSS, Hosabale told IANS that while India achieved political freedom, the process of intellectual and cultural decolonisation remains incomplete. "Decolonisation has to take place," he said, adding that "somewhere it is still not achieved fully". He said the persistence of a "colonised mind" has led to the spread of narratives that do not reflect historical facts or lived realities of Indian civilisation. "The political freedom should open the doors for other freedoms, cultural and otherwise," Hosabale said, stressing the need to correct the narrative about India and its civilisational roots. He pointed to what he described as long-standing distortions in education and public understanding, including the teaching of the Aryan invasion theory. "Even today, people think that... there was Aryan invasion, though it was proved that there is no such Aryan invasion in India," he said. Hosabale also highlighted what he called a lack of awareness about India's scientific heritage and contributions, arguing that such gaps have contributed to a diminished sense of national confidence. "Many a time about our scientific heritage, there is not a full awareness," he said. Language, he said, is another domain where colonial-era perceptions continue to influence attitudes. "For all these years... people thought that they are less educated if they speak Indian languages," he said, describing how such beliefs created "a sort of inferiority complex among even the educated class". Hosabale also challenged narratives that portray India as a relatively recent political construct, asserting that the country has had a deep civilisational unity for centuries. "We are not a nation in the making. We have been a nation for thousands of years," he said. He said claims that India became unified only after independence or under colonial rule ignore long-standing cultural continuity across regions. According to Hosabale, correcting these narratives is essential for achieving "real and complete freedom", as it would reshape how Indians perceive themselves and their place in the world. The RSS leader linked this intellectual exercise to broader national development, arguing that a confident society rooted in its own civilisational values is better equipped to contribute globally. "If the India narrative is set right, then decolonisation of mind takes place," he said. He added that the organisation's efforts over the past century have been aimed at fostering such confidence through cultural awareness and social engagement. "The impact that RSS has is the Hindu nationalism... pride in our nation and culture and civilisation values," Hosabale said, describing it as a guiding principle for national life. He said these values remain "relevant even today" and should inform both domestic priorities and India's global role. Hosabale also framed decolonisation as part of a wider effort to address contemporary global challenges, including identity conflicts, social fragmentation and ideological divisions. He argued that restoring a balanced understanding of history and culture could strengthen social cohesion and national unity. At the same time, he acknowledged that the process is ongoing and requires sustained engagement across institutions, including education, media and civil society. The remarks come as debates over curriculum changes, historical interpretation and cultural identity continue to shape public discourse in India and among the diaspora. Over the past decade, successive governments have sought to revisit school textbooks, promote Indian languages and highlight indigenous knowledge systems as part of a broader cultural reorientation. The RSS, founded in 1925, has played a significant role in shaping these debates, with its network of affiliates influencing education, social policy and public discourse. As the organisation enters its second century, its emphasis on decolonisation signals a continued focus on redefining India's intellectual and cultural framework in both domestic and global contexts. - IANS The Rural Technology Action Group at IIT Guwahati has completed 20 years of developing affordable, user-friendly technologies for rural communities in Northeast India. Its innovations include a heavy-duty bicycle adapted into a rural vending cart, a highly productive Eri silk cocoon opener, and a solar-powered potter's wheel. Other significant projects are a feed-block machine to prevent livestock starvation and a biomass dryer for agricultural produce. The initiative, now entering "RuTAG 2.0," is shifting focus towards patenting and commercializing these technologies after receiving national recognition. IIT Guwahati's RuTAG initiative completes two decades, developing affordable tech like biomass dryers and silk openers to boost rural livelihoods in Northeast India. Guwahati, April 17 Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati completed 20 years of the Rural Technology Action Group initiative, marking its sustained contributions towards rural innovation and livelihood enhancement in Northeast India. Established on April 12, 2006, at IIT Guwahati, the core mission of RuTAG is to design and deliver affordable and user-friendly technologies for rural communities. An initiative of the Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser (PSA) to the Government of India, over the years, RuTAG has developed multiple solutions to address real-world challenges of the region. Development of a modified heavy-duty bicycle for transporting banana bunches, capable of carrying over 200 kg. This innovation later evolved into a rural vending cart, now widely used by beneficiaries. Development of an improved Cocoon Opener for Eri silk. Through iterative field testing and artisan collaboration, the machine achieved tenfold productivity compared to traditional methods, significantly benefiting silk clusters across Assam. Development of a solar-powered potter's wheel for the pottery clusters of the country is a green technology, doing away with the drudgery involved and low productivity. With this potter's wheel, an artisan can produce up to 120 pottery items a day, compared to 60 with the manual one. Development of a feed-block machine produces compressed feed-blocks for Yak and Mithun of Arunachal Pradesh and Nagaland. These feeds are distributed during winter to address the starvation deaths due to the paucity of naturally available food. RuTAG IIT Guwahati developed two versions of feed-block machines, manual and hydraulic, which produce 20 to 30 compressed feed-blocks in 1 hour. A biomass dryer for the farmer community can dry any item like rice, pulses, vegetables, fruits, etc. It does not require electricity and is weather-independent. The biomass-fired natural convection dryer is manufactured with locally available materials, and it has an efficiency of 15.14% for batch drying and 24% for continuous drying. Speaking about the 20-year journey of RuTAG IIT Guwahati, Prof. Sashindra K. Kakoty, Coordinator, RuTAG - IIT Guwahati, said, "Launched in 2006 under the Principal Scientific Adviser's office, RuTAG at IIT Guwahati is focused on developing affordable, user-friendly technologies for rural communities; early innovations included a banana-transport bicycle later adapted into Rural Vending Carts, and the Eri Cocoon opener developed with Uddhab Bharali to support artisans' livelihoods, while ongoing field interactions across North-East India led to technologies such as chaff cutters, biomass dryers, and mechanised solutions for handloom and power-loom sectors. These successful initiatives reflect a continued commitment to grassroots innovation and rural development." As a testament to its continuous efforts, RuTAG IIT Guwahati has received national recognition, with six of its technologies selected under the STINER (Science & Technology Intervention in North East Region) program by the Ministry of DoNER. This task was completed successfully by RuTAG IITG. A few local fabricators, e.g., Labanya Steel Udyog, AP Enterprise, Jalan Agro-Products, and Redon Enterprise, were engaged to produce the products in bulk. These include - Biomass Dryer, Hank to Bobbin Winding machine, Chaff Cutter, Eri Cocoon opener, Potter's Wheel, Feed Block machine. In its next phase, "RuTAG 2.0", the focus has shifted toward patenting and commercialising the technologies. The centre is currently advancing several key projects and continues to strengthen its impact across the region. Sharing his experience, Sukumar Rabha from Rajapara, Assam, one of the beneficiaries of the rural vending cart developed by RuTAG at IIT Guwahati, mentioned that by using this vending cart, he can save an amount of Rs 3000-4000 per month on local transportation for transporting his agricultural goods from the field to the market. He also mentioned that this cart enables easy mobility, allowing him to reach multiple locations and expand his customer base without relying on costly motorised transport, and that the low initial investment and minimal maintenance make it accessible to economically weaker sections. Sharing his experience, Gopal Pal from Amingaon, Assam, one of the beneficiaries of the solar-powered potter's wheel developed by RuTAG at IIT Guwahati, mentioned that the combination of traditional pottery with this solar-powered solution reduces manual labour and improves productivity. He mentioned that by using this potter's wheel, there is a 50% reduction in production time for the same quantity of pottery items, and that he is able to target more customers and deliver within a shorter period of time. He also mentioned that there is a reduction in drudgery as manual work earlier caused shoulder, back and leg pain. To celebrate 20 years of RuTAG at IIT Guwahati, the Institute organised a two-day event showcasing new technologies such as the 4-in-1 winding machine, solar potter's wheel, herbal gummy production unit, rhizome planter, and pineapple leaf fiber extraction machine. Over 100 beneficiaries and artisans, along with representatives from government agencies, NGOs, startups, and fabricators, attended the event. - ANI The Supreme Court has disposed of a petition highlighting the lack of mechanisms to diagnose specific learning disabilities like dyslexia in adults. The court noted that the National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS) is conducting research to develop appropriate assessment tools for adults, which are expected to be ready within three years. While acknowledging the petitioner's grievance, the Bench also observed his academic achievements, including a Ph.D., indicating the disability had not significantly hampered his progress. The petitioner has been granted liberty to seek revival of the proceedings if no development occurs within the stipulated timeframe. Supreme Court disposes of petition on adult dyslexia testing, records NIMHANS research to develop assessment tools within 3 years. New Delhi, April 18 The Supreme Court has disposed of a writ petition raising concerns about the absence of assessment mechanisms for diagnosing specific learning disabilities, such as dyslexia, in adults, while noting that research is underway to develop appropriate testing tools for adult assessment. A Bench of Justices Manoj Misra and Manmohan was hearing a petition filed by N. Sai Balaji under Article 32 of the Constitution of India, seeking directions on the absence of effective mechanisms for identifying and certifying specific learning disabilities in adults. At the outset, the apex court recorded that several reliefs sought in the petition had already become infructuous in light of fresh guidelines issued by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment on March 12, 2024. The Justice Misra-led Bench took note of the petitioner's surviving grievance that the existing framework for determining specific learning disability is "limited to children and is not designed to deal with adults". Referring to its earlier order, the apex court recorded that the National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS) had been directed to clarify the progress made in developing appropriate tools for assessing dyslexia in adults. In its affidavit, NIMHANS acknowledged that the currently prescribed assessment tools are designed primarily for children. However, it informed the top court that research is underway to develop suitable testing mechanisms for adults, and that such tools are expected to be published within 3 years. Taking this on record, the Justice Misra-led Bench said, "We deem it appropriate to close these proceedings by recording the stand of NIMHANS that they are working on assessment tools/tests for determining specific learning disability amongst adults and would be able to publish the requisite tests within 3 years from now." In its order, the Supreme Court also took note of the petitioner's academic achievements, observing that he had successfully obtained a Ph.D degree, indicating that the alleged disability had not significantly impeded his progress. "From the own stand of the petitioner, we find that he has been able to obtain a Ph.D degree. Thus, apparently, his professed disability has not hampered his progress in life," the Justice Misra-led Bench remarked. Dismissing the petition, the apex court granted the petitioner liberty to seek the revival of the proceedings if no progress is made within the stipulated timeframe. "In case there is no development in that regard in the next 3 years, it shall be open for the petitioner to seek revival of these proceedings," the order clarified. - IANS The Jalgaon district administration has reserved separate rooms and beds in government hospitals and stocked all necessary medicines in response to a heatwave warning from the India Meteorological Department for parts of Maharashtra. District Collector Rohan Ghuge detailed the preparations and urged citizens to avoid going out during peak afternoon hours, cover their heads, and carry water. The IMD forecast predicts intense heat and humid conditions across several regions of Maharashtra, including Marathwada and Vidarbha, over the coming days. Meanwhile, the IMD bulletin also forecasts varied weather patterns across India, including rainfall in the Northeast and potential hailstorms in Jammu & Kashmir. Jalgaon administration reserves hospital rooms and stocks medicines after IMD heatwave alert for Maharashtra. Collector urges public precautions. Jalgaon, April 18 Jalgaon District Collector Rohan Ghuge stated that the district administration has made special arrangements in government hospitals, including reserving separate rooms and beds for patients suffering from heat-related illnesses, following a heatwave warning issued by the India Meteorological Department for several parts of Maharashtra over the next few days. "The administration has already issued instructions to all doctors, from the Civil Hospital to the Public Health Centre. Separate rooms and beds have been reserved for those suffering from sun-related illnesses, and all medicines have been stocked," Ghuge told ANI on Friday. He further urged citizens to take precautions during the extreme heat conditions and avoid outdoor exposure during peak afternoon hours. "My appeal to the citizens is that you should not go out during the afternoon. If you must go out, protect yourself by covering your head and carrying a water bottle," he added. The Collector added that the health department has issued detailed advisories outlining preventive measures and warning signs of heat-related illnesses. "You should follow the dos and don'ts we've issued regarding what to do and what not to do in such situations. If anyone experiences any discomfort due to sun exposure, they should be aware of the symptoms," he said. "All government hospitals have comprehensive treatment facilities for these conditions," Ghuge added. Earlier on Thursday, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a warning of an intense heatwave across several regions of Maharashtra over the next few days, prompting the State Emergency Operations Centre to urge citizens to take necessary precautions, officials said. Temperatures are likely to rise significantly in multiple parts of the state during the forecast period. Hot and humid weather conditions are expected in central Maharashtra between April 15 and 18, in Marathwada between April 16 and 18, in Vidarbha between April 15 and 19, and in Konkan between April 15 and 17 at isolated places. Authorities have appealed to residents to follow safety guidelines and take necessary precautions during the heatwave conditions. On Wednesday, the IMD morning bulletin forecasted changing weather conditions across several parts of the country. It issued a hot and humid weather warning for several parts of the country, saying that heatwave conditions are very likely in isolated pockets of Telangana, Rayalaseema, Madhya Maharashtra, North Interior Karnataka, Marathwada, Madhya Pradesh, Vidarbha, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, West Rajasthan, and Jharkhand between April 15 and 20, with varying peak periods across these regions. Meanwhile, in Northeast India, IMD predicted light to moderate rainfall with thunderstorms, lightning, and gusty winds is likely over Assam, Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, and Tripura between April 15 and 18. Heavy rainfall is also likely in some areas during this period. In Northwest India, rainfall and snowfall are expected over Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, and Haryana, with thunderstorms and strong winds. Hailstorms are also likely in parts of Jammu & Kashmir. East India anticipates scattered rainfall with thunderstorms over West Bengal, Sikkim, and Odisha at various phases from April 15 to 20. In South India, light to moderate rain with thunderstorms and gusty winds is likely over Interior and Coastal Karnataka between April 15 and 18. The IMD has advised citizens across all affected regions to remain alert and take necessary precautions as weather conditions continue to vary significantly across the country. - ANI The Union Cabinet has approved the creation of the Bharat Maritime Insurance Pool with a sovereign guarantee to insulate India's maritime trade from global volatility. The pool will provide comprehensive coverage for Indian-flagged vessels, including in conflict zones, reducing dependency on foreign underwriters. Shipping Minister Sarbananda Sonowal hailed the move as a transformational step to build maritime resilience under Prime Minister Modi's leadership. The initiative aims to stabilize trade flows and protect a sector that handles over 70% of India's trade by volume from external insurance market shocks. India approves sovereign-backed Bharat Maritime Insurance Pool worth 12,980 crore to protect its shipping industry from global volatility and foreign dependency. New Delhi, April 18 In a major policy intervention by the PM Modi-led government, the Union Cabinet has approved the creation of a domestic maritime insurance pool with a sovereign guarantee of Rs 12,980 crore. This is aimed at insulating India's maritime trade from global volatility. The move is expected to significantly reduce dependence on foreign underwriters and ensure uninterrupted risk coverage for Indian shipping. The proposed 'Bharat Maritime Insurance Pool' (BMI Pool) will provide comprehensive coverage across key segments, hull and machinery, cargo, protection and indemnity (P&I), and war risk for Indian-flagged and Indian-controlled vessels, including those operating in conflict-prone international waters. This is an important step towards powering India's shipping industry to become one of the top maritime nations by 2047. Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways (MoPSW), Sarbananda Sonowal, described the decision as a "transformational step" in strengthening India's maritime resilience. "For decades, Indian shipping has remained exposed to external uncertainties dictated by foreign insurance markets. Now, under the visionary and decisive leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji, this landmark decision ensures that India now has the sovereign capacity to safeguard its maritime trade, even in the most challenging global scenarios," he said. India's maritime sector handles over 70% of the country's trade by volume, and nearly 95% by value, yet insurance coverage for this vast ecosystem has largely remained in foreign hands. This structural vulnerability became evident during recent disruptions in key shipping corridors such as the Red Sea, Strait of Hormuz and the Gulf of Oman, when several global insurers sharply increased premiums or withdrew coverage altogether, exposing Indian exporters and shipping operators to heightened financial risk and operational uncertainty. The BMI Pool is designed to address this gap by ensuring continuity of coverage regardless of geopolitical developments, thereby stabilising trade flows and reducing cost pressures on exporters and logistics stakeholders. The pool will extend insurance protection to vessels carrying cargo between international ports and India in both directions. It will cover the physical structure of ships under hull and machinery insurance, protect goods in transit through cargo insurance, and address third-party liabilities such as crew injury and environmental damage under protection and indemnity (P&I) coverage. In addition, it will provide war risk insurance for vessels operating in conflict zones and high-risk maritime corridors, ensuring Indian shipping remains operational even in volatile regions. Sarbananda Sonowal said the decision reflects a broader push towards strategic self-reliance in critical sectors. "This is not just an insurance mechanism, it is a statement of India's growing confidence and capability. With the bold and dynamic leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji, India is building resilient systems that protect national interests while enabling global trade leadership," he said. Officials said the move aligns India with major maritime nations such as the United Kingdom, Japan and South Korea, which have already established state-supported insurance frameworks to safeguard national trade interests. The initiative also fits within the broader Maritime India Vision 2030, which identifies the development of robust insurance infrastructure as a key pillar in positioning India as a leading global maritime power. - ANI Sikkim Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang has expressed strong support for the proposed National Legislative Index. The index is designed as a comparative framework to assess state legislative performance on metrics like sittings, debate quality, and committee work. Tamang emphasized that such data-driven benchmarking is necessary for legislatures to remain responsive and future-ready. He confirmed Sikkim's commitment to actively participate in developing the framework to enhance legislative governance across India. Sikkim CM Prem Singh Tamang endorses the National Legislative Index, a framework to benchmark and improve the performance of State Legislatures in India. New Delhi, April 17 The Chief Minister of Sikkim, Prem Singh Tamang, has extended strong support to the proposed National Legislative Index, an initiative aimed at benchmarking the performance of State Legislatures across India. In a letter addressed to the Speaker of the Delhi Legislative Assembly, Vijender Gupta, the Chief Minister appreciated the vision behind the initiative and congratulated the Delhi Legislative Assembly for taking a forward-looking step towards strengthening legislative institutions. According to the release, the National Legislative Index (NLI) is a structured, comparative framework for assessing legislative performance across states on parameters such as sittings, working hours, debate productivity, and committee effectiveness, thereby promoting transparency, self-assessment, the adoption of best practices, and healthy competition among legislatures. CM Tamang noted that the idea of benchmarking legislatures on parameters such as productivity, transparency, and innovation is both timely and necessary. He emphasised that in order to remain responsive and future-ready, legislative bodies must increasingly adopt data-driven approaches. Expressing Sikkim's commitment, the Chief Minister conveyed that the State is keen to actively participate in the development of the National Legislative Index and contribute to its framework. He further highlighted that the initiative would promote healthy competition, innovation, and greater public accountability among State Legislatures. Tamang also underscored that the proposed index would serve as a valuable tool for identifying gaps and enhancing legislative functioning across the country. He reiterated Sikkim's willingness to adopt best practices emerging from the framework to further strengthen democratic institutions. Commending the efforts of Vijender Gupta in advancing this initiative, the Chief Minister extended his best wishes for its continued success and expressed confidence that it would significantly contribute to improving the quality and effectiveness of legislative governance in India. - ANI KINSHASA, April 17 (Xinhua) -- The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) said Friday that 15 third-country nationals deported by the United States had arrived in its capital, Kinshasa, under a temporary reception arrangement. According to a statement issued by the Ministry of Communication and Media, the arrival marked the start of the first operational phase of the program reached with the United States. The statement said the individuals were admitted on short-stay permits, in accordance with national laws governing the entry and residence of foreigners, as well as the country's international commitments. It said the arrangement was "strictly transitional, temporary and time-limited" and did not constitute either long-term settlement on the territory or permanent relocation. According to the statement, reception, supervision and support for the individuals are financed by the U.S. government, in compliance with security requirements, existing administrative regulations and recognized standards for the orderly management of migration flows. South Korean President Lee Jae Myung's upcoming three-day visit to India is poised to reinvigorate the Special Strategic Partnership after years of limited high-level engagement. The visit, analyzed in a report by *The Diplomat*, occurs as India's global strategic and economic stature has grown significantly, making it a sought-after partner. The current South Korean government aims to deepen ties with India as a leading voice of the Global South, aligning with its upgraded foreign policy agenda. Cooperation is expected to focus on reinforcing value-chain resilience in strategic sectors like defence and shipbuilding where mutual interests strongly align. President Lee Jae Myung's 3-day India visit aims to enhance bilateral strategic & economic partnership, focusing on defence & global south leadership. Seoul, April 18 South Korean President Lee Jae Myung's three-day visit to India starting Sunday is likely to serve as a significant milestone in enhancing India-South Korea bilateral relationship, extending beyond the economic sphere to include security, culture, and people-to-people connections, a report said on Saturday. According to international magazine 'The Diplomat', unlike 2023 and 2025, the year 2026 is likely to be remembered as a landmark year for ushering in a new phase in the second decade of the Special Strategic Partnership. The last State Visit by the South Korean President to India took place in July 2018, while the Indian Prime Minister last visited South Korea in February 2019, over seven years ago. Since then, interactions between the two leaders have largely been limited to brief encounters at multilateral forums. "This lack of energy is puzzling, considering that India's strategic position has skyrocketed over the past decade. Amid rising global instability, countries' and companies' search for a reliable partner has led them to India. India has surpassed France and the United Kingdom to become the world's fifth-largest economy and is expected to overtake Japan and Germany to become the third-largest by the end of this decade," the report detailed. "The world's most populous country and the largest democracy have also improved their business environment by investing heavily in infrastructure and liberalising foreign direct investment rules," it added. The report stressed that India and South Korea have yet to discover the synergies in their multi-alignment approaches, even as the conditions for deeper convergence are rapidly emerging. The upcoming visit of President Lee to India from April 19-21 is expected to significantly alter the current diplomatic mood. "The current Korean government, which took office in June 2025, is dedicated to inheriting and advancing the New Southern Policy of the Moon Jae-in administration (2017-22), which focused on deepening relationships with Asia's emerging economies. The government is implicitly preparing for a multipolar world by using the term 'Global South' in its 123 National Policy Agenda," the report mentioned. "The document highlighted the diplomatic and economic significance of the Global South and the government's intention to upgrade partnerships. In this context, it is not surprising that the current South Korean government will make its utmost effort to strengthen its relationship with India, the leading voice of the Global South," it stated. Emphasising the complementary strengths between India and South Korea, the report said that there is strong potential to reinforce value-chain resilience and economic security through cooperation in strategic sectors, particularly defence and shipbuilding, in which the interests of both countries are clearly aligned. - IANS South Korean President Lee Jae-myung is set for a three-day state visit to India to strengthen the bilateral strategic partnership. The visit's agenda includes high-level talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, focusing on defence, semiconductors, and green energy cooperation. Key engagements involve meetings with External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and President Droupadi Murmu, alongside a major business forum. The visit aims to culminate in new agreements and a shared vision for a stable Indo-Pacific region. South Korean President Lee Jae-myung visits India for a 3-day state visit to enhance defence, tech & trade cooperation with PM Modi. New Delhi, April 17 In a move to deepen the "Special Strategic Partnership" between two of Asia's largest democracies, the President of South Korea, Lee Jae-myung, accompanied by First Lady Kim Hea-kyung, will arrive in New Delhi this Sunday for a high-profile three-day State Visit. The visit, scheduled from April 19 to 21, marks a significant diplomatic milestone aimed at enhancing bilateral cooperation in defence, high-tech manufacturing, and regional security. The President's itinerary is packed with high-level engagements designed to solidify ties between Seoul and New Delhi. Upon his arrival at the AFS Palam, the South Korean leader will be greeted with the protocol befitting a close strategic ally. His first major engagement will be a meeting with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar to set the stage for the executive talks to follow. On Monday, the President will receive a formal Ceremonial Reception at Rashtrapati Bhavan before paying homage to Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat. The centrepiece of the visit will be a bilateral summit at Hyderabad House, where President Lee will hold extensive talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The discussions are expected to culminate in the exchange of several Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs), likely focusing on critical technologies on cooperation in semiconductors and green energy; defence production by strengthening the "Make in India" initiative through Korean engineering; and economic trade by expanding the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA). Following the summit, the leaders will issue joint press statements to outline their shared vision for a stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific. Recognising the vital role of the private sector, President Lee will participate in a Business Forum at the iconic Bharat Mandapam. This forum will bring together industry titans from both nations to explore investment opportunities and supply chain resilience. The state visit will conclude with a meeting with President Droupadi Murmu at Rashtrapati Bhavan, signifying the deep cultural and political respect between the two nations. President Lee and the First Lady are scheduled to depart from New Delhi on Tuesday afternoon, leaving behind a roadmap for an intensified partnership in the years to come. - ANI Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyyed Mojtaba Khamenei marked his first Army Day by praising the Iranian Army's "courageous defence" during the recent 40-day conflict against a US-Israeli coalition. He credited the army's technological and naval advancements for inflicting heavy blows and characterized the war as a pivotal victory. The Leader honored generations of commanders and recent martyrs, while vowing to issue new measures to advance the army's capabilities, particularly in drones and maritime power. Other senior Iranian officials, including the Parliament Speaker and Foreign Minister, also lauded the armed forces as pillars of national security. Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei praises Iranian Army's performance in recent conflict, vows enhanced capabilities and honors fallen commanders. Tehran, April 18 Marking his first Army Day since ascending to the leadership, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyyed Mojtaba Khamenei issued a high-stakes message on Saturday, commending the Islamic Republic of Iran Army for its "courageous defence" during the recent 40-day war against the US-Israeli coalition. In a statement marking Farvardin 29, the Leader characterised the military's performance as a pivotal victory over "disbelief and arrogance," claiming the conflict exposed the "weakness and humiliation" of Iran's adversaries. In a series of posts shared on the account purportedly attributed to Mojtaba Khamenei, the Supreme Leader hailed Iran's army for courageously defending the country from aggressors. The message carried deep personal and historical weight, coinciding with the birth anniversary of his father and predecessor, Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, who was killed during the initial strikes of the recent conflict in February. He said, "necessary measures for realising the line of progress in the various capabilities of the Islamic Republic of Iran's Army will be issued." As per Press TV, Mojtaba Khamenei stressed that the army's progress must be pursued with intensified effort. Mojtaba Khamenei described the 1979 Revolution as the moment the army left the "tyrannical Pahlavi orbit" to find its place in the "embrace of the people." In his post, he added, "After the victory of the Islamic Revolution, the army stood in its proper place and, instead of belonging to the tyrannical and corrupt Pahlavi regime, was embraced in the warm bosom of the nation." He credited his late father with preserving the army against early calls for its dissolution, vowing to double the efforts to enhance its strategic capabilities. Referring to the Army as the "child of the nation", he underlined how it has continued to bravely defend the water and soil in the current as well as previous wars. The Supreme Leader specifically highlighted the technological and naval advancements that defined the recent 40-day engagement. "Just as Iranian army drones strike like lightning against American and Zionist criminals, its brave naval force stands ready to make enemies taste the bitterness of new defeats." According to Press TV, Mojtaba Khamenei, in a sombre moment, paid tribute to generations of commanders who shaped the military over five decades. He specifically honoured the "recent martyrs" of the 40-day war. He noted that their sacrifices, alongside the seamless synergy with the Revolutionary Guard, allowed the armed forces to "inflict heavy blows" despite the scale of the aggression faced. Among those he mentioned were commanders Qarani, Fallahi, Namjou, Fakouri, Babaei, Setari, Ardestani, Sayyad Shirazi, as well as the ones recently killed in the US-Israel and Iran conflict, such as Seyyed Abdolrahim Mousavi and Aziz Nasirzadeh. The 40-day war, which concluded with a ceasefire on April 8, saw the Iranian army and the IRGC coordinate a massive series of retaliatory strikes against coalition installations across the region after the initial US-Israeli campaign, Operation Epic Fury/Roaring Lion, targeted Iranian leadership and infrastructure. Looking toward the future, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei signalled that the "orbit of weakness" is permanently closed. He announced that a new set of measures for the further advancement of the army's domains--likely focusing on drone proliferation and maritime blockade capabilities--would be issued in the "near future." Meanwhile, Speaker of Iran's Parliament Mohhamed Baqer Qalibaf also praised the Army, calling it a symbol of Iran's "power and security" as per Press TV. Iran's Judiciary Chief Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Eje'i also congratulated army personnel and the people of Iran on the occasion of the Army Day. As per Press TV, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi praised the role of the armed forces and said that the peace, security, and prosperity of the country are the direct result of the sacrifices of Iran's army. In a post on X, the spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Esmaeil Baqaei, paid tributes to the personnel of the Navy's Dena Destroyer and those killed in defending the country. - ANI Hyderabad Police Commissioner V. C. Sajjanar has announced stringent measures to make the city drug-free. This follows drug tests on 239 rowdy-sheeters, of which 188 tested positive, with many now undergoing a special 15-day treatment program. The police have equipped all stations with drug detection kits and will conduct strict night tests on suspicious individuals. Commissioner Sajjanar also praised the statewide network of 35 de-addiction centres while vowing to take an iron-fisted approach against drug peddlers. Hyderabad Police Commissioner announces stringent action after 188 rowdy-sheeters test positive for drugs. New de-addiction centres and night patrols launched. Hyderabad, April 17 Stringent measures are being taken to transform Hyderabad into a drug-free city, Hyderabad Police Commissioner V. C. Sajjanar said on Friday. The city police chief visited the De-addiction Centre located within Gandhi Hospital in Secunderabad and interacted directly with rowdy-sheeters who had recently tested positive for drugs during tests conducted by the Task Force police. He enquired about their health status and the steps they are taking to overcome their addiction. Additionally, he spoke with their family members who were present, advising them to provide emotional support and encouragement to the affected individuals. Subsequently, he held a meeting with the doctors to review the counselling process and the nature of the treatment being administered. In his remarks on the occasion, the Commissioner stated that surveillance is being maintained over the movements of rowdy-sheeters who pose a threat to law and order in the city. As part of this initiative, drug tests were conducted on 239 rowdy-sheeters, out of whom 188 tested positive. He noted that while 35 individuals are currently undergoing treatment at the Gandhi De-addiction Centre, the remaining individuals are receiving counselling at other centres. He expressed hope that this special 15-day counselling and treatment programme -- which commenced a week ago -- would bring about a positive transformation in them. He further said that state-of-the-art drug detection kits have been made available at all police stations across the city. He announced that field-level officials have been directed to strictly conduct drug tests on individuals found roaming suspiciously during night hours, particularly the youth. The Commissioner lauded the establishment of 35 de-addiction centres across the state, initiated based on proposals by EAGLE Force director Sandeep Shandilya, describing it as a model for the entire nation. He stated that these centres would provide liberation to a great number of individuals struggling with drug addiction. The Commissioner said that while victims are being liberated from addiction, the police will simultaneously deal with drug peddlers with an iron hand. History sheets will be opened against the accused, and strict legal action will be taken against them. He remarked that the performance of Hyderabad-Narcotics Enforcement Wing (H-NEW) is exceptional in controlling drugs within the city. He appealed to the public and voluntary organisations to cooperate with the police in the collective effort to eradicate the drug menace. - IANS RSS General Secretary Dattatreya Hosabale asserts that the success and durability of Indian democracy are rooted in the country's civilisational and cultural ethos, particularly its Hindu philosophical tradition. He describes this as "spiritual democracy," arguing democratic values are a deep-seated societal mindset and a "way of life" in India. Hosabale contrasts India's democratic resilience with neighbouring countries that emerged from the same 1947 context but have struggled to sustain similar systems. He links this endurance to a cultural foundation of pluralism and unity, suggesting it offers lessons for the world amid global democratic challenges. RSS General Secretary Dattatreya Hosabale says India's democratic resilience stems from its civilisational ethos and "spiritual democracy." Stanford, April 18 The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh has asserted that the success of democracy in India is rooted in its civilisational and cultural ethos, with its General Secretary Dattatreya Hosabale arguing that democratic values are embedded in what he described as the country's Hindu philosophical tradition. In an interview marking 100 years of the RSS, Hosabale told IANS that democracy in India should not be viewed merely as a system of governance but as a deeper societal mindset shaped by cultural values. "The system of democracy may change from time to time," he said, noting that different countries follow varied institutional models. "Britain has something, Germany has another thing, US has one more thing. India has experimented something," he added. However, Hosabale stressed that the durability of democracy depends not on institutions alone but on the underlying outlook of society. "Whether democratic mindset is there... the Hindu philosophy has this democratic outlook and democratic mindset," he said. He described this as "spiritual democracy", arguing that India's civilisational traditions have long embraced diversity while maintaining a sense of unity. "There are so many... in Bharat, but we are all one," he said, pointing to coexistence across traditions as a defining feature of Indian society. Hosabale argued that this cultural foundation explains why democracy has endured in India despite political and social challenges. "India's mind is basically democratic," he said. He contrasted India's experience with that of neighbouring countries that emerged from the same historical context but have struggled to sustain democratic systems. "You see these countries around... those who broke away in 1947, do they have democracy in their country?" he said. He added that India's democratic resilience was evident even during periods of political strain. "Once it was tried to be tinkered with, it did not survive... people threw out the regime," he said, referring to a period when democratic norms were challenged. Hosabale linked this resilience to what he described as a deeply ingrained cultural commitment to pluralism and participation. He argued that democracy in India is not limited to electoral processes or institutional frameworks but extends to social behaviour and everyday interactions. "Democratic living is not just because of governance, it is a way of life," he said. The RSS leader also suggested that India's democratic experience offers lessons for the wider world, particularly at a time when several countries are grappling with political polarisation and institutional challenges. "It is a mindset. It is an approach," he said, emphasising that democratic values must be cultivated within society to sustain political systems. At the same time, Hosabale acknowledged that governance structures differ across nations and evolve over time, but maintained that cultural foundations play a decisive role in shaping outcomes. His remarks come amid ongoing debates in India and abroad over the nature of democracy, secularism and the role of cultural identity in governance. Hosabale's comments also intersect with broader discussions about the evolution of democratic institutions in India, including electoral reforms, governance models and the role of civil society. In the same interview, he emphasised the importance of political awareness and civic education, arguing that an informed citizenry is essential for the functioning of democracy. "People require the political education for thinking the right thing," he said, linking democratic participation to societal responsibility. He also called for political parties to prioritise national interest over partisan considerations, reinforcing the idea that democracy must be guided by a broader commitment to unity. "Nation first, then other things," he said. Hosabale reiterated that all citizens must enjoy equal rights irrespective of religion or background, while also emphasising the importance of national loyalty. "All Indians are having equal rights. Nobody is a second-class citizen," he said. At a philosophical level, he framed democracy as part of a larger civilisational vision that integrates diversity with unity and balances individual freedom with collective responsibility. He suggested that this approach could help address contemporary global challenges, including social fragmentation and ideological conflict. - IANS A sudden shift in weather brought light rain and gusty winds to Delhi-NCR, offering residents a brief respite from days of intense heat. The India Meteorological Department notes the region had been experiencing temperatures between 37C and 39C with high humidity. Meteorologists attribute the change to typical pre-summer atmospheric activity, which triggers localized cloud formation. However, the IMD forecasts this relief as temporary, with temperatures expected to climb steadily and potentially breach 40C in the coming days. Sudden weather shift cools Delhi-NCR with light rain and gusty winds, offering brief respite before temperatures are forecast to climb above 40C. New Delhi, April 17 In a welcome break from the relentless heat sweeping Delhi and National Capital Region, the weather took a dramatic turn on Friday afternoon, as dark clouds rolled in and a light drizzle cooled the adjoining areas. The sudden transformation -- marked by gusty winds, overcast skies and scattered showers -- offered much-needed respite to residents who had been reeling under intense sunshine and rising temperatures for days. Streets shimmering under harsh sunlight only hours earlier wore a subdued look, as people enjoyed the shift. According to the India Meteorological Department, the region had been witnessing a steady spike in temperatures, with maximum readings hovering between 37 degrees Celsius and 39 degrees Celsius, while minimum temperatures ranged from 21 degrees Celsius to 24 degrees Celsius. On Friday, the minimum temperature was recorded at 22.4 degrees Celsius, but high humidity levels and strong solar radiation had made conditions particularly uncomfortable. The Friday afternoon drizzle, though light and short-lived, brought down temperatures marginally and improved overall comfort levels. Many residents described the change as a "breather" from the oppressive heat, even as it lasted only briefly. Meteorologists attribute such sudden shifts to typical pre-summer atmospheric activity in north India, when intense heating during the day triggers localized cloud formation, dust-laden winds, and occasional light rainfall. These episodic changes, while refreshing, are rarely sustained. The IMD has already cautioned that this relief may be temporary. Its seven-day forecast indicates partly cloudy conditions in the immediate term, followed by clearer skies and a rise in temperatures. Maximum temperatures are expected to climb steadily -- touching 38 degrees Celsius, 39 degrees Celsius, and possibly breaching the 40 degrees Celsius mark in the coming days. Night-time temperatures, too, are likely to inch upwards, reaching around 24 degrees Celsius. With heatwave conditions looming, experts advise residents to remain cautious, stay hydrated, and avoid prolonged exposure to the sun during peak afternoon hours. The forecast suggests that Delhi-NCR must brace for more intense heat in the days ahead. - IANS Postal voting has commenced for government employees, police, media personnel, and other essential workers on election duty in Tamil Nadu. This process allows those deployed outside their constituencies or on duty during polling day to cast their ballots. The initiative comes ahead of the single-phase Tamil Nadu Assembly elections scheduled for April 23. Key constituencies like Tiruchirappalli West and East are poised for high-stakes, multi-cornered contests. Postal voting begins in Tamil Nadu for officials, police, and media on election duty ahead of the April 23 Assembly polls. Key contests in Tiruchirappalli. Tiruchirappalli, April 17 The process of collecting postal votes from government employees, teachers, journalists, and other personnel engaged in essential election duties has commenced across Tamil Nadu on Friday. Postal voting has been initiated at the offices of the Returning Officers for officials, including government staff, media personnel, fire and rescue services, and police personnel who will be on election duty. As part of this, officials from various departments involved in election work are casting their votes today at the Revenue Divisional Officer's office in Tiruchirappalli. Since many of these personnel will be deployed outside their respective constituencies or will be on duty on polling day, special arrangements have been made to facilitate postal voting for them. As permitted by the Election Commission, government officials, media personnel, police, fire service staff, and other essential workers engaged in election duties are exercising their franchise through postal ballots. This comes ahead of the single-phased Tamil Nadu Assembly elections on April 23, with counting of votes on May 4. Tiruchirappalli West Assembly constituency is heading into the April 23 polls as one of the most closely seat with DMK's KN Nehru, a Cabinet minister seeking a fourth term from this seat against AMMK Rajasekaran, who represents NDA and the entry of TVK's G Ramamoorthy, making this a genuinely three-cornered contest for the first time in the seat's recent history. Meanwhile, Tiruchirappalli East Assembly constituency is set for a high-voltage contest between TVK chief Vijay and incumbent DMK MLA Inigo S Irudayaraj, who won in 2021. Earlier on April 12, Deputy Election Commissioner Bhanu Prakash Yeturu chaired a high-level meeting in Tiruchirappalli to review poll preparedness ahead of the upcoming Tamil Nadu Assembly elections. The meeting, held at the Trichy District Collectorate, was attended by Tamil Nadu Chief Electoral Officer Archana Patnaik along with senior election officials from 11 districts, including Trichy, Ariyalur, Perambalur, Pudukkottai, Nagapattinam, Mayiladuthurai, Karur, Salem, Thanjavur, and Tiruvarur. Senior police officials, including Inspectors General of Police, Superintendents of Police, election observers, and expenditure observers, also participated in the discussions. The meeting focused on ensuring seamless coordination between civil and police administration for the smooth conduct of elections. Discussions during the meeting focused on ensuring comprehensive preparedness for the upcoming elections, with particular emphasis on security arrangements. Officials reviewed measures to be implemented at polling stations and counting centres to ensure smooth and orderly conduct of the electoral process. - ANI Tejashwi Yadav to campaign with M.K. Stalin Prominent national opposition leaders are converging in Tamil Nadu to campaign for the DMK-led Secular Progressive Alliance ahead of the April 23 assembly polls. RJD's Tejashwi Yadav will campaign alongside Chief Minister M.K. Stalin, while AAP's Arvind Kejriwal is set for a two-day tour highlighting governance models. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi will also address a public meeting, reinforcing the theme of national opposition unity. The high-profile campaign trail intensifies as parties make final appeals to voters before the single-phase election. Tejashwi Yadav, Arvind Kejriwal, and Rahul Gandhi join M.K. Stalin to campaign for the DMK-led alliance ahead of the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections. Chennai, April 18 With the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections fast approaching, the poll campaign has intensified with the entry of prominent national leaders backing the DMK-led Secular Progressive Alliance. Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Convenor Arvind Kejriwal are set to campaign in the state, adding momentum to the alliance's outreach efforts. Tejashwi Yadav will campaign on Saturday alongside Chief Minister M.K. Stalin in Coimbatore and Tiruppur. The joint appearances are aimed at mobilising support for the DMK alliance candidates and reinforcing Opposition unity at the national level. His visit is being viewed as a strategic move to consolidate votes and energise party workers ahead of polling. Arvind Kejriwal, former Delhi Chief Minister and AAP Convenor, is scheduled to campaign in Tamil Nadu on April 20 and 21. During his visit, Kejriwal is expected to tour multiple regions, participate in rallies, and extend support to the DMK-led front. Party sources indicate that Kejriwal will highlight governance models and welfare initiatives while appealing to voters to back the alliance. The Election Commission has announced that polling for the 234-member Tamil Nadu Assembly will be held in a single phase on April 23, with counting of votes scheduled for May 4. The Model Code of Conduct is currently in force across the state. Adding to the high-profile campaign trail, Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi will also address a public meeting in Thuraiyur town in Tiruchirappalli district later on Saturday. He is expected to arrive at Tiruchirappalli International Airport from Chennai before proceeding to the venue by helicopter. Chief Minister M.K. Stalin, seeking a renewed mandate, continues to spearhead the DMK campaign across the state. He has been actively addressing rallies and engaging with voters, focusing on the achievements of his government and outlining future development plans. With top national leaders joining the campaign and political activity reaching a peak, Tamil Nadu is witnessing a high-decibel electoral battle as parties gear up for the April 23 polls. - IANS Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy and Civil Supplies Minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy met Union Minister Pralhad Joshi in Delhi, urging the central government to procure 30 lakh metric tonnes of boiled rice from the state's current Yasangi harvest. The Union Minister approved the proposal in principle during the meeting. The state leaders also appealed for the immediate release of outstanding dues amounting to Rs 1,468.94 crore related to past procurement. Additionally, they requested the resumption of the Fortified Rice Kernels distribution scheme to combat nutritional deficiencies. CM Revanth Reddy meets Union Minister Pralhad Joshi, urging procurement of 30 lakh metric tonnes of boiled rice and release of Rs 1,468 crore dues. New Delhi, April 17 Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy and Civil Supplies Minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy urged Union Minister for Food and Public Distribution Pralhad Joshi to procure 30 lakh metric tonnes of boiled rice from Telangana in the Yasangi season. The Chief Minister and Civil Supplies minister brought to the attention of Pralhad Joshi that the Paddy harvested during the rabi season is suitable for milling of boiled rice. CM Revanth Reddy briefed the union minister about the supply of Custom Milling Rice ( CMR) with statistical data over the past 6 Yasangi seasons and boiled rice, a release said. The Chief Minister and Civil Supplies Minister met with Union Minister Joshi at his residence in Delhi on Friday morning. As per the release, during the meeting, the CM and Uttam Kumar Reddy reminded the Union Minister that the officials of the Ministry of Food and Public Distribution had suggested increasing the supply of boiled rice in view of the growing demand across the country. The Chief Minister informed Joshi that 90 LMT (Lakh Metric Tonnes) of Paddy is expected to be produced in Telangana during the current Yasangi season and the harvested crop issuitable for milling into parboiled rice. CM Revanth Reddy said that Telangana is ready to supply a total of 30 LMT of parboiled rice (with 5 per cent broken rice content) and 5 LMT of raw rice (with 10 per cent broken rice content) from the Yasangi harvest. In a quick response, Union Minister Pralhad Joshi approved in principle the proposal of supply of boiled rice submitted by the Chief Minister and Uttam Kumar Reddy in the meeting. Further, CM Revanth Reddy and Civil Supplies minister appealed to Pralhad Joshi to immediately release outstanding dues of Rs 1,468.94 crore, pertaining to the procurement of additional levy from the 2014-15 Kharif (monsoon) season. The CM and the State Minister apprised the Union Minister that Telangana is the largest paddy-producing state and also deposited money in the farmers' accounts within 48 hours of the procurement of paddy. In view of the financial challenges facing by the state Civil Supplies department, the CM requested the Union Minister to expedite the release of pending arrears. Pralhad Joshi was also requested to resume the distribution of Fortified Rice Kernels (FRK) immediately. The fortified rice was distributed through schools, hostels and ICDS centers to prevent anaemia and nutritional deficiencies among children. The CM said that the scheme was stopped recently. State Government Special Representative in Delhi, A.P. Jithender Reddy, Secretary (Coordination) Advait Singh, and officials from the Union Ministry of Food and Public Distribution were present in the meeting. - ANI The Telangana government has constituted a five-member Cabinet Sub-Committee to study and recommend legislation for the proposed Rohit Vemula Act. The committee, led by Deputy CM Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, will finalise the modalities for the bill aimed at preventing caste discrimination in educational institutions. This move fulfils a promise made by the Congress party during the 2023 state elections and follows persistent advocacy, including from LoP Rahul Gandhi. The act is named after Rohit Vemula, a Dalit PhD scholar whose death by suicide in 2016 sparked nationwide protests against caste bias in academia. Telangana govt forms a cabinet sub-committee to finalise the Rohit Vemula Act, aimed at ending caste discrimination in educational institutions. Hyderabad, April 17 The Telangana government on Friday constituted a Cabinet Sub-Committee to study and recommend legislation on the "Rohit Vemula Telangana Bill, 2026. The five-member committed is led by Deputy Chief Minister and Minister for Finance & Planning and Energy, Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka. Ministers N. Uttam Kumar Reddy, Damodar Rajanarasimha, Duddilla Sridhar Babu and Ponnam Prabhakar are the members Chief Secretary K. Ramakrishna Rao on Friday issued a Government Order (GO) in this regard. Sabyasachi Ghosh, the Special Chief Secretary to government's Scheduled Caste Development Department, will be the convenor of the Sub-Committee. The Cabinet Sub-Committee will submit its recommendations at the earliest, the GO said The Cabinet at its meeting on March 23 had decided to constitute a Sub-Committee to finalise the modalities for the proposed Rohit Vemula Act to curb caste discrimination in educational institutions. The Congress in 2023 state Assembly elections had promised the Rohit Vemula Act. Last year, Leader of Opposition (LoP) in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, had urged the Telangana government to enact the Rohit Vemula Act. In a letter to Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy, LoP Gandhi called for putting an end to the caste discrimination through a legislation. Rohit Vemula, a 26-year-old Dalit research scholar of the University of Hyderabad, died by suicide on January 17, 2016, alleging caste discrimination by the university authorities, who suspended his PhD degree and cancelled his stipend following an alleged dispute with ABVP members. Rohit's death had sparked massive protests in campuses across the country over caste discrimination in educational institutions. Rahul Gandhi, during his visit to Hyderabad University, had promised that if voted to power the Congress will bring the Rohit Vemula Act. During a meeting with the members of the Justice for Rohit Vemula Campaign Committee from Karnataka in January, Deputy Chief Minister Vikramarka had announced that the state government would soon introduce the Rohit Vemula Act to prevent discrimination against Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in educational institutions across the state. The committee submitted a draft of the Rohit Vemula Act, 2025, envisaged by the Karnataka government. - IANS JOHANNESBURG, April 18 (Xinhua) -- China's upcoming zero-tariff policy on imports from African countries is expected to create new opportunities for small businesses and bolster job creation across the continent, according to young entrepreneurs and residents in Johannesburg. Xinhua spoke with members of the public in the city regarding the policy, which is set to take effect on May 1. Many residents believe that by removing these trade barriers, the initiative will make it significantly easier for African producers and small-to-medium enterprises (SMEs) to access the Chinese market. Participants noted that businesses in the agricultural and light manufacturing sectors are likely to be the primary beneficiaries. Residents also highlighted the potential for industrial expansion in food processing and clothing, which could lead to much-needed local employment. "I heard about it on the news, and I think it's a great opportunity for small businesses to grow and export more," said Rudzani Singo, a young entrepreneur in the city centre. "If it reduces costs, local products can compete more effectively internationally. That means more jobs for people like us." Another resident, Shandukani Mudau, added that "lowering the cost of entry into the Chinese market is a game-changer for local producers." The initiative applies to African countries that maintain diplomatic relations with China. In Braamfontein, a prominent academic hub in central Johannesburg, university students expressed optimism about the policy's impact on the youth. "As students, we see this as a positive step for Africa's economy," said Tshegofatso Moilwa. "It could encourage innovation and help young entrepreneurs access vast international markets." Fellow student Bogadi Modise agreed, noting: "If local businesses can export more easily to China, it creates hope for graduates looking for opportunities in trade, agriculture, and manufacturing." While some, like student Babalwa Mzamanene, were hearing of the policy for the first time, they acknowledged its potential if implemented effectively. Most interviewees emphasized the need for greater public awareness to ensure businesses can fully take advantage of the new regulations. Trade between Africa and China has grown steadily over the past two decades, with China remaining the continent's largest trading partner. While Africa's exports have traditionally been dominated by raw materials and minerals, this new policy is seen as a vital step toward diversifying exports to include more value-added manufactured and agricultural goods. The Telangana government is formulating a policy to mandate the installation of Electric Vehicle charging points in the basements of apartment buildings. The initiative aims to provide convenient home charging and encourage wider EV adoption among urban residents. Chief Secretary K. Ramakrishna Rao emphasized the urgent need for a robust charging network to support the state's clean energy transition. Officials were directed to create a comprehensive plan and a central dashboard to monitor the infrastructure rollout. Telangana plans a policy requiring EV charging points in apartment basements to accelerate electric vehicle adoption and build a robust charging network. Hyderabad, April 17 The government of Telangana is formulating a policy to mandate the installation of Electric Vehicle charging points in the basements of apartment buildings. Special Chief Secretary (Energy), Navin Mittal, informed that the Energy Department is in the process of formulating the policy. This initiative aims to facilitate convenient home charging options and encourage wider adoption of EVs among urban residents. He was speaking at a review meeting on the EV charging infrastructure mandate at the Secretariat on Friday. Chief Secretary, K. Ramakrishna Rao, had called the review meeting. Senior officials from various departments participated in the meeting, which focussed on strategies to scale up EV infrastructure across the state. During the meeting, the Chief Secretary underscored the urgent need to accelerate the adoption of EVs in line with sustainability goals and the transition towards clean energy. He emphasised that a strong and widespread charging network is critical to instill confidence among EV users and to support the growing demand for electric mobility. He directed officials to develop a comprehensive and forward-looking plan for establishing EV charging infrastructure, leveraging both government initiatives and private sector participation. Stressing the importance of coordinated efforts, he called for the creation of a seamless ecosystem that ensures accessibility, reliability and efficiency of charging facilities across urban and rural areas. The Chief Secretary also instructed that a centralised, real-time dashboard be developed to map and monitor EV charging infrastructure in the state. This dashboard will serve as a critical tool for planning, tracking progress, and ensuring transparency in the deployment of charging stations. Transport, Roads & Buildings Special Chief Secretary, Vikas Raj, Planning Secretary Gaurav Uppal, TGRTC MD Nagireddy, Transport Commissioner Ilambarithi, TGIIC VC & MD Shashanka, GHMC Commissioner Karnan, TGREDCO MD Anila Vavilla and OEM representatives attended the meeting. - IANS US President Donald Trump stated on Truth Social that Chinese President Xi Jinping is "very happy" about the reopening of the strategic Strait of Hormuz. This claim contrasts with Iran's declaration that it will strictly control all maritime movement through the waterway, allowing passage only on approved routes. Trump also confirmed his rescheduled summit with Xi Jinping in Beijing for mid-May, which was postponed due to US military operations in Iran. Meanwhile, the US maintains its naval blockade on Iranian ports until a comprehensive agreement is finalized. Trump claims Xi Jinping is pleased with the Strait of Hormuz reopening, details rescheduled US-China summit, as Iran asserts control over the waterway. Washington DC, April 18 US President Donald Trump on Friday said that his Chinese counterpart, President Xi Jinping, is "very happy" about the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, despite Iran stating that the maritime movement through the strategic waterway will be strictly controlled by Tehran. Trump made his remarks in a post on Truth Social, adding that he is also looking forward to his meeting with the Chinese President, which was rescheduled to May due to the war with Iran. His visit to China was earlier scheduled for April. "President Xi is very happy that the Strait of Hormuz is open and/or rapidly opening. Our meeting in China will be a special one and, potentially, Historic. I look forward to being with President Xi -- Much will be accomplished!" the post on Truth Social read. This follows after the speaker of Iran's Parliament, MB Ghalibaf, slammed Trump on X after Trump said that the US blockade on the ports of the Islamic Republic will continue until a full agreement with Iran is completely finalised. In his post, Ghalibaf asserted that maritime movement through the Strait of Hormuz will be strictly controlled by Tehran, stating that passage will be allowed only through designated routes and under Iranian approval. His remarks come after the US President, in a post on Truth Social, declared that the American naval blockade of Iranian ports will persist until a comprehensive peace agreement is finalised with Tehran, despite Iran's move to restore access to the Strait of Hormuz. "The naval blockade will remain in full force and effect as it pertains to Iran only, until such time as our transaction with Iran is 100% complete," the post read. These remarks follow Tehran's announcement of a reopening of the strategic waterway, a move linked to the 10-day ceasefire currently in effect between Israel and Lebanon. While commercial shipping is now permitted to transit the route, Washington has maintained that economic and military pressure on Iran will not subside prematurely. Meanwhile, Trump is set to visit China to meet his Chinese counterpart from May 14 to May 15. The highly anticipated meeting was postponed due to the US military operations in Iran. In a post on Truth Social last month, the US President said, "My meeting with the Highly Respected President of China, President Xi Jinping, which was originally postponed due to our Military operation in Iran, has been rescheduled, and will take place in Beijing on May 14th and 15th." He further added that he will be hosting the Chinese President and his wife for a "reciprocal visit" to Washington late this year. - ANI US President Donald Trump warned that the United States would act more aggressively to secure Iran's nuclear materials if a diplomatic agreement is not reached. He suggested a potential joint operation with Iran using excavators to remove enriched uranium, which he claimed Iran had agreed to. However, Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Esmaeil Baghaei, strongly denied any agreement to transfer nuclear material, calling it as sacred as Iranian soil. These exchanges occur amid international diplomatic efforts to de-escalate tensions and achieve a complete solution following a period of conflict. President Trump says the US will secure Iran's nuclear materials more aggressively if a diplomatic deal is not reached, as Iran denies transfer agreement. Washington DC, April 18 US President Donald Trump on Friday warned that Washington will act more aggressively to secure Iran's nuclear materials if an agreement aimed at achieving a complete halt to the hostilities in West Asia is not reached, reiterating that the US would secure nuclear materials of the Islamic Republic "in a much more unfriendly way" if diplomacy fails. Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One during a press gaggle, Trump said the US expects cooperation from Tehran on securing nuclear-related materials and reiterated that Washington prefers a negotiated settlement but is prepared for alternative measures if necessary. "Somewhere after the signing of the agreement, we'll go with Iran. We'll go in with Iran, and we will take it together, and we will bring it back 100 per cent of it back to the United States. If we don't do that, we will get it in a different, form in a much more unfriendly form. But in any event, we'll get it," Trump said. His remarks come amid continued international focus on diplomatic efforts to prevent further escalation in tensions between Washington and Tehran after over a month-long conflict, leading to a two-week ceasefire between the two sides to push diplomatic efforts to achieve a complete solution. Earlier, Trump repeated his remarks that the US will take enriched uranium from Iran as part of ongoing negotiations, even as Tehran strongly denied any agreement to transfer nuclear material. Addressing a Turning Point USA event in Arizona, Trump said the operation would be carried out jointly with lots of excavators. "We're going to get it by going in with Iran, with lots of excavators. We need the biggest excavators you can imagine. But we're going in together with Iran, we're going to get it, and we're going to take it back home to the USA." These remarks came shortly after Iran rejected US claims that it had agreed to transfer its enriched uranium to the United States. Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said Tehran would not allow such a move under any circumstances. "Enriched uranium is as sacred to us as Iranian soil and will not be transferred anywhere under any circumstances," he was quoted as saying by Tasnim news agency, according to Al Jazeera. The comments follow Trump's earlier assertion that Iran had "agreed to everything" in talks with Washington, including joint removal of enriched uranium. He also said there were no remaining "sticking points" in negotiations and expressed confidence that a deal could be reached soon. - ANI U.S. President Donald Trump stated that the United States is talking to Iran but will maintain a tough stance, warning Tehran that it "can't blackmail us." He pointed to tensions around the strategic Strait of Hormuz, suggesting Iran had tried to disrupt shipping but U.S. actions were altering trade patterns. Trump defended the 2020 killing of Iranian commander Qasem Soleimani, linking him to American troop casualties. The remarks highlight a strategy combining diplomatic engagement with military pressure amid ongoing regional instability. President Trump warns Iran "can't blackmail" the US, signals ongoing talks and a tough stance on Gulf shipping routes and past actions. Washington, Apr 18 U.S. President Donald Trump said Saturday that Iran "can't blackmail us" even as Washington is holding talks with Tehran, signalling a mix of pressure and diplomacy amid rising tensions. Speaking at the White House, Trump said the United States was engaged with Iran but would not ease its stance. "We're talking to them... " It's working out very well," he said. "We're taking a tough stand." He said Iran had "gotten away with murder for 47 years" but warned that "they're not getting away with it anymore." Trump also suggested developments could come quickly. "We'll have some information by the end of the day," he said, without giving details. The remarks come as tensions remain high in the Gulf, especially around key shipping routes. Trump said Iran had again tried to disrupt traffic through a strategic waterway. "They wanted to close up the strait again... and they can't blackmail us," he said. Pointing to the Strait of Hormuz, a vital route for global oil shipments, Trump suggested U.S. actions had already changed shipping patterns. "A lot of the ships are coming up to Texas... and Louisiana," he said. The strait is one of the world's most important energy chokepoints. Any disruption can affect global oil supply and prices, with an immediate impact on major importers. Trump's comments signalled that Washington would resist any attempt by Iran to block or control access to the route. He also defended his earlier decision to order the killing of Iranian commander Qasem Soleimani, linking it to U.S. troop casualties. "Soleimani... was the father of the roadside bomb," Trump said. He accused Iran of supplying weapons that killed American personnel. "They've killed a lot of people. A lot of our people have been killed," he said. "When you see soldiers... with no legs, with no arms... that was Iran," he added. - IANS US President Donald Trump has warned Iran that it cannot blackmail the United States by closing the Strait of Hormuz, stating the country has been significantly weakened. The warning came after Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps reimposed a strict naval blockade on the vital waterway, ending a brief 24-hour reopening. The closure escalated with IRGC gunboats reportedly opening fire on a commercial tanker near Oman. Two Indian vessels, including a supertanker, were forced to flee the strait after coming under direct fire from Iranian forces. US President Trump issues a sharp warning to Tehran after Iran reimposes a naval blockade on the critical Strait of Hormuz, targeting vessels. Washington DC, April 18 Hours after Iran closed the Strait of Hormuz in less than 24 hours of opening it, US President Donald Trump has issued a sharp warning to Tehran, asserting that the Islamic Republic has been significantly weakened and is no longer in a position to "blackmail" the America by shutting the waterway. "They (Iran) have no navy, no air force. They have no leaders; they have nothing. But we are talking to them. They wanted to close the Strait again, as they have been doing for years. They can't blackmail us. They have killed a lot of people. A lot of your fellow soldiers have been killed over the years by Iran. They have gotten away with murder for 47 years. They are not getting away with it anymore," Trump said, speaking from his Oval office. Earlier, the global hope for a stable energy corridor was short-lived as Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) on Saturday reimposed a strict naval blockade on the Strait of Hormuz. The move followed a fleeting 24-hour window on Friday during which over a dozen tankers--including three previously sanctioned vessels--successfully transited the vital waterway for the first time in nearly two months, as per UK-based news agency. At least eight tankers crossed early on Saturday, with maritime tracking data from TankerTrackers.com listing four carrying liquefied petroleum gas, two oil and chemicals, one crude oil and one another oil products. The reopening, declared by Iran's Foreign Ministry on Friday, collapsed after US President Donald Trump clarified that the American naval blockade of Iranian ports would remain "in full force" until a comprehensive nuclear and security deal is signed. While no specific new measures were announced, the remarks signal continued US vigilance over Iran's actions in strategic waterways and reinforce Washington's position against any attempts to alter the status quo in the region through coercive means. As the "status quo" of the blockade returned on Saturday morning, maritime data and security agencies reported immediate escalations. Two IRGC gunboats reportedly opened fire on a commercial tanker approximately 23 miles northeast of Oman. The vessel and crew were reported safe, but the incident effectively signalled the end of the brief truce. As per TankerTrackers.com, Inc, two Indian vessels--including a massive supertanker--were forced to flee the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday after coming under direct fire from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy. The incident, captured in dramatic Channel 16 VHF radio recordings, signals the definitive end of a brief 24-hour "opening" of the strait and places New Delhi in a delicate diplomatic crossfire. "According to two Channel 16 audio recordings captured today, two Indian vessels were forced back west out of the Strait of Hormuz by Iran's Sepah (IRGC) Navy. Firing was involved. One of the vessels is an Indian-flagged VLCC supertanker carrying 2 million barrels of Iraqi oil," TankerTrackers.com, Inc posted on X. - ANI Over 2,700 registered on first day of offline sign-up Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami formally flagged off the annual Char Dham Yatra from Rishikesh, interacting with devotees and wishing them a safe journey. The government has established extensive facilities, including registration counters and healthcare, with over 2,700 pilgrims registering on the first day of offline sign-ups. The pilgrimage officially commences on Akshaya Tritiya, with the Gangotri and Yamunotri temples opening first, followed by Kedarnath and Badrinath. The commencement was marked by a vibrant procession of Goddess Ganga's palanquin from Mukhba village, accompanied by traditional music and deep devotion. Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami flags off Char Dham Yatra. Extensive arrangements for safety, registration, and temple openings detailed. New Delhi, April 18 Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Saturday flagged off the annual Char Dham Yatra from the Char Dham Yatra Transit Camp in Rishikesh, marking the formal commencement of one of the most sacred pilgrimages in Sanatan Dharma. The Chief Minister interacted with devotees, extended his greetings, and wished them a safe and spiritually fulfilling journey. The Uttarakhand government has put in place comprehensive arrangements to ensure the convenience and safety of pilgrims. More than 30 counters have been set up at the transit camp for offline registration, along with facilities for healthcare, medicines, drinking water, and sanitation. Chief Minister Dhami also inspected the camp and expressed satisfaction over the preparedness. Offline registration for the yatra began on April 10 and witnessed an overwhelming response, with 2,713 devotees registering on the first day itself. According to official data, 683 pilgrims registered for Yamunotri, 690 for Gangotri, 667 for Kedarnath, and 673 for Badrinath. Online registration had already commenced on March 6. The Char Dham Yatra will officially begin on April 19, coinciding with the auspicious occasion of Akshaya Tritiya, when the portals ('kapat') of Gangotri and Yamunotri temples will open. The Kedarnath Dham will open on April 22, followed by Badrinath Dham on April 23. Preparations for the opening of Gangotri and Yamunotri shrines are in full swing, with temples being beautifully decorated with flowers and elaborate security arrangements put in place. The ceremonial palanquin ('Doli') of Goddess Ganga has already departed from her winter abode in Mukhba village after special prayers and rituals, amid great enthusiasm and devotion among locals and pilgrims. The village witnessed vibrant celebrations, with chants of "Jai Maa Gange", accompanied by traditional instruments such as dhol-damau and ransingha. A large number of devotees, priests, sadhus, and officials participated in the procession, reflecting a deep sense of faith and unity. Authorities have also made extensive arrangements for traffic management, parking, disaster response, and crowd control to ensure a smooth pilgrimage. Given the cold weather conditions in the mountainous regions, additional facilities have been arranged across all four shrines -- Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath, and Badrinath. The Char Dham Yatra traditionally begins from Haridwar or Rishikesh and proceeds through Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath, and finally Badrinath, drawing thousands of devotees from across India and abroad every year. - IANS UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres marked the 80th anniversary of the International Court of Justice with a stark warning against a world driven by raw power instead of the rule of law. He stated that violations of international law are happening in plain sight and adherence to it is more critical than ever. ICJ President Iwasawa Yuji echoed concerns about growing resistance to international obligations and multilateralism. The event in The Hague was attended by Dutch King Willem-Alexander and senior officials, commemorating the court's role in peacefully settling disputes between nations. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warns against weakening international law, urging a future guided by rules, not raw power, at ICJ anniversary event. United Nations, April 18 UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called on the international community to choose a future governed by the rule of law rather than one driven by raw power in The Hague, the Netherlands. Marking the 80th anniversary of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on Friday (local time), Guterres noted that "violations of international law are unfolding before our eyes." "It is precisely because the international system is under such strain that adherence to international law matters more than ever, especially in this era of shifting power dynamics," the UN chief said. Guterres warned that weakening international law risks eroding the foundations of global stability. "When the law of force replaces the force of law, instability becomes contagious," he cautioned. Iwasawa Yuji, president of the ICJ, echoed these concerns, pointing to troubling signs of disengagement from international obligations, growing resistance to compliance, and increasing scepticism toward multilateralism, reports Xinhua news agency. "The Court responds to these challenges by carrying out its judicial function, by interpreting and applying international law rigorously and in good faith," he said. The ICJ, the UN's highest tribunal, is the only international court that settles disputes between the 193 UN member states. This means that it makes an important contribution to global peace and security, providing a way for countries to resolve issues without resorting to conflict. Established in 1945 and based in the Peace Palace in The Hague, the ICJ held a solemn sitting on Friday to commemorate the 80th anniversary of its inaugural session. The event was attended by Dutch King Willem-Alexander, alongside senior international and Dutch officials. - IANS UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has welcomed Iran's announcement that the Strait of Hormuz is fully open to all commercial vessels. The move coincides with a ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon and is intended to build confidence. Iran's Foreign Minister declared the reopening, which follows a period of restricted passage for vessels linked to Israel and the US. The US had previously blockaded the strait after the collapse of recent peace talks. UN chief welcomes Iran's reopening of the Strait of Hormuz to all commercial vessels during the Israel-Lebanon ceasefire, a step seen as building confidence. United Nations, April 18 UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has welcomed Iran's announcement that the Strait of Hormuz is completely open for all commercial vessels during the Israel-Lebanon ceasefire, said his spokesman. "The Secretary-General considers this a step in the right direction," said Stephane Dujarric, the spokesman, in a statement on Friday (local time). "The Secretary-General remains fully supportive of the diplomatic efforts to find a peaceful path forward out of the current conflict in the Middle East. He also hopes that, together with the ceasefire, this measure will contribute to creating confidence between the parties and strengthen the ongoing dialogue facilitated by Pakistan," said the statement. Earlier on Friday, Iran's Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi said that, in line with the truce in Lebanon, the passage for all commercial vessels through the Strait of Hormuz is declared "completely open" for the remaining period of the ceasefire between Tehran and Washington. He made the remarks in a post on social media platform X hours after a 10-day ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon took effect following more than a month of deadly escalation between Israel and Hezbollah, which has claimed over 2,000 lives. Araghchi stressed that vessels can cross the Strait via the previously announced coordinated route announced by Iran's Ports and Maritime Organization. In reaction to the announcement, US President Donald Trump thanked Iran for the announcement of a full reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. Iran tightened control over the Strait of Hormuz by denying safe passage to vessels belonging to or affiliated with Israel and the United States after they launched joint attacks on the country on February 28. The United States has also imposed a blockade on the Strait, preventing ships travelling to and from Iranian ports from transiting the waterway, following the failure of peace talks between the Iranian and US delegations in Pakistan's capital, Islamabad, on Saturday and early Sunday. - IANS The UN's top humanitarian official, Tom Fletcher, has issued a stark warning that South Sudan is sliding toward famine. He told the UN Security Council that conflict, displacement, and hunger are rising while critical funding for aid is severely lacking. More than 7.5 million people will need food assistance this year, with emergency levels of hunger expected across all ten states. Fletcher called for immediate action on humanitarian access, funding, and respect for international law to prevent a full-scale collapse. UN humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher warns of imminent famine in South Sudan, with two-thirds of the population needing aid and critical funding shortfalls. United Nations, April 18 UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator Tom Fletcher warned of famine in South Sudan. "The world's youngest nation stands at a dangerous crossroads. Conflict up. Displacement up. Hunger up. Disease up. Attacks on aid workers up," Fletcher told the Security Council in a briefing on the situation in South Sudan. Two-thirds of the population in the country needs humanitarian support this year, yet the world body's humanitarian plan for South Sudan, which requires $1.46 billion, is only 22 per cent funded, he said. "I therefore fear my next briefing to you on South Sudan will speak of famine," he told the Security Council via a video link. More than 7.5 million people will need food assistance this year. All of this is unfolding as floods are expected to continue, cutting communities off and hitting livelihoods, he said. Hunger across South Sudan is tightening its grip. Emergency levels of food insecurity are expected for some populations across all of South Sudan's 10 states during the lean season from now through July, he warned. Since late December, renewed fighting in Jonglei state has forced more than 250,000 people to flee across multiple states, another 110,000 into Ethiopia, said Fletcher. According to the World Health Organization, 1.35 million people across Jonglei state have lost access to health care after 26 facilities were destroyed or forced to close, he said. The situation in neighbouring Upper Nile state, in the northeast corner, is just as alarming, he said, adding that fighting, access restrictions, and interference with humanitarian operations are blocking aid. The war in Sudan, with the Kordofan region just across the border, is pushing more people into South Sudan -- with 439,000 Sudanese refugees and 917,000 South Sudanese returnees, said Fletcher. To prevent South Sudan from sliding toward full-scale famine and collapse, Fletcher called on the Security Council to take three "decisive and immediate actions." First, press for rapid, unhindered humanitarian access, including the immediate removal of red tape, checkpoints, high fees, and the guarantee of predictable, sustained air access. Second, swiftly step up flexible funds, especially through this lean season. Third, use the council's influence on the parties to demand full respect for international humanitarian law and the protection of civilians and infrastructure, Xinhua news agency reported. Fletcher also asked for support for renewed political efforts to strengthen adherence to ceasefire agreements and move toward implementation of the Revitalized Peace Agreement, noting that only peace can end this crisis. - IANS The Union Cabinet has approved a 2% hike in Dearness Allowance for central government employees and Dearness Relief for pensioners. The increase will raise the rate from 58% to 60% of basic pay/pension, effective from January 1, 2026. Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw stated the move will benefit over 1.18 crore individuals. The decision follows the accepted formula based on the 7th Central Pay Commission's recommendations. Union Cabinet approves 2% increase in Dearness Allowance & Relief, benefiting over 1.18 crore employees and pensioners from January 2026. New Delhi, April 18 The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has approved release of an additional instalment of Dearness Allowance to Central Government employees and Dearness Relief to pensioners from January 1, 2026. It represents an increase of two per cent over the existing rate of 58 per cent of the Basic Pay/Pension, to compensate against price rise. Briefing about the cabinet decisions, Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said the decision will benefit over 50 lakh Central Government employees and over 68 lakh pensioners. "Another very big decision was taken today. I would like to extend my heartiest congratulations. DA and DR have been increased for all our central government employees and pensioners, which will cost the Government of India a total of Rs. 6,791 crore. Basically, DA and DR will become 60% of the basic pay from January 1, 2026. It has been increased by 2%, from 58% to 60%. It will become 60% of the basic pay. There are a total of about 50 lakh employees and 68 lakh pensioners of the Government of India. This will be a huge benefit for all of them," he said. This increase is in accordance with the accepted formula, which is based on the recommendations of the 7th Central Pay Commission, an official release said. - ANI The Union Cabinet has approved the creation of the Bharat Maritime Insurance Pool backed by a 12,980 crore sovereign guarantee. This initiative aims to ensure uninterrupted and affordable insurance coverage for Indian maritime trade amid rising global geopolitical instability. The pool will cover all types of maritime risks for vessels connected to India, reducing dependence on international insurance groups. The move is designed to strengthen India's trade sovereignty and resilience against sanctions or coverage withdrawals. Cabinet approves 12,980 crore sovereign-backed insurance pool to protect Indian shipping and trade from geopolitical risks and ensure coverage. New Delhi, April 18 In a significant decision, the Union Cabinet on Saturday approved the creation of the 'Bharat Maritime Insurance Pool' with a Rs 12,980 crore sovereign guarantee to ensure uninterrupted maritime insurance coverage amid rising global uncertainties. Briefing about decisions taken at meeting of the Union Cabinet, Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said the pool ensures that Indian trade continues to have access to affordable insurance for vessels carrying cargo from any international origin to Indian ports and vice-versa, even when transiting volatile maritime corridors. "Any ship that goes into the ocean has insurance. Insurance is available for many types of activities. There's basic insurance for damage. Another is for protection and indemnity... A sovereign guarantee fund of approximately Rs 12,980 crore will be created for maritime insurance. It will cover all types of maritime risks, including machinery, cargo, and war. It will be given to Indian-flagged vessels, Indian-controlled vessels, and those with either an origin or destination in India. This will be for a ten-year period, with a five-year extension," he said. The decision comes amid disruptions in global energy supply chains caused by the conflict in West Asia. An official release said that there was a need for a domestic maritime risk covering pool to maintain sovereignty and continuity of trade in the wake of geopolitical tensions. "With increased global volatility and geopolitical instability, maritime trade has been impacted with increased risk of losses for cargo and vessels resulting in increased insurance costs and uncertainty in continuous availability of insurance. Further, there is high dependence of Indian vessels on International Group of Protection and Indemnity (IGP&I) Club for P&I insurance covering third-party liabilities like Oil pollution liability, Wreck removal, Cargo damage, Crew injury and repatriation, Collision liabilities and so on," the release said. "Accordingly, there was a need for a domestic maritime risk covering pool to maintain sovereignty and continuity of trade in face of withdrawal of coverage due to sanctions or due to geopolitical tensions," it said. The release said the Government has approved formation of 'Bharat Maritime Insurance Pool' (BMI pool) for Indian flagged or controlled vessels or vessels destined to or starting from India, backed by a sovereign guarantee. The pool would cover all maritime risks like Hull and Machinery, Cargo, P&I and War risk. The policies will be issued by insurers that are Pool members, using the combined underwriting capacity of the Pool, which would be around Rs.950 crore. The Pool will help to manage liability insurance locally, tailored to Indian shipping conditions and regulatory requirements, develop specialized marine underwriting, claims management and legal expertise within India. The release said a Governing Body constituted for this pool would oversee the formation and functioning of the pool. The rationale for providing a sovereign guarantee to the proposed domestic insurance entity is rooted in the objectives of strengthening self-reliance, sanctions resilience and ensuring greater sovereign control, it said. - ANI The U.S. Treasury Department has extended a key waiver allowing the delivery of sanctioned Russian oil already loaded on vessels, pushing the deadline to May 16. The move is part of efforts to stabilize global energy prices, which have been volatile amid the U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent indicated such waivers would not continue indefinitely, despite the extension. The decision comes as global oil prices fell sharply after Iran temporarily reopened the Strait of Hormuz, a critical chokepoint for energy shipments. US Treasury extends waiver for sanctioned Russian oil deliveries until May 16 to stabilize prices amid Iran conflict and global supply fears. Washington, April 18 The United States Department of the Treasury has extended a waiver permitting the delivery and sale of sanctioned Russian oil already loaded onto vessels, pushing the deadline to May 16, according to a document released on its official website. The earlier 30-day waiver had expired on April 11. The renewed license, issued on Friday (local time), is part of the administration's broader effort to stabilise global energy prices, which have surged amid the ongoing US-Israeli conflict with Iran. The decision comes against the backdrop of several countries facing problems with the impact of rising energy costs and supply disruptions. As per the official notification, "(a) Except as provided in paragraph (b) of this general license, all transactions prohibited by the above-listed authorities that are ordinarily incident and necessary to the sale, delivery, or offloading of crude oil or petroleum products of Russian Federation origin loaded on any vessel, including vessels blocked under the above-listed authorities, on or before 12:01 a.m. eastern daylight time, April 17, 2026, are authorised through 12:01 a.m. eastern daylight time, May 16, 2026." At the same time, the waiver continues to impose strict restrictions on dealings involving certain countries. "(b) This general license does not authorise: (1) Any transaction involving a person located in or organised under the laws of the Islamic Republic of Iran, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, the Republic of Cuba, the Covered Regions of Ukraine, as defined by E.O. 14065, the Crimea Region of Ukraine, as defined by E.O. 13685, or any entity that is owned or controlled by or in a joint venture with such persons," it added. The move comes shortly after remarks by US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who had indicated that Washington does not intend to continue such waivers indefinitely amid rising geopolitical tensions. "We will not be renewing the general license on Russian oil and Iranian oil. That was oil that was on the water before March 11. All that has been used," Bessent said during a media briefing on Wednesday. Meanwhile, global oil prices saw a sharp decline of around 9 per cent on Friday, settling near $90 per barrel after Iran temporarily reopened the Strait of Hormuz, a key global energy transit route. However, the broader conflict has already triggered what the International Energy Agency described as the worst disruption to global energy supplies in history. The war, which entered its eighth week on Saturday, has reportedly damaged more than 80 oil and gas facilities across West Asia. Meanwhile, Tehran has also warned that it could shut the Strait of Hormuz again if the US Navy continues its blockade of Iranian ports. Commenting on the waiver's extension, Russian presidential envoy Kirill Dmitriev said in a social media post, "US-Russian economic and energy cooperation will continue." He had earlier noted that the initial waiver on Russian oil could free up to 100 million barrels of crude, roughly equivalent to nearly a day's global oil output. - IANS The United States and the Philippines have announced a landmark plan to develop a 4,000-acre "Economic Security Zone" in Luzon. This AI-native industrial hub is a key project under the newly signed Pax Silica pact, aimed at securing critical technology supply chains. The Philippines formally joined the US-led initiative, becoming its thirteenth member nation. The zone is designed to boost production of vital inputs like semiconductors and attract private investment for allied manufacturing. US & Philippines announce a 4,000-acre Economic Security Zone in Luzon under the Pax Silica pact to secure tech supply chains. New Delhi, April 17 In a landmark move to reshape global technology supply chains, the United States and the Philippines have announced plans to develop a massive 4,000-acre industrial hub in Luzon. The project, designated as an Economic Security Zone (ESZ), is a centrepiece of the newly signed Pax Silica pact, a Washington-led initiative aimed at securing critical technologies against geopolitical instability. The US Department of State said on Friday (local time) that the US and the Philippines will set up a 4,000-acre industrial hub in the Luzon Economic Corridor, billed as the first "AI-native Industrial Acceleration Hub" under the Pax Silica initiative, as both nations deepen supply-chain ties amid shifting geopolitical currents. The announcement came as the Philippines formally joined Pax Silica, becoming the thirteenth signatory to the US-led partnership that frames economic security as national security. The initiative now includes Australia, Finland, India, Israel, Japan, Qatar, Republic of Korea, Singapore, Sweden, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, and the United States, according to the press release. It added that more countries are expected to join. Manila is offering the site as an "Economic Security Zone" designed to "surge production for inputs vital to U.S. supply chains." The hub is intended to serve as a staging point for allied manufacturing and an investment acceleration platform where industrial activity will be shaped by market demand, the host country's comparative advantages, and the needs of the Pax Silica network. Philippines Department of Trade and Industry Undersecretary and Board of Investments Vice Chairperson Ceferino S. Rodolfo signed the declaration on behalf of Manila. The US described the Philippines as a "close U.S. treaty Ally" that brings "key capabilities and human talent in technology manufacturing, including semiconductors and electronics" to the group. The US Department of State added that the move builds on existing cooperation through the United States-Philippines Critical Minerals Framework and the Luzon Economic Corridor, and comes as the two allies mark 80 years of diplomatic relations. Both sides said they are committed to strengthening shared supply chains in critical minerals, semiconductors, electronics, and other goods, while attracting "high-quality private sector investment critical to Pax Silica." Pax Silica is being pitched as a "positive-sum partnership of nations who want to remain competitive and prosperous," grounded in the view that "economic security is national security and national security is economic security." The Luzon hub is the first of its kind under the framework and signals Washington and Manila's intent to anchor trusted, resilient production capacity in the Indo-Pacific. Additional signatories and similar hubs are expected as the network expands. - ANI Iran's Parliament Speaker Mohammed Bagher Ghalibaf warned that Tehran could shut the Strait of Hormuz if the US continues its naval blockade. He stated passage would only be allowed on a designated route with Iranian authorization, contradicting a prior announcement that the strait was open during a ceasefire. US President Donald Trump insisted the blockade would remain until a broader deal is finalized. The strait is a critical global oil chokepoint, handling nearly one-fifth of the world's supply. Iran's Parliament Speaker warns the US that Tehran could shut the vital Strait of Hormuz if the naval blockade continues, escalating tensions. Tehran, April 18 Iran's Parliament Speaker Mohammed Bagher Ghalibaf has warned US President Donald Trump that Tehran could shut down the Strait of Hormuz if the United States continues its naval blockade. This came shortly after the US President indicated that the restrictions would remain in "full force". In a post on X, Ghalibaf asserted that maritime movement through the strategic waterway would be regulated strictly by Iran. "With the continuation of the blockade, the Strait of Hormuz will not remain open," he said, adding that passage would be allowed only along a "designated route" and with "Iranian authorisation". His remarks came just hours after Iran announced that the Strait of Hormuz remained open to commercial shipping during the ongoing ceasefire. Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated, "In line with the ceasefire in Lebanon, the passage for all commercial vessels through the Strait of Hormuz is declared completely open for the remaining period of the ceasefire, on the coordinated route as already announced by Ports and Maritime Organisation of the Islamic Rep. of Iran." Responding to Tehran's position, Trump maintained that the naval blockade would continue until a broader "transaction" with Iran is finalised. He suggested that the process would conclude "very quickly," claiming that key sticking points had already been negotiated. Rejecting the US position, Ghalibaf said, "They did not win the war with these lies, and they will certainly not get anywhere in negotiations either. Whether the Strait is open or closed and the regulations governing it will be determined by the field, not by social media." The Iranian Parliament Speaker further alleged that Trump had made "seven claims in one hour," describing all of them as "false", though he did not specify the statements in question. The Strait of Hormuz remains one of the world's most critical energy corridors, handling nearly a fifth of global oil supply. - IANS Former US President Donald Trump claimed at a political event that his interventions settled multiple global conflicts, specifically citing a potential India-Pakistan war that he said could have killed tens of millions. He expanded his claim to having ended eight wars, linking this to situations involving Iran and Lebanon. Trump announced the Strait of Hormuz was open for business but emphasized a US naval blockade on Iran would remain until a final agreement is signed. He also touted a recent ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon as an unprecedented breakthrough achieved under his watch. Donald Trump claims he prevented wars between India-Pakistan and others, saving "millions of lives," while detailing Iran and Lebanon negotiations. Arizona, April 18 US President Donald Trump on Friday claimed that he played a key role in resolving multiple global conflicts, including the India-Pakistan situation, asserting that his interventions helped prevent large-scale loss of life. While speaking on international conflicts at the Turning Point USA event in Phoenix, Arizona, Trump said, "I am the peacemaker. I am the one who settled eight wars. I settled a war that would have killed 30 to 50 million people, India-Pakistan." He further expanded on his claim, saying, "I ended eight wars, but if we add Iran and Lebanon, that will be 10 wars ended and many, many millions of lives saved. Think of how many lives we've saved." Earlier, President Trump said any agreement with Iran would not take effect until it is fully finalised, while claiming major developments in West Asia, including Lebanon and the Strait of Hormuz. Speaking at a Turning Point USA event in Phoenix, Arizona, Trump said, "This will be a great and brilliant day for the world because Iran has just announced that the Strait of Hormuz is fully open and ready for business and full passage. But the naval blockade with the greatest navy in the world, from the greatest military the world has ever seen, we built it. During my first term, we built it...We'll remain in full force and effect as it pertains to Iran until such time as our transaction with Iran is 100 % complete and fully signed" On the Lebanon ceasefire, Trump said the US had helped secure a major breakthrough, claiming, "Yesterday, we achieved what everyone said was impossible, an unprecedented ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon. That hasn't taken place in 78 years...we will make Lebanon great again..." On talks with Iran, Trump said negotiations were continuing and expressed optimism, adding, "Talks are going on, and we'll go on over the weekend," and said the US blockade would end once an "agreement is signed." Meanwhile, a fresh round of US-Iran talks is expected to take place in Islamabad on Monday, with delegations likely to arrive in Pakistan on Sunday, Iranian officials said, according to CNN. - ANI Pharmaceutical major Lupin has announced that the US Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) issued a Form 483 with three observations following an inspection of its manufacturing facility in Somerset, New Jersey. The company stated it will address the observations and respond to the regulator within the stipulated timeframe. This comes after a similar inspection at Lupin's Ankleshwar plant in India last month also resulted in a Form 483. A Form 483 is issued when investigators observe conditions that may violate US food and drug regulations. Lupin says USFDA issued a Form 483 with three observations after inspecting its New Jersey plant. The company pledges to address them promptly. New Delhi, April 18 Major drug maker Lupin on Saturday said that the US health regulator has issued a 'Form 483' with three observations to its manufacturing facility in Somerset, New Jersey, following a recent inspection. In a regulatory filing, the pharmaceutical company said that the inspection by the US Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) was conducted this week between April 13 and April 17. "The inspection was completed with the issuance of a Form 483 carrying three observations," the drug maker said. The company further added that it will address the observations and respond to the USFDA within the stipulated timeframe. Lupin also said it remains committed to maintaining compliance with current Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMP) standards across all its facilities. Earlier in March, the USFDA had concluded an inspection at the company's Ankleshwar manufacturing facility in India -- conducted from March 2 to March 7-- which also resulted in a Form 483 with two observations. The company had said at the time that it would address the observations and respond within the required timeline, while maintaining compliance with cGMP standards. According to the USFDA, a Form 483 is issued to a company's management at the end of an inspection when investigators observe conditions that may constitute violations of the Food, Drug and Cosmetic (FD&C) Act and related regulations. Shares of Lupin on Friday ended at Rs 2,322.50, a decrease of 0.19 per cent, on the NSE. Moreover, the pharma stock has touched a 52-week high of Rs 2,377.60 and a 52-week low of Rs 1,836.80 on the exchange. - IANS Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami announced a pioneering initiative to provide 24-hour hot water to pilgrims at Kedarnath Dham. The system will use geysers powered by biomass pellets made from pine needles and mule dung, addressing waste management and forest fire risks simultaneously. As a pilot, roadside dhabas along the route will also receive stoves using these fire pellets. The announcement comes as the state government prepares for the Char Dham Yatra, emphasizing safety and a memorable experience for all devotees. Uttarakhand CM announces 24-hour hot water at Kedarnath using biomass from pine needles & mule dung, tackling waste and fire risks. Dehradun, April 18 Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Saturday announced that pilgrims visiting Kedarnath Dham will soon be provided with 24-hour hot water instead of cold water. This facility will be powered by geysers operated using biomass pellets made from pine needles (pirul) and mule dung. This is the first initiative of its kind in the country, where round-the-clock hot water will be made available at such a high-altitude location. These geysers will be installed at Garhwal Mandal Vikas Nigam (GMVN) Kedarnath and Lincholi, a release said. This innovative initiative will also help address the issue of mule waste along the Kedarnath Yatra route, while simultaneously reducing the risk of forest fires caused by pine needles. Additionally, as a pilot project, roadside dhabas along the route will be provided with stoves powered by fire pellets. These will prove highly useful during energy shortages, and if the trial is successful, they will be distributed on a larger scale. Earlier today, CM Dhami extended his best wishes to devotees arriving for the Char Dham Yatra, which is set to commence from Sunday, April 19. He prayed for a safe and auspicious pilgrimage for all pilgrims. Welcoming devotees from across the country and abroad, the Chief Minister said he prays to Baba Kedar, Maa Gangotri, Maa Yamunotri, and Badri Vishal for the smooth and successful completion of the yatra this year, just like in previous years. He also expressed confidence that this year's Char Dham Yatra will surpass all previous records. He emphasised that the state government is fully committed to ensuring a safe pilgrimage, with continuous monitoring and review of preparations at every level. The goal, he said, is to ensure that every devotee returns home with golden memories of their time in Devbhoomi Uttarakhand. Describing the Char Dham Yatra as a festival for the state, he noted that lakhs of devotees from India and abroad visit Uttarakhand during this period. Comprehensive arrangements are being made to ensure their journey remains smooth and secure. - ANI Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami inaugurated the Char Dham Yatra 2026 in Rishikesh, flagging off buses for pilgrims. He emphasized the government's commitment to a smooth, safe, and divine pilgrimage experience for all devotees. The CM highlighted major infrastructure projects, including the Delhi-Dehradun Economic Corridor, aimed at improving travel convenience. He also urged pilgrims to maintain cleanliness, supporting the state's targets for a Green Char Dham and plastic-free religious sites. Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami flags off pilgrim buses, commits to a safe, green, and well-organized Char Dham Yatra with new infrastructure. Rishikesh, April 18 Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Saturday attended the inauguration ceremony of the Char Dham Yatra 2026, organised by the Joint Rotation Yatra Arrangement Committee in Rishikesh. On the occasion, he flagged off buses carrying pilgrims to the Char Dham shrines and also inspected a free medical camp set up for devotees. Welcoming pilgrims from across the country to Uttarakhand, the Chief Minister said that the Char Dham Yatra is a path that connects faith, devotion, and the soul. He noted that the journey gives strength to overcome every challenge. He reiterated the government's commitment to making the yatra smooth, safe, well-organised, and divine, adding that it provides spiritual peace and energy to millions of devotees. The Chief Minister said that with the blessings of Mother Ganga, the yatra continues to set new records every year. He emphasised that the state government is firmly committed to ensuring a safe pilgrimage and that he is personally reviewing the preparations on a regular basis. The government's goal is to provide every pilgrim with safety, respect, and a divine experience, so that they carry back golden memories from Devbhoomi. He urged all pilgrims to maintain cleanliness at religious sites and along the travel routes, stating that every particle of Uttarakhand is sacred and preserving its purity is a collective responsibility. He added that under the guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the state has set targets for a Green Char Dham Yatra and a plastic-free Kedarnath Dham. Proper sanitation arrangements have been ensured along the routes, and it has been made mandatory to keep dustbins in all vehicles. He said that just as people keep their home temples clean, Devbhoomi must also be kept pure and clean. Highlighting infrastructure developments, the Chief Minister said that several historic initiatives are being undertaken under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to make the journey more convenient. He mentioned the recent inauguration of the Rs 12,000 crore Delhi-Dehradun Economic Corridor, which has made travel faster and easier. Reconstruction work is progressing at Kedarnath and Badrinath, while facilities are being rapidly expanded at Gangotri, Yamunotri, and Hemkund Sahib. He further said that under the All-Weather Road project, pilgrimage routes have been made more accessible. Ropeway projects from Gaurikund to Kedarnath and from Govindghat to Hemkund Sahib are also progressing. He noted that the Char Dham Yatra supports the livelihoods of lakhs of people and urged pilgrims to promote local products and contribute to the local economy. Cabinet Minister Subodh Uniyal said that the state government is working with full sensitivity toward the convenience, safety, and health of pilgrims. He advised travellers to follow the official guidelines and undergo health check-ups before undertaking the journey if necessary. He informed that a medical hospital in Kedarnath is ready, while a 50-bed hospital in Badrinath will be completed by June. Adequate healthcare facilities have been arranged along the route. Cabinet Minister Pradeep Batra said that the Transport Department is continuously preparing for the upcoming yatra. He stated that it is their responsibility to ensure a smooth and safe journey for every pilgrim visiting the state. This year, shuttle services have been introduced at single-lane roads and in landslide-prone areas. A helpline number will also be provided for movable shuttle services, and LED displays will be installed at various locations to disseminate information. - ANI Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has extended his best wishes to devotees as the Char Dham Yatra commences. He emphasized the state government's full commitment to ensuring a safe and smooth pilgrimage for all visitors. The CM highlighted significant infrastructure developments, including the new Delhi-Dehradun Economic Corridor, aimed at making travel more convenient. He called for collective cooperation from all involved to ensure pilgrims carry home golden memories of Devbhoomi. Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami welcomes devotees to the Char Dham Yatra, praying for a safe pilgrimage and highlighting new infrastructure. Dehradun, April 18 Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Saturday extended his best wishes to devotees arriving for the Char Dham Yatra, which is set to commence on Sunday, April 19. He prayed for a safe and auspicious pilgrimage for all pilgrims. Welcoming devotees from across the country and abroad, the Chief Minister said he prays to Baba Kedar, Maa Gangotri, Maa Yamunotri, and Badri Vishal for the smooth and successful completion of the yatra this year, just like in previous years. He also expressed confidence that this year's Char Dham Yatra will surpass all previous records. He emphasised that the state government is fully committed to ensuring a safe pilgrimage, with continuous monitoring and review of preparations at every level. The goal, he said, is to ensure that every devotee returns home with golden memories of their time in Devbhoomi Uttarakhand. Describing the Char Dham Yatra as a festival for the state, he noted that lakhs of devotees from India and abroad visit Uttarakhand during this period. Comprehensive arrangements are being made to ensure their journey remains smooth and secure. The Chief Minister further stressed the importance of collective cooperation to make the yatra successful, so that more and more pilgrims can carry the message and spiritual essence of Devbhoomi to the world. He also appealed to all those involved in the yatra, from sanitation workers to police personnel and administrative officials, to diligently fulfil their responsibilities. He expressed hope that with teamwork and divine blessings, this year's pilgrimage will also be conducted safely and efficiently, without causing inconvenience to any devotee. Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Saturday also attended the inauguration ceremony of the Char Dham Yatra 2026 today, organised by the Joint Rotation Yatra Arrangement Committee in Rishikesh. On the occasion, he flagged off buses carrying pilgrims to the Char Dham shrines and also inspected a free medical camp set up for devotees. Highlighting infrastructure developments, the Chief Minister said that several historic initiatives are being undertaken under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to make the journey more convenient. He mentioned the recent inauguration of the Rs 12,000 crore Delhi-Dehradun Economic Corridor, which has made travel faster and easier. Reconstruction work is progressing at Kedarnath and Badrinath, while facilities are being rapidly expanded at Gangotri, Yamunotri, and Hemkund Sahib. - ANI Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam president Vijay has accused the ruling DMK of attempting to obstruct his party's campaign through administrative delays and misleading information. He claims TVK's support is growing through a grassroots "people's movement" rather than traditional rallies. Vijay invoked the legacies of Periyar and Annadurai, asserting that fascist forces have no place in Tamil Nadu's political landscape. He expressed strong confidence that voters would deliver a decisive verdict against "corrupt forces" on polling day. TVK chief Vijay alleges DMK obstructs his party's campaign, claims a "silent revolution" is building among Tamil Nadu voters ahead of the Assembly polls. Chennai, April 18 Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam president Vijay on Saturday asserted that his party's campaign is gaining momentum through a grassroots "people's movement" across Tamil Nadu, even as he accused the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam of attempting to obstruct its outreach. In a post on X, Vijay said TVK was not relying solely on traditional roadshows or public meetings, but was witnessing widespread support at the household level. Describing the ongoing political developments as "election-time drama," he cautioned voters to remain vigilant against diversionary tactics, which he said were common during poll seasons. The actor-politician alleged that the DMK was trying to create confusion among the electorate through multiple means, including the circulation of misleading information. He also claimed that campaign permissions for TVK candidates were being delayed, restricted, or even denied at the last moment, affecting the party's ability to organise events and reach voters effectively. "Although granting permission for election campaigning falls under the purview of the Election Commission of India, there is continued pressure being exerted through certain officials," Vijay alleged, suggesting administrative interference in the campaign process. He further accused sections of the media of publishing "fabricated reports" about cancellations and denials of permissions related to TVK programmes, which, he said, added to the confusion among the public. Invoking the legacy of social reformers such as Periyar E. V. Ramasamy, K. Kamaraj, and C. N. Annadurai, Vijay said the ideals of secularism, social justice, and communal harmony had deep roots in Tamil Nadu. He asserted that "fascist forces" would not find space in the State's political landscape. Adopting a combative tone, Vijay said "seasoned political gamblers" driven by arrogance believed they could halt TVK's rise, but underestimated the people's resolve. He described the current public sentiment as a "silent revolution" building across the State. "This game will last only until April 21. On April 23, not just corrupt forces but also fascist forces will fall in a storm of whistles," he said, referring to the party's election symbol and signalling confidence ahead of polling day. The TVK chief's remarks come amid an intensifying campaign phase in Tamil Nadu, with parties stepping up their outreach efforts in the run-up to the Assembly elections scheduled later this month. - IANS LOME, April 18 (Xinhua) -- The 28th Chinese medical team, based in Lome, on Friday organized a day of free medical consultations, along with donations of medicines, at the Sino-Togolese sugar company (SINTO), located in Anie, about 180 km north of the Togolese capital. A total of 150 employees of the sugar company, a product of China-Togo cooperation, benefited from the consultations, which were held as part of the "100 teams for 1,000 villages" initiative. "We fulfill our medical mission through concrete actions and bear witness to the deep and enduring friendship between China and Togo," said Guo Juanjuan, head of the 28th Chinese medical team. She noted that Chinese doctors carry out daily diagnoses, surgical operations, as well as teaching and training activities, in hospital wards, operating rooms and rural clinics. "We now regard Togo as our second homeland and Togolese patients as our own family," she added. Mao Shi, CEO of SINTO, said the voluntary consultations embody the benevolence of Chinese doctors and provide sincere and valuable support to the sugar company. The medical services covered several specialties, including internal medicine, surgery, gynecology and obstetrics, traumatology, as well as acupuncture of traditional Chinese medicine. Among the beneficiaries, Tchagara Issa, 59, received traditional Chinese medicine treatment for persistent pain in his right shoulder following a traffic accident in 2012. "Acupuncture has relieved my pain, and I can now use my right arm more easily to wash myself, which had not been possible for years," he said, praising the effectiveness of traditional medicine. Vice President CP Radhakrishnan is undertaking a two-day official visit to Sri Lanka, marking a significant milestone in bilateral ties. His itinerary includes meetings with Sri Lanka's top leadership, including the President and Prime Minister, and extensive engagement with the Indian-origin Tamil community. The visit features a trip to Nuwara Eliya to inspect housing projects built with Indian assistance and interact with resident families. This engagement continues a pattern of high-level exchanges, aiming to deepen people-to-people connections and strengthen the comprehensive bilateral relationship. VP CP Radhakrishnan visits Sri Lanka for high-level talks & outreach to the Indian-origin Tamil community, reviewing bilateral relations. Colombo, April 18 In a wide-ranging diplomatic and people-centric engagement, Vice President CP Radhakrishnan will hold talks with Sri Lanka's top leadership and connect with the Indian-origin Tamil community during his two-day official visit beginning April 19, marking a significant milestone in bilateral ties between the two countries. According to Indian High Commissioner to Sri Lanka Santosh Jha, the Vice President's itinerary includes meetings with Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya, and the Leader of the Opposition, alongside interactions with representatives of Sri Lankan Tamil parties and Indian-origin Tamil political groups. Speaking to ANI ahead of the Vice President's visit to the island nation, Jha reflects on the strong blend of official diplomacy and grassroots outreach, noting that the Vice President will also participate in a community reception with the Indian diaspora, where he is expected to address and engage with nearly 1.5 million Indian-origin Tamils living in Sri Lanka. "He will meet the President; he will meet the Prime Minister; he will meet the Leader of the Opposition. Then he will meet leaders of Sri Lankan Tamil parties and Indian-origin Tamil political parties," Jha said, outlining the Vice President's engagements. The second day of the visit will take the Vice President to Nuwara Eliya, Sri Lanka's picturesque up-country tea-growing region, where a large section of the Indian-origin Tamil community resides. There, he will visit settlements developed under India's Housing Project Phase III, which has already constructed 4,000 houses, with an additional 10,000 currently underway. The visit is expected to be particularly emotive, as the Vice President will interact directly with families living in these housing clusters, listening to their concerns and experiences. "There is a village where he has a visit, a place where we have built houses under our Indian Housing Project, Phase 3, under which we have built 4,000 houses. And currently, we are building 10,000 more houses in that area. So, the Vice President will go there, meet the residents, talk to them, try to understand their problems, and naturally strengthen our connection with the Indian Origin Tamil community," the High Commissioner said. The Vice President will also visit the revered Seetha Temple in Nuwara Eliya, adding a cultural and spiritual dimension to the trip. Jha noted that the visit has generated considerable anticipation in Sri Lanka, with multiple leaders and public figures seeking meetings with the visiting dignitary. "There is a lot of enthusiasm and expectation regarding his visit," he said, adding that the engagement comes in continuation of a sustained pattern of high-level exchanges between the two countries. "This visit is coming exactly one year after the Prime Minister's visit. Over the last two to three years, there has been a continuous series of high-level exchanges," he added. He pointed to recent reciprocal visits, including the Sri Lankan President's trip to India in December 2024, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Sri Lanka in April 2025, and further leadership exchanges between the two sides. Describing the visit as a "key milestone", Jha said it will provide an opportunity to review the full spectrum of bilateral relations. "We will talk about people-to-people connections and bringing more depth to our relations. Today, our relations are very strong, but we will discuss how to take them further forward," he said. The Ministry of External Affairs has described Sri Lanka as a key partner under India's Neighbourhood First policy and Vision MAHASAGAR framework, noting that the visit will further reinforce centuries-old civilisational ties and deepen the enduring people-to-people relationship between the two nations. - ANI Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has called for de-escalation and the reopening of the vital Strait of Hormuz, following a virtual leaders' summit co-hosted by France and the UK. He stressed the need to keep the strategic waterway free from privatisation and tolls to ensure freedom of navigation. Concurrently, Australia is extending relaxed fuel-quality standards to manage domestic supply shortages triggered by the West Asian conflict. Albanese warned that a prolonged regional war would have severe consequences for the global economy and energy markets. PM Anthony Albanese joins 49-nation summit, urges reopening of Strait of Hormuz with no tolls or privatisation to protect global fuel supply. Canberra, April 18 Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Saturday called for de-escalation in West Asia and the reopening of the critical Strait of Hormuz, stressing the need to keep the route free from tolls and privatisation amid the ongoing conflict. In a post on X, following his participation in a virtual Leaders' Summit on the Strait of Hormuz co-hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Albanese said 49 countries had come together with a "consistent approach" focused on ensuring freedom of navigation. He said, "Last night, I joined the Strait of Hormuz freedom of navigation summit. There were 49 countries participated. There was a consistent approach. We want to see de-escalation." He added that the aim was to see the Strait of Hormuz "opened" and to see "no privatisation and no tolls." He said, "We want to see the Strait of Hormuz opened and we want to see no privatisation and no tolls." Shifting his focus towards the Australians, he said, "Our focus, of course, has also been on doing what we can to shield Australians from the worst of the impacts that are occurring right around the globe. We're not immune. What we are doing, though, is making every effort that we can, leaving no stone unturned, to make sure that we defend Australia's national interests. That's what my government will continue to do." Meanwhile, Australia is taking emergency steps to manage its domestic fuel situation. According to Al Jazeera, the Australian Energy Minister Chris Bowen announced an extension of the relaxed fuel-quality standard until September, following the impact of the Iran conflict on Australia's fuel supply. "I've decided to extend the period of higher sulphur for petrol in Australia," Bowen said on Friday. The measure allows fuel to contain up to 50 parts per million (ppm) of sulphur, five times higher than the usual 10 ppm limit, aimed at easing supply constraints caused by the crisis. The decision, initially introduced in March, is to be implemented as Australia faces localised fuel shortages triggered by disruptions in West Asian supply routes. As reported by Al Jazeera, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has visited three Asian countries this week in a bid to secure additional fuel for his country. Earlier, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Friday (local time) welcomed the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and cautioned that prolonged conflict in the region could have serious consequences for the global economy and energy markets. He said, "Overnight, I joined a virtual Leaders' Summit on the Strait of Hormuz co-hosted by President Macron and Prime Minister Starmer. Australia has consistently called for an end to this conflict. The longer the war goes on, the more significant the impact on the global economy will be, and the greater the human cost." - ANI Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister has firmly rejected any short-term pauses in hostilities, demanding instead a total and permanent end to warfare across the West Asian region. He stated that any truce must cover all active fronts from Lebanon to the Red Sea, calling this a non-negotiable red line for Tehran. The official blamed the United States and Israel for regional volatility and damage to global commerce, while linking security in the vital Strait of Hormuz to full respect for Iran's sovereignty. This comes as the US enforces a major naval blockade near Iranian territory, with Tehran's UN envoy calling the move unlawful but expressing openness to diplomacy with regional and global partners. Iran's Deputy FM rules out short-term truce, demands comprehensive end to warfare from Lebanon to Red Sea, blaming US and Israel for instability. Antalya, April 17 Tehran has dismissed the possibility of any short-term pauses in hostilities, asserting that it is pushing for a total conclusion to warfare throughout the West Asian region, according to Al Jazeera. Speaking to journalists during the Antalya Diplomacy Forum, Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister, Saeed Khatibzadeh, emphasised that any potential truce must encompass every active battleground "from Lebanon to the Red Sea". He further categorised this broad scope as a "red line" for the Iranian government. Elaborating on Tehran's rigid stance against incremental deals, Khatibzadeh told the press, "We are not accepting any temporary ceasefire." He maintained that the current wave of violence "should end here once and for all" rather than being merely paused. The senior diplomat also addressed maritime security, specifically regarding the Strait of Hormuz. Al Jazeera reported his observations that while the vital shipping lane is located inside Iran's sovereign territory, it has historically been kept accessible for international passage. Shifting the blame for regional volatility, Khatibzadeh pointed towards the United States and Israel. He claimed that they have been the catalysts for local unrest, which has subsequently damaged international commerce and the broader global financial system. According to Al Jazeera, the Deputy Minister's remarks underscore Iran's refusal to engage in piecemeal diplomacy, instead demanding a comprehensive resolution to the multiple overlapping crises currently affecting the region. This demand for a regional resolution comes as tensions peak at the United Nations, where Iran's Permanent Representative, Amir-Saeid Iravani, argued that stability in the Strait of Hormuz is contingent upon "full respect for Iran's sovereignty and rights." According to Iranian state media Press TV, Iravani's remarks were a direct response to a recently announced US "naval blockade" intended to pressure Tehran into ensuring the waterway remains open. Addressing the legalities of the strategic corridor, Iravani asserted that freedom of navigation in the Persian Gulf and the Sea of Oman is only achievable if the rights of coastal states are upheld. Per Press TV, he warned that Washington's measures constitute an "unlawful" act of aggression and a "flagrant breach" of the UN Charter, specifically Article 2(4), which prohibits the threat or use of force. The diplomatic friction has been further compounded by military escalation on the ground. US Central Command (CENTCOM) confirmed that American forces are actively enforcing a large-scale maritime blockade. This operation involves over 10,000 personnel, a dozen naval vessels, and more than 100 aircraft, aimed specifically at Iranian ports and the coastline. Highlighting the effectiveness of these measures, US President Donald Trump stated that the Navy's performance has been "incredible," noting that the blockade is proceeding routinely with no ships attempting to bypass the American fleet. However, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Air Force Gen. Dan Caine, clarified to the media that the mission is a blockade of Iranian territory rather than the Strait of Hormuz itself, applying to all vessels regardless of nationality. Amid these military manoeuvres, Iravani maintained that Iran has consistently upheld maritime security while accusing the US and Israel of targeting civilian infrastructure during a "40-day military assault." Despite the rhetoric, the envoy noted that Tehran remains open to diplomatic initiatives involving regional partners like Pakistan, Turkey, and Saudi Arabia, as well as China and Russia, to find a sustainable end to the crisis. - ANI Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese participated in a virtual leaders' summit co-hosted by France and the UK, focusing on stabilizing the Strait of Hormuz. He warned that a prolonged regional conflict would significantly impact the global economy and that Australians are already facing higher fuel prices. His comments welcomed Iran's announcement to reopen the strategic waterway during a ceasefire period. The strait is a critical chokepoint for global oil and gas shipments. Australian PM Albanese warns of economic fallout from regional conflict, welcomes Strait of Hormuz reopening after leaders' summit. Canberra, April 18 Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Friday welcomed the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and cautioned that prolonged conflict in the region could have serious consequences for the global economy and energy markets. In a post on X, Albanese said he participated in a virtual Leaders' Summit on the Strait of Hormuz co-hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, where discussions focused on stabilising the key maritime corridor. "Overnight, I joined a virtual Leaders' Summit on the Strait of Hormuz co-hosted by President Macron and Prime Minister Starmer. Australia has consistently called for an end to this conflict. The longer the war goes on, the more significant the impact on the global economy will be, and the greater the human cost." He highlighted that Australians were already feeling the effects of regional instability. "Australians are feeling the impact on fuel supply and prices and we are working to shield families from the worst of it," he said. Albanese also expressed support for diplomatic efforts aimed at restoring stability in the region. "Australia stands ready to support efforts to restore stability and security in the Strait of Hormuz and I welcome the announcement overnight of the Strait's reopening. We want to see this hold." The remarks come after Iran announced that commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz would remain "completely open" during a 10-day ceasefire period. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi had said, "In line with the ceasefire in Lebanon, the passage for all commercial vessels through the Strait of Hormuz is declared completely open for the remaining period of the ceasefire, on the coordinated route as already announced by Ports and Maritime Organisation of the Islamic Republic of Iran." US President Donald Trump also confirmed the reopening, saying the waterway was "fully open" and "ready for full passage," though he maintained that the US naval blockade on Iran would remain until a final agreement is reached. The Strait of Hormuz, a vital global energy chokepoint handling around 20 per cent of the world's oil and gas shipments, has remained central to geopolitical tensions following recent regional escalations. - ANI The conflict in West Asia is severely disrupting the supply of pharmaceutical raw materials to India, leading to skyrocketing manufacturing costs. Industry representatives warn of imminent price hikes of 30-40% for essential drugs, including those for oncology, diabetes, and hypertension, with Paracetamol inputs seeing a 96% cost increase. While wholesalers assure no current shortages and are stockpiling, the government has intervened with customs duty exemptions to stabilize costs. Health authorities are monitoring the volatile situation to balance industry viability with public affordability. Pharma raw material costs from West Asia surge, threatening 30-40% price hikes for essential Indian medicines like Paracetamol, diabetes & cancer drugs. Visakhapatnam, April 17 The ongoing conflict involving Iran has begun to ripple through India's healthcare sector, with pharmaceutical distributors warning of a significant price hike for life-saving drugs. According to the Visakhapatnam Chemists Association, the soaring cost of raw materials, largely sourced from West Asian hubs like Dubai, is forcing manufacturers to recalibrate their pricing structures. They further informed ANI that pharmaceutical companies manufacturing certain brands have already notified wholesale dealers of these impending price hikes. Local industry leaders have confirmed that major pharmaceutical companies have already begun notifying wholesalers of impending increases. The conflict has disrupted the supply of critical inputs, particularly petrochemical-based solvents and Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs) used in high-demand therapies. Ex Board member of the Visakha Chemists Association, Naveen, said, "The raw materials we get from the Middle East are getting expensive, we are expecting at least a 30% to 40% price hike. We source certain oncology, diabetology, and hypertension brands from there. This is impacting manufacturing costs in other ways too, including transportation and rising fuel costs, which in turn have caused production costs to go up drastically. Based on communications from these companies, we expect prices might rise in the near future. As of now, we have no shortages and prices are running normally. However, for generic brands, companies have already communicated that prices will rise by 15% to 20% depending on production costs." While existing stock is currently selling at normal rates, the outlook for the near future is grim for consumers of generic and essential medications. In one of the most drastic projections, industry representatives noted that costs for raw materials for Paracetamol are rising by approximately 96%, potentially leading to a 100% price increase for some generic versions as they move to match the benchmark prices of ethical brands. "Paracetamol is rising by approximately 96%. It depends pharma companies already have certain benchmark prices. If they are producing a generic version, the price will match the ethical brand, so the price could potentially rise by 100%. The Indian government is taking proper preventive steps and providing sufficient resources for companies to maintain their production and take care of the people. We get oncology, diabetic, and anti-hypertension medicines from the Middle East and China. Only those specific categories are likely to be impacted the most," Naveen added. Despite the pricing pressure, the Vizag Medical Wholesale Association has assured the public that there is currently no shortage of medicines. Wholesalers are actively "preparing and maintaining sufficient stock" to prevent a supply crisis. Suman, secretary for the Vizag Medical Wholesale Association, said, "The main production costs are increasing. That's why some medicines are going to increase in price. There is no medicine shortage at all. Only the price is going to increase. Just three to four days back, we were getting information from other companies, from some companies. So we are just preparing ourselves to maintain sufficient stock." The Indian government has also moved to cushion the blow. Earlier this month, the Centre announced customs duty exemptions on critical petrochemical products until June 2026 to stabilise input costs. Additionally, the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) is reportedly considering a temporary, calibrated price relaxation of 10-20% for essential drugs to prevent manufacturers from halting production due to thin margins. According to an official statement, the exemption will remain in force till June 30, 2026, and aims to ensure the uninterrupted availability of essential petrochemical inputs for domestic manufacturing sectors. As the geopolitical situation in West Asia remains volatile, the Ministry of Health and the Department of Pharmaceuticals continue to monitor the situation, aiming to balance the viability of the pharma industry with the affordability of healthcare for the Indian public. - ANI LOME, April 18 (Xinhua) -- Lome, the capital of Togo, hosted a high-level meeting on Saturday marked by the launch of Togo's new 2026-2028 strategy for the Sahel, notably targeting Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger, which form the Confederation of Sahel States. Championed by Faure Gnassingbe, President of the Council, the new strategy continues Togo's engagement in the Sahel and replaces the 2021 strategy that had guided the country's actions in the region over the past four years. The new Sahel Strategy (2026-2028) aims to adapt Togo's engagement in the region to emerging realities, while strengthening its contribution to regional stability and cooperation between Sahel countries and those of the Gulf of Guinea. The Lome meeting sought to enhance political dialogue between Togo and Sahel states, provide a platform for exchanges among governments as well as regional and international organizations, and contribute to dialogue promoting stability, security and regional integration. The meeting brought together representatives of the Togolese government, governments of Sahel states, special envoys for the Sahel, and representatives of sub-regional, regional and international organizations, including the United Nations. According to Abdoulaye Diop, Mali's minister of foreign affairs and International Cooperation, the new 2026-2028 strategy "once again demonstrates Togo's determination to adapt its engagement to new geopolitical and security realities in order to strengthen regional stability, as well as cooperation between Sahel states and those of the Gulf of Guinea in a rapidly changing geopolitical environment and world." Togolese authorities noted that the terrorist threat persists in the Sahel and is gradually spreading toward the coastal states of the Gulf of Guinea, stressing that the need to act further in the interest of regional stability remains a priority. In the world of audits, the most dreaded assignment doesn't involve spreadsheets. That honor goes to the mind-numbing and not-always-comfortable task of counting inventorya job those who complete it wouldn't mind handing off to AI, if only AI could handle it. The Wall Street Journal 's Mark Maurer spotlights accountants like Iowa auditor Matt Gardiner, who recently had to get to the top of 90-foot grain bins in order to verify what's inside. For junior auditorsthe job is typically handled by newbiesthese trips can mean shivering in giant freezers to tally frozen fish, counting rocks in quarries, or even logging the number of telephone poles. Maurer sourced some of his tales from Reddit, and it's easy to see why (this page recounts tales of stirring vats of raw scallops and climbing over a cart of dead chickens). Maurer notes that firms are eager for technology, particularly AI, to take over these grunt tasks, and some progress is underway: Drones have replaced helicopters and planes in some cases for aerial counts, for instance. But US auditing rules still require humans to physically verify inventory, and technology can be costly or unreliable. Drones, Maurer explains, aren't precise when it comes to "items that are covered or hiding, such as cattle in mountainous terrains." Read the full story for more here. Spain's most famous protest painting is now at the center of a political standoff of its own. Smithsonian magazine's Ryley Graham reports, in part via El Pais, that Basque leaders want Pablo Picasso's Guernica temporarily sent from Madrid's Reina Sofia Museumits home since 1992to the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao for events marking the 90th anniversary of the 1937 bombing that inspired it. Graham notes the Guggenheim sits a short distance from the town of Guernica, and Artnet reports the proposed exhibition would begin Oct. 1 and run through June 30, 2027. The Basque government says it will pay all costs and set up a special technical team to oversee the movewith Basque government leader Imanol Pradales arguing last month that it's a "serious political mistake" to shut down the idea. Madrid has thus far said no. Spanish culture minister Ernest Urtasun rejected the loan request on April 7, citing a fresh conservation report from the Reina Sofia warning that any new transport could worsen cracks and paint loss in the 25.5-foot-long canvas, which has endured more than 30 past moves. "Celebrating the 90th anniversary of Guernica should also mean ensuring that this work can last another 90 years," Urtasun said. Basque officials pushed back on the report, which they say wasn't what they asked for: "We didn't request a report on the painting's state of conservationwe already know its conditionbut rather a report analyzing the conditions under which it would be possible to move it and temporarily relocate it to the Basque Country." Artnet notes the Basque government has made numerous loan requests dating to the 1990s; the artwork has not left Madrid since 1981. A 2000 request by the Museum of Modern Art in New York, which the Art Newspaper reports had Guernica from 1957 to 1981, was also denied. When Tiffany Davis has a question about a symptom from the weight-loss injections she's taking, she doesn't call her doctor. She pulls out her phone and consults ChatGPT. "I'll just basically let ChatGPT know my status, how I'm feeling," said the 42-year-old in Mesquite, Texas. "I use it for anything that I'm experiencing." Turning to artificial intelligence tools for health advice has become a habit for Davis and many other Americans, according to a Gallup poll published Wednesday. The poll, conducted in late 2025 and backed up by at least three other recent surveys with similar findings, found that roughly one-quarter of US adults had used an AI tool for health information or advice in the past 30 days, reports the AP . Dr. Karandeep Singh, chief health AI officer at UC San Diego Health, said AI tools, many of which now incorporate web search, are an upgraded version of Google health searches that Americans have been doing for decades. "I almost view it like a better entry portal into web search," he said. "Instead of someone having to comb through the top, you know, 10, 20, 30 links in a web search, they can now have an executive summary." Most Americans using AI tools for health purposes say they want immediate answers. In some cases, it helps them evaluate what kind of medical attention they need. "It'll let me know if something's serious or not," Davis said of ChatGPT. The Gallup survey found about 7 in 10 US adults who've used AI for health research in the past 30 days say they wanted quick answers or additional information, or were simply curious. Majorities used it for research before seeing a doctor or after an appointment. Rakesia Wilson, 39, in Theodore, Alabama, said she recently used AI to better understand her lab results after an endocrinologist visit. She also regularly uses ChatGPT and Microsoft Copilot to decide whether she needs to take time off for a doctor's appointment or can simply monitor an ailment. "I just don't necessarily have the time if it's something that I feel is minor," said Wilson. On the whole, the findings suggest that the rise of AI tools hasn't stopped people from seeking professional care: About 8 in 10 US adults say they've sought out a health care professional for information in the past year, while about 3 in 10 say that about AI tools and chatbots, according to a KFF poll conducted in February. Similarly, a Pew Research Center survey conducted in October found that about 2 in 10 US adults say they get health information at least sometimes from AI chatbots, while about 85% said the same about health care providers. A small but significant share of Gallup respondents say they used AI because accessing health care was too expensive or inconvenient. About 4 in 10 wanted help outside of normal business hours, while about 3 in 10 didn't want to pay for a doctor's visit. Roughly 2 in 10 didn't have time to make an appointment, had felt ignored or dismissed by a provider in the past, or were too embarrassed to talk to a person. About one-third of adults who'd recently used AI for health information said they "strongly" or "somewhat" trust its accuracy, per the Gallup poll. About 34% distrusted it, and another 33% neither trusted it nor distrusted it. Dr. Bobby Mukkamala, the president of the American Medical Association, said he loves when patients have "more evolved questions" because they used AI for research. But he said AI should be considered a tool and not a stand-in for medical care. "It is an assistant but not an expert," he said. It was late morning when two ambulances slowed to a stop outside the village of Mayfadoun in southern Lebanon on Wednesday. Having heard minutes earlier that Israel had attacked two other ambulances, hitting one and then the other after it showed up to help the first, they didn't hesitate before rushing to the scene. They found a hellscape. The first two ambulances were destroyed, their tires blown and windows shattered. Six of their eight crew members were covered in blood and lying in the road or in the back of a vehicle, the AP reports. A paramedic in one of the driver's seats, blood pulsing from his abdomen, was cradling a colleague in his lap, pleading with him to stay conscious. "I felt sick. I couldn't believe my eyes," Mohammed Jaber, 43, said Friday from his emergency team's headquarters in Nabatiyeh. A 10-day truce in the Israel-Hezbollah war delivered the exhausted team a respite from the drum line of explosions. Jaber said he and the others hurried to load the most critically injured into their working ambulances. As team leader Mahdi Abu Zaid ran to close the doors, they, too, were attacked. The three strikes, which killed four paramedics and wounded six, is the latest example of Israel's willingness to target Lebanon's health sector. Humanitarian agencies report that an average of two health workers have been killed every day in the war before the truce took hold Friday. Medics rented a tow truck and took Abu Zaid's mangled ambulance to a public square. "We want this vehicle to bear witness," one staff member said. The AP's full report on the issue can be found here. Iran swiftly reversed course on reopening the Strait of Hormuz , reimposing restrictions on the critical waterway on Saturday after the US said it wouldn't end its blockade of Iran-linked shipping. Iran's joint military command said that "control of the Strait of Hormuz has returned to its previous state ... under strict management and control of the armed forces," per the AP . It warned that it would continue to block transit through the strait as long as the US blockade of Iranian ports remained in effect. The announcement came the morning after US President Trump said that even after Iran announced the strait's reopening on Friday, the American blockade "will remain in full force" until Tehran reaches a deal with the US, including on its nuclear program. The conflict over the choke point threatened to deepen the energy crisis roiling the global economy after oil prices began to fall again on Friday on hopes that the US and Iran were drawing closer to an agreement. Roughly one-fifth of the world's oil passes through the strait, and further limits would squeeze already constrained supply, driving prices higher once again. Control over the strait has proven to be one Iran's main points of leverage and prompted the US to deploy forces and initiate a blockade on Iranian ports as part of an effort to force Iran to accept a Pakistan-brokered ceasefire to end almost seven weeks of war that has raged between Israel, the US, and Iran. Iran said it fully reopened the Strait of Hormuz to commercial vessels after a 10-day truce was announced between Israel and the Iranian-backed Hezbollah militant group in Lebanon. An end to Israel's war with Hezbollah was a key demand of Iranian negotiators, who previously accused Israel of breaking last week's ceasefire with strikes on Lebanon. Israel had said that deal didn't cover Lebanon. But after Trump said the blockade would continue, top Iranian officials said his announcement violated last week's ceasefire agreement between Iran and the US and warned the strait wouldn't stay open if the US blockade remained in effect. Data firm Kpler said that movement through the strait remained confined to corridors requiring Iran's approval. US forces have sent 21 ships back to Iran since the blockade began on Monday, US Central Command said on X. More here. DAKAR, April 18 (Xinhua) -- Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye on Saturday called for an ambitious reform of global governance to make it fairer, more representative and better aligned with contemporary realities. Speaking at a conference of Senegal's ambassadors and consuls general in Diamniadio, near Dakar, Faye said Africa should occupy its rightful place in global governance and have its priorities fully taken into account. He stressed that multilateralism should remain the preferred framework for international action, but said it must be reinvented, renewed and revitalized in order to move beyond what he described as the post-World War status quo. "The world is going through a period of major geopolitical turbulence and unprecedented challenges," Faye said, warning that the resurgence of armed conflicts and recurring tensions among nuclear powers are raising questions about the effectiveness of existing mechanisms for crisis prevention and management. He also denounced what he called the growing normalization of unilateral use of force, saying it runs counter to the principles of the United Nations Charter. According to Faye, such trends endanger global balance and undermine the very idea of human dignity. He said it is more important than ever to work toward a fairer international order in which human beings remain at the center of concerns and everyone can live in peace, dignity and security. Faye also called for stronger commitment to African integration, both in the design and implementation of community policies, and urged greater mobilization to make Africa's voice heard on the international stage. The conference of Senegal's ambassadors and consuls general is being held on April 18 and 19 at the Abdou Diouf International Conference Center in Diamniadio. It focuses on enhancing the effectiveness of Senegal's foreign policy and modernizing the country's diplomatic and consular network. Nearly two decades after drug addiction sent him to rehab as a teen, 36-year-old Michael Nalewaja had settled into a quiet life in Alaska where he worked as an electrician. That all came crashing down days before Thanksgiving 2025, when he and a mutual friend unknowingly took a lethal cocktail of fentanyl and carfentanil they may have mistaken for cocaine. "Even if somebody had been there prepared with Narcaneven if somebody had called 911 in timehe was not going to survive," his mother, Kelley Nalewaja, tells the AP . Carfentanil, a weapons-grade chemical that authorities say is 10,000 times more potent than morphine and 100 times stronger than fentanyl, has seen a drastic resurgence across the US, killing hundreds of unsuspecting drug users. The rise coincides with a recent crackdown by the Chinese government on the sale of precursors used to make fentanyl. Those regulations are likely prompting traffickers in Mexico to use carfentanil to boost the potency of a weakened version of fentanyl, per DEA intelligence bulletins. The surge of a drug so deadly that less than a poppy seed-size amount can kill a person comes as fentanyl seizures and overall drug overdose deaths continue a multiyear decline. "You're talking about not even a grain of salt that could be potentially lethal," said Frank Tarentino, the DEA's chief of operations for its northeast region. "This presents an extremely frightening proposition for substance-abuse-dependent people who seek opioids on the street today." A decade ago, carfentanil exploded into the North American drug supply, causing hundreds of unsuspecting drug users to overdose, only to see a major dip after China banned it, closing a key regulatory loophole in the US. But the situation has shifted dramatically in recent years. In 2025, DEA labs identified carfentanil 1,400 times in US drug seizures, compared with 145 in 2023 and only 54 in 2022, per DEA records. The DEA's annual quota for lawfully manufactured carfentanilveterinarians use it to tranquilize elephants and other large animalsis just 20g, an amount that can fit in the palm of your hand. "It's like a biological weapon," said Michael King Jr., founder of the Opioid Awareness Foundation. "If the world thinks we had a problem with fentanyl, that's minute compared to what we're going to be dealing with with carfentanil." Experts say that even multiple high doses of naloxone might not be enough to reverse an overdose when carfentanil is involved. After Michael Nalewaja's death, his mother decided against a large funeral. Instead, she organized a town hall in her hometown of El Dorado Hills, California, bringing together local officials along with mothers who'd gone through something similar. As she grieves her son, an adept salesman full of charisma who'd recently gotten a national award by the electrical union, she's pushing for major legislative and judicial changes so others don't go through what she did due to a drug she said was never meant for humans. "It's not an OD; it's not an overdose," she said. "It's a murder weapon." More here. A looming jet fuel shortage in Europe and Asia could compound the Iran war's impact on world travel within weeks if a fragile agreement to reopen the Strait of Hormuz totally collapses, making higher airfares and flight cancellations even more likely as the summer travel season approaches, reports the AP . Crude oil prices plunged Friday after Iran's foreign minister said tankers and other commercial vessels could again pass unimpeded through the narrow waterway off the country's coast that serves as a conduit for about one-fifth of the world's oil and natural gas. On Saturday, Iran reinstituted its restrictions on the waterway. US President Trump has said the US will continue its blockade of Iranian ships entering or leaving the strait until Washington and Tehran reached a deal to end the war, which started Feb. 28 when the US and Israel attacked Iran. The oil market is expected to take months to recover from shipment disruptions, and fuel prices typically take longer to fall than prices for crude. In a sign of the conflict's ongoing repercussions for airlines and their passengers, Air Canada said on Friday it was canceling service to New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport between June and October due to surging jet-fuel costs. Jet fuel is airlines' biggest cost, making up about 30% of overall expenses, per the International Air Transport Association. And jet fuel prices have roughly doubled since the war began; shortages could start next. In a Thursday interview, International Energy Agency Director Fatih Birol said Europe had "maybe six weeks" of remaining jet-fuel supplies. In general, some European countries hold several months' worth of jet fuel inventory at a time, per an IEA report. Airline officials have largely reacted with caution, acknowledging potential fuel issues but working to reassure customers. Still, some carriers have already passed costs on to consumers by increasing fees for baggage and other add-ons, embedding costs into ticket prices, or raising fuel surcharges. Much more here on the effects you might see in your own travels. A German newspaper has turned a trove of Nazi Party records into a searchable tool, and it's had millions of hits already from those using it to check their family history. Die Zeit , working with Germany's Federal Archives and the US National Archives, has put a database online that covers roughly 10.2 million people who joined Adolf Hitler's party between 1925 and 1945, reports CNN . The paper says the project is meant to help Germans confront their past and "end the silence born of misplaced shame." At its height near the end of World War II, the Nazi Party counted about 9 million members, according to Die Zeit. The membership cards, nearly destroyed in the final days of the war, were rescued by the head of a local paper mill, per the BBC. They were later stored in the Berlin Document Center and eventually transferred to German federal custody, with copies kept in the US, per CNN. Die Zeit obtained the data and, using AI, built what its history editor Christian Staas calls a "convenient search option." He tells CNN that demand has been intensefar higher than the roughly 75,000 annual inquiries the archives typically receiveand suggests many people are more willing to ask questions now that most former party members have died. Polls, he notes, show that relatively few Germans believe their forebears supported the regime, a disconnect he hopes the tool may correct. Users have been sending the outlet their reactionssome confirming long-held suspicions, others uncovering painful new details. One wrote of discovering both grandfathers had joined the party, another of finally learning that an irritable great-grandfather was indeed a member, and a third of finding that the non-Jewish husband of a Jewish relative had signed up in 1933, with his wife later murdered at the Kulmhof extermination camp. Christine Schmidt of London's Wiener Holocaust Library called the tool "a boon for scholarship," saying easier access to the records is a major step for historical reckoning and a useful counter to efforts to distort or deny the history of the Holocaust. President Trump is set to appear in an unusual Washington event next week: a weeklong, cover-to-cover public reading of the Bible. The president prerecorded his segment from the Oval Office for "America Reads the Bible," which organizers describe as "a national reading of God's law," per the New York Times . Trump will read from 2 Chronicles 7 , a passage widely embraced by conservative Christians as a call for national repentance and divine favor. The passagewhich includes the central verse "If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray"has been repeatedly invoked in modern American politics, including during the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol, when it was prayed over a bullhorn to a pro-Trump crowd. Scholars note that the text originally referred to God's covenant with ancient Israel, but it has taken on new political meaning in the US in recent decades. The event comes after a rocky stretch in Trump's relationship with some of his Christian supporters. Last weekend he posted, then deleted, an AI-generated image that appeared to show him as Jesus healing someone, prompting criticism from Christians who called it blasphemous; Trump later claimed he thought he was depicted as a doctor. He also drew Catholic backlash for a lengthy broadside against Pope Leo XIV, whom he labeled "weak on crime" after the pontiff criticized the US war in Iran. "America Reads the Bible," led by conservative activist Bunni Pounds, will run daily from 9am to 9pm for a week at the Museum of the Bible, starting in Genesis and ending in Revelation. Trump's segment, which Politico notes will take about 2 1/2 minutes, is set to air Tuesday between 6pm and 7pm ET, alongside former HUD Secretary Ben Carson and home-school advocate Heidi St. John. The nearly 500 readers form a roster of Trump-aligned evangelical figures and Republican allies, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Defense chief Pete Hegseth, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, and White House chief of staff Susie Wiles. Organizers say they invited dozens of Democrats but received no takers. The event is also being framed as part of preparations for the nation's 250th anniversary, with an apparent focus on the country's Christian heritage. A gunman opened fire on a street in Kyiv on Saturday, then in a grocery store where he took hostages, authorities said, killing six people in all. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed that at least 14 people were wounded before tactical police units stormed the store and killed the gunman after trying to negotiate with him, the AP reports. Officials identified the attacker as a 58-year-old man born in Moscow, per the New York Times . They did not release any information about a possible motive. A supermarket employee said she initially mistook the gunfire for the sound of corks popping until people began shouting for others to flee. She said she hid near refrigeration units, listening to gunshots and cries of pain, and heard the gunman shouting that he wanted someone to come out and talk to him. Mass shootings remain uncommon in Ukraine, per the Times, despite an increase in available weapons since Russia's invasion, though the country has had several high-profile killings of politicians in public over the past two years. Officials said the man was carrying a legally registered carbine, a short-barrel assault rifle. Zelensky posted that the man set fire to his apartment before going into the street, where he killed the first four victims. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez hosted an international gathering of progressive leaders in Barcelona on Saturdayincluding a couple of American Democratsin an effort to rally and coordinate resistance to the global right. "We will twist the arm of the people who think they are completely untouchable," Sanchez told the Global Progressive Mobilization conference, Politico Europe reports. He included billionaires and housing speculators, as well as oligarchs who he said exploit democratic systems and young people's mental health. No foreign leader mentioned President Trump by name in public, but his redirection of US foreign policy from NATO and the United Nations hung over the meetings, per the AP . Democratic Sen. Chris Murphy and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz attended the summit, along with the leaders of Brazil and South Africa and high-ranking officials from similarly minded governments. Although she was in the country, Venezuela's exiled opposition leader Maria Corina Machado declined an invitation. She instead drew several thousand supporters Saturday to a rally in Madrid, per the AP. Trump responded to the summit with a social media attack on Spain and Sanchez, who is not allowing the US to use jointly operated military bases in Spain for operations related to the Iran war. "Has anybody looked at how badly the country of Spain is doing," Trump posted. "Their financial numbers, despite contributing almost nothing to NATO and their military defense, are absolutely horrendous. Sad to watch!!!" Roughly 6,000 officials, analysts, and activists attended the event, according to organizers, which featured leaders including Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, and Colombian President Gustavo Petro. Sanchez told the summit that progressive governments must confront what he described as a transnational far-right campaign trying to weaken international institutions. He blamed Trump's tariffs and fighting in the Middle East for contributing to a decline in multilateral cooperation, saying the left must respond collectively. He argued that when progressive parties gain power, their role is not to serve elites but to "put them in their place." Far-right forces are loud but weakening, Sanchez said, adding that "their time is about to be over." Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly speaks at a press conference in the New Administrative Capital, Egypt, April 18, 2026. Egypt on Saturday launched the "The Spine" urban development project in New Cairo, with investments exceeding 1.4 trillion Egyptian pounds (about 27 billion U.S. dollars), according to a cabinet statement. Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly called the project "global by all standards," saying that it would deliver "a real leap in urban development and economic growth in Egypt." TO GO WITH "Egypt launches 27-bln-USD urban development project in New Cairo" (Xinhua/Xin Mengchen) CAIRO, April 18 (Xinhua) -- Egypt on Saturday launched the "The Spine" urban development project in New Cairo, with investments exceeding 1.4 trillion Egyptian pounds (about 27 billion U.S. dollars), according to a cabinet statement. Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly called the project "global by all standards," saying that it would deliver "a real leap in urban development and economic growth in Egypt." Madbouly noted that the project, consisting of 165 residential, administrative, and hotel towers, will create about 155,000 job opportunities and yield tax returns exceeding 800 billion Egyptian pounds. He said the project also carries broader economic, social, and tourism benefits, including stimulating local industries and adding more than 3,500 hotel rooms. Job seekers line up at a hiring event at UConn Health Waterbury Hospital on March 26, 2026. UConn Health /Courtesy of UConn Health Waterbury The last names and languages spoken in the waiting room have changed over the decades, but patients visiting the StayWell Health Care clinic in Waterbury ask for the same care: Help with chronic ailments like diabetes, mental health and substance use, basic dental services and everyday care like checkups. While Waterbury has seen recent growth in its population and new energy around redevelopment of its once-desolate urban core, the basic health needs of its residents have not substantially changed over the decades, said StayWell CEO Donald Thompson, who has helped run the chain of health clinics since it was founded in 1972. I think a lot of it is poverty and aging, and plus we have a growth of uninsured people, Thompson said. Despite an influx of new residents, issues like homelessness and mental illness remain a top concern in Waterbury, compounded by higher health-care costs for patients, he added. I think it's getting worse, he said of some health problems in the city. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Issues around poverty and aging also challenge Waterburys two hospitals UConn Health Waterbury Hospital and Saint Marys Hospital, which dominate the citys skyline from two hilltops. UConn Health, which took ownership of Waterbury Hospital on March 1, is moving into a city that continues to grapple with longstanding problems even as federal cuts loom in the government programs that fund hospital operations. Meanwhile, nearly $400 million of taxpayer money is on the line as part of UConn Healths expansion, much of it riding on transforming Waterbury Hospital. 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 Speaking at a gala ribbon-cutting at the hospital on March 4, UConn Health CEO Dr. Andrew Agwunobi said the academic system was perfectly suited to take over at Waterbury Hospital after years of neglect under for-profit owner Prospect Medical Holdings. The Waterbury community's need for a hospital owner whose values align with those of the community fits perfectly with the state's goals and with UConn Health's long-standing commitment to this community, Agwunobi said. One of UConn Healths first public actions as owner was hosting a job fair, with more than 300 people crowding the hallways to attend the event on March 26. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Transition goals include strengthening what already exists while ensuring long-term stability and growth for the network, UConn Health Waterbury Hospital said in a statement. That long-term stability starts with a strong workforce with the hiring event, directly contributing to this goal. Saint Marys urges collaboration Even as state and local leaders celebrated UConn Healths takeover of Waterbury Hospital on Robbins Street, across town at Saint Mary's on Franklin Street hospital officials were expressing concern about the future of health care in the city. We recognize the critical importance of stabilizing Waterbury Hospital; however, we strongly urge this process be guided by the principles of equity, sustainability, and collaboration to protect access and quality for all health systems serving this vulnerable community, Saint Marys President Dr. Robert Roose said in a letter to the states health regulator as UConn Healths expansion was debated late last year. Speaking in a January interview as the Waterbury Hospital deal neared completion, Roose echoed concerns about the increasingly precarious financial state of the citys two hospitals with federal cuts looming. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Public government payers do not reimburse adequately for the cost of care that is provided, and that creates a unique financial challenge to any system operating in the Waterbury community, Roose said. Where there are those financial challenges, to me, it speaks to thinking about how we deliver care in a different way going forward, and wanting to ensure that there's collaboration, equitable investment and in a pathway for redesign of sustainability. Waterbury and Saint Marys serve the highest percentage of Medicaid patients in the state, with each relying on government programs for more than 63% of their revenue. Federal cuts to Medicaid promised by President Donald Trump starting this year and extending into 2028 are expected to cost Connecticut hospitals millions, according to industry estimates, adding to the burden of lagging state reimbursement rates. While consistently scoring top safety and quality ratings, Saint Marys has stepped up its focus in recent years on growing its surgical and procedure volume to offset lower reimbursements, Roose said. The hospital looks forward to working with UConn Health to bolster collaborative cardiothoracic and other programs needed in Waterbury, he added. Advertisement Article continues below this ad In line with Saint Marys Catholic mission, Roose also seeks to bolster outpatient services and programs addressing medical needs arising from poverty and aging. The realities of operating in the city itself at the hospital continue to highlight that there is a significant need for collaboration and access to behavioral health services and a variety of other social care to help alleviate some of the challenges that many of the residents face on a daily basis, Roose said. Waterbury hospitals lag in finances, usage Even before any federal cuts, Waterbury hospitals were among the worst financial performers in the state in several key metrics, according to the Office of Health Strategy. Advertisement Article continues below this ad In the most recent state data on operating margins, a key measure of financial stability, Waterbury reported the fifth-worst hospital operating margin in the state at negative 8.42%, along with $20.3 million in operating losses for the fiscal year that ended in September 2024. Those losses surged in fiscal 2025 to nearly $35 million, according to documents filed earlier this year with the state, as owner Prospect struggled to stay afloat in bankruptcy. Another key metric of financial stability, days of cash on hand, raises alarm bells for both Waterbury, with 0 days, and Saint Marys, with 1 day of cash on hand. Measuring how long a hospital can operate without new revenue, the average days of cash on hand for Connecticut hospitals was 70 in fiscal 2024. Although Saint Mary's itself reported operating profits of $15.6 million and $14.9 million in the past two fiscal years, owner Trinity Health of New England reported a $112.3 million loss for fiscal 2025 on its Connecticut operations, according to its most recent financial statements. The Hartford-based division of national Catholic chain Trinity Health operates Saint Mary's, Saint Francis in Hartford and Johnson Memorial in Stafford. Empty beds raise sustainability concerns What most worries hospital experts in the state are the empty beds at both Waterbury and Saint Marys, reflecting a steady decline in patient volume since the pandemic. Advertisement Article continues below this ad At Saint Mary's, reported patient days fell from 40,307 in fiscal 2021 to 34,167 in fiscal 2024, reflecting an overall decline in the hospitals use that can lead to staff and service cuts. The hospital also left more of its 379 licensed beds unused, with only 175 staffed as of fiscal 2024, compared to 201 in fiscal 2021. Waterbury Hospital saw its patient days metric rising from a post-pandemic low of 57,323 in fiscal 2021 to 62,098 in fiscal 2023, but then plunging again to 57,621 in fiscal 2024. As of fiscal 2024, 266 of Waterbury Hospital's 393 licensed beds were staffed, an increase from a post-pandemic low of 168 staffed beds. It is in occupancy statistics or the percentage of staffed beds that actually house patients where both Waterbury hospitals show their weakness relative to other urban medical centers in the state. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Waterbury Hospital, with 59% occupancy, and Saint Marys, with 53%, ranked at the bottom among large hospitals for fiscal 2024. By contrast, Hartford HealthCare reported 96% occupancy at its Hartford Hospital flagship and Yale New Haven Health reported 99% occupancy both at Yale New Haven Hospital and Bridgeport Hospital. Stamford Hospital was at 95% occupancy in the same time period. Is that part of the issue, that we're overbedded in a certain town, and has this contributed to being vulnerable for private equity? asked Quinnipiac University professor Angela Mattie, an expert on health care in Connecticut, at a recent event about private investment in health care. Profit-taking by private equity firm Leonard Green Partners sparked the debt crisis at Waterbury Hospital under Prospect and led to the hospital chains bankruptcy, according reports compiled by U.S. Senator Chris Murphy and other lawmakers. State Sen. Saud Anwar, D-South Windsor, a doctor and co-chair of the Legislatures Public Health Committee, said at the event that Waterbury depends on the capacity of both Waterbury and Saint Marys to meet the needs of the citys residents. My sense is, yes, we need the two hospitals. The population also has a lot of health issues, Anwar said. Connecticut as a whole needs to prepare to ensure there are enough hospital beds to cope with demographic trends, he added. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Collectively, we are aging as a state, so we will need more health care, more facilities as well, and we do not have a strategic plan for the health and well-being of our state, Anwar said. City leader boosts both hospitals For the states fifth-largest city to have two half-empty hospitals reflects larger health-system forces and Prospects mismanagement not a lack of demand, Waterbury Mayor Paul Pernerewski said at the March ribbon-cutting at UConn Health Waterbury. Both of those hospitals are necessary. We need that capacity. We need both of the hospitals," Pernerewski said, adding that the city also needs more alternatives to the emergency room and additional behavioral health services in the community. Bolstering Saint Marys and UConn Health Waterbury will improve the citys overall health, he said. Advertisement Article continues below this ad A lot of our folks just don't have the wherewithal to be able to get themselves long distances. And I think that in many cases, they may be foregoing health care that they would otherwise, Pernerewski said. One of Connecticuts few remaining Catholic hospitals, Saint Marys also serves as a key resource for the Waterbury areas large concentration of Catholics, Pernerewski said. Saint Mary's remains important, Pernerewski said. I'm hoping that it's not that UConn is going to grow at the exclusion of Saint Mary's, but that together they create a much more vibrant medical community here in Waterbury. At StayWell Health, CEO Thompson hopes that UConn Health continues Waterbury Hospitals tradition of placing staff in their clinics for specialty care and maintains programs that help emergency room patients get additional services in the community. Hes also looking forward to the academic hospital bringing new Centers of Excellence in specialty care to Waterbury. Advertisement Article continues below this ad If UConn could also offer those services locally, that would be great, Thompson said. Both hospitals could benefit from UConns entry into Waterbury, Thompson said. I don't think theyll be competing. I think they have enough work to do to stabilize the hospital. But no matter who is running the citys hospitals, Waterbury also needs more transitional housing and reform of government health-insurance programs to begin addressing the root problems around poverty, homelessness and ill health, Thompson said. Medicaid rates are so low he has trouble attracting medical staff and anticipates UConn will face the same challenges. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Indeed's new offices at 695 E. Main St.-200 Elm St., in Stamford, Conn., include this reception area, and in the background, a barista bar. Photographed on March 18, 2026. Arnold Gold/Hearst Connecticut Media Indeed's slogan is displayed on one of the walls in its new offices at 200 Elm St.-695 E. Main St., in Stamford, Conn. Photographed on March 18, 2026. Arnold Gold/Hearst Connecticut Media Jack Mahoney, Indeed's head of revenue and growth finance, smiles during a tour of Indeed's new offices in Stamford, Conn., on March 18, 2026. Arnold Gold/Hearst Connecticut M International maritime signal flags spell out, 'We help people get jobs,' the slogan of Indeed, in the company's new offices in Stamford, Conn. Photographed on March 18, 2026. Arnold Gold/Hearst Connecticut Media Indeed employees work on the sales floor of the company's new offices in Stamford, Conn., on March 18, 2026. Arnold Gold/Hearst Connecticut Media One of the gongs on the sales floor of Indeed's new offices in Stamford, Conn., is displayed on March 18, 2026. A gong is rung when a sale is closed. Arnold Gold/Hearst Connecticut M Indeed's new offices in Stamford, Conn., include this executive conference space. Photographed on March 18, 2026. Arnold Gold/Hearst Connecticut Media Indeed's slogan is displayed on the sales floor of its new offices in Stamford, Conn. Photographed on March 18, 2026. Arnold Gold/Hearst Connecticut Media A view of one of the work spaces in Indeed's new offices in Stamford, Conn., on March 18, 2026. Arnold Gold/Hearst Connecticut Media Indeed's logo is displayed on a wall of its new offices in Stamford, Conn., on March 18, 2026. Arnold Gold/Hearst Connecticut Media This outdoor putting green is one of the amenities at Indeed's new offices in Stamford, Conn. Photographed on March 18, 2026. Arnold Gold/Hearst Connecticut Media The amenities of Indeed's new offices in Stamford, Conn., include this games room. Photographed on March 18, 2026. Arnold Gold/Hearst Connecticut Media The amenities of Indeed's new offices in Stamford, Conn., include this video-games room, with PlayStation and Xbox consoles. Photographed on March 18, 2026. Arnold Gold/Hearst Connecticut Media Indeed's new offices in Stamford, Conn., include this meeting room. Photographed on March 18, 2026. Arnold Gold/Hearst Connecticut Media Indeed's new offices in Stamford, Conn., include this meeting room. Photographed on March 18, 2026. Arnold Gold/Hearst Connecticut Media A view of Indeed's new offices in Stamford, Conn., on March 18, 2026. Arnold Gold/Hearst Connecticut Media STAMFORD In the offices of the new tenant of one of Stamfords most-prominent office buildings, the following declaration is spelled out on several walls: We help people get jobs. This is the slogan of Indeed, which is one of the worlds largest providers of career services. It is also a message of continuity for a fast-evolving company. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Not long ago, Indeed's future in Stamford was clouded by two large rounds of layoffs made in a two-year span. But Indeed officials said that the opening at the beginning of this year of the companys new offices in The Link complex, at 200 Elm St., and 695 E. Main St., in downtown Stamford, attests to the firm's enduring confidence in the city that has hosted one of its headquarters for more than 20 years. We think its a much better space not just for the employees, but for Indeed overall, Jack Mahoney, Indeeds head of revenue and growth finance, said in a recent interview at the new offices. We have a lot of commitment to stay in the area. Indeed has signed a 10-year lease for about 124,000 square feet across parts of 695 E. Main St., and 200 Elm St. It has fully renovated those sections that have become its offices. 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 new offices host a Stamford-based workforce that last year totaled about 745 people, seventh-highest among employers in the city, according to the City of Stamfords most-recent annual report. The vast majority of them are on the companys sales and client success teams, while others work in areas such as software engineering, finance, human resources, legal and marketing. Like the old Stamford offices, the new base hums with activity throughout the day. On the fifth level of 200 Elm, the main floor of the sales group, team members bang gongs when they close sales. I think thats the best part about Indeed the camaraderie and excitement that you get being on a sales floor, Mahoney said. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Within the offices, there is an array of individual and group work areas, including an expansive executive conference space to meet with current and prospective clients. The offices also feature numerous amenities, which include a barista bar; a cafeteria; an outdoor putting green; and game rooms with foosball, pool and ping pong tables, as well as PlayStation and Xbox consoles. Before the move to 695 E. Main-200 Elm, Indeeds Stamford offices had been housed for about 15 years in the 16-story building at 177 Broad St., which stands a few blocks from its new home. Stamfords Zoning Board approved a proposal to convert 177 Broad into an approximately 230-unit apartment complex. Indeeds sign still hangs on the top of 177 Broad. Indeed officials expect the marker to be removed as part of the buildings redevelopment, while they are evaluating the companys options for putting up exterior signage at 695 E. Main-200 Elm. Since its founding in 2004, Indeed has maintained a co-headquarters in Stamford, alongside its other headquarters, which is in Austin, Texas. The company moved into a new co-HQ in Austin in 2023. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Indeeds role as a global online hiring platform is significant for Stamford and Connecticut, Leah Kagan, Stamfords director of economic development, said in a written statement. They play a tremendous role in providing guidance on the future of work, as they are able to capture insights from companies that are hiring and the in-demand skills required for talent. Indeeds continued presence as a globally recognized leader helps us recruit other companies that are also interested in Class A real estate, easy access to New York City and Boston via train, and a highly educated workforce. Many changes in recent years Indeed has a huge reach. Its services are used for hiring by more than 3.3 million employers, while it has accumulated about 645 million job-seeker profiles. Paid job ads, also known as sponsored jobs, comprise nearly 25% of the total number of U.S. job postings on Indeed. But like many other large companies, Indeed has faced significant challenges in the past few years. The company announced in March 2023 that it would lay off about 2,200 employees, and it disclosed plans to lay off about 1,000 employees in May 2024. Those job cuts, respectively, reduced the companys head count by 15% and 8%. Today, the company has about 10,400 employees worldwide. Advertisement Article continues below this ad With future job openings at or below pre-pandemic levels, our organization is simply too big for what lies ahead, Indeed's then-CEO, Chris Hyams, said in a message to employees in March 2023. We need clarity, focus and urgency to ensure that all of our energy is directed towards investing in our future. We have held out longer than many other companies, but the revenue trends are undeniable. In a May 2024 message to employees, Hyams said, Unlike last year, where our reduction was driven by cost savings, we are taking this action because we need to simplify our organization to make it easier and faster for us to make decisions, and help us to more effectively grow revenue and hires. Indeed officials have declined to comment on how many Stamford-based employees were impacted by the layoffs, but it is clear that the companys contingent in Stamford has decreased in recent years. The local head count last year of about 745 compared with approximately 1,100 in 2022. Nearly a decade ago, Indeed officials had envisioned years of jobs growth in Stamford. In 2017, when the company had about 750 employees based in the city, it announced plans to create about 500 more local jobs in the coming years. To support that undertaking, the company qualified for a $7 million loan and up to $15 million in tax credits. The company has had about $2.95 million of the loan forgiven, or essentially written off, and it could earn forgiveness of another $4 million. It has earned $3 million of the tax credits. The funding is based on targets for creating and retaining jobs, as well as capital expenditures. Only improvements made at the companys previous Stamford offices were counted as capital spending. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Despite the companys downsizing of the past few years and a cooling jobs market in January, the number of U.S. job openings was down about 3% year over year, according to the most-recent finalized data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Indeed officials said that they remain bullish about the companys prospects in Stamford. A local resident walks among debris inside a mosque destroyed in an Israeli airstrike in Jibchit, southern Lebanon, Friday, April 17, 2026, following a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah. Hassan Ammar/AP President Donald Trump speaks with reporters while in flight aboard Air Force One, Friday, April 17, 2026, while in route to Joint Base Andrews, Md. Alex Brandon/AP Rescuers search for victims in the rubble of a destroyed building that was struck in Israeli airstrikes in the city of Tyre, south Lebanon, Friday, April 17, 2026. Mohammed Zaatari/AP A boy plays with a toy gun on the sidelines of a state-organized rally supporting the supreme leader, marking National Girls' Day, in Tehran, Iran, Friday, April 17, 2026. Vahid Salemi/AP An Israeli soldier directs a military vehicle in northern Israel, on the border with Lebanon following a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah, Friday, April 17, 2026. Ariel Schalit/AP Iran reversed its decision to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and fired on a tanker attempting to pass the waterway on Saturday. It also warned that it would continue to block transit through the strait as long as the U.S. blockade of Iranian ports remained in effect. Confusion over the critical chokepoint threatened to deepen the energy crisis roiling the global economy and push the two countries toward renewed conflict, even as mediators expressed confidence a new deal was within reach. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Irans joint military command said on Saturday that control of the Strait of Hormuz has returned to its previous state ... under strict management and control of the armed forces. Two gunboats from Irans Revolutionary Guard opened fire on a tanker transiting the Strait of Hormuz, the British militarys United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center said. It reported the tanker and crew as safe, without identifying the vessel or its destination. TankerTrackers.com reported vessels were forced to turn around in the strait, including an Indian-flagged supertanker, after they were fired on by Iran. Saturday's developments came after U.S. President Donald Trump said the blockade will remain in full force until Tehran reaches a deal with the U.S. that includes its nuclear program. Tehran had reopened the strait Friday to commercial vessels. 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 Roughly one-fifth of the worlds oil passes through the strait and further limits would squeeze already constrained supply, driving prices higher once again. Irans Friday announcement about the opening of the crucial body of water, through which 20% of the worlds oil is shipped, came as a 10-day truce between Israel and the Iranian-backed Hezbollah militant group in Lebanon appeared to hold. Despite the escalation, Pakistani officials say the United States and Iran are still moving closer to a deal ahead of the April 22 ceasefire deadline. The fighting has killed at least 3,000 people in Iran, nearly 2,300 in Lebanon, 23 in Israel and more than a dozen in Gulf Arab states. Thirteen U.S. service members have also been killed. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Here is the latest: Another Israeli soldier dies in combat Israels military says another soldier died in combat in southern Lebanon, the second death announced in under twelve hours. It brought the total number of soldiers killed in Lebanon to 15, and was the second soldier killed in combat since the ceasefire. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The military said another soldier was badly wounded in the same incident, along with four moderately wounded and four lightly injured. It was the second soldier to die since the ceasefire. The first died because of wounds sustained during combat, the military said. UN chief condemns attack in Lebanon that killed French peacekeeper Stephane Dujarric, the spokesman for U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, says Guterres has strongly condemned the killing of a French peacekeeper and the wounding of three others in an attack in southern Lebanon. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The U.N. peacekeeping force in southern Lebanon came under attack with small-arms fire Saturday morning. Two of the injured were hurt seriously, Frances president and the force known as UNIFIL said. Both President Emmanuel Macron and the UNIFIL force blamed Hezbollah, but the Lebanese militant group denied involvement. Iran declares the Strait of Hormuz fully closed, state media reports The navy of Irans Revolutionary Guard Corps said it extended the closure to the corridor it had earlier designated for the safe passage of vessels through the strategic waterway and declared the strait fully closed until the U.S. blockade on Iranian ports and ships is lifted. Advertisement Article continues below this ad On Friday, Iran said vessels could move through the strait in coordination with it and against the payment of a toll. But in a statement late Saturday carried by Irans state media, the navy warned that any violating vessel would be targeted. Iran considers the U.S. blockade a violation of the ceasefire between the two countries. Two vessels were attacked earlier on Saturday in the Strait of Hormuz and off Omans coast, at least one of them by Iranian gunboats. Israel says one of its soldiers has been killed in Lebanon The military said the soldier, an officer, was killed in south Lebanon on Friday, the day after the start of a U.S.-brokered ceasefire that has otherwise largely held. Advertisement Article continues below this ad It said two other soldiers were injured in the incident, but didnt release any more details. This brings to 14 the number of Israeli soldiers killed in the latest war in Lebanon. Hezbollah leader dismisses ceasefire paper published by US Naim Kassem, head of the Iran-backed Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, in a statement read on the groups al-Manar TV said a paper published by the U.S. State Department that it described as the text of a ceasefire agreement between Lebanon and Israel means nothing at the practical level, but it is an insult to our country. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Everyone knows that the government of Lebanon has not met or approved this statement, he said. The text published by the U.S. described the 10-day truce as a gesture by Israel to enable good-faith negotiations toward a permanent peace agreement with Lebanon. The text gives Israel the right to take all necessary measures in self-defense, at any time, against planned, imminent, or ongoing attacks. It does not mention any similar right for Lebanon or Hezbollah. Kassem said the truce should entail a complete cessation of all hostilities and that Hezbollah will respond to enemy violations. Israels military kills two UNICEF-contracted truck drivers in northern Gaza The Israeli military killed two UNICEF-contracted truck drivers at a water point in northern Gaza Strip, forcing the UN agency to suspend its operations in the area, UNICEF said. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Two other people were also injured in the attack that occurred Friday at the Mansoura water filling point in Gaza City, UNICEF said in a statement. The firing took place during routine, water trucking operations, with no changes in movement or procedures, it said. The Israeli military claimed that troops opened fire on suspected militants in the area of the so-called Yellow Line, which separates Israeli-controlled areas from the rest of Gaza. It said the incident was being investigated. UNICEF said the point is being used multiple times a day to keep providing hundreds of thousands of people in Gaza City with clean water from the Mekorot water supply line. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The agency said it suspended on-site activities until security conditions in the area are restored. India summons Irans ambassador after Indian-flagged tankers shot at near Strait of Hormuz India on Saturday summoned Irans ambassador in New Delhi after two Indian vessels were forced to reverse course in the Strait of Hormuz following reports of gunfire from Irans Revolutionary Guard. Indias foreign secretary conveyed New Delhis deep concern at the shooting incident at two Indian-flagged ships in the Strait of Hormuz to the Iranian ambassador, a statement by Indias External Affairs Ministry said. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The foreign secretary told the Iranian envoy that Tehran had earlier facilitated the safe passage of several ships bound for India. The statement said the Indian official urged the Iranian ambassador to convey Indias views to the authorities in Iran and resume at the earliest the process of facilitating India-bound ships across the Strait. Macron says a French soldier was killed and 3 were wounded in attack on peacekeepers in Lebanon A U.N. peacekeeping force in southern Lebanon came under attack with small-arms fire Saturday morning leaving one French peacekeeper dead and three wounded, two of them seriously, Frances president and the force known as UNIFIL said. The attack near the southern Lebanese village of Ghandouriyeh came after a 10-day ceasefire went into effect at midnight Thursday between Israel and Lebanons militant Hezbollah group. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Read more Pakistan prime minister returns home after regional visits ahead of expected US-Iran talks Pakistans Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif returned home Saturday after visiting Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Turkey ahead of an expected second round of talks between the United States and Iran. Sharifs office said in a statement that he was received by Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi upon arrival in the eastern city of Lahore. Advertisement Article continues below this ad It said Naqvi, who visited Iran earlier this week along with army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir and other officials, later met Sharif and briefed him on their talks with the Iranian leadership. Hezbollah denies links to attack that left one French peacekeeper dead in south Lebanon The Iran-backed group in a statement called for caution when assigning blame and judgment, until the Lebanese army completes its investigation of the incident. Hezbollah said the peacekeeping forces should coordinate with the Lebanese army in their operations. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Hezbollah expressed surprise at the hasty accusations leveled against it, especially given the silence of these same parties when the Israeli enemy attacks UNIFIL forces. Iran says it is reviewing new US proposals Irans Supreme National Security Council said in a statement that Pakistans army chief, serving as an intermediary, presented the proposals to Iran when he recently visited Tehran, and they were still under review. It was not revealed what was in the proposals. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The council said Iran has yet to respond, but further talks would require the U.S. to abandon excessive demands and adjust its requests to the realities on the ground. It also said that Iran will maintain full control over traffic through the Strait of Hormuz until the war fully ends and lasting peace is achieved in the region, adding that it would collect detailed information on passing vessels, issue transit certificates and impose tolls. The council added that it considered the U.S. naval blockade a violation of the ceasefire, and there would be no reopening of the Strait of Hormuz until that was lifted. Trump says Iran got a little cute, but there are good conversations happening President Donald Trump says that U.S. talks with Iran are going well and that he expects to have more information by the end of the day. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Trump made the comments Saturday morning during a White House event where he signed an executive order directing the Food and Drug Administration to expedite review of certain psychedelic drugs designed as breakthrough therapy for mental illness. Trump declined to take reporters questions about Iran but said, We have very good conversations going on. He says Iran got a little cute, later adding, They wanted to close up the strait again, referring to the Strait of Hormuz. They cant blackmail us, Trump said. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Pope Leo XIV says not in my interest at all to debate Trump but will keep preaching peace Pope Leo XIV said Saturday that it was not in my interest at all to debate U.S. President Donald Trump about the Iran war, but that he would continue preaching the Gospel message of peace. Leo spoke to reporters aboard the papal plane flying from Cameroon to Angola. He addressed the spiraling back-and-forth saga of Trumps critiques of his peace message, which have dominated news headlines this week. But the American pope also sought to set the record straight, insisting that his preaching isnt directed at Trump, but reflects the broader Gospel message of peace. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Theres been a certain narrative that has not been accurate in all of its aspects, but because of the political situation created when, on the first day of the trip, the president of the United States made some comments about myself, he said. Read more Turkish Vice President says US-Iran negotiations will take time to conclude Cevdet Yilmaz, whose country has been supporting Pakistans efforts to bring the sides together, told The Associated Press there are many complex issues on the table. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Yilmaz said he still believes talks between Iran and the United States would continue. We would all like these talks to end all at once, in a very short time. But we need to be realistic. These comprehensive negotiations will take some time, Yilmaz said. The vice president also said that a comprehensive settlement between Iran and the United States would be a prerequisite for free navigation through the Strait of Hormuz. What is the root cause here? The ongoing war. Therefore, the end of this war will provide the greatest guarantee, he said. Advertisement Article continues below this ad US says 23 ships turned back since Iran blockade started The U.S. military says it has forced 23 ships to turn around near the Strait of Hormuz since it imposed a naval blockade of Iranian ports. In a post on X, the Central Command said U.S. forces are still enforcing the blockade against ships entering or exiting Iranian ports and coastal areas. The blockade ordered by President Donald Trump started April 13 as part of U.S. pressure on Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Advertisement Article continues below this ad In response to the continued blockade, Iran reimposed restrictions on transit through the strait. British military say container vessel attacked near the Strait of Hormuz The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center said an unknown projectile hit the vessel, 25 nautical miles (46 kilometers) northeast of Oman. Some containers on the vessel were damaged, it said. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The attack is the second on Saturday, after two gunboats from Irans Revolutionary Guard opened fire on a tanker transiting the key waterway. Irans supreme leader sends defiant message Irans valiant navy is ready to inflict new bitter defeats on its enemies, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei said. Khameneis defiant remarks came as Iran swiftly reimposed restrictions on the Strait of Hormuz. Advertisement Article continues below this ad In a message celebrating the anniversary of the establishment of Irans army, he hailed Irans drone strikes that targeted Israel and the U.S. interests across the region during the war. Indian ships reverse course in Hormuz strait, vessel tracker says Two Indian vessels have had to reverse course in the Strait of Hormuz following reports of gunfire from Irans Revolutionary Guard, a vessel-tracker said. TankerTrackers.com said the vessels include an Indian-flagged supertanker, carrying 2 million barrels of Iraqi oil. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Iranian gunboats fire on tanker, British military says The British military says two gunboats from Irans Revolutionary Guard opened fire on a tanker transiting the Strait of Hormuz after Iran said it had reimposed restrictions on the vital waterway. The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations Centre said the tanker and crew were reported safe, without identifying the vessel or its destination. Iran said earlier it was reimposing restrictions on the strait in response to a U.S. blockade on Iranian shipping and ports. Iran has prevented vessels from crossing throughout the seven-week-long war, except for ones it authorizes. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Iran says it wont hand over enriched uranium to US Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Saeed Khatibzadeh dismissed claims from U.S. President Donald Trump over the uranium and sounded a note of caution with regard to future talks between the two countries. Speaking to the Associated Press in the Turkish city of Antalya, Khatibzadeh said the Iranians were not ready for a new round of face-to-face talks with the U.S. because the Americans have not abandoned their maximalist position. On Friday, Trump said the U.S. will go into Iran and get all the nuclear dust, referring to the 970 pounds (440 kilograms) of enriched uranium believed to be buried under nuclear sites badly damaged by U.S. military strikes last year. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Lebanese leaders discuss future talks with Israel The meeting between President Joseph Aoun and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam came during a 10-day ceasefire between Israel and Lebanons Iran-backed Hezbollah group. According to a statement from Aouns office, the pair discussed Lebanons readiness for negotiations with Israel. Lebanon and Israel have been in a state of war since 1948. Earlier this week, the two countries ambassadors to the U.S. held a meeting, in the first direct talks in decades. Advertisement Article continues below this ad U.S. President Donald Trump has invited Aoun and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to the White House, although no date has been set yet. Aoun has said he is ready to go anywhere to liberate my country, protect my people and save my nation. Iran reimposes restrictions in Strait of Hormuz Iran has reversed course on reopening the Strait of Hormuz, reimposing restrictions on the critical waterway after the U.S. said the move would not end its blockade. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The countrys joint military command said control of the Strait of Hormuz has returned to its previous state ... under strict management and control of the armed forces. It warned that it would continue to block transit through the strait as long as the U.S. blockade of Iranian ports remained in effect. The announcement came the morning after U.S. President Donald Trump said the U.S. blockade will remain in full force until Tehran reaches a deal with the U.S., including on its nuclear program. Pakistani leader heads home from Turkey ahead of U.S.-Iran talks Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has left for home after visiting Turkey, where he attended a diplomacy forum in Antalya. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Whiie there, he met Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani ahead of the second round of U.S.-Iran talks in Islamabad. While at the forum, Sharif discussed recent regional developments and ongoing diplomatic efforts between Tehran and Washington with Erdogan and the Qatari emir. Pakistan is expected to host the second round of talks between Iran and the United States early next week Iran announces partial reopening of its airspace Iran has announced a partial reopening of its airspace after a seven-week hiatus because of the war, state media reported. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The Civil Aviation Organization said air routes over eastern Iran were reopened at 7 a.m. (0330 GMT), according to the state-owned IRAN newspaper. It said flights at the countrys airports would gradually resume but did not give a timeframe. Irans airspace had been closed since the U.S. and Israel began striking Iran on Feb. 28. The partial reopening has come more than a week into a ceasefire between Iran and the U.S. Iranian lawmaker clarifies conditions for transit through Hormuz A senior Iranian lawmaker said only commercial vessels authorized by the Revolutionary Guard are allowed to transit through the Strait of Hormuz. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Ebrahim Azizi, head of Irans parliamentary National Security Commission, said in a social media post late Friday that commercial vessels must pay required tolls before transiting the strait, using a route set by Iran last month. The time has come to comply with the new Maritime Regime of the Strait of Hormuz, he said. These regulations are determined by Iran, not by social media posts! He warned that the mechanism could change if the U.S. attempts to create any disturbance for Iranian ships. Strait of Hormuz only open during ceasefire, Iranian military official says Irans Defense Ministry spokesperson said the Strait of Hormuz is only open during a ceasefire and conditionally, two Iranian semiofficial news agencies reported. Advertisement Article continues below this ad A bear is seen in a video screengrab taking a bag of Doritos. The state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection attached cameras to a handful of bears in the state to monitor their habits. Courtesy of CT Department of Energy and Environmental Protection Of the 32 black bears tracked by Jason Hawley and his team at the Connecticut state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, his favorite was the bear known only as 250. 250 was already collared when Hawley started at DEEP 22 years ago and, over the course of that time, the bear learned a bit about human behavior herself. Advertisement Article continues below this ad She used to just play games with us. Every year we have to go in and change the battery on their collar. She just knew I was coming, he said. I can remember one time I went after her in a snowstorm, because sometimes they lose their senses a little bit when it's windy or it's snowing, and next thing I know, she's up on this ridge just looking down at me. I swear she was smiling. Biologists use collars to track bears, often entering dens when they believe the bear is hibernating and administering a sedative to make sure the animal remains asleep. There are now about 1,100 black bears in Connecticut, with each female bear, or sow, birthing an average of 2.5 baby bears per year. As the state's bear population grows, Hawley said it's important to study the bears, both to help protect the bears and the people they are increasingly coming into contact with. 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 Usually, bear collars have GPS trackers installed so biologists can track the bears movements but Hawley, a supervising wildlife biologist for the states black bear program, and his team recently finished a pilot program that involved affixing a video camera to the bears collars. The cameras, which captured 30-second bursts of footage every 15 minutes, offered the biologists more insight into the lives of bears and how they interact with the world around them. A GPS collar can only tell you so much, right? Because it's just a point on a map. It shows us how a bear moves through the landscape. We're getting a location every 30 minutes, Hawley said. Advertisement Article continues below this ad A bear is seen in a video screengrab walking in the woods and spotting another bear. The state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection attached cameras to a handful of bears in the state to monitor their habits. Courtesy of CT Department of Energy and Environmental Protection For example, Hawley has theorized that bears choose which kind of garbage cans to open, avoiding the bear-resistant cans in favor of easier pickings. In summertime, when there is food aplenty, bears might gravitate toward one type of foliage and away from another. Hawley said this technology, as it continues to advance, will help biologists better understand whether those theories prove accurate. It'll really shown us how these bears are making decisions as they're moving through the landscape, especially these more urban bears, he said. One resulting video clip shared with CT Insider shows a bear as she swims through a waterway, her snout at the top of the screen. Another clip shows a bear snuffling around someones back porch until she finds a bag of Doritos, which she promptly snatches. Advertisement Article continues below this ad DEEP biologists call them bear-cams, and they offer information, Hawley said, that will help us mitigate conflicts with the public, like things that bears are looking for when they're moving through the landscape, things that those points on a map really can't tell us. The next step is a partnership between DEEP, UConn and NASA to use bears to help verify information on ground-level plants obtained by orbiting satellites. After that, Hawley is hoping to expand the bear camera program. A bear is seen in a video screengrab eating berries. The state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection attached cameras to a handful of bears in the state to monitor their habits. Courtesy of CT Department of Energy and Environmental Protection Now we're in the planning stages of getting a larger camera study going, maybe on 20 bears this time instead of four or five, he said. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Connecticut is home to a growing black bear population and, as the bear population grows, so does their range. In 2025, there were black bear sightings reported to DEEP in 79 Connecticut towns, according to the agency's most recent State of the Bears report, released in March. There are an estimated 1,100 black bears calling the state home, though Hawley noted that bears dont understand borders. As the bear population increases and their range expands, human-bear conflicts are also on the rise. The vast majority of bear-related incidents involve livestock or property, but there were three reported bear attacks last year in Connecticut. Since 2020, DEEP has verified 265 reports of bears entering homes, occurring in 38 different towns. Over the last six years, Connecticut has averaged four home entries for every 100 bears every year, four times as many as any surrounding state. Both New York and Massachusetts, which have larger resident bear populations and similar human population density, average one home entry per 100 bears each year. Advertisement Article continues below this ad A bear is seen in a video screengrab swimming. The state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection attached cameras to a handful of bears in the state to monitor their habits. Courtesy of CT Department of Energy and Environmental Protection That, Hawley said, is because Connecticut is the only state in New England with no legal bear hunt, with the exception of Rhode Island which is currently home to very few bears. You can kind of think of it as like human-driven evolution, right, he said. These bears are comfortable around humans and breaking into homes. They're just not in those other states where you just have that slight, although constant pressure of removing those more habituated bears that are comfortable around humans. Massachusetts allows hunters to harvest no more than 6% of the states bear population, an annual average of 262 bears. But even thats enough to teach bears to avoid human interaction. Advertisement Article continues below this ad That just keeps that natural, healthy fear of humans in them, and we just don't have that in Connecticut, Hawley said. That was 250s fate. She was nearing her 30th birthday Which for a bear is very old, Hawley said and wandered across the border during hunting season. She actually got shot in Massachusetts last year, which was a real bummer for me, he said. She was a good bear that didn't cause any problems. A Philippine Airlines plane takes off from Los Angeles International Airport in El Segundo, Calif., on Friday, April 17, 2026. Damian Dovarganes/AP FILE - A worker prepares to fuel a United Express aircraft after it arrived at a gate at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2015, in Grapevine, Texas. Tony Gutierrez/AP FILE - Workers refuel an Airbus A350 with sustainable aviation fuel at Roissy airport, north of Paris, Tuesday, May 18, 2021. Christophe Ena/AP As the U.S. and Israel's war with Iran squeezes global oil supplies, travelers have valid reasons to worry about the cost and availability of flights as they plan their late spring and summer trips. The head of the International Energy Agency has warned that European countries could run low on jet fuel within weeks, forcing the continent's airlines and carriers that fly to Europe to significantly reduce flights. Many airlines have already raised checked bag fees or added fuel surcharges as the global price of jet fuel increased from about $99 per barrel at the end of February to as high as $209 a barrel at the beginning of April. Advertisement Article continues below this ad In a sign of the conflicts ongoing repercussions for travel, Air Canada said Friday it planned to suspend its service to New Yorks John F. Kennedy International Airport from June 1 until Oct. 25 to lower its fuel costs. Other airlines, ranging from U.S. carriers like United and Delta to Air France-KLM, SAS, Philippine Airlines and and Cathay Pacific in Europe and Asia, have reduced routes and either increased ticket prices or said they would hike them if the war keeps oil from passing through the Strait of Hormuz. Its very hard for the airlines to make predictions in this environment, so theyre going to be conservative, and thats why its likely that their prices will remain elevated for some time until things really stabilize, said Shye Gilad, a former airline captain who now teaches at Georgetown Universitys business school. With airfares and fees on the rise, consumers still can make choices that determine how much of their travel budgets will get taken up by paying to get to and from their destinations. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Act quickly While consumers may be tempted to see if the war ends before buying airline tickets, the wait-and-see" approach to booking flights is riskier this year, travel experts say, especially the longer the war goes on and the closer to summer and other peak travel periods it gets. 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 Presuming there is a lasting ceasefire or better yet, peace agreement it will take a few months for normal levels of jet fuel production and delivery to resume, airline industry analyst Henry Harteveldt, president of Atmosphere Research Group, said. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Iran's reversal on Saturday of its decision to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and President Donald Trump's insistence on maintaining a U.S. blockade of Iranian ports illustrated the shakiness of prospects for oil flowing reliably again from the Persian Gulf and with it, an easing of the price pressure on airlines and their customers. My advice to travelers is this: If you find a flight whose schedule fits yours, with a fare you can afford, and on an airline you can at least tolerate, book it, Harteveldt said. But and I cannot emphasize this enough do not book a Basic Economy fare, the cheapest but also the most restrictive airline ticket class. Along with charging for checked bags and seat selection, most North American airlines do not give refunds or travel credits to passengers with Basic Economy tickets if they don't cancel their trips within 24 hours of purchase. Policies may vary, but spending more for a Standard Economy ticket provides more flexibility, according to Harteveldt. Paying more up-front for a refundable ticket also prove advantageous because if the prices start to dramatically change, you can cancel and rebook for the better price, Gilad said. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Travel experts say that for now, longstanding booking guidance offers a baseline for how early to reserve a flight to get the lowest airfare: international flights are typically the cheapest about two to five months in advance, and domestic trips about three to six weeks out. Last-minute bookings and other situations that typically command higher prices are likely to keep climbing, Gilad said. Remember, especially if youre traveling on the major airlines, theyre going to have more ability to adjust fares. If you book too close to your travel date, youre going to pay more," he said. "The farther out you can book, the better. Keep an open mind Travelers who don't want or need to reach a specific place at a specific time can find it easier to save on airfare. Shifting departure or return dates by a day or two especially from peak weekends and holidays to midweek often yields big price differences. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Choosing a different destination also may pay off. A flight from the U.S. may be significantly cheaper to one European city than another. Since budget airlines and trains connect much of Europe, and trains, an airport it cost less to get to can still provide easy access to a lot of other places. Consumers not set on a certain arrival destination can try tools like Skyscanners Explore Everywhere feature to look for less-expensive options. Looking beyond the closest airport for departures also can make a meaningful difference. Major hubs tend to offer more flights and lower fares than smaller regional airports. In some cases, booking a separate short flight or train to a hub will unlock a cheaper long-haul airfare think Milwaukee versus Chicagos OHare International Airport. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Travel light Sticking to a carry-on bag, when possible, can help avoid the higher fees for checking luggage that many major U.S. airlines introduced recently, including Delta, American, United, Southwest and JetBlue. If packing light is not an option, plan ahead because airlines typically charge more to add bags closer to departure, especially within 24 hours of a flight. Redeem your points While fares are going up, the number of airline points needed for many flights has not increased at the same pace, said Adam Morvitz, CEO of points.me, a loyalty rewards redemption search platform. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Airlines still need to fill seats, Morvitz said, and offering more of them for fewer points is one way to do it. Customers without enough frequent-flyer miles or credit card points for a round-trip ticket still can redeem their travel rewards for one leg of a journey and free up cash for other travel expenses. Many travelers redeem points directly through their credit cards booking portal, where theyre typically worth about 1 cent each, Morvitz said. Transferring points to airline loyalty programs often unlocks significantly better value because most major credit card issuers partner with a range of airlines. Take American Express, whose points can be transferred to Air Frances Flying Blue program. Travelers who dont want to book with Air France still can use those points with the airline's partner carriers, such as Delta, Morvitz said. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Points are a form of wealth, and consumers should recognize that those points increase spending power," he said. Explore travel credit cards For those new to travel credit cards, sign-up bonuses may yield benefits that can be put to use as soon as this summer. Some bonuses are large enough to cover a flight after meeting a minimum spending requirement. "Even if you were to travel the entire year, taking one trip per month, you would still earn more points simply by signing up for the card than actually sitting on a seat and flying, Morvitz said. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Points and rewards can add up through everyday spending on groceries, dining and gas. Some cards include perks like free or discounted checked bags. ___ AP writers Dee-Ann Durbin in Detroit, Mae Anderson in New York and Lisa Leff in London contributed to this story. The Connecticut state Capitol in Hartford. Ned Gerard/Hearst Connecticut Media The Connecticut Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities was a median of 26 days late in serving some complaints to respondents and up to 399 days late in resolving some discrimination complaints, a state audit found. The failure to promptly process complaints delays the investigation and the potential issuance of a finding of reasonable cause, auditors said. This appears to be due to the volume of work exceeding staffing resources. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Other issues flagged by auditors included failing to fully account for thousands of dollars in gift cards and not preapproving overtime prior to employees putting in the hours. The audit covered fiscal years 2023 and 2024. During a phone interview, Cheryl Sharp, CHROs deputy director, said the agency does the best it can with available resources to meet the mandatory deadlines. 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 had 62 employees when I started, and we have worked hard to get more employees, Sharp said, explaining why deadlines are often missed. But its very difficult, and we have such a grand mission and a lot of work that has to be done. We are doing our best and will continue to improve every year. Advertisement Article continues below this ad In written responses included with the audit, CHRO noted, Management is providing sufficient oversight; we are chronically understaffed and under resourced. There are not enough hours in the day or days of the week to meet all statutory and regulatory time frames because the volume of the work exceeds our available resources. The CHRO's mission includes enforcing state laws that prohibit discrimination in employment, housing, credit issuance and public accommodation and functions as an advocate for human rights, an enforcer of affirmative action law and state agency contract compliance. Late handling cases CHRO must meet 28 statutory deadlines for processing discrimination complaints, auditors said. For example, under state statute, the commission has 60 days to conduct a review and inform a complainant of any action taken and 90 days to decide whether the complaint should be heard by the Office of Public Hearings, assigned an investigator to conduct a full investigation or released from the jurisdiction of the commission. Advertisement Article continues below this ad A case investigator must make a finding of reasonable cause no later than 190 days from the date of the case assessment review. The commission must serve a respondent the person whom the complaint was filed against with the complaint and notice of rights no later than 15 days after the date of the discriminatory practice complaint. Auditors said a review of 20 discrimination complaints filed during the audited period found: CHRO served 19 complaints more than 15 days after the filing date. CHRO served the complaints between two and 167 days late, with a median of 26 days late. CHRO conducted 13 case assessment reviews more than 60 days from the filing of the respondents answer to the complaint. CHRO served the complaints to the respondent between one and 126 days late, with a median of 12 days late. CHRO assigned 10 cases to an investigator more than 15 days from the end of mediation or early legal intervention decision. CHRO assigned the investigators between two and 55 days late, with a median of 11 days late. One case went through the Early Legal Intervention process. CHRO made the ELI decision more than 90 days after the request for early legal intervention and made the decision 94 days late. For 15 complaints, the case investigator did not make a final cause determination within the statutory deadline. The case investigators made the final determinations between 14 and 399 days late, with a median of 150 days late. This places a burden on all parties, particularly the complainant who alleged discrimination, auditors said. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The findings have been reported in previous audits covering fiscal years 2021 through 2022. The failure to promptly process complaints delays the investigation and the potential issuance of a finding of reasonable cause, auditors said. This places a burden on all parties, particularly the complainant who alleged discrimination. This appears to be due to the volume of work exceeding staffing resources. Auditors added, The Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities should process discrimination complaints and determine reasonable cause within the statutory deadlines. The commission should consider seeking a legislative amendment to extend the statutory deadlines or request additional resources. In responses included with the audit, CHRO said it did not agree with the findings. Advertisement Article continues below this ad As an agency, we have managed to substantially reduce any backlog and have made gains with complying with the statutory and regulatory requirements despite our lack of resources, CHRO said. Sharp said separately that the state legislature has provided some additional employees and pointed out the agency processes thousands of complaints a year. Its been a repeated finding, and we have let the legislature know we need additional positions, Sharp said. Almost every year our responsibilities expand, and for many years our staff did not expand. Didnt track gift cards Auditors said a review of approximately 10 youth or community engagement events found CHRO only kept gift card distribution logs for the Kids Court Academy program. A total of $61,370 in gift cards were purchased. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The review of the gift card logs for the 17 KCA sessions held in calendar year 2024 found: CHRO did not maintain complete and proper tracking logs to confirm distribution and receipt of the gift cards. CHRO awarded $11,100 in gift cards to students but only documented that it mailed approximately 46% of the gift cards, totaling $5,095, to the students. In addition, CHRO only received confirmation that approximately 16% of the gift cards, totaling $1,760, reached the intended recipients. The gift card logs did not contain any evidence of supervisory review. CHRO did not perform reconciliations of gift card purchases, distributions and remaining stock to verify that it did not lose any gift cards. CHRO did not have written policies and procedures for managing gift cards, including safeguarding, storage and custody, segregation of duties, tracking logs, supervisory review and reconciliation. A lack of adequate monitoring and reconciliation of gift card activity increases the risk of fraud, waste and abuse, auditors said. This appears to be caused by the lack of management oversight related to the distribution and reconciliation of gift cards. The findings have not been reported in a previous audit. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities should establish a written policy detailing proper internal control procedures over the distribution of gift cards, auditors said. The commission should properly document and maintain records confirming distribution and reconciliation of the gift cards. In its response, the CHRO disagreed with the findings. A policy has been and continues to be in place governing the purchase, distribution and storage of gift cards, the agency said. With regards to reconciliation, the agency has implemented enhanced procedures to strengthen our existing controls and ensure greater accuracy in tracking and recordkeeping. Supervisory checks are also in place to prevent waste, fraud or abuse. CHRO noted its accurate that, in other youth programs and during education and outreach events, we have not required individuals to sign for gift cards. This is primarily due to the high volume of participants and the nature of these stand-alone events. However, moving forward, the CHRO will implement a signatory process and a reconciliation process for all gift card distributions to strengthen accountability and documentation. Advertisement Article continues below this ad In rebuttal comments, auditors said, CHRO has a policy for the Kids Court Academy that is available to program participants. However, there is no written policy and process for CHRO employees to safeguard the gift cards. Although CHRO has a policy that requires students to acknowledge receipt of gift cards, this policy was not always followed. CHRO only received confirmation for approximately 16% of the gift cards awarded in 2024. Sharp said separately that students earn gift cards, many of which are donated to the agency, by participating in various programs and are asked to acknowledge receipt when they get a gift card. Now if you dont acknowledge receipt, you dont get them in the next session until you acknowledge getting them, she said. Overtime not preapproved Auditors said a review of 242.5 hours of overtime revealed that a supervisor failed to preapprove 135.5 hours of overtime, totaling $6,746, for four executive unit employees. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Failure to properly administer and approve overtime could lead to unnecessary costs, auditors said. A lack of managerial oversight contributed to the condition. The findings have not been reported in previous audits. The Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities should strengthen internal controls to ensure compliance with its overtime approval policy promulgated in the Department of Labors overtime approval memorandum dated May 2, 2024, auditors said. The commission disagreed with the findings. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Overtime is consistently preapproved, typically through verbal authorization, the agency said. While documentation or email confirmation may be finalized after some overtime hours have been worked, the approval is granted in advance. CHRO added that given its chronic under-resourcing and staffing shortages, it is not always feasible for written approval to precede the overtime worked. This operational reality does not negate the fact that the overtime is authorized. Furthermore, in urgent or emergent situations, overtime may be necessary without prior approval to avoid costly delays such as the need to reschedule fact-finding conferences or mediations which would result in unnecessary expenditures and inefficiencies. In rebuttal comments, auditors noted, Supervisors did not provide written preapproval for more than half of the overtime earned by executive unit employees during the audited period. Preapproval of overtime helps manage labor costs and prevent unauthorized overtime. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Sharp said overtime is often verbally approved in part because staff is never sure how long a hearing or procedure will run. Kosta Diamantis arrives at Bridgeport Federal Court in Bridgeport, Conn., Friday, October 3, 2025. Diamantis, who served as Connecticut's deputy budget director from 2019-21, faces two separate federal trials, stemming from allegations he solicited bribes from state contractors pursuing lucrative school construction contracts and from a local business seeking to have a state audit dismissed. Dave Zajac/Hearst Connecticut Media BRIDGEPORT A change of plea hearing has been scheduled in the second corruption trial of former Connecticut school construction chief Konstantinos Diamantis, six months after he was convicted of bribery and extortion in a separate case. The hearing is set to take place at 1:30 p.m. Monday at Bridgeport federal court, according to a scheduling notice filed Friday. Diamantis, a former seven-term state representative known as Kosta, previously pleaded not guilty in the case. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Federal prosecutors have accused Diamantis of taking bribes to squash a probe into a Medicaid fraud scheme conducted by the fiance of a former state lawmaker. A two-week trial was scheduled to start on April 28. Diamantis has been charged with bribery, conspiracy to commit bribery, extortion under color of official right, conspiracy to commit extortion under color of official right, false statements and filing a false tax return, court records show. Defense attorney Norman A. Pattis did not respond to a request for comment. A spokesperson for the U.S. Attorney for the District of Connecticut directed a reporter to a court docket but did not confirm what is expected at the hearing. 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 second trial was set to start about a half-year after Diamantis was found guilty of 21 corruption charges after prosecutors accused him of soliciting bribes for work on multimillion-dollar school construction projects in Hartford and Tolland. Diamantis testified that the thousands he took from two contractors, mostly in cash that he failed to report to the IRS, was for networking, introducing subcontractors to other companies and providing legal assistance. He is awaiting sentencing. Diamantis, who was admitted to the Connecticut bar in 1984, voluntarily gave up his law license and any chance of reapplying in the future in January. A state judge approved the resignation last month. Advertisement Article continues below this ad In the second corruption case, Diamantis was indicted last year alongside former state Rep. Christopher Ziogas. He was accused of pressuring state officials to try to help Ziogas fiancee, a Bristol eye care provider, engage in Medicaid fraud A downtown stretch of New Haven's Chapel Street would be converted from one-way traffic to two-way traffic between College Street and York Street, seen here, according to a plan put forth by Mayor Justin Elicker's administration. Mark Zaretsky / Hearst Connecticut Media Pedestrians cross Chapel Street in New Haven in the rain on March 5, 2026. Arnold Gold/Hearst Connecticut Media Coco Zhang, holding a cloud umbrella, of Toronto, Canada, crosses Chapel Street in New Haven with her mother and family friends during a tour of Yale University on March 14, 2023. Arnold Gold/Hearst Connecticut Media The intersection of High and Chapel Streets in New Haven photographed on May 17, 2023. Arnold Gold/Hearst Connecticut Media NEW HAVEN Get ready for two more blocks of two-way traffic along the Downtown stretch of Chapel Street, several blocks of which have been one-way for decades. Chapel Street, between College and York streets, will become two-way beginning the week of April 20, Mayor Justin Elicker announced this week. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The change is part of a broader effort to improve the safety of Chapel Street, one of New Haven's longest, busiest and most crash-prone arteries. It spans at least seven neighborhoods stretching from Fair Haven in the east through Mill River, Wooster Square, Downtown, Dwight and Edgewood, West River and Westville in the west. The conversion, which initially was denied by the New Haven Traffic Authority last year but later approved, is part of the city's efforts to improve safety, reduce speeding and make travel along Chapel Street more accessible and predictable for all road users, according to a release Elicker sent out Monday. We want residents and visitors to get to where they need to go as safely, easily and efficiently as possible, and the two-way conversion of Chapel Street helps accomplish all three of these goals, Elicker 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 Restoring this portion of Chapel Street to two-way traffic will help improve circulation downtown, make it easier for residents and visitors to access local businesses and destinations and support a more accessible and connected downtown for everyone, he said. Plans call for Chapel Street, which already is a two-way street from Fair Haven to College Street, eventually to be open to two-way traffic all the way to Ellsworth Avenue, where it currently becomes two-way as it crosses Ella T. Grasso Boulevard into Westville. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The project includes major work to improve the safety of a 1.6-mile stretch of Chapel Street which includes the stretch of downtown slated for two-way traffic. The project will provide critical safety and infrastructure improvements along one of New Haven's busiest and most crash-prone corridors. At the time of the announcement, nearly 900 accidents had taken place over four years along Chapel Street between State Street and Ella T. Grasso Boulevard, including three fatalities and 18 serious injuries, according to the UConn's Connecticut Crash Data Repository, officials said at the time. The two-way conversion will improve circulation through downtown, provides more direct access to many downtown destinations and reduce the need to circle the block or make out-of-direction turns, according to the release. It also lays the groundwork for additional improvements planned under the broader project, it says. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Beginning the week of April 20, as traffic begins to move in both directions along Chapel Street, drivers should follow the updated lane markings and signals while watching for pedestrians and turning vehicles, the release says. Residents are urged to pay extra attention, exercise caution and slow down to adjust to the new and improved traffic pattern, it says. The first phase of the two-way conversion includes new pavement markings, signage and signal adjustments to support the new traffic pattern. It also includes several safety improvements, including accessible pedestrian signals and "pedestrian push buttons," which are features designed primarily for people with disabilities, including directional speech messages, tactile vibrating buttons and touchless push buttons that can be activated with the wave of a hand, it says. There also are high-visibility crosswalks, which are clearly marked crosswalks to enhance pedestrian safety and visibility, leading pedestrian interval signals, which give pedestrians a head start before vehicles receive a green light, it says. Advertisement Article continues below this ad There will be increased, targeted enforcement of illegal parking, it says. Nearly all on-street parking between College and York streets will remain in place, although dedicated commercial loading zones will be added to support business deliveries. To prepare for the two-block conversion to two-way traffic, Chapel Street between College and York was milled Sunday and paved Monday night, the release says. The project is part of New Haven's Safe Streets for All initiative. People can learn more about the Chapel Street two-way conversion project and other projects at saferoutesforall.org. A file photo of the East Lyme Police Department. East Lyme Police Department / Contributed Photo EAST LYME Police deployed a K9 unit on a West Haven man who attempted to steal a marked police cruiser during a traffic stop on Friday, East Lyme police said. According to officials, at around 2:20 a.m, officers pulled over a woman under suspicion of driving while intoxicated in the area of Colton Road. While the woman was being tested, and later arrested for driving under the influence, police said they were speaking with the male passenger when he then dove into their vehicle and began reaching for something under the seat. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Police said that the man ignored commands to stop and began fighting officers who made attempts to restrain him, before wrestling his way from the vehicle and toward a marked police vehicle, where he then tried to get into the driver's seat. "Apparently, he thought it would be his get-away car," the department said in a statement. After refusing to comply and continuing to escalate, police said they then deployed K9 unit Dom to apprehend the man and safely take him into custody. Advertisement Article continues below this ad "Let's just say the dog understood the assignment better than the suspect did," police said in the statement. "Pro tip: Police vehicles are not available for public checkout, and arguing with a K9 is a losing strategy every time." 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 Westley Hough, 28, was charged with interfering with an officer and criminal attempt to commit larceny of a motor vehicle, and is currently behind held on a $50,000 bond. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Former New Haven Police Chief Karl Jacobson arrives for a hearing at state Superior Court in New Haven on Friday, April 17, 2026. Ned Gerard/Hearst Connecticut Media Former New Haven Police Chief Karl Jacobson leaves the Connecticut State Police barracks in Montville, where he turned himself in on Feb. 20, on larceny charges. Bruno Matarazzo / Hearst Connecticut Media NEW HAVEN The former New Haven police chief accused of embezzling $85,500 from city funds to cover his gambling losses apologized to the New Haven mayor, police officers and the city as he left the courthouse Friday. I love the city. I hope the city moves forward. I hope the officers move forward, said former Chief Karl Jacobson, who pleaded not guilty Friday to two counts of first-degree larceny by defrauding a public community. Advertisement Article continues below this ad In state Superior Court, Jacobson's attorney Greg Cerritelli entered the pro forma not guilty pleas on Jacobson's behalf and asked for a jury trial. Pro forma pleas are a routine procedural step that allows a case to proceed to the pretrial docket, where most criminal charges are resolved through plea bargains rather than trials. The prosecutor in the case said he would work with Cerritelli before Jacobson's next court date on June 2 to determine the exact amount of money allegedly taken. 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 Jacobson is accused of taking money from the Narcotics Enforcement Program fund, which is used to pay police informants, as well as the departments Police Activity League Fund. According to the arrest warrant affidavit, Jacobson used the money in connection with gambling activity, wagering about $4.46 million through DraftKings and FanDuel between January 2025 and January 2026. The affidavit states his net losses during that period totaled about $214,365. Jacobson remains free on $150,000 bond. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Outside the courthouse Friday, he said his actions were not intentional and described gambling as a serious addiction that affects many people. Its been popping up all over the news, and it was something that I got caught up in," Jacobson said in his first interview since being arrested. "With the ease of having it on the app, I just hope people understand if anything is learned from the cases that are coming up recently, to make sure they take care of themselves." In March, Jacobson was deemed ineligible for service-connected disability benefit tied to his pension. He retired in January after members of his department confronted him about the missing money. Advertisement Article continues below this ad According to the warrant, Jacobson's assistant police chiefs confronted him in January about his handling of the police informants fund, and one secretly recorded the meeting. During the conversation, the warrant says, Jacobson admitted taking $10,000. PHNOM PENH, April 18 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia has seen a total of 71,191 foreign tourists traveling across the country during its three-day traditional New Year holiday, said a Ministry of Tourism's report on Saturday. The Southeast Asian country celebrated its lunar New Year from April 14 to 16. For domestic tourists, the report said nearly all population had traveled to various tourist destinations across the kingdom. "The Khmer New Year celebrations had created a lively atmosphere filled with smiles and joy," Minister of Tourism Huot Hak said. "All celebratory activities took place in a spirit of happiness and unity under the roof of peace." The traditional New Year is the largest annual holiday in Cambodia. On the occasion, revelers took part in religious ceremonies, visited their families, and went to different tourist attractions for leisure. President Donald Trump holds up a signed executive order in the Oval Office of the White House, Saturday, April 18, 2026, in Washington. Julia Demaree Nikhinson/AP WASHINGTON (AP) President Donald Trump on Saturday directed his administration to speed up reviews of certain psychedelic drugs, including ibogaine, which recently has been embraced by combat veterans and conservative lawmakers despite having serious safety risks. Ibogaine and other psychedelics remain banned under the federal government's most restrictive category for illegal, high-risk drugs. But the administration is taking steps to ease restrictions and spur research on using the drugs for medical purposes, including conditions like severe depression. Advertisement Article continues below this ad President Donald Trump shakes hands with U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert Kennedy Jr. in the Oval Office of the White House, Saturday, April 18, 2026, in Washington. Julia Demaree Nikhinson/AP President Donald Trump speaks in the Oval Office of the White House, Saturday, April 18, 2026, in Washington. Julia Demaree Nikhinson/AP Joe Rogan laughs as President Donald Trump speaks in the Oval Office of the White House, Saturday, April 18, 2026, in Washington. Julia Demaree Nikhinson/AP Marcus Luttrell, a retired U.S. Navy Seal, and his brother, Rep. Morgan Luttrell, R-Texas, listen to President Donald Trump speak in the Oval Office of the White House, Saturday, April 18, 2026, in Washington. Julia Demaree Nikhinson/AP Todays order will ensure that people suffering from debilitating symptoms might finally have a chance to reclaim their lives and lead a happier life, Trump said as he signed an executive order on the drugs. The Republican president said his directive will help dramatically accelerate access to potential treatments. "If these turn out to be as good as people are saying, it's going to have a tremendous impact, he said. Veteran organizations and psychedelic advocates have long contended that ibogaine, which is made from a shrub native to West Africa, has great promise for hard-to-treat conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder and opioid addiction. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Trumps announcement follows pledges by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and other administration officials to ease access to psychedelics for medical use, an issue that has won rare bipartisan support. 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 Joining Trump in the Oval Office were his top health officials, conservative podcaster Joe Rogan and Marcus Luttrell, the former Navy SEAL whose memoir about a deadly mission in Afghanistan was the basis of the film Lone Survivor. Rogan said he texted Trump information on ibogaine and the president responded: Sounds great. Do you want FDA approval? Let's do it. Youre going to save a lot of lives through it, Luttrell told Trump during the ceremony. It absolutely changed my life for the better. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The Food and Drug Administration next week will issue national priority vouchers for three psychedelics, which the agency's commissioner, Marty Makary, said will allow certain drugs to be approved quickly if they are in line with our national priorities. The vouchers can cut review times from several months to a period of weeks. It is the first time the FDA has offered that fast-tracking to any psychedelics. The FDA is also taking steps to clear the way for the first-ever human trials of ibogaine in the U.S. Trump's action surprised many longtime advocates and researchers in the psychedelic field, given that ibogaine is known to sometimes trigger potentially fatal heart problems. The National Institutes of Health briefly funded research on the drug in the 1990s, but discontinued the work due to ibogaine's "cardiovascular toxicity. Its been incredibly difficult to study ibogaine in the U.S. because of its known cardiotoxicity, said Frederick Barrett, director of the Johns Hopkins Center for Psychedelic and Consciousness Research. If the executive order can pave the way for doing objective, scientific research with this compound, it would help us understand whether it is truly a better psychedelic therapy than others. Advertisement Article continues below this ad No psychedelic has been approved in the United States, but a number of them are being studied in large trials for various mental health conditions, including psilocybin, MDMA and LSD. All those drugs remain illegal, classified as Schedule I substances alongside drugs such as heroin. Two states Oregon and Colorado have legalized psychedelic therapy with psilocybin. Ibogaine was first used by members of the Bwiti religion in African nations like Gabon during their religious ceremonies. In recent years, U.S. veterans have reported benefiting from the drug after traveling to clinics in Mexico that administer it. Backing from veterans groups and former Texas Gov. Rick Perry led to a law last year providing $50 million for ibogaine research in that state. Perry, who co-founded a group called Americans for Ibogaine, recently appeared on Rogans podcast, making the case for reducing federal limits on the drug. It was his second time talking about ibogaine on the popular podcast in the past two years. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Trump's order calls on the Department of Health and Human Services to direct at least $50 million to states that have enacted or are developing programs to advance psychedelic drugs for serious mental illness. It's described as a federal-state partnership to provide funding, technical assistance and data sharing. Ibogaine is known to cause irregular heart rhythms and has been linked to more than 30 deaths in the medical literature, according to the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies, a nonprofit that conducted some early studies in patients outside the U.S. The group's co-executive director, Ismail Lourido Ali, said Trump's order might encourage other states to follow the Texas model. The stigma around Schedule I drugs is significant, Ali said. It feels like this would give pretty substantial cover for Republican governors and legislatures to step into the ring in terms of funding research programs at their universities. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Owners of ibogaine clinics said the impact of the order will not be immediate. There will be no insurance coverage, it will still be considered unapproved and non-covered care, said Tom Feegel of Beond Ibogaine, which operates a clinic in Cancun, Mexico. But what it does mean is that ibogaine shifts from being fringe and underground to being federally acknowledged. Feegel says his clinic treated 2,000 people with ibogaine last year for between $15,000 and $20,000 per person. The company also gave free treatment to about 100 veterans. Clinics that use the drug typically monitor patients heart readings and have emergency medical equipment on hand. Advertisement Article continues below this ad One of the only recent studies conducted by U.S. researchers found that veterans treated with ibogaine showed improvements in symptoms of traumatic brain injury, including PTSD, depression and anxiety. The Stanford University study was small enrolling 30 veterans who received the drug in Mexico. It did not include a placebo group for comparison, an essential feature of rigorous medical research. Patients in the study received a combination of ibogaine mixed with magnesium intended to reduce heart risks. ___ The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institutes Department of Science Education and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content. A file photo of an Allingtown fire truck photographed on June 26, 2024. Arnold Gold/Hearst Connecticut Media The agreement, unanimously approved by the City Council Monday, runs through June 30, 2029 and includes retroactive pay of an additional $1 per hour worked back to July 1, 2025. Moving forward, the contract provides general wage increases of 2.5%, 3% and 2.5% on July 1 of 2026, 2027 and 2028 respectively. However, the successor agreement increases the 24-member units health care premium to 15% from 14.5%, which Mayor Dorinda Borer noted in a written overview of the agreement is in line with other city union contracts. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Borer said the city often takes for granted the departments day-in-day-out service because Allingtown firefighters, they never complain. They are team players, they are cheerleaders for everybody in the city, she said. Joseph DeGrand, a firefighter, emergency medical technician and code enforcement specialist who is a union steward, said the firefighters were relieved as they have been waiting a long time after nine months of negotiations. However, he said the unit believes its a fair contract and he complimented Chief Michael Terenzio and the city for being great to work with. Firefighter and paramedic Chris Iadarola said the contract was ratified unanimously by the unit. 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 West Haven has three fire departments located in three city neighborhoods that work collaboratively. The Allingtown Fire Department is the only one of the three that is controlled by the city, as the other two are chartered independently. Councilman Ronald Quagliani, D-10, who is associate vice president of public safety for the University of New Haven located in the Allingtown neighborhood, said he interacts with the department often. He said in his experience, the firefighters in the department work for Allingtown because of their love for the community. This contract is not bringing them to the top, it brings them maybe to the midpoint, he said. They love what they do here working for Allingtown. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Allingtown Fire Department Alternate Commissioner Frederick Brown spoke in favor of the contract Monday, saying it would aid the department with retention. Resident Steven Mullins also complimented the firefighters' work ethic in his experience as a volunteer and as a resident. I know firsthand how hard our City of West Haven Allingtown firefighters work. They are diligent, they are prompt and thats from having personal experience having had a dryer fire at my house about eight years ago. They are quick with speed, he said. They do a very good job working with the other departments in town as well as with the volunteers. According to Borer, the financial impact to the city is $116,990 in the current fiscal year because of retroactive pay and will be between $50,000 and $60,000 in the next three fiscal years. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Fair Haven School, in New Haven, Conn. The New Haven school district is considering a plan to hire in-house staff to manage its facilities. That work is hired by a contractor with more than a dozen workers. Ned Gerard/Hearst Connecticut Media Superintendent of New Haven Public Schools Madeline Negron, at podium, and New Haven Mayor Justin Elicker hold a press conference at Lincoln-Bassett Community School for the first day of school in New Haven, Conn., on Thursday August 28, 2025. New Haven schools officials want to hire staff to oversee the district's facilities. Christian Abraham/Hearst Connecticut Media NEW HAVEN The New Haven Public Schools may soon employ its own staff to help with managing the district's facilities. Since 2022, the district has outsourced the work of taking care of its facilities to a contractor. However, Paul Whyte, the districts chief of school operations, told the Board of Education that this has brought some challenges, which prompted the idea of the district hiring its own staff to do the work. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Were looking at this as an opportunity to create more flexible services and particularly increase internal oversight, where we have people working very hard and working within our system, he said at the board's meeting on Monday. In total, New Haven Public Schools pays just under $2 million annually for the contractor to provide 14 workers. Some of these employees serve as management that oversee the custodial work that is done on the school grounds. If the district moves to hire its own staff to do this work, Whyte said it would cost just over $1.5 million for the salaries. This could save New Haven around $446,000, be said. By making this move, Whyte said New Haven would have to create some new positions, including a director of facilities who would manage the department. Some of the other new positions would be a district supervisor, night supervisor and roof/grounds supervisor. Most of these new positions would fall under Local 3144, the union that represents management and professional workers employed by the City of New Haven and New Haven Public 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 These are titles that exist currently in the City of New Haven and within the structure of this, Whyte said. Plus, some of the positions that the district would include in the new facilities management department already existed through the agreement with the contractor. These include the building managers and assistant building managers, which fall under Local 287, the union that represents the districts custodial staff. For New Haven Public Schools officials, the goal is to start the transition of moving facilities management positions in house in the next 30 days. This would mean posting the new job openings online, forming a transition team and working with the current contractor to enter a two- to three-month transition contract. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Then within the next 60 days, officials said they would like to start hiring the new staffing, onboarding them and beginning professional learning. The ultimate goal is to manage and improve our ability to maintain our buildings, Whyte said. And wed of course be doing quarterly reporting, progress monitoring and making sure we are moving in the right direction for our district. Although many of the Board of Education members said they supported the move, some said they didnt have enough time to look over the information before voting on whether to give Superintendent Madeline Negron the authority to begin the transition. I might just vote no on this just because its a large spending item and the information on it was not posted prior to the meeting. But it is something that I am in full support of, so I will support it if it comes to the vote. But I do have to raise that issue just as a personal principle of mine, said Matthew Wilcox, vice president of the school board. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Negron initially asked the Board of Education to vote on the change at the Monday meeting because theres a lot of work that needs to happen to be able to do the transition. However, she said moving the vote to the board's next meeting would not derail the districts transition plan. The longer we wait, the longer that were going to have the overlap to ensure that we dont have disruption of services, Negron told the Board of Education. Julie Wise, 48, speaks with Indiana state Sen. Spencer Deery, R-West Lafayette, who represents District 23, as he canvasses a neighborhood, Saturday, April 11, 2026, in West Lafayette, Ind. Doug McSchooler/AP Retired couple Annette Williams, and her husband, Curtis Williams, speak with Indiana state Sen. Spencer Deery, R-West Lafayette, who represents District 23, after he stops at their home while canvassing a neighborhood, Saturday, April 11, 2026, in West Lafayette, Ind. Doug McSchooler/AP Indiana state Sen. Spencer Deery, R-West Lafayette, who represents District 23, is stopped by passersby while canvassing a neighborhood, Saturday, April 11, 2026, in West Lafayette, Ind. Doug McSchooler/AP Indiana state Sen. Spencer Deery, R-West Lafayette, who represents District 23, canvasses a neighborhood on an electric scooter, Saturday, April 11, 2026, in West Lafayette, Ind. Doug McSchooler/AP Indiana state Sen. Spencer Deery, R-West Lafayette, who represents District 23, canvasses a neighborhood, Saturday, April 11, 2026, in West Lafayette, Ind. Doug McSchooler/AP WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. (AP) The only thing standing between President Donald Trump and his revenge on Indiana state senators are people like Julie Wise. Shes 48 years old, works at a hospital, describes herself as a conservative and voted for Trump in the last election. But that doesn't mean she's going to vote out her Republican state senator just because he defied the president's demand to redraw Indiana's congressional map. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Im not going to say that because this is what the president wants, this is how Im going to vote," Wise said from her front step on a sunny, springtime afternoon. Indiana's primary on May 5 has become an unlikely test of Trump's grip on the Republican Party. After state senators defied White House pressure by opposing redistricting, Trump has endorsed seven primary challengers in races that rarely attract any attention from Washington. The campaign, backed by national organizations such as Turning Point Action and pro-Trump groups that have spent more than $4.2 million on advertising, has no precedent in recent memory. Gov. Mike Braun and U.S. Sen Jim Banks, both Republicans, are also working against incumbent state senators in a display of deference to Trump. 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 One of their targets is Spencer Deery, a first-term state senator who knocked on Wise's door while canvassing her West Lafayette neighborhood via electric scooter. This is about one thing only, he told The Associated Press. And thats control. An avalanche of campaign spending Deery represents the 23rd Senate District, a seven-county swath of farmland that borders Illinois to the west, runs north to West Lafayette and touches the outskirts of Terre Haute to the south. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Four years ago, Deery's campaign spent $142,000 to win his seat in a race where fewer than 11,000 people voted. One of the primary candidates he defeated was Paula Copenhaver, a veteran Republican activist and local party chair. Now Trump has endorsed Copenhaver, an aide to Lt. Gov. Micah Beckwith, and Deery is facing a nearly $1 million avalanche of spending. One television advertisement declared that State Sen. Spencer Deary voted against President Trumps agenda. Its about sending a message that any state that does not get in line or any lawmakers that do not get in line with the political forces in D.C. should be on the lookout, Deery said. That should concern you in a constitutional democracy. Deery has spent $167,000 so far, and he hasn't had any help from outside groups. Advertisement Article continues below this ad A Trump-backed opponent Copenhaver declined to respond to telephone calls and text messages from The Associated Press after originally saying she was willing to discuss the campaign. Trump endorsed her in January by calling her a MAGA Warrior a reference to Trump's Make America Great Again movement and a terrific Candidate for Indianas 23rd State Senate District. He wrote on social media that Copenhaver was running against an incompetent and ineffective RINO incumbent named Spencer Deery who, for whatever reason, betrayed his voters by voting against Redistricting in Indiana. RINO means Republican in name only. The White House leaned heavily on Indiana lawmakers last year to break with precedent and adopt a new congressional map, part of an unusual nationwide cascade of redistricting that Trump hopes will help Republicans protect their thin U.S. House majority in November's elections. Vice President JD Vance met with Indiana politicians in Washington and Indianapolis, and Trump weighed in by conference call. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Some opponents of the proposal faced threats. Deery was targeted by a false police report intended to provoke a dangerous situation by sending a SWAT team racing to his home. But the Republican-controlled state Senate voted against redistricting in December, a defeat for the president. Trump tried to brush it off afterward, telling reporters in the Oval Office that I wasn't working on it very hard. Making the rounds on the campaign trail As Deery moved from door to door in the neatly manicured suburb at the edge of a clover field in northwest West Lafayette, a pair of motorcyclists out on a Saturday ride stopped to encourage him. Advertisement Article continues below this ad I wanted to thank you for having the courage to vote against the redistricting, one of them said. Annette and Curtis Williams politely chatted with Deery at their door. Curtis said Trumps threat to unseat Deery is inappropriate. Neither he nor his wife would say how they planned to vote. Beckie Eikenberg, a quality assurance associate at an Indiana pharmaceutical company, has seen the advertisements targeting Deery, but she does not trust them. The 47-year-old who calls herself libertarian on the conservative side, spoke with the state senator at the end of her cul-de-sac. She voted for Trump but wrinkled her brow when asked if the president should have a say in Indianas congressional map. Advertisement Article continues below this ad He doesnt necessarily know whats going on within our state. Hes not here. He doesnt see the day to day, she said. Governor stays allied with Trump The campaign to oust incumbents is also intended to dislodge Indiana Senate President Pro Tem Rodrick Bray, who helped block redistricting and has faced criticism from Trump. Bray is not up for reelection this year, but Braun wanted primary challengers to commit to opposing him as Senate leader, according to three people familiar with the demand. The people were not authorized to publicly discuss private conversations and spoke on condition of anonymity. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Trump political aides said they were monitoring the campaigns. Representatives for Banks, the U.S. senator allied with the White House, did not return messages seeking comment. Braun, the Republican governor, said he is backing the primary challengers not because of redistricting but because he needs help to advance his agenda. For example, he was at odds with Bray over property taxes earlier in his term. Braun is putting $500,000 from his political action committee into state Senate races. Whether you supported this or that, my goal is to get enterprising senators and representatives, Braun said Monday. So when it comes to what you do to either support or not support certain legislators, for me, its going to mostly be based on, Are you willing to help me take Indiana into places that all states would want to be? Advertisement Article continues below this ad One of Braun's predecessors is working against him in the primary. Former Gov. Mitch Daniels, a Republican who stepped away from politics after leaving office in 2015, has been quietly working to protect incumbents targeted by Trump. Daniels recorded a video and helped raise money for Deery, who was chief of staff to the former governor when he became president of Purdue University. Deery said his vote against redistricting was not about defying Trump or the president's allies. I dont work for them, Deery said. I work for my voters, my constituents. Advertisement Article continues below this ad _____ Lauryn Muller sits at her home Monday, April 13, 2026, in Coral Springs, Fla. Marta Lavandier/AP President Donald Trump talks to the media on the South Lawn before departing on Marine One at the White House, Saturday, April 11, 2026, in Washington. Jose Luis Magana/AP FILE - Governor Gavin Newsom speaks at a news conference in Hayward, Calif., March 2, 2026. (Jessica Christian/San Francisco Chronicle via AP, File) Jessica Christian/AP Lauryn Muller sits with her mother, Marylin, at their home Monday, April 13, 2026, in Coral Springs, Fla. Marta Lavandier/AP WASHINGTON (AP) Lauryn Muller was scrolling on social media when she saw a clip of President Donald Trump belittling California Gov. Gavin Newsom for having dyslexia. It stirred a well of emotion for the 18-year-old Muller, bringing back memories of her own struggles learning to read and the times she felt something was wrong with her. Trump called Newsom "stupid, low IQ, mentally disabled and unfit to become president. Muller knew it was part of a political feud Trump is a Republican and Newsom is a Democrat who is expected to run for the White House in 2028 but Trumps words felt personal. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Weve had to overcome so many deficits, and for someone to, on a national stage, say, yeah, they will never be like us that definitely came as an emotional sting to me, said Muller, an incoming student at Auburn University whose dyslexia was identified as a child. It was one more entry in Trumps history of denigrating the intelligence of his foes and mocking those with disabilities. Yet this time he was maligning tens of millions of people, calling their abilities into question and undermining years of progress fighting stigma around dyslexia. Among those with dyslexia, his remarks aroused feelings from anguish and anger to dismay. It cut across politics, drawing a rebuke from supporters and critics alike. 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 Muller's mother, Marilyn, voted for Trump three times and says she still supports his politics. But she was hurt when Trump linked dyslexia with low intelligence a dated myth that she has spent years trying to dispel. It works against everything I do on a daily basis, said Marilyn Muller, a literacy advocate in Florida. It was probably one of the more ignorant comments I have ever heard come from his mouth. A learning disability often misunderstood Trumps comments clash with a large body of research finding that dyslexia and IQ are unrelated. They also conflict with statements he issued during his first term for national awareness months, heaping praise on the extraordinary contributions of those with dyslexia and noting that their ranks include top industry executives and inventors. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Often misunderstood, dyslexia affects the link between the brain and printed language, making it difficult for people to read. Dyslexia often emerges in childhood as kids learn to read and write. It is estimated to affect up to 20% of the world population. All of a sudden, youre not doing so well in school and then people will tell you, oh, youre not trying, youre not smart or whatever, and none of thats accurate. You just have this difference in that bridge from language to print, said John Gabrieli, a neuroscientist at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Newsom has for years discussed his dyslexia, including in a children's book he wrote in 2021 as well as a new memoir. On his recent book tour, he talked about memorizing speeches because he is unable to read them. He described it as a struggle and a gift, saying it forced him to develop other skills. Trump latched on to some of Newsom's comments. He cant read a speech, he cant do almost anything, Trump said during a Cabinet meeting in March. Hes actually a very stupid person. Advertisement Article continues below this ad He added: I think a president should not have learning disabilities. Trump acknowledged his departure from decorum, saying its highly controversial to say such a horrible thing. He went on to say it at least four more times. Newsom's office declined to comment for this story and referred to the governor's social media posts. Learning differences dont define your limits, they shape your strengths, Newsom wrote in one post. And no one, not even the President of the United States, gets to decide your worth. Little GOP pushback to Trump's comments In Utah, Lia Beatty said she has become inured to Trump's brash behavior, but she still sees danger in his latest tirades. People listen to the president, and young people with dyslexia might hear those comments and believe they count for less, said Beatty, 27, who has dyslexia and runs a university neurobiology lab. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The harm isnt necessarily in the headline. Its what happens quietly, she said. Its the student in the classroom who stops raising their hand, the college applicant who hides how they learn, the employee who doesnt pursue a promotion that theyre more than qualified for. Until she saw his comments circulating on social media, Beatty had been keeping quiet about her acceptance to a doctoral neuroscience program at Dartmouth College. She made it public in a social media post aiming to undercut Trump. I think its important to acknowledge that, yeah, the rooms they werent made for us, but were still getting in them, Beatty said. On Capitol Hill, there is a strong history of bipartisan support for people with dyslexia. A House caucus is devoted to the issue, with vocal champions from both parties. Yet there has been little Republican pushback to Trumps comments. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Trump's remarks did not come up Wednesday at a congressional roundtable on dyslexia, organized by Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., whose daughter has dyslexia and whose wife runs a school for children with dyslexia. After the event, Cassidy refused to respond directly to Trump's remarks. All I can say is that a child with dyslexia will grow to be, often times, a very talented adult, Cassidy, who is up for reelection but did not get Trump's endorsement, told The Associated Press. Theres people who have self-identified as dyslexic who have become CEOs of hospitals and of great businesses. There has been no comment from Rep. Bruce Westerman, R-Ark., co-chair of the dyslexia caucus. Some in Trump's circles have detailed struggles with dyslexia Advocates have noted that some past presidents probably did have dyslexia. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Woodrow Wilson wrote about his difficulty learning to read and he became an early adopter of the typewriter as one of many workarounds, said John M. Cooper, a presidential historian and Wilson biographer. Some in Trumps circles have spoken about difficulties with dyslexia. Gary Cohn, the architect of Trumps signature tax bill from his first term, has talked at length about struggling with dyslexia as a child. He went on to become a business titan and president of Goldman Sachs. Advocates say Trumps words threaten to reverse years of progress unwinding stereotypes. His comments also raise questions about promises his administration has made to protect students with disabilities even as Trump dismantles the Department of Education, which oversees the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Jacqueline Rodriguez, CEO of the National Center for Learning Disabilities, said it will be hard for families to trust Trump's education appointees when their boss is making these really stigmatizing and really inaccurate statements. In Decatur, Georgia, Meagan Swingle said Trumps comments made her sick to her stomach. She brought it up with her 15-year-old son, Enrique, who has dyslexia, knowing he might hear about the remarks at school. Enrique, who excels in math and science, brushed it off, she said. But it stuck with her. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Pope Leo XIV arrives in procession to celebrate Mass at Yaounde Ville Airport, Cameroon, Saturday, April 18, 2026 on the sixth day of his 11-day pastoral visit to Africa. Andrew Medichini/AP Pope Leo XIV arrives to celebrate Mass at Yaounde Ville Airport, Cameroon, Saturday, April 18, 2026 on the sixth day of his 11-day pastoral visit to Africa. Andrew Medichini/AP Pope Leo XIV arrives in procession with cardinals and bishops to celebrate Mass at Yaounde Ville Airport, Cameroon, Saturday, April 18, 2026 on the sixth day of his 11-day pastoral visit to Africa. Andrew Medichini/AP FILE- This combination file photos show on left, President Donald Trump listening during a meeting with North Korean defectors where he talked with reporters about allowing the release of a secret memo on the F.B.I.'s role in the Russia inquiry, in the Oval Office of the White House, on Feb. 2, 2018, in Washington and on right, Pope Leo XIV arriving for his weekly general audience in St. Peter's Square, at the Vatican, on Aug. 6, 2025. AP President Donald Trump waves to reporters as he walks on the South Lawn upon his arrival to the White House, Friday, April 17, 2026, in Washington. Jose Luis Magana/AP ABOARD THE PAPAL PLANE (AP) Pope Leo XIV said Saturday that it was not in my interest at all to debate U.S. President Donald Trump about the Iran war, but that he would continue preaching the Gospel message of peace. Leo spoke to reporters aboard the papal plane flying from Cameroon to Angola as part of his 11-day tour of Africa. Advertisement Article continues below this ad He addressed the spiraling back-and-forth saga of Trumps critiques of his peace message, which have dominated news headlines this week. But the American pope also sought to set the record straight, insisting that his preaching isnt directed at Trump, but reflects the broader Gospel message of peace. Theres been a certain narrative that has not been accurate in all of its aspects, but because of the political situation created when, on the first day of the trip, the president of the United States made some comments about myself, he said. Much of what has been written since then has been more commentary on commentary, trying to interpret what has been 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 Trump launched the criticism on his social media platform Truth Social on the night of April 12, when he criticized Leos preaching about peace as the war, which began with joint U.S.-Israeli strikes on Feb. 28 and was followed by Irans retaliation, raged on. Trump accused Leo of being soft on crime, cozy with the left and said that the first American pontiff owed his election to Trump. Leo has issued consistent calls for peace and dialogue, and has denounced the use of religious justification for war. Specifically, he called Trumps threat to annihilate Iranian civilization truly unacceptable. The Vatican has stressed that when Leo preaches about peace, he is referring to all wars ravaging the planet, not just the Iran conflict. The Russian Orthodox Church, for example, has justified Moscows invasion of Ukraine as a holy war. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Speaking to reporters on Saturday, Leo referred specifically to his remarks earlier this week to a peace meeting in Bamenda, Cameroon. The city is the epicenter of a separatist conflict that has been raging in the western, Anglophone region of the country for nearly a decade. Leo said that his remarks, in which he blasted the handful of tyrants who were ravaging Earth with war and exploitation, were written two weeks ago, long before Trumps criticisms began. And yet as it happens, it was looked at as if I was trying to debate again the president, which is not in my interest at all, he said. Looking ahead, however, he said that he would continue preaching the Gospel. Advertisement Article continues below this ad I primarily come to Africa as a pastor, as the head of the Catholic Church to be with, to celebrate with, to encourage and accompany all the Catholics throughout Africa, he said. He drew attention to some upcoming liturgical readings about what it means to be Christian and to follow Christ, promote fraternity and brotherhood, but also looking for ways to promote justice in our world, promote peace in our world, he said. Leo arrived later Saturday in Angola, the third stop on his four-nation tour. A message of peace would be especially relevant for the southern African country, which was ravaged by a 27-year civil war that ended in 2002 but has left deep scars. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, left, embraces Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva at the end of the Global Progressive Mobilisation summit in Barcelona, Spain, Saturday, April 18, 2026. Joan Monfort/AP Gov. Tim Walz, D-Minn., delivers a speech at the Global Progressive Mobilisation summit in Barcelona, Spain, Saturday, April 18, 2026. Joan Monfort/AP U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., delivers a speech at the Global Progressive Mobilisation summit in Barcelona, Spain, Saturday, April 18, 2026. Joan Monfort/AP Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, right, greets Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum at the Meeting in Defence of Democracy summit in Barcelona, Spain, Saturday, April 18, 2026. Joan Monfort/AP Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, left, reacts next to Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva at the end of the Global Progressive Mobilisation summit in Barcelona, Spain, Saturday, April 18, 2026. Joan Monfort/AP BARCELONA, Spain (AP) Progressive leaders from around the globe gathered in Barcelona on Saturday to try and galvanize their forces and defend a rules-based world order. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, an outspoken critic of U.S. President Donald Trump and the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran, hosted two overlapping events about democracy and progressive politics in Spains second-largest city. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Democrats U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz were present alongside the leaders of Brazil, South Africa and high-ranking officials from other left-leaning governments. While no foreign leader criticized Trump by name in public, the staunchly unilateral position of the American president that breaks with decades of U.S. foreign policy, including his derision of NATO and the United Nations, hung over the meetings. We all see the attacks against the multilateral system, the repeated attempts to undermine international law and the dangerous normalization of the use of force, Sanchez 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 Trump again lashed out on Saturday on social media at Sanchez, who has faced Trumps scorn for not allowing the U.S. to use jointly operated military bases in Spain for operations related to the Iran war and for refusing to raise military spending from 2% to 5% of GDP. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Has anybody looked at how badly the country of Spain is doing. Their financial numbers, despite contributing almost nothing to NATO and their military defense, are absolutely horrendous. Sad to watch!!! Trump posted on Truth Social. Sanchez says the right's time is running out Spain, like the U.S. and other developed countries, is in debt, but it has one of the worlds leading economies under Sanchez. Sanchez told the rally of progressive politicians and party members held later on Saturday that the populist right screams and shouts not because they are winning but because they know their time is running out. Advertisement Article continues below this ad They know their vision of how the world should be ordered is falling apart due to the tariffs and wars, he said. Their embrace of climate change denial, of xenophobia, or sexism is their greatest error. They have tried again and again to make us embarrassed of our beliefs. That ends now. From now on they can be the ones who feel ashamed. Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa and Colombian President Gustavo Petro, and other leaders and officials, including Cabinet members from the United Kingdom and Germany, were in attendance at the IV Meeting in Defense of Democracy that kicked off Saturday's double-header of political events at the Barcelona convention center. Later in the day, Sanchez, Lula and Ramaphosa stayed put to attend the inaugural Global Progressive Mobilization, where some 6,000 left-leaning elected officials, policy analysts and activists exchanged ideas. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The far right is international, so we must be too, German Vice Chancellor and Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil told a crowd of activists. Democrats join rally Sen. Murphy, a Democrat from Connecticut, spoke at the progressive rally and he didnt shy away from blasting Trump while celebrating the loss of power of Trump's ally Viktor Orban in elections in Hungary last week. Donald Trump is out to end our democracy, Murphy said. We are not on the verge of a totalitarian takeover, we are in the middle of it. Advertisement Article continues below this ad But, he said, Americans are watching what is happening across the world, and the victory in Hungary just one week ago lifted our sails. Walz, Kamala Harris' vice presidential candidate who has faced a violent U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement migration crackdown in Minnesota, threw barbs at U.S. Vice President JD Vance, who campaigned for Orban and has backed far-right parties in Europe. Unlike our current vice president, Im not here to arrogantly lecture or scold you, I am not here to pick a fight with the Pope or host a rally for any local wannabe authoritarians, Walz said. New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani, former U.S. presidential candidate Hillary Rodham Clinton and Sen. Bernie Sanders all sent video messages played at the rally. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Progressives exchange ideas Among concrete proposals to come from the events, Ramaphosa said South Africa will present a draft resolution to establish an International Panel on Inequality, aiming to tackle the growing wealth gap both within and between nations, to the U.N. General Assembly in September. Sheinbaum plugged her idea that governments commit to spending the equivalent of 10% of their military budgets on reforestation projects. Each year, instead of planting the seeds of war, we will plant the seeds of life, she said. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Sanchez argued for the importance of regulating social media to stop the spread of hate speech and disinformation. His government also said that it is working with Lula's Brazil on a tax for the ultrarich. Lula, who met with Sanchez in a bilateral summit on Friday in Barcelona, kept the focus on how to invigorate the progressive moment. He avoided naming Trump except when he called for U.N. Security Council members to fulfill their obligation and guarantee peace. Stop this madness of war because the world cannot bear any more wars, Lula said. Robert Pattinson, left, and Zendaya in a scene from "The Drama." AP Can I connect the new Zendaya-Robert Pattinson movie to the sudden urgency with which Christian theology is being debated in the American political sphere? I mean to try, and I dont feel bad about it, because Pete Hegseth, our Secretary of Why? has already begun the blurring of those two worlds. Advertisement Article continues below this ad At the April edition of the Pentagons monthly prayer service, Hegseth read a prayer that strongly resembled a speech delivered by Samuel Jackson in Pulp Fiction before he executed what appeared to be three college guys inexpertly trying to be drug dealers. The Jackson speech, in turn, strongly resembled the actual text of Ezekiel 25:17, but certain liberties were taken in the movie. To be fair, Hegseth said the prayer was one circulated among search and rescue teams. He didnt try to claim it was straight from the Bible. Its not clear whether he knew about the Pulp Fiction tie-in. Theres sure to be more of this. Expect Pam Bondis permanent successor to be fluent in My Cousin Vinny. 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 What Hegseth has done, improbably, is make me nostalgic for Donald Rumsfeld, who occupied more or less the same office during the Bush 43 era. Rummyisms used to seem a little whacky, but in hindsight he seems like a fusion of Ben Franklin and Thomas Pynchon. Advertisement Article continues below this ad That famous riff about known unknowns and unknown unknowns? We laughed at the time. A lot of us now use it semi-seriously. And theres all that cracker barrel Sun Tzu stuff: It isn't making mistakes that's critical; it's correcting them and getting on with the principal task. It is easier to get into something than to get out of it. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Don't think of yourself as indispensable or infallible. As Charles De Gaulle said, the cemeteries of the world are full of indispensable men. Is it possible that someone or something will someday make me nostalgic for Hegseth? We used to complain about Pete, but now we got monkeys and robots running the military, and the monkeys bare their teeth and hurl their feces, and the robots have no respect for human life. Actually, Im struggling to make that scenario feel very different from the present moment. Advertisement Article continues below this ad OK, lets get back to Pattinson and Zendaya, who play Charlie and Emma in The Drama. They are an apparently loving couple on the cusp of marriage when one of them blurts out a 15-year-old long-concealed, never-shared story about going up to the brink of a terrible act. Im not going to tell you what the act is, but I do have my doubts about whether it belongs alongside the movies often comic tones. Nevertheless, The Drama is often fascinating as we watch Emma and Charlie, as a couple and as individuals, wrestle with the implications of this new information and what it might mean both to them and perhaps more importantly? to everyone they know. The characters are 30. I could not help thinking about the worst excesses of cancel culture, which would have shaped some of their perceptions during their early 20s. Advertisement Article continues below this ad I found that period, roughly from 2017 to 2021, horrifying in its determination to make just about anything a true abomination or a joke or stray remark into a deal-breaker. Young people, mainly from the left, seemed to value collecting the pelts of wrongdoers more than the justice and virtue they claimed were animating them. From that perspective, Charlie and Emma are poorly equipped to hash out a transgression. Cancel culture might even explain why the secret story which is about ideation as opposed to action was never shared during their years of intimacy. There is something else missing from them: the idea that love and friendship should be by their very nature less provisional than the rest of life. For the people we care about, there should be second, third, fourth chances. This may come with age. Im 71. I watched the movie at an 11 a.m. screening attended by no one else. I wanted to hug the person who had disclosed the horrible thing. I wanted to say, Were going to talk and talk and talk until I understand where you were then and how you are now. It might take weeks or months. So be it. Advertisement Article continues below this ad And Im not even that nice or sympathetic a person. In fact, I kept thinking about how interesting it would be to try to understand this in a sympathetic context. I might be less helpful or supportive of someone with a really boring problem. I get that thats a flaw in me. Years ago, a Christian theologian told me, We are not allowed to give up on anybody. Advertisement Article continues below this ad He meant this, pointedly, to include horrible murderers on death row. We are so quick to give up on each other. Were busy. Giving up saves time. And though it has been disconcerting to see the president and vice-president of this nation taking verbal potshots at Pope Leo, Im encouraged to see, in the responses by the pope and other theologians, those ideas about peace, humanity, kindness, and duty that make Christianity so potent, for all of its inevitable shortcomings. The Catholic Church is deeply flawed and wonderfully beneficent. Like the Church, we are all damaged units, scratched and dented floor models, hoping and trying to rise just a little bit above where we are. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Im not a person of faith but I come back again and again to the last lines of a poem by the Victorian writer Gerard Manley Hopkins, who later became a priest. In a flash, at a trumpet crash, I am all at once what Christ is,/since he was what I am, and This Jack, joke, poor potsherd,/patch, matchwood, immortal diamond, Advertisement Article continues below this ad Is immortal diamond. Do you get it, Charlie and Emma? The scratches and dents are what make us beautiful, especially as we age. Loving is incompatible with seeking perfection. The New York Times this week profiled Sister Mary Kay Finneran, 87 and getting ready for death after a life of incredible service. I hear people talk about this beautiful relationship with Jesus. Mine is not like that. It is a little more questioning and mystery. That is why it is called faith. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Or as Rummy put it, If it were a fact, it wouldn't be called intelligence. That Rummy! If youve bought a home before, you may already have a real estate agent in mind. But if youre looking for one, Carl Lantz III, a West Hartford broker with Coldwell Banker, shares his advice. Matt Rourke/Associated Press Save for the COVID-era surge, when many Connecticut homeowners seized the chance to cash out at prices they never expected to see, the decision to sell is usually driven by major life changes, real estate agents say. A new job that requires relocation, a major change in household income, a growing family, divorce, downsizing in retirement or settling an estate can all prompt a move. If youve bought a home before, you may already have an agent in mind perhaps the broker who helped you purchase your property or even someone on the other side of the deal who left a strong impression. But if youre looking for a home in Connecticut, how do you choose the right professional to guide you through the process? Advertisement Article continues below this ad Carl Lantz III, a West Hartford broker with Coldwell Banker who has served as president of Connecticut Realtors, shared his advice with CT Insider. Youve decided to put your home on the market. How should you approach hiring an agent? "I think the best way and the way that 90% of my business comes is referral, asking your friends and family who they've worked with," Lantz said. "Personal experiences, reputation all those bits and pieces I think it's really important to have that. You want somebody who's going to work the best on your behalf, so finding that right person is of utmost importance. Do the research. Find somebody who matches with you and has the chops to get you what you want out of your deal." Advertisement Article continues below this ad What should a home seller consider when evaluating an agent? "It's just like looking at your investments," Lantz said. "You want an investment adviser who's going to outperform the market, and you want a Realtor who's going to outperform the market. Just like anything else, there are online reviews those, of course, can be dead-on, or not so much but they can be one piece of the puzzle. 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 "With any referral, talk about the actual experience not just did the agent do well, but what was the experience for the person who was selling? Ask about communication styles that's something I ask about all the time. How do you want me to communicate with you? Do you want text? Do you want phone calls? Do you want email? Do you want all of it? How often do you want to hear from me? Advertisement Article continues below this ad "I lay out expectations of how a process is going to run and how it all works. I want to be prepared for any eventuality that might hit. The market always changes, and I don't care if you've been in it for two years as an agent or you've been in it for 22 years, there's always something new. Nobody saw the COVID market coming. We have to be flexible and adapt to whatever is thrown our direction and solve the problems that come our way. "Make sure that you understand the fees how they're paid, who pays them. The biggest change that we've seen is on the buy side. When you go into a deal, you may not know if the seller is offering the compensation that the buyer has to pay their agent." "Make sure that you understand the fees how they're paid, who pays them. The biggest change that we've seen is on the buy side. When you go into a deal, you may not know if the seller is offering the compensation that the buyer has to pay their agent. Once youve hired an agent, what happens before your home goes on the market? "I always say that I work for you, and that timeline is based on your needs," Lantz said. "If they need to be out of the house next week, we bust our backsides and do everything we can to get it ready to be on the market ASAP. Advertisement Article continues below this ad "If they've already moved after securing a new place, that's huge in this market, because now they can stage and set up and clean not everybody can do that. If you still live in the home being listed, you can do the very basics of decluttering and starting to pack, because you are moving. People want to see fresh, clean (spaces). They don't want your 1972 wallpaper; they don't want your fluorescent-orange kids bedroom. Selling a house, you're selling an image. You're not selling your reality, because how everybody uses it is going to be different." After a weekend or two on the market, if you receive multiple offers, what happens next? "Every agent is going to handle it differently," Lantz said. "That's something else you should talk about in your interview at the beginning. We're just driving the bus, and you are the one who's telling us where to go. I present offers as they come in to the seller, and then oftentimes, once we have multiples, I'll then set a deadline with the seller on much more time do they think they want. "My advice on that is not too long, because you don't want people who've put in an offer on day one to have to wait a week, and not too short, because you want to make sure everybody gets a chance to come in and see it. When I review the offers with a seller, I'm literally going through all the bits and pieces, because it is not just this offer is higher than that offer. There's so many pieces that you have to look at. How is the offer paid? How is it financed? How much money are they putting down? How big is their deposit? Advertisement Article continues below this ad "Contingencies for a mortgage or inspection might also be considerations on which an offer is considered the best all around, not just price." TASHKENT, April 18 (Xinhua) -- Central Asia is emerging as a significant force in the global competition for rare metals, Uzbek Deputy Foreign Minister Muzaffar Madrakhimov said Saturday at the fifth Antalya Diplomacy Forum. Madrakhimov noted that expanding cooperation in innovation and technology, particularly in the processing of critical minerals, has become a strategic priority for the region. These joint efforts are expected to bolster the standing of Central Asian nations within the evolving global framework of resource security and technological sovereignty, he said. He added that the combined GDP of Central Asian countries has doubled over the past decade, surging from 250 billion U.S. dollars to more than 500 billion dollars. The region's deepening ties have enhanced the prominence of the "Central Asia Plus" format, strengthening its role in international dialogue and diplomacy, Madrakhimov said, also underscoring Uzbekistan's commitment to broad and mutually beneficial partnerships with various stakeholders. The fifth Antalya Diplomacy Forum opened on Friday. China-Mozambique cooperation delivers steady gains for development Xinhua) 15:23, April 18, 2026 An aerial drone photo taken on Feb. 21, 2026 shows the jetty bridge built by China Road and Bridge Corporation on Inhaca Island in Maputo Bay, Mozambique. (China Road and Bridge Corporation/Handout via Xinhua) Driven by both policy support and market forces, China-Mozambique economic and trade cooperation continues to expand, helping Mozambique upgrade industrial chains and inject sustained momentum into development. MAPUTO, April 18 (Xinhua) -- Marking the 10th anniversary of their comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership in 2026, China and Mozambique are seeing tangible progress in infrastructure, trade, and people-to-people exchanges, delivering momentum to local development and better livelihoods. INFRASTRUCTURE UPLIFTS LOCAL LIVES The Maputo-Katembe Bridge, built by China Road and Bridge Corporation, spans the Maputo Bay and serves as a key transport artery and urban landmark. As Africa's longest suspension bridge by main span, it has reduced the time needed to cross the bay to 5-10 minutes and is regarded by locals as a "bridge of dreams." In the suburbs of Maputo, a water supply project constructed by China Henan International Cooperation Group benefits nearly 72,000 residents. Fernando Rafael, minister of Public Works, Housing and Water Resources of Mozambique, said that it has added about 30,000 cubic meters of daily water supply capacity, further improving local living conditions. In Tete city, China Jiangxi International Economic and Technical Cooperation Company has built nearly 3,000 household toilets, helping local families move away from open defecation and live in safer and more hygienic conditions. "Now we have our own toilet, and our children have a more private place to bathe. We feel much more at ease," said Flora Rui, a local resident. From the bridge spanning the sea to community-level water and sanitation projects, infrastructure initiatives continue to expand, becoming vital support for Mozambicans striving for a better life. This photo taken on Dec. 7, 2025 shows construction workers carrying out road surface rehabilitation at the Matambo-Marara section of National Road 301 in Tete city, Mozambique. (China Henan International Cooperation Group/Handout via Xinhua) COOPERATION FUELS TRANSFORMATION Effective from Dec. 1, 2024, China has granted zero-tariff treatment on 100 percent of products to all least-developed countries with which it has diplomatic relations, including Mozambique, making Mozambican products more competitive in the Chinese market. According to Chinese customs statistics, two-way trade reached 5.4 billion U.S. dollars in 2025. In Niassa Province in northern Mozambique, a graphite processing plant built by Jinan Yuxiao Group has a total investment of about 150 million U.S. dollars, with a planned annual output of 200,000 tonnes. Mozambican President Daniel Chapo said at the inauguration ceremony that the project would help shift the country away from a single development model based on raw material exports and promote higher value-added exports. In the agricultural sector, cooperation continues to deepen. In Gaza Province, the Wanbao rice farm, backed by the China-Africa Development Fund, has boosted rice production through cooperation with local farmers, increasing yields from 1-2 tonnes per hectare to 5-7 tonnes per hectare, thus improving land use efficiency by about 10 fold. China's senior agricultural experts group in Mozambique is another key component of bilateral cooperation. Agronomist Germano Manuel of the Agricultural Research Institute of Mozambique said that with support from Chinese experts, a seed laboratory has been established for seed quality evaluation. "When seed quality improves, agricultural output naturally increases," he said, adding that such technologies are expected to be gradually promoted nationwide to enhance Mozambique's overall agricultural capacity. Driven by both policy support and market forces, China-Mozambique economic and trade cooperation continues to expand, helping Mozambique upgrade industrial chains and inject sustained momentum into development. Li Yuhao (R), a rice and agro-processing expert with the fourth batch of Chinese agricultural experts assisting Mozambique, explains rice cultivation techniques to a local agricultural technician at the Umbeluzi Agricultural Station in Maputo Province, Mozambique, March 19, 2026. (Xinhua/Liu Jie) EXCHANGES CEMENT FRIENDSHIP This year marks the China-Africa Year of People-to-People Exchanges. China-Mozambique cultural ties boast a long history and continue to yield new outcomes in the new era. Since 1976, China has dispatched 26 medical teams to Mozambique. This decades-long health cooperation has become one of the most people-centered aspects of bilateral relations. Chen Jialei, head of the 26th Chinese medical team to Mozambique, said the team has carried out multiple free medical consultations in Mozambique. "These are practical actions to serve communities and safeguard lives, while also helping enhance local healthcare capacity and promote the building of a global community of health for all," he said. Language serves as a bridge between civilizations. Since its establishment in 2012, the Confucius Institute at Eduardo Mondlane University has provided Chinese language training, enabling local youth to broaden people-to-people exchanges between the two countries. Motivated by an interest in Chinese martial arts, Moises Francisco, a young Mozambican, joined Chinese language training, later studied in China, and returned to become a teacher at the Confucius Institute. "For Mozambican youth, learning Chinese often means more job opportunities and the possibility of realizing their dreams," he said. (Web editor: Zhao Tong, Wu Chaolan) BARCELONA, Spain, April 18 (Xinhua) -- Spain has seen a growing interest in learning Chinese language among the public ahead of the International Chinese Language Day which will be celebrated on April 20. More than 50,000 people are currently studying the Chinese language across Spain, and the number has steadily increased in recent years, according to the Education Section of the Chinese Embassy in Madrid. The trend is no longer only in large cities, but visible in towns such as Manresa which has the population of 80,000 in northeastern Spain. An increasing number of students have been attracted to Chinese language class there. "Though we are quite far from Barcelona, more and more people here want to learn Chinese," said Wang Xiaobing, a Chinese language teacher and founder of the Yinuo Chinese cultural center. "I've been teaching Chinese for 18 years, and especially in the past five years, the number of students has increased a lot," she said. "We now have around 45 Spanish students, both children and adults." The center offers classes for groups of different age, as well as online and business-oriented courses, and also runs weekend sessions for about 60 children from the local Chinese community, extending its reach to nearby towns. For many learners, personal connections and career prospects are key motivations. Guillem Ayats, who began studying Chinese after making friends with Chinese students at university, said interest of learning Chinese language is also growing in his hometown of Mataro. "I know some parents who want their children to learn Chinese, and others whose kids are already studying it," he said. Others see the language as a professional asset. Lidia Lara, who recently resumed her Chinese studies for work, said she has noticed an increase in both in-person and online courses across cities including Barcelona and Tarragona. Among younger students, the appeal often combines curiosity with future ambitions. Twelve-year-old Martina Hernandez said, "Now I'm studying Chinese language, and in the future I would like to use it to help Chinese visitors in Spain." MOSCOW, April 18 (Xinhua) -- Two Chinese citizens were killed, 10 others injured after a passenger bus overturned in Russia's Zabaikalsky region, the Chinese Consulate General in Irkutsk said on Saturday. The Zabaikalsky regional government said earlier in the day that the accident occurred at around 2:40 p.m. local time (0540 GMT) when the bus driver lost control of the vehicle, causing it to veer off the road and overturn. The consulate said the bus, carrying more than 40 Chinese citizens, was traveling from the Chinese city of Manzhouli to Chita, the regional capital of Zabaikalsky. Following the accident, the consulate activated its emergency response mechanism and dispatched officials to the scene to coordinate with the Russian side on medical treatment for the injured and other arrangements. ATHENS, April 18 (Xinhua) -- Two people were killed and several others injured after a fire engulfed a residential building in downtown Athens early Saturday, Greece's national broadcaster ERT reported. The blaze broke out at around 4:30 a.m. local time (0130 GMT) in a three-story apartment building in a densely populated area northwest of the city center and quickly spread, causing severe structural damage. A man believed to be in his 40s was found dead at the scene, while a woman rescued from the building later died in the hospital from severe burns. At least two other women, including an 80-year-old, were hospitalized with respiratory problems caused by smoke inhalation. Residents of the building were evacuated to safety. Preliminary reports suggest the fire may have been caused by a gas leak. Authorities have launched an investigation into the incident. Autumn Special Read. Know. Act. $3 for 3 months! (90 days) Offer expires 12/30/2020 Don't hesitate! Start your digital-only membership today and not only receive full access to our premier news website NNY360.com but also to the NNY360 mobile app, and the Watertown Daily Times eEdition! A child from Pakistan tries Quanzhou Jincang Embroidery, a traditional embroidery craft from southeast China's Fujian Province, at the Palais des Nations in Geneva, Switzerland, April 17, 2026. A celebration marking the 2026 United Nations Chinese Language Day was held on Friday. The event drew some 400 participants, notably officials from international organizations and diplomats from over 30 countries such as Georgia, Laos, Mexico, Pakistan, Thailand, Uzbekistan, and Vietnam. (Xinhua/Lian Yi) Artists perform Nanyin, a traditional musical form from southeast China's Fujian Province, at the Palais des Nations in Geneva, Switzerland, April 17, 2026. A celebration marking the 2026 United Nations Chinese Language Day was held on Friday. The event drew some 400 participants, notably officials from international organizations and diplomats from over 30 countries such as Georgia, Laos, Mexico, Pakistan, Thailand, Uzbekistan, and Vietnam. (Xinhua/Lian Yi) Tatiana Valovaya (C), director-general of the United Nations Office at Geneva, and Jia Guide (2nd L), China's permanent representative and ambassador to the United Nations Office at Geneva and other international organizations in Switzerland, view Quanzhou Jincang Embroidery, a traditional embroidery craft from southeast China's Fujian Province, at the Palais des Nations in Geneva, Switzerland, April 17, 2026. A celebration marking the 2026 United Nations Chinese Language Day was held on Friday. The event drew some 400 participants, notably officials from international organizations and diplomats from over 30 countries such as Georgia, Laos, Mexico, Pakistan, Thailand, Uzbekistan, and Vietnam. (Xinhua/Lian Yi) A participant tries Song Dynasty Seal Incense, a traditional incense-making technique, at the Palais des Nations in Geneva, Switzerland, April 17, 2026. A celebration marking the 2026 United Nations Chinese Language Day was held on Friday. The event drew some 400 participants, notably officials from international organizations and diplomats from over 30 countries such as Georgia, Laos, Mexico, Pakistan, Thailand, Uzbekistan, and Vietnam. (Xinhua/Lian Yi) A participant tries Song Dynasty Seal Incense, a traditional incense-making technique, at the Palais des Nations in Geneva, Switzerland, April 17, 2026. A celebration marking the 2026 United Nations Chinese Language Day was held on Friday. The event drew some 400 participants, notably officials from international organizations and diplomats from over 30 countries such as Georgia, Laos, Mexico, Pakistan, Thailand, Uzbekistan, and Vietnam. (Xinhua/Lian Yi) A participant tries Song Dynasty Seal Incense, a traditional incense-making technique, at the Palais des Nations in Geneva, Switzerland, April 17, 2026. A celebration marking the 2026 United Nations Chinese Language Day was held on Friday. The event drew some 400 participants, notably officials from international organizations and diplomats from over 30 countries such as Georgia, Laos, Mexico, Pakistan, Thailand, Uzbekistan, and Vietnam. (Xinhua/Lian Yi) Tatiana Valovaya, director-general of the United Nations Office at Geneva, views a robot made in China at the Palais des Nations in Geneva, Switzerland, April 17, 2026. A celebration marking the 2026 United Nations Chinese Language Day was held on Friday. The event drew some 400 participants, notably officials from international organizations and diplomats from over 30 countries such as Georgia, Laos, Mexico, Pakistan, Thailand, Uzbekistan, and Vietnam. (Xinhua/Lian Yi) Tatiana Valovaya, director-general of the United Nations Office at Geneva, tries Quanzhou puppetry, a traditional puppet art from southeast China's Fujian Province, at the Palais des Nations in Geneva, Switzerland, April 17, 2026. A celebration marking the 2026 United Nations Chinese Language Day was held on Friday. The event drew some 400 participants, notably officials from international organizations and diplomats from over 30 countries such as Georgia, Laos, Mexico, Pakistan, Thailand, Uzbekistan, and Vietnam. (Xinhua/Lian Yi) Artists perform Nanyin, a traditional musical form from southeast China's Fujian Province, at the Palais des Nations in Geneva, Switzerland, April 17, 2026. A celebration marking the 2026 United Nations Chinese Language Day was held on Friday. The event drew some 400 participants, notably officials from international organizations and diplomats from over 30 countries such as Georgia, Laos, Mexico, Pakistan, Thailand, Uzbekistan, and Vietnam. (Xinhua/Lian Yi) People attend an event marking the celebration of the 2026 United Nations Chinese Language Day at the Palais des Nations in Geneva, Switzerland, April 17, 2026. A celebration marking the 2026 United Nations Chinese Language Day was held on Friday. The event drew some 400 participants, notably officials from international organizations and diplomats from over 30 countries such as Georgia, Laos, Mexico, Pakistan, Thailand, Uzbekistan, and Vietnam. (Xinhua/Lian Yi) A model walks past the Maritime Silk Road-themed Thangka painting World Emporium, wearing fashion outfits inspired by intangible cultural heritage from Licheng District of Quanzhou of southeast China's Fujian Province, at the Palais des Nations in Geneva, Switzerland, April 17, 2026. A celebration marking the 2026 United Nations Chinese Language Day was held on Friday. The event drew some 400 participants, notably officials from international organizations and diplomats from over 30 countries such as Georgia, Laos, Mexico, Pakistan, Thailand, Uzbekistan, and Vietnam. (Xinhua/Lian Yi) When Haley Saucier and Grant Carey started working at the original Espiritu Mezcaleria & Cocina in the CBD, they werent planning on owning the business. It took the lens of the pandemic to make that change happen, both for them and for the original partners Jason Mitzen, a certified mezcal specialist, and longtime New Orleans chef Nanyo Dominguez. For all of them, like for so many people, 2020 ushered in an if not now, when mindset. Mitzen and his wife had twins and wanted to spend more quality time together as a family. Dominguez wanted his own restaurant and left to open Besame in September 2021. Saucier was on Espiritus opening team in 2018, leading her to discover an abiding passion for mezcal and its history and culture. Carey had worked in event production, which ground to a halt during lockdown. Espiritu Mezcaleria & Cocina Where 139 S. Cortez St.; espiritunola.com When Dinner Tue.-Sat. How Dine-in Check it out A Mid-City mezcaleria serving Mexican favorites Id lost the love for what I was doing, Carey says. Haley was back working at Espiritu as bar manager, so I started serving. When Jason took our sweat equity into account and made us a sweet deal to buy the business, we jumped at the chance. Now there are two Espirtus. The couple opened the second location in Mid-City last fall in the spot that was formerly Rosella, a block behind Mandinas Restaurant. From the beginning, mezcal drove the bus, Carey says. Carey moved to New Orleans from Delaware in 2009 to attend the University of New Orleans. He met Saucier, a Ponchatoula native, when they were both working on the Syrian refugee resettlement in 2013. Fans of the beautiful but short-lived Rosella will feel right at home at Espiritu. The fetching pink and pistachio green interior color scheme remains the same, with the addition of some upholstered church pews for seating and some extra shelving and a new bar top. Although this location is smaller than the one downtown, it has additional seating in the expansive tree-shaded patio. The overall effect is welcoming and casual, offering a cantina for the neighborhood. The mezcal list provides context and a foundation for the restaurants menu and speaks to the owners respect for mezcals origins and founders. For people who arent familiar with mezcal in its original context, it might seem trendy, Carey says. But its most likely the oldest spirit on earth, dating back to Aztec times. And while the smoky, agave spirit is driving a boom in mezcalarias in places like Mexico City and New York, it wasnt always so popular. Its history is intertwined with the pre-Hispanic indigenous population of what is now Mexico, and the artisanal spirit was once considered a passable drink for the common folk. Mezcal was looked down upon for a long time, an attitude powered by racism, Carey says. Finally, the generations of Zapotec families that have been making small batches of mezcal are getting the recognition they deserve. A strictly regulated Denomination of Origin (DO) spirit made in Mexico, mezcal must be made in one of nine states, primarily Oaxaca but also Durango, Guerrero and Puebla. Made from fermented agave, mezcal is still created using traditional methods like roasting in underground pits. Shaka Garel brings Afrodisiacs Jamaican food to New Orleans festivals Shaka Garel told us about the latest news at Afrodisiac and what's on the menu at Jazz Fest. Espiritus bar features both ancestral and artisanal mezcal in flights, in house-made shrubs and infusions and craft cocktails. During the weekday, theres a 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. happy hour with $6 margaritas, $3 Tecate beers, a mezcal and beer combo for $8, as well as food specials, including $3 a la carte tacos. Carey and Sauciers scratch kitchen offers many Mexican favorites like birria tacos, in this case made with barbacoa lamb. Lamb is also served with mole. Other Mexican staples include chili relleno, pozole and at least 10 kinds of tacos, including vegetarian filling options like cauliflower and sweet potato. The Creole queso is a huge hit, a cheesy dip powered by crawfish and roasted poblano chilies. Theres also a daily ceviche. The huitlacoche quesadilla is another big seller, made with the earthy, Mexican corn truffles. The entire menu is gluten free. The celiac safe crowd is really loyal, Carey says. They want to be able to eat something delicious without getting a stomachache. Our goal was to be accessible to people. Thats hospitality, right? KIEV, April 18 (Xinhua) -- Six people were killed and another 14 injured on Saturday after a man opened fire on the streets of the Ukrainian capital, according to media reports. Earlier in the day, a gunman opened fire at pedestrians in Kiev's southern Holosiivsky district. Following the shooting, the attacker took people hostage in a nearby supermarket, Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko said. He added that the attacker was killed during the arrest. Ukraine's Prosecutor General's Office said the attacker was a 58-year-old man. The Security Service of Ukraine (SSU) said Saturday that it is considering the shooting in Kiev as a terror act, the Interfax-Ukraine news agency reported. "Investigators of the Security Service of Ukraine have classified the shooting of civilians and the taking of hostages in the Holosiivsky district of Kiev as a terrorist act," the SSU said in a statement. The motives behind the incident are being investigated. I wonder where Torbay would be and what it would look like if we hadnt suffered the consequences of literally world-changing events like Covid, the war in Ukraine, a cost of living crisis, fuel poverty, the war in Iran and anything else that mad man in the White House might be about to conjure up and throw at us? Like it or not, these phenomenons have had a major impact on local, UK and worldwide economies, knocking consumers and, more importantly, investor confidence for six. The timing could not have been worse or more challenging for the Bay as millions and millions of pounds came into the English Riviera through government funding and a public/private sector regeneration partnership between Torbay Council and developers Willmott Dixon and Milligan. Key sites have been identified, primarily across declining town centre areas, for massive regeneration projects. The global happenings have taken their toll as the development partners face a one-step forward, two steps back scenario. To be fair this has had nothing to do with politics. There has been crossparty support for the massive regeneration plans and there have been those bumps in the road under different administrations at the Town Hall. Progress and pace has been affected. It was always going to be and nobody is to blame apart from Mr T of course! Last week I wrote about a deal struck between Torbay Council and the Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust to release land on the outskirts of Torquay for car parking for Torbay Hospital. Not only will the land provide much-needed parking in the interim, but longer term it will also enable the health trust to reconfigurate the main hospital site including potentially the building of a new multi-storey car park. The NHS is also seen as a crucial partner in those bigger High Street regeneration schemes when it comes to health hub space and key sector worker accommodation, taking out some of those bumps in the progress road at the same time. Independent and ward councillor Darren Cowell, who played a leading role in the administration that ran the council before the current Tories, is against the Edgwinswell deal because it entails land which has been earmarked for employment and jobs. He is also concerned about the time projects are taking to progress and fears the land in question will remain a car park in the years to come. Cllr Cowell says: Your column extols the virtues of partnership working between the council and the NHS Trust. Be in no doubt I am 100 per cent supportive of the initiatives that are being discussed, mainly because I was part of an administration that first explored such initiatives. That was between 2019 and 2023. One of the earliest projects to be agreed in August, 2020 was the provision of a solar farm at Nightingale Park to provide direct energy to the hospital site. Roll the clock forward and nothing has happened. Why? Because the NHS hasnt signed a deal (I have been promised it is imminent, but that will be almost six years in the making). Then the partnership administration took the decision to purchase Union Square. We did so in the knowledge that retail was facing continued decline and recognising the strategic importance of owning regeneration sites. Early proposals included the provision of health care within the development and provision of much needed social rented homes. Roll on another four years and nothing has been agreed. Then there is Victoria Square, where we are told there could be further collaboration with the hospital. So far, all talk and no contracts. He adds: Coming to my concerns about the flogging off the land at Edginswell. Torbays current and emerging Local Plan clearly designates the site as employment land, as does the Torquay Neighbourhood Plan which was overwhelmingly approved by a public referendum. Torbay has very few quality employment sites and given the bays ambition to be known as a high quality, hi-tech provider of research and development and manufacturing sites such as Edginswell are key. If one of our businesses based at the EPIC centre in Paignton was looking to expand and the EPIC II site was full, the chances are that they would up sticks and move elsewhere. Indeed, a further column in last weeks Torbay Weekly also celebrates the success of the high-tech sector and reports that they are looking for a third EPIC site of some 40,000 square feet. Heres an idea, what about Edginswell. Doesnt anyone link these things up? He adds: All this talk about using the land as a transition facility to enable the building of a multi-story on the hospital site is pie in the sky. Such talk has been going on for at least 20 years and the planned major redevelopment of the hospital has been delayed until beyond 2030. If the hospital should move quickly and identify a scheme on the main site, there is the little matter of planning permission and consultation and given that there has been no exploratory talks with residents or local councillors (I am one of them along with Cllr Katya Maddison), my suspicion is that we are months, if not years, away from such a scheme. My fear is that in five years time the hospital will ask the council to extend the current temporary car park for a further five years and the valuable employment land will remain a car park and lost opportunity. He adds: I have made my views clear that this is a poor decision taken by a poor Cabinet. A Cabinet that promised delivery on regeneration and so far, all we have seen is the demolition of multi-story car parks to create yep car parks. In the column, Cllr Chris Lewis (the Cabinet member responsible for regeneration (sic)) refers to the land being leased it is not a lease it is a sale. He also says the land has been derelict for 15 years. Well, I recognise that he represents a Paignton ward, but if he hadnt noticed the land benefited from a government grant to prepare it for development. The land is level and sat waiting for real investment to provide added valued jobs. Im sure the government will not be impressed to learn that the levelling works they paid for have now benefited a car park. What makes this dithering even more unpalatable is the multi-millions of pounds spent on external private experts to speed up delivery. Experts who are receiving a handsome cheque each month averaging 250,000! But more on that another day. Deputy council leader Chris Lewis, also in charge of regeneration, revealed the health trust at this very moment has a proposal from the council for the Nightingale Park solar farm a response is awaited. He adds: The land has been empty at Edginswell for 15 years. We dont have people queuing up to go there. If we did it would be different. Cllr Lewis said Cllr Cowell and the previous administration faced some tough decisions when they were in charge like buying Union Square, the Debenhams site and Fleet Walk. They did what they had to do under the difficult circumstances but we were left to pick up the pieces. You still have to make sure these projects stack up financially. He added: None of these deals stacked up in the private environment. That is why the council had to step in. I dont think the council should be doing any of these schemes but we have to because in the current circumstances they are not viable out in the private sector. That is why the government has also stepped in to help with 100million funding. It is frustrating all around. Chris Wheeler, national head of development at Willmott Dixon, gave an update on the regeneration programme, which will create hundreds of jobs and generate many millions of pounds for the Bays economy, at this weeks Torbay Business Forum breakfast meeting. He said schemes ARE progressing with Union Square, the NHS are being asked to confirm a partnership and move in early so work can start next year; at Crossways in Paignton work should start later this year; a new fish quay expansion is moving forward at Brixham. He talked of phased developments at Union Square and Victoria Square in Paignton. And of the four-star harbour hotel plan for Debenhams, shortly after the Forum meeting at the Arena came this news from Torbay Council: We have now submitted the formal planning application for The Strand, a 154-bedroom hotel and commercial space on Torquays harbourside, for determination by the local planning authority. The application is currently undergoing validation before it appears on the planning portal. This represents a significant milestone in Torbays regeneration partnership journey with Willmott Dixon and Milligan and marks the third major project planning submission in just two and a half years. The council added: The outcome of this application is expected to be known later this year. Lets hope that is sooner rather than later! So, you see there is movement and hope. If we can land one scheme others will follow despite dear old Donald in Washington. Late-night cookies could be coming to Exeter city centre, as a company specialising in after-dark snacks for university students looks set to move in. American midnight munchies specialist Insomnia Cookies, tagline warm, delicious, delivered, has applied to open in the former Toni & Guy hairdressing salon on Queen Street. READ NEXT: Exeter City Women appoint new chair to lead club's next phase of growth On its website, the company says it was born in a dorm in the USA. It adds: Insomnia Cookies is a brand made by and for young people who dream big and dont mind breaking the rules on the way. The salon closed in February, and the cookie company has applied for a licence to sell its products every night from 11pm to 5am. The outlet, which describes its customers as fans, would also open during daytime hours. It has applied for planning permission to operate from the building, which also houses the Boston Tea Party cafe, the Wolf Ink tattoo parlour, a yoga studio and the Cavern live music venue. The site is a Grade II listed building in Exeters central conservation area. Insomnia Cookies is seeking permission to fit out the ground and first floors, and to install a new door and signage featuring its half moon-shaped cookie logo. The application states: From a design perspective, it is considered that the proposed collection of works will significantly improve and enhance this existing commercial premises, whilst also remaining sympathetic to any remaining historic significance and interest associated with the wider building, primarily its exterior. Insomnia Cookies, described as fiercely devoted to doing things differently, was founded in Pennsylvania in 2003 by two university students. It entered the UK market in 2021, opening its first stores in Manchester, and has since expanded to Bristol, Leeds, Nottingham and Sheffield. The company specialises in delivering warm cookies, baked goods and ice cream, although its stores also offer collection. There are more than 265 locations across the United States, Canada and the UK. Many of its stores are located close to university campuses, catering to students seeking late-night food. Its website states: Insomnia Cookies has become a cult brand in the US known for its rabid following of cookie lovers who crave Insomnias warm, delicious delivery all day and late into the night. No doctor should ever make a diagnosis on someone they have never met and only seen on TV. As a retired, geriatric out of date doctor I might break that rule. Does President Donald Trump have mental health issues? Writing expletives in capital letters on Truth Social when he does not get his own way or producing AI pictures of himself as Jesus does not appear totally sane for a politician. He now claims that the AI picture was not Jesus but a doctor although in all my career as a doctor I was never mistaken for Jesus. In more accurate language has Donald Trump gone totally bonkers? Leaders suffering both physical and mental illness is not new. The Roman Emperor Caligula planned to make his horse a consol. They had a more straightforward way of dealing with a mad leader which I do not recommend. He was assassinated. In Torbay we cannot be too critical of his desire to bring his horse into politics when Patrick the Pony is mayor of Cockington. Famously King George III went mad. Historians once thought that he had porphyria but it has now been suggested that it might have been a manic phase of a bipolar disorder. The Government managed to remove him from power and appoint a regent although the regent was not brilliant as shown in Blackadder three. Two hundred and fifty years after independence are the Americans following the British lead by having a mad king? Obviously Hitler was fairly bonkers but, by the end of the war his doctor was giving him injections of an early version of anabolic steroids and amphetamine. Surprisingly it turned out that it is not a good idea to give a psychopathic megalomanic steroids and speed. British intelligence knew about his drug addiction but decided that, if they used it as propaganda no one would believe it and it might be counterproductive. Is the war in Iran Donald Trumps Suez? In 1956 the British, French and Israelis tried to seize the Suez Canal to stop it being nationalist by Egypt. The Americans opposed the action and we had to withdraw. The UK Prime Minister, Anthony Eden was not well. He was in pain from a blotched gall bladder operation and was prescribed amphetamines or speed. In the 1970s the conservative MPs who were also doctors were concerned about the health of the Prime Minister, Edward Heath. He was slowing down, putting on weight and developing a gruff voice. Did he have an underactive thyroid? They decided to take action and sent the only MP who was also a GP to talk to the chief whip. When he admitted that the meeting was to discuss the Prime Ministers health, he was quickly shown the door. At the same time the Government were in negotiations to join the common market, which later became the EU. The problem was that, not only did the British PM have an underactive thyroid slowing him down the German leader Willy Brandt was a dynamic character. Would he run around negotiating when Edward Heath was asleep? The civil service anticipated the problem. They knew that Willy Brandt also loved chess. A British civil servant who was also a chess master was sent over. Whenever Willy Brandt was about to rush off he was challenged to a game of chess keeping him occupied for hours. Eventually the doctors were proved right and he was successfully treated for his underactive thyroid. Sadly, dementia can affect anyone, even leaders. In the 1980s it was clear the President Ronald Regan was developing Alzheimers Disease. At the same time the head of the CIA had a brain tumour. Two of the most powerful people in the most powerful country in the World were losing mental capacity. Luckily the team around them were supportive and we did not end up in World War III. One aspect of a good leader is to understand when it is time to go. In the UK we have the men in grey suits but in the case of Jo Biden it required others to persuade him. This requires either the leader having insight into their own problems or the team being able to speak truth to power. If I am right about the mental state of Donald Trump, I hope that someone will be able to blow the whistle. It is highly unlikely that he has enough insight to realise when is not well. KIEV, April 18 (Xinhua) -- Five people were killed on Saturday after a man opened fire on the streets of the Ukrainian capital, said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. According to Kiev Mayor Vitali Klitschko, 15 people, including a child, were injured when a gunman opened fire in Kiev's southern Holosiivsky district. Following the shooting, the attacker took people hostage in a nearby supermarket, Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko said. He added that the attacker was killed during the arrest. Ukraine's Prosecutor General's Office said the attacker was a 58-year-old man, who was born in Moscow. A 3-D rendering of an Iranian Shahed-136 drone, a device with two triangle-shaped wings attached to a central fuselage. It has an engine the size of a small motorcycles and carries 110 pounds of explosives. Engine the size of a small motorcycles Iranian Shahed-136 Carries 110 pounds of explosives How Irans Cheap, Low-Tech Drones Have Cost the U.S. One of the biggest takeaways of the war with Iran is that it has proven itself to be a surprisingly capable adversary against the United States. In addition to its willingness to go on the offensive, Iran has forced the U.S. and its regional allies to confront the rise of cheap drones on the battlefield. Iranian drones, made with commercial-grade technology, cost roughly $35,000 to produce. That is a fraction of the cost of the high-tech military interceptors sometimes used to shoot them down. $2.1 million $4 million $126,500 $25,000 $15,000 $80 11.5 ft. IRANIAN SHAHED-136 $35,000 U.S. MILITARY INTERCEPTORS $35,000 11.5 ft. $2.1 million $4 million $126,500 $25,000 $15,000 $80 IRANIAN SHAHED-136 U.S. MILITARY INTERCEPTORS Note: Estimated price of munitions per unit. In practice, multiple interceptors are fired when targeting a drone. For instance, with the $80 bullet fired by the Centurion Counter-Rocket, Artillery, and Mortar (C-RAM), 75 rounds are fired in a second. Sources: Department of Defense, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, Open Source Munitions Portal, SRC Inc, U.S. Army and U.S. Navy. Cheap drones changed the war in Ukraine, and they have enabled Iranians to exploit a gap in American defense investments, which have historically prioritized accurate but expensive solutions. Countering drones has been a major priority for the Pentagon for years, according to Michael C. Horowitz, who was a Pentagon official in the Biden administration. But there has not been the impetus to scale a solution, he said. In just the first six days, the U.S. spent $11.3 billion on the war with Iran. The White House and Pentagon have not provided updated estimates, but the American Enterprise Institute, a conservative-leaning think tank, estimated in early April that the U.S. had spent approximately between $25 and $35 billion on the war, with interceptors driving much of the cost. Many missile defense experts also fear interceptor stockpiles are now running dangerously low. Here is a breakdown of some of the ways the U.S. and its allies have countered Irans drones, and why it can be so costly. Air-based strikes In an ideal scenario, an early warning aircraft spots a drone when it is still several hundred miles out from a target, and a fighter jet, like an F-16, is dispatched from a military base. The F-16 can then use Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System (APKWS) II rockets to shoot a drone from about six miles away. A 3-D rendering of an F-16 fighter jet firing an APKWS II rocket from under one wing. Two to three rockets are fired per drone, as per air defense protocol. Two APKWS II rockets and an hour of F-16 flight cost approximately $65,000, a little less than twice that of the Iranian Shahed-136. F-16 with an APKWS II Two to three interceptors fired per drone One Shahed-136 About $35,000 Two APKWS II rockets and an hour of F-16 flight About $65,000 Source: U.S. Navy, Department of Defense These types of defensive air patrols are cost-efficient, but havent always been available because of the vast scope of the conflict. Iran has also targeted early warning aircraft that the U.S. needs to detect a drone from that distance, according to NBC News. The other option for detecting and shooting down drones is a variety of different ground-based detection systems, but these systems are all at a disadvantage, as their ability to spot low-flying drones is limited by the curvature of the earth. Anti-drone defense systems One ground-based defense system the U.S. and its allies have built specifically to counter drones at a shorter range is the Coyote. It can intercept drones up to around nine miles away. A 3-D rendering of a Coyote Block 2 interceptor, which looks like a three-foot tube with small rockets at one end. Two Coyotes cost approximately $253,000 or about seven times that of the Iranian Shahed-136. Raytheon Coyote Block 2 One Shahed-136 drone About $35,000 Two Coyote interceptors $253,000 Source: U.S. Army The Coyote is significantly cheaper than many of the other ground-based defense systems available to the U.S. and its allies and historically effective at defending important assets. But despite being both effective and cost-efficient, relatively few Coyotes have been procured by the U.S. military in recent years. When Iran-backed militias launched attacks on U.S. ground troops in the region in 2023 and 2024, there were so few Coyotes available that troops had to shuffle the systems between eight different bases in the region almost daily, according to a report from the Center for a New American Security, a Washington think tank. Ship-based anti-missile defenses Many of the longer-range ground-based defense systems the U.S. and its allies can use to combat drones are more expensive, as they are designed to shoot down aircraft and ballistic missiles, not drones. A Navy destroyers built-in radar system, for instance, can detect drones from 30 miles away and shoot it down with Standard Missile 2 (SM-2) interceptors. As in the air-based strikes, military protocol stipulates that at least two missiles be fired. A 3-D rendering of the deck of a Navy destroyer firing an SM-2 missile from a built-in launcher, which looks like a 15-foot missile launching from a grid of openings on the ships surface. Two SM-2 missiles cost approximately $4.2 million, about 120 times that of the Iranian Shahed-136. Aegis Combat System One Shahed-136 About $35,000 Two SM-2 missiles $4,200,000 Source: U.S. Navy This misalignment between Americas defense systems and current warfighting tactics started after the Cold War, when the anticipated threats were fewer, faster, higher-end projectiles, not mass drone raids. Iran often launches multiple Shahed-136 drones at a time, given their low price tag. The drones are also programmed with a destination before launch and can travel roughly 1,500 miles, putting targets all across the Middle East within reach. This category of lower-cost precision strike just didn't exist at the time that most American air defenses were developed, said Mr. Horowitz. Ground-based anti-missile defenses The Armys standard air-defense system is the Patriot. Typically stationed at a military base, it can shoot down a drone from up to around 27 miles away with PAC-3 Missile Segment Enhancement interceptors. Military protocol stipulates that at least two missiles be fired. A 3-D rendering of a Patriot launcher loaded with 17-foot PAC-3 MSE missiles, which looks like a tilted shipping container with scaffolding. Two PAC-3 MSE missiles cost approximately $8 million, about 220 times that of the Iranian Shahed-136. Patriot missile defense system One Shahed-136 About $35,000 Two PAC-3 MSE missiles About $8,000,000 Source: U.S. Army Air defense training teaches service members to prioritize using longer-range defense systems first to get as many bites at the apple as you can, but those are the most expensive, said Stacie Pettyjohn, a senior fellow and director of the defense program at the Center for a New American Security. But a costly defense can still make economic sense to protect a valuable target, especially those that are difficult to repair or replace, such as the nearly $1.1 billion radar at a military base in Qatar and the $500 million air defense sensor at a base in Jordan that were damaged early in the conflict. Ground-based guns Finally, there is what one might call a last resort: a ground-based gun. When a drone is about a mile away or less than a minute from hitting its target, something like the Centurion C-RAM can begin rapidly firing to take down the drone. A 3-D rendering of a Centurion C-RAM, which looks like a gun mounted to a rotating, cylindrical stand. The gun fires 75 rounds of ammunition per second. Five seconds of firing the gun costs $30,000, slightly less than a single Iranian Shahed-136. Centurion Counter-Rocket, Artillery and Mortar Fires 375 rounds of ammunition in 5 seconds One Shahed-136 About $35,000 Five seconds of 20 mm rounds About $30,000 Source: U.S. Army Even though it is fairly cost-effective, the Centurion C-RAM is not the best option because it has such a short range. Interceptor drones Theres also what one might call the future of fighting drones: A.I.-powered interceptor drones. Interceptor drones like the Merops Surveyor can theoretically hunt and take down enemy projectiles from a short range. A 3-D rendering of a Surveyor drone, which looks like a three-foot tube with wings and a tail. The Merops drone costs approximately $30,000, a little less than a single Iranian Shahed-136. Merops system: Surveyor drone One Shahed-136 About $35,000 Two Surveyor drones About $30,000 Source: Business Insider Eric Schmidt, the former Google chief executive, founded a company to develop the Merops counter-drone system in conjunction with Ukrainian fighters, who have already been combatting Iranian drones in the war with Russia for years. The U.S. sent thousands of Merops units to the Middle East after the conflict began, but it is unclear whether they have been deployed. The military set up training on the system in the middle of the war, as reported by Business Insider. Other attempts to lower the cost-per-shot ratio of taking out a drone have failed. The Pentagon invested over a billion dollars in fiscal year 2024 researching directed energy weapons, or lasers, that would cost only $3 per shot and have a range of 12 miles. Those systems have yet to be used in the field. Despite the cost imbalance, the real fear for many in the defense community is the depleted stockpile of munitions. What scares me is that we will run out of these things, said Tom Karako, the director of the Missile Defense Project at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington. Not that we can't afford them, but that we'll run out before we can replace them. For most of my life, strong national defense meant spending lots of money on the military and deploying the military in this or that war, at least according to politicians and political talking heads. Michael Lind's story, "America is Losing Cold War II and the Winner is China," explained how the People's Republic of China is winning our current Cold War without flexing military power. This is a sad situation, considering the PRC is an authoritarian country using other authoritarian countries as proxies. Lind points out the difference between the current Cold War and prior American wars going back to the 90's: "following George H. W. Bush's 1991 Gulf War and the Iraq War launched by his son in 2003. Rival great powers didn't back America's enemy in the first two wars. In contrast, the current operation against Iran and the post-2022 war in Ukraine are two proxy flashpoints in the same great-power conflict -- Cold War II." Lind states that the second Cold War pits the US against the PRC, and he says that unless our country adopts a more modest strategy, it's bound to lose. Lind faults the US for trying to adopt a strategy of dominating all spheres of the world. The PRC and Russia, a Chinese ally, both want a multipolar world in which each state has a sphere of influence. He stated: "The Chinese dragon and the Russian bear can patiently wait until Uncle Sam exhausts himself from overextension and then goes home, just as he did when he abandoned Vietnam, Iraq, and Afghanistan. And the major beneficiary of America's military overextension is likely to be its greatest rival -- Beijing." China uses allies - usually authoritarian - to contain the power of the US. The war in Ukraine would end if China quit selling dual-use technologies to Russia. In addition, the PRC has allowed both Russia and Iran to evade American and European sanctions by buying their oil - with the assistance of "shadow fleets" and transactions denominated in China's currency, the yuan. The PRC has supplied Iran with components used in its devastatingly effective Shahed drones. The PRC benefits from having the US occupied in the Middle East. We took missiles out of South Korea, which acted as a deterrent measure against the PRC, and placed them on the Iranian front, said Lind. The war has also divided the North Atlantic Treaty Alliance, a deterrent to Russia, the PRC's proxy. Observing things close to home, President Trump has denounced our allies as cowards and then begged the PRC for help in the Middle East in opening the Strait of Hormuz. Has the PRC been acting belligerently around the world? Not totally, and Lind gives examples. The PRC manufactures more goods than the next eight countries combined, and only 30 percent of the world's countries trade more with the US than with the PRC. Economic power is a key weapon in Cold War II, more so than military hardware. What about foreign aid? Of course, Trump declared war on it, and the PRC is currently the world's leading source of development finance, having provided $68 billion to developing countries, compared to only $39 billion from the US over the first two decades of the 21st century. Lind added that the US spent $76 billion on infrastructure in other countries over the past decade or so, while the PRC has spent $679 billion. What about research and development? Of course, the Trump Administration lags in this area; it cut it. The Australian Strategic Policy Institute said the PRC leads global research in 90 critical technologies, while the United States leads in 74. In quantum computing, China outpaces the US, according to the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation. Lind condemns the militarism in our approach to Cold War II: "What, then, is America's comparative advantage over China as a great power? China has surpassed us in manufacturing, but we Americans lead the world in militarism -- in lashing out here and there without a sense of deep strategic purpose or an appreciation for the problems associated with scarcity. Since Trump's second term began in January 2025, the United States has bombed governments or nonstate actors in seven countries -- Iran, Venezuela, Nigeria, Iraq, Syria, Yemen, and Somalia. The Trump administration has illegally engaged in the extrajudicial murder of around 100 alleged drug smugglers on the high seas in the Caribbean and Pacific, even though drug smuggling doesn't carry the death penalty in the United States. Likewise, the United States has kidnapped the president of Venezuela and allowed Israel to assassinate most of Iran's leadership in a Pearl Harbor-style sneak attack, before unleashing an American military campaign of massive bombing of Iran with no evident plan to counter Iran's violent response -- or even a cogent definition of victory. In the same period, China, while quietly enabling its Russian and Iranian proxies, hasn't bombed any countries or killed any foreign nationals. Indeed, while the United States for decades has been almost constantly killing suspected terrorists, bombing and invading multiple countries, and piling up foreign civilian corpses all over the world, China has grown rich and influential without firing a shot." Cold War II is also being fought by what's called "soft power," or non-military power. Lind cites a poll in his argument that showed citizens of Canada, Britain, Germany, and France now regard China as a more reliable partner than America. Given the facts, I think our country needs to reevaluate the meaning of power and realize it means more than just deploying the military around the world and leaving a pile of corpses here and there. Jason Sibert is the Lead Writer of the Peace Economy Project Steven Sahiounie, journalist and political commentator The Syrian Social Nationalist Party (SSNP) in Lebanon is a secular political party and founded in Lebanon in 1932 by Antun Saadeh. It attracts members from all religions and sects. It advocates for a secular government encompassing all Lebanese people. It has taken a resistance stance and defends Lebanon against all invaders, such as Israel. Lebanon is currently under occupation and ongoing airstrikes by the Israeli military. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said Israel will remain occupying Lebanon even after Hezbollah has been disarmed. Hezbollah was founded as an armed resistance group in response to the 18-years of brutal Israeli occupation of the south of Lebanon, and were successful in driving the occupiers out. It has been the goal of the U.S. and Israel to disarm Hezbollah, and turn over the security of Lebanon to the Lebanese Army alone. This goal had been in the process, but was deliberately halted by the Israeli bombardment, occupation and total destruction of the south of Lebanon, with airstrikes continuing in central Beirut and elsewhere among locations which are not, and have never been associated with Hezbollah. Israel has been acting with impunity because they enjoy a blazing green-light from President Donald Trump, who has sanctioned more war crimes by Israel than any U.S. President in history. Steven Sahiounie of MideastDiscourse interviewed Lebanese journalist and official at the Syrian Social Nationalist Party 1. Steven Sahiounie (SS): Talks between Washington and Tehran were held in Islamabad, and there were conflicting statements regarding whether Lebanon would be included in the negotiations. In your opinion, will Washington accept Tehran's conditions to include Lebanon, and what will be the reaction of the Lebanese government? Wael Malaeb (WM): It is clear that from the very first day of announcing, or reaching a ceasefire declaration, Tehran has insisted that any ceasefire must include all fronts in the conflict. When Tehran says "all fronts," it means Beirut, Lebanon, Iraq, Yemen, and all supporting fronts in this war, which it considers auxiliary fronts. However, in my view, we consider the Lebanese front to be the main one, because the core battle is about eliminating the resistance in Lebanon-- this is Netanyahu's battle. As for Washington, we have also seen contradictory statements from Donald Trump-- rejecting something in the morning and then agreeing to it in the evening. I believe the matter is not in Trump's hands but in Netanyahu's. We saw the massacre that occurred on April 8 in Beirut, its suburbs, and the mountain regions, which resulted in hundreds of martyrs and wounded. This was a reaction to the ceasefire agreement between the U.S. and Iran and a clear message from Netanyahu that he rejects this path and any ceasefire. We know that for Netanyahu, a ceasefire means going to court and facing trial. It means defeat and failure to achieve any of his stated objectives. Therefore, Washington today does not really care whether Lebanon is included or not-- it wants an agreement. Trump wants to end this war at any cost. Despite his public stance, he likely believes he has become entangled in the Middle East, suffering losses both militarily and morally, and failing to achieve key goals in Iran, including regime change. He wants to end this situation, but Netanyahu and Israel insist on continuing the war and are pressuring against including Lebanon in the agreement. 2. SS: The Lebanese government has announced that it will negotiate directly with Israel in Washington. In your opinion, why is Prime Minister Nawaf Salam insisting on normalization with Israel despite opposition from a large segment-- or even the majority-- of the Lebanese people? WM: From our perspective, the current Lebanese government was brought in to implement a clear agenda. Since the election of the Lebanese president-- which took place under international and regional diplomatic pressure, particularly from the Quintet Committee-- it was clear that either Joseph Aoun would become president or there would be no president after a long vacuum. Similarly, the appointment of Nawaf Salam as Prime Minister came suddenly. All expectations were pointing toward Najib Mikati, and there was an agreement on him, but suddenly Salam's name appeared and he was brought directly from the International Court of Justice in The Hague to head the government. It is evident that there is a prepared project for this authority in Lebanon, and its features are gradually becoming clear. Why insist on normalization? When we say normalization, we mean that those pursuing it are already in contact. For example, when the Lebanese government tasked its ambassador in the U.S. to communicate with the Israeli ambassador, they are already in daily contact. Lebanon itself is under American political influence, so naturally its ambassador in Washington follows that policy. This normalization is therefore symbolic and part of a broader trajectory. The government wants to set precedents in Lebanon's history-- such as banning resistance activities, instructing the media not to use the term "resistance," and attempting to reject the Iranian ambassador. Even though these decisions were not fully implemented, they were still made. Now the government is attempting another precedent-- having a Lebanese diplomat sit with an Israeli diplomat, even once. This is happening despite the fact that the majority of the Lebanese population rejects normalization. Next Page 1 | 2 | 3 (Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher). On April 1, Donald Trump startled the world by publicly declaring that he was "absolutely" considering withdrawing the United States from the 77-year-old NATO alliance. Trump's remarks came only hours after Pete Hegseth, his Defense Secretary, declined to reaffirm the U.S. government's commitment to NATO's collective defense. Actually, the Trump administration's recent trashing of NATO was less shocking than it appeared. During Trump's two terms in office, he derided the alliance from the start, developed a warm relationship with its foremost adversary (Vladimir Putin), withdrew U.S. support from embattled Ukraine, called for U.S. annexation of Canada (a NATO member), threatened a military takeover of Greenland (a territory of Denmark, a NATO member), and failed to consult his NATO allies about launching a U.S. war on Iran. Indeed, the Trump administration's National Security Strategy of December 2025 outlined a sharp shift in U.S. policy from collective action through NATO toward a heavy reliance on U.S. military power. In line with his "America First" rhetoric, Trump has reverted to an old U.S. tradition-- nationalism-- and all that entails in terms of militarism, war, and imperialism. Nationalism has long played an important role in an unruly and ungoverned world. Within nations, law prevailed to at least some extent, limiting crime and violence. But, when it came to international affairs, the situation more closely resembled every nation for itself. In this context, many a nation adopted a go-it-alone strategy, employing military power and, on occasion, war as its rulers sought to maintain or secure whatever they viewed as in its national interest. Over time, however, national rulers realized that their nations' military strength could be enhanced by having allies-- at least if the members of the alliance could agree upon a satisfactory division of the spoils in the event of a victory over their foes. From the standpoint of national security and, at times, survival, alliances among nations seemed to have advantages over go-it-alone nationalism. Alliances not only provided a remedy for the comparative weakness of small nations in a dangerous world, but added an element of collective decision-making in the realm of international affairs. Furthermore, by fostering cooperation among allied nations, alliances limited the danger of conflict or war among them. Even so, as people learned only too well, alliances were hardly foolproof. Most notably, they failed to prevent two disastrous world wars. Consequently, against the backdrop of massive slaughter in World War I, government officials began exploring a new approach to national security: international organization. In a largely lawless, anarchic world, argued U.S. President Woodrow Wilson, a League of Nations would provide the institutional framework for international cooperation and peace. Amid much fanfare, the League was established in 1920. The League, however, remained a weak organization, constrained in taking effective action for peace by the requirement of unanimous agreement among its member nations and, more fundamentally, by the unwillingness of "the great powers" to depart from their traditional approaches to world affairs. Despite Wilson's prominent role in creating the League, the U.S. Senate rejected U.S. membership. Meanwhile, major nations continued to enhance their military might and to squabble over raw materials, territory, and colonies. As a result, within a generation, the world had plunged into the Second World War, the most destructive conflict in human history, culminating in the development and use of nuclear weapons. Toward the end of World War II, the anti-fascist allies were sufficiently sobered by the calamitous nature of the war to make another try at international organization. The new international entity, the United Nations, had some advantages over its predecessor. These included participation by all the great powers, a Charter that clearly banned international aggression, a General Assembly of all member nations with decisions made by majority vote, and considerable respect by member nations and the public. Next Page 1 | 2 (Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher). MEXICO CITY, April 17 (Xinhua) -- Mexico will press the United States to remove existing tariffs during upcoming trade talks, Economy Minister Marcelo Ebrard said Friday. Speaking after a meeting with business leaders, Ebrard said the issue will be raised at a second round of negotiations scheduled for Monday in Mexico City with U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer. "We have already made our position clear: we want tariffs removed and the agreement to move forward," he said, adding that tariffs on metals and automobiles, as well as quotas on Mexican tomatoes, remain key concerns for Mexico. Mexico and the United States held an initial round of talks in Washington in March as part of the review process for the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, which is due for revision this year. WASHINGTON, April 18 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. military is preparing in the coming days to board Iran-linked oil tankers and seize commercial ships in international waters, The Wall Street Journal reported on Saturday, citing U.S. officials. The U.S. "will actively pursue any Iranian-flagged vessel or any vessel attempting to provide material support to Iran," Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said Thursday. The move will enable the U.S. to take control of Iran-linked vessels around the world, including ships carrying Iranian oil that are already sailing outside the Persian Gulf and those carrying arms that could support Tehran, the report said. The operation would be carried out in part by the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, according to Caine. It marks a new phase of the U.S. pressure campaign against Tehran, dubbed "Economic Fury" by the Trump administration, aiming to maximize economic pressure on the Middle Eastern country as a temporary ceasefire between the two sides is set to expire next week. U.S. President Donald Trump is optimistic that the naval blockade, combined with measures imposed under "Economic Fury," "will help facilitate a peace deal," White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly was quoted as saying. Americans are under such pressure from today's housing market that some are even hoping for it to fall apart. A new survey from LendingTree finds that 36% of Americans believe the housing market could crash within the next year, and 31% say they're actually rooting for that to happen. Must Read Among the Gen Z age group, 59% are hoping for a downturn. For many younger Americans, a crash represents a potential chance to enter the housing market rather than a disaster waiting to happen. An affordability breaking point Nearly half of Americans around 45% say their biggest worry is high home prices. Rising property taxes concern 38%, 35% cite high mortgage rates, and 30% are anxious about the broader economic fallout. Sentiment for the year ahead is not very optimistic: 55% think home prices will rise in the next year About two-thirds of those respondents expect prices to jump at least 5% 19% believe prices could climb 10% or more 52% don't think mortgage rates will ever return to the rock-bottom levels of 2020-2021 During his State of the Union address, President Donald Trump dismissed the affordability crisis as a "dirty, rotten lie," adding, "We are doing really well (1)." That was before the war in Iran exacerbated the cost of everyday goods and saw gas prices spike to over $4 per gallon (2). But the LendingTree survey shows that millions of Americans feel financial pressure every month. That helps explain why a surprising number of people say they are rooting for a housing downturn, and demonstrates the frustration many feel about affordability. The most common reasons respondents gave include the belief that a crash could bring more long-term stability to the housing market, lower property tax bills for current homeowners, and make it easier for first-time buyers to finally afford a home (3). One Reddit user lamented that during the darkest days of the Great Recession, prices for single family homes in parts of Oakland, Calif. were "cheaper than a Mercedes or a high-end Accord (4)." (This person's memory might be clouded by nostalgia. It was uncommon, though not unheard of, for single-family homes to sell for less than $125,000 even in the bottom of the housing crash in mid-2009, according to Federal Reserve data. Only about 7,000 sold for under that nationwide in the third quarter of that year)(5). And those home purchases came with significant risks. The 2008 housing crisis also triggered millions of foreclosures, wiped out significant household wealth, and made lenders far more cautious. According to the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, an estimated 3.8 million homes were lost to foreclosure between 2007 and 2010, highlighting the massive toll of the housing crisis on American homeowners (6). Mortgages became harder to get, even for financially stable borrowers. While a downturn could lower prices, it could also tighten credit and destabilize the broader economy. Even current homeowners aren't feeling confident. While half say they expect to buy another home someday, 35% admit they're reluctant to move because of higher mortgage rates. Among Gen Z homeowners, that jumps to 62%. Read More: Heres the average income of Americans by age in 2026. Are you keeping up or falling behind? What you can do if the market stays up Hoping for a market collapse is more of an emotional reaction than a practical financial plan. So what can buyers actually do in today's market? Consider a fixer-upper. Homes that need a refresh often sell for less. If you're willing to renovate, you may be able to buy at a lower price point and build equity over time. Just be cautious: Make sure you get a thorough inspection and leave room in your budget for unexpected repairs. Major updates such as replacing an aging roof or upgrading plumbing or electrical systems can quickly turn a bargain into a burden (7). Broaden your search. Not every region is priced equally. Smaller towns or rural areas often offer more space and affordability (8). Remote or hybrid work has also given some buyers the flexibility to consider affordability over proximity to the office, opening up options that might not have been realistic a few years ago. Team up. Co-buying with a trusted friend or family member is on the rise, according to Freddie Mac (9). Splitting the down payment and monthly costs can make ownership feasible sooner. However, it shouldn't be just a handshake deal. Consider a formal co-ownership agreement that clearly outlines who pays for what, how equity is divided, and what happens if someone wants to sell. Focus on what you can control. Improving your credit score, paying down high-interest debt and building even a modest down payment fund can expand your options. Shopping around with multiple lenders may also help you find better rates or lower fees. In a competitive market, being financially prepared can make the difference between overstretching and buying a home you can realistically afford. The LendingTree survey reveals just how emotionally charged housing has become. For millions of Americans, homeownership feels farther away than ever. But history suggests that while wishing for a crash might solve one problem, it could also create several new ones that would affect consumers and the broader economy. You May Also Like Join 250,000+ readers and get Moneywises best stories and exclusive interviews first clear insights curated and delivered weekly. Subscribe now. Article Sources We rely only on vetted sources and credible third-party reporting. For details, see our ethics and guidelines. Time (1); CNN (2); LendingTree (3); Reddit (4); Federal Reserve Economic Data (5); Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago (6); Bankrate (7); National Association of Realtors (8); Freddie Mac (9) This article originally appeared on Moneywise.com under the title: Cheaper than a Mercedes: Americans are pining for Great Recession-era home bargains and some are hoping for a repeat This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind. Aiken, SC (29801) Today Partly cloudy. High 73F. Winds SW at 10 to 15 mph.. Tonight Cloudy skies with periods of rain late. Low 61F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall around a quarter of an inch. John McDermott has been the business editor of The Post and Courier since 2006. He's written about all facets of the South Carolina economy, served in the U.S. Air Force and is a graduate of the University of Hawaii-Manoa journalism program. On April 15, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced plans for a new wealth tax targeting people who own expensive real estate in the city without actually living there (1). The tax is very specific, only impacting real estate valued at $5 million or more, and Mamdani expects it to generate $500 million in revenue each year. Some billionaires, however, aren't happy about it. Must Read Mamdani mentions Ken Griffin, CEO of the hedge fund Citadel LLC, by name in the announcement video. For much of the video, Mamdani stands outside Griffin's $238 million penthouse, which the mayor says largely sits unused. In an April 16 post on X, fellow hedge fund manager Bill Ackman came to Griffin's defense, saying "we should be applauding Ken." Here's why Ackman disagrees with Mamdani's tax, and why New York Governor Kathy Hochul is joining the mayor in his effort. Why is New York City implementing a pied-a-terre tax? This new wealth tax is a pied-a-terre tax, or a tax on secondary residences (2). It won't apply to primary residences, nor will it apply to secondary residences that are being used as rental properties, according to Governor Hochul (3). If someone is using the residence, no matter who it is, the tax doesn't apply. This would be the first time a pied-a-terre tax is implemented in New York City, but it isn't the first time one was proposed. A similar tax was put forth in 2019, but it ultimately failed to pass (4). Hochul calls the tax a "common-sense surcharge" and says it will help shore up the budget gap that New York City is currently facing (5). The governor compares it directly to other budget proposals that she doesn't support, such as raising income taxes on residents or taxes on corporations. She says these taxes could drive people or corporations out of the city, which she wants to avoid. This is likely in reference to Mamdani's campaign promise to push for an increase on corporate taxes, as well as taxes on New Yorkers making more than $1 million annually (6). She says that people who own these secondary residences are benefitting from New York City's strengths through rising property values, but they aren't contributing back in turn. The buildings are "part of our skyline, but those people are not part of our city," she says. Anna Wilder covers politics for the Post and Courier. She previously worked as a political reporter for The State newspaper. She's a Florida native and a graduate of the University of Florida. Her work has appeared in outlets like Politico, Miami Herald and the Associated Press. PR-Inside.com: 2026-04-18 02:00:42 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 951 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICATORONTO, ON / ACCESS Newswire / April 17, 2026 / AI/ML Innovations Inc. ("AIML" or the "Company") (CSE:AIML)(OTCQB:AIMLF)(FSE:42FB) is pleased to announce that it has completed its previously announced share for debt issuance with certain service providers of the Company pursuant to which the Company has issued an aggregate of 17,118,420 common shares (the "Subject Shares") at a deemed price of Cdn$0.05 per Subject Share in consideration of past services and satisfaction of outstanding indebtedness.The Subject Shares are subject to a statutory hold period expiring on August 18, 2026.Insiders of the Company have purchased, directly or indirectly, an aggregate of 11,848,000 Subject Shares, as a result of which the issuance is a "related party transaction" under Multilateral Instrument 61-101 - Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions ("MI 61- 101"). The Company is exempt from the formal valuation and minority shareholder approval requirements of MI 61-101 pursuant to the exemptions contained in Sections 5.5(b) and 5.7(1)(a) of MI 61-101 on the basis that the Company is listed on the Canadian Securities Exchange and neither the fair market value (as determined under MI 61-101) of the subject matter of, nor the fair market value of the consideration for, the Subject Shares, insofar as it involves the related parties, exceeded 25% of the Company's market capitalization (as determined under MI 61-101).This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of any of the securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful, including any of the securities in the United States of America. The securities described herein have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "1933 Act") or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to, or for account or benefit of, U.S. Persons (as defined in Regulation S under the 1933 Act) unless registered under the 1933 Act and applicable state securities laws, or an exemption from such registration requirements is available.About AI/ML Innovations Inc.AIML Innovations Inc. is a global technology company pioneering the use of artificial intelligence and neural networks to transform digital health. Our proprietary platforms leverage advanced signal processing and deep learning to convert complex biometric data into actionable clinical insights-supporting earlier diagnosis, personalized treatment, and more effective care. AIML's shares trade on the Canadian Securities Exchange (CSE:AIML), the OTCQB Venture Market (AIMLF), and the Frankfurt Stock Exchange (42FB).For detailed information please see AIML's website or the Company's filed documents at www.sedarplus.ca For further information, please contact:Blake Fallis(778) 405-0882 blake@ aiml.health Disclaimer for Forward-Looking InformationThis news release includes certain statements and information that constitute forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws. All statements in this news release, other than statements of historical facts are forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements and forward-looking information specifically include, but are not limited to, statements that relate to the anticipated share issuances and the terms thereof, and the receipt of all applicable regulatory consents in connection therewith. There is no assurance that proposed share issuances will be completed upon terms as presently proposed or at all.Statements contained in this release that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements that involve various risks and uncertainty affecting the business of the Company. Such statements can generally, but not always, be identified by words such as "expects", "plans", "anticipates", "intends", "estimates", "forecasts", "schedules", "prepares", "potential" and similar expressions, or that events or conditions "will", "would", "may", "could" or "should" occur. All statements that describe the Company's plans relating to operations and potential strategic opportunities are forward-looking statements under applicable securities laws. These statements address future events and conditions and are reliant on assumptions made by the Company's management, and so involve inherent risks and uncertainties, as disclosed in the Company's periodic filings with Canadian securities regulators. As a result of these risks and uncertainties, and the assumptions underlying the forward-looking information, actual results could materially differ from those currently projected, and there is no representation by the Company that the actual results realized in the future will be the same in whole or in part as those presented herein. The Company disclaims any intent or obligation to update forward-looking statements or information except as required by law. Readers are referred to the additional information regarding the Company's business contained in the Company's reports filed with the securities regulatory authorities in Canada. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events, or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that could cause actions, events or results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. For more information on the Company and the risks and challenges of its business, investors should review the Company's filings that are available at www.sedar.com The Company provides no assurance that forward-looking statements and information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements or information. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements or information. The Company does not undertake to update any for-ward looking statements, other than as required by law.SOURCE: AI/ML Innovations Inc. PR-Inside.com: 2026-04-18 04:05:16 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 714 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 OSAKA, JP / ACCESS Newswire / April 17, 2026 / Kasashima Gallery announced its full-year 2026 exhibition schedule, outlining four seasonal programs designed for Asian artists with an artistic footprint spanning both Asia and Europe. The plan includes a January exhibition in Rome, Italy; a rare collection exhibition in April at its Osaka gallery in Japan; a summer exhibition tour across Western Europe; and a year-end retrospective exhibition back in Japan. In total, the gallery is expected to showcase works by more than 110 artists. For detailed information, exhibition catalogs are available upon request from the gallery.Kasashima Gallery actively promotes Asian art and culture at international exhibitions. (Photo via Kasashima Gallery) According to the Art Basel and UBS Global Art Market Report 2026, total global art sales reached USD 59.6 billion in 2025. In Asia, China remains the largest market, while Japan and Singapore are key regional hubs, and South Korea shows strong growth momentum. As Asia's cultural and artistic sectors increasingly move onto the global stage, Kasashima Gallery from Japan's Kansai region continues to expand its international presence. Through curatorial projects and media promotion, the gallery facilitates cross-regional exhibitions for Taiwanese and Japanese artists, actively enhancing the global visibility of Asian art.In recent years, Kasashima Gallery has extended its presence across Europe, Asia, and the Americas, including Spain, Milan and Rome in Italy, Florida in the United States, the Louvre in Paris, as well as Taiwan, Japan, and Hong Kong. Through solo exhibitions, group shows, and participation in international art fairs, the gallery not only provides exposure opportunities for Asian artists but also integrates media and social platforms for coordinated promotion. As a result, live-streamed exhibition events frequently attract over one hundred viewers, demonstrating a well-developed digital marketing strategy.Kasashima Gallery invites Asian artists to Paris to showcase Chinese culture globally. (Photo via Kasashima Gallery) At Art Shopping 2025, Kasashima curated the thematic exhibition "La Beaute dans Chaque Eventail" at the Carrousel du Louvre in Paris, France. The exhibition featured approximately 40 Kyoto folding fans created in Chinese ink by artists from Taiwan and Japan. The presentation not only highlighted Asian artists' ability to transform traditional cultural heritage into a contemporary artistic language, but also received the Silver Award at the NY Architectural Design Awards and the Diamond Award at the UK Golden Arc Design Awards, underscoring the innovative strength of Asian art."La Beaute dans Chaque Eventail" installation received the NY Architectural Design Awards Silver Award. (Photo via Kasashima Gallery) Beyond its Paris exhibitions, Kasashima Gallery also invited artists to participate in multiple international projects. These included the 2026 Expo Metro Rome in Italy, where works by several Taiwanese artists were displayed on large outdoor LED screens near the Vatican, becoming a central highlight of the event. In 2024, the Vueling Onboart Exhibition showcased Taiwanese and Japanese artists' Chinese ink works during flights, presenting their artistic charm at altitude. Additionally, the 2024 Expo Metro Milan brought Asian calligraphy and painting to Milan, the global fashion capital, attracting significant attention from international art audiences and media.In Osaka, Japan, Kasashima Gallery continues to deepen its local exhibition initiatives, organizing solo exhibitions for both Japanese and Taiwanese artists. For example, in 2024, the gallery held a calligraphy and painting solo exhibition for artist Daido, and in the same year presented a contemporary Chinese ink series solo exhibition for artist Kigawa Kokoro. The gallery also successfully integrated large-scale digital billboard resources in New York's Times Square, demonstrating strong cross-regional promotional synergy.In 2025, it organized the Japan-China Exhibition of Fine Calligraphy, Painting, and Seal Carving, further promoting artistic exchange between Japanese artists and Chinese artists. Notably, Kyoto folding fans created in Chinese ink by artist Sakaguchi Juri were acquired at high value by private collectors, reflecting strong market interest in Eastern art.Kasashima's PR Manager Yu Le stated that the gallery will continue to focus on promoting Chinese calligraphy, Chinese ink art, and contemporary artistic creation. Through international exhibitions, media exposure, and digital marketing, it aims to build a bridge for more Asian artists to reach the global stage. Amid the ongoing restructuring of the global art landscape, the gallery is actively working to elevate Asian artistic creation internationally, showcasing the profound cultural heritage and innovative energy of Eastern culture to the world.Media Contacts: Kasashima GalleryAda Huang art@ kasashima.arthttps://kasashima.art/ SOURCE: Kasashima Gallery PR-Inside.com: 2026-04-18 00:02:59 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 365 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 NEW YORK CITY, NY / ACCESS Newswire / April 17, 2026 / Pomerantz LLP announces that a class action lawsuit has been filed against Stellantis N.V. ("Stellantis" or the "Company") (NYSE:STLA). Such investors are advised to contact Danielle Peyton at newaction@ pomlaw.com or 646-581-9980, (or 888.4-POMLAW), toll-free, Ext. 7980. Those who inquire by e-mail are encouraged to include their mailing address, telephone number, and the number of shares purchased.The class action concerns whether Stellantis and certain of its officers and/or directors have engaged in securities fraud or other unlawful business practices.You have until June 8, 2026, to ask the Court to appoint you as Lead Plaintiff for the class if you purchased or otherwise acquired Stellantis securities during the Class Period. A copy of the Complaint can be obtained at www.pomerantzlaw.com [Click here for information about joining the class action]On February 6, 2026, Stellantis announced 22 billion in charges alongside a "reset" of the Company's business and a shortfall, even discounting the charges, against the Company's previous guidance. Stellantis described the charges and reset as due in significant part to the need to shift organizational priorities, stakeholder relationships, supply chains, execution, and quality control due to "an initial overestimation of pace of adoption of electrification in the regions." Stellantis further pointed specifically to "substantially reduced volume and profitability expectations for [battery-powered electric vehicle] products." On this news, Stellantis's stock price fell $2.26 per share, or 23.69%, to close at $7.28 per share on February 6, 2026.Pomerantz LLP, with offices in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, London, Paris, and Tel Aviv, is acknowledged as one of the premier firms in the areas of corporate, securities, and antitrust class litigation. Founded by the late Abraham L. Pomerantz, known as the dean of the class action bar, Pomerantz pioneered the field of securities class actions. Today, more than 85 years later, Pomerantz continues in the tradition he established, fighting for the rights of the victims of securities fraud, breaches of fiduciary duty, and corporate misconduct. The Firm has recovered numerous multimillion-dollar damages awards on behalf of class members. See www.pomlaw.com Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes.SOURCE: Pomerantz LLP PR-Inside.com: 2026-04-18 03:05:06 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 482 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 NEW YORK CITY, NY / ACCESS Newswire / April 17, 2026 /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 case@ rosenlegal.com 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 FloorNew York, NY 10016Tel: (212) 686-1060Toll Free: (866) 767-3653Fax: (212) 202-3827 case@ rosenlegal.comwww.rosenlegal.com SOURCE: The Rosen Law Firm, P.A. China issues guidelines to encourage green industrial design Xinhua) 15:31, April 18, 2026 BEIJING, April 17 (Xinhua) -- China on Friday released a set of guidelines to promote green design for industrial products, in a bid to help advance the country's green transition across society and the economy. These guidelines, jointly released by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) and four other state organs, aim to guide research and development personnel in adopting green design principles, promote green design solutions, and help develop green products, according to the MIIT. The guidelines outline practical measures in areas such as integrating artificial intelligence with green design, developing green design standards, cultivating green design talent and deepening international cooperation. The MIIT said it will encourage key sectors nationwide to align with the priorities set out in the guidelines and develop green design solutions that are technologically advanced, economically viable, and balanced in terms of supply and demand. Studies show that 80 percent of resource consumption and environmental impact across a product's life cycle is determined at the design stage. China has so far cultivated 451 demonstration enterprises for green design in industrial products and developed nearly 200 evaluation standards for green design products. (Web editor: Zhao Tong, Wu Chaolan) Quick Read Social Security is facing a tremendous financial shortfall. Though the programs Trustees have warned of benefit cuts in the past, the timing just changed. Lawmakers will have to act quickly to stave off Social Security cuts. The analyst who called NVIDIA in 2010 just named his top 10 AI stocks. Get them here FREE. READ: The analyst who called NVIDIA in 2010 just named his top 10 AI stocks Social Security supports millions of retired Americans today. Without those benefits, many seniors would struggle financially. But Social Security is facing the possibility of benefit cuts. And the timing of that just changed -- and not for the better. Why Social Security is now even closer to benefit cuts Social Security gets most of its funding from payroll taxes. But in the coming years, a record number of baby boomers are expected to retire. Once that happens, a few things will happen. First, a smaller number of workers will enter the labor force to replace them. Secondly, those same older Americans are going to start claiming the Social Security benefits they're entitled to, and understandably so. Social Security can use the money in its Old-Age and Survivors Insurance (OASI) Trust Fund to keep up with retirement benefits. But last year, the Social Security Trustees reported that the OASI Trust Fund is expected to run dry in 2033. From there, Social Security may only be able to pay 77% of retirement benefits, resulting in a 23% cut. The news got a little worse earlier this year when the Congressional Budget Office moved up the timing of the OASI Trust Fund depletion date to 2032. That means Social Security could be looking at benefit cuts much sooner. Part of the reason the timeline changed is that the One Big Beautiful Bill Act introduced a $6,000 tax deduction designed to exempt most seniors from paying taxes on their Social Security benefits. But Social Security relies on that tax revenue to keep up with its obligations. Losing it is now pushing the program toward potential benefit cuts even sooner. Lawmakers need to act quickly Policymakers have options for preventing Social Security cuts -- provided they spring to action soon. Given that the clock is ticking down, lawmakers can't afford to wait to address the problem. Part of the reason they may be dragging their feet, though, is that there aren't many great solutions for preventing broad Social Security cuts -- at least not at first glance. One option for preventing cuts is to impose a higher payroll tax rate on all workers and employers. But it's easy to see why a move like that wouldn't be popular. Nigerias aviation sector stepped back from the brink of disruption on Friday after airline operators agreed to suspend a planned shutdown of flight operations, following an appeal by the Federal Government. The Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) said it would temporarily halt the action scheduled for 20 April after what it described as a concessionary but conditional decision reached during an emergency meeting of its leadership. The development comes after the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, urged airlines not to increase airfares or suspend operations despite the worsening aviation fuel crisis. PREMIUM TIMES had reported that the minister, in a letter dated 16 April, appealed for restraint, warning that both fare hikes and operational shutdowns could deepen hardship for Nigerians and disrupt economic activities. 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 Such action would have far-reaching adverse implications for the national economy, disrupt critical mobility and logistics networks, erode public confidence, Mr Keyamo said. Airlines, under the AON, had earlier warned that they could down tools over the sharp rise in the price of Jet A1 fuel, which they said had surged to about N3,300 per litre from around N900 in February. Responding to the ministers appeal, the operators said they would give room for dialogue but insisted that their decision remains temporary, pending the outcome of a high-level stakeholders meeting scheduled for 22 April in Abuja. The meeting, convened by the minister, is expected to bring together key players in the aviation value chain to find a practical and sustainable solution to the crisis. READ ALSO: Aviation union praises FAAN boss over handling of MMIA fire incident While acknowledging the governments intervention, the AON said the suspension of the shutdown comes with conditions, including a call on authorities to address operational bottlenecks affecting airlines. The group urged the minister to ensure that government agencies and service providers continue to support airline operations without undue harassment and to halt demands for upfront payments for services. However, fuel remains the single largest cost component for airlines, often accounting for up to 3040 per cent of total operating expenses, making operators highly vulnerable to price shocks. In Nigeria, the situation is compounded by reliance on imported refined products, forex volatility, and supply chain challenges, which continue to keep aviation fuel prices elevated. Although the immediate threat of a shutdown has been averted, the outcome of next weeks meeting is expected to determine whether airlines can sustain operations without further disruptions. Nigerian actor and filmmaker Emmanuel Ikubese has, for the first time, shared insights into his failed marriage and its fallout. In March 2020, the former Mr Nigeria wedded celebrity makeup artiste, Anita Brows Adetoye, in a talk of the town ceremony. By February 2021, rumours that the marriage had hit the rocks emerged after the actor removed his wedding photos from Instagram. The couple also stoked the rumours when they unfollowed each other on social media. 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 Big blow For the first time since the high-profile marriage ended, Emmanuel, who recently premiered a movie about sickle cell anaemia, has spoken about his failed marriage and the toll it took on him. Emmanuel, who was recently a guest on the Archives of Becoming Podcast, said that the failed marriage was a blow to him, stating that he can only speak from his perspective and not his estranged partners It was an identity thing. If you dont find your identity, you always find yourself in moments like this. And for me, everything leading up to who I was from Kenya felt like that put me on the highway. And God needed a reset, and that was the reset for me. Id always desired a family, and now I had gotten it. Anyone who knows me knows Im very family-oriented, and for the very first time in my life, that made me feel like a failure. The wedding I had was very high-profile. It was one of the biggest weddings in Nigeria at the time, and I just felt like Id failed, he said. Redemption On the emotional toll the break-up had on him, the Shuga actor said that he couldnt explain the pain that came from that space because being divorced changed everything. However, he said, on the other side of the pain he felt, God was waiting for him. It changed my life. It changed how I see life. It changed who I am, literally, because it felt like I had to go back to God, and I said, Okay, God, where did I miss this? And I thank God because it just felt like God was waiting for me. Its like God trying to call your attention for a very long time, right, and now hes like, okay, finally I get your attention, right, and I thank God that I took that to him, but it took me on a journey that was a really painful journey, Emmanuel said. He added that after the marriage ended, God started to take him through a healing process. I was always a lost Emmanuel. It felt like I was this very popular person. It felt like the world was celebrating me. But you see, the world was celebrating someone who had not even found himself. I had not found myself. I didnt even understand why I was in the industry. Fame just felt good, you know. I didnt struggle for it. And I was living that life, doing everything. I didnt understand the hurts that carried along the line. Everything didnt start in 2020. 2020 was just a crash, he said. Nigerian music promoter, Ijoba Danku, has alleged that he was assaulted in Lagos, claiming the attack was linked to his open support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). Mr Danku, known within Nigerias street-hop music scene for promoting emerging artistes and for his association with controversial acts, said the incident occurred on Friday in Lagos, near the popular New Afrika Shrine, a major nightlife and cultural hub. In a video shared on social media from his hospital bed, Mr Danku dismissed suggestions that the incident was a random robbery or street altercation. Instead, he described it as a targeted attack driven by political disagreement. I was attacked yesterday, on the street of Illeshu, by some boys, just because I am supporting APC, Asiwaju 2027, he said, referring to Mr Tinubus anticipated bid for a second term. They wounded me and damaged my car. 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 Escalation He added that his attackers allegedly confronted him over his political stance before the situation escalated into violence. I just want to tell my fans all over the world that I am fine. I will be back. I am receiving treatment, he said. Despite the incident, Mr Danku maintained that he would not withdraw his support for the president. The police authorities in Lagos had yet to issue an official statement on the incident as of the time of filing this report. The incident comes amid rising political tensions ahead of the 2027 elections, with public figures increasingly facing backlash over their affiliations. PREMIUM TIMES could not independently verify Mr Dankus claims. Iran says the Strait of Hormuz is now completely open to all commercial vessels. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi announced in a post on X that the decision to open the strategic waterway aligns with the terms of the Lebanon ceasefire agreement. He said, In line with the ceasefire in Lebanon, the passage for all commercial vessels through the Strait of Hormuz is declared completely open for the remaining period of the ceasefire, he said. Following Mr Araghchis announcement, oil prices fell below $90 a barrel. 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 International benchmark Brent crude futures fell to $87.94. Also, US crude fell a similar amount to $83.33 a barrel. PREMIUM TIMES earlier reported that Israel and Lebanon reached a 10-day ceasefire on Thursday. The announcement was made by President Donald Trump, who also disclosed that President Joseph Aoun of Lebanon and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel met in Washington on Tuesday, the first meeting in 34 years. Throughout last week, Israels attacks on Lebanon continued despite the two-week ceasefire agreement between the US/Israel and Iran. Mr Netanyahus office had declared that the ceasefire does not apply to the country, despite Pakistans insistence that the ceasefire agreement included Lebanon. On the latest agreement between the US and Iran, Mr Trump confirmed that the strait was completely open and ready for business and full passage. It will no longer be used as a weapon against the World! he wrote on Truth Social. He also said the US naval blockade of Iran would remain in full force until Iran reached a deal with the US to end the war. With the next round of talks set to be held in Islamabad, Mr Trump said his agreement to end the US-Israeli war on Iran was very close. He also stated that while the two-week ceasefire might be extended, this might not be needed if progress is not impeded. He also said, Were going to see what happens. But I think were very close to making a deal with Iran. Often dismissed as a minor skin irritation, eczema typically begins as a dry patch but can develop into a chronic condition marked by intense itching, scaly or darkened skin, and social discomfort. In many parts of Nigeria, however, the condition is still wrongly linked to poor hygiene or spiritual causes, and is sometimes confused with contagious fungal infections, misconceptions that experts say fuel stigma, social isolation, and reliance on unproven treatments. Speaking with PT Health Watch, Halimat Jimoh, a nurse and a professional midwife, said eczema, medically known as atopic dermatitis, is far more complex than commonly assumed. Mrs Jimoh who is also a maternal and child health advocate, described it as a chronic inflammatory skin condition characterised by intense itching, dryness, and recurrent skin irritation. She noted that, unlike common conditions such as heat rash or fungal infections, eczema is not just a surface issue. 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 explained that the condition is driven by a combination of genetic, immune, and environmental factors, and typically follows a pattern of flare-ups and remission. Burden, triggers Globally, eczema affects about 10 to 20 per cent of children and a smaller proportion of adults. Among children, particularly those under five, the burden is significantly higher, with some studies reporting rates between 15 and 25 per cent, making it one of the most common skin conditions in paediatric practice. Adding to this context, Mrs Jimoh noted that there are regional differences, with higher hospital-based prevalence reported in Northern Nigeria, about 13 to 15 per cent, compared to eight to nine per cent in the South. According to her, several factors drive the condition, including genetic predisposition, immune system dysfunction, and environmental triggers such as dust, pollution, and skin irritants. Climate also plays an important role, particularly low humidity and dry seasons, which are more common in Northern Nigeria and can worsen flare-ups by damaging the skin barrier, she said. Recognising signs Mrs Jimoh said early signs of eczema are often overlooked, especially in children. Persistent itching, often worse at night, dry or rough skin, and red or dark patches that may appear and disappear are common early symptoms, she explained. In infants, she said, eczema typically appears on the cheeks, scalp, and outer parts of the arms and legs. In older children and adults, it is more likely to affect skin folds such as the elbows, behind the knees, neck, and wrists. She added that repeated scratching can lead to skin thickening and further irritation. Speaking on diagnosis, Mrs Jimoh said it is mainly clinical and based on the pattern and appearance of symptoms, as well as a history of recurrence. There is no single definitive laboratory test for eczema, she said, noting that allergy testing may sometimes be used to identify triggers in severe or persistent cases. Who is most at risk? Children are the most vulnerable, particularly those with a family history of allergic conditions such as eczema, asthma, or allergic rhinitis. It often begins early in life, with many cases appearing within the first year,she said. She added that the condition has a strong hereditary component. If one parent has an allergic condition, a childs risk is increased, and the risk is higher when both parents are affected, Mrs Jimoh noted, adding that environmental factors such as allergens and climate often trigger symptoms in those already predisposed. While eczema cannot be permanently cured in most cases, Mrs Jimoh said it can be effectively managed. Some children may outgrow the condition, while others may continue to experience it into adulthood, she explained. Management, she said, focuses on protecting and restoring the skin barrier through regular use of moisturisers, avoiding triggers, and using prescribed topical steroid medications during flare-ups. In more severe cases, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory creams, antihistamines, or specialist treatments may be required. Everyday triggers Mrs Jimoh warned that common daily habits can worsen the condition, particularly in tropical climates. Frequent use of harsh soaps, overbathing with hot water, and not moisturising the skin regularly can trigger flare-ups, she said. She also identified tight or rough clothing, excessive heat, sweating, dust, and pollution as major environmental triggers. While some individuals may notice flare-ups after consuming foods such as eggs, dairy, peanuts, or seafood, she cautioned that food triggers are not universal and should be identified individually. Impact beyond the skin Beyond physical symptoms, eczema can significantly affect mental health and quality of life, especially among children and adolescents. The constant itching can disrupt sleep, while visible skin changes may affect self-esteem and confidence, Mrs Jimoh said, noting that this can lead to embarrassment, social withdrawal, or even bullying. She added that caregivers, particularly parents of young children, also experience emotional stress due to the chronic and recurring nature of the condition. Tackling misconceptions Mrs Jimoh emphasised the need to correct widespread misconceptions about eczema. It is not caused by poor hygiene and it is not contagious. It is also wrongly assumed that every case is caused by food or that steroid creams are dangerous. She stressed that when prescribed by a qualified health professional, such treatments are safe and effective. She emphasised the need to maintain a proper skin care, keep the skin well moisturised, avoid known triggers such as harsh soaps, heat, sweat, and dust, and seek early medical attention. With consistent care, eczema can be well managed and quality of life can be improved, she added. The police in Anambra State, South-east Nigeria, have arrested a suspected fake coordinator of the Joint Admission and Matriculation Examination Board (JAMB). The suspect, Eric Nwombu, was arrested on 14 April by the operatives of the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Safe School Initiative of the police in the state. The police spokesperson in Anambra State, Tochukwu Ikenga, disclosed this in a statement on Saturday. Mr Ikenga, a superintendent of police, said the male suspect was arrested for alleged criminal impersonation and unlawful possession of JAMB examination materials. 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 arrest followed a report of how the suspect was collecting 2026 JAMB examination slips from students who had come to check their examination centres in a Cyber cafe, Atani, he said. Items recovered include eight JAMB examination slips and an exercise book containing names and examination numbers of students, which he could not satisfactorily account for. How he was arrested Mr Ikenga said when initially interrogated at a computer centre, the suspect claimed to be a JAMB 2026 coordinator in Atani, a community in the Ogbaru Local Government Area of Anambra. The police spokesperson said the staff of the computer center were dissatisfied with his response and uncomfortable with his suspicious actions, which prompted them to alert police operatives. On sighting the operatives approaching, the suspect attempted to flee but was apprehended, he said. Mr Ikenga said police had begun preliminary investigation into the incident and that the case has been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department. He said the Commissioner of Police in Anambra State, Ikioye Orutugu, has reiterated the commitment of the police to safeguarding the integrity of public examinations. The police commissioner urged Nigerians to remain vigilant and promptly report suspicious activities to the police for action. The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has said that individuals recently kidnapped in Benue State were not candidates of the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), contrary to earlier reports. In a statement issued by its spokesperson, Fabian Benjamin, the board said the victims, who were abducted while travelling from Makurdi to Otukpo, had been erroneously alleged to be UTME candidates. How UTME narrative emerged The clarification follows days of reports suggesting that the victims were candidates travelling to sit for the UTME. Gunmen had attacked a commercial bus along the Makurdi-Otukpo road on Wednesday night, abducting about 14 passengers after stopping the vehicle and forcing occupants into nearby bushes. 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 Initial accounts indicated that many of the passengers were young people heading to Otukpo for the examination scheduled for the following day. The police later confirmed the abduction, stating a rescue operation had been launched in nearby forests. The narrative also gained traction after relatives of some victims publicly identified them as UTME candidates. A family member said two teenage brothers were among those abducted while travelling for the examination, describing the situation as distressing. The victims include my two younger brothers. They are just teenagers, the relative said, adding that one of the victims phones was recovered from the abandoned vehicle. Reports at the time also indicated that most passengers on the bus were believed to be students travelling for the UTME. Clarification However, JAMB clarified that the victims were participants in a police recruitment exercise and not students travelling for examinations. Notably, none of the victims were UTME candidates. Rather, they were individuals who had traveled to Makurdi to participate in the ongoing police recruitment exercise and were returning to Otukpo at the time of the incident, the statement said. The board added that seven of the victims had been rescued by security agencies, describing the development as bringing immense relief, while expressing hope that others still in captivity would also be freed. It further criticised reports that linked the abduction to its examination process, describing them as unverified. ALSO READ: Nigeria Army rescue 14 kidnapped travellers from Benue forest It added that some individuals even attempted to link the incident to the Boards examination schedule, despite clear inconsistencies in that narrative. It further said the initial reports lacked credibility, noting that its examination system makes such a scenario unlikely. The structure of UTME examinations makes it highly unlikely for candidates who know one another to be assigned to the same centre or to travel together for the exam, the board said. According to the board, the widespread circulation of the claim highlights the need for greater responsibility in information dissemination. It added those who shared the unfounded claims should extend a public apology to JAMB. The Director-General and National Co-ordinator of the Renewed Hope Ambassadors (RHA), Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State has approved the appointment of top officers to head key areas of the organisation. A statement by Tunde Rahman, director, RHA media and publicity team, quoted Mr Uzodinma as saying that the appointments were to strengthen the structure and improve the operational effectiveness of the RHA ahead of the 2027 general elections. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the RHA was established in November 2025 as a strategic platform to disseminate the programmes, policies and achievements of the Tinubu-led administration across states. According to the statement, Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna State is to serve as deputy director-general of the outfit, with Governor Mohammed Yahaya of Gombe as secretary, while James Faleke is deputy secretary. 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 statement said that the structure of the RHA also comprised six zonal coordinators, 37 state coordinators and 774 local government coordinators. The newly appointed directors include Mustapha Abdullahi, director- general, Energy Commission of Nigeria (ECN), who heads the Youth Directorate, while Olisa Metuh takes charge of Organisation and Mobilisation. Mr Rahman is to serve as director of media and publicity, with Sunday Dare overseeing digital and new media. Others include Mele Geidam (Finance); Muiz Banire, (Monitoring, Compliance and Legal); and Bisoye Coker-Odusote (Technology and Data). Also appointed are Abubakar Abubakar (Support Groups); Ibrahim Garba (Intelligence); Sani Musa (Special Duties); and Simon Karu (Planning). The list further included Halima Zakari (Welfare); Nnamdi Mbaeri (Administration); Bilikisu Muhammed Kaika (Women Affairs); Abike Dabiri-Erewa (Diaspora); and Hadiza Bala Usman (Research and Innovation). The appointments, according to the statement, reflected a deliberate effort to build a broad-based and functional structure capable of effectively engaging Nigerians and communicating government policies at all levels (NAN) Essien Ndueso, an aide to Governor Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom State, has warned Ata Ikiddeh, a former aide to Senate President Godswill Akpabio, to desist from insulting Mr Enos predecessor, Udom Emmanuel. Mr Nduesos warning followed a satirical article by Mr Ikiddeh, a close ally of Mr Akpabio who served as his special assistant on diaspora matters during Mr Akpabios tenure as governor of Akwa Ibom. In the article, Mr Ikiddeh referenced claims by unnamed individuals alleging that Mr Emmanuel acquired a private jet worth about N15 billion. While he described the claim as a baseless rumour, he also drew attention to the former governors frequent use of private aircraft for travel. Mr Emmanuel, who left office in 2023, has been observed arriving in Akwa Ibom on several occasions aboard private jets. 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 Enos aide alleges incitement Reacting through a Facebook post, Mr Ndueso, senior special assistant to Governor Eno on Research and Documentation, accused Mr Ikiddeh of disguising insults as commentary. You cannot claim that you are supporting my boss, Governor Umo Eno, yet every day you churn out various insults against former Governor Udom Emmanuel just to stir baseless political tension, said Mr Ndueso, who had also served as an aide to Mr Emmanuel during his tenure as governor. He further alleged that Mr Ikiddehs criticisms were driven by personal grievances, including his failure to secure a media consultancy role from Mr Emmanuels administration. Jet is hired spokesperson When contacted, Stephen Abia, a spokesperson for Mr Emmanuel, denied that the former governor owns a private jet, stating that any aircraft used for travel is hired. What is wrong if someone hires a private jet for his travels? He wants to live his private life, Mr Abia said, adding that the attempts to link Mr Emmanuel to aircraft ownership were misleading. Ikiddeh responds When PREMIUM TIMES contacted Mr Ikiddeh, he denied ever claiming that the former governor owned a private jet, insisting that his article had been misinterpreted. Nowhere did I say any former governor of our state owned a private jet. I listed the governors of Akwa Ibom and some of their achievements and said none bought a private jet at the end of their tenure. Addressing allegations that his position stemmed from a rejected consultancy by Mr Emmanuels administration, Mr Ikiddeh said he had no personal dispute with the administration. He explained that he had submitted a proposal during the administration but received no response, a situation he described as common due to structural issues, such as budget constraints and challenges with foreign currency payments for diaspora consultants. I had no animosity toward the (Akwa Ibom) State Government. The state government supported my work with Helen Keller International, and my position was taken purely out of conviction and principle. Political undercurrents The exchange reflects a long-standing political rift between Mr Emmanuel and his predecessor, Mr Akpabio, which became pronounced ahead of the 2019 elections and contributed to Mr Akpabios initial loss of a Senate seat. Governor Enos political alignment with Mr Akpabio has strained his relationship with Mr Emmanuel, further deepening divisions within the states political structure. Mr Ikiddeh, who opposed Mr Eno during the 2023 election, has since expressed support for his administration, despite continued clashes with some of the governors aides. This is not the first such confrontation. Months earlier, Mr Ikiddeh criticised aides who received Mr Emmanuel at the airport, questioning their loyalty to Mr Eno. He had called on Mr Eno to sanction them. He was also in the news in late 2024 after leaking a message from an ailing politician who reportedly received $35,000 from Mr Akpabio for a medical treatment. The police in Rivers State said they have arrested three suspected kidnappers and rescued one victim, following a major operation in the state. Blessing Agabe, the police spokesperson in Rivers, told journalists in Port Harcourt on Saturday that the suspects were allegedly linked to the abduction of one Chukwudekwu Emmanuel, still in captivity. The News Agency of Nigeria recalls that Mr Emmanuel, a resident of Lagos, was reportedly abducted on 17 February in Etche Local Government Area, Rivers, prompting a statewide call for his rescue. Ms Agabe, an assistant superintendent of police, said the suspects were apprehended by police operatives stationed in Emohua on Tuesday. 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 operatives arrested the three suspects, aided by technology-driven strategies; they are suspected to be involved in the abduction of Emmanuel, she said. She said the suspects were apprehended while attempting to kidnap another victim, Chisom George, who had been lured from Anambra under the guise of a job offer. They deceitfully invited George from Anambra State under the pretext of an interior decoration job. They, however, held him hostage after his arrival. George was rescued during the operation by police operatives, she added. Ms Agabe said that the suspects specialised in luring innocent victims through social media platforms, including WhatsApp, Facebook, X, and Tinder. READ ALSO: Police chief orders trial of officers who allegedly used POS machine to extort motorists According to her, the suspects used images of reputable personalities to gain trust and deceive unsuspecting victims. The spokesperson said that during interrogation, the suspects allegedly confessed to multiple kidnappings across different states in the country. She also listed other victims allegedly kidnapped by the syndicate from Enugu and Lagos states. The command has launched a manhunt to arrest the fleeing gang leader and other members of the syndicate, to bring them to justice, she said. This week, an Austrian bank agreed to buy the government's majority stake in PTSB [Getty Images] In April 2011, the Irish people found out they were going to be the new owners of a small bank called Permanent TSB (PTSB). This was not an occasion for rejoicing. A government-commissioned report had confirmed the rot in the country's banking system was deeper than feared, and PTSB needed a 4bn (3.49bn) injection just to survive. No commercial investor was ever going to do that deal, so the taxpayer would have to provide a bailout. The 4bn was just a fraction of the public funds poured into the country's banks after they made huge losses on bad property loans. Now, 15 years later, the era is finally closing. This week, the Austrian bank BAWAG agreed to buy the government's majority stake in PTSB for 931m (812m). Simon Harris says the deal is the most significant development in the Irish retail banking market in over a decade [Getty Images] Tanaiste (Irish deputy prime minister) and Finance Minister Simon Harris hailed the deal as "the most significant development in the Irish retail banking market in over a decade." His hope is that BAWAG will inject competition into a market which is dominated by Bank of Ireland and AIB, the two main survivors of the bailouts. Harris also emphasised that the state had managed to get most of its money back from PTSB. Aside from the payment from BAWAG, earlier asset sales and various fees paid means the total recovery from PTSB will be just over 3.7bn (3.23bn). However, as the state exits its final major shareholding, the debate over whether the bailouts "worked" remains complex. While Harris noted that taxpayers are roughly 1.3bn (1.13bn) above break-even on their bailouts of PTSB, AIB and Bank of Ireland, the picture is marred by the catastrophic failure of the more reckless institutions. 'Immense pressure' Dan O'Brien, chief economist at the IIEA and an expert who lived through the crisis, said the Irish recovery timeline is remarkably similar to the Swedish banking crisis of the 1980s - a near 20-year cycle to regain stability. Yet the sheer scale of the losses at the notorious Anglo Irish Bank, which cost taxpayers roughly 30bn (26bn) prevents a neat story of success. O'Brien suggests that "if you take Anglo out of it... it would have been like the Swedish case from the 80s, and you could definitely say it was a success". The closing of the era also revives the debate over whether the international lenders to Ireland's failing banks should have shared some of the losses - what was known as "burning the bondholders". O'Brien highlights that the decision to insulate those lenders was driven by "immense pressure" from the Eurozone. Uche Nnabuihe, a brigadier-general, has raised concerns about the low enlistment of South-east residents into the Nigerian army, revealing that Anambra State recorded only 117 applications out of 38,000 nationwide. Mr Nnabuihe led an army delegation to sensitise youths in Awka, noting the figure was recorded on 7 April before a nationwide awareness campaign began. He said the exercise aimed to encourage more youths from Anambra and the South-east to join the 91 Regular Recruits Intake before the 27 May deadline. We observed with concern that out of 38,000 applications received nationwide, only 117 came from Anambra as of 7 April. 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 sensitisation is to correct that imbalance and encourage our youths to take advantage of opportunities in the Nigerian Army, he said. Mr Nnabuihe urged eligible youths to apply, noting that the army offers a structured career path and opportunities for national service. Another army officer, Ogbemudia Osawe, said training infrastructure had expanded, with new institutions in Abakaliki and Osogbo to accommodate incoming recruits. Mr Osawe, a lieutenant-colonel, listed the benefits of joining the army to include career progression, regular pay, continuous military education, specialised training, and exposure to diverse cultures. He added that personnel enjoy welfare packages, free medical care for families, pensions, gratuities, and opportunities for international assignments. Permanent Secretary, Anambra Ministry of Youths, Ifeatu Emodi, commended the initiative, describing military enlistment as crucial for South-east youths. Mr Emodi said declining interest among youths stemmed from misconceptions and misinformation about the army. Traditional ruler, Igwe Michael Okeke-Uche of Enugwu-Agidi, praised the armys welfare structure and urged youths to enlist for better regional representation. The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the sensitisation held at the Ministry of Youths in Awka, attracted a cross-section of young people. A question posed by a police spokesperson, Aliyu GiwaWhat would make you trust the police more?has triggered a flood of reactions from Nigerians, exposing deep frustrations and distrust toward the police institution. Mr Giwa, who serves as the Force New Media Officer, shared the question on X (formerly Twitter), inviting feedback from users. What followed were replies ranging from sarcasm and outright ridicule including serious reform suggestions. The police spokesperson posted this on Wednesday, and as of the time of filing this story, it has garnered more than 2,000 comments and over 1,000 likes. Shock, sarcasm and street-level honesty Several users bluntly stated that trust in the police would improve only if officers stopped extortion and harassment, particularly at checkpoints. 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 Others were openly dismissive, reflecting a deep-seated perception problem. For instance, Bolade Akinlawon, a legal practitioner, said he had never trusted the police. Another user commented that nothing could restore confidence in the institution. Some commenters, however, noted that trust would improve if officers stopped asking for bribes. Calls for real reform Many responses pointed to serious structural concerns. Users called for better training, improved welfare, and modern equipment, arguing that an under-resourced force cannot deliver professional service. One of those who commented said the police are not ready for his response. The user advised that the police prioritise better remuneration, system-wide strategic training and continuous retraining. Calling for frequent orientation on the rule of law, the user also urged the institution to prioritise a functioning police compliance unit with independent powers to investigate, sanction, discipline erring police officers and their bosses, top to bottom. You guys should make sure to educate your personnel to allow a certain level of civility, another commenter said. Most Nigerian policemen are criminals protected by the government to perpetuate evil on innocent citizens. And you guys should strengthen your disciplinary system to be effective Others emphasised accountability, urging the police hierarchy to punish misconduct transparently. According to several commentators, public trust cannot grow unless erring officers are seen to face consequences. Be swift with the prosecution of corrupt officers and reward the good ones, another user stated. [If] you see valid evidence that an officer is corrupt, act swiftly, no long processes, no waiting. There were also appeals for a change in attitude, with commentators stressing the need for officers to treat citizens with dignity and respect rather than suspicion or aggression. Some respondents shared personal experiences of delayed response to distress calls, reinforcing concerns about reliability. Others noted that while there may be dedicated officers within the system, public perception is shaped largely by negative encounters. The Benue State Police Command has arrested seven suspects in connection with the abduction of passengers, including travellers heading for the UTME, along the MakurdiOtukpo road. Police spokesperson Udeme Edet said the arrests followed a joint security operation in Amla Forest and nearby areas, where some victims were also rescued and taken for medical care. The operation has led to the successful rescue of some of the victims, who are currently receiving medical attention. Further intelligence led to the arrest of seven suspects, she said. The development marks a fresh breakthrough in the incident that occurred on 15 April, when gunmen attacked a Benue Links bus along the Benue Burnt Bricks axis in Otukpo Local Government Area. Stay Ahead with Premium Times Follow us on Google News and never miss breaking stories, investigations, and in-depth reporting. Add as a preferred source on Google PREMIUM TIMES earlier reports that about 14 passengers were abducted after the attackers intercepted the vehicle at night, robbing occupants before taking them into the bush. The bus was said to be carrying about 18 passengers, many of them travelling to sit for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination. In the days following the attack, two victims were reported to have escaped, while families of some passengers raised concerns, including reports that two teenage siblings were among those taken. The police, however, clarified that contrary to earlier claims, the victims were not part of any organised convoy of students travelling for the examination but passengers on a Makurdi-bound commercial bus. READ ALSO: Two abducted UTME passengers escape in Benue Authorities had earlier confirmed that the driver of the vehicle was arrested for violating company policy by embarking on an unauthorised night journey and picking up passengers without a formal manifest. Commissioner of Police Ifeanyi Emenari said operations were ongoing, with tactical teams working across forest areas to locate the remaining victims and dismantle the criminal network behind the attack. The command urged residents to support ongoing efforts by providing credible information, as security agencies continue coordinated operations to restore safety along the route. The Commissioner of Police in Delta State, Yemi Oyeniyi, has ordered the orderly room trial of two police officers for allegedly using a Point of Sales (PoS) Machine to extort motorists inside a police station. The two officers are Augustine Jeremiah, an inspector and Miracle Ehirim, a corporal. The police spokesperson in the state, Bright Edafe, disclosed this in a statement on Thursday. Mr Edafe, a superintendent of police, said the incident occurred on 13 January. 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 Extortion inside police station PREMIUM TIMES understands that the police chiefs directive followed a video clip uploaded on Facebook by human rights activist Harrison Gwaminshu on Wednesday night. Mr Gwaminshu claimed in the clip that officers serving at the C Police Divisional Headquarters in Asaba have a functional POS operator which they use to extort the residents in the area. He alleged that every police officer in the station, including the Divisional Police Officer, is involved in the act. The activist uploaded a separate video clip which showed a police officer in an office asking a supposed motorist to drop his mobile phone, apparently disturbed that the motorist might film them while they were extorting him. Keep the phone here, drop the phone. I will deal with you. We are not mates, the officer is seen in the clip speaking angrily in Pidgin English. The motorist, who appeared to have been forced into the station alongside his vehicle, was heard arguing that he had no reason to drop his phone. While the altercation was on, two other police officers walked into the office alongside a POS operator. The motorist subsequently dropped his mobile phone on the table and began negotiating the amount he would transfer to the officers to secure his release. The clip did not show the officers telling the motorist the offence he committed. Sir, I will give you N40,000, the motorist told the officer, but one of them refused, insisting that the motorist must transfer N50,000 to them. The motorist later transferred a total of N51,500 to the POS operator. Embarrassing, unprofessional In the Thursday statement, Mr Edafe stressed that the action of the police officers in the video was not only embarrassing but also unprofessional. The spokesperson suggested that the officers conduct was likely to put the Nigeria Police Force in disrepute. He said police authorities in the state have condemned the act as no citizen deserved to be treated in such a manner by the police. Mr Edafe stressed that the act by the officers was inexcusable and unpardonable. The Commissioner of Police, Delta State Command, Yemi Oyeniyi, aligns firmly with the directive of the Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Rilwan Disu, which expressly prohibits extortion, and also the use of POS machines or any electronic payment platforms for transactions within Police formation, he said. The spokesperson said the police commissioner has emphasised that no officer was authorised to demand or receive money from any Nigerian under any guise. He said the orderly room trial of the two officers has commenced, and that the outcome would be made public. Mr Edafe said Mr Oyeniyi reminded all officers that extortion and abuse of office would not be tolerated under his watch. Officers are expected to carry out their duties professionally and treat members of the public with respect, he quoted the police commissioner as saying. The spokesperson said the police chief has tasked officers and men to uphold the tenets of professional policing in the discharge of their duties with respect to fundamental human rights of all citizens, in accordance with Nigerian laws. According to him, the disciplinary actions taken against the erring officers will serve as a deterrent to others. Police brutality, extortion and torture Cases of police brutality, extortion, extrajudicial killings and other unprofessional activities in Nigeria have continued despite sanctions such as dismissal from service. The latest incident occurred less than three weeks after some police officers in Anambra State illegally arrested, tortured and extorted N1.4 million from some Nigerians. The money was later refunded to the victims following public outrage. Last month, police in Anambra State arrested and detained six senior officers who allegedly tortured and extorted N200,000 from a trader in Onitsha, the commercial hub of Anambra. In February, three officers were dismissed over alleged kidnapping, extorting N1.7 million and car snatching in Imo, another state in the South-east. Two months ago, police operatives shot dead a private motorcyclist in Ebonyi State. In November 2024, police operatives from the Crack Squad in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, shot dead a labourer and critically injured three others in the state. A similar incident happened in the same Abakaliki in 2018 when a police officer shot and killed a commercial motorcyclist for allegedly refusing to give him a N50 bribe. In August 2024, police operatives in Bayelsa State extorted N3 million from a Nigerian man at gunpoint. The officers were subsequently arrested after the victim filed a complaint with the police. The police operatives later returned the N3 million to the victim, about three weeks later. An X user, Adewale (@SoEdunOkanESita), has raised the alarm over the abduction of his younger sister. He said the kidnappers are demanding a N100 million ransom after taking her while she was travelling to Abuja. In a series of posts shared on Friday, 17 April, Adewale said his sister was kidnapped on Monday, 13 April, while en route from Ogun State to the Federal Capital Territory to resume work. He said the family had no immediate details of the incident until the victim briefly contacted them in the early hours of Wednesday. 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 reached us briefly around 12.a.m. Wednesday, 15 April, that she has been kidnapped since on Monday without details of who kidnapped her, why, and where she is before the phone was taken from her, he wrote. According to him, the suspected kidnappers have since established contact with the family, demanding N100 million for her release. They are calling me demanding N100 million naira. Where do I raise N100 million? I cant even raise N100,000, he added, noting that the callers used a registered phone line. The victims brother also criticised the police response, saying he reported the case at multiple stations in Lagos and Ogun states but was told that little could be done without precise information on the victims location. He said that his attempt to escalate the matter to the Force Public Relations Officer yielded no result. I have been to three different police stations. One in Lagos and the two at Mowe and Redeem Police stations. Police have no tracking system and that since there is no information about location, police said they cant work. I called police national PPRO. He said I should go and report at the nearest police station and ended the call. He did not pick calls again until now, he said. However, the Nigeria Police Force in Ogun State responded to his post, with the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Oluseyi Babaseyi, stating that the Commissioner of Police had directed the Anti-Kidnapping Unit to take over the case. We acknowledge your message and the Commissioner of police, Ogun state Command has immediately directed the Anti-kidnapping Unit to step into the situation, please provide details within your reach in my DM, the police spokesperson said. Meanwhile, the Kogi State Police Command confirmed that a kidnapping incident occurred on the same date along the AyereKabba Road in Kabba Local Government Area. In a statement issued on 16 April by the commands spokesperson, Saliu Oyiza Afusat, an assistant superintendent police, said a Toyota Hiace bus belonging to Chisco Transport Company, travelling from Lagos to Abuja, was attacked by armed men at about 8:30 p.m. on 13 April. The police said one passenger, identified as Adoun Julius, 56, was rescued during a joint security operation, while the vehicle was recovered. Efforts have been intensified to secure the release of the remaining abducted passengers, with sustained bush-combing and search-and-rescue operations currently ongoing, the statement said. READ ALSO: Court admits written statements of Kogi Chief of Staff as exhibits in N10bn fraud trial The command added that seven suspects had been arrested in connection with the incident and are assisting ongoing investigations. Authorities urged relatives of missing passengers to report to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) headquarters in Lokoja, the Kogi State capital, for identification and further inquiries. It remains unclear if Adewales sister was among the passengers abducted in the Kogi attack, but his preliminary findings suggested the incident may have occurred in the Kabba area. Kidnapping for ransom remains a major security challenge in Nigeria, particularly along highways linking major cities, with several recent incidents involving commercial vehicles travelling between the South-west and the Federal Capital Territory. The Lagos State Government has appealed to banks, eateries, filling stations and other privately owned businesses to grant members of the public access to their restrooms, in a renewed push to curb open defecation and improve sanitation across the state. The appeal comes as the government announces it is expanding public sanitation infrastructure, with 1,710 functional public toilets currently deployed across strategic locations in Lagos. According to the Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, in a post on Saturday, government efforts alone are not sufficient to meet the sanitation needs of the states rapidly growing population. The government cannot do this alone. We are encouraging businesses such as filling stations, banks, eateries, and other public-facing facilities to make their restrooms accessible to the public where possible, Mr Wahab 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 He said broader participation from the private sector would help expand access to sanitation facilities and reduce indiscriminate defecation in public spaces. The commissioner also said enforcement of environmental sanitation laws had been intensified, adding that offenders were being arrested and prosecuted. At the same time, we continue to enforce environmental sanitation laws. Individuals caught engaging in open defecation are being arrested and prosecuted in accordance with the law. These measures are necessary to protect public health, preserve dignity, and maintain a cleaner environment for all, he said. Enforcement, infrastructure drive The ongoing state-level interventions are aimed at achieving open defecation-free status, including regulatory enforcement and training of sanitation operators. Recently, the Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources said it had engaged public toilet operators as part of efforts to improve hygiene standards and sanitation management across the state. According to a statement by ministry spokesperson, Kunle Adeshina, the Permanent Secretary, Office of Environmental Services, Omobolaji Gaji, reaffirmed the governments commitment to eliminating open defecation by 2025. He said the strategy is built around four pillars: advocacy, standardisation and regulation, infrastructure expansion, and monitoring and enforcement. Represented by the Director of Sanitation Services, Hassan Sanuth, Mr Gaji said a recent capacity-building programme for toilet operators was part of efforts to professionalise sanitation services. He said operators must adhere to approved guidelines and best practices, warning that violations would attract sanctions under existing environmental laws. The state, he added, had previously inaugurated an antiopen defecation squad to strengthen enforcement. A facilitator at a recent training session for toilet operators, Sanitarian Cyril Babasope, described public toilets as critical to both human and environmental health, urging stronger collaboration between government and private operators. He said access to safe and properly managed sanitation facilities remains uneven, stressing the need for properly sited toilets, trained personnel, and compliant waste disposal systems. He explained that the states broader goal is to reduce environmental health risks, improve urban hygiene, and move closer to sustainable sanitation coverage through a combination of infrastructure expansion, regulation, and private sector participation. READ ALSO: Lagos govt seals Access Bank branch over untreated waste discharge Public health concerns persist Nigeria continues to face significant sanitation challenges despite ongoing government campaigns. Data from the Clean Nigeria campaign indicated that millions of Nigerians still practice open defecation, with only a small fraction of local government areas certified as open defecation-free. The figures show that hundreds of LGAs across the country are still affected, underscoring the scale of the challenge facing state governments. Public health experts warned that poor sanitation contributes to the spread of preventable diseases, increases healthcare costs, and places additional pressure on already stretched urban infrastructure, particularly in densely populated cities like Lagos. The family of a six-year-old boy, Kao, killed by a stone from a quarry centre in Abuja, said the Chinese company, Dai Jin Investment Limited, paid N4 million as compensation and damages for the loss of their child. Murtala Maiangwa, the head (Sarki) of the Fulani Community in Aco Estate, Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), disclosed this to PREMIUM TIMES during a visit to the family of the boy. Mr Mainagwa said the company paid a total of N4.3 million, stating that while the deceaseds family got N4 million, the fulani community was paid N300,000. They (company) gave N4.3 million to the family, N4million to the father and mother for the loss of their child, and N300,000 to the kingdom, 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 Narrating how Kao, the youngest child of a Fulani herder family, died, Abubakar, a relation, said the lad was playing with other children under a mango tree when he was hit on the head by a stone from the company nearby at about 2 p.m. on 27 February. He said the stone struck the boy on the head, pulling out his brain, leading to his death immediately. Kao and others were playing under the tree (the mango tree is just a few miles away from where the quarry operates when they blasted without any warning or alarm. He and others were running towards the house when the stone hit him. We found his body and the brain separated, Abubakar, a member of the family, said. He said the family, comprising the father, mother, and four children, has been living in the area for about 15 years. However, after the tragic incident, the family moved away from the area. The father said he could not stand to remain in the area anymore because it would bring back the memory of his son, Mr Mainagwa said. Safety concerns Other relatives and neighbours around the compound further expressed safety concerns to this newspaper. A resident, who did not give her name, urged the government to intervene in the matter. The thing was supposed to kill two children, but the other survived. We have always been afraid of this issue. They should help us. At least, if they cannot stop, they should pay us for our properties so that we can go to another place, she said. Company mute PREMIUM TIMES could not speak with any official of the company on the incident or confirm the payment of the compensation. An official, a Chinese, who gave his name as Sunday, turned down a request for comment. FCTA too Efforts to speak with the Federal Capital Territory authorities were not successful. Officials of Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) approached by this newspaper said they would not speak because of fear of being misquoted. No one will want to look for the trouble of the minister (Nyesom Wike). So, we cant be quoted on this. But I will advise that you write to the minister and from there we can take it up, one of the staff members, who asked not to be mentioned, told the newspaper in a phone conversation. However, another official, who does not want to be quoted, said Dai Jin had not been licensed to operate They have not been licensed for a while now, or even come to do it. Our role is to supervise, and we only receive directives to do that, the source said. Residents protest After the tragic incident, the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) reportedly sealed the site, while the FCT Police commenced an investigation. However, by 4 March, when this newspaper visited the area, it was discovered that the company had resumed operations. Residents of Aco Estate have repeatedly accused Dai Jin of environmental violations in the area. PREMIUM TIMES had reported the deadly activities of quarries in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), despite clear provisions in the National Environmental (Quarrying and Blasting Operations) Regulations. The report indicated that Dai Jin was one of the industries found culpable for the violations. The recent sealing of the company was not the first. For instance, it was sealed after the residents of the estate protested the incident of 24 July, 2025. They are boasting to us that they have what it takes to remain in the estate for as long as they want. They said they have money to get through any atrocity, Kingsley Eze, a resident of Aco Estate, said. The events of 9 April and 15 Aprilhighlight the importance of coordination across institutions. Cybersecurity today operates within an interconnected ecosystem in which agencies, private sector actors, and users all play a role. The involvement of multiple stakeholders in assessing and responding to the CAC incident reflects this interconnectedness and reinforces the idea that resilience must be collective rather than isolated. On 9 April, Nigeria made a confident pitch to the future. Standing before a global audience at GITEX Africa, the Director General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Kashifu Inuwa, outlined what he described as a strategic shift in the countrys cybersecurity posture. It was no longer enough, he argued, to think in terms of firewalls and software patches. Nigeria was embracing something broader, a concept he described as Total Resilience, one that integrates technology, people, and policy into a unified approach to digital security. 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 Six days later, on 15 April, reality intervened. The Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), custodian of Nigerias corporate registry and one of the countrys most sensitive digital institutions, confirmed it had suffered a cybersecurity breach. Unauthorised actors had gained access to parts of its systems. The full scope remains unclear, but the symbolism is difficult to ignore. A nation articulating a forward-looking cybersecurity vision found itself, almost immediately, confronted with the kind of incident that vision is designed to address. The proximity of these two events does not diminish the significance of Nigerias evolving cybersecurity strategy. If anything, it reinforces its urgency. What it reveals is not a contradiction, but a convergence between policy and reality. Cybersecurity is no longer an abstract policy domain discussed at conferences; it is an active, ongoing challenge that demands constant adaptation. The CAC incident brings that reality into sharp focus and underscores why the shift toward a broader resilience framework is both timely and necessary. the incident reflects a broader reality that no system is entirely immune. Around the world, both public and private institutions continue to contend with breaches despite significant investments in cybersecurity. What distinguishes resilient systems is not the absence of incidents, but the strength of their response, their ability to contain risks, communicate effectively, and restore confidence. The idea behind Total Resilience reflects a growing global consensus that cybersecurity must move beyond purely technical solutions. Threats today exploit not only system vulnerabilities but mostly human behaviour and institutional gaps. Systems can be compromised through something as simple as a stolen credential or a moment of inattention, and even the most advanced infrastructure can be undermined if the people operating it are not adequately prepared. This reality is reinforced by a widely cited study by Stanford University and Tessian, titled The Psychology of Human Error, which found that 88 per cent of data breaches are caused by employee mistakes, often driven by psychological factors such as distraction, stress, and fatigue. By placing emphasis on human capacity, governance, and coordination, Nigerias approach acknowledges the full spectrum of risks that define the modern threat landscape. Within this context, the breach at the Corporate Affairs Commission takes on added significance. The commission plays a central role in Nigerias economic architecture as the repository of corporate identities, ownership structures, and regulatory filings. Its systems underpin trust in the formal business environment, and any disruption, whether temporary or prolonged, naturally raises questions about data integrity and system resilience. Even when described as affecting limited aspects, such incidents draw attention to the importance of safeguarding institutions that serve as the backbone of economic activity. At the same time, the incident reflects a broader reality that no system is entirely immune. Around the world, both public and private institutions continue to contend with breaches despite significant investments in cybersecurity. What distinguishes resilient systems is not the absence of incidents, but the strength of their response, their ability to contain risks, communicate effectively, and restore confidence. In this regard, the ongoing review involving the National Information Technology Development Agency and other relevant bodies points to an institutional framework that is actively engaged in managing such challenges. The emphasis on human factors, as highlighted by Kashifu Inuwa, becomes particularly relevant here. If a large proportion of breaches globally can be traced to human error, then building resilience must necessarily involve equipping individuals with the knowledge and awareness needed to navigate digital systems safely. Initiatives such as the National Digital Literacy Programme and broader capacity building efforts are therefore not peripheral to cybersecurity; they are central to it. They represent an understanding that resilience is cultivated not only through technology, but through people who can recognise and respond to threats effectively. Nigerias experience in this moment mirrors a broader global transition. As emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence reshape both opportunities and risks, countries are being compelled to rethink how they secure their digital environments. The shift toward resilience-based models, which emphasise adaptability and continuity, reflects an understanding that threats will continue to evolve and that preparedness must evolve with them. The events of 9 April and 15 April also highlight the importance of coordination across institutions. Cybersecurity today operates within an interconnected ecosystem in which agencies, private sector actors, and users all play a role. The involvement of multiple stakeholders in assessing and responding to the CAC incident reflects this interconnectedness and reinforces the idea that resilience must be collective rather than isolated. As digital infrastructure continues to expand across sectors and levels of government, this collaborative approach becomes even more critical. Nigerias experience in this moment mirrors a broader global transition. As emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence reshape both opportunities and risks, countries are being compelled to rethink how they secure their digital environments. The shift toward resilience-based models, which emphasise adaptability and continuity, reflects an understanding that threats will continue to evolve and that preparedness must evolve with them. In this sense, the CAC breach is not an outlier but part of a wider pattern that underscores the need for continuous improvement. What emerges from the juxtaposition of these events is a clearer picture of where Nigeria stands. The articulation of a comprehensive cybersecurity vision provides a strategic direction, while real-world incidents such as the CAC breach provide practical tests of that direction. Together, they form a feedback loop in which policy informs practice and practice, in turn, refines policy. This dynamic is essential for building systems that are not only secure in theory but resilient in operation. In the end, the significance of this moment lies not in the contrast between ambition and incident, but in their alignment. The conversation about cybersecurity in Nigeria is no longer confined to technical circles or policy documents. It is unfolding in real time, shaped by both strategic thinking and lived experience. Timing, in this context, becomes less about coincidence and more about opportunity, a chance to translate vision into action and to strengthen the foundations of a digital future that is both secure and resilient. Shuaib S. Agaka is a tech journalist and policy analyst based in Kano. Email: [email protected] Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, has commended the Governor of Borno State, Babagana Umara Zulum, for his exemplary leadership and unwavering commitment to delivering impactful projects for the people of the state. Governor Abiodun noted that the commissioning of key facilities in Borno State, including the Presidential Lodge, Government House Clinic, New Governors Office Complex, Protocol Office, and the Government House Jumaat Mosque, reflects a clear and purposeful vision aimed at strengthening governance infrastructure and enhancing service delivery. He described the projects as strategic investments that would not only improve administrative efficiency but also contribute meaningfully to the welfare of citizens. The Ogun State governor also acknowledged the presence of the Vice President, Kashim Shettima, at the commissioning ceremony, noting that it underscores the importance of the milestones and the collective commitment to national development. 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 Abiodun further extended warm felicitations to Governor Zulum and his family as he prepares to give out his children in matrimony this weekend. He prayed that the occasion would be filled with joy and that the unions would be blessed with peace, love, and enduring happiness. He reiterated the need for continued collaboration among leaders across the country in advancing development and improving the lives of Nigerians. If there was ever a time to speak the truth and balance the narratives on the banditry and kidnapping ravaging Adara and Kuturmi communities, the aftermath of the Ariko community security breach, which claimed six lives and recorded 37 abductions, has created the perfect opportunity. Section 14(2)(b) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended), provides that the security and welfare of the people shall be the primary purpose of government. However, the government cannot fulfill this responsibility alone or in isolation. Lasting security can only be achieved through a concerted effort between the government and the governed. Across several Adara and Kuturmi communities in Kajuru and Kachia LGAs, insecurity has persisted as a major social crisis since 2015. Many communities have come under repeated attacks, often resulting in deaths, abductions, and displacement of residents. During the administration of Nasir El-Rufai, these attacks at times assumed genocidal dimensions, with assailants targeting entire communities for mass killings, maiming, and destruction. The abduction and subsequent murder of the late Agom Adara, Dr Maiwada Galadima (despite payment of ransom), and the mass killings and displacements in Kasuwan Magani, Gonan Rogo, and the Kachia general area, among other examples, are a testament to this reality. Today, however, the pattern has largely shifted to kidnapping for ransom, with relatively fewer fatalities, usually involving victims who attempt to resist. There are, admittedly, signs of progress. Some previously displaced communities are gradually returning home, while others, where schools were shut and farming and business activities disrupted, are beginning to experience relief. To present a clearer picture: as of May 29, 2023, over 130 Adara communities had been displaced. That number had reduced to about 74 by the end of the first quarter of 2026, with an additional 16 communities mostly along the KurutuMadaki Kurutu axis recently recovered from bandits following coordinated raids by the gallant men and women of the Nigerian security forces. These gains, no doubt, reflect the impact of the Uba Sani peace model in Kaduna State. Yet, a major setback remains: the failure of many Adara and Kuturmi communities to galvanize their internal front. Whether in Maro, Kurmin Wali (Kajuru LGA), or in many parts of Kachia, troubling patterns have emerged. In some cases, communities have become collaborators with bandits rather than partners with government. Both young and old have reportedly acted as informants, aiders, abettors, and even harbourers of criminal elements. 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 There is credible evidence that some locals have progressed from informants to commanders of bandit groups, working alongside criminal elements to terrorize and kidnap their own people for ransom. The case of Jethro Bala (now known as Kachalla Buba) is one sad tale that will continue to dominate discussions about banditry and the role of locals. In addition, over 20 Adara communities, including Mai Ido, Paci, Isemen, Aburon, Yelwa, Gabachuwa, Impi Kadara, Kabode, Chibia, and Sakwai, have reportedly signed peace pacts with bandits. The terms of these pacts involve providing refuge, support, and information on targets, as well as on the activities of security agencies, including in neighbouring villages that have refused to enter similar agreements. Sadly, while this reality is widely known among Adara and Kuturmi people, including segments of the educated elite, many have chosen silence. Others who speak out often do so in ways that are politically sensational rather than genuinely patriotic. The menace of internal collaborators those who enable bloodshed and perpetuate cycles of abduction cannot be addressed through social media activism alone, nor through misplaced attacks on current administrations at the local, state, and federal levels, as has been the case in Kachia/Kajuru. Communities such as Kauru, Kaura, Zangon Kataf, and even Birnin Gwari have made measurable progress by prioritising collective internal action against these enemies within, rather than engaging in unproductive blame of government. This approach has helped reduce banditry and weaken criminal networks. There is, therefore, an urgent need to reassess our collective strategy for ending this crisis. Adara and Kuturmi communities must be willing to unite and take difficult but necessary steps, including identifying and handing over individuals within their ranks who have turned criminality into an enterprise. Both President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Governor Uba Sani have demonstrated the political will to support community-driven security initiatives. This presents a critical opportunity. Our people must seize it and make the most of it. An urgent security summit should be convened to develop practical frameworks for broad-based community action against informants and bandits, while strengthening collaboration with government. Every individual, regardless of political affiliation, must commit to supporting and advancing this initiative. After more than a decade, media posturing and performative outrage have failed to deliver meaningful results, serving mainly to elevate the profiles of a few self-proclaimed advocates such as Alheri Magaji, Reuben Buhari, and their sympathizers. It is time to change course and embrace the promise of collective action and effective collaboration with government an approach embodied in the Uba Sani peace model as the surest path to lasting peace and security. Indeed, secure and bandit-free Kachia and Kajuru LGAs will entrench peace and stimulate economic development across Southern Kaduna and Kaduna State at large. *The author, Prince Kevin Bulus Bahago Kufana is a historian and community youth leader who writes from Kufana, Kajuru LGA of Kaduna State. McDonald's knows its customers want value, and it also knows they want burgers. Delivering both of those has become a challenge, given the rising cost of beef. That's partially because the American cattle herd is at its smallest size in 75 years, the Associated Press (AP) reported. "The national herd size isnt the only factor that determines what beef costs at the grocery store. Still, the dwindling number of cattle is a key reason the average price of all uncooked ground beef in the U.S. was $6.86 per pound in March, 3 cents off the record high set in February, according to federal statistics. That price in March is up nearly 48% from March 2021," added the AP. Higher beef prices mean lower margins on hamburgers for chains like McDonald's, unless they raise prices. The fast-food giant, however, has responded to the crisis by improving the non-beef aspects of its burgers and betting people will pay more for premium products. McDonald's tries to build a better burger McDonalds Best Burger initiative applies across core items, including the Big Mac, McDouble, and other standard burgers, standardizing changes in preparation and ingredients as part of a broader effort to improve consistency and perceived quality. The changes include (in McDonald's words): Softer, pillowy buns that are freshly toasted to a golden brown Perfectly melted cheese that will make you want to savor every last bit off the wrapper Juicier, caramelized flavor from adding white onions to the patties while theyre still on the grill Even more of everyones favorite Big Mac sauce, bringing more tangy sweetness in every Big Mac bite Source: McDonald's McDonald's Global Restaurant Experience Officer Jill McDonald shared the impact of Best Burger during the chain's fourth-quarter earnings call. "Starting with beef. "We've continued rolling out Best Burger, which is now in more than 85 markets and on track to deliver on our commitment to be in nearly all markets by the end of 2026. Best Burger is the key to hotter, juicier and even tastier burgers, which improve customer satisfaction scores and streamline operations for restaurant crew," she said. Related: 80-year-old Home Depot rival closes iconic store, no bankruptcy McDonald's has also added a premium burger In addition to Best Burger, introducing new value menu offerings, and adding the $2.99 Snack Wrap, McDonald's has debuted a larger burger. The premise is that a more filling product will feel like a value to customers, even at a higher price than the Big Mac. Former McDonald's International President Jo Sempels explained the need during a 2023 investor day, Nation's Restaurant News reported. A former presidential aide, Ughogho Garrick, of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has formally declared to contest the Egor/Ikpoba-Okha Federal Constituency seat in the 2027 general elections. Mr Garrick anchored his campaign on decentralised power, youth empowerment, and aggressive attraction of federal projects. Declaring on Tuesday in Ward II, Egor Local Government Area of Edo State, the APC chieftain told party members and supporters that his background in public administration and policy gave him an edge to deliver effective representation. I deliberately chose public administration and went on to earn a PhD because I knew I must have the capacity as a legislator to understand policy. 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 have the experience of how to attract projects into a constituency and how to work with ministries and the National Assembly, he said. As a former special assistant in the presidency, between 2003 and 2007, Mr Garrick said he understood the mechanisms required to influence federal interventions in areas such as roads, agriculture, and power. The new power reforms have decentralised electricity; individuals and groups can now generate and distribute power. We will work with solar companies and support mini-grid systems so that our youths can power businesses and create jobs, he said. He added that under his watch, youth cooperatives would be established across wards to mobilise funding, build skills, and facilitate exposure to international markets. We will organise our youths into cooperatives, support them with funding, and even take them abroad to learn and bring back knowledge that will grow our local economy, he said. Mr Garrick also pledged to prioritise infrastructure, particularly road connectivity, describing Edo as a strategic gateway state. He promised to ensure that the federal government fixed critical roads linking Edo to Abuja and Lagos. He further said he would complement the ongoing efforts of the Edo State Government by attracting federal investments to deepen development gains. I will be a representative who goes to Abuja to work, not to sleep. My focus will be to complement what the governor is doing by bringing federal projects that will benefit our people, he said. Send me to Abuja to work for you Mr Garrick emphasised that his aspiration was rooted in a history of grassroots impact, citing his private sector initiative, Eminence Water, which he said supported small-scale entrepreneurs through informal credit schemes. Many traders and youths started their businesses through the support we gave. This is the same model we will scale up to empower more people, he said. The aspirant urged party members to support his bid, describing it as a collective mission to rebuild the constituency. Send me to Abuja to work for you, for our youths, and for future generations. Together, we can rebuild Egor/Ikpoba-Okha, he said. Earlier, the APC ward leader, Moses Idahosa, described Mr Garrick as a well-rounded aspirant with a strong pedigree in business, academia, and community service. We are presenting an exceptional individual who has the capacity and the background to serve the people effectively, Mr Idahosa said. (NAN) The federal government has announced plans to enforce strict performance benchmarks for regional development commissions to curb duplication, boost accountability and ensure measurable impact across Nigerias development programmes. Abubakar Momoh, minister of regional development, made this known on Thursday in Benin while delivering a keynote address at the three-day management retreat for regional development commissions. The retreat was organised by the Ministry of Regional Development in collaboration with regional development commissions. Mr Momoh asserted that the era of fragmented interventions, abandoned projects and inter-agency rivalry must end. 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 One of the recurring challenges we face is duplication of efforts, uncompleted projects, and inter-agency rivalry. This has to stop, he declared. The minister disclosed that, as a key outcome of the retreat, the commissions leadership would enter into performance bonds with the ministry, defining clear benchmarks and indicators for evaluating progress. He stressed that new projects would only commence after existing ones were substantially completed and assessed for impact. According to him, the government will enforce transparency, accountability and strict adherence to due process. This retreat is not just another meeting; it is a significant milestone in reaffirming our shared responsibility to transform our regions into zones of prosperity, peace and opportunity, he said. The minister explained that the establishment of additional commissions covering all six geopolitical zones was part of a broader strategy under President Bola Tinubus Renewed Hope Agenda to drive inclusive, spatially targeted development. He outlined priority areas, including infrastructure, agriculture, healthcare, digital connectivity, security, and youth empowerment, and urged the commissions to harness each regions comparative advantages. Call to action Earlier in his address, the Minister of State for Regional Development, Uba Ahmadu, described the retreat as a call to action, emphasising that unlocking regional potential requires fresh thinking, stronger collaboration and decisive implementation. This theme is not merely a slogan. It is a call to action. We must think afresh, collaborate more intentionally, and act with greater urgency, he said. Mr Ahmadu added that the retreat was designed to deepen synergy among the ministry, the commissions, the National Assembly and development partners. He said that it also provided a platform for honest reflection through sessions where agencies would tell their stories as they are. He highlighted the presentation of the Draft National Regional Development Policy as a major milestone toward establishing a coherent framework for balanced growth across the country. Also speaking, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Regional Development, Jide Ipinsagba, said the retreat must go beyond routine deliberations to produce practical, scalable solutions. No nation can achieve true prosperity if growth is uneven or opportunities are limited to a few centres, he said. He pledged legislative backing and oversight to ensure effective implementation of policies. The Deputy Governor of Edo State, Dennis Idahosa, represented Governor Monday Okpebholo at the event. He said the retreat was timely, given Nigerias uneven development trajectory, noting that no region must be left behind. He added that sub-national progress depends on strong federal support, while reaffirming the states commitment to policies that promote industrialisation, security and economic growth. The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the retreat brought together chairpersons and chief executives of the development commissions in the Niger Delta, North East, South East, North West, South South, South-West and North Central, alongside development partners such as UNICEF and UNDP. NEW ORLEANS, April 17, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- ClaimsFiler, a FREE shareholder information service, reminds investors that they have until May 1, 2026 to file lead plaintiff applications in a securities class action lawsuit against Apollo Global Management, Inc. (NYSE: APO) ("Apollo" or the "Company"), if they purchased or otherwise acquired the Company's securities between May 10, 2021 and February 21, 2026, inclusive (the "Class Period"). This action is pending in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York. Get Help Apollo investors should visit us at https://claimsfiler.com/cases/nyse-apo/ or call toll-free (844) 367-9658. Lawyers at Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC are available to discuss your legal options. About the Lawsuit Apollo and certain of its executives are charged with failing to disclose material information during the Class Period, violating federal securities laws. The alleged false and misleading statements and omissions include, but are not limited to, that: (i) the Company's leadership figures, including defendants Marc Rowan and Leon Black, frequently communicated with Jeffrey Epstein in the 2010s regarding the Company's business; (ii) as a result, the Company's assertion that Apollo Global had never done business with Jeffrey Epstein was untrue; (iii) because of the entanglement between Apollo Global's leaders and Jeffrey Epstein, the harm to the Company's reputation was more than a mere possibility; and (iv) as a result, the Company's statements about its business, operations, and prospects, were materially false and misleading and/or lacked a reasonable basis at all times. The case is Feldman v. Apollo Global Management, Inc., et al., Case No. 26-cv-01692. About ClaimsFiler ClaimsFiler has a single mission: to serve as the information source to help retail investors recover their share of billions of dollars from securities class action settlements. At ClaimsFiler.com, investors can: (1) register for free to gain access to information and settlement websites for various securities class action cases so they can timely submit their own claims; (2) upload their portfolio transactional data to be notified about relevant securities cases in which they may have a financial interest; and (3) submit inquiries to the Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC law firm for free case evaluations. To learn more about ClaimsFiler, visit www.claimsfiler.com. SOURCE ClaimsFiler Reading 2 Chronicles 7:1122, the president joins nearly 500 leaders in a weeklong Bible event honoring America's 250th, livestreamed on Great American Pure Flix. WASHINGTON, April 17, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- President Donald J. Trump has issued a Presidential Message recognizing America Reads the Bible, a historic initiative in which almost 500 Americans will partake in the public reading of scripture, commemorating 250 years of the Bible in America. "In every generation, through every trial and triumph, God's Word has guided our people and our country to new heights," states the Presidential Message released by the White House on the eve of America Reads the Bible. Watch President Trump Tuesday via live stream Great American Pure Flix as part of America Reads the Bible. Post this On April 21, President Trump is scheduled to read Scripture via video message from the Oval Office during the 6 p.m. EST hour for America Reads the Bible initiative. The Presidential Message, highlighting the Bible's extraordinary impact on American history, including references to Christopher Columbus, John Winthrop, the Declaration of Independence, the 1787 Northwest Ordinance, and President John Adams, will help catalyze the gathering of nearly 500 leaders and 122 ministries in Washington, D.C., for America Reads the Bible. The event's Opening Celebration will take place Saturday, April 18 at 7 p.m. EST. Then, from April 1925, the continuous public reading of the Bible, from Genesis to Revelation, will be held at the Museum of the Bible on the World Stage Theater from 9 am to 9 pm EST for seven full days. On April 21, President Trump is scheduled to read Scripture via video message from the Oval Office during the 6 p.m. EST hour, followed by Dr. Ben and Candy Carson. The President will read from 2 Chronicles 7:1122, including the well-known passage: "If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land." (KJVER) Bunni Pounds, founder and president of Christians Engaged and visionary behind America Reads the Bible who patterned the event after Ezra's public reading of Scripture, praised the President's participation and message recognizing the Bible's enduring role in U.S. history. "We are thankful that President Trump has agreed to read one of the most important Scripture passages for the American church, offering God's promise that if we pray and repent as His people that He will forgive our sins and heal our land," said Pounds. "What hope this moment gives us for national healing and renewal." President Trump will be joined in reading the Bible by many of the cabinet secretaries and other members of the administration, including Marco Rubio, US Secretary of State; Scott Turner, US Secretary of Housing and Urban Development; Brooke Rollins, US Secretary of Agriculture; Doug Burgum, US Secretary of the Interior; Doug Collins, US Secretary of Veterans Affairs; Pete Hegseth, US Secretary of Defense; Susie Wiles, White House Chief of Staff; Kevin Hassett, Director of the National Economic Council; Vincent Haley, Director of the White House Domestic Policy Council; Paula White-Cain, Senior Advisor of the White House Faith Office; and Jenny Korn, Deputy Assistant to the President and Faith Director of the White House Faith Office. Organized around the theme "One Week. One Nation. One Book.," America Reads the Bible is designed as a public moment of reflection during a historic milestone year. The week begins with an Opening Celebration on Saturday, April 18, at 7 p.m. at National Community Church/Capital Turnaround, followed by daily readings from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. ET at the Museum of the Bible. Great American Pure Flix will be live streaming the week-long readings and encourages families, churches, schools, and communities across the country to come together to participate. For more information, visit AmericaReadsTheBible.com or Pureflix.com. Media Contacts: Gregg Wooding [email protected], 972-567-7660 Aubrey Grasz [email protected] Debbie Davis [email protected] SOURCE Great American Pure Flix YIWU, China, April 18, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Yiwugo.com, the official website of the Yiwu Commodity Market, is the largest commodity wholesale market in the world. In the bright and warm days of April, with spring in full bloom, the grand ballroom on the third floor of the Yiwu Marriott Hotel was a vibrant gathering. Outstanding female entrepreneurs from various sections of the Yiwu Market gathered in their elegant attire to share the glorious moment of the 2026 Yiwugo Top Boss Ladies Awards Gala. The selection campaign, launched on March 8, attracted thousands of female entrepreneurs from the Yiwu Market. Voting was conducted across the Yiwugo app, official WeChat accounts, and the website. The evaluation criteria continued to cover multiple dimensions, including Business Excellence and Image Excellence, aiming to fully showcase the achievements of Yiwugo's female entrepreneurs and their enterprises in areas such as digital transformation, overseas market expansion, and global supply chain integration. 2026 Yiwugo Top Boss Ladies with General Manager Wang Jianjun Ultimately, the title of 2026 Yiwugo Top Boss Ladies was awarded to: Fu Jiangyan (Zhangweichao Socks Firm), Xu Xiaohui (Little Bee Towels), Peng Jirong (Dongyang Jirong Plastic Industrial Co., Ltd), Li Chuanzhi (Chengfa Tableware Firm), Wang Xiaohong (Yiwu Aishang Daily Necessities Factory), Bao Qiaoli (Bole Plush Pendant Toy), Li Hong (Yiwu Hanbang Daily Necessities Firm), Wu Yajun (Ziyi Stationery Firm), Wang Chunxing (Butterfly Fly Lace Firm), and Zheng Huili (Yiwu Lihong household products Co., Ltd). In addition, twenty other entrepreneurs, including He Wenjuan (Zhihua Jewelry Box), Jin Chengfeng (Lanmo Textile Co., Ltd), Cui Yanping (Xin Tai Yang Shower Curtain And Towel Factory), and Zhang Huoqing (Happy Sisters Plush Toy), received the Top Boss Ladies Nomination award. "Women hold up half the sky" nowhere is this more evident than in the Yiwu Market. To showcase the entrepreneurial spirit and "she-power" of female business owners in the market, Yiwugo launched the Top Boss Ladies Awards in 2016. To date, this campaign has been held for 11 consecutive years, becoming one of the benchmark activities in the Yiwu Market. Over the years, driven by this campaign, participating female entrepreneurs have become increasingly active, with nearly 700 Top Boss Ladies recognized. They have not only steadfastly managed their shops but have also leveraged their unique empathy and customer insight as female entrepreneurs to drive comprehensive brand upgrades, from product innovation to communication methods, breathing new life into traditional brands in the new era. Amid the surging digital wave, artificial intelligence is reshaping industries at unprecedented speed and scale. This year's Top Boss Ladies winners and nominees have bravely stepped into the spotlight, keeping pace with the times, actively embracing evolving business models and technological change. By replacing experience with data, using digital platforms to break geographical boundaries, and leveraging digital intelligence to break through development bottlenecks, they are driving a transition from OEM exports to global branding. Fu Jiangyan of Zhangweichao Socks Firm is a typical example. Having shifted from initially waiting for customers to now skillfully using AI tools and mastering live streaming and short videos, she has used the platform as a lever to swiftly move her traditional foreign trade enterprise into a new stage of digital-intelligent trade, applying new technologies and business models to enhance enterprise development. This year marks the 20th anniversary of the introduction of the Yiwu Development Experience. Over the past two decades, the Yiwu Market has completed its iterative upgrade from market stalls to a global digital trade center. Generations of business owners have transformed from street stall vendors into modern commercial entities, achieving a deep integration of personal growth with the market's development. Yiwugo, always in sync with the rhythm of the Yiwu Market, will continue to focus on its female entrepreneurs, constantly uncovering their vivid and dynamic stories of striving, thoughtfully documenting the journeys of these resilient women who shine in their own quiet ways, and witnessing, supporting, and accompanying their growth and success. As a local e-commerce platform rooted in and serving the market, Yiwugo will continue to gain deeper insights into user needs, strengthen its technological capabilities, explore cutting-edge applications, and accelerate product iteration. Amid a volatile external environment, it will connect market entrepreneurs with more global resources, helping them expand into broader international markets. SOURCE Yiwugo.com Poolbeg Pharma PLC (AIM:POLB, OTC:POLBF, FRA:POLBF) CEO, Jeremy Skillington, talked with Proactive about recent progress alongside Principal Scientist Liam Tremble, highlighting key regulatory and commercial developments for POLB 001. Tremble explained that the company has secured full regulatory approval from the MHRA, alongside HRA and ARSAC clearances, marking a major milestone that allows the POLB 001 clinical trial to proceed in the UK. He noted that this is the last regulatory hurdle before we progress to opening up the sites and getting patients screened and into the study, positioning the company to begin recruitment shortly. With six clinical sites now confirmed, including NHS Lothian and Royal Stoke University Hospital, the study is expected to generate interim data later this summer. The trial is focused on cytokine release syndrome (CRS), an acute condition associated with certain immunotherapies. Tremble highlighted that the risk window occurs early in treatment, meaning data can be gathered quickly. Skillington also outlined insights from independent US payer research, conducted to support discussions with potential partners. The findings confirmed a strong value proposition for POLB 001, with insurers recognising the significant cost burden associated with CRS. He stated that the findings highlight pricing levels [and] demonstrate that 001 is a multi-billion dollar peak sale potential in the US, underlining the scale of the opportunity. The company sees POLB 001 as a potential preventative solution in a market with a clear unmet need, strengthening its position ahead of anticipated clinical data and future partnership discussions. Proactive: Jeremy, Liam, very good to speak with you. Ill start with you Liam, you've announced some significant updates for the POLB 001 topical trial. Please can you explain to investors why clinical trial authorization from the MHRA is such a significant milestone? Liam Tremble: I am really delighted today to be able to announce that we have these regulatory approvals in place. This basically means that the trial is able to proceed in the United Kingdom. For these approvals, we submitted all of our preclinical, clinical and manufacturing data. They review them to make sure that the drug is safe to give to humans and that the protocol is designed properly. Along with the MHRA approval, this normally comes with Health Research Authority approval and ARSAC approval, which is the radiation approval. All of those are now in place, meaning we now have all regulatory approvals to proceed with the study. This is the last regulatory hurdle before we progress to opening up the sites and getting patients screened and into the study. Proactive: You say you're on track to deliver interim data this summer. Can you tell us more about the next steps and how the expansion to additional sites will impact the trial? Liam Tremble: Were also delighted to announce that we do have two more sites that have come on board for the trial, bringing us up to six. The additional sites are NHS Lothian in Edinburgh and the Royal Stoke University Hospital. These are leading research centres. Its important that these sites have experience with bispecific antibodies and the management of cytokine release syndrome so that we collect high-quality data and ensure the drug is used appropriately. We have site initiation visits scheduled and, all going well, were hoping to have patients screened and recruited very soon. Cytokine release syndrome is an acute condition that occurs early in treatment. The risk period is within the first couple of weeks, so were monitoring patients closely during that time. This means data will accumulate quickly, keeping us on track to deliver data later this summer. Proactive: Jeremy, you also shared insights from independent US payer research. Can you share the rationale for conducting this research? Jeremy Skillington: We conducted the research to support the value proposition for potential partners as we continue discussions. This is a relatively new therapeutic area, so its important to get feedback from US payers. These were independently conducted interviews with commercial insurers, Medicare and Medicaid providers, covering over 75 million lives. We wanted to better understand the economic burden of cytokine release syndrome and the potential value of a preventative solution. It was important to confirm there is an unmet need and a significant market, which we were pleased to see. Proactive: What were the key findings from the research and what do they mean for POLB 001? Jeremy Skillington: The research confirmed a strong and clearly defined value proposition across these payers. Cytokine release syndrome occurs in many CAR-T and bispecific antibody treatments, and theres no way to predict who will develop it or how severe it will be. When CRS develops, treatment often has to be delayed or stopped, which impacts patient outcomes and increases hospital stays and costs. Prevention could reduce these issues significantly. The insurers recognised the cost burden and assessed what they would be willing to pay to prevent CRS. The findings highlight pricing levels and demonstrate that POLB 001 has multi-billion-dollar peak sales potential in the US. There is a significant market opportunity, and this is compelling for potential partners. Following this, we expect positive data from the clinical trial, and partnership discussions are likely to progress. This represents a strong commercial opportunity alongside the clinical data. Proactive: Well, congratulations on this latest milestone. I hope you'll keep us updated with your progress. hVIVO PLC (AIM:HVO) chief executive, Yamin Mo Khan, talked with Proactive about the companys full-year results, highlighting financial performance, strategic progress and outlook for 2026. Khan explained that despite a challenging macroeconomic environment, the company delivered results in line with expectations, reporting revenue of just under 47 million and a positive EBITDA of over 1 million. He noted this was ahead of earlier guidance, stating that weve been able to turn that around and achieve really a positive EBITDA, which was a success for the company for last year. The company also maintained a strong cash position of more than 40 million. A key theme was hVIVOs strategic diversification. The company completed acquisitions, including clinical trial units in Germany and UK-based CryoStore, expanding its capabilities and therapeutic areas. Khan said this creates a one-stop shop platform for clients across the full clinical development lifecycle. While the human challenge trial business faced headwinds, including cancellations linked to vaccine market volatility, the company is seeing renewed momentum. Proposal activity has increased significantly, with a 50% year-on-year rise in early 2026. Looking ahead, hVIVO expects continued growth driven by its broadened service offering, stronger sales pipeline and new client wins, including a contract with Traws Pharma. Khan added that the diversified platform gives us access to many more clients, supporting a wider addressable market and underpinning expectations for high single-digit revenue growth in 2026. Proactive: Mo very good to speak with you. hVIVO announced its full year 2025 results today. It looks like a year of significant progress for you despite a challenging backdrop. Can you provide a summary of the financials? Yamin Mo Khan: Absolutely. First of all, thank you for having me on your platform again. So our full year results really have no surprises, given theyre in line with the trading update we provided in late January. It had been a challenging year financially due to the macroeconomic situation and some volatility in policymaking, especially in the US regarding infectious diseases and vaccines. But having said that, we met or beat our reset guidance. We had revenue of just under 47 million, achieved a positive EBITDA of just over 1 million, and ended with over 40 million in cash. Proactive: And you mentioned your strategic repositioning and acquisitions. Can you tell us more about these? Khan: We remain the world leader in human challenge trials but aimed to diversify. We acquired two clinical trial units in Germany, expanding capabilities and therapeutic areas, and also acquired CryoStore in the UK, which is already profitable. Both have integrated well. We are reorganising under a single hVIVO brand with four service lines, creating a one stop shop platform for clients from preclinical through to phase two. Proactive: Can you summarise the performance of the human challenge trial business? Khan: It has been challenging due to macroeconomic factors and vaccine-related policy changes in the US. We experienced cancellations, but these generated fees that supported EBITDA. Encouragingly, proposals are up 50% year-on-year in Q1 2026. Proactive: Looking ahead, what can we expect for 2026? Khan: We are building a more diversified company, expanding lab capabilities and therapeutic areas, and growing the sales pipeline. This gives us access to more clients and supports expectations for high single-digit revenue growth. Proactive: Could you also give details on the Traws contract? Khan: Traws Pharma is a US biotech developing an antiviral. The influenza human challenge trial will begin this year, with most revenue recognised in 2026. Ilika PLC (AIM:IKA, OTCQX:ILIKF, FRA:I8A) CEO, Graeme Purdy, talked with Proactive about the companys collaboration with Brompton Bicycle and how its Goliath batteries are being applied in the growing e-bike market. Purdy explained that the partnership represents an important step in demonstrating real-world demand for Ilikas Goliath technology, which is primarily being developed for electric vehicle applications. However, the company is now leveraging its 10Ah prototypes to explore additional use cases, including e-bikes. He described the collaboration as a really exciting one, noting that the batterys characteristics align closely with Bromptons design and mobility goals. A key advantage of Goliath batteries lies in their improved energy density and safety profile. Purdy highlighted that reducing battery weight is critical for e-bike users, as it enhances range and makes bikes easier to carry and integrate into multi-modal transport systems. He also pointed out that having an intrinsically safe battery helps reduce risks when transporting e-bikes on trains or buses. Looking ahead, Ilika will focus on integrating its battery technology into Bromptons designs, with milestones tied to technical progress and prototype development. Demonstrations of working e-bikes are expected as the programme advances toward trials in 2027. Purdy also emphasised the broader opportunity in the rapidly expanding global e-bike market, including strong demand and strict safety regulations in key regions such as China. For more videos like this, visit Proactives YouTube channel, like this video, subscribe to the channel, and enable notifications so you never miss an update. Proactive Graeme very good to speak with you. Brompton Bicycle is a real iconic brand. What does the partnership signal about real-world demand for Goliath? And how important is this as a commercial validation point for Ilika? Graeme Purdy: Well, I think Goliath has some very unique properties and benefits that it can offer to different application areas. Ultimately, Goliath is an EV development program, as we've talked about before. But we're at an interesting point where we're able to intersect some of the application areas with the 10Ah prototypes that we've been distributing to potential partners over the last few months. Frankly, I think that the Brompton collaboration is a really exciting one, where some of the properties of the Goliath batteries really fit into Bromptons mission. Proactive: You highlight safety and energy density advantages. How meaningful are these in practice for e-bike manufacturers and do they give Ilika a clear edge over conventional lithium-ion solutions? Graeme Purdy: Anybody who rides a bike knows that weight is absolutely paramount in terms of the riding experience. So if you can reduce the weight of the battery pack, then of course you get a longer range, and it is more straightforward to carry the bicycle, perhaps transferring it onto transport options that you might be using as part of your overall journey. Maybe particularly with the Brompton, you want to put it on the train or on a bus. And if you've got an intrinsically safe battery, then the whole risk profile of putting the e-bike onto transport is managed and reduced. Proactive: Graeme, this is a 12-month development program with trials in 2027. What are the key milestones investors should watch? And how do you see this translating into commercial revenues? Graeme Purdy: The key thing is actually we need to take our standard 10Ah designs and build an e-bike optimised pack to house those cells, and then integrate it into the design of the Brompton. You can expect milestones associated with that technical integration and progress. Then of course, the availability of prototype bikes and demonstrations of the capability of those e-bikes once they are being tested. Proactive: And beyond Brompton, how scalable is this opportunity in the global e-bike market? Could it act as a springboard into other mobility or adjacent battery applications? Graeme Purdy: Absolutely. The e-bike market is growing very strongly at the moment. It is broadening the appeal of bike travel, where people who may have felt they had passed the point of being challenged by a bike ride are now re-entering the market, particularly as you go into seniority. It is also great for commuting. It is a broad and very international industry. Interestingly, some of the most stringent battery safety regulations for e-bike batteries are in China, which is a big export market for Brompton. It is great to support a UK manufacturer in selling into one of the worlds biggest markets for bikes. Proactive: Graeme, congratulations on this latest collaboration. I hope you'll keep us updated on your progress with it. Frontier IP Group PLC (LSE:FIPP, FRA:8WT) this week highlighted a major funding milestone within its portfolio, as 2D Photonics secured 200 million in Italian state aid to accelerate the scale-up of its graphene-based photonics technology. Chief executive Neil Crabb said the funding, approved under European Union state aid rules, would enable the construction of a pilot manufacturing facility capable of producing 200mm wafers, marking a significant step toward commercial-scale deployment. He explained that the semiconductor industry is increasingly shifting from electronic to photonic data transmission, driven by the need for higher bandwidth and improved energy efficiency. Crabb noted that traditional silicon-based technologies are approaching their physical limits, while graphene offers a viable alternative due to its ability to support wider bandwidth, lower energy consumption and reduced cooling requirements. Here, we take a closer look at what Neil said when he joined the Proactive studio. Proactive: Neil, good to speak with you today. Your portfolio company 2D Photonics has been awarded a 200 million grant in Italian state aid. That's to accelerate development and scale up its advanced graphene photonics. Can you start by telling us more about 2DPs technology? Neil Crabb: Yes, certainly. Theres been a move in infrastructure to use photonics rather than electronics to move data around, because you can get more data through a fibre optic system. At a chip level, silicon is reaching its physical limits. Graphene is interesting because it can handle wider bandwidth, uses less energy and is less temperature sensitive, so it needs less cooling. That allows continued performance improvements, especially with growing demand from data centres and large language models. Proactive: So tell us more about the grants, please. Neil Crabb: When introducing a new material, you need to prove it works at scale. This funding from the Italian government, approved by the EU, will enable a pilot plant to demonstrate large-scale manufacturing at 200mm wafers. Its a step toward full industrial deployment and adoption by major semiconductor companies. Proactive: Neil, what does this mean for Frontier IP? Neil Crabb: Frontier IP owns 9.1% of 2D Photonics, alongside strong institutional backers like Sony, Bosch and CDP. The grant supports large-scale rollout. On a proportional basis, it equates to about 22p per Frontier share, showing the scale of support. Proactive: What else is happening across your portfolio? Neil Crabb: Alusid is progressing toward a public listing with European rollout. Pulsiv is benefiting from EU regulation driving adoption of its efficient power electronics. GraphEnergyTech is gaining traction, particularly as rising silver prices strengthen its graphene-based alternative for solar panels. The Vaccine Group has reported strong early results, while Cambridge Raman Imaging is expanding applications in environmental and pharmaceutical markets. Despite challenging economic conditions, the portfolio focuses on cost-reducing technologies. There is also a growing emphasis on technology sovereignty in Europe, supporting domestically developed innovation. Frontier IP Group PLC (LSE:FIPP, FRA:8WT) this week highlighted a major funding milestone within its portfolio, as 2D Photonics secured 200 million in Italian state aid to accelerate the scale-up of its graphene-based photonics technology. Chief executive Neil Crabb said the funding, approved under European Union state aid rules, would enable the construction of a pilot manufacturing facility capable of producing 200mm wafers, marking a significant step toward commercial-scale deployment. He explained that the semiconductor industry is increasingly shifting from electronic to photonic data transmission, driven by the need for higher bandwidth and improved energy efficiency. Crabb noted that traditional silicon-based technologies are approaching their physical limits, while graphene offers a viable alternative due to its ability to support wider bandwidth, lower energy consumption and reduced cooling requirements. Here, we take a closer look at what Neil said when he joined the Proactive studio. A split in circuit court decisions in recent years on that question ultimately led to the Supreme Court granting certiorari on the issue of whether the safety exception can be used by a plaintiff to sue a brokerage. In the case of Montgomery, a truck driver who was seriously injured after being struck by a Caribe Transport II truck while on the side of the road sued the broker who booked the carrier, C.H. Robinson (NASDAQ: CHRW). F4A also has a clause known as the safety exception that does allow a state to pursue action, such as a tort in a state court, where the issue is the safety performance of the transportation company. The exception says it is with respect to motor vehicles. The issue is whether that clause brings in brokerages. At issue in Montgomery is the Federal Aviation Administration Authorization Act of 1994 (F4A), which prohibits state action that might impact a price, route or service of a transportation provider. (It is not directed just at trucking). If the court narrows federal protections, your risk goes up, my risk goes up, insurance gets more expensive and every carrier lawsuit, every carrier decision becomes a potential lawsuit in a jurisdiction that wasnt playing by the same rules, Gravely said. Lynn Gravely, the CEO of NT Logistics who is taking over as TIA chair, told the opening session of the conference that Montgomery vs. Caribe is a tomorrow problem. (The irony is that his remarks on Thursday came one day before the Supreme Court is expected to release opinions on some cases, but it is likely too soon for a decision to be rendered in Montgomery.) But more pressing is the case of Montgomery vs. Caribe, the litigation that was presented in oral arguments to the U.S. Supreme Court in early March and is expected to settle, once and for all (as much as any legal precedent can be viewed as truly final), whether the so-called safety exception of a federal law means brokers can be held liable for the actions of a carrier that they booked to move a load. The longer-term impact will come from AI. But that is solidly embedded in brokerage already, as evidenced by the large number of sponsors, exhibitors and speakers at the meeting, all of them offering AI-related services to the 3PL community and trying to differentiate themselves from a growing pack. Scottsdale, AZThe Transportation Intermediaries Association annual Capital Ideas Conference here has two issues looming in the background that have the potential to upend the freight brokerage industry, one of which will arrive over months and years and another which could land at any time. Story Continues The Seventh Circuit tossed C.H. Robinson out of the case, concluding that the safety exception does not apply to brokerages. Therefore, according to the 7th Circuit decision, they fall under the ban on state action regarding a price, route or service. Despite being out of the case, it was C.H. Robinson that argued the brokerage communitys case before the high court. (Caribe II is a carrier with an undetermined number of power units but believed to be less than five). Gravely told the TIA audience that brokers should prepare for both outcomes, because the brokers who wait for the ruling to start adjusting will already be behind. These are tomorrows problems. TIA chair Lynn Gravey at the opening session of the groups Capital Ideas Conference. There is an old adage in the brokerage industry, Gravely said: You bet your company on every single load. The TIA filed an amicus brief in the Montgomery case. Marc Blubaugh and his team in the transportation practice at the Benesch law firm is the outside counsel for TIA that wrote the brief submitted by the organization. In a fireside chat between Blubaugh and Justin Olsen, chief risk officer with LOGISTIQ, Olsen noted that Justice Brett Kavanaugh had specifically cited some of the arguments in the TIA brief during the oral arguments and seemed to be the one that was most in tune with the practical effects of whatever decision comes down. Olsen added that TIA would not speculate when the decision might be released (though Blubaugh told FreightWaves after the session that the chances of it landing Friday, which would be like a bomb landing in the middle of the TIA meeting, was highly unlikely.) What happens after the decision comes down A decision in the brokers favorwhich would conclude that brokers are not with respect to motor vehicles and are protected from legal action under the price, route or service clause will benefit everyone here in this room, Blubaugh said. It will essentially take off the table one of the thorniest claims that brokers have to contend with, which is the allegation that you were negligent in choosing a given carrier, Blubaugh said. That claim will vanish. It doesnt shut the door on all litigation, Blubaugh said. But it can give you all peace of mind again to know that when it comes to carrier selection, the core service that all of you are providing, that the Supreme Court agrees that you have the discretion to do as you see fit at that point in time, that there will not be a claim that you were negligent in choosing a federally licensed motor carrier to haul your customers goods or cargo. What happens if the brokerage community loses? What if the Supreme Court concludes that the safety exception with respect to motor vehicles actually means brokers can be successfully sued for their carrier selection practices? You can imagine that the plaintiffs personal injury bar will be emboldened in the event that there is an unfavorable decision, Blubaugh said. Claims against brokerages will continue to metastasize, increase in number and the risk will be significant for the brokerage community. In the event of an industry loss, Blubaugh said, Insurance underwriters are going to have to kind of reevaluate the nature of the risk that theyre underwriting, knowing that there will no longer be enough for a defense when it comes to preemption. The term preemption in this context defines the protection F4A has provided to brokerages in some cases even as other courts have ruled F4A does not preempt negligence or liability findings against a broker. Whatever way the court rules, Blubaugh said, he expects the losing side will pressure Congress to change F4A to better define the safety exception in their favor. Today and next year issues Gravely, in his remarks, defined the Montgomery case as the tomorrow issue for the brokerage community. The today issue is freight fraud. And the next year issue is AI. Cargo theft and fraud are hitting our bottom lines directly, through claims, through write offs, through the operational chaos of freight that disappears mid transit, and through the damage it does to our reputation with our shippers each and every day, those shippers that trust us, Gravely said of the today problem. This isnt abstract industry risk. Gravelys recommendation to the audience on AI was to run toward it. Adopt it, use it, let it handle the transaction. What would then be left for the people at the brokerage, he said, would be judgement, relationships, that phone call at 11 oclock at night when a load is stranded and your customers need someone who actually cares about their business. More articles by John Kingston Will the end of DEF sensors mean a reduction in its consumption? California regulators have started a regulatory push on diesel TRU emissions ATBS: average truck driver earnings in 2025 held mostly stable from 24 The post At TIA meeting, freight brokers brace for Supreme Court decision appeared first on FreightWaves. Nextech3D.AI (CSE:NTAR, OTCQX:NEXCF, FRA:1SS) earlier this week reported that it has achieved a major financial milestone, confirming it has reached cash flow positive status for the first time in the companys history. In an interview with Proactive, CEO Evan Gappelberg said the milestone marks a turning point for the company, which as recently as 2024 had been positioned as a turnaround story focused on cost reductions and operational survival. He noted that Nextech3D.ai is now generating more cash than it spends, eliminating the need for external financing and enabling the business to self-fund its operations. Proactive: The company out with pretty significant news today that you've been able to hit another milestone with the company, announcing that you're soon to be cash flow positive. So, obviously a big moment for the company. Evan Gappelberg: Actually, we are cash flow positive. The news is that we actually hit the milestone. Nextech has gone cash flow positive today, but we're going to have full implementation of our AI cost cutting, which is going to happen May 1st. So we're cash flow positive today, but as of May 1st, 2026, our annualized cost savings run rate is going to reach about $400,000. It is a time to celebrate. This has been a long journey. Back in 2024, Nextech was a turnaround story where we were cutting costs and struggling for survival. Now, just two years later, weve achieved being cash flow positive as a company. How did you get there? What strategic moves allowed you to reach this point? Its been a lot of hard work. We invested heavily in AI, made acquisitions like EventDex and Krafty, optimized our business, and turned ourselves into an AI-first company. AI is taking over some of the workload, which is part of a broader trend across tech companies. Being cash flow positive means we are generating more cash than were spending. This is the first time in Nextechs history that we do not need external financing. Its a shift from raising capital to being able to self-fund the business. Now that weve reached this milestone, the next step is scaling the business. Thats when it gets really exciting for shareholders. Weve also announced expansion of our blockchain-based ticketing platform, including support for fiat payments like Google Pay and Apple Pay, which is now production ready. Were over the first hurdle as a public company. Now were focused on scaling revenue beyond $10 million, $20 million, $50 million, and $100 million. And thats going to be the focus for the foreseeable future? That is the focus. Were ramping up and seeing more business coming in. The goal is to become a leader in the $1.5 trillion event tech space using AI. From an investor standpoint, weve de-risked Nextechs future. The question used to be whether the company would need to raise more money. Now thats off the table. The focus is on scaling revenue and expanding the business. 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Stanford, April 18 (IANS) The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh has backed key political reforms including "one nation, one election", with its General Secretary Dattatreya Hosabale calling for a governance model rooted in national unity, political integrity and civic awareness, even as he flagged wider structural and social challenges facing India's democracy. In an exclusive interview marking 100 years of the RSS, Hosabale told IANS simultaneous elections across the country would strengthen democratic functioning and reduce the frequency of political disruptions. "One nation, one election already has been said," he noted, placing the proposal among priority reforms for India's political system. He coupled this with support for expanding women's representation in governance, describing "33 per cent of the women participation" as a "revolutionary thing" that could reshape political decision-making. Hosabale stressed that structural reforms alone would not be sufficient unless accompanied by a deeper shift in political awareness among citizens. "People require the political education for thinking the right thing, which is essential for society and nation," he said, underlining the need for informed civic participation. He argued that democracy must go beyond electoral processes to reflect a broader mindset anchored in responsibility and national interest. "Beyond political parties, nation first, then other things. This has to be imbibed in all political parties," he said. The RSS leader was critical of what he described as "appeasement politics", saying it had caused "immense damage to our social fabric and national welfare and unity of the country". "The appeasement politics should be totally stopped," Hosabale said, while emphasising that equality must remain central to governance. "All Indians are having equal rights. Nobody is a second-class citizen," he added. He referred to the uniform civil code as a step towards achieving legal equality and reinforcing national unity, arguing that all citizens should be treated equally before the law irrespective of religion or linguistic background. Responding to a question, Hosabale linked the growing political influence of individuals associated with the RSS to changing voter expectations, suggesting that governance performance and cultural grounding have shaped electoral outcomes. "The increasing awareness among the people they have experienced that they can deliver better for the welfare of the society," he said, pointing to sustained electoral success at the national level and in several states. He said earlier political approaches that relied on divisions along social or identity lines "did not go well with the Indian masses", leading to a shift in public sentiment over time. According to Hosabale, leadership emerging from an RSS background has contributed to "keeping the social cohesion", presenting it as a counter to fragmentation in political discourse. Beyond electoral reforms, Hosabale outlined a broader framework for political and social transformation, identifying civic responsibility as a key area where India continues to face challenges. "India with all her greatness and richness still civic sense and civic duties many a time people feel we are lagging," he said, stressing the need to strengthen public discipline and community responsibility. He said the RSS has increasingly focused on five areas of social transformation, including social harmony, strengthening families, promoting eco-friendly lifestyles, encouraging self-reliance and improving civic duties. Hosabale also highlighted the organisation's efforts to expand its outreach and adapt to changing times, describing the RSS as "ever evolving". "RSS has been evolving according to times," he said, noting shifts in emphasis before and after independence and the introduction of new initiatives in response to emerging needs. He cited the creation of specialised departments for public service, media outreach and communication as examples of how the organisation has institutionalised its activities. "Our work, public service then we started a department for that. Outreach, a department was started, media and communication, a department was started," he said, adding that training and skill development have become increasingly important. Another emerging focus, he said, is building networks across civil society by bringing together individuals and organisations engaged in social and cultural work. "Many people doing good work they are all working in their silos. RSS thinks that this is the power of the good, so we should network them," Hosabale said. He said such efforts aim to create a broader ecosystem of cooperation that goes beyond the RSS's own organisational boundaries. At a conceptual level, Hosabale described the RSS as contributing to the creation of "human social capital", framing it as both an organisational structure and a way of life rooted in cultural values. "RSS is an organisation by structure but RSS is a lifestyle," he said, adding that its model could be adapted in different societies globally. Beirut, April 18 : Lebanese President Joseph Aoun said that Lebanon has entered a new phase focused on negotiating permanent agreements to safeguard the rights of its people, the unity of its territory, and the sovereignty of the state. In an address to the Lebanese, Aoun said the country is moving from ceasefire implementation efforts toward a broader stage aimed at securing long-term stability. He voiced confidence that, as in the previous phase, these efforts would help "save Lebanon." He attributed the ceasefire to collective efforts and sacrifices by the Lebanese people, including those who remain in frontline areas, as well as sustained diplomatic engagement with international and regional partners, Xinhua news agency reported. Aoun said negotiations are not a sign of weakness or retreat, but rather a sovereign decision to protect Lebanon's interests, prevent further loss of life, and end displacement. Highlighting the conflict's heavy toll, Aoun said thousands of Lebanese have been killed, pledging that no more lives should be lost for foreign interests or political calculations. "I am ready to take full responsibility for these choices," he said. Aoun outlined the main objectives for the upcoming phase, including halting Israeli attacks on Lebanese territory, ensuring the withdrawal of Israeli forces, securing the return of prisoners, enabling the safe return of displaced citizens, and restoring the state's full authority across all Lebanese territories. He also called for national unity under a single state authority, constitution, and armed force, warning against internal divisions and external agendas. Meanwhile, Wafiq Safa, a high-ranking member of Hezbollah's political council, told BBC Arabic in Beirut that the group's arsenal is non-negotiable at this stage. "Hezbollah will never ever disarm. Before the halt of attacks, the withdrawal of Israel, the return of prisoners, the return of the displaced to their homelands, and reconstruction, we cannot talk about Hezbollah's weapons," Safa said, warning that Hezbollah will reject any ceasefire resembling the one that had been in place since November 2024. The 2024 Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire was characterized by near-daily Israeli strikes in Lebanon. The fragile truce collapsed on March 2, when Hezbollah launched rockets toward Israel in support of Iran, triggering intensified Israeli airstrikes across Lebanon. A 10-day ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon took effect at midnight between Thursday and Friday local time (2100 GMT), with an aim to end the deadly escalation between Israel and Hezbollah, which Lebanon's Public Health Ministry said Friday has killed 2,294 in Lebanon, including 100 paramedics and healthcare workers. Earlier on Friday, Hezbollah's Loyalty to the Resistance bloc told Al Jadeed TV that it is committed to the new ceasefire with caution, stressing that its adherence is conditional on the truce covering all Lebanese territories. Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Friday that although Israel will provide an opportunity to advance an integrated diplomatic and military solution with the Lebanese government, Israel has not finished its job against Hezbollah. Despite the new ceasefire, Lebanon's Al-Manar TV reported that Israel launched a drone strike in southern Lebanon on Friday, killing one person. -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text Mumbai, April 18 : The Indian benchmark indices closed on a strong note this week, supported by optimism surrounding US-Iran peace talks. Mumbai, April 18 (IANS) The Indian benchmark indices closed on a strong note this week, supported by optimism surrounding USIran peace talks. Additionally, appreciation in the rupee and a cooling in crude oil prices kept trader sentiment upbeat, leading to broad-based buying across sectors, said analysts. At close on Friday, Sensex surged by 504.86 points or 0.65 per cent to settle at 78,493.54, while Nifty gained 156.80 points or 0.65 per cent to close at 24,353.55. On the sectoral front, buying interest was seen across most sectors, with the market trading on a positive undertone, according to a note by Bajaj Broking Research. The key gains were witnessed in Nifty FMCG, Metal, and Oil and Gas indices, which advanced in the range of 1 per cent to 3 per cent, while Nifty IT remained a laggard. The broader market outperformed the benchmark indices, with the Nifty Midcap rising around 1.27 per cent and the small cap index advancing approximately 1.48 per cent, said the note. Indian equity markets staged a steady and orderly recovery through the week, supported by an improvement in global sentiment and a sharp moderation in crude oil prices. While the broader undertone remained cautious, indices closed with meaningful gains, underpinned by consistent buying interest and a gradual pickup in risk appetite. "Price action was notably more stable compared with recent weeks, with dips attracting buying interest an indication that sentiment is beginning to strengthen. However, despite the recovery, markets have yet to deliver a decisive breakout at higher levels, suggesting the trend remains in transition rather than firmly established," said Ponmudi R, CEO of Enrich Money. Overall, sentiment has shifted toward a cautiously optimistic stance. Softer crude prices, improving global cues and more stable flows are supporting the recovery, said analysts. Downside risks appear relatively contained in the near term, while upside momentum is gradually building suggesting a transition from recovery toward a more stable structure, albeit one still dependent on external catalysts, they added. Notably, foreign institutional investors have begun to show early signs of stabilisation following a prolonged period of outflows. FIIs turned net buyers in the final three sessions of the week, lending support to the recovery and improving overall sentiment. On a cumulative basis, flows remained marginally negative for the week at around Rs 250 crore. In contrast, domestic institutional investors, who had been providing consistent support, turned net sellers in the final sessions, reflecting some profit-taking at higher levels. On a weekly basis, DII outflows stood at approximately Rs 6,300 crore. Despite this near-term shift, their broader role as a stabilising force remains intact, continuing to provide structural support to the market. IANS na/ New Delhi, April 18 : The floor leaders of the Opposition will meet at Congress National President and Rajya Sabha Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge's chamber in the Parliament Complex at 10 A.M. on Saturday. Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, will not attend the meeting as he will be travelling to Tamil Nadu for the election campaign. This comes a day after the defeat of the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026, in the Lok Sabha. The Bill, which aimed to provide 33 per cent reservation for women in Parliament, failed to secure the required two-thirds majority, triggering a sharp political confrontation between the ruling NDA and the Opposition INDIA bloc. The proposed legislation, which also sought to expand the strength of the House, could not secure the constitutionally mandated two-thirds majority despite a day-long debate. The Bill received 278 votes in favour and 211 against, falling short of the required threshold for passage. The outcome has triggered a sharp political confrontation, with the NDA accusing the INDIA bloc of deliberately blocking a historic reform aimed at increasing women's representation in legislative bodies. The Opposition on its part is objecting to the womenas reservation Bill being tethered to the expansion of Parliament based on the 2011 Census and the exercise of delimitation. Earlier on Friday, the floor leaders of the ruling NDA met for a crucial meeting in Parliament following the defeat of the Bill. It was decided in the meeting that the constituents will raise the issue of the Opposition's resistance to women's empowerment, said sources. The message will be delivered to people across the country through protests, press conferences, and social media to make people aware of the development. Meanwhile, the NDA is set to launch a nationwide protest campaign on Saturday against the INDIA bloc over the issue. Party leaders said protests will be organised at district headquarters across the country, led by the BJP's women's wing, the BJP Mahila Morcha. The campaign is intended to highlight what the NDA describes as an "anti-women agenda" of the Opposition, while mobilising public opinion around the issue. The BJP is also expected to raise the matter prominently in the upcoming elections, particularly in West Bengal and Tamil Nadu. New Delhi, April 18 : Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge on Saturday expressed sadness over the tragic road accident in Coimbatore, where nine tourists from Kerala lost their lives after a van fell into a gorge. Taking to social media platform aXa, Kharge said, aDeeply saddened by the tragic road accident in Coimbatore where nine tourists from Kerala lost their lives, as a van fell into a gorge. My heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families and prayers for the speedy recovery of those injured." He further added, aThis tragedy, yet again underscores the urgent need for stronger road safety measures. The authorities must also ensure prompt compensation and support for the affected families." On April 17, a group of holidaymakers from Keralaas Malappuram district met with an ill-fated accident in Tamil Naduas Valparai, leaving nine people dead and several others injured.a The victims were part of a team of teachers and others from Perinthalmanna who were on a leisure trip.a According to preliminary reports, the mini traveller van they were travelling in was involved in an accident at the 13th hairpin bend on the Pollachia"Valparai ghat road.a The vehicle, which had come from the Thrissur side, is said to have lost control and crashed into the guard rail before plunging down towards the 8th hairpin bend.a The impact left the vehicle completely mangled.a There were 12 teachers and a driver in the van, including staff and family members associated with the GLP School at Pang in Malappuram.a The injured were rushed to a government hospital in Pollachi, where some are reported to be in critical condition.a A team of relatives and friends of the victims has already set out for Coimbatore, where the injured and the bodies of those who died are being transported.a The Pollachia"Valparai stretch is known for its steep terrain and more than 40 sharp hairpin bends, making it a challenging route for drivers, particularly unfamiliar with the ghat roads.a The accident, which occurred around Friday evening, has sent shockwaves across Kerala, especially in Malappuram district.a Stanford, April 18 : The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh has asserted that the success of democracy in India is rooted in its civilisational and cultural ethos, with its General Secretary Dattatreya Hosabale arguing that democratic values are embedded in what he described as the country's Hindu philosophical tradition. In an interview marking 100 years of the RSS, Hosabale told IANS that democracy in India should not be viewed merely as a system of governance but as a deeper societal mindset shaped by cultural values. "The system of democracy may change from time to time," he said, noting that different countries follow varied institutional models. "Britain has something, Germany has another thing, US has one more thing. India has experimented something," he added. However, Hosabale stressed that the durability of democracy depends not on institutions alone but on the underlying outlook of society. "Whether democratic mindset is there the Hindu philosophy has this democratic outlook and democratic mindset," he said. He described this as "spiritual democracy", arguing that India's civilisational traditions have long embraced diversity while maintaining a sense of unity. "There are so many in Bharat, but we are all one," he said, pointing to coexistence across traditions as a defining feature of Indian society. Hosabale argued that this cultural foundation explains why democracy has endured in India despite political and social challenges. "India's mind is basically democratic," he said. He contrasted India's experience with that of neighbouring countries that emerged from the same historical context but have struggled to sustain democratic systems. "You see these countries around those who broke away in 1947, do they have democracy in their country?" he said. He added that India's democratic resilience was evident even during periods of political strain. "Once it was tried to be tinkered with, it did not survive people threw out the regime," he said, referring to a period when democratic norms were challenged. Hosabale linked this resilience to what he described as a deeply ingrained cultural commitment to pluralism and participation. He argued that democracy in India is not limited to electoral processes or institutional frameworks but extends to social behaviour and everyday interactions. "Democratic living is not just because of governance, it is a way of life," he said. The RSS leader also suggested that India's democratic experience offers lessons for the wider world, particularly at a time when several countries are grappling with political polarisation and institutional challenges. "It is a mindset. It is an approach," he said, emphasising that democratic values must be cultivated within society to sustain political systems. At the same time, Hosabale acknowledged that governance structures differ across nations and evolve over time, but maintained that cultural foundations play a decisive role in shaping outcomes. His remarks come amid ongoing debates in India and abroad over the nature of democracy, secularism and the role of cultural identity in governance. Hosabale's comments also intersect with broader discussions about the evolution of democratic institutions in India, including electoral reforms, governance models and the role of civil society. In the same interview, he emphasised the importance of political awareness and civic education, arguing that an informed citizenry is essential for the functioning of democracy. "People require the political education for thinking the right thing," he said, linking democratic participation to societal responsibility. He also called for political parties to prioritise national interest over partisan considerations, reinforcing the idea that democracy must be guided by a broader commitment to unity. "Nation first, then other things," he said. Hosabale reiterated that all citizens must enjoy equal rights irrespective of religion or background, while also emphasising the importance of national loyalty. "All Indians are having equal rights. Nobody is a second-class citizen," he said. At a philosophical level, he framed democracy as part of a larger civilisational vision that integrates diversity with unity and balances individual freedom with collective responsibility. He suggested that this approach could help address contemporary global challenges, including social fragmentation and ideological conflict. -- Except for the title, this story has not been edited by Prokerala team and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed New Delhi, April 18 : The first batch of Haj 2026 pilgrims departed from Delhi Airport for Mecca, Saudi Arabia, on Saturday. Chairperson of the Delhi Haj Committee, Kausar Jahan, was present at the airport to mark their departure. A pilgrim leaving for Haj told IANS, "By the will of Allah and the prayers of all of you, Allah has blessed us with the opportunity to perform Haj 2026. Today, by His will, we are taking our first flight from Indira Gandhi International Airport. I request all of you to pray for us that Allah makes our journey easy and grants us the ability to complete Haj successfully." Another pilgrim said, "Everything is well managed. Now we look forward to the arrangements in Saudi Arabia. India has done very well, everything here is good. The Haj Committee has provided strong support, and the Delhi government has also been very helpful. We have not faced any problems from the beginning until now." A total of 1,75,025 pilgrims are expected to undertake the annual pilgrimage this year. Union Minister for Minority Affairs, Kiren Rijiju, on Friday extended his best wishes to the pilgrims and reiterated the government's commitment to ensuring a smooth, safe, and comfortable Haj experience. He said several new initiatives have been introduced this year to enhance the quality of services. Among the key initiatives for Haj 2026 are enhanced digital services through the Haj Suvidha App and the introduction of Haj Suvidha smart wristbands to help locate and assist pilgrims. For the first time, a short-duration Haj option of around 20 days has been introduced, offering greater flexibility. The government has also increased insurance coverage to approximately Rs 6.25 lakh per pilgrim, strengthening financial and health security during the journey. Additionally, around 60,000 pilgrims will benefit from high-speed train connectivity between Makkah and Madinah, enabling faster and more comfortable travel. Authorities have also put in place improved real-time monitoring and grievance redressal systems, enhanced medical screening and healthcare support, and better coordination for accommodation and transport services in Saudi Arabia. Hotel-style accommodation has been arranged in Makkah to provide improved facilities to pilgrims. Haj operations will be conducted through 17 embarkation points across India, including major cities such as Delhi, Mumbai, Lucknow, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Bengaluru, and Srinagar, ensuring regional accessibility and efficient logistics. The government said it has accorded the highest priority to the welfare and well-being of Haj pilgrims, maintaining close coordination with Saudi authorities throughout the pilgrimage period. Pilgrims have been advised to follow all guidelines and travel advisories to ensure a safe and spiritually fulfilling journey. The President Donald Trump administration is reportedly in talks with General Motors Co., Ford Motor Co. and other manufacturers to produce weapons and other military supplies amid wars in Iran and Ukraine. A World War II Callback? The Pentagon has approached GM CEO Mary Barra, as well as Ford CEO Jim Farley, among other top executives, about producing military supplies and weapons, according to a report by the Wall Street Journal on Wednesday, citing anonymous sources familiar with the talks. The preliminary talks were also held with GE Aerospace and Oshkosh Corp, the report said, with the discussions beginning before the war with Iran. Defense officials have touted shoring up domestic production of weapons and munitions as a matter of national security, the report said, while also asking manufacturers to identify barriers to defense production, the report said. Don't Miss: The talks come as officials became concerned about domestic weapons manufacturing capacity following the U.S. and North Atlantic Treaty Organization began supplying weapons to Ukraine following Russias 2022 invasion, the report said. Automakers producing defense goods isnt a novel concept, as car manufacturers produced military equipment during the Second World War, including aircraft, engines and large trucks. Jim Farleys Earlier Warning Interestingly, Farley had earlier lamented the lack of skilled technicians at Ford, sharing that the lack of mechanics could become a self-defense issue if not addressed. Stressing the importance of shoring up production with skilled workers, the Ford CEO said that Alphabet Inc.s Google wouldnt be able to make tanks and planes if we ever get in a war. The CEO, in the past, had said that over 6,000 bays at Ford dealerships across the U.S. were empty because of a lack of skilled workers. See Also: Avoid the #1 Investing Mistake: How Your Safe' Holdings Could Be Costing You Big Time Trumps $1.5 Trillion Budget Request Trumps proposed fiscal 2027 budget would raise defense spending by over 44%, while also introducing cuts to non-defense discretionary programmes by 10%. The budget outlines a $1.5 trillion in spending for defense, up from $1 trillon this year. The request was heavily criticized by lawmakers, including President Joe Biden-era Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, who said that the administration was prioritizing wars over domestic welfare. New Delhi, April 18 : Following the rejection of the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026 in the Lok Sabha, sharp political reactions emerged on Saturday, with BJP Bihar State President Sanjay Saraogi saying that women of India are now awake and the Opposition will have to face them. The Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill failed after the government fell short of the required special majority despite securing a simple majority. After a day-long debate, the legislation received 278 votes in favour and 211 against, insufficient for passage under constitutional requirements. The outcome has triggered a sharp political confrontation, with the NDA accusing the INDIA bloc of deliberately blocking a historic reform aimed at increasing women's representation in legislative bodies. The Opposition on its part is objecting to the women's reservation Bill being tethered to the expansion of Parliament based on the 2011 Census and the exercise of delimitation. Speaking to IANS, Saraogi strongly criticised Opposition parties, saying, "Congress people, RJD people, SP people, people like Stalin, are distributing sweets and celebrating. These people will realise in due time how costly their happiness will be for them. Wherever they go out from their homes, there will be protests against them. Such a big reservation Bill, the Prime Minister wanted to pass it... They will realise in time. The women of India are no longer just flowers, they are sparks; they are awake now. They will have to face opposition at every step." JD(U) leader Rajiv Ranjan Prasad also reacted sharply, stating, "Women across the country feel betrayed after the Bill was defeated. When the Bill failed, women were left shocked and speechless. Once again, the conduct and working style of the Congress, TMC, DMK, and other parties of the INDIA bloc reflected an anti-women attitude... They did not take any strong initiative for women." "This was an opportunity for them to correct their mistakes, but once again, they missed it. It is also very clear that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had said that everyone should come together to pass this Bill. A two-thirds majority was required for the constitutional amendment, and in such a situation, the cooperation of the Opposition was very important...,"he added. Meanwhile, Purnia MP, Pappu Yadav questioned the timing and intent behind the legislation, saying, "There were elections in 2024, everyone agreed... During the Congress regime, the Women's Bill was brought several times. Now there are elections in 2026. What was the need to call this special session? Why didn't you do it before? What do you want to show? Politicise?.." Sydney, April 18 : Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on Saturday that Australia welcomes the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and will consider deploying military assets to secure shipping in the region. Speaking to reporters in Sydney, Albanese welcomed Iran's announcement that the Strait has completely reopened for all commercial vessels during the ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon. "This was positive news that we received last night," Albanese said. "We want to see, though, this fragile arrangement confirmed." Asked if Australia would deploy military assets to ensure shipping remains open, Albanese said the government would consider any such requests. "Australia obviously is a long way away as well from the Strait, compared with European nations. It's fair to say that we'll give consideration to requests which are made when we come together," he said. Albanese was speaking alongside Energy Minister Chris Bowen, who said that Australia has increased its strategic fuel reserves over the last week, reports Xinhua news agency. Bowen said that Australia had 46 days' worth of petrol in the national stockpile as of Saturday, as well as 31 days' worth of diesel and 30 days' worth of jet fuel. Earlier on Friday, Iran's Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi said that, in line with the truce in Lebanon, the passage for all commercial vessels through the Strait of Hormuz is declared "completely open" for the remaining period of the ceasefire between Tehran and Washington. He made the remarks in a post on social media platform X hours after a 10-day ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon took effect following more than a month of deadly escalation between Israel and Hezbollah, which has claimed over 2,000 lives. Araghchi stressed that vessels can cross the Strait via the previously announced coordinated route announced by Iran's Ports and Maritime Organization. In reaction to the announcement, US President Donald Trump thanked Iran for the announcement of a full reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. Iran tightened control over the Strait of Hormuz by denying safe passage to vessels belonging to or affiliated with Israel and the United States after they launched joint attacks on the country on February 28. The United States has also imposed a blockade on the strait, preventing ships travelling to and from Iranian ports from transiting the waterway, following the failure of peace talks between the Iranian and US delegations in Pakistan's capital, Islamabad, on Saturday and early Sunday. -- Except for the title, this story has not been edited by Prokerala team and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed Malappuram, April 18 : Kerala on Saturday remains in deep mourning after the devastating Valparai road accident that claimed nine lives, leaving an entire village and a school shattered. The bodies of the deceased were brought to their hometown in Perinthalmanna near here on Saturday morning, where thousands gathered in grief to bid a final farewell. The ambulances carrying the victims reached the Pang Ambalapparamba Government Higher Secondary School at around 9:15 A.M. after postmortem procedures were completed in Pollachi in the early hours. A sea of mourners including students, colleagues, and local residents had already gathered, many struggling to come to terms with the loss. The bodies were placed for public viewing for nearly an hour before being taken in funeral processions to their respective homes. Burial rites are scheduled to be completed before noon. The tragedy has struck particularly hard at Pangas educational community. Of the eight teachers at the local school, five including headmistress P. Ajitha and teacher Abdul Majeed lost their lives, leaving the institution reeling. What was once a close-knit staff has now been reduced to just four members, effectively rendering the school orphaned. The victims were part of a 13 member group from Pang Pallipparamba Government LP School on a leisure trip. After visiting Athirappilly and Valparai on Friday evening their vehicle lost control at the 13th hairpin bend on the ghat road at around 5:15 P.M., overturning before plunging nearly 500 feet into a gorge. Nine people, including seven women and a child, died either on the spot or in hospital. Four others sustained injuries, with two Mohammed Faiz and Noushad Ali remain in critical condition at Coimbatore Medical College. Others, including young survivors, are under treatment, with doctors closely monitoring their recovery. Minister V. Sivankutty and senior leaders, including P.K. Kunhalikutty and Panakkad Sadiqali Shihab Thangal, visited the school to pay their respects. The government has announced that it will bear the medical expenses of the injured, provide financial aid to bereaved families, and arrange counseling for affected students. New teachers will be appointed before the next academic year. As grief engulfs Pang, the silence left behind by those who once filled classrooms and homes with life is overwhelming. A journey that began with joy has ended in unimaginable loss, leaving behind memories that will linger long after the final prayers are said. New Delhi, April 18 : India has been facing the menace of illegal immigration for long. Migrants coming in illegally from Bangladesh and Myanmar have settled in various parts of the country, and the government, in its new policy, said that all states must detect and deport such persons. The Intelligence agencies say that with such drives ongoing in the country, many illegal immigrants roped in by terror groups have been ordered to go underground. These persons were specifically sent to India to take part in terror activities. They have been instructed to remain underground and wait for further instructions. These persons who have been told to stay off the radar were pushed into India to be part of terror cells. However, they operate differently. They blend into the migrant population and work as ordinary labour. Their brief is to explore places and gather information about sensitive locations they have been told about. They have been asked to gather information not about the military or other sensitive departments. They are told to scan bus stands, railway stations and crowded markets. These persons who have now come under the scanner of the agencies are part of either the Harkat-ul-Jihadi Islami (HuJI) or the Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB). Both terror groups report to the ISI and have been tasked with handling operations in West Bengal, the northeastern states and certain parts of South India. An official said that what is interesting is that these persons who come in as illegal immigrants and are tasked with carrying out attacks are normally housed in Kerala or Tamil Nadu. There are many camps which house Bengali-speaking people. These migrants blend in easily and stay part of this group. Another official said that they maintain a very low profile and go about their work daily. Their job to undertake reconnaissance is not a daily chore. To avoid detection, they carry out such tasks just once a week or once every 15 days. Such acts are very hard for the Intelligence agencies to detect. When the reconnaissance activity is being undertaken, these persons normally go in a group. The group would mostly comprise people who are legally living in India. This, in fact, eliminates the risk of detection. Officials say that these persons, who are tasked with gathering information, will not be asked to carry out the attack. For this, the HuJI and JMB have a select set of trained operatives who are yet to cross over. Once all the information is gathered, the plan is made, following which the trained operatives are sent in, the official added. The agencies are currently noticing a pattern whereby many have gone underground. This has been done on the instructions of their handlers. The JMB had hoped to strike during the West Bengal elections. However, the scrutiny is too high at the moment, and multiple drives are ongoing to identify illegal immigrants. Officials say that they are just waiting for the heat to reduce before they can resume their activities. Counterterrorism experts say that this is not just a problem. It is a ticking time bomb and could go on to become Indiaas biggest security headache if left unchecked. As part of its new deportation policy, the Ministry of Home Affairs has told all states to form a Special Task Force in every district to detect and deport illegal migrants from Bangladesh and Myanmar. A nationwide verification drive targeted at the border states is also underway to identify and deport illegal immigrants. Over 4,000 have been identified and deported as part of this drive. New Delhi, April 18 : In a major breakthrough, the Delhi Police Crime Branch (Western Range-II) on Saturday has dismantled an interstate cyber fraud syndicate involved in a high-value online investment scam. Four accused persons have been apprehended in connection with the case, which spanned multiple states, including Delhi, Punjab, and Rajasthan. According to officials, the well-organised network was engaged in procuring mule bank accounts and routing defrauded money through layered financial channels to conceal the transaction trail. During the operation, police recovered and seized three mobile phones and three SIM cards used in the commission of the crime. The case was registered under e-FIR No. 00025/2025 dated November 13, 2025, at the Crime Branch Police Station under relevant Sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), following a complaint of online investment fraud amounting to Rs 33,83,588. The victim had been lured into investing money on the false promise of high returns through online trading platforms. During the investigation, the cheated amount was traced to 15 bank accounts, of which 13 were found to be registered outside Delhi, highlighting the interstate and organised nature of the syndicate. So far, four accused have been arrested in the case. Police revealed that the victim was initially enticed with promises of lucrative returns on online investments. After making initial deposits, the victim was repeatedly coerced into transferring additional funds under the pretext that further payments were required to unlock or recover earlier investments. Misled by these assurances, the victim transferred money in multiple instalments, ultimately suffering significant financial loss. Through detailed financial analysis, technical surveillance, and extensive field verification across multiple locations, investigators identified and tracked the accused. An amount of Rs 2 lakh each was traced to bank accounts linked to two of the accused, Md. Khalid and Ramandeep Singh. The investigation involved the analysis of over 100 Call Detail Records (CDRs), IMEI data, Customer Application Forms (CAF), and IP logs related to financial transactions. This technical examination played a crucial role in mapping the digital trail and establishing the nexus among the accused. A dedicated team led by Inspector Gautam Malik, including SI Ravi Bhushan and other personnel, was formed under the supervision of ACP Raj Pal Dabas to carry out coordinated operations and arrests across states. Md. Khalid (26), a resident of Jahangirpuri, Delhi, was arrested on March 15. He confessed to providing his bank account and SIM card to a co-accused for a commission of Rs 5,000. Subsequently, Atiur Rahman (23), also from Jahangirpuri, was arrested on March 25, from Rohtak Jail, where he was lodged in a similar case. He admitted to facilitating the use of bank accounts for fraudulent transactions. Ramandeep Singh (29), a resident of Fazilka, Punjab, was arrested on April 6, and revealed that he had handed over his bank account details to another accused, Tanish alias Heera Ram, for Rs 15,000. Tanish (27), a resident of Jodhpur, Rajasthan, was later arrested on April 9, 2026, for his role as an intermediary in arranging mule accounts. Further investigation is underway to trace other members of the syndicate. Delhi Police has advised citizens to remain cautious of unsolicited investment offers on platforms such as WhatsApp and Telegram. People are urged to verify the authenticity of investment schemes before transferring money and to avoid engaging with unknown individuals or suspicious platforms. In case of suspected cyber fraud, citizens should immediately report the incident on the National Cyber Crime Helpline (1930) or through the official cybercrime reporting portal. Thiruvananthapuram/New Delhi, April 18 : A sharp political exchange has erupted between the Kerala unit of the Congress and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, after the latter accused the Opposition of blocking the Women's Reservation Bill. Thiruvananthapuram/New Delhi, April 18 (IANS) A sharp political exchange has erupted between the Kerala unit of the Congress and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, after the latter accused the Opposition of blocking the Womenas Reservation Bill. In a strongly-worded social media post, the Congressa Kerala unit hit back at Naidu, alleging that he had betrayed Andhra Pradesh and warning that such a stance would be remembered. The post asserted that the Womenas Reservation Bill had already been passed unanimously in 2023 with the support of all parties, countering Naiduas claim that it was being obstructed. Naidu, in his earlier post, had criticised the Congress and its allies for allegedly stalling what he described as a historic step toward womenas empowerment. He termed the move political obstruction and a betrayal of millions of women who, he said, deserved equal representation in Parliament. The Congress response, however, shifted the focus to the contentious issue of delimitation, stating that it had defeated the delimitation Bill for the future of the Indian Union. The reference is seen as part of a broader Opposition apprehension that delimitation, if carried out based on population, could disproportionately affect southern states, including Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Kerala, by reducing their relative political representation. The exchange underscores the growing fault lines ahead of key political battles, with womenas reservation and delimitation emerging as intertwined flashpoints. While the Womenas Reservation Bill has been widely projected as a landmark reform to enhance female representation, its implementation remains linked to future census and delimitation exercises adding layers of political complexity. Naiduas remarks, echoing positions taken by leaders of the ruling alliance, appear aimed at consolidating support around the womenas quota issue. The Congress, on the other hand, is attempting to raise the debate of federal balance and regional equity. With both sides invoking themes of betrayal and representation, the war of words signals an intensifying national debate that goes beyond gender equity to the very structure of political power sharing in India. Srinagar, April 18 : The first batch of 431 pilgrims for this year's Haj pilgrimage left on Saturday from Jammu and Kashmir for Saudi Arabia, officials of Haj committee said. The pilgrims, including 230 males and 201 females, left in three flights from the Srinagar International Airport. Authorities had made all arrangements of foreign exchange, documentation and baggage handling at the Haj House in Bemina area of Srinagar city. The pilgrims left in special buses from the Haj House for the airport as hundreds of families members, relatives and friends bid them farewell. This year, 4,764 pilgrims from Jammu and Kashmir are scheduled for perform the holiest Muslim pilgrimage of Haj. Haj in Islam is the pilgrimage to the holy city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia, which every adult Muslim must make at least once in his or her lifetime. The Haj is the fifth of the fundamental Muslim practices and institutions known as the Five Pillars of Islam. The pilgrimage rite begins on the seventh day of Dhu-al-aijjah (the last month of the Islamic year) and ends on the 12th day. The Haj is incumbent on all Muslims who are physically and financially able to make the pilgrimage, but only if their absence will not place hardships on their family. A person may perform the haj by proxy, appointing a relative or friend going on the pilgrimage to "stand in" for him or her. The pattern of pilgrimage rites was established by the Prophet Muhammad, but variations have arisen in it, and the stringent formal itinerary is not strictly adhered to by the mass of pilgrims, who frequently visit the various Meccan sites out of their proper order. Paris, April 18 : A leading international human rights organisation strongly condemned the recent pattern of "irregularities, discriminatory treatment" against legal professionals and the cancellation of candidatures of pro-Awami League lawyers in bar association elections in Bangladesh solely on the basis of political ideology. Justice Makers Bangladesh in France (JMBF) alleged that these lawyers are obstructed from participating in elections and cited police interference in the bar associations' polls across multiple districts, including Munshiganj, Mymensingh, Thakurgaon, Panchagarh, Jhalakathi, Khulna, Narail, and Sunamganj, under the ruling Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP)-led government. Expressing grave concern, the rights body called for ensuring an environment in which lawyers of all beliefs can exercise their democratic rights. It also urged exemplary action against those responsible through international-standard investigations into each incident under the direct supervision of the United Nations Human Rights Council, stating that such incidents violate the Constitution of Bangladesh and the fundamental human rights proclaimed by the UN. According to the JMBF, these incidents are not "isolated irregularities" but part of a "systematic and deliberate process of political exclusion, through which a section of the legal community is being deliberately expelled from professional and democratic processes". As a result, it said that "the fundamental character of bar associations as independent professional bodies is being undermined, creating a serious risk of eroding public confidence in the justice system." The rights body asserted that such actions are entirely unacceptable given the country's existing legal framework and the fundamental principles of justice. "A bar association, as a self-governing professional body, is supposed to be run on the basis of neutrality, transparency, and equal rights. In reality, however, candidates are being declared ineligible without proper hearings, impartial investigation, or the opportunity to defend themselves, which constitutes a clear violation of the principles of natural justice and due process. At the same time, direct or indirect interference by the administration and law enforcement agencies amounts to an abuse of power and gravely undermines the concept of the rule of law," the JMBF stated. JMBF raised alarm over the use of "politically sensitive and vague terminology" to impose repressive measures against lawyers, warning that election authorities are losing their neutrality and that in many cases unopposed elections are being orchestrated in a way that reduces the democratic process into a mere "farce". If these trends continue, it said, "the independence of the legal profession and the impartiality of the justice system will face grave risks." The rights body called on the United Nations, international human rights organisations, bar councils, and global institutions working for the rule of law to take note of the situation in Bangladesh's bar associations and adopt necessary measures. Patna, April 18 : A significant political development has emerged in Patna as former Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar met the incumbent Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary on Saturday, for the first time since the formation of the new government in the state. According to sources, Nitish Kumar arrived early in the morning at the Chief Ministeras residence at 5 Deshratna Marg, Patna, where the meeting lasted for approximately 20 minutes. Visuals from the meeting showed Samrat Choudhary greeting the former CM warmly, while Nitish Kumar was seen placing a reassuring hand on his shoulder. This interaction is being viewed as more than a routine courtesy call, with discussions reportedly covering the current political situation and governance-related matters. It also served as a morale booster for the new Chief Minister. Notably, Samrat Choudhary is currently residing at 5 Deshratna Marg and is expected to soon shift to the official CM residence at 1 Aney Marg. This marks the first direct interaction between the two leaders after the new government in Bihar was formed. Political observers see the meeting as a signal of continuity, coordination, and guidance in the new administration, especially given Nitish Kumaras long tenure and influence. The meeting comes amid heightened security concerns. Shortly after assuming office, CM Samrat Choudhary received a death threat, causing alarm within the administration. Police have since arrested the accused, identified as Shekhar Yadav from Banka district, who was apprehended in Ahmedabad. In response, security has been significantly tightened at the Chief Ministeras ancestral residence in Lakhanpur village, Munger. The premises have effectively been turned into a high-security zone, with strict access control in place. A team comprising one officer and five Constables has been deployed, and personnel are working in rotational shifts for 24x7 security. Entry is allowed only to family members and close relatives, while media and outsiders are not permitted inside the premises. According to Tarapur DSP Sanket Kumar, these arrangements are purely precautionary, and further action will depend on directives from higher authorities. Hyderabad, April 18 : The Telangana Police on Saturday placed the State Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) President N. Ramchander Rao under house arrest after the party gave a call to hold a protest against the Congress following the defeat of the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill in the Lok Sabha a day before. The NDA will launch a nationwide protest campaign on Saturday against the Opposition INDIA bloc over the issue. Party leaders said protests will be organised at the district headquarters across the country, led by the BJP Mahila Morcha. The campaign is intended to highlight what the NDA describes as an "anti-women agenda" of the Opposition, while mobilising public opinion around the issue. Speaking to IANS, State BJP Chief Ramchander Rao said, "The women of the country have been betrayed by Congress, and for that, we have decided to offer our protest before the Congress office. Today, several groups of our party decided to hold a protest outside the Chief Minister's (A. Revanth Reddy's) residence. The police came to my residence in the morning, and they have house-arrested me to prevent me from participating in the said program." Hitting out at the ruling Congress government in the state, the State BJP Chief said, "We condemn the attitude of the Congress party with regard to the undemocratic way in which they have arrested me and then the way they are not allowing us (BJP) to protest." "The INDIA bloc is anti-women; they have done great injustice to women. This is a defeat of women because of the INDIA bloc parties' political game," he added. Earlier on Friday, the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026, was defeated in the Lok Sabha. The Bill, which aimed to provide 33 per cent reservation for women in Parliament, failed to secure the required two-thirds majority, triggering a sharp political confrontation between the ruling NDA and the Opposition INDIA bloc. The proposed legislation, which also sought to expand the strength of the House, could not secure the constitutionally mandated two-thirds majority despite a day-long debate. The Bill received 298 votes in favour and 230 against, falling short of the required threshold for passage. Subsequently, the Centre decided not to move forward with two related Bills on Delimitation, saying that the three Bills could be viewed in isolation. The defeat of the Bill has triggered a sharp political confrontation, with the NDA accusing the Opposition INDIA bloc of deliberately blocking a historic reform aimed at increasing women's representation in legislative bodies. The Opposition, on its part, is objecting to the Women's Reservation Bill being tethered to the expansion of Parliament based on the 2011 Census and the exercise of delimitation. Earlier on Friday, the floor leaders of the ruling NDA met for a crucial meeting in Parliament following the defeat of the Bill. It was decided in the meeting that the NDA constituents will raise the issue of the Opposition's resistance to women's empowerment, sources said. The message will be delivered to people across the country through protests, press conferences, and social media to make people aware of the development. For Turkiyes government, the Iran war has complicated efforts to turn around an economy still reeling from one of the worst financial crises in the countrys history. But even as the conflict has driven up Turkiyes fuel prices and forced authorities to dip into their precious foreign currency reserves to defend the lira, it has also presented an opportunity. As the fallout of the war has reverberated across the Middle East, Ankara has jumped at the chance to promote Turkiye as a model of security and stability for businesses and investors. While Iranian missiles and drones have inflicted significant damage on infrastructure in the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Qatar, Turkiye, which is protected by NATO air defences, has emerged largely unscathed from aerial attacks blamed on Tehran. New doors Turkish officials have made little secret of their desire to capitalise on the shadow that the conflict which is officially on pause until Wednesday under a two-week ceasefire between the United States and Iran has cast over regional business hubs such as Dubai, Doha and Riyadh. In remarks earlier this month, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who last month met with 40 global CEOs to discuss ways to boost his countrys competitiveness, cast the war as a boon to Ankaras ambitions to transform Istanbul into one of the worlds leading financial centres. Just as in the pandemic period, we wholeheartedly believe that this global crisis, too, will open new doors before our country, Erdogan said in a statement posted on social media. Turkiyes President Recep Tayyip Erdogan [File: Marco Simoncelli/AFP] Turkish Treasury and Finance Minister Mehmet Simsek confirmed soon afterwards that the government was preparing radical incentives to lure foreign capital. Turkiyes improving economic stability and various financial incentives have helped to reposition the country as a regional hub and safe haven, said Bilal Bagis, head of the economics department at Fatih Sultan Mehmet Vakf University in Istanbul. A liberal investment environment, ease of entry and new comprehensive incentive packages should help boost its position, Bagis told Al Jazeera. While Ankara has yet to confirm the measures in the pipeline, they are likely to involve tax breaks for companies that sell goods through Turkish entities without importing them into the country, said Guney Yildiz, a Turkish-born adviser at Anthesis Group who has clients in the Gulf. So youd have a commodities trader or a logistics company booking transactions through Istanbul and getting a meaningful tax benefit for it, Yildiz told Al Jazeera. Chennai, April 18 : Union Home Minister, Amit Shah, is set to arrive in Tamil Nadu on Saturday night to spearhead the BJP's campaign in the crucial final phase of the Assembly elections, with a series of high-profile roadshows lined up for Sunday. Party sources said HM Shah will land in Coimbatore late tonight and stay there before launching his campaign engagements the next day. His visit comes as the BJP intensifies efforts to boost its presence across key constituencies ahead of polling on April 23. On Sunday, Shah will begin his campaign with a roadshow in Modakurichi Assembly constituency in Erode district, where he will canvass support for BJP candidate Kirthika Shivkumar. The western belt is considered strategically important for the party, and the leadership is focussing on direct voter outreach in the region. Later in the day, Shah will travel to Chennai for another major roadshow in support of BJP nominee Tamilisai Soundararajan. As part of his visit to the city, he is also expected to offer prayers at the Kapaleeshwarar Temple in Mylapore before the roadshow. Senior BJP leaders said the twin roadshows are aimed at energising party cadres and strengthening last-mile mobilisation in both western and northern Tamil Nadu. "The focus is on direct engagement with voters and consolidating support in the final stretch," a party functionary noted. The visit is part of a broader push by the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA), with top leaders stepping up their campaign in the State. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is also scheduled to campaign in Tamil Nadu earlier on Saturday. With the campaign entering its closing phase, the BJP is relying on high-impact public outreach and the presence of senior leaders like Shah to maximise its electoral prospects in the State. IANS aal/rad New Delhi, April 18 : Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Praveen Khandelwal joined a protest on Saturday along with women workers expressing strong dissatisfaction over the rejection of the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026, in the Lok Sabha. The protesters raised slogans against the Opposition, intensifying the political confrontation over the failed women's reservation legislation. During the demonstration, CM Gupta raised slogans: "Phool nahi chingari hai, hum Bharat ki naari hai; Mahilaon ka ye apman nahi sahega hindustan (We are not flowers, we are sparks; we are the women of India; India will not tolerate this insult to women)." Speaking on the issue, BJP MP Praveen Khandelwal criticised the Opposition's conduct in Parliament, saying, "aIn the way that yesterday in Parliament, Congress and other opposition parties not only voted against the Bill aimed at empowering women, but after the Bill was defeated, Opposition leader Rahul Gandhi and other INDIA bloc leaders also thumped the tables, it was showing how happy they werea." The protest comes amid a broader political backlash following the Bill's defeat, with ruling NDA leaders accusing the Opposition of opposing a historic measure meant to enhance women's political representation. The Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026, had proposed 33 per cent reservation for women in Parliament and state Assemblies along with an increase in the strength of the Lok Sabha. However, the legislation failed to secure the required two-thirds majority in the Lower House despite extensive debate. The Bill received 298 votes in favour and 230 against in the Lok Sabha, falling short of the constitutional threshold required for passage. Its defeat on Friday has triggered nationwide political reactions, with the NDA alliance accusing the Opposition INDIA bloc of blocking a landmark reform. Earlier, the Union government had defended the Bill as a necessary step to address long-standing gaps in women's representation and to restructure Parliamentary seats based on population changes since the 1971 Census. However, opposition parties said that the proposal was linked to broader electoral restructuring and raised concerns over federal balance and political intent. Chennai, April 18 : Actor Prithviraj, who plays the lead in director Vysakh's eagerly awaited revenge thriller 'Khalifa', has now shared a new picture of his character from the film much to the delight of fans and film buffs. Taking to his Instagram page, Prithviraj shared a younger looking picture of himself and wrote, "AAMIR - The story that wasa! #KHALIFA." The film has triggered huge expectations among fans and film buffs and is among the most eagerly awaited films of the year. It may be recalled that the makers of the film had in January this year welcomed Bollywood actor Neil Nitin Mukesh to the Malayalam industry and their unit. Actor Prithviraj Sukumaran, who plays the lead in the gripping thriller based on gold smuggling, had welcomed the Bollywood actor to the Malayalam film industry on the latter's birthday. He wrote, "Happy birthday Neil Nitin Mukesh! Welcome to the Malayalam film industry! #KHALIFA" For the unaware, Prithviraj plays a character called Aamir Ali in the film. It may be recalled that the actor, during his last birthday, had shared a glimpse video of Khalifa. He had said, "A revenge forged by a lineage that spans generations! Next Onam.. Aamir Ali will write his vengeance in gold! #KHALIFA - The Ruler." The Khalifa Glimpse that he shared begins with a voice on a news bulletin announcing that police and customs officials had unearthed a multi million dollar gold smuggling racket operating out of the middle east. The racket, we are told, is being carried out through networks in London, Nepal and Kerala. We then see an old man being interrogated by a customs official called Panicker, who tells the person being questioned that his colleague Aamir is finished and that he can be hauled to jail wherever he sets foot in India. Panicker tries to intimidate the person being questioned, by citing the COFEPOSA act. The glimpse video then shows the interrogated person replying, "Do you know how the COFEPOSA came into being?" We are then treated to some scintillating action scenes of which Prithviraj is a part.The interrogated person then goes onto explain how the COFEPOSA act came into being. "Up north, there was Sukur Naren Bakhia and Haji Mastan.Down south, it was Mudaliar and Mambaraykkal Ahmed Ali. The four of them were a nightmare for Mrs Gandhi.That is what led her to pass the COFEPOSA Act in Parliament in 1974. And even then, using the COFEPOSA, she couldn't keep Ahmed Ali behind bars for even half an hour. Aamir is the grandson of that very same Ahmed Ali." He then, in a challenging tone, asks the official to nab Aamir, saying that it is then that he'll witness the real fireworks like the one in the Uroos festival at the Mambaram mosque. The video discloses that Prithviraj Sukumaran plays a character called Aamir Ali and the film will be a gripping thriller with some edge-of-seat chase and stunt seqeunces in it. It may be recalled that actor Prithviraj Sukumaran had completed shooting for his portions in the UK-schedule of the film and had returned to India in August last year. The film has triggered huge interest in fans and film buffs ever since it was first announced. At the time of commencing the project, Vysakh, in a post on his Instagram timeline, had said, "The journey of #Khalifa officially begins! Our pooja ceremony for this ambitious film, starring the incredible @therealprithvi, happened today. Iam beyond thrilled to be collaborating with Prithviraj after 15 long years!" He then went on to add,"Gearing up for an exhilarating journey, with our first schedule rolling out from London on August 6th. This project brings together a powerhouse team - Penned by Jinu Abraham, Jomon T Johnas visual magic, Music by the current music sensation Jakes Bejoy, Cuts by Chaman Chacko, Styled by Mashar Hamza and Action to be directed by Yannick Ben. Seeking all your blessings and good wishes for this venture." It may be recalled that the film was first announced in the year 2022. However, it went on floors only in 2025. The film, when initially announced, was expected to be shot in Dubai, Nepal and Kerala. Now, the film has been shot in the UK. This is Prithviraj's second film in over 15 years with Vysakh after their superhit collaboration 'Pokkiri Raja' and will be his next with writer Jinu V Abraham, who had scripted 'Kaduva'. Kochi, April 18 : The controversy surrounding the marriage involving 'viral' Kumbh Mela star Monalisa Bhosle has deepened, with the Kochi City Police on Saturday confirming that a court order bars the arrest of the girl at the centre of the case, even as the Madhya Pradesh Police continue their probe in Kerala. Officials attached to the Kochi Commissioner office said the directive has been formally communicated to the Madhya Pradesh Police. "There is a clear court order that the girl should not be arrested and it has been told to the concerned authorities," an official said, adding that only routine inter-state cooperation is being extended at present. While Monalisa has sought police protection, a decision on providing security is yet to be taken. Meanwhile, a team of Madhya Pradesh Police remains in Kochi and has carried out searches at multiple locations, but has not been able to trace Monalisa so far. Officials indicated that their immediate objective is to record her statement rather than take her into custody. However, the possibility of custody cannot be entirely ruled out, as a kidnapping case has been registered against her husband Farman Khan in Madhya Pradesh. The case has taken a serious turn following findings by the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes, which confirmed that Monalisa was only 16 years and two months old at the time of the marriage. According to the Commission, a forged birth certificate was used to facilitate the marriage. Hospital records in Madhya Pradesh reportedly establish Monalisa's date of birth as December 30, 2009. Based on these findings, a case has been registered against the husband Farman Khan under provisions of the POCSO Act. The Commission has also directed the Directors General of Police of Kerala and Madhya Pradesh, Ravada A. Chandrasekhar and Kailash Makwana, respectively to appear before it in Delhi, signalling the gravity of the issue. With legal, jurisdictional, and child protection concerns intersecting, the case continues to raise critical questions about enforcement gaps and the protection of minors across state lines. New Delhi, April 18 : A central team, comprising officials from the Department of Industrial Safety and Boiler Inspectors, is likely to begin a probe into the deadly accident at the Vedanta power plant in Dabhra tehsil of Sakti district, Chhattisgarh, that led to the death of several workers, while many others sustained serious injuries. According to reports, the team was expected to arrive in Sakti from Delhi on Saturday to carry out the inquiry. The move follows the submission of a report by the State Boiler Inspector, after which the central authorities decided to step in, according to an NDTV report. Meanwhile, the Chhattisgarh government has alsi ordered a probe into the accident at Vedanta power plant, appointing the Bilaspur Divisional Commissioner as the inquiry officer. The incident occurred on April 14 in Boiler Unit-1 of the plant due to a technical fault in the joint of a water supply pipe connected to a steam pipeline. It was learnt that the death toll in the boiler explosion rose to 20, while 15 workers are undergoing treatment for injuries at various hospitals. Taking note of the gravity of the incident, the state government has directed that the inquiry will examine when and how the accident took place, the underlying causes and circumstances, and the measures required to prevent recurrence of such incidents in the future. As per the order, the inquiry officer has been asked to complete the probe within 30 days and submit a report to the state government. Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai has expressed deep grief over the incident, terming it extremely tragic and painful. He paid tribute to the deceased workers and conveyed his condolences to the bereaved families. The Chief Minister has also directed officials to ensure a fair and expeditious inquiry and to take strict action against those found responsible. A preliminary technical report by the Chief Boiler Inspector indicated excessive fuel accumulation inside the furnace, leading to pressure build-up and damage to connected pipelines. The Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) in Sakti corroborated these findings, identifying fuel overload as the primary cause. New Delhi, April 18 : India Inc is exploring investment opportunities in South Africa's Dube TradePort Special Economic Zone (SEZ), as New Delhi looks to strengthen its economic engagement with a key logistics and manufacturing hub in Africa, according to a new report. New Delhi, April 18 (IANS) India Inc is exploring investment opportunities in South Africaas Dube TradePort Special Economic Zone (SEZ), as New Delhi looks to strengthen its economic engagement with a key logistics and manufacturing hub in Africa, according to a new report. According to a report in South Africa-based IOL, the Dube TradePort SEZ stands out as South Africaas only SEZ integrated with an international airport, King Shaka International Airport, offering a strong advantage for export-oriented industries. For India, the development holds strategic importance as companies look to scale up their Africa footprint, the report said. Sectors such as pharmaceuticals, automotive components, agro-processing and electronics are key areas of Indian export strength, stand to benefit from the SEZas integrated infrastructure and proximity to global markets. Moreover, Indian companies already have a notable presence in the zone. For instance, Mahindra Group operates a vehicle assembly unit within the SEZ through its South African arm. Similarly, Cipla Limited has established manufacturing operations via its subsidiary Cipla Medpro. These investments have not only boosted bilateral trade ties but also contributed to local job creation and skills development, aligning with Indiaas broader economic diplomacy in Africa, according to the report. However, the Indian industry is closely monitoring the implications of the China-Africa Economic Partnership Agreement (CAEPA), signed earlier this year. The pact, which provides duty-free access for South African exports to China, could alter trade dynamics in sectors such as minerals and agro-products, potentially impacting Indiaas competitive positioning. For India, Dube TradePort offers a platform to deepen commercial ties with South Africa amid an increasingly competitive global trade environment, the report said. Combined with incentives such as a reduced corporate tax rate of 15 per cent, the zone's logistics-led ecosystem, customs-controlled areas and ready-to-use industrial land are increasingly attracting global investors, including Indian firms, it added. Since its designation in 2017, the Dube TradePort SEZ has emerged as one of the countryas most successful industrial zones, leveraging its airport-linked infrastructure to drive exports. The approved expansion will add around 752 hectares to the SEZ, significantly enhancing capacity for export-driven manufacturing. Bengaluru, April 18 : Reacting on the charges that minority leaders are being targeted in the Karnataka Congress unit following action against two Members of Legislative Council (MLCs) hailing from the Muslim community for anti-party activities during the recent bypolls in the state, State Home Minister G. Parameshwara said on Saturday that there is no question of targeting minorities and that they are the backbone of the Congress. Speaking to reporters in Bengaluru, Parameshwara said, "There is no question of us targeting minority leaders. They have stood as the backbone of the Congress party. When I was the party President during two general elections, they stood by us. Even today, it is give and take. We have to ensure their development." "Hence, they (minorities) will be with us, and their development is our duty. It would be wrong if someone thinks that, because of the Davanagere South issue, there will be a big change. That is completely incorrect. We are living like brothers. There is no reason for them to feel upset over one Assembly seat. Along with the Chief Minister (Siddaramaiah) and the party President (Mallikarjun Kharge), we will set it right," he added. It may be noted that Muslim leaders had demanded a ticket for a candidate from their community to contest the Davanagere South bypoll. However, the party chose to field the grandson of veteran Congress leader late Shamanur Shivashankarappa. Following these developments, the Congress dismissed MLC Abdul Jabbar from its primary membership, while another MLC, Naseer Ahmad, was stripped of his post as the Chief Minister's political advisor. Responding to former Minister K.N. Rajanna's statement that the Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is silent when Muslim leaders are targeted in the party, Parameshwara said it was Rajanna's personal opinion. "The media should not ask for my opinion on his ( K.N. Rajanna's) statements," the Karnataka Home Minister added. Reacting to Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar's charge that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has conspired against convicted Congress MLA Vinay Kulkarni in connection with the BJP leader Yogesh Gowda murder case, following the court awarding life imprisonment to Kulkarni, Parameshwara said, "I do not know the circumstances under which the statement was made or in what sense it was issued." "However, we must respect the judicial system of the country. There is scope to discuss the pros and cons and to file an appeal. Kulkarni can appeal and argue that the judgment is wrong; there is a provision for that. I believe he will do so. But as public representatives, we cannot question the court's judgment," he added. On the delay in internal reservation, Parameshwara said, "The matter has been discussed in the state Cabinet. A technical committee has been formed, and members from the Department of Personnel Administration and Reforms (DPAR) and the Social Welfare Department will be appointed under the chairmanship of the Chief Secretary to finalise the roster system. When the government enacts a law, it must stand the test of legality and remain within the legal framework. The matter will likely come up in the next Cabinet meeting." "We are not against it. The only question is that it must be done lawfully," he added. New Delhi, April 18 : As the NDA is planning to organise nationwide protests following the defeat of the Women's Reservation Bill, Samajwadi Party (SP) MP Ram Gopal Yadav on Saturday launched a sharp counterattack, saying, "Let them bring, we will also bring ours." The NDA has planned demonstrations at district headquarters across the country, led by the BJP Mahila Morcha, after the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026, failed to secure the required two-thirds majority in the Lok Sabha. Despite receiving majority support, the Bill fell short of the constitutional threshold needed for passage. The proposed legislation aimed to introduce 33 per cent reservation for women in Parliament and state Assemblies. Its defeat has triggered sharp political exchanges between the ruling NDA alliance and the Opposition. Speaking to reporters outside the Parliament, Ram Gopal Yadav said, aWomen are in the majority on our side. They (Union government) do not even consider OBC women as women. They don't know who is in the majority. Let them (Centre) bring, we (Opposition) will also bring ours." He also questioned the necessity of reintroducing the Bill, claiming that a similar version had already been passed earlier. "This historic Bill was already passed in 2023. The officials who were there at that time have not changed. So what was the need for amendments? Just a day before yesterday, you notified the old Bill. Then what was the need to hold a debate and voting on this?" the Samajwadi Party leader said. Alleging political motives, Yadav said the move was aimed at influencing upcoming state elections. "The whole nation knows they are doing this for votes. Elections are taking place in West Bengal. But they have forgotten that in West Bengal, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has already provided 40 per cent reservation for women. What impact will 33 per cent have? They (Centre) did not think about it," he added. He also questioned the Union government's intent in introducing the Bill despite lacking the required numbers. "They knew they did not have a two-thirds majority. Then what was the point of bringing it?" Yadav added. Targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Samajwadi Party leader said, "The Prime Minister is saying that whoever opposes it (Bill) will suffer losses. They had no motive other than political gain." Backing Samajwadi Party Chief Akhilesh Yadav, Ram Gopal Yadav also supported the demand for extending reservation benefits to Muslim women. Referring to the Sachar Committee report, he said, "If you read the Sachar Committee report, you will understand that the condition of Dalits is better than that of Muslims." New Delhi, April 18 : Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju on Saturday asserted that the defeat of the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026, should not be interpreted as a setback for the Centre or the BJP, but rather as a "huge blow" inflicted on the nation by Congress and other Opposition parties. New Delhi, April 18 (IANS) Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju on Saturday asserted that the defeat of the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026, should not be interpreted as a setback for the Centre or the BJP, but rather as a "huge blow" inflicted on the nation by Congress and other Opposition parties. He made the remarks during a press conference held a day after the Bill was voted down in the Lok Sabha. The proposed legislation, which sought to provide 33 per cent reservation for women in Parliament, failed to secure the constitutionally required two-thirds majority, setting off a sharp political confrontation between the ruling NDA and the Opposition INDIA bloc. The Bill, which also proposed an increase in the strength of the House, fell short despite an extensive day-long debate. It garnered 278 votes in favour and 211 against, missing the threshold needed for passage. Following the setback, the Centre chose not to proceed with two associated delimitation Bills, maintaining that each of the three proposals could be treated separately. Expressing disappointment over the outcome, Rijiju said, "The way Congress did not allow it to be passed with the two-thirds majority, we are all saddened. We are not sad for the government or our party, but because this is a loss for the country's women. The important step of giving power to women to make decisions in the Lok Sabha and Assemblies has failed, and that is why we are saddened." He further added, "This is not a failure of our government or our party, but a huge blow to the country by the Congress and other Opposition parties. They will now have to bear the wrath of women. Congress has now been stained with the dark stigma of being anti-women." Taking aim at the Opposition's reaction, the Minister said, "Celebrating after deciding not to give women their rights and reservation is unfortunate and a clear display of an anti-women mindset. They have completely exposed their image. Excuses won't work -- different excuses won't work. The straightforward truth is that Congress and its allies have brought down the Bill that was meant to give rights to women." He also remarked that celebrating such an outcome was inappropriate, stating that this was not the moment for any political party to rejoice after, in his words, denying women their due representation, describing it as a "sinful act". Rijiju also announced the conclusion of the Budget Session, describing it as "historic" and "very productive". He highlighted what he termed as significant achievements, including progress towards eliminating Left-wing extremism. He said the government's commitment under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to eradicate Left-wing extremism was close to being realised. "The Home Minister explained this well during the discussion. This is a very big achievement for the country," he said. Elaborating further, Rijiju stated, "The three major challenges for our country have been: separatism and extremism in Kashmir, militancy in the Northeast, and Left-Wing extremism in Central India. Among these, the situation in Kashmir has largely become normal. Left-Wing Extremism is now on the verge of being completely eliminated. In the Northeast as well, except for some internal ethnic problems in Manipur, peace has been established in almost the entire Northeast. These are very big achievements for the country." Despite these achievements, he acknowledged that the inability to pass the Women's Reservation Bill remained a significant disappointment. "Yesterday in Parliament, I also said that the work Modi ji has done to give respect and upliftment to women, no one could even imagine it. But we will continue to do this work with even more strength. I thank the Prime Minister that we made every effort and used all our strength to ensure that women get their rights," he said. He added that the government followed democratic procedures and could not compel Opposition members to support the Bill. "Now, if the Congress and its allies are not ready to agree, we cannot force them to vote by marking them and physically pressuring them. Their mindset itself is anti-women. We cannot physically force them to vote. So we followed the democratic process and held the vote," Rijiju said. The Minister also claimed that he made repeated efforts to engage Opposition leaders, including Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, but alleged a lack of participation from their side. "They just write letters; they don't come to meetings. All other parties came to the meetings. The Home Minister, myself, the Law Minister... how many times have we held meetings? We held meetings with everyone. The Congress party does not come forward. Then they say that discussions are not being held. They don't come forward. They write letters three times, then say that we are not holding discussions," he said. Reiterating his criticism, Rijiju said, "This anti-women mindset of the Congress party has been exposed before the country. It is a matter of regret. The Congress will have to face the anger of women. But our efforts will continue. We will keep trying." Erode, April 18 : Tamil Nadu Deputy Chief Minister, Udhayanidhi Stalin, on Saturday launched a sharp attack on the BJP-led Union government, accusing it of withholding funds and undermining the State's rights, while pitching an expanded welfare agenda ahead of the Assembly elections. Addressing a high-energy campaign rally in Gobichettipalayam, the DMK youth wing chief alleged that the Centre had failed to release around 3,000 crore meant for education in Tamil Nadu. "They have snatched all our rights," he charged, framing the issue as part of a broader pattern of discrimination against non-BJP ruled states. Targeting the Centre's proposed delimitation exercise, Udhayanidhi said Chief Minister M.K. Stalin was the first leader in the country to raise strong objections. He claimed that the Opposition INDIA bloc had secured a "major victory" by opposing the Bill in Parliament, leading to its defeat due to lack of majority support in the Lok Sabha. Shifting focus to governance, Udhayanidhi highlighted several flagship welfare measures implemented by the DMK government and promised to scale them up if the party is voted back to power. He said the Kalaignar Magalir Urimai Thogai scheme, which provides monthly financial assistance to women, would be doubled from 1,000 to 2,000. According to him, more than 1.3 crore women are already benefiting from the initiative. He also announced that the State's breakfast scheme for government school students would be extended up to Class VIII, aiming to improve nutrition and school attendance. In addition, he promised that over 35 lakh college students would be provided free laptops under a renewed scheme once the DMK returns to office. Introducing another key poll promise, Udhayanidhi spoke about the proposed 'Illatharasi' scheme, under which non-Income Tax-paying women would receive coupons worth 8,000 to purchase or replace household appliances of their choice. The Deputy Chief Minister also accused the BJP and its ally AIADMK of attempting to stall welfare measures through legal challenges, asserting that such efforts would not deter the DMK from continuing its pro-people initiatives. Tamil Nadu will go to the polls in a single phase on April 23 to elect representatives to all 234 Assembly constituencies, with counting of votes scheduled for May 4. Corn futures were busy reverting from the Wednesday gains on Thursday, with contracts down fractionally in the new crop contracts to 2 3/4 cents in the nearbys at the close. The CmdtyView national average Cash Corn price was down 2 3/4 cents at $4.11. Export Sales data from this morning showed 1.4 MMT of old crop corn business, which was a 6-week high but was 10.3% below the same week last year. Japan was the lead buyer of 339,400 MT, with 333,100 MT sold to South Korea and 168,400 MT to Mexico. New crop sales were tallied at 56,460 MT, which was all to Mexico. More News from Barchart Buenos Aires Grains Exchange estimates the Argentina corn crop at 61 MMT, up 4 MMT from their previous number. That is in the direction of the Rosario Grain Exchange at 67 MMT, with the USDA down at 52 MMT. May 26 Corn closed at $4.48 1/2, down 2 3/4 cents, Nearby Cash was $4.11, down 2 3/4 cents, Jul 26 Corn closed at $4.57 3/4, down 2 3/4 cents, Dec 26 Corn closed at $4.76 3/4, down 1 1/4 cents, New Crop Cash was $4.34 5/8, down 1 3/4 cents, On the date of publication, Austin Schroeder did not have (either directly or indirectly) positions in any of the securities mentioned in this article. All information and data in this article is solely for informational purposes. This article was originally published on Barchart.com New Delhi, April 18 : The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Saturday conducted searches at five locations across Telangana and Andhra Pradesh in connection with a "digital arrest" fraud case, arresting three persons, including a bank official. The case, taken up on the directions of the Supreme Court, involves the alleged cheating of a senior citizen, who was coerced into transferring more than Rs 1.6 crore, under the threat of a so-called "digital arrest". The accused have been identified as Dubbaka Mahesh, the then assistant manager of IndusInd Bank, along with Rajesh Kanna and Vayala Srinivas. According to the central agency, the defrauded amount was routed through a bank account fraudulently opened in the name of a company to receive proceeds of cybercrime. Investigators found that the account was used to layer and transfer funds across multiple channels to conceal their origin. In a follow-up action, the CBI arrested the then assistant manager of IndusInd Bank for his alleged role in facilitating the fraudulent opening of the account. The other two accused were reportedly involved in arranging mule accounts and managing the movement of illicit funds. Searches at premises linked to the accused led to the seizure of incriminating documents and electronic devices, which are being examined for further leads. The CBI said it remains committed to taking strict action against individuals and entities that enable cybercrime by misusing banking systems or providing unauthorised access. Issuing an advisory, the central agency cautioned the public against scams involving intimidation through fictitious concepts such as "digital arrest". It clarified that no such legal provision exists and urged citizens not to panic or comply with such threats. People were also warned about impersonation calls made in the name of law enforcement or regulatory authorities, as well as fraudulent investment schemes. Any suspicious activity should be reported promptly through the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal or at the nearest police station, the central agency said. Kolkata, April 18 : The Trinamool Congress on Saturday approached the Election Commission of India (ECI), accusing the Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma of making "divisive, inciteful statements along with defamatory and unverified allegations" targeting the West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. In the letter, Trinamool Congress had referred to a public statement made by Assam Chief Minister Sarma at a campaign rally in Cooch Behar district, where the latter allegedly said that when Mamata Banerjee expressed apprehension that if the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) would come to power in the state, the people of West Bengal will not be able to consume meat as she was actually worried only about beef and not chicken, mutton or fish. According to the ruling party, such a statement by Assam Chief Minister Sarma was not only an inappropriate political rhetoric but also constituted a deliberate and calculated act of promoting religious hatred and fostering communal tension between different communities of West Bengal. The Trinamool Congress had also accused Himanta Biswa Sarma of making baseless and inflammatory statements that the Muslim population in West Bengal has been opening beef shops in Hindu areas and smuggling beef, which were allegedly intended to create a narrative of suspicion and hostility against an entire religious community. "Such rhetoric demonises a religious group, portraying them as a threat to public order, and encourages stigmatisation of minority communities. The aforesaid statements shall suffocate the peaceful conduct of elections and foment social unrest, leading to serious law and order problems," the letter from Trinamool Congress submitted at the office of the West Bengal Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), said. In the letter, Trinamool Congress had requested the ECI to issue a show-cause notice to CM Sarma and the BJP and to take appropriate and stringent action against the Assam Chief Minister for making communally charged and provocative statements. The ruling party in West Bengal had also requested the ECI to direct the police authorities concerned to register a First Information Report (FIR) immediately against Assam CM Sarma for the commission of offences. Islamabad, April 18 : The fight against polio in Pakistan is on a path to derail, and it is not only due to the stubborn virus but also violent and persistent campaigns against those who are actively trying to eradicate this virus, according to a latest media report. According to a report published in Pakistan's leading newspaper, Dawn, police escorts were killed, and polio workers were abducted in recent attacks in KP's Hangu and Bannu, besides parts of Balochistan. The attacks were in coordination with the immunisation drive being conducted nationwide, to administer the drops to millions of children, thousands of administrative workers fanned out through the country. The report said that these campaigns were targeted by militants, often branding them as intelligence fronts or foreign plots. These campaigns made progress unevenly due to vaccine refusal and disruption campaigns. With each attack compounding the challenge, entire pockets are left unprotected as vaccinators withdraw. These setbacks are visible in data, as Pakistan is one of the two countries where polio is still endemic. In recent years, cases have fallen to single digits, but periodic spikes in cases are driven by missed children, and these small gaps can allow the virus to resurface after circulating, said the report. The report further added that though protection for front-line workers is non-negotiable, the state's response cannot be limited to security alone. It also mentioned that rebuilding trust is a more durable solution, which requires engagement with local communities in a meaningful way, including engagement with religious leaders, mosques and clerics who can influence at the grassroots level. Earlier on April 13, a police constable was killed, and four others were injured after a law enforcement party heading to provide security for polio teams in the Hangu district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The incident happened in Thall tehsil of Hangu on the first day of the vaccination campaign scheduled for April 13-19. In a statement, the Hangu District police said that unidentified assailants opened fire on a police party, killing a police personnel and injuring four others, Pakistan's leading daily Dawn reported. In February, a police personnel was killed when unidentified assailants opened fire on a police vaccination team in Chaman district of Pakistan's Balochistan. In a similar incident in February, polio teams were attacked in different areas of Pakistan's Lahore as parents did not allow them to administer polio drops to their children. New Delhi, April 18 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to address the nation at 8.30 P.M. on Saturday and is likely to speak on the Women's Reservation Bill. New Delhi, April 18 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to address the nation at 8.30 P.M. on Saturday and is likely to speak on the Womenas Reservation Bill. Earlier in the day, following the conclusion of the Parliament session, leaders from all parties held a formal meeting with Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla. Prime Minister Modi also spearheaded a key meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) in New Delhi, focussing on safeguarding Indiaas security and economic interests amid the escalating conflict in West Asia. The Cabinet meeting was held a day after the Constitution Amendment Bill, aimed at implementing reservation for women in legislatures from 2029 and increasing the strength of the Lok Sabha, was defeated in the Lower House. While 298 members voted in favour of the Bill, 230 voted against it. Out of the 528 members who participated in the voting, the Bill required 352 votes to secure passage. According to the proposed legislation, the number of Lok Sabha seats was to be increased from the current 543 to a maximum of 850 in order to operationalise the womenas reservation law before the 2029 General Elections. This expansion was to follow a delimitation exercise based on the 2011 Census. Similarly, seats in state and Union Territory assemblies were also to be increased to accommodate a 33 per cent reservation for women. Following the Billas defeat in the Lok Sabha, the BJP termed the development a 'black day' and accused the Congress and other Opposition parties of betraying women. Union Minister Kiren Rijiju said that the Congress and the Opposition would have to face the anger of women across the country, alleging that they had permanently damaged their credibility. Meanwhile, the Congress and its allies maintained that the quota law passed in 2023 should be implemented immediately, accusing the government of politicising the issue. Several Opposition leaders, including Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, stated that they were not opposed to womenas reservation but objected to its linkage with delimitation. Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge also alleged that the governmentas true intent is to alter the constitutional framework and concentrate executive power. He noted that while the Congress had supported the Womenas Reservation Bill in 2023 and ensured its passage, the Centreas decision to link it with delimitation was unacceptable to the Opposition. New Delhi, April 18 : A Delhi court on Saturday acquitted all surviving accused in a decades-old case arising out of alleged fabrication of records in the President's Secretariat, saying that the prosecution failed to prove beyond reasonable doubt that a forged representation was created or that any criminal conspiracy existed. In a detailed judgment, Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Jyoti Maheshwari of the Rouse Avenue Court acquitted Mohan Lal Jatia, Ashok Jatia and Ashok Jain of charges under Sections 120B, 193, 199, 218, 466 and 471 of the IPC, bringing to a close a case that originated from directions issued by the Supreme Court in 1994. The apex court had directed its Registrar General to file a complaint under Section 340 CrPC, leading to the initiation of criminal proceedings against six accused persons, including public officials and private individuals. Describing the matter as "the oldest case on the docket of this Court," the judge noted that the prosecution story stemmed from allegations that the accused had conspired to fabricate evidence regarding a representation purportedly submitted to the President of India in April 1986 to secure relief for a COFEPOSA detenu. "The entire adjudication in the present case revolves around the question, as to whether the written representation dated April 11, 1986, was ever delivered in the Office of President of India on April 15, 1986, or not," the Supreme Court order said. After an extensive analysis of documentary evidence, witness testimonies and procedural history spanning nearly four decades, the court found that the prosecution failed to establish the foundational facts necessary to sustain the charges. While the prosecution relied heavily on alleged discrepancies in the Dak Register and expert opinion suggesting insertion of an entry, the court held that such material, in the absence of conclusive linkage to the accused, could not meet the threshold of proof required in criminal law. Key prosecution witnesses, including officials from the President's Secretariat, testified about procedural aspects of receiving correspondence, with some asserting that the disputed entry in the Dak register appeared to have been inserted subsequently. In its decision, the court found contradictions in witness testimonies and deficiencies in the investigation, including the non-examination of material witnesses and the absence of conclusive proof linking the accused to the alleged forgery or conspiracy. The judgment also took note of the prolonged delay in trial, the death of several accused during the pendency of proceedings, and the limited evidentiary value of certain materials produced decades after the institution of the case. Significantly, the court said that suspicion, however strong, cannot substitute proof in criminal trials and reiterated that the prosecution must establish guilt beyond reasonable doubt. The court also examined procedural objections raised by the defence, including the validity of the complaint filed under Section 340 CrPC pursuant to the Supreme Court's directions. It held that although the complaint did not bear the signature of a presiding judge, the defect was "at best a procedural irregularity" and did not vitiate the proceedings, as the complaint emanated from the Supreme Court's order. Concluding that the prosecution failed to discharge its burden, the court acquitted all surviving accused persons, saying that no case was made out under the charged provisions. The judgment marks the end of a long-drawn legal battle that began with proceedings before the Supreme Court in the mid-1980s and culminated in criminal prosecution three decades later. Chennai, April 18 : Senior Congress leader, Rahul Gandhi, on Saturday launched a sharp attack on the AIADMK-led NDA alliance in Tamil Nadu during an election campaign rally near Sholinghur in Ranipet district, accusing the BJP of attempting to control politics in the state through proxy. Addressing party workers and supporters, Leader of the Opposition (LoP) in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi claimed that the AIADMK had lost its independence and was now functioning under the influence of the BJP. "The AIADMK is no longer what it used to be. It is completely under the BJP's control," he said, claiming that the national party was trying to use the Dravidian outfit as a vehicle to establish its presence in Tamil Nadu. Emphasising the Congress party's ideological position, LoP Gandhi asserted that governance in Tamil Nadu should remain in the hands of its people. "We, the Indian National Congress, believe Tamil Nadu should be ruled by Tamil people. No one should rule Tamil Nadu by proxy from Delhi," he said, drawing applause from the crowd. Referring to the Congress party's alliance with the DMK, LoP Gandhi highlighted what he described as a respectful and non-coercive political partnership. "We partnered with the DMK, but we never attacked them, threatened them, or used central agencies like the Enforcement Directorate against them. The BJP, on the other hand, attacks and threatens the AIADMK leadership," he claimed. LoP Gandhi also took aim at the ideological influence of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, asserting that both the RSS and the BJP would not succeed in gaining political control in Tamil Nadu. "They can never rule this State," he said. Gandhi further referred to the recent defeat of the Women's Reservation Bill in Parliament which was a delimitation-linked constitutional amendment, terming it a significant political development. "Yesterday, we stopped the BJP's attempt to reduce the representation of southern states," he claimed. The Opposition is objecting to the Women's Reservation Bill being tethered to the expansion of Parliament based on the 2011 Census and the exercise of delimitation. The proposed amendment reportedly failed to secure the required two-thirds majority in the Lok Sabha, garnering 298 votes in favour and 230 against. The outcome marked a rare legislative setback for the Modi government, with Opposition parties uniting to block the measure. The Congress leader's remarks come amid intensified campaigning ahead of the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, with alliances sharpening their attacks in the final stretch. New Delhi, April 18 : In the aftermath of the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill's defeat in the Lok Sabha, Telangana Jagruthi President K. Kavitha on Saturday blamed both the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), saying they are "playing a blame game" over the failure of the Women's Reservation Bill. Speaking to IANS, Kavitha said, "In the history of India, yesterday will be remembered as the black day for women empowerment in this nation." Holding both the ruling NDA alliance and the Opposition responsible, she added, "BJP is blaming the Congress, and the Congress is blaming the BJP. But the point is that the women of this nation have seriously lost out a very long fought battle." "Women were a part of India's freedom movement but they never happened to make in the same proportion into the Parliament or assemblies of the nation," Kavitha said. She said in 2006, it was the Congress which "cheated the women". "Now after 20 years, in 2026, the BJP has again cheated the women of the nation," she alleged. Terming the Bill's failure as "unfortunate", Kavitha said, "It is unfortunate that Women's Reservation Bill is time and again being linked with either census, caste census or delimitation, or something or the other. But women are being blocked." She appealed the women that despite the blow to the reservation attempt, they should contest the elections, without thinking about whether they will "win or not". "I appeal to the women of the nation, we need to stand on our own feet and get empowered by ourselves. We need to come out and contest," Kavitha said. Meanwhile, Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra told reporters outside Parliament that the Women's Reservation Bill was passed in 2023 and that "all opposition parties were of the view that the Bill will be implemented during 2024 Lok Sabha polls and women would be granted one-third of the 540 seats". "But the BJP didn't do that," she alleged. Moreover, Moitra alleged that this was the Delimitation Bill, "dressed in" the Women's Reservation Bill. Samajwadi Party MP Dimple Yadav added that those who came to power with guarantees of women's security, job opportunities and social justice, "are trying to spread mistruths". "They (BJP) are attempting this again since they had lost badly in Uttar Pradesh during the (2024) Lok Sabha polls," she told reporters. Yadav alleged, "They (BJP) didn't give reservation to OBC women. They want to create differences among the women too. If they are talking about half of the country's population, they should also include OBC, minority and Dalit women too." April 18 : Gautam Buddh Nagar: Yogi Adityanath-led Uttar Pradesh government has taken a strict stance on workers' rights and initiated large-scale action. In this regard, the process has begun to cancel the licences of 203 contractors associated with 24 factories in Gautam Buddh Nagar for violating labour laws, along with recovery of dues and blacklisting of the concerned agencies. According to Additional Labour Commissioner Rakesh Dwivedi, several contractors were found to have a suspicious role in recent incidents of vandalism during workers' protests. Additionally, contractors who failed to comply with labour laws and deprived workers of their rightful benefits have been issued a penalty notice of 1,16,05,067, with directions that the amount be paid to the workers. He added, "The identification of remaining contractors is ongoing, and strict action will also be taken against them. The government's intent is clear: any negligence or disregard towards workers' rights will not be tolerated." The Additional Labour Commissioner also informed that following unrest over wage hikes, a high-level committee constituted at the government level recommended a 21% increase in wages for workers in 74 scheduled employments in Gautam Buddh Nagar and Ghaziabad. This increase will be effective from April 1, 2026, and the revised wages will be paid between May 7 and 10. The new rates will apply equally to both contractual and permanent workers. It has also been clarified that no deductions other than EPF and ESI will be permitted from workers' wages. Any violation will invite strict legal action. The Labour Department has further ensured that workers will receive overtime pay at double rates, along with all statutory benefits such as bonus and gratuity. In cases of delayed or underpayment of wages, accountability will be fixed not only on contractors but also on their principal employers. Industrial associations in the district have begun implementing the state government's guidelines regarding minimum wage increases. Various industry bodies are actively ensuring 100% compliance by appealing to industrial units through WhatsApp groups, sharing messages, audio, and video content. These efforts are being widely appreciated, as they are playing an important role in maintaining industrial harmony and peace in the district. Dang, April 18 : Gujarat Deputy Chief Minister, Harsh Sanghavi, on Saturday said that 10,000 tribal farmers in Dang district have had their forest land rights restored by the state government, as he addressed a 'Vikas Sankalp Sabha' in Ahwa. The event was held at Dang Swaraj Ashram under the slogan "public support to BJP, public support to development", where Sanghavi presided over the gathering. He was welcomed in accordance with tribal traditions with a turban and symbolic bow and arrows, and later held discussions with social leaders and office bearers on local issues. Addressing the gathering, Sanghavi said, "The BJP government restored the rights of 10 thousand tribal farmers over their forest land," describing the measure as significant for the district's tribal population. Referring to the region's history, he said, "The land of Dang has never bowed before the British, I salute this saga of bravery." He added that tribal communities had made an important contribution to India's Independence, but alleged that their role had not been properly reflected in historical accounts. "Congress had hatched a conspiracy to erase the contribution of tribals from history books," he said, adding that the tribal community had since rejected the party. Sanghavi also said that the tribal population in Dang had consistently opposed religious conversion. Outlining government measures, he stated that Rs 31 crore had been directly transferred into the bank accounts of farmers affected by unseasonal rainfall. "The 'Lakhpati Didi' scheme was providing employment opportunities to women and would be expanded further," he said. On infrastructure, he announced that 126 new major roads would be constructed in the district over the next year at an estimated cost of Rs 150 crore to improve connectivity. Speaking about basic services, he said: "Access to drinking water had improved through the 'Nal Se Jal' scheme. During the Congress rule, women had to walk up to two kilometres to fetch water, but the 'Nal Se Jal' scheme has ensured water reaches every household." He also said Dang had become the first district to adopt natural farming practices, calling it a matter of pride. Quetta, April 18 : At least five civilians were extrajudicially killed, and four others were forcibly disappeared by Pakistani forces in Balochistan, according to leading human rights organisations. Human rights body Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) mentioned that the bullet-riddled body of 17-year-old student Hatim Baloch was dumped on April 16, nearly 11 days after he was allegedly forcibly disappeared by Pakistan's Frontier Corps personnel from the Paroom area in the Panjgur district. Condemning the brutal killing, the BYC said, "The state has drenched Balochistan in blood. The state thirsts for Baloch blood. Whenever the state is seized by its impulse, it spills Baloch blood without fear or restraint. Those who dare to ask questions are thrown into jails and dungeons to silence them. Drone strikes are carried out on civilian populations, people are killed, and an atmosphere of fear is manufactured so that people remain silent out of dread." In a separate incident on the same day, the rights body revealed that Pakistani forces killed four Baloch civilians in a staged encounter and brought their tortured bodies to Panjgur Hospital, claiming that they were killed in a combat engagement. Expressing grave concern over the human rights abuses across Balochistan, the rights body said, "The killing of Baloch, particularly the disappeared in staged encounters, has assumed a brutally systematic form of Baloch genocide. In Panjgur district alone, approximately 40 Baloch youth have been ruthlessly killed and their mutilated bodies discarded within the past three months." Highlighting the atrocities against civilians across Balochistan, Paank, the Baloch National Movement's Human Rights Department strongly condemned the enforced disappearance of two Baloch youths in Panjgur on Friday at the hands of Pakistani forces. Citing information, the rights body revealed that FC personnel raided the residence of Dad Mohammad, detaining his son Abdul Wahid Dad along with another individual, Ashfaq Adam. Following their arrest, both individuals were subjected to enforced disappearance, and their whereabouts remain unknown. Separately, 19-year-old Baloch youth Ali Asghar was forcibly disappeared from his home in the Jiwani area of Gwadar district in Balochistan during a raid on April 16 by Pakistani Military Intelligence (MI). Additionally, another 19-year-old student, Mehraj, was abducted on April 12 from Green Plaza near the Children's Hospital in the provincial capital, Quetta, by personnel of Pakistan's Counter Terrorism Department (CTD). The rights body stated that since Mehraj's abduction, his whereabouts remain unknown, "causing severe concern for his safety and deep distress to his family." --IANS scor/sd/ Cotton futures continued the rally on Thursday, with contracts closing 11 to 71 points higher on the session. The US dollar index was $0.184 higher at $98.035. Crude oil was up $1.90 on the day. USDA Export Sales data from this morning showed a total of 161,101 RB of old crop cotton sold in the week ending on April 9, the lowest in 6 weeks. That was still 39.99% above the same week last year. Vietnam purchased a total of 62,100 RB, with turkey purchasing 49,000 RB. New crop business was tallied at 26,863 RB. The largest buyer was Vietnam at 20,700 RB. Shipments were 305,029 RB in that week, a 4-week low. Vietnam was the top destination of 110,400 RB, with 35,900 RB headed to Pakistan. More News from Barchart The Seam showed 10,624 bales sold on Wednesday at an average of 72.16 cents/lb. The Cotlook A Index was 20 points lower on April 15 at 85.60 cents. ICE certified cotton stocks were raised by 2,855 bales on April 15, with the certified stocks level at 162,367 bales. The Adjusted World Price was up another 287 points on Thursday at 61.61 cents/lb. May 26 Cotton closed at 75.7, up 59 points, Jul 26 Cotton closed at 78.13, up 71 points, Dec 26 Cotton closed at 78.99, up 64 points On the date of publication, Austin Schroeder did not have (either directly or indirectly) positions in any of the securities mentioned in this article. All information and data in this article is solely for informational purposes. This article was originally published on Barchart.com New Delhi, April 18 : The Supreme Court has enhanced the monthly maintenance payable to a woman from Rs 15,000 to Rs 25,000, holding that a husband's financial commitments, such as loan repayments for asset creation, cannot take precedence over his statutory obligation to maintain his spouse. A bench of Justices Sanjay Karol and AG Masih passed the order while allowing an appeal filed by Deepa Joshi against her estranged husband, Gaurav Joshi, challenging the adequacy of maintenance fixed by courts below. The apex court modified a June 26, 2025, order of the Uttarakhand High Court, which had earlier enhanced the maintenance from Rs 8,000 to Rs 15,000 per month. In its order, the Justice Karol-led Bench noted that the husband, employed as a Manager with Canara Bank, was drawing a gross monthly income of Rs 1,15,670 and had a regular source of earnings. It also recorded that the wife has no independent source of income and has been living separately shortly after the marriage. "Repayments of loans, particularly where such repayments result in creation or acquisition of assets, partake the character of capital investment and cannot be equated with essential or unavoidable expenditure," the top court observed. It added that such financial commitments, being voluntary in nature, "cannot be accorded precedence over the statutory and legally enforceable obligation of maintenance". The Justice Karol-led Bench said that while determining maintenance, a balance must be struck between the financial capacity of the husband and the reasonable needs of the wife. "The obligation of the husband to maintain his spouse is a primary and continuing duty, which must be discharged in a manner that enables the wife to live with dignity," the apex court said. Referring to settled legal principles, the Supreme Court reiterated that maintenance should not be illusory and must be fair, reasonable, and commensurate with the status of the parties. The Justice Karol-led Bench found that the courts below had placed considerable reliance on deductions from the husband's salary, including loan repayments, which had the effect of reducing the maintenance amount. However, it held that such deductions could not substantially dilute the husband's liability, especially when they contributed to asset creation. "We are of the opinion that a sum of Rs 25,000 per month would be just, fair and reasonable in the facts of the present case," the Justice Karol-led Bench said. Accordingly, the Supreme Court enhanced the maintenance to Rs 25,000 per month, payable from the date of the original application. It directed that arrears, if any, be cleared within three months and that the monthly maintenance be paid on or before the 7th day of each calendar month. The proceedings arose from a maintenance plea filed by the wife under Section 144 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023, after she alleged neglect and harassment and claimed she had no means to sustain herself. The Family Court had initially granted Rs 8,000 per month, which was later enhanced by the Uttarakhand High Court before the matter reached the apex court. Dhaka, April 18 : Despite the big promises made by the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) government led by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, the much-awaited end to mob culture in the country is yet to arrive, the local media in Dhaka has highlighted. A report in The Daily Star recalled that as the BNP government came to power in February this year, Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed had declared the "end of mob culture". "The statement was bold, and long overdue. After months in which mob violence had become alarmingly routine, it offered a sense of relief, even hope, that the state was finally ready to reclaim authority from the streets. That hope was short-lived," the newspaper mentioned. "On April 10, a mob in Dhaka's Shahbagh attacked a group of friends near the National Museum, after branding them 'homosexuals', 'transgender', or 'hijra'. The next day, another mob hacked a pir named Abdur Rahman - also known as Shamim al-Jahangir - to death in Kushtia. Two days, two attacks, and two brutal reminders of how quickly a ministeras promise unravelled," the report added. The leading daily cited a recent report by Dhaka's Human Rights Support Society (HRSS) which has revealed that at least 49 people were killed in 88 mob-related incidents in the first three months of 2026 with March alone seeing 25 violent mob attacks that left 13 people dead and 38 injured. "The government has not simply failed to prevent a series of attacks. By repeatedly declaring the end of mob violence while allowing it to continue, it has taught mobs a dangerous lesson: warnings do not always lead to consequences. Violent men watch what follows violence. When arrests are weak, prosecutions drag on, and punishment remains absent from public view, the message is quickly understood. The state hesitates. The street remains up for grabs," the report stated. It made it clear that condemnation without consequence is not governance. "What is needed now is not another statement. It is visible force of law. Immediate arrests. Sustained prosecution. Exemplary punishment. And that accountability cannot stop with the mobs. It must also reach the law enforcers who delay, hesitate, look away, or first try to calculate who the attackers are before deciding whether to act. The message to police must be unmistakable: when a mob forms, intervene. Protect the victim. Break the crowd. Arrest the attackers. Enforce the law," the Daily Star report emphasised. Chennai, April 18 : The Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) has now cleared director Vignesh Raja's eagerly awaited action entertainer 'Kara', featuring actor Dhanush in the lead, for release with a U/A certificate. Taking to its X timeline, Vels Film International, the production house producing the film, wrote, "#KaraGetsUA See you at the #KaraPreReleaseEvent tomorrow. #KaraFromApril30 Directed by @vigneshraja89. Produced by @IshariKGanesh.A @gvprakash musical." The film is slated for a worldwide release on April 30 this year. It may be recalled that the makers of the film had announced the title of the film on Pongal this year. The makers had also released a poster of the film in which Dhanush was seen sporting an intense look. The poster read, "Sometimes, staying dangerous is the only way to stay alive." The makers have already revealed the characters the various actors play in the film. While actress Mamitha Baiju, who plays the female lead in the film, would be seen as Selli in the film, director K S Ravikumar would be seen as Kandhasaami in 'Kara'. Actor Jayaram plays Muthu Selvan while actor Karunas plays Kasi Maayan and actor Suraj Venjaramoodu plays Bharathan in the film. The makers had, late last year, released a still of Dhanush from the film. The production house had shared the picture on social media, saying, "Straight from the sets of #D54 - Shoot in progress! @dhanushkraja". The picture showed Dhanush speaking from an STD booth. The film boasts of both a strong cast as well as a brilliant technical crew. Apart from Dhanush and Mamitha Baiju, the film will also feature director K S Ravikumar, Jayaram, Suraj Venjaramoodu, Karunas and Prithvi Pandiraj in pivotal roles. On the technical front, cinematography will be by one of the best in the business, Theni Eswar and editing will be by Sreejith Sarang. Music will be by National Award winner G V Prakash. More significantly, the story of the film has been jointly penned by writer Alfred Prakash and director Vignesh Raja, the creators of the critically acclaimed superhit investigative thriller 'Por Thozhil'. New Delhi, April 18 : Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy on Saturday launched a sharp critique of the Narendra Modi government while praising the Opposition for defeating the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026, in the Lok Sabha. He accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of using the promise of women's reservation as a pretext to increase the number of Lok Sabha seats and eventually secure the two-thirds majority required to amend the Constitution. He also urged the Union government "not to create a North-South divide" in the country through the Delimitation Bill, 2026. The Bill, which proposed 33 per cent reservation for women in Parliament, failed to obtain the mandated two-thirds majority, setting off a fierce political clash between the ruling NDA and the Opposition INDIA bloc. The legislation, which also included provisions to expand the strength of the House, fell short despite an extended day-long debate. It secured 298 votes in favour and 230 against, missing the threshold required for passage. Following the outcome, the Centre decided against proceeding with two accompanying Delimitation Bills, saying that the three proposals could be treated independently. The Bill's defeat has intensified political tensions, with the NDA accusing the Opposition INDIA bloc of deliberately obstructing what it described as a "landmark reform" to enhance women's representation in Legislative bodies. Addressing a press conference, Chief Minister Revanth Reddy said, "Along with the Centre, this is not just the defeat of BJP's politics but their intention. We had said that if the intentions are pure, then we support the Bill. The Bills they introduced in the Lok Sabha appear to be distinct, yet their intention is to simply raise the number of seats under the guise of the Women's Reservation Bill. If the goal was to enforce the Women's Reservation Bill, no additional steps would be necessary. The Bill could be enacted with minor adjustments to the 2023 Bill." Referring to the political messaging during the 2024 general elections, the Chief Minister said, "In 2024, PM Modi Ji's slogan was 'Abki Baar, 400 Paar' and everyone was aware that attempts were being made to win 400 seats so that they can remove the reservation. That is why people of the country united with the Opposition and did not give Modi ji 400 seats, but only 240. This made them realise that the people of this country have now become aware of these things, and now it will be difficult for the BJP to get a two-thirds majority in the future." Revanth Reddy also added that altering or removing provisions in the Constitution, including reservation, would require a two-thirds majority in Parliament. "By claiming they (Centre) are increasing the number of seats, if they raise the total to nearly 850, in the larger states where the BJP holds significant influence and has governments in power, they could secure the necessary number of seats. This would enable them to achieve a two-thirds majority and pass legislation in the Lok Sabha aimed at altering the Constitution and eliminating reservations," the Chief Minister said. "That is why, yesterday, the people of the country and the Opposition together defeated the intentions of Modi Ji in the Lok Sabha," he added. Accusing the BJP of attempting to malign the Congress over the issue, Revanth Reddy said, "Modi Ji, make good Bills and keep your intentions safe, and don't doubt our intentions on women's reservation. It was the Congress who gave women the right to vote," drawing a contrast with the prolonged suffrage movement in countries like the US. He also urged the Centre to bring forward a fresh Women's Reservation Bill without delay, assuring that the Opposition INDIA bloc would fully support such legislation if introduced in Parliament. "Don't try to create a divide between North India and South India. We are also the stakeholders of this nation, citizens of this country, and we are willing to give all it takes for the growth of the nation," the Chief Minister said, appealing to the BJP-led Union government. Using mythological references, Revanth Reddy remarked, "Like Maricha came to kidnap Sita, Modi Ji is also doing the same to kidnap the Constitution. BJP-NDA is trying to do that, but we all will not let them be successful in their attempts." He also alleged that laws had frequently been passed without adequate discussion over the years. "Modi Ji has been repeatedly passing laws without discussion for the last 12 years. Threaten someone with a case, bring someone into this, scare and threaten someone, make someone absent -- all sorts of efforts were made. Yesterday was the defeat of his ego. The people of the entire country, acting like Hanuman, stood before PM Modi. He couldn't even move that tail. Modi Ji's arrogance was defeated yesterday. He should study history. Modi Ji keeps reading Ramayan, so he should know how Hanuman Ji defeated the arrogance of Bhimsen," the Chief Minister added. -- Except for the title, this story has not been edited by Prokerala team and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed New Delhi, April 18 : Following the failure of the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill in the Lok Sabha, former Shiv Sena-UBT MP Priyanka Chaturvedi said on Saturday that the people are seeing what the Union government's agenda is, adding that "BJP never intended to ensure that women receive their rightful representation". Reacting to the development, Chaturvedi said that the public is now clearly able to see the Union government's intentions. "The public is seeing what the agenda is. The agenda is that you do not want to give women reservation. The agenda is that you are trying to link one issue with another and suggesting that only after increasing the number of seats, will space be created for women," she told IANS. She reiterated that the Women's Reservation Bill passed in 2023 should be delinked from the census and delimitation processes and implemented within the existing framework. "I will say it again, what you passed in 2023 should be separated from census and delimitation. Implement the Women's Reservation Bill within the existing seats. Only then will women understand your political will," the Shiv Sena-UBT leader said. Chaturvedi also added that the entire Opposition is united on the issue and challenged the Union government to bring the amendments again in the upcoming Monsoon session of Parliament. "The Opposition stands united on this matter. I ask the government whether it will pass these amendments in the next Parliament session. Only then should such rallies and sloganeering take place. The public is aware and understands the situation," she said. Recalling the passage of the 2023 law, she added that it had received broad consensus in Parliament and aimed to provide 33 per cent reservation to women. "At that time as well, we had urged the Union government not to link the Bill to delimitation and the census. Our concerns were ignored, but in the spirit of ensuring women's rights, we extended our full support," Chaturvedi said. She also criticised the Union government for not demonstrating commitment during the 2024 general elections. "You did not allocate 33 per cent tickets to women, nor did you show the required political will. Instead, you deferred implementation to 2029. We had asked for immediate implementation within the existing 543 seats," she said. Reiterating her stance, Chaturvedi noted that the Opposition had consistently demanded reservation within the current seat structure in Lok Sabha. "If the government truly has the intent to empower women, it should allocate one-third of seats to them now and direct its alliance partners to do the same. The Women's Reservation Bill must be delinked from other legislative measures. In my view, the BJP never intended to ensure that women receive their rightful representation," she said. -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text New Delhi, April 18 : The Supreme Court has disposed of a writ petition raising concerns about the absence of assessment mechanisms for diagnosing specific learning disabilities, such as dyslexia, in adults, while noting that research is underway to develop appropriate testing tools for adult assessment. a New Delhi, April 18 (IANS) The Supreme Court has disposed of a writ petition raising concerns about the absence of assessment mechanisms for diagnosing specific learning disabilities, such as dyslexia, in adults, while noting that research is underway to develop appropriate testing tools for adult assessment. A Bench of Justices Manoj Misra and Manmohan was hearing a petition filed by N. Sai Balaji under Article 32 of the Constitution of India, seeking directions on the absence of effective mechanisms for identifying and certifying specific learning disabilities in adults. At the outset, the apex court recorded that several reliefs sought in the petition had already become infructuous in light of fresh guidelines issued by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment on March 12, 2024. The Justice Misra-led Bench took note of the petitioner's surviving grievance that the existing framework for determining specific learning disability is "limited to children and is not designed to deal with adults". Referring to its earlier order, the apex court recorded that the National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS) had been directed to clarify the progress made in developing appropriate tools for assessing dyslexia in adults. In its affidavit, NIMHANS acknowledged that the currently prescribed assessment tools are designed primarily for children. However, it informed the top court that research is underway to develop suitable testing mechanisms for adults, and that such tools are expected to be published within 3 years. Taking this on record, the Justice Misra-led Bench said, "We deem it appropriate to close these proceedings by recording the stand of NIMHANS that they are working on assessment tools/tests for determining specific learning disability amongst adults and would be able to publish the requisite tests within 3 years from now." In its order, the Supreme Court also took note of the petitioner's academic achievements, observing that he had successfully obtained a Ph.D degree, indicating that the alleged disability had not significantly impeded his progress. "From the own stand of the petitioner, we find that he has been able to obtain a Ph.D degree. Thus, apparently, his professed disability has not hampered his progress in life," the Justice Misra-led Bench remarked. Dismissing the petition, the apex court granted the petitioner liberty to seek the revival of the proceedings if no progress is made within the stipulated timeframe. "In case there is no development in that regard in the next 3 years, it shall be open for the petitioner to seek revival of these proceedings," the order clarified. Mumbai, April 18 : Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and NCP national president Sunetra Pawar on Saturday claimed that the opposition's anti-women mentality has once again been exposed, alleging that the 131st Constitutional Amendment Bill, which provides one-third reservation for women, could not be passed in the Lok Sabha as it was deliberately not allowed to go through. Sunetra Pawar, in her post on X, said, "It wouldn't be an overstatement to say that yesterday turned out to be a shameful day for our Indian democracy. Those who play politics in the name of women's empowerment have themselves trampled on women's rights. The rejection of the honourable Prime Minister Narendra Modi's call for unity is not arrogance but an injustice inflicted upon the women of the country. But the fight for women's reservation will not stop here... Nari Shakti will respond!" Meanwhile, the Maharashtra Congress responded on Saturday with a stinging rebuke, accusing former chief minister and BJP MP Ashok Chavan of "betraying" his own political roots and his father S.B. Chavan's loyalty to the party. In a post on X, the Congress party urged Chavan to "honour his commitments" and accused him of shifting his stance merely to suit his new political home in the BJP. The state Congress reminded Chavan that it was Rajiv Gandhi who pioneered women's reservation in local bodies (Panchayati Raj), which the party later increased to 50 per cent in many states. It clarified that it is not against women's reservation but is strictly opposed to linking it with delimitation based on the 2011 Census. The party argued that the 33 per cent quota should be implemented immediately and independently, without redrawing constituency boundaries. Chavan on Friday said, "The constructive effort faced hurdles due to the 'stubborn and unwarranted' stance of opposition parties driven by political malice. This is despite the central government having provided objective and solid answers to every doubt raised." Chavan noted that the opposition's overall conduct suggests it prioritised political ego over the welfare of millions of women in the country. He emphasised that while the opposition might view obstructing the implementation of women's reservation as a victory, it is, in reality, a defeat for the interests and rights of "Nari Shakti". "Providing 33 per cent reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabhas is not just a political agenda for us; it is a firm resolve and a dream. Under the strong leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, this dream will surely be realised sooner or later, and Indian women will inevitably secure their rightful due," he added. Further, Shiv Sena-UBT leader Aaditya Thackeray said that the Central government's Bill, which sought to amend the Constitution with a political motive to increase the number of Lok Sabha constituencies, suppress the voice of several states, and redraw constituencies to secure victories through unfair means, was defeated in Parliament. "This interference in the Constitution would have been fatal not only for democracy in India but also for the Constitution itself, but this attempt was thwarted due to the unity of the opposition MPs. In truth, the Women's Reservation Bill was passed in Parliament in 2023, and its notification was issued on April 16, 2026. In fact, there is a need to implement 33 per cent women's reservation within the current seats. If the government truly holds such a stance, then it is essential to effectively implement this reservation in the 543 seats for the 2029 Lok Sabha elections, as well as in all elections across the country," said Aaditya Thackeray. -- Except for the title, this story has not been edited by Prokerala team and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed Bengaluru, April 18 : The Karnataka BJP has announced that its women's wing will organise protests across the state against what it describes as an "anti-women Congress". Bengaluru, April 18 (IANS) The Karnataka BJP has announced that its women's wing will organise protests across the state against what it describes as an "anti-women Congress". A poster titled "Hands that obstruct women's power, Congress that suppressed women's rights" was also released at a joint press conference attended by Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Assembly R. Ashoka and Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Council Chalavadi Narayanaswamy. Speaking to the media at the BJP state office 'Jagannatha Bhavan' in Bengaluru on Saturday, BJP Mahila Morcha State President C. Manjula made the announcement. She said that preparations had been made to celebrate the prospect of political reservation for women, but that celebration has now turned into anger. Manjula said that protests are being staged on Saturday in Mysuru, Gadag, Nelamangala, Kolar and other places, and would continue indefinitely. "This outrage will continue until Congress is removed from power," she added. She further said that protests have been planned for Sunday across three districts of Bengaluru city. Criticising the Congress, she alleged that there is an internal contradiction within the party on the issue of women's reservation. Manjula also said that the BJP would expose the "anti-women policies" of parties such as the Congress and the Trinamool Congress (TMC). BJP State Vice President Malavika Avinash said that the implementation of the Women's Reservation Bill, which was on the verge of becoming a reality after nearly seven decades of struggle, has been undermined by the Congress and its allies, amounting to an insult to democracy. Speaking to media representatives at the BJP state office on Saturday, she said that the insult caused by the Congress will never be forgiven by the women of India. "We were all prepared to secure reservation as a constitutional right. Let the Congress see in the coming days what kind of response there will be from women across the country," she said. She added that the success and credit for the implementation of the Women's Reservation Bill should go to everyone, but pointed out that the Prime Minister had appealed for support to ensure its passage. However, she alleged that the Congress and its allies obstructed the Bill. She further criticised that parties in Parliament are being run like private limited companies. She alleged that in parties such as the Samajwadi Party, DMK, and the Congress, efforts are made to ensure that women from their own families enter Parliament, while other women are prevented from getting opportunities. She cited examples such as Priyanka Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi, and Indira Gandhi from the Congress, and members of Mulayam Singh Yadav's family, as well as similar trends in the DMK. She said that while ordinary women in India aspire to enter Parliament and state assemblies, these parties oppose such opportunities. "In Congress, tickets are given only to daughters of ministers or former ministers," she alleged. She concluded by saying that Prime Minister Narendra Modi showed the path for the implementation of women's reservation, but accused these parties of blocking that progress. Bengaluru, April 18 : Karnataka Opposition Leader R. Ashoka, expressing strong anger, said on Saturday that by opposing the Nari Shakti Vandan Act, Congress has clearly revealed its anti-women stance. a Bengaluru, April 18 (IANS) Karnataka Opposition Leader R. Ashoka, expressing strong anger, said on Saturday that by opposing the Nari Shakti Vandan Act, Congress has clearly revealed its anti-women stance. "The women of the country will never forgive this. Therefore, it is appropriate to dissolve Congress's women's wing," he said. Speaking at a press conference on Saturday, he said that even though the PM Modi-led government brought the Nari Shakti Vandan Act Bill to grant constitutional rights to the country's women, the opposition parties defeated it in the Lok Sabha. He said that Congress and its allies have decided that giving women Rs 2,000 and free bus rides is enough; they do not need political representation. They think that in the next election, it is sufficient to give more money and secure votes. In the coming elections, women will teach all of them a lesson, he said. Ashoka slammed Nehru and Indira Gandhi, who ruled for 60 years, for not bringing in women's reservation. When PM Modi brought the Bill, Congress opposed it and betrayed women. The anti-women sentiment is in Congress's blood, he charged. He further added that there are a total of 129 parliamentary seats in southern Indian states, and that there is an opportunity to increase them to 195. If there had been differences of opinion regarding delimitation, they could have been discussed, Ashoka noted. "The delimitation process had happened earlier, too. At that time, Congress had kept quiet, but now they are opposing it. Delimitation is a normal process, and the central government has carried it out," he said. He claimed that women should question Congress on the streets regarding this. Women will drive Congress out of the country. Earlier, when triple talaq was abolished, Congress had opposed it too. For women, this is a dark day, he said. He added that the Bharatiya Janata Party is not using this as an election advantage. Congress could have supported the Bill and taken the credit. It will be implemented in just three years. But it is important to note that it has not been implemented in the last 60 years. Delimitation will also increase the number of parliamentary seats for the southern states, he said. "What criteria has the Congress government set for the formation of Greater Bengaluru? Even there, they have considered only the 2011 census. But if Bharatiya Janata Party considers it as a criterion, they oppose it," he said. Ashoka said that the failure of the women's empowerment Bill is a clear sign of the opposition parties' conspiracy, negligence, and anti-women attitude. Congress leaders deliver big speeches on platforms about women's rights, but they have failed to implement them, he said. "If they have not voted for this Bill, it is appropriate to dissolve Congress's women's wing. Women leaders had dreamed of going to the legislature. The people will not forgive the Congress government that neglects women's rights," he said. He criticised Congress, stating that for them, women are nothing more than vote-givers. Kochi, April 18 : The Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) on Saturday voiced strong concerns over what it described as rising incidents of "Love Jihad" and religious conversions, calling for stricter legal measures to address the issue. Kochi, April 18 (IANS) The Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) on Saturday voiced strong concerns over what it described as rising incidents of "Love Jihad" and religious conversions, calling for stricter legal measures to address the issue. Speaking at a press interaction here, VHP National Secretary General Milind Parande alleged that Kerala has become a major centre for such activities and urged the introduction of a stringent law to curb illegal conversions. Parande claimed that new methods were being used to target Hindu women, linking these to broader patterns he termed as organised attempts at conversion. He further alleged that such incidents were not confined to Kerala but were part of a wider national trend, citing various recent controversies across the country. According to him, these developments have created concerns within sections of society and warrant urgent attention from the authorities. He also referred to reports of alleged malpractice in educational institutions and workplaces, stating that these claims have contributed to a growing sense of mistrust. Parande added that organisations and companies must take steps to ensure a "safe environment", particularly for women, and said the VHP would reach out to stakeholders on the issue. In a separate allegation, he pointed to a recent case involving a minor girl from a Scheduled Tribe community, claiming that the incident highlighted serious lapses and political protection for the accused. He criticised the state government's handling of such cases, calling for stronger intervention to protect vulnerable communities. The VHP leader also raised concerns about government control over temples, alleging misuse of temple funds and calling for their liberation from state oversight. He said the organisation would intensify its campaign on this front, asserting that temple resources should be used solely for religious purposes. The remarks come amid ongoing debates in Kerala over issues of religious freedom, conversion, and the role of the state in managing religious institutions. Political observers note that such statements are likely to further intensify discussions around communal relations and governance in the state, even as authorities maintain that law and order will be upheld impartially. May NY world sugar #11 (SBK26) today is up +0.15 (+1.11%), and Aug London ICE white sugar #5 (SWQ26) is up +6.20 (+1.50%). Sugar prices are moving higher today as a +2% rally in crude oil price (CLK26) sparked short covering in sugar futures. Higher crude prices boost ethanol prices and could prompt global sugar millers to divert more cane crushing toward ethanol production rather than sugar, thus curbing sugar supplies. More News from Barchart On Wednesday, NY sugar sank to a 5.5-year nearest-futures low. Sugar prices have been under pressure for the past two weeks amid expectations of abundant global supplies and tepid demand. Wednesday's expiration of the May London sugar contract saw 472,650 MT of deliveries settle the contract, the most for a May contract in 14 years, a sign of tepid demand. The outlook for the global sugar surplus to persist is weighing on prices. 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 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. Sugar prices also took a hit last Tuesday when India's Food Secretary said the government has no plans to ban sugar exports this year, easing concerns that it could divert more sugar to make ethanol following the Iran war disruption to crude oil supplies. Stronger sugar output in India is negative for sugar prices after India's National Federation of Cooperative Sugar Factories Ltd. on April 2 reported that India's 2025-26 sugar production from Oct 1-Apr 15 was up +7.7% y/y to 27.48 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. Kolkata, April 18 : Kolkata Police suspended a constable of the Kolkata Police Reserve Force for allegedly influencing voters during the postal ballot. A suspension notice was issued by the Joint Commissioner of Kolkata Police on Saturday. a As per the order, the constable will have to remain under suspension until the voting period is over.a The constable, named Masood Karim, will receive half of his salary for now. The allegations against him are considered very serious by informed sources.a It was learnt that Kolkata Police Reserve Force Constable Masood Karim was working in the Bhabanipur Assembly constituency in Kolkata. a He had to be transferred to the Haldia Sub-Divisional Magistrateas office due to a reshuffle by the Election Commission ahead of the Assembly election. a Voting by postal ballot began in the state on April 13. It is alleged that Masood Karim influenced voters during the postal ballot voting at the Haldia Sub-Divisional Magistrateas office, which is considered a very serious offence. a For that reason, Kolkata Police decided to suspend him.a It is worth mentioning that the Election Commission is making continuous efforts to conduct the Assembly polls in West Bengal smoothly and peacefully. a From deploying central forces to increasing surveillance, everything has been done to ensure free and fair polling. The Commission has also deployed a large number of surveillance cameras to ensure there is no unrest or rigging anywhere. a Even then, the Kolkata Police Headquarters took immediate action after allegations were made against a police constable for influencing voters. a For now, Constable Masood Karim will remain suspended until the voting period is over. As per the rules, he will receive half his salary during this period.a Polling will be held in 294 Assembly constituencies of West Bengal in two phases on April 23 and 29. Haldia will vote in the first phase, while Bhabanipur will vote in the second phase. a Vote counting will take place on May 4.a Ahmedabad/Mumbai, April 18 : A cyber fraud network that allegedly generated and siphoned off more than Rs 7.34 crore by exploiting a vulnerability in a cooperative bank's core banking system has been uncovered, with four people arrested in Gujarat and Maharashtra, officials said on Saturday. The arrests were made by the Cyber Centre of Excellence in Gandhinagar in connection with the hacking of the computer system of The Bhavnagar District Co-operative Bank Ltd. A case was registered after investigators found that bank accounts had been arranged and used to route cybercrime proceeds, with funds transferred and withdrawn through a wider network. Using human intelligence and technical analysis, the team arrested three accused from Ahmedabad and one from Maharashtra. The accused have been identified as Adnan Sheikh, 24, a resident of Fatewadi on Sarkhej Road; Rubina Sheikh, 31, of Guptanagar in the Vasna area; Sushilkumar Meghwal, 32, of Rakhial; and Kishor Prabhakar Pardeshi, 43, a Home Guard from Mulund West in Mumbai. According to investigators, an examination of the accused's mobile phones led to the recovery of details linked to 42 additional bank accounts. Checks on the cybercrime portal indicated that the group was involved in more than 15 cybercrime cases across the country, with an estimated fraud of around Rs 4 crore linked to those offences. Cases have been registered in Andhra Pradesh (1), Gujarat (2), Haryana (2), Karnataka (5), Maharashtra (1), Tamil Nadu (1), Uttar Pradesh (2), and Punjab (1). Police said the fraud stemmed from a vulnerability in the bank's Core Banking Service (CBS) software, which had reportedly been exploited in 14 to 15 banks nationwide. The accused allegedly selected four older accounts in the Bhavnagar bank, changed the registered mobile numbers to their own, and activated the accounts. They then generated a virtual balance of approximately Rs 7,34,91,682 in these accounts and transferred the funds into 135 different bank accounts to disperse the money. Officials said the accused obtained bank accounts from individuals by offering financial incentives and used them to move illicit funds. Authorities have so far frozen Rs 2,04,33,121 (Rs 2.04 crore) of the defrauded amount and seized four mobile phones. Police said, "If any person or agent asks for bank accounts or SIM cards on rent or under any pretext, inform the nearest police station or cybercrime authorities." They added, "Do not give your bank account, ATM card or cheque book on rent to any unknown person under any temptation." Further investigation is ongoing into the wider scale of the fraud. New Delhi, April 18 : All Indian seafarers in the West Asia and Gulf region are safe and no incident involving Indian-flagged vessels has been reported in the past 24 hours, the government said on Saturday. DG Shipping has facilitated the safe repatriation of over 2,487 Indian seafarers so far, including 34 in the past 24 hours from various locations across the Gulf region. "Port operations across India remain normal with no congestion reported," according to an official statement. Necessary measures have been put in place to safeguard Indian vessels and seafarers operating in the region, by the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways. "The Ministry continues to coordinate with the Ministry of External Affairs, Indian Missions and maritime stakeholders to ensure seafare welfare and uninterrupted maritime operations," it added. The Ministry of External Affairs also continues to monitor developments in the Gulf and West Asia region, with focussed efforts on ensuring safety, security and welfare of the Indian community in the region. "Updated advisories are being issued regularly, including information on local government guidelines, flight and travel situations and consular services and various welfare measures being undertaken to support our community. Indian Missions remain actively engaged with the Indian community including the various associations, organizations, professional groups, Indian companies and other stakeholders in the region," it mentioned. Flights continue to operate from countries where airspace remains open. Since February 28, around 10,68,000 passengers have travelled from the region to India. In the UAE, airlines continue to operate limited non-scheduled commercial flights between the UAE and India based on operational and safety considerations, with around 110 flights expected today between UAE and India. Flights continue to operate from various airports in Saudi Arabia and Oman to destinations in India. "The Embassy of India in Tehran has so far facilitated the movement of 2,373 Indian nationals from Iran to Armenia and Azerbaijan for onward travel to India, including 1,041 Indian students and 657 Indian fishermen," said the ministry. Mumbai, April 18 : The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a weather warning for several regions in Maharashtra, predicting thunderstorm activity and unseasonal rain between April 20 and April 22. Residents in Western Maharashtra, Khandesh, Marathwada, and Vidarbha have been advised to remain alert as atmospheric conditions are expected to shift significantly over the coming days. The state government, in a release, said that according to the latest weather models, Maharashtra will witness a gradual increase in climatic instability starting April 19. "On April 19, thunderstorm activity is expected to begin in the afternoon across the Western Maharashtra ghats, North Khandesh, and parts of South Marathwada. On April 2021, the intensity and coverage of the rain are expected to peak. Impacted areas will include Pune Division (Western Maharashtra), Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar and South Marathwada, and Amravati Division (Vidarbha). On April 22, a significant reduction in both intensity and geographical spread is anticipated," said the release. The forecast includes the possibility of lightning strikes, gusty winds, and isolated hailstorms. According to the release, farmers have been urged to take precautions. In light of the potential for crop damage, the Department of Agriculture has issued an urgent set of guidelines for farmers to minimise losses. Farmers have been advised to plan harvesting and field activities according to local weather updates and ensure that crops already harvested are moved to safe storage or covered securely with tarpaulins. Further, farmers have been advised not to leave vegetables or other harvested goods in open fields and to take necessary preventive measures to protect standing crops from potential wind and hail damage. Sources in the state Agriculture Department said that this sudden shift in weather is typical of "pre-monsoon" activity, often caused by a trough line or moisture incursion from the Arabian Sea meeting localised heat. During mid-April, high daytime temperatures create low-pressure pockets, leading to the formation of cumulonimbus clouds in the afternoon, resulting in sudden, intense thunderstorms. For Maharashtra's farmers, this is a critical period as many summer crops are nearing harvest. Unseasonal rain and hail pose a direct threat to the quality of grains, fruits (especially mangoes and grapes), and vegetables, necessitating these urgent government interventions, sources said. Chennai, April 18 : Kanimozhi Karunanidhi on Saturday launched a sharp attack on the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam for supporting the delimitation Bill brought by the Bharatiya Janata Party, alleging that the move went against the interests of Tamil Nadu and other southern States. Speaking to reporters at Chennai airport in the early hours after arriving from Delhi, the DMK leader said the reported failure of the Bill in Parliament had come as a major relief to the people of Tamil Nadu and the southern region. She asserted that the proposed legislation had triggered widespread concern over its potential impact on political representation in the South. Kanimozhi highlighted that M. K. Stalin had taken the lead in opposing the move by writing to Chief Ministers of southern States and convening a high-level meeting in Chennai to build consensus against the proposal. She said the Chief Minister had consistently raised the issue across multiple forums, stressing the need to safeguard the federal balance and representation of southern States. The DMK MP further alleged that the Centre's decision to link the delimitation exercise with the 33 per cent women's reservation Bill was politically motivated and detrimental to women's interests. According to her, the move effectively delayed the implementation of the reservation by making it conditional on a future delimitation process. She said Opposition parties had come together to oppose the combined proposal, which ultimately led to the Bill failing to secure the required support in Parliament. "This unity among Opposition parties reflects the seriousness of the issue and the widespread concern over its implications," she noted. While maintaining that delimitation was not being used as an electoral plank, Kanimozhi said AIADMK's support for the Bill had "exposed" those acting against the interests of Tamil Nadu. She accused the party of aligning with policies that could weaken the State's political voice at the national level. Reiterating the DMK's stand, Kanimozhi said women's reservation should be implemented immediately based on the existing number of constituencies, without linking it to delimitation. Insisting on delimitation before extending reservation, she argued, amounted to undermining women's rights and delaying long-pending reforms. She added that combining the two measures reflected a lack of commitment to women's empowerment and called for immediate implementation of the reservation without preconditions. Agartala, April 18 : Tipra Motha Party (TMP) supremo Pradyot Bikram Manikya Debbarma, whose party retained control of the politically crucial Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC) in the recent bypolls in Tripura, said on Saturday that all-round development of the indigenous people of the Northeast is vital. After leading a party delegation to meet Tripura Governor Indra Sena Reddy Nallu at Lok Bhavan, the TMP Chief stressed the importance of unity among the region's diverse ethnic communities. "We should fight against Pakistan and Jamaat-e-Islami in Bangladesh. We should not fight among ourselves. If one community fights another, it will be damaging for all of us," Debbarma, a former royal scion, told the media. He said the Governor would now initiate the necessary steps to constitute the new council in the TTAADC, while the party would soon select its Chairman and Chief Executive Member (CEM). As the term of the present council ended on Saturday, outgoing CEM Purna Chandra Jamatia submitted his resignation to the Governor Nallu. Jamatia, along with Minister Brishaketu Debbarma and newly elected TTAADC members -- C.K. Jamatia and Runiel Deb Barma, accompanied the TMP Chief during the meeting. Pradyot Bikram Manikya Debbarma reiterated that the Governor, as the constitutional custodian of the council, would issue the required notification, after which the party would proceed strictly in accordance with the law. However, the political undertones were evident. Debbarma said the party's leadership would soon meet to "review the results in detail" and decide on the future of its alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), amid growing signs of strain in the partnership. In a notably candid attack, he accused sections within the BJP of attempting "bullying" and "horse-trading" to destabilise his party despite their alliance. "If we are together, why attempt to break us?" the TMP Chief asked, asserting that such actions would not be tolerated. Emphasising that the strong mandate had emboldened him, Debbarma said, "I will be more vocal now. There will be no compromise on the rights of my people." He also indicated that unresolved legislative and constitutional issues concerning indigenous rights could be taken to the Supreme Court, signalling a possible shift of the political battle to the judicial arena. Despite the sharp rhetoric, the TMP Chief called for restraint, urging all political stakeholders to avoid post-poll hostility. The verdict, he said, reflects a clear endorsement of "rights-based politics", which his party intends to pursue with renewed focus. Meanwhile, in a decisive victory in the politically significant TTAADC elections held on April 12, the TMP, an ally of the ruling BJP, retained control of the state's second most important constitutional body after the state Assembly. The 30-member TTAADC comprises 28 elected representatives and two members nominated by the state government, and it administers nearly 70 per cent of Tripura's 10,491 square km geographical area. The tribal-based TMP secured 24 seats, six more than in the previous elections. Chairman Jagadish Debbarma and Chief Executive Member (CEM) Purna Chandra Jamatia, both senior TMP leaders, have been re-elected. The BJP, however, managed to win only four seats this time, a sharp decline from the 10 seats it secured in the 2021 TTAADC elections. The CPI (M)-led Left Front and the Congress, as in the 2021 polls, once again failed to open their accounts. In the 2021 TTAADC elections, the BJP had contested 11 seats and won nine, while a BJP-backed Independent candidate also emerged victorious and later joined the TMP. The TMP had then won 18 seats, wresting control of the council from the CPI (M)-led Left Front after several years. Political observers noted that with two consecutive victories in the TTAADC, the TMP has further consolidated its position in Tripura's political landscape. Tribal communities account for nearly one-third of Tripura's 4.2 million population and remain a decisive factor in the state's politics. The BJP and its two tribal-based allies -- TMP and IPFT -- had contested the April 12 elections separately after failing to reach an electoral understanding for the TTAADC polls. Since 2021, the TMP has governed the strategically important council, widely regarded as the second most significant constitutional and political institution in Tripura after the state Assembly. More than 83.52 per cent of the 9,62,697 eligible voters exercised their franchise in the April 12 elections to determine the fate of 173 candidates, including eight women. The results were declared on Friday. Navsari, April 18 : Gujarat Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Jagdish Vishwakarma on Saturday accused the Congress of obstructing the Women's Reservation Bill, alleging that the opposition prevented a key measure aimed at ensuring greater political participation for women.a Navsari, April 18 (IANS) Gujarat Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Jagdish Vishwakarma on Saturday accused the Congress of obstructing the Women's Reservation Bill, alleging that the opposition prevented a key measure aimed at ensuring greater political participation for women. Addressing a 'Vikas Sankalp Sabha' at Chikhli in Navsari district as part of the party's campaign for local self-government elections, Vishwakarma said the Bill was introduced under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi but was blocked by opposition parties. "The opposition, including Congress, created obstacles and did not allow it to pass. The women of the country will never forgive Congress," he said. He further criticised Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, stating that the party lacked understanding of women's dignity and capabilities. "Today, daughters of the country are proving their capability from space to sports, startups, and various fields, yet Congress obstructed the Bill and hindered their progress," he said. Referring to governance and development, Vishwakarma said that the foundation laid by Modi during his tenure as the state's Chief Minister had shaped the country's development trajectory. "The 1.4 billion people of the country have strengthened the path of development by electing Narendra Modi as Prime Minister three times," he said, adding that Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel is continuing the state's development journey. He said the BJP government had implemented schemes supporting women from pregnancy through childbirth and that the "Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao" initiative had translated into tangible outcomes in education and self-reliance. He added that programmes such as Drone Didi, Lakhpati Didi, and the Ujjwala scheme had played a role in strengthening women economically. On tribal welfare, Vishwakarma said: "The government had undertaken initiatives from Ambaji to Umargam to provide education, healthcare, and overall development for tribal communities. Various schemes ensured benefits for families and children, alongside investments in infrastructure, including classrooms, medical colleges, and universities, under the Vanbandhu Kalyan Yojana." He reiterated that Gujarat had already implemented 50 per cent reservation for women in local self-government bodies during Modi's tenure as chief minister. "This has given women equal participation in public life. The proposed legislation was aimed at extending similar opportunities at the national level," he said. Vishwakarma also referred to electoral developments, stating that in Navsari district, 58 out of 254 candidates had been elected unopposed, while across Gujarat, more than 700 seats in local self-government elections had been won uncontested by BJP candidates, which he said "reflected shortcomings in the opposition's policy and approach". Speaking on development initiatives, he said: "The government had ensured housing, drinking water through the 'Nal Se Jal' scheme, 24-hour electricity, sanitation facilities, and daytime power supply for farmers. Schemes such as Kisan Samman Nidhi, Kisan Suryoday Yojana, tractor subsidies, disaster relief packages, and Ayushman cards have provided direct benefits to farmers and the wider population." New Delhi, April 18 : Union Ministers within the ruling NDA alliance on Saturday attacked the Congress and other opposition parties, terming the Opposition INDIA bloc as 'anti-women'. The reaction stemmed a day after the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill failed to clear the Lok Sabha. Union Minister Chirag Paswan alleged that the Opposition rejected the Bill under the "garb of delimitation". He told reporters, "The INDI alliance is anti-women alliance. They don't want women to get their rights." He also accused the Opposition of not passing the Bill due to "some or the other reason". Echoing similar view, Union Minister Giriraj Singh said, "I believe that the Congress and the other opposition parties have always been anti-women. Opposition party leaders may celebrate that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bill was brought down, but the country will never forgive them." "The women of the country will never forgive them," he asserted. According to Union Minister Ramdas Athawale, Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi is "upset that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is in power". "They (Opposition) thought that this Bill would benefit PM Modi and the NDA and so did not support it. They have betrayed the women of the country," he told IANS. "The women will seek answers from the opposition parties," Athawale said. Speaking to reporters outside the Parliament, Union Minister Rajiv Ranjan alias Lallan Singh alleged that the blockage of the Women's Reservation Bill "reflects the character of the Congress". "The Prime Minister had taken a historic step to empower the country's women, but the Congress is happy to block it. How can they be happy by stalling the attempt to give justice to half of the nation's population?" he said. "No women in the country will vote for the Congress," Singh echoed. Union Minister Pralhad Joshi commented that if people are not voting for the Congress, the reason is not delimitation. "People are rejecting them for their intention, policies, behaviour," he said, adding, "Women were to enter the Parliament in big numbers, which the Congress has stopped." Union Minister Joshi said that the Congress "won't have any benefit" whether the number of seats in the Lok Sabha are increased or not. "People don't trust them (Congress)," he added. Patna, April 18 : After three key bills-including the Women's Reservation Bill-failed to pass in the Lok Sabha, Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary launched a sharp attack on the Congress and the opposition alliance, accusing them of adopting an anti-women stance. Patna, April 18 (IANS) After three key billsincluding the Women's Reservation Billfailed to pass in the Lok Sabha, Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary launched a sharp attack on the Congress and the opposition alliance, accusing them of adopting an anti-women stance. In a post shared on his official X handle, Choudhary criticised the Congress for what he termed as "hypocrisy" on the issue of women's empowerment. "The hypocrisy of the Congress party regarding women's empowermenta cause it merely pays lip service tois now exposed before the entire nation. The opposition has consistently stood as an obstacle in the path of women's progress," he said. He further questioned the opposition's intent, stating, "Was it truly so difficult to give a voice to half of the country's population? Intimidated by the prospect of women becoming empowered and assuming leadership roles in the future, an insecure opposition refused to support the implementation of the 'Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam' (Women's Reservation Bill)." Taking a dig at the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance era, the Chief Minister added: "During the UPA era, women's rights were disregarded; today, even while in opposition, that very same mindset is once again on display. The Congress party has demonstrated a consistent pattern: whenever the time approaches for the Women's Reservation Bill to be enacted, it invariably begins to oppose it." He concluded by asserting that public angerespecially among womenwould outweigh what he described as the Congress party's hollow gestures. Meanwhile, political activity has intensified in Bihar ahead of a planned protest. A crucial meeting was convened at the state headquarters of the Bharatiya Janata Party in Patna. The meeting was attended by several senior leaders, including State President Sanjay Saraogi and Bhikhu Bhai Dalsaniya. Discussions focused on finalising preparations for a statewide 'Akrosh March' (Protest March) scheduled for April 20. The march is being organised to protest against the opposition's alleged obstruction of the Women's Reservation Bill in the Lok Sabha. According to party sources, the objective of the march is to mobilise public support and highlight widespread dissatisfaction with the opposition's stance. Similar protest demonstrations are also being planned across the country at the NDA level. Party leaders have directed workers to ensure maximum public participation and make the protest a large-scale show of strength. Jaipur, April 18 : Rajasthan BJP chief Madan Rathore has strongly criticised the Congress party, terming it "anti-women" and asserting that its historical track record reflects consistent neglect of women's rights.a Jaipur, April 18 (IANS) Rajasthan BJP chief Madan Rathore has strongly criticised the Congress party, terming it "anti-women" and asserting that its historical track record reflects consistent neglect of women's rights. Citing the Shah Bano case as a prominent example, he stated that the then Congress government overturned a Supreme Court judgment through legislative action, thereby denying justice to a woman. According to him, this decision not only affected the individual concerned but also dealt a blow to the dignity and self-respect of millions of Muslim women across the country. He further alleged that instead of working towards women's empowerment and dignity, Congress has long regarded women merely as "silent voters." Rathore emphasised that women today are excelling across all sectors, including industry, science, and space, and are shaping the nation's future with confidence and independence. He asserted that women deserve adequate representation in both the Legislative Assemblies and the Lok Sabha. He added that the Bharatiya Janata Party has undertaken concrete steps to safeguard the dignity and rights of Muslim women, thereby strengthening their confidence and self-respect. Rathore also highlighted that former Chief Minister Bhairon Singh Shekhawat took a historic step towards women's political empowerment by introducing reservations in Panchayati Raj institutions and local bodies. He noted that leaders such as former Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee Ji also made sustained efforts to ensure greater representation for women in Parliament and state legislatures. Given that such important legislation requires a two-thirds majority in Parliament, he said it is expected that all parties, including Congress, should extend constructive support. However, Rathore alleged that the Congress has consistently hesitated to back such measures due to fears that empowering women politically could weaken its traditional vote bank. He termed this approach unjust to women and detrimental to democratic progress. He urged all political parties to prioritise women's rights and dignity and to work collectively to empower them. Concluding his statement, Rathore said Congress fears that granting genuine political rights to women would undermine its political base, which is why it has avoided taking a clear stand on key issues like women's reservation. He asserted that women in the country are now aware and empowered, and will no longer tolerate political manipulation regarding their rights, dignity, and representation. He emphasised that the time has come to ensure women receive their rightful share in legislative bodies, and that the public will hold accountable those who obstruct this progress. --IANS arc/dan By Olesya Astakhova MOSCOW, April 17 - Drone attacks in recent months are having a significant impact on the Russian nitrogen fertiliser industry, billionaire Andrei Melnichenko, founder of fertiliser producer EuroChem, told reporters on Friday. Shortages and rising prices due to the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, conduit for about a third of global fertiliser trade, are a major concern in terms of global food security. Russia accounts for about one-fifth of the global trade, but limited capacity, domestic export caps and recent Ukrainian attacks on major plants all constrain its ability to ramp up fertiliser output. "Well-known events occurring on our country's territory are leading to increased drone attacks on Russian (fertiliser) enterprises," Melnichenko told reporters on the sidelines of a conference in Moscow, adding that the impact was "significant enough". A Ukrainian drone attack on Dorogobuzh, one of Russia's largest fertiliser plants, owned by major producer Acron, on February 25 killed seven people and has temporarily knocked out about 5% of the country's overall production capacity. Dorogobuzh accounts for 11% of Russia's ammonium nitrate output and 9% of its NPK fertiliser production, a mixture of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. The plant is expected to be operational again in May. EuroChem is building a major new production plant with a capacity of 1.1 million tons of ammonia and 1.4 million tons of urea in the Leningrad region, which has been a frequent target of drone attacks in recent months. Melnichenko said that although prices for all three major types of fertilisers had risen, in his view the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz has had no impact on the trade in potash, while disruption to phosphate trading was temporary as Middle East producers switch to ports outside the Gulf. This, he estimated, would happen more quickly than the six months Russian fertiliser producers needed to switch from European to local ports after Western sanctions were imposed. Melnichenko said that production of nitrogen fertilisers from natural gas had suffered the most. "The production of nitrogen fertilisers from gas in Qatar, in particular in Saudi Arabia, and so on is affected, because it is produced from deposits located in the conflict zone," he said. Russia, which controls up to 40% of the global trade in ammonium nitrate, said on March 21 that it would stop exports of the fertiliser for one month. (Reporting by Olesya Astakhova; Writing by Gleb Bryanski; editing by Guy Faulconbridge, Kirsten Donovan) Jaipur, April 18 : Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma stated that self-respect and patriotism are deeply ingrained in the ethos of every Rajasthani. He said that wherever Rajasthanis go across the country or around the world, they establish a distinct identity through their dedication to social causes and hard work. They maintain a strong connection with both their Karmabhoomi (place of work) and Janmabhoomi (place of birth), while continuously enhancing Rajasthan's pride through their achievements. The Chief Minister was addressing the 'Rajasthan Pravasi Sammelan' held in Kolkata on Saturday, the second day of his visit to West Bengal. He noted that the State Government is actively strengthening ties with the Rajasthani diaspora through the Rajasthan Foundation, which currently operates 40 chapters across the country and abroad. Earlier, Sharma visited the Kalighat Temple, where he performed a traditional puja and sought the blessings of Goddess Kali for the happiness, prosperity, and well-being of the people of Rajasthan. He also visited the Govindam International Society for Krishna Consciousness Temple in Ballygunge, Kolkata, where he offered prayers to Lord Radha Krishna and interacted warmly with devotees. The Chief Minister asserted that a political change in West Bengal is inevitable and called upon people to unite in support of the Bharatiya Janata Party. He stated that if West Bengal aspires to achieve development on the lines of Rajasthan, it must work towards ensuring maximum support for the Bharatiya Janata Party. He emphasised that under a "Double-Engine Government," the state can experience rapid, transformative development. Highlighting Rajasthan's strengths, Sharma said the state holds immense potential across sectors such as industry, energy, tourism, and social welfare. He noted that Rajasthan's mineral wealth and iconic tourist destinations have earned global recognition. Its lakes, forts, havelis, deserts, and religious sites attract visitors from across India and abroad. Referring to PM Modi's vision, he said the State Government is committed to the concept of "Heritage with Development." As part of this initiative, 662 historical havelis in the Shekhawati region have been identified for conservation and restoration. The Chief Minister stated that the government is undertaking extensive development across sectors, including agriculture, electricity, and water supply. Efforts are being made to ensure reliable and uninterrupted services across all districts. Farmers in 24 districts are now receiving electricity during the daytime. He also highlighted that the "Rising Rajasthan Investment Summit" has created significant employment opportunities for the youth. Mumbai, April 18 : The cast of Venkatesh Daggubati's "Aadarsha Kutumbam House No: 47", also known as "AK47", has received a new addition. Actor Nikitin Dheer has joined Venkatesh as part of the main cast for director Trivikram Srinivas' next. Going by the sources close to the production team, Nikitin has already commenced shooting for the film in Hyderabad. However, further information about his character has been kept under wraps for now. The reports further claimed that Nikitin's role in "AK47" is edgily new and different from any other he has ever played in recent times. Sharing excitement about his next, Nikitin said, "I have begun shooting for the same, and it's been a very good experience so far. The south industry has always treated me well, and I look forward to more work here. God willing". Revealing what it was like sharing screen with Venkatesh Daggubati, he went on to add, "Venkatesh Sir is a gem of a person and comes with huge experience its always good to work with such stalwarts one learning graph becomes stronger." Along with Venkatesh and Nikitin, "AK47" also stars 'KGF' fame actress Srinidhi Shetty as the leading lady. Produced by S. Radha Krishna (Chinababu), the film is backed by Haarika & Hassine Creations. The shoot is reportedly moving ahead at a rapid pace. If the reports are to be believed, the makers are currently filming on a specially erected train set at the Annapurna Studios. According to the reports, many important scenes featuring Venkatesh and other members of the core cast are being filmed in this schedule. A BTS click from the set is also doing rounds on social media, which has Venkatesh and Trivikram indulged in a deep discussion. The title of the drama was officially announced last year. "AK47" is scheduled for a Summer 2026 release. --IANS pm/ New Delhi/Srinagar, April 18 : Kashmiri separatist leader Shabir Ahmad Shah has been arrested by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in connection with a 30-year-old case involving alleged attacks on police personnel, officials said on Saturday. a New Delhi/Srinagar, April 18 (IANS) Kashmiri separatist leader Shabir Ahmad Shah has been arrested by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in connection with a 30-year-old case involving alleged attacks on police personnel, officials said on Saturday. Shah was taken into custody by the NIA's Srinagar branch on Friday evening and subsequently produced before a court in Delhi, which granted a three-day transit remand to enable the anti-terror agency to take him to Jammu and Kashmir for further investigation. The case pertains to allegations dating back to 1996, involving attacks on policemen. Following his arrest, Shah was produced before the Patiala House Court, which allowed the NIA's plea for transit remand. Notably, the latest arrest comes just weeks after Shah was granted bail by the Supreme Court in a terror funding case being probed by the NIA, with the court taking into account his prolonged incarceration, advanced age, and the slow progress of the trial. In its March 12 order, a Bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta had observed that prolonged incarceration, particularly when the trial is unlikely to conclude within a reasonable time, is a relevant factor while considering bail. The top court also imposed stringent conditions, including restrictions on travel and communication, as well as mandatory reporting to the investigating officer. Subsequently, on March 28, a Delhi court had also granted him bail in a money laundering case being investigated by the Enforcement Directorate (ED). Shah, 74, has spent decades in custody and detention over the years, with his legal battles spanning multiple cases. In 2017, the NIA had booked 12 persons, including Shah, on allegations of criminal conspiracy for raising funds to disrupt peace in Jammu and Kashmir by pelting stones, damaging public property, and conspiring to wage war against the Union government. The anti-terror agency has accused Shah of playing a "substantial role" in facilitating separatist activities in the Union Territory by allegedly inciting the public, raising slogans supporting secession, paying tributes to families of slain militants by referring to them as "martyrs", and receiving funds through hawala channels and cross-Line of Control (LoC) trade. According to the NIA, these funds were allegedly used to fuel subversive and militant activities in the region. New Delhi, April 18 : The arrest of alleged organised crime figure Daniel Kinahan in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) could impact funding channels linked to Khalistan elements, with Indian agencies closely monitoring the developments, sources said. Officials have long maintained that Pakistanas Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) has attempted to leverage global drug cartels to channel funds towards activities linked to the Khalistan movement. While the Dawood Ibrahim syndicate is believed to route a significant portion of its funds to the ISI, only a small fraction is suspected to be linked to Khalistan-related activities. Indian intelligence agencies have been closely tracking alleged links between Khalistani elements and international drug cartels. In this context, officials are also examining developments following Kinahanas arrest in the UAE. Kinahan has been arrested in connection with cases related to organised crime and has been named before the High Court in Dublin as the head of a drug cartel. Investigators are also revisiting the case of Opinder Singh, an Indo-Canadian gangster who was arrested by the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) for allegedly operating a global methamphetamine and fentanyl trafficking network. Singh, also known by the alias Thanos, had links to the Brothers Keepers gang, a British Columbia-based criminal outfit with several members of Punjab origin. The group has been linked to large-scale narcotics smuggling, arms trafficking, murder, robbery, and extortion. The gang has also publicly expressed support for the Khalistan movement and participated in events commemorating Talwinder Singh Parmar, accused of masterminding the 1985 Air India Flight 182 bombing that killed 329 people. An official said that Kinahanas arrest is significant not only from the perspective of dismantling global narcotics cartels but also for probing alleged links with individuals associated with Khalistani networks involved in transnational crime. The DEA had earlier stated that Singhas network extended to operatives in Turkey and Dubai and had links to the Kinahan crime group, which has also been reported to have connections with Hezbollah. An Intelligence Bureau official said Singh is not considered a Khalistan ideologue but is part of criminal networks operating in overlapping ecosystems. According to officials, such networks do not function in isolation but are embedded within broader social and criminal ecosystems that facilitate financial and logistical linkages. Officials further said that such structures provide layers of deniability while enabling coordination between various actors. Singh had claimed links with Kinahan, a detail that aligns with investigations by the National Investigation Agency (NIA), which has probed cases indicating alleged coordination between gangster networks and Khalistani elements. According to officials, while Khalistan-linked groups continue to propagate their agenda, criminal networks are suspected to facilitate funding through international drug trafficking. Indian agencies have flagged organisations such as the Brothers Keepers, stating that these may serve as fronts for broader networks linked to such activities. Officials said such groups maintain links with international drug cartels, including those associated with Kinahan, to further narcotics trade and generate funds. They added that such operations often function under the cover of social or community platforms, creating a smokescreen for illicit activities. Many Khalistan-linked groups are believed to operate from Canada, and officials noted that recent improvements in India-Canada ties have led to enhanced intelligence-sharing mechanisms. Both countries are now sharing real-time intelligence to address such concerns and have expressed intent to curb such activities. The US government had imposed sanctions on Kinahan in April 2022 after he and his family members were identified as leaders of the Kinahan organised crime group. For India, officials said, the developments surrounding Kinahanas arrest are significant, and any disruption to his network could potentially impact financial channels linked to such activities. Jalpaiguri, April 18 : Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, campaigning in poll-bound West Bengal on Saturday, accused opposition parties of blocking the Nari Shakti Vandan Amendment Bill in Parliament and termed it an "insult to half the population of the country". Jalpaiguri, April 18 (IANS) Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, campaigning in poll-bound West Bengal on Saturday, accused opposition parties of blocking the Nari Shakti Vandan Amendment Bill in Parliament and termed it an "insult to half the population of the country". Addressing election rallies at Mathabhanga in Cooch Behar district and at Dhupguri in Jalpaiguri district, Yogi Adityanath alleged that "advocates of Bangladeshi infiltrators" did not allow the Bill -- which seeks 33 per cent reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies -- to pass. He said women across the country "will not tolerate this insult". Targeting the ruling All India Trinamool Congress and its chief Mamata Banerjee, the UP Chief Minister claimed that law and order in West Bengal had deteriorated and asserted that people "need not live in fear anymore", as the BJP seeks to form a "double-engine government" in the state. He further alleged that parties including the Congress, Samajwadi Party, Left parties and the Trinamool Congress opposed the women's reservation Bill and were prioritising "appeasement politics" over women's rights. According to him, the inclusion of "infiltrators" in voter lists in Bengal was depriving the poor of their entitlements. CM Yogi also accused the state government of failing on multiple fronts, including employment, agriculture and industry. He claimed that over 7,000 factories had shut down during 15 years of Trinamool rule, while alleging that farmers were not receiving fair prices and that youth unemployment remained high. Drawing comparisons with Uttar Pradesh, he said his government had improved law and order, curbed riots and taken strict action against organised crime. He also referred to the implementation of the Citizenship Amendment Act, stating that it provides citizenship to persecuted minorities such as Hindus, Jains and Sikhs from neighbouring countries, including Bangladesh. The Chief Minister further accused the state government of restricting religious expressions, alleging that slogans like "Jai Shri Ram" invite reprisals and that permissions for festivals such as Durga Puja are curtailed -- claims frequently denied by the state administration. Invoking Bengal's cultural legacy, the UP Chief Minister paid tribute to icons such as Rabindranath Tagore, Swami Vivekananda and Subhas Chandra Bose, and called for "restoring the state's glory". He appealed to voters to support BJP candidates, including Nisith Pramanik, Savitri Burman and Naresh Chandra Roy, and reiterated his pitch for a "double-engine government" in West Bengal. The Chief Minister also held a roadshow in Bankura and thanked people for their enthusiasm and affection. "On May 4, the darkness of TMC in West Bengal will lift, and the sun of BJP will rise," he told the residents of Bankura. Shimla, April 18 : Facing financial challenges, the Congress government in Himachal Pradesh on Saturday implemented a decision to temporarily defer a portion of the salaries of public representatives, comprising the Chief Minister, ministers, and lawmakers, for six months. Following the Governor's approval, the Chief Secretary issued a notification.a Shimla, April 18 (IANS) Facing financial challenges, the Congress government in Himachal Pradesh on Saturday implemented a decision to temporarily defer a portion of the salaries of public representatives, comprising the Chief Minister, ministers, and lawmakers, for six months. Following the Governoras approval, the Chief Secretary issued a notification.a Under this notification, 50 per cent of the Chief Ministeras salary, 30 per cent of the salaries of the Deputy Chief Minister, Ministers, the Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the Legislative Assembly, and 20 per cent of the salaries of all Members of the Legislative Assembly will be deferred for the next six months. a This decision was taken under Articles 162 and 166 of the Constitution.a The government has also clarified that this is not a permanent cut but only a temporary deferral. This amount will be returned to public representatives in the future when the stateas financial situation improves. a The government has clarified that the entire process will be transparent. a The e-salary system will display the full salary and the deferred portion separately. This will also be clearly stated on salary slips, providing employees and public representatives at all levels with clear information.a Chief Minister Sukhvinder Sukhu announced the salary reduction in his Budget speech for the fiscal year 2026a"27. a At that time, he had also indicated that salaries of senior officials (Class 1 and Class 2) would be deferred, but this decision was withdrawn on the occasion of Himachal Day, i.e., April 15.a The notification issued by Chief Secretary Sanjay Gupta only mentions the deferment of salaries of public representatives. a The notification also clarifies that all statutory deductions, including income tax, will apply to the entire salary. a The deferred amount will be calculated based on the amount remaining after taxes and other deductions. This is to avoid any future accounting or tax complications.a Special provisions have been made for public representatives who have taken a house-building advance or motor-car advance.a a New Delhi, April 18 : The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Saturday summoned Iran's Ambassador to India, Mohammad Fathali over the shooting incident involving Indian vessels in the Strait of Hormuz. New Delhi, April 18 (IANS) The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Saturday summoned Iranas Ambassador to India, Mohammad Fathali over the shooting incident involving Indian vessels in the Strait of Hormuz. India is believed to have lodged a strong protest with Tehran over the incident as the Indian-flagged vessels - one of which is believed to be a Very Large Crude Carrier (VLCC) - came under fire from gunboats of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) even though the tanker and crew are reported to be safe. Earlier, the UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) Centre confirmed that a tanker came under fire from IRGC gunboats. The UKMTO published a warning on their website saying, "Master UKMTO has received a report of an incident 20NM northeast of Oman. The Master of a Tanker reports being approached by 2 IRGC gun boats, no VHF challenge that then fired upon the tanker. Tanker and crew are reported safe. Authorities are investigating." Another UKMTO warning Saturday evening, India time, stated that the organisation has received a report of an incident 25NM northeast of Oman. "A report of a Container Ship being hit by an unknown projectile which caused damage to some of the containers, no fires or environment impact reported. Authorities are investigating. Vessels are advised to report suspicious activity to UKMTO," it stated. Iran announced on Saturday that the control of the Strait has "reverted to its previous state" amid the continuing US naval blockade of Iranian ports. Iran's Khatam al-Anbia Central Headquarters' spokesman was quoted as saying by the country's semi-official Tasnim news agency that the Strait of Hormuz is under "strict control" of the Iranian Armed Forces and will remain in its previous operational state. The spokesperson further stated that under the pretext of a blockade, the United States continued acts of "sea robbery" and "piracy" with repeated breaches of commitments and a history of misconduct due to which "control over the Strait of Hormuz has been returned to its previous state, and this strategic waterway is under strict management and control by the Armed Forces". He also mentioned that the situation will remain tightly controlled and unchanged from its previous status until the restrictions on the free movement of vessels from Iran to their destination and from elsewhere to Iran are removed by the United States. According to Xinhua news agency, vessel tracking data showed that around 10 ships turned back on Saturday while attempting to pass through the Strait of Hormuz following Iran's renewed control over the strategic waterway. According to shipping data from Marine Traffic, the vessels reversed course in waters off Larak Island, an area used by Iran to monitor maritime traffic. Imphal, April 18 : Two persons belonging to the Naga community were shot dead along the Imphal-Dimapur National Highway (NH-2) in Manipur on Saturday after unidentified armed assailants opened fire on vehicles heading towards Ukhrul district.a Imphal, April 18 (IANS) Two persons belonging to the Naga community were shot dead along the Imphal-Dimapur National Highway (NH-2) in Manipur on Saturday after unidentified armed assailants opened fire on vehicles heading towards Ukhrul district. A senior police official in Imphal confirmed that the deceased have been identified as Chinaoshang Shokwungnao (45) and Yaruingam Vashum (42). Shokwungnao is the son of Ruichumhao Shokwungnao, a retired Indian Army personnel from the Naga Regiment, hailing from Tashar village. Vashum is the son of Thuimi Vashum of Kharasom village. Additional security forces, led by a senior police official, have rushed to the area and launched a combing operation to nab the perpetrators. The Working Committee of the Tangkhul Naga Long, an apex body of the Tangkhul Naga community, issued a statement expressing strong outrage over the brutal attack on civilians near Yaolen Kuki village on Saturday. The body alleged that the attack was carried out by Kuki cadres who are currently under the Suspension of Operation pact with the government. According to the Tangkhul Naga Long, both victims died on the spot. "The grave incident is beyond words for anyone to describe the savagery of the Kukis, who have gone beyond the limit of human conscience and morality. Ever since the conflict between the Tangkhul Nagas and the Kukis began in early February, Kuki militants have been openly attacking civilians in Litan, Laho, Sinakeithei, Sikibung, and Thawai," the statement said. The Naga body further stated that the attack occurred when passengers, including women, children, and ailing individuals, were travelling in separate cars from Imphal to Ukhrul. The convoy had safely passed through the villages of Mahadev and Litan with security escorts. However, the attack allegedly took place shortly after the escort team turned back towards Litan. Six vehicles were part of the convoy and were reportedly targeted by militants using snipers and other sophisticated long-range weapons, the Tangkhul Naga Long claimed. The statement also criticised what it described as the "apathetic silence" of state and central security forces, alleging that their failure to act has emboldened militants to carry out such attacks. "The inability of the security forces to comb out illegal militants and undertake area domination exercises raises serious questions about whether they are incompetent or complicit," the statement added. The incident occurred just a day after Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh visited Ukhrul and assured the provision of Road Opening Patrols and security escorts along the highway. The Tangkhul Naga Long said the attack casts serious doubts on the effectiveness and credibility of the state government's assurances. The organisation has demanded that the state government immediately launch combing operations in Yaolen and nearby Kuki-inhabited villages. Meanwhile, the Kuki-Zo Council, an apex body representing the Kuki-Zo tribal community, expressed deep concern over media reports alleging the involvement of Kuki militants in the killings. "We categorically and unequivocally deny any involvement of Kuki-Zo individuals or groups in this unfortunate incident," the Kuki-Zo Council said in a statement. It added that, based on ground-level understanding, the incident appears to be linked to tensions among certain factional groups rather than any Kuki-Zo organisation. The council also criticised what it termed as a recurring pattern of attributing blame to the Kuki-Zo community without proper verification. "Such unfounded allegations distort facts and unfairly portray the Kuki-Zo community in a negative light, especially whenever incidents involve the Meitei or Naga communities in Manipur," the statement said. Melbourne, April 18 : Japan and Australia on Saturday said that they have signed the contracts to jointly deliver three of the 11 ships for the Australian Navy. These ships are based on the upgraded Mogami-class frigate of Japan, as reported by a Japanese news outlet. Japanese Defence Minister Shinjiro Koizumi and his Australian counterpart Richard Marles, who also doubles as Deputy Prime Minister, announced this deal in Melbourne, Kyodo news reported. Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd., which produces the Mogami-class vessels, also signed the contract. After the talks, in a joint press conference aboard the Mogami-class Kumano frigate, Marles said that these vessels will be built in Japan and delivered to Australia in December 2029. Over 10 years, the government of Australia will invest up to AU$20 billion ($14.4 billion) for the development of a new fleet, the report mentioned. These upgraded Mogami-class frigates come with 32-cell Vertical Launch and a range of 10,000 nautical miles. According to the government of Australia, the vessels will be equipped with surface-to-air and anti-ship missiles, crewed by 92 Royal Australian Navy sailors and officers, and capable of operating an MH-60R Seahawk maritime combat helicopter. The Kyodo report stated that Australiaas military is grappling with a personnel shortage, and this frigate adds a significant advantage as it can operate with half the crew required for a conventional frigate. "Japan is an indispensable partner to Australia. As Special Strategic Partners, we have one of the closest and most enduring partnerships in the Indo-Pacific, underpinned by deep mutual trust, shared values and a high level of strategic alignment built over decades of cooperation," Australia's Defence Ministry stated. "This year marks the 50th anniversary of the Basic Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation between Australia and Japan, and our partnership continues to go from strength to strength," said Marles. a"IANS scor/as New Delhi, April 18 : Ahead of Assembly elections in West Bengal and Tamil Nadu on April 23, the ECI clarified on Saturday that entry of media persons into polling stations for coverage shall be strictly regulated by the presiding officers.a New Delhi, April 18 (IANS) Ahead of Assembly elections in West Bengal and Tamil Nadu on April 23, the ECI clarified on Saturday that entry of media persons into polling stations for coverage shall be strictly regulated by the presiding officers. "Any misuse of Authority Letters is strictly prohibited. Photography/videography is strictly prohibited inside the voting compartment so as not to violate the secrecy of the vote," said the ECI in a statement. The Election Commission of India (ECI) said that, in accordance with Rule 32 of the Conduct of Election Rules, 1961, the presiding officer will be the competent authority to regulate media entry into polling stations. Requests from media persons for issuance of Authority Letters for such entry can be made to the Press Information Bureau (PIB) and the Chief Electoral Officers (CEOs) through the State Directorate of Information and Public Relations (DIPR), the statement said. "It is reiterated that media persons authorised by the Election Commission for poll day coverage have also been included in the category of essential services and are entitled to postal ballot facility at the Postal Voting Centre (PVC)," it said. After scrutiny and certification, the consolidated list of recommended media persons is then forwarded by the CEO to the Commission for approval. The Authority Letter is issued only after due authentication by the CEO/DEO or an authorized officer. The Commission has mandated that no facsimile or rubber stamp shall be used in this process to maintain authenticity and integrity, the statement said. The Commission reiterated that the multi-level media verification process is aimed at ensuring that only duly verified and authorised personnel are permitted access to polling stations and counting centres, thereby maintaining the integrity, security and orderly conduct of the electoral process. The statement said that media persons authorised by the Election Commission for poll day coverage have also been included in the category of essential services and are entitled to the postal ballot facility at the Postal Voting Centre (PVC). Botswana youth eye China's achievements to boost development Xinhua) 15:32, April 18, 2026 GABORONE, April 17 (Xinhua) -- Botswana youth on Thursday called for exploring new cooperation opportunities from China's 15th Five-Year Plan to accelerate the southern African nation's economic and social development. Speaking at the "Ambassador Dialogue" event, titled "China's 15th Five-Year Plan and Botswana's Opportunities," held at the Chinese Embassy in Botswana, representatives of students and lecturers at the University of Botswana hailed the Five-Year Plan as reflecting more than just policy, but also representing a clear vision for the future, grounded in innovation, sustainability and inclusivity. They spoke highly of China's achievements in economic and social development, expressing willingness to learn from China's development experience, strengthen exchanges and mutual learning and promote bilateral relations. Tshedukani Gaoboeletswe, a Chinese Studies Program graduate of 2025 at the University of Botswana, shared her visit to China at the end of last year. She said what China has achieved provides lessons for other countries, including Botswana, and pledged to play a role in bridging Botswana and China for closer cooperation. Chinese Ambassador to Botswana Fan Yong said the 15th Five-Year Plan will inject greater certainty into the world and create new opportunities for all countries, including Botswana. Artificial intelligence, big data and green energy are not only China's future but also resonate deeply with the goals of "economic diversification, resilient growth and social transformation" in Botswana's 12th National Development Plan, the Chinese ambassador said. Starting from May 1, China will implement zero-tariff treatment for 53 African countries with diplomatic ties, which will bring significant benefits to Botswana's premium products, such as beef and citrus, by opening up more markets, creating more business opportunities and offering a broader stage for young talents, he added. He encouraged Botswana youth to devote themselves to China-Botswana friendship and to become active participants in the development of bilateral relations. "Youth are the future of a nation and the hope of China-Botswana friendship," he said. The event drew about 80 participants, including representatives from the University of Botswana, Botswana youth organizations, the Chinese community, Chinese enterprises and media from both countries. (Web editor: Zhao Tong, Wu Chaolan) Soybeans closed the Thursday session with contracts down to 3 cents in the front months, with deferred new crop contracts fractionally to 2 cents higher. The cmdtyView national average Cash Bean price was down 3 cents at $10.98. Soymeal futures were $1.70 to $4.10 lower on the day, with Soy Oil futures up 105 to 173 points. Weekly Export Sales data was released on Thursday morning as 247,886 MT of 2025/26 soybeans were sold in the week of 4/9. That was a marketing year low for 2025/26 sales. Egypt was the top buyer of 58,100 MT, with 50,800 MT sold to Costa Rica. New crop sales were at 0. More News from Barchart Soybean meal sales were tallied at 255,722 MT, which failed to reach the trade estimate of 300,000 to 600,000 MT. Bean oil business was pegged at 1,138 MT within estimates of net reductions of 10,000 MT to net sales of 14,000 MT. Brazilian soybean production was left at 177.85 MMT in the latest Aboive estimate, unchanged from the previous number. Crush was raised by 0.7 MMT, with exports rising 2.1 MMT from the prior estimate to 113.6 MMT. May 26 Soybeans closed at $11.63 3/4, down 3 1/4 cents, Nearby Cash was $10.98 1/1, down 3 cents, Jul 26 Soybeans closed at $11.80 1/2, down 2 3/4 cents, Nov 26 Soybeans closed at $11.56, up 1 1/2 cents, New Crop Cash was $10.94 1/1, up 1 1/2 cents, On the date of publication, Austin Schroeder did not have (either directly or indirectly) positions in any of the securities mentioned in this article. All information and data in this article is solely for informational purposes. This article was originally published on Barchart.com Patna, April 18 : In a significant verdict, the Nawada Civil Court has sentenced five convicts to life imprisonment in a 21-year-old murder case, bringing long-awaited justice in a matter dating back to 2005.a The incident occurred in Mohammadpur village under the jurisdiction of Hisua police station, where a young man, Rakesh Kumar, son of Dinanath Singh, was shot dead following a dispute over a street and drainage issue.a A formal complaint was subsequently lodged at the Hisua police station by Valmiki Singh, initiating legal proceedings in the case.a The judgment was delivered on Saturday (April 18, 2026) by the court of Upendra Kumar in connection with Hisua P.S. Case No. 39/05.a The court found Shashibhushan Sharma, Arun Singh, Aniruddh Singh alias Tuntun, Anil Singh, and Vipin Singh alias Kunal guilty of the crime committed by them.a All five convicts have been awarded life imprisonment under Sections 302/34 of the IPC and a fine of Rs 20,000 each. Additionally, 3 yearsa imprisonment under Section 27 of the Arms Act and a fine of Rs 5,000 each. In case of non-payment of fines, an additional 6 monthsa imprisonment in the murder case, and an additional 1 month imprisonment under the Arms Act.a The prosecution was led by Assistant Public Prosecutor Deepak Kumar and Assistant Prosecutor Navneet Kumar, who successfully argued the case, leading to convictions.a The verdict marks the culmination of a prolonged legal battle, reinforcing the principle that justice, though delayed, is not denied, and sending a strong message against violent crimes arising from local disputes. aEarlier, on January 31, a district court in Darbhanga sentenced five individuals to life imprisonment for the Patori massacre of August 8, 1994, which resulted in two deaths and eight injuries. aEven after 31 years, the people of Darbhanga recall the episode with distress. aLocals note that the conflict was not between nations but among neighbours, triggered by a land dispute that escalated into large-scale violence, an unforeseen outcome at the time. aAccording to Public Prosecutor Amarendra Narayan Jha, the incident occurred around 6a"7 pm when 10a"12 farmers from Patori village were returning after grazing their cattle. aThey stopped to water their cattle at Gunsar Pond, near the village. At that moment, dozens of armed men from Basant village arrived with axes, spears, and guns and attacked them. Coimbatore, April 18 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday expressed disappointment over the failure to pass the Women's Reservation Bill, while addressing a high-profile election rally in Coimbatore in support of National Democratic Alliance (NDA) candidates ahead of the Tamil Nadu Assembly polls. With campaigning set to conclude on Tuesday, political parties have intensified their outreach in the final stretch before voting. As part of this push, Prime Minister Modi had earlier held a roadshow in Nagercoil on April 15 and continued his campaign in Coimbatore, where he addressed a public meeting at the CODISSIA Grounds at around 6 p.m. The Prime Minister arrived at Coimbatore airport and proceeded to the venue via a roadshow, drawing large crowds along the route. The rally was attended by AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami and leaders of allied parties. During his address, Prime Minister Modi introduced NDA candidates from Coimbatore, Tiruppur, and the Nilgiris, and expressed confidence that the alliance would emerge victorious in the State. "The people of Tamil Nadu have clearly decided that the NDA will win and the DMK will be defeated," he said, adding that Coimbatore has always stood for development-oriented politics. Referring to the Women's Reservation Bill, the PM said it was unfortunate that the legislation could not be passed. "It is disappointing that such a significant effort for women's empowerment failed. I wanted more women from ordinary families to enter politics," he said. Launching a sharp attack on the ruling DMK and its ally Congress, Prime Minister Modi alleged that their "politics of hatred" led to the Bill's failure. He described Tamil Nadu as a key engine of India's development and praised its contributions to the national economy. The Prime Minister also accused the DMK government of promoting "family rule" and claimed it lacked transparency. Drawing a contrast, he cited the rise of leaders without political backgrounds in the NDA ecosystem. Prime Minister Modi further alleged corruption in the State, including irregularities linked to the TASMAC liquor network, and promised a thorough investigation if the NDA came to power. He accused the DMK of targeting Coimbatore out of political vendetta and urged women voters to question the ruling party on why a "golden opportunity" like the Women's Reservation Bill was blocked. Tel Aviv, April 18 : As the one-year anniversary of the heinous Pahalgam terror attack approaches, Pakistan appears to be engaged in a familiar double narrative, a report said on Saturday. Writing for the 'Times of Israel', Sergio Restelli, an Italian political advisor, author and geopolitical expert said that on one front, Pakistan presents itself as a responsible mediator in one of the Middle East's most dangerous crisis, seeking to facilitate dialogue between Iran and the United States. On another, he said Pakistan is mired in the unresolved shadow of cross-border terrorism in Kashmir, where India holds it responsible for the 2025 terror attack in Pahalgammaking the contradiction structural. The expert noted that Pakistan has long relied on mediation as a means of sustaining diplomatic relevance, especially at times of weakening regional standing. "The logic is straightforward. By inserting itself into a crisis beyond its immediate geography, Islamabad attempts to reframe its global image from that of a security problem to that of a solution provider. But this strategy repeatedly collides with the country's internal contradictions," Restelli stressed. With the Pahalgam terror attack anniversary approaching, he said, the issue is credibility rather than attribution. Restelli further stated that Pakistan, repeatedly accused of tolerating or enabling non-state actors, cannot claim the moral authority to mediate conflicts elsewhere with the contradiction too significant to ignore. "This is where Pakistan's internal dynamics become decisive. The country's foreign policy is not driven solely by its civilian leadership but is deeply shaped by its military establishment. The same institution that now projects itself as a peacemaker abroad has historically pursued asymmetric strategies in its immediate neighbourhood. That duality is not accidental. It reflects a security doctrine that distinguishes between theatres rather than applying a consistent principle," he mentioned. Highlighting the Iran case, Restelli said Pakistan seeks stability, as a wider regional war would threaten its borders, energy security, and already fragile economy. In Kashmir, however, he said instability has often been viewed as leverage resulting in a foreign policy that is "situational" rather than "principled adaptive and coherent". Condemning Islamabad's contradictory approach, the expert said, "In the end, Pakistan is not an unlikely peacemaker. It is a predictable one. A state that mediates where it must and destabilises where it can. That is not diplomacy. That is strategy under constraint." New Delhi, April 18 : Major drug maker Lupin on Saturday said that the US health regulator has issued a 'Form 483' with three observations to its manufacturing facility in Somerset, New Jersey, following a recent inspection. In a regulatory filing, the pharmaceutical company said that the inspection by the US Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) was conducted this week between April 13 and April 17. "The inspection was completed with the issuance of a Form 483 carrying three observations," the drug maker said. The company further added that it will address the observations and respond to the USFDA within the stipulated timeframe. Lupin also said it remains committed to maintaining compliance with current Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMP) standards across all its facilities. Earlier in March, the USFDA had concluded an inspection at the companyas Ankleshwar manufacturing facility in India -- conducted from March 2 to March 7-- which also resulted in a Form 483 with two observations. The company had said at the time that it would address the observations and respond within the required timeline, while maintaining compliance with cGMP standards. According to the USFDA, a Form 483 is issued to a companyas management at the end of an inspection when investigators observe conditions that may constitute violations of the Food, Drug and Cosmetic (FD&C) Act and related regulations. Shares of Lupin on Friday ended at Rs 2,322.50, a decrease of 0.19 per cent, on the NSE. Moreover, the pharma stock has touched a 52-week high of Rs 2,377.60 and a 52-week low of Rs 1,836.80 on the exchange. Ahmedabad, April 18 : Around 15 to 20 people were detained after a violent flare-up in Dhandhuka town of Ahmedabad district following a road accident that escalated into a fatal stabbing and subsequent arson, police said on Saturday.a According to officials, the incident began when a motorcycle ridden by Samir, who was travelling with his wife, was involved in a minor collision with a local youth from the Bharwad community.a Speaking to IANS, Ahmedabad Rural SP Om Prakash Jat said: "The incident initially started as a road accident, after which a confrontation broke out between those involved. Samir made some provocative remarks during the exchange, which further escalated tensions."a SP Jat further stated that members of the local community subsequently gathered and proceeded towards Samiras residence.a However, at that time Samir and his family were not present at home.a "Rizwan, who was present at the house, allegedly attacked one individual identified as Dharmesh Gamara from the Bharwad community with a knife, causing him serious leg injuries and heavy bleeding. He was taken to hospital, where he later died," he told IANS.a Following the death, tension escalated in the area and groups of people took to the streets.a Police said an agitated crowd resorted to vandalism and set fire to around eight to 10 shops and tyres in different parts of the town, particularly in market areas.a The incident led to panic, with traders shutting down their establishments and residents remaining indoors. Heavy police deployment was immediately rushed to the spot, including senior officers and teams from specialised units.a Authorities carried out intensified patrolling in sensitive areas to prevent further violence and restore order.a Police confirmed that both Samir and Rizwan have been arrested, while 15a"20 individuals have been detained in connection with the violence.a "Around 15a"20 people have been detained in the incident. More FIRs and action will take place tonight. Both Samir and Rizwan have been arrested. I appeal for peace in the area," Jat said.a Officials said further FIRs are likely to be registered based on ongoing investigation and evidence collection.a Authorities are reviewing CCTV footage from the area and recording statements of eyewitnesses to identify others involved in the arson and vandalism.a Fire brigade teams were deployed from nearby towns to extinguish the blaze after several shops were set on fire.a The body of Dharmesh Gamara has been sent for a post-mortem examination at RMS Hospital in Dhandhuka.a Police have stepped up security in sensitive areas and appealed to residents to maintain calm and not circulate rumours on social media.a Officials said the situation in Dhandhuka is now under control, though security forces remain deployed as a precaution while investigations continue.a Imphal, April 18 : Manipur Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh on Saturday announced that the state government has decided to hand over the investigation into the Ukhrul district shooting incident to the National Investigation Agency for a thorough probe.a Imphal, April 18 (IANS) Manipur Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh on Saturday announced that the state government has decided to hand over the investigation into the Ukhrul district shooting incident to the National Investigation Agency for a thorough probe. According to police, two persons belonging to the Naga community were shot dead along the Imphal-Dimapur National Highway (NH-2) in Ukhrul district after unidentified armed assailants opened fire on vehicles heading towards the district. Officials confirmed that the deceased have been identified as Chinaoshang Shokwungnao (45) and Yaruingam Vashum (42). Strongly condemning the incident, the Chief Minister, in a social media post, said that the government has decided to entrust the case to the National Investigation Agency to ensure a comprehensive investigation. Ex-gratia compensation will be provided to the families of the two victims, Chinaoshang Shokwungnao, a retired personnel of the Naga Regiment from Tashar village, and Yaruingam Vashum from Kharasom village. Singh stated that security forces have already launched operations to apprehend those responsible for the attack. "I offer my condolences to the bereaved families and share their grief in this hour," the Chief Minister said. Earlier in the day, the Chief Minister met with Inspector General of Assam Rifles (South), Major General Gaurav Sharma, to review the prevailing law and order situation in the state. Later, in another social media post, Singh said that the briefing by Inspector General of Assam Rifles (South) at the Civil Secretariat reaffirmed that the situation remains sensitive but is under control, with security forces responding to disturbances with utmost care and restraint. He urged citizens to remain cautious of rumours and misinformation that could incite unrest. "The government is committed to ensuring justice, which will be delivered in due course, while maintaining peace and stability across the state," he said. Meanwhile, a delegation of the Manipur Meitei Pangal Welfare Organisation met the Chief Minister on Saturday and discussed various concerns regarding the current situation in the state. In a Facebook post, Singh said, "The members expressed grave concern over the prevailing situation and submitted a memorandum outlining three key issues." He added that the government has taken note of the points raised with utmost seriousness. "We remain resolute in our commitment to restore peace and normalcy, recognising that stability is essential for the effective implementation of all development and welfare initiatives. Every necessary step will be taken to bring back order and ensure a secure and conducive environment for our people," Singh stated. Kathmandu, April 18 : The Nepal government's decision to levy customs duty on goods valued above NPR 100 brought from bordering Indian towns has drawn criticism from stakeholders in Nepal's border areas, where nearby Indian markets have long served as a source of affordable goods. The government has strictly enforced the rule requiring customs duties on goods exceeding NPR 100 over the past few days. Although the provision was introduced several years ago, it had not been implemented due to practical difficulties faced by residents of border regions. The newly elected government's decision to enforce the rule has now sparked backlash from local stakeholders. The Nepal-India Open Border Interaction Group, a civil society organisation, on Saturday urged the government to immediately revise its customs policy, warning that the current provisions are placing undue hardship on people living in border areas. In a statement issued on Saturday, the group highlighted the centuries-old social, cultural, and economic ties between Nepal and India, calling on authorities to adopt practical and people-friendly measures to ease cross-border movement and strengthen grassroots relations. A key demand put forward by the group is the immediate repeal of the provision requiring customs duties on goods exceeding NPR 100 brought through border points. It argued that the rule disproportionately affects low-income households in border regions and is impractical to enforce. Instead, the group called for zero customs duty on goods meant for household use. Additionally, the group called for the establishment of well-managed and affordable markets in border areas to improve access to essential goods. It also proposed introducing special customs-free facilities for religious and cultural visits, allowing devotees traveling to border towns and major religious sites in both countries to carry goods duty-free for up to 48 hours. The group said this would promote religious tourism and deepen people-to-people ties. Department of Customs Director Kishor Bartaula told IANS that the rule was enforced to control smuggling. "Smugglers use ordinary people to bring goods from Indian markets in small quantities multiple times a day without paying duty, and then collect them in large volumes for sale," he said. "Otherwise, charging duty on goods priced over NPR 100 does not contribute significantly to government revenue." He added that stricter enforcement of the rule is also expected to benefit traders in Nepal's border towns. Patna, April 18 : In a major breakthrough, the Railway Police in Bihar's Rohtas district have arrested a key accused in a sensational robbery case from Madhya Pradesh, recovering cash and gold worth lakhs during the operation.a Patna, April 18 (IANS) In a major breakthrough, the Railway Police in Biharas Rohtas district have arrested a key accused in a sensational robbery case from Madhya Pradesh, recovering cash and gold worth lakhs during the operation.a The arrest was made at Dehri-on-Sone railway station by the Railway Protection Force (RPF), which apprehended Kamlesh Kumar while he was allegedly attempting to flee on Saturday.a According to Railway ASP Alok Kumar Singh, the accused tried to escape after spotting police personnel but was swiftly overpowered.a During the search, officials recovered Rs 15.72 lakh in cash and around 61 grams of gold jewelry, valued at over Rs 9 lakh.a The accused was carrying his share of the loot from a recent high-profile robbery.a Investigations revealed that Kamlesh Kumar was one of the five individuals involved in a daylight robbery at a Bank of Maharashtra branch in Singrauli, Madhya Pradesh.a In the incident, miscreants looted cash and gold worth up to Rs 15 crore, and around Rs 20 lakh cash and large quantities of gold jewelry were taken.a The robbery was executed in broad daylight within 15 minutes, and the bank manager was assaulted, and shots were fired to spread panic.a The criminals fled the scene on motorcycles after holding staff and customers at gunpoint.a The arrest was made possible due to alert constables Umakant and Md. Nazim, who noticed suspicious behavior during routine patrol, informed RPF Inspector Ramvilas Ram.a A subsequent search recovered the valuables.a The accused, a resident of Nalanda district in Bihar, is now being interrogated by police teams, including officials from Madhya Pradesh who have reached Rohtas for further investigation.a ASP Alok Kumar Singh termed the arrest a major success and stated that a recommendation would be sent to reward the RPF team for their swift and effective action.a The arrest not only cracks a crucial link in the high-profile Singrauli robbery case but also highlights the role of vigilant policing in intercepting criminals attempting to flee across state lines.a a Kolkata, April 18 : Ahead of the two-phased Assembly election on April 23 and 29 in West Bengal, Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu took potshots at the ruling Trinamool Congress government. "West Bengal's Trinamool Congress doesn't go to Delhi to stop the BJP," he quipped. Moreover, the Himachal CM emphasised that it is the Congress that will continue to remain the "main opposition party". During an interaction with IANS, CM Sukhu came in support of Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi's criticism that the BJP and the Trinamool are "opposite sides of the same coin". He said, "Rahul Gandhi ji has rightly said that there are two sides of the same coin because they only fight in one state." However, he said, "In Delhi, if there is someone who tries to stop the BJP, then it is Rahul Gandhi ji. The Congress stops the Bharatiya Janata Party. West Bengal's Trinamool Congress doesn't go there to stop, right?" Appealing to people to vote for the Congress, Sukhu said, "This time the people of West Bengal need to stop them and support the Congress' candidates." The Himachal CM underlined the fact that the grand old party has fielded candidates from all the 294 seats in West Bengal. He said that it has happened "for the first time in 20 years". "Congress has not been here (in Bengal) for the last 50 years. This time it is a speciality that the candidates following the party's ideology are contesting from all 294 seats." He further added, "The Congress is the main opposition party at the Centre. The people of Bengal have to decide to vote for the Congress, which has been contesting against the Bharatiya Janata Party across the country." On the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls in the state, he said, "SIR should not have been conducted here just before the elections." On Trinamool and BJP's war of words over consumption of non-vegetarian food in Bengal, CM Sukhu stated, "No one has a special privilege over what to eat because we live in an independent and democratic country." He observed that such issues are "created during elections for political benefits". "This is not right," Sukhu added. He stressed that focus should instead be on employment opportunities, development in the state, etc. Moreover, he asserted that the Congress is the largest party and "will continue to remain the main Opposition party even in the future". Guwahati, April 18 : Congress leader Gaurav Gogoi on Saturday asserted that his party would soon form the government in Assam and warned of a probe into Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma after coming to power.a Guwahati, April 18 (IANS) Congress leader Gaurav Gogoi on Saturday asserted that his party would soon form the government in Assam and warned of a probe into Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma after coming to power. "On the 4th May, our government will be formed," Gogoi told reporters, adding that after forming the government, they would initiate an investigation into Himanta Biswa Sarma. His remarks come amid the recent controversy between Himanta Biswa Sarma and Congress leader Pawan Khera, which has emerged as one of the most high-profile political flashpoints in Assam. The row began earlier this month when Khera, during a press conference, alleged that Sarma's wife, Riniki Bhuyan Sarma, possessed multiple foreign passports and had undisclosed overseas assets, including properties in Dubai and business links in the United States. He claimed she held passports from countries such as the United Arab Emirates, Antigua and Barbuda, and Egypt, raising questions about legality and disclosure norms. The allegations triggered a sharp political backlash. Sarma and his wife categorically denied the claims, calling them "malicious, fabricated, and politically motivated." The Chief Minister accused the Congress of running a misinformation campaign and warned of strict legal action, including defamation proceedings against Khera. The controversy soon escalated into a legal battle. A First Information Report was filed against Khera in Assam based on a complaint by Riniki Bhuyan Sarma, leading to police action and searches linked to the case. Khera initially secured transit anticipatory bail from the Telangana High Court, but the matter reached the Supreme Court of India after Assam Police challenged the relief. In a significant development, the Supreme Court refused to extend Khera's protection from arrest and directed him to approach the appropriate court in Assam. Following this, Sarma publicly stated that Khera should surrender before the authorities in Guwahati and face the legal process. The issue has since evolved into a major political slugfest, with the Congress doubling down on its allegations and the Bharatiya Janata Party dismissing them as baseless and defamatory. The controversy has not only intensified the political climate in Assam but also intertwined legal proceedings with electoral rhetoric, making it a central issue in the ongoing political discourse. A social media "finfluencer" who promised followers financial freedom through real estate investing is heading to prison after orchestrating a multimillion-dollar Ponzi scheme. Tyler Bossetti, a 31-year-old from Columbus, Ohio, was sentenced to six years (1) on April 10 by U.S. District Judge Algenon L. Marbley. Must Read The sentencing took place in Columbus after Bossetti pleaded guilty in June 2025 to wire fraud and aiding in the filing of false tax documents. According to prosecutors, Bossetti ran his "Boss Lifestyle" investment scheme from roughly 2019 through 2023, raising more than $23 million from investors across the U.S. and internationally. Altogether, victims suffered losses exceeding $11 million. Bossetti is also ordered to pay more than $12.5 million in restitution (2). Many victims may never fully recover the financial or emotional damages. Bossetti promised of wealth and "risk-free" returns According to the court documents, Bossetti claimed investors could earn returns of 30% or more through short-term real estate deals, Realtor.com reported (3). Investors were given promissory notes that allegedly guaranteed returns and suggested their investments were secured by real estate assets. But prosecutors say those claims were false. According to Realtor.com, Bossetti admitted that he was not using investor funds as promised and that the business could not generate enough profit to meet the obligations he had made. Instead, he used money from new investors to pay earlier ones, a hallmark of a Ponzi scheme. Rather than investing funds into legitimate projects, Bossetti diverted money for personal use. He paid for a downtown Columbus condo, frequent travel and a $150,000 Mercedes-Benz SUV with the funds. He also funneled money into unauthorized cryptocurrency investments, many of which resulted in significant losses. In addition, prosecutors say Bossetti filed false tax forms, reporting interest income for investors who had not actually earned any, further deepening the fraud. The scheme began to unravel as financial pressures mounted, and investors sought to withdraw funds. Read More: This $1B private real estate fund is now accessible to non-millionaires. Start investing with just $10 Victims describe life-altering losses At the sentencing, victims shared how the scheme devastated their finances and sense of security, according to the Columbus Dispatch (4). London, April 18 : Pakistan's Illegal Foreigners Repatriation Plan (IFRP) reflects state-led refoulement on an industrial scale, prioritising political expediency over human lives, displacing more than two million Afghan refugees, shattering communities, violating international norms, and deepening Afghanistan's humanitarian crisis, a report highlighted on Saturday. "Pakistan's Illegal Foreigners Repatriation Plan (IFRP), launched in October 2023, has evolved into one of the world's largest and most criticised forced deportation campaigns, targetting Afghan refugees who have lived in the country for decades. By early 2026, the policy had driven the return of more than two million Afghans, including those with legal documentation, amid widespread reports of arbitrary arrests, extortion, and coercion", a report in UK-based newspaper 'Asian Lite' detailed. "International human rights organisations and the United Nations have repeatedly condemned the plan as opaque, indiscriminate, and in violation of the principle of non-refoulement, which prohibits returning refugees to places where they face serious risks," it added. The report noted that by February 2026, a one-year assessment found that over one million Afghans, including many undocumented, had been deported despite limited access to resources and services. Amnesty International has condemned the IFRP, citing "illegality and inhumanity". In March 2025, the organisation called for withdrawal of the plan, warning that vague executive orders demonise Afghans as "criminals and terrorists" while ignoring their refugee status and risks they face under Taliban rule in Afghanistan. "The policy breaches non-refoulement by sending people back to persecution, torture, or indiscriminate violence, contravening the 1951 Refugee Convention, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and customary international law. Amnesty documented forced relocations even within Pakistan, for instance, moving Proof of Registration (PoR) holders from Islamabad and Rawalpindi by 31 March 2025, which upended homes, businesses, and communities for families resident for decades," the report mentioned. According to the report, returnees have alleged police extortion, beatings, and arbitrary arrests during night raids, with families often paying bribes to avoid detention. In the second phase beginning April 2025, 230,500 Afghans returned, including 42,800 deportees, of whom 70 per cent were undocumented, 19 per cent Afghan Citizen Card holders, and 11 per cent Proof of Registration card holders. The report stressed that women and children bore the brunt of the crisis facing family separation, lack of shelter upon return, and the risk of Taliban reprisals for perceived links with Pakistani authorities. Highlighting Pakistan's crackdown on Afghan refugees, the report further said, "The international community has responded with concern but limited leverage. UNHCR has scaled up border monitoring and aid but urged Pakistan to halt forced returns and renew registrations for 1.4 million at risk. Western donors, funding much of Pakistan's economy, have called for humane treatment, yet economic pressures mute stronger action." New Delhi, April 18 : India on Saturday strongly condemned the attack on French UN Peacekeepers deployed at the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) in southern Lebanon, urging the need to investigate and bring perpetrators to justice. Earlier in the day, a French soldier was killed and three others wounded in the attack on UNIFIL, French President Emmanuel Macron had confirmed. "We strongly condemn the attack that took place today on French UN Peacekeepers deployed in UNIFIL. We pay our homage to the fallen Blue Helmet and wish a speedy recovery to the three other peacekeepers who were injured," read a statement issued by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). "India had piloted UN Security Council Resolution 2589 on Accountability for Crimes against Peacekeepers. We urge the government of Lebanon to urgently investigate this attack, bring its perpetrators to justice, and ensure accountability for this crime against UN Peacekeepers," it added. India also reiterated the importance of respecting the sanctity and inviolability of UN premises and personnel, urging all parties to ensure the safety and security of Peacekeepers who are deployed pursuant to UN Security Council mandates. According to Macron, the French soldier served with the 17th Parachute Engineer Regiment, and the three wounded have been evacuated. "The nation bows with respect and extends its support to the families of our soldiers and to all our military personnel committed to peace in Lebanon," Macron posted on X. The French President stated that all indications suggest that Hezbollah is responsible for the attack and demanded that the Lebanese authorities immediately arrest the perpetrators and assume their responsibilities alongside UNIFIL. "This morning, a UNIFIL patrol clearing explosive ordnance along a road in the village of Ghanduriyah to re-establish links with isolated UNIFIL positions came under small-arms fire from non-state-actors. Tragically, one peacekeeper succumbed to his injuries and three others were injured, two of them seriously," UNIFIL stated. --IANS /as Mumbai, April 18 : The Maharashtra government, which has launched an ambitious plan to make the state drought-free, will require Rs 2.56 lakh crore to complete 225 irrigation projects that are either pending from earlier or have been taken up since July 2022, when Eknath Shinde assumed office as Chief Minister. The data relating to the performance of the Irrigation Department since July 2022 was presented at the state Cabinet meeting held on April 7. As per the presentation made at the meeting, the total cost of the approved 225 irrigation projects, including previously approved and newly approved ones, is Rs 4.35 lakh crore. Of this, Rs 1.78 lakh crore has already been spent, while the state requires an additional Rs 2.56 lakh crore to complete the projects. "The requirement of funds looks large in absolute terms, but it also includes the project cost of recently approved river-linking projects. It is not merely revised administrative approval for existing projects," an official from the state's Irrigation Department said. The state has undertaken the WaingangaNalganga and DamangangaVaitarnaGodavari river-linking projects, which are jointly expected to cost around Rs 1.15 lakh crore. Irrigation Minister Girish Mahajan did not respond to queries regarding the requirement of funds to complete the projects. Another official from the department said that several projects have been pending for decades, leading to cost escalations. "Those escalations were also approved during this period from July 2022. Additional funds are required since the original estimates were based on the costs prevailing at the time when the projects were initiated. Delays have led to an increase in project costs," the official said. The state Cabinet was informed that the total planned irrigation capacity from these projects is 33.44 lakh hectares, of which 13.72 lakh hectares have been created. Around 19.72 lakh hectares of irrigation capacity are yet to be developed. Apart from irrigation capacity, the total water storage potential of these projects is estimated at 512 TMC, of which 326 TMC has been created. The remaining 186 TMC storage capacity is yet to be developed. Among the regions with the highest investment in irrigation is the Vidarbha Irrigation Development Corporation (VIDC), with 88 projects costing Rs 2.77 lakh crore, of which only 47 per cent has been spent. This is followed by the Godavari Marathwada Irrigation Development Corporation (GMIDC), which has 45 projects costing Rs 56,982 crore, of which only 15 per cent has been spent. In western Maharashtra, under the Maharashtra Krishna Valley Development Corporation (MKVDC), 34 projects costing Rs 45,185 crore have seen only 37 per cent expenditure. In north Maharashtra, the Tapi Irrigation Development Corporation (TIDC) has spent 30 per cent of Rs 30,238 crore on 24 projects. In the Konkan Irrigation Development Corporation (KIDC), the total cost of 36 projects is Rs 24,555 crore, of which 32 per cent has been spent. Patna, April 18 : In a remarkable discovery, 18 rare manuscripts have been unearthed from an ancient temple in Chandipur village under Warisaliganj block in Nawada district, triggering widespread interest across the region. The findings have been made under the Centreas Gyan Bharatam Mission, with the digitisation process already underway. The manuscripts were discovered at the Shri Thakur Radha Raman Lal Ji Temple, a historic structure built in 1883 AD in Chandipur village. During an inspection led by Deputy Development Commissioner Neelima Sahu on Saturday, a detailed survey recovered 18 handwritten and block-printed manuscripts. These manuscripts are believed to hold significant historical and cultural value, offering insights into Indiaas rich intellectual traditions. All recovered manuscripts have been registered on the official aGyan Bharatama digital platform. According to a district official, this effort represents a major step toward preserving Indiaas cultural legacy and making it accessible for future generations. The mission aims to identify and safeguard ancient manuscripts scattered across the country,many of which are written on palm leaves, birch bark, cloth, and fragile paper. Experts believe such manuscripts often contain a wealth of knowledge spanning multiple disciplines, including Ayurveda and traditional medicine, literature and philosophy, astronomy and science, and local and regional history. By digitising these texts using modern technology and artificial intelligence, the government plans to integrate them into a national digital repository, ensuring accessibility for researchers and the public alike. The administration has clarified that ownership of the manuscripts will remain with the current custodians, while the government will focus solely on scientific digitisation and preservation. Officials have also appealed to citizens to come forward with information about similar manuscripts, emphasising community participation in preserving Indiaas heritage. The 18 manuscripts recovered from Chandipur are more than just historical documentsa"they are living symbols of Indiaas cultural and intellectual heritage. Their preservation under the Gyan Bharatam Mission is expected to create a valuable knowledge base for generations to come. New Delhi, April 18 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said that despite the setback in Parliament, it is only a matter of time before obstacles to women's rightful representation are removed, asserting that the government's commitment to women's empowerment will remain unwavering. Addressing the nation, PM Modi said the fight for reservation for women would continue until it is achieved, emphasising determination and continuity in efforts. He targeted the Congress and its allies, accusing them of a historical aversion to women's reservation and alleging that the Opposition had relied on misinformation and diversionary tactics, which he said had exposed their "true faces" before the women of the country. "The Bill was not about credit. I even mentioned in Parliament that I will give credit to the Opposition," Prime Minister Narendra Modi said. He added: "We may not have got 66 per cent votes, but we have got the blessings of 100 per cent of women. We may not have had the numbers yesterday, but we will continue our fight." Framing the outcome of the Women's Reservation Bill as part of a broader pattern, the Prime Minister cited the Congress party's opposition to measures such as Aadhaar, GST, digital payments, reservation for economically weaker sections, and the abrogation of Article 370. He argued that the party's approach has been to resist reforms and create hurdles rather than facilitate progress. Calling the Congress an "anti-reform" party, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said: "Congress objects to everything necessary for development in the 21st century. This is the same party that objected to digital payments, and even objected to triple talaq laws. Congress has a history of creating hurdles for anything that is done for the development of the country." He also linked the Opposition's stance to dynastic politics, arguing that the Women's Reservation Bill would have disrupted entrenched political control. "They will never want that a woman from outside their family grows within the party," the Prime Minister said. "The country will never forgive the Congress and these parties," he added. Concluding his address, Prime Minister Modi said the issue was not merely about numbers in Parliament but also about countering what he described as negativity in politics. He reiterated that women's rightful representation is inevitable and that the government's resolve to achieve it will not falter. Bengaluru, April 18 : Chief Justice of India Justice Surya Kant and Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Saturday inaugurated the two-day International Conference on "Sustainable Energy: An Agenda for India @ 2047 - Reimagining Law, Policy, and Innovation for Energy Justice" in Bengaluru. Bengaluru, April 18 (IANS) Chief Justice of India Justice Surya Kant and Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Saturday inaugurated the two-day International Conference on "Sustainable Energy: An Agenda for India @ 2047 Reimagining Law, Policy, and Innovation for Energy Justice" in Bengaluru. The two-day international conference on "Sustainable Energy: An Agenda for India @ 2047" prominently highlights the initiatives and leadership of the Department of Energy, Government of Karnataka, under the leadership of K.J. George, Minister for Energy. The conference is being jointly organised by the Commonwealth Legal Education Association (CLEA) and the Department of Energy, Government of Karnataka, bringing together leading jurists, policymakers, industry experts, and academicians from across India and abroad. The Inaugural Session was led by Chief Justice of India Justice Surya Kant, who delivered the inaugural address. This high-level inaugural session has set the tone for deliberations on India's energy future, with a strong focus on sustainability, innovation, and energy justice. The conference has highlighted Karnataka's leadership in the energy sector, with the Department of Energy advancing progressive policies, fostering innovation, and supporting the State's contribution to India's long-term energy goals and Net Zero commitments. The event aims to provide a platform for dialogue on India's energy transition, policy, and governance, aligning with the national vision for energy security and sustainability by 2047. The conference will conclude on April 19 with a valedictory session featuring distinguished dignitaries and outlining the way forward with key recommendations and insights. The conference prominently highlighted the initiatives and leadership of the Department of Energy, Government of Karnataka, under the leadership of K.J. George, Minister for Energy, and under the guidance of Gaurav Gupta, IAS, Additional Chief Secretary Energy. Chief Justice of India Surya Kant stated: "Bengaluru city offers instructive lessons that speak to the heart of what we have gathered here to discuss: that tradition and transformation need not be adversaries, that heritage and ambition can walk together without diminishing each other." "Within its landscape, towering software parks stand not far from expansive green spaces, and in that coexistence lies a lesson for all of us: that we can shape the future of Energy Justice by ensuring that the pathways of development we choose today guarantee a fair distribution of benefits and burdens, transparent decision-making, and genuine recognition of vulnerable communities," the CJI added. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said, "This conference comes at a defining moment in India's development journeywhen energy is not merely a sector, but the very foundation of a developed, inclusive, and sustainable nation." "Karnataka is proud to host this important dialogue. As India moves towards becoming a developed nation by 2047, the scale of transformation required in the energy sector is unprecedented," Siddaramaiah stated. Energy Minister K.J. George said, "The importance of continued dialogue between the judiciary and the energy sector cannot be overstated. Bringing together the judiciary, policymakers, regulators, and industry on a single platform is not an easy task, and this initiative deserves our highest appreciation." Kohima, April 18 : Nagaland Governor Nand Kishore Yadav on Saturday said the state has immense potential in sectors such as tourism, but emphasised the need to change outdated perceptions of Nagaland.a According to a senior official, students of Eden Higher Secondary School, Dimapur, visited Lok Bhavan in Kohima for an educational tour on Saturday. During an interactive session with the students, the Governor said that as India moves toward the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047, Nagaland must progress in tandem with the nation and align itself with that broader goal.a He encouraged students and young people to study diligently, work hard, and build self-confidence to succeed in life, stressing that there is no substitute for hard work. Yadav noted that government jobs should not be the sole aspiration for the youth. Instead, he urged young people to explore innovation, entrepreneurship, and creative pursuits.a He also emphasised that women are equal to men in terms of capability and potential, and called on every individual to contribute meaningfully to the development of the state. The Governor highlighted the importance of using technology wisely as a valuable asset, focusing on its advantages rather than its drawbacks.a Speaking about his own journey into public service, he said that he was inspired by Jayaprakash Narayan to join the student movement and later enter public life. He added that the motivation for public service cannot be imposed but must come from within. Since society provides individuals with opportunities, he said, it is equally important for people to give back to society.a He further advised the youth to stay focused on their goals, dream big, and pursue their ambitions with determination. Recalling his student days, the Governor said he remained committed to his studies and worked hard to bring pride to his family. He acknowledged the struggles he faced but noted that strong determination helped him overcome challenges. Even in difficult circumstances, he said, hard work remains the key to success.a The visit proved to be an enriching learning experience and a source of inspiration for the students.a In a separate event, Governor Yadav visited the Cathedral of Kohima (Mary Help of Christians Church), one of the stateas most prominent landmarks and a symbol of spiritual devotion and communal unity. a The visit reflected the deep respect accorded to institutions that have played a significant role in shaping Nagalandas social and cultural identity.a During the visit, the Governor acknowledged the Churchas contribution to promoting values of peace, compassion, education, and service to society. a Renowned for its distinctive architecture and serene surroundings, the Cathedral stands not only as a place of worship but also as a testament to the rich heritage and faith traditions of the people of Nagaland.a Washington, Apr 18 : U.S. President Donald Trump said Saturday that Iran "can't blackmail us" even as Washington is holding talks with Tehran, signalling a mix of pressure and diplomacy amid rising tensions. Washington, Apr 18 (IANS) U.S. President Donald Trump said Saturday that Iran "can't blackmail us" even as Washington is holding talks with Tehran, signalling a mix of pressure and diplomacy amid rising tensions. Speaking at the White House, Trump said the United States was engaged with Iran but would not ease its stance. "We're talking to them " It's working out very well," he said. "We're taking a tough stand." He said Iran had "gotten away with murder for 47 years" but warned that "they're not getting away with it anymore." Trump also suggested developments could come quickly. "We'll have some information by the end of the day," he said, without giving details. The remarks come as tensions remain high in the Gulf, especially around key shipping routes. Trump said Iran had again tried to disrupt traffic through a strategic waterway. "They wanted to close up the strait again and they can't blackmail us," he said. Pointing to the Strait of Hormuz, a vital route for global oil shipments, Trump suggested U.S. actions had already changed shipping patterns. "A lot of the ships are coming up to Texas and Louisiana," he said. The strait is one of the world's most important energy chokepoints. Any disruption can affect global oil supply and prices, with an immediate impact on major importers. Trump's comments signalled that Washington would resist any attempt by Iran to block or control access to the route. He also defended his earlier decision to order the killing of Iranian commander Qasem Soleimani, linking it to U.S. troop casualties. "Soleimani was the father of the roadside bomb," Trump said. He accused Iran of supplying weapons that killed American personnel. "They've killed a lot of people. A lot of our people have been killed," he said. "When you see soldiers with no legs, with no arms that was Iran," he added. Washington, April 18 : The United States and key global powers have welcomed Libya's agreement on a unified national budget for 2026, calling it a "critical step" towards economic coordination, stability, and long-term political unity in the conflict-hit country. Washington, April 18 (IANS) The United States and key global powers have welcomed Libya's agreement on a unified national budget for 2026, calling it a "critical step" towards economic coordination, stability, and long-term political unity in the conflict-hit country. In a joint statement released by Washington and nine other governments, including Egypt, France, Germany, Italy, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkiye, the United Arab Emirates and the United Kingdom, the signatories said they "welcome the signing on April 11 of a unified 2026 budget for Libya, the first Libyan national budget in over a decade". They described the move as a breakthrough that could help bridge divisions between rival authorities in eastern and western Libya. "We applaud their constructive approach to reach this agreement, which has the potential to foster increased unity, stability, and prosperity for Libya," the statement said. The unified budget is expected to play a central role in stabilising Libya's fragile economy. According to the joint statement, "Full implementation of the unified budget will help advance Libya's financial stability, defend the value of the dinar and the Libyan people's purchasing power". It added that the agreement would "enable the implementation of development projects and international investment across Libya" while strengthening key state institutions, including the Central Bank of Libya, the National Oil Corporation, and the Libyan Audit Bureau. Energy production remains central to Libya's recovery. The statement noted that the budget includes "the National Oil Corporation's first operational budget in years and financing to increase energy production". It also underlined the presence of "oversight provisions to ensure these funds are used effectively". The signatories stressed that boosting Libya's oil and gas output would have wider implications beyond its borders. "Increased oil and gas production will drive greater prosperity for the Libyan people and their international partners and contribute to regional and global energy security," the statement said. Alongside economic measures, the joint statement emphasised the need for a parallel political process. The countries reaffirmed their backing for the United Nations Support Mission in Libya and its roadmap. "We reaffirm our support for the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) and the roadmap developed by UN Special Representative of the Secretary-General Hanna Tetteh," it said. They urged Libyan stakeholders to use the UN-led framework to move towards elections and unified governance. "We urge all stakeholders to use this roadmap and UNSMIL facilitation to advance a Libyan-led political process leading to unified governance and national elections," the statement added. The governments also underscored the link between economic and political stability. "Increased economic integration will complement and strengthen the political process," the statement said, adding that "a strong and prosperous Libya with unified economic, military, and political institutions is in all of our interests". Libya has remained politically fragmented since the 2011 uprising that led to the fall of longtime leader Muammar Gaddafi. Rival administrations in the east and west have competed for control over state institutions and oil revenues, often backed by foreign actors. Jaipur, April 18 : Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma was felicitated by non-resident Rajasthanis in Howrah, Kolkata, on Saturday, where he launched a sharp political attack on opposition parties and called for a decisive mandate in West Bengal.a Jaipur, April 18 (IANS) Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma was felicitated by non-resident Rajasthanis in Howrah, Kolkata, on Saturday, where he launched a sharp political attack on opposition parties and called for a decisive mandate in West Bengal. Addressing the gathering, Sharma urged the community to mobilise fully in support of the Bharatiya Janata Party, stating that if West Bengal seeks governance on the lines of Rajasthan, it must remove what he termed a regime marked by corruption, "cut-money," and appeasement politics. Referring to the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, the Chief Minister criticised the Congress, Trinamool Congress, and allied parties for opposing the legislation. He described their stance as reflective of a "petty mindset" and said the bill's failure was an "insult to women." He asserted that women across the country would respond strongly to this, adding that empowering women after decades of delay is a necessity in modern India. Highlighting central schemes like Jan Dhan Yojana and Ujjwala Yojana, he credited the leadership of PM Modi for prioritising women's empowerment. Sharma emphasised the global contributions of the Rajasthani diaspora, particularly in sectors such as education, healthcare, and social services. He noted that through the Rajasthan Foundation, 26 domestic and 14 international chapters have been established in recent years. He urged non-resident Rajasthanis to invest in Rajasthan by setting up industries, thereby maintaining a strong connection with their roots. Highlighting development initiatives, the Chief Minister said Rajasthan is witnessing rapid growth under a "double-engine government." He cited Memorandums of Understanding worth Rs 35 lakh crore signed during the Rising Rajasthan Global Summit, with Rs 9 lakh crore already under implementation. He also pointed to key infrastructure and welfare initiatives, including water projects such as the Ram Jal Setu Link Project and the Yamuna Water Agreement, and expanded electricity supply to farmers, expected to cover all districts by 2027. Drawing a comparison, Sharma questioned why a similar development could not be achieved in West Bengal. He called for the establishment of a "double-engine government" in the state, asserting that it is essential to accelerate growth and ensure good governance. The event also saw enthusiastic participation from the diaspora, with the Chief Minister receiving a warm welcome during his visit. By Elizabeth Howcroft PARIS, April 17 (Reuters) - Europe needs more euro-based stablecoins, French Finance Minister Roland Lescure said on Friday, and urged the bloc's banks to explore tokenised deposits to help end U.S. dominance in digital payments. In pre-recorded comments at a crypto conference in Paris, Lescure said the relatively small volume of euro-pegged stablecoins compared to dollar-pegged ones was "not satisfactory". More from Yahoo Scout Why does Europe need more euro-based stablecoins? How significant is current stablecoin adoption among European banks? How are European banks challenging U.S. digital payment dominance? What role will the digital euro play in Europe's tokenization strategy? Banks worldwide are experimenting with stablecoins, a type of cryptocurrency designed to maintain a constant value and backed by traditional currencies. Several have joined forces to trial the technology, especially since U.S. President Donald Trump last year signed a law establishing rules for stablecoins. However, the stablecoin market is dominated by El Salvador-based Tether, and the coins are used mostly for crypto trading, with their role in making payments still minimal. Two-thirds of European banks surveyed by RBC Capital Markets said demand for stablecoins remains limited, according to a research note published this week. EUROPEAN BANKS SEEK TO WEAKEN U.S. DOMINANCE A group of European banks, including ING, UniCredit and BNP Paribas have formed a company to launch a euro-pegged stablecoin in the second half of 2026 that they hope will counter U.S. dominance in digital payments. "That is what we need and that is what we want," Lescure said on Friday, referring to the initiative. "I also strongly encourage banks to further explore the launch of tokenised deposits," he added. Tokenisation refers to creating blockchain-based tokens to stand in for existing financial assets. European policymakers are trying to reduce reliance on nonEuropean payment providers, as a result of tense relations with the U.S. that have heightened concerns about the fragmentation of EU payments services. The European Central Bank has been developing a digital euro to preserve the role of central bank money in a digital economy, although in some countries bank lobbies have resisted the plans and progress in European Parliament has been slow. Lescure on Friday said he supported ECB plans to put a digital central bank currency at the centre of tokenisation efforts, calling it "the right balance". Tether says it has more than $185 billion of its dollar-pegged tokens in circulation. Societe Generale says its euro-pegged stablecoin, launched in 2023, has just 107 million euros ($126 million) in circulation. ($1 = 0.8479 euros) (Reporting by Elizabeth Howcroft, writing by Alessandro Parodi, Editing by Tommy Reggiori Wilkes and Barbara Lewis) New Delhi, April 18 : A Delhi court has convicted two Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) officials for offences of assault, mischief and criminal trespass in connection with a controversial search and arrest operation conducted at the residence of a senior Indian Revenue Service (IRS) officer in 2000, holding that the action was carried out in a "malafide manner" to frustrate a tribunal order. a New Delhi, April 18 (IANS) A Delhi court has convicted two Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) officials for offences of assault, mischief and criminal trespass in connection with a controversial search and arrest operation conducted at the residence of a senior Indian Revenue Service (IRS) officer in 2000, holding that the action was carried out in a "malafide manner" to frustrate a tribunal order. Judicial Magistrate First Class Shashank Nandan Bhatt of the Tis Hazari Courts convicted V.K. Pandey, then Inspector, and Ramneesh, then Deputy Superintendent of Police, under Sections 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 427 (mischief), 448 (criminal trespass), and 34 (common intention) of the Indian Penal Code. The case arose from a complaint filed by Ashok Kumar Aggarwal, a 1985-batch IRS officer, who alleged that the accused officials forcibly entered his Paschim Vihar residence in the early hours of October 19, 2000, assaulted him, and carried out an illegal search as part of a vendetta linked to investigations he was handling. In its detailed judgment delivered on Saturday, the court held that the search and arrest proceedings were not a bona fide exercise of official power but were driven by ulterior motives. "The entire search and arrest proceedings dated 19.10.2000 were conducted by the accused persons in a malafide manner by exceeding the powers vested upon them by law," the court observed. Rejecting the defence that the officials were protected under Section 197 CrPC for acts done in discharge of official duty, the court held that the conduct in question had "no reasonable nexus with official duty" and instead amounted to abuse of power. The court found inconsistencies in the defence version and relied on the prosecution's account that the main door was broken without sufficient justification. "The actions of the accused persons in breaking open the main door without any justified reason constitute the commission of mischief," the court observed, adding that the subsequent entry amounted to criminal trespass. On the allegation of assault, the court relied on the complainant's testimony, corroborating witness accounts, and medical evidence, including an MLC indicating an injury on the complainant's forearm. "There is absolutely no explanation for the injury which points towards custodial violence at the time of effecting the arrest," the court observed. The judge also rejected arguments regarding the delay in filing the complaint and the failure to examine certain witnesses, holding that neither undermined the prosecution's case. The accused had denied the allegations, claiming that the search was necessitated as the complainant was not cooperating and that only minimal force was used. They further argued that all procedures were duly followed. However, the court found the defence version unreliable, citing contradictions between witness testimonies and official records, including the search list. Significantly, the court noted that the timing of the arrest a day after a deadline to respond to directions issued by the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) indicated a deliberate attempt to derail the review of the complainant's suspension. "All these factors lead to a necessary inference that the actions were malafide and done with the object of nullifying the order dated 28.09.2000," the court said. Concluding that the prosecution had proved its case beyond a reasonable doubt, the court held that the accused had abused their authority. "The actions of the accused persons were deliberate attempts aimed at denying the complainant the fruits of the order passed by CAT by exercising their powers in a malafide manner," it said. The court accordingly convicted both officials and directed that a copy of the judgment be supplied to them free of cost. The matter will now proceed to the sentencing stage. Chennai, April 18 : Actor-politician Kamal Haasan has called for the immediate implementation of 33 per cent reservation for women in Parliament and State Assemblies, strongly opposing any move to link the measure with delimitation.a Chennai, April 18 (IANS) Actor-politician Kamal Haasan has called for the immediate implementation of 33 per cent reservation for women in Parliament and State Assemblies, strongly opposing any move to link the measure with delimitation. Reacting after the fall of the delimitation-linked 131st Constitutional Amendment Bill, Haasan said a Private Member's Bill has now been introduced by Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam Rajya Sabha Member of Parliament P. Wilson to provide women's reservation without tying it to constituency redrawing. In a post on X, Haasan argued that if the country is serious about women's empowerment, the 33 per cent quota must be implemented immediately within the existing strength of the Lok Sabha and State legislatures, without waiting for delimitation. He also backed the proposal to extend the freeze on delimitation till 2051, stating that such a move would allow states adequate time to achieve population stabilisation through meaningful reforms. These include ensuring access to quality education, healthcare, and equal employment opportunities for women, factors he described as essential to long-term demographic balance. Highlighting regional disparities, Haasan cautioned that linking women's reservation with delimitation could undermine India's federal structure. He pointed out that southern states such as Tamil Nadu, which have prioritised population control and women-centric development, risk being disadvantaged in terms of political representation if delimitation is carried out based purely on population. "States that have taken progressive steps in stabilising population and empowering women should be seen as models, not penalised," he emphasised, warning against any attempt to introduce delimitation "through the back door." The Makkal Needhi Maiam founder further urged the Union government to convene a special session of Parliament after the ongoing Assembly elections to pass the proposed Bill. He also suggested that the Centre could bring in its own legislation to ensure that women's reservation is implemented without further delay. Haasan's remarks add to the growing political debate over the intersection of women's reservation and delimitation, an issue that continues to draw sharp responses from parties across the political spectrum. New Delhi, April 18 : Reacting to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's address to the nation following the failure of the Women's Reservation Bill in the Lok Sabha, former IPS officer and ex-Lieutenant Governor of Puducherry, Kiran Bedi, said on Saturday that the Prime Minister's messaging has rekindled hope. Taking to the social media platform X, Kiran Bedi wrote, "The PM's messaging has rekindled hope. Perhaps women will claim their rightful space in State Assemblies and Parliament well before 2029. Time will tellbut the momentum is unmistakable. #WomenReservationbill" Earlier in the evening, PM Modi expressed deep regret and offered his apologies to the women of India after the Lok Sabha rejected the Constitutional Amendment Bill aimed at operationalising women's reservation in Parliament and state assemblies. He said the Bill, which sought to make necessary changes to the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, failed to secure the required two-thirds majority, dealing a setback to the long-pending empowerment initiative. The Prime Minister described the development as a painful moment and reiterated his unwavering commitment to removing every obstacle to greater representation of women in legislative bodies. He assured that his government would continue its efforts to ensure women get their due share in the country's decision-making process. PM Modi also targeted the Congress and its allies, accusing them of a historical aversion to women's reservation and alleging that the Opposition had relied on misinformation and diversionary tactics, which he said had exposed their "true faces" before the women of the country. "The Bill was not about credit. I even mentioned in Parliament that I will give credit to the Opposition," the Prime Minister said. He added: "We may not have got 66 per cent votes, but we have got the blessings of 100 per cent of women. We may not have had the numbers yesterday, but we will continue our fight." The Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026, which sought to provide 33 per cent reservation for women in Parliament, failed to secure the constitutionally required two-thirds majority. A day earlier, when the Lok Sabha was to take up the Bill, Kiran Bedi wrote on X, "If Parliament misses passing the #WomensQuotaBill, women voters may decisively back those who commit to ensuring one-third representation in the 2029 Parliament and State Assemblies." She further stated, "It's now clear - women are a decisive electoral force. Symbolic appeasement won't suffice. They seek a real seat at the table and a direct role in shaping India's future." Business DoggyJi Introduces Affordable Dog Food in India Bangalore, India 17-04-2026 In a significant step toward improving canine nutrition across the country, DoggyJi has emerged as a game-changer in the pet care industry by offering affordable dog food in India without compromising on quality. With a mission to make healthy nutrition accessible to all dogswhether they are beloved pets or community straysDoggyJi is redefining how India feeds its dogs. The brand focuses on creating cost-effective, nutrient-rich dog food and treats using carefully selected ingredients and research-backed formulations. India has long faced a gap in the availability of budget-friendly yet nutritious dog food options. Recognizing this need, DoggyJi developed products that balance affordability with essential nutrients, ensuring dogs receive proper care regardless of their living conditions. This initiative is especially impactful for animal feeders and welfare groups who support stray dogs daily. Every dog deserves good nutrition, not just those in homes, said a spokesperson from DoggyJi. Our goal is to provide affordable dog food in India that people can (trust) and easily include in their daily feeding routines. DoggyJis offerings are crafted with a focus on digestibility, taste, and overall health benefits. By avoiding unnecessary fillers and prioritizing quality ingredients, the brand ensures that even at a lower price point, the food supports dogs energy, immunity, and well-being. In addition to serving pet owners, DoggyJi is gaining attention among NGOs, animal lovers, and community feeders who are constantly searching for economical and reliable feeding solutions. As awareness about animal welfare grows across India, DoggyJi stands at the forefront by combining compassion with practicalitymaking it easier than ever to care for dogs responsibly. About DoggyJi DoggyJi is an India-based pet care brand dedicated to providing affordable, nutritious dog food and treats. With a strong focus on accessibility and quality, the brand aims to support both pet owners and stray feeders in delivering better nutrition to dogs across the country. Media Contact: Shalin info@doggyji.com https://www.doggyji.com/ FDA warns firm for inappropriate use of AI in drug manufacturing FDA headquarters in Silver Spring, MD. (credit: Ferdous Al-Faruque) The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a warning letter to Purolea Cosmetics Lab for several violations of Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP). Notably, the warning letter calls the company out for excessive reliance on artificial intelligence (AI) to create drug specifications, procedures, and production records, without adequate quality control oversight. An attorney who spoke to Focus noted that this action does not mean the agency is against AI; rather, it emphasizes that manufacturers should not depend on AI without a proper understanding of GMPs. The warning letter to the Livonia, MI-based company followed a three-day inspection in late October. The company produces homeopathic drug products, including Dermveda Extra Strength Shingles Relief and Dermveda Extra Strength Ultra Genital Herpes Relief. The overarching theme of the warning letter was the companys lack of basic understanding of GMPs and was relying instead on AI to substitute this knowledge. FDA said the company's quality control unit did not ensure that its drug products complied with GMPs. For instance, the quality control unit under 21 CFR 211.22 failed to make sure that established procedures were followed, that batch records were reviewed prior to product release, and that adequate production and process controls were put in place. Additionally, the FDA cited the companys quality control unit under 21 CFR 21.22(c) for its inappropriate use of AI in pharmaceutical manufacturing. Company officials explained to the FDA that they used AI to help the firm adhere to FDA regulations, specifically in the creation of drug product specifications, procedures, and master control records. This did not appease FDA. The agency said if AI is used in document creation, the firm must review the AI generated documents to ensure they were accurate and actually compliant with CGMP. Your failure to do so is a violation of 21 CFR 211.22(c). Another issue was the companys excessive dependence on AI. For instance, an investigator noted that the firm had not performed process validation to ensure that its processes were under control. The firm replied that it was not aware of the legal requirements because AI did not inform them that this validation was needed. Other issues included unsanitary conditions at the facility. During the inspection, an investigator observed the presence of insects, dirt, leaves, and clutter in several areas throughout the facility. Additionally, the company did not have sufficient measures in place to prevent contamination from both internal and external sources. For instance, when the docking bay door was opened, it directly exposed the manufacturing area to the outside environment. FDA said the company failed to conduct appropriate laboratory testing to ensure that products were free of objectionable microorganisms. FDA noted that the company has stopped producing drugs at the facility. Kalie Richardson, an attorney from Hyman, Phelps & McNamara, stated that this letter highlights fundamental GMP shortcomings and should not indicate that the agency is against the use of AI. I would say one takeaway I had is that I dont get the impression that the FDA has an issue with the use of AI to draft documents. Their issue is that no one reviewed it and it was completely inaccurate. I dont think they are saying that the use of AI is not OK. I dont think this is what FDA is saying. It sounds like the issues were so rudimentary. No one has any knowledge of GMPs, and no one knows enough to know what AI is telling you is wrong. Richardson said that manufacturers should ideally use a closed system, so they know what the inputs are and the source materials are. I do think it is interesting that the warning letter is focused on the outputs and that the company used this to generate stuff that they don't even understand. FDA did not touch the inputs. My guess is that that were using a commercial off the shelf tool and havent tried to create some kind of internal system. Purolea warning letter After the failure of negotiations in Pakistan, the United States announced the start of a blockade of Iranian oil. Iran threatened to keep the Strait of Hormuz closed. As the status of the war is being debated, the Iranian government grapples with how it can continue fighting. Luckily for them, there are reports that the Chinese may come to their rescue. Trump has threatened tariffs on any country that helps Iran, but the truth is that China is already helping Iran in its war. A U.S. intelligence report found that China is preparing a shipment of shoulder-fired anti-air missiles to Iran. This is in direct conflict with the public image China is trying to put forward as a peacemaker, long advocating for a ceasefire in the war between Iran and the U.S. Even after the intelligence report came out, the Chinese Foreign Ministry insists it wants peace. However, supplying weapons to a military trying to kill Americans is a clear repudiation of that stance. President Trump is understandably very upset at China over this report, promising 50% tariffs on China if it ships weapons to Iran. While tariffs imposed over trade deficits are not an emergency, POTUS could even get Congress to greenlight tariffs on a country supplying weapons to a country the U.S. is at war with. Regardless of how they are imposed, the U.S. government should be thinking about how to punish China if they do supply more weapons to Iran. However, while Trump is right to threaten China for crossing his red line, China has already crossed that line in some ways. Direct weapons sales have been rare, but the Chinese are selling lots of dual-use technology to Iran, such as navigation systems, drone components, and rocket fuel. If Chinese weapons are not already killing Americans, China is certainly aiding and abetting it with its current financial and material support. Burning the candle at both ends is not new for China; they have been doing it in the Ukraine-Russia conflict since the beginning. The Chinese have been selling dual-use technology, unmanned aerial vehicles, electronic components, and machinery. While the war has isolated Russia in many ways, it has become big business for China. Aside from keeping the Russian and Iranian militaries moving, China is also playing a huge role in paying for their war machines. Both Russia and Iran are dependent on oil sales to keep their economies going, something the Chinese are happy to capitalize on in a sanctions-heavy Western response. China has been buying Russian oil at a heavy discount for years and is currently buying most of Irans oil. Much of the Wests wartime problems are being paid for with Chinese money. China wants to claim it is a vehicle for peace while at the same time empowering the other side. All of this is elevated in importance due to Trumps planned visit to Beijing this coming May. Economic talks are sure to dominate the discussion, as both Xi Jinping and Trump are eager to resolve the trade tensions caused by Trumps Liberation Day tariffs. However, if China goes through with its weapons shipments to Iran, Trump is going to have a bigger problem with Beijing. If American pilots are being shot at with Chinese weapons, Trump may not even go to Beijing, as it could be seen as rewarding bad behavior. Chinas impact on the war in Iran and Ukraine is an issue the West as a whole needs to address. Europe and the U.S. may have diverging views on each others war, but China is the link between both conflicts. China has been able to get away with funding both wars because neither Europe nor the U.S. has held them accountable for it. While Trump focused on trade deficits in throwing out tariffs, both he and European leaders should focus on Chinas supplying the militaries of both Russia and Iran. Further economic sanctions and diplomatic pressure should be on the table on both sides of the Atlantic. Europe isnt completely blameless in empowering the Russians either. While China buys a lot of Russian oil, Europe hasnt weaned itself off Russian energy. Meaning while they supply Ukraine with military support, they are effectively paying for the Russian military on the other end. If Europe wants to help Ukraine further, it might consider reopening nuclear power plants and reconsidering its stance on fossil fuels. Ending reliance on Russian energy would hinder Russias ability to pay for its invasion of Ukraine. War is spreading around the globe, with Iran now joining Ukraine as a conflict point. While Russia and Iran are allies, China is a link helping both countries finance their terror. If the West is serious about ending the threat from Russia and Iran, it needs to cut off their ability to finance their militaries. President Trump and his counterparts across Europe need to hold China accountable for supplying their enemies war machines. Joe McCann got into crypto trading and, within two years, he seemed to have it made. McCanns fund Asymmetric raised money in 2022 from the likes of Marc Andreessen and Circle and, during the crypto boom period that marked Donald Trumps return to the White House, the fund nearly doubled in value. But then things unraveled. By July of 2025, Asymmetrics liquid fund had lost significant value, leading McCann to funnel investors into a new venture that failed to pan out. Then, early this month, reports emerged that McCanns fiancee, the influencer Ashly Robinson, had died while on vacation with McCann at a luxury resort in Tanzania. Robinsons death was initially attributed to suicide, but the police have reportedly seized McCanns passport and are questioning him as part of an ongoing investigation. McCann and a young influencer Robinson, who goes by Ashlee Jenae online, took up with McCann in November 2024, one of her Instagram posts suggests. At that time, McCanns crypto firm was at the zenith of its success. McCann, who did not return multiple text messages seeking comment, had previously been married in 2018 to Shea Jackson, a woman 10 years his junior who worked in marketing. The pair eventually split, and two founders who took venture investments from Asymmetrics venture fund told Fortune that some of McCanns stake had been transferred to Jackson. Jackson did not return a request for comment. McCann also has a daughter, according to his X posts. McCann began bringing Robinson, who was 15 years his junior, to crypto events, and she began posting images of him on her social media accounts. Robinsons online profiles show her and McCann jetsetting among exotic locations as Robinson embraced the soft life, a self-care focused social media trend. Chapter 31 and Im exactly where i need to be, read her final Instagram post, which showed her feeding a giraffe in Tanzania. Two days earlier, the 30-year-old had posted a video of McCann, 45, proposing to her as a lion stalked forward in the foreground. According to a report from local police, the pair checked into the luxury Zuri Zanzibar hotel on April 6 but, following a disagreement, hotel staff reportedly moved McCann to a room separate from Robinsons. On April 8, Robinson was found unconscious in her room by a room service attendant and rushed to the hospital. Tanzanian police attributed her death to suicide. McCann, who has not been formally accused of wrongdoing, had his passport withheld by local authorities and is being questioned by police, according to the police report. Robinsons family called her death suspicious in a statement. The Federation of Indian Export Organisations (FIEO) has formally requested the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to provide crucial liquidity support to Indian exporters, who are grappling with a dramatic surge in freight costs and extended payment cycles exacerbated by the ongoing West Asia conflict. Photograph: Amit Dave/Reuters Key Points FIEO has requested the RBI to provide liquidity support to exporters due to a sharp rise in freight costs and extended payment cycles caused by the West Asia conflict. Freight rates to some Middle East countries have surged by 300-400 per cent, and shipment times to destinations like the US have increased from 50 to 90 days. The disruption has elongated payment cycles for exporters from 30-60 days to 90-120 days, increasing working capital pressure. SBI's chief economic advisor, Soumya Kanti Ghosh, noted that India's export sector has performed well despite geopolitical tensions but cautioned about fresh risks from the escalating West Asia conflict. Ghosh expressed optimism for India to reach the $1 trillion export milestone, highlighting the country's strong economic position amidst global uncertainties. The Federation of Indian Export Organisations (FIEO) has urged the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to provide liquidity support to exporters, amid a sharp rise in freight costs due to the ongoing West Asia conflict. The disruption has led to delays in shipments and an elongation of payment cycles, putting pressure on exporters working capital requirements. Impact of Geopolitical Tensions on Logistics Logistic disruption has resulted in freight (rates) going up. "In fact, freight (rate) to some of the Middle East countries has gone up to 300-400 per cent. "It has brought pressure on air shipments also. "Since logistics have been disrupted, the supply of goods have been delayed. "Earlier, my ships were reaching the US coast in 50 days. "Now, they are reaching in 90 days. The payment cycle to the exporter, which used to be 30-60 days, has elongated to 90-120 days, said Ajay Sahai, director general and chief executive officer, FIEO. We require much more credit and that is why we are requesting the RBI to provide some liquidity. "The cost of credit is also an issue. We expect the government to remove the cap that it has brought on interest subvention, he added. Recently, RBI decided to continue key trade relief measures introduced in November 2025 to support exporters amid ongoing geopolitical and logistical disruptions. Sahai highlighted that Indias free trade agreement (FTA) strategy has become more focused, targeting complementary economies and key export markets. India's Export Resilience and Future Outlook Separately, Soumya Kanti Ghosh, group chief economic advisor at State Bank of India, said Indias export sector has held up well despite a year marked by geopolitical tensions, tariff volatility, and supply chain disruptions, even as he cautioned that ongoing disturbances in West Asia pose fresh risks to growth and trade. I think it is actually a significant coincidence... I saw a tweet (post on social media platform X) that the Strait of Hormuz has been opened and crude prices have dropped to below $90 per barrel, Ghosh said, adding that the latest export data also offered encouraging signs. It does not seem that there was any war last year because the exports of goods and services have actually expanded, he noted. Ghosh expressed optimism that India could move towards the $1 trillion exports milestone. The good thing is that I think we ended the year quite well, and I hope that this year will be even better, he said. However, he flagged rising geopolitical risks, particularly from the escalating conflict in West Asia. This episode, he said, has evolved into a broader regional conflict, with implications for global energy markets and supply chains. Ghosh said India entered the uncertainty triggered by the West Asia conflict from a position of relative strength, with growth around 7.6 per cent, compared with weaker starting points during past crises. HDFC Bank, India's largest private-sector lender, announced an 8.04 per cent surge in its March quarter consolidated net profit to Rs 20,350.76 crore, while simultaneously cautioning about the potential impact of the West Asia conflict on its small-business borrowers. Photograph: Danish Siddiqui/Reuters Key Points HDFC Bank's consolidated net profit for the March quarter increased by 8.04 per cent to Rs 20,350.76 crore. The bank has flagged near-term risks for small-business borrowers due to the ongoing West Asia conflict, expecting impacts in the first quarter. CEO Sashi Jagdishan declined to comment further on the non-executive chairman's resignation, citing a pending external legal agency report. Jagdishan hinted at a potential top-level leadership reorganisation within the bank, possibly expanding Deputy MD Kaizad Bharucha's responsibilities. The bank reported an improvement in its gross non-performing assets ratio, which stood at 1.15 per cent for the quarter. The country's largest private-sector lender, HDFC Bank, on Saturday reported an 8.04 per cent jump in its March quarter consolidated net profit to Rs 20,350.76 crore, but flagged near-term risks from the West Asia conflict for a segment of small-business borrowers. The lender, which witnessed the surprise resignation of non-executive chairman Atanu Chakraborty over governance and ethics-related concerns recently, reported a 9.11 per cent jump in the standalone net profit to Rs 19,221.05 crore for the January-March period compared to the year-ago period. Leadership and Governance Matters The bank's chief executive and managing director Sashi Jagdishan refrained from making any further comments on the Chakraborty resignation saga, pointing to the pending report from an external legal agency. He also declined to specify the time period for submitting the said report and added that the team has to go through voluminous data as part of its investigations into the matter. Jagdishan, however, thanked the government, capital markets regulator Sebi and banking watchdog RBI for backing or favouring the bank following Chakraborty's resignation. Financial Performance and Outlook For the reporting quarter, the core net interest income grew 3.2 per cent to Rs 33,080 crore on the back of 12 per cent advances growth and the net interest margin coming at 3.38 per cent. In what may be construed as a sign of a relook into a previously announced target to grow faster than the system in FY27, Jagdishan said things are very "nebulous" right now making it very difficult to offer any guidance. Sections of small business or small and medium enterprises borrowers are likely to face the heat of the West Asia conflict in the first quarter, and it will take up to two months after the war ends for the same to settle down, he said. He, however, asserted that the bank is witnessing no headwinds on its asset quality front and added that the overall momentum is very positive. Internal Reorganisation and Asset Quality Meanwhile, Jagdishan, who's term is ending later this year, spoke about a potential reorganization in the bank's top level leadership soon which may see an expansion in the responsibilities of deputy MD Kaizad Bharucha. When asked about Jagdishan's reappointment, Bharucha said that the nomination and remuneration committee of the board will take up the matter in due course but declined to specify any time lines for the same. The non-interest income came at Rs 13,250 crore, and had an impact of the RBI's surprise measures to curb speculation in rupee, the bank management said. In the background of practices at its Dubai International Financial Centre and specifically sale of additional tier-I bonds being among Chakraborty's concerns, Jagdishan cited a recent order which spoke of the investors not being uninformed ones. He also claimed that domestically, its record on the misselling front is better than the industry. On the asset quality front, the bank reported an improvement in the gross non-performing assets ratio at 1.15 per cent as against 1.24 per cent in the quarter-ago period. The overall provisions declined to Rs 2,610 crore from Rs 3,193 crore in the March 2025 quarter. UltraTech Cement, an Aditya Birla Group company, has cemented its position as the world's largest cement producer outside China by surpassing 200 million tonnes per annum (mtpa) capacity in India, with ambitious plans to invest Rs 16,000 crore for further expansion to 240 mtpa by FY28. Photograph: Amit Dave/Reuters Key Points UltraTech Cement has achieved an installed manufacturing capacity of over 200 million tonnes per annum (mtpa), making it the world's largest cement company outside China. The company plans to invest Rs 16,000 crore to expand its capacity further to 240 mtpa by the financial year 2027-28. UltraTech recently commissioned three new grinding units in Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, and Andhra Pradesh, adding 8.7 mtpa to its capacity. The company's growth reflects India's increasing infrastructure development, with UltraTech cement used in a significant portion of homes, national highways, and metro rail projects. UltraTech's rapid expansion saw it add the last 100 mtpa in less than seven years, compared to 36 years for its first 100 mtpa. UltraTech has become the worlds largest cement company outside China, as it has surpassed 200 million tonnes per annum (mtpa) of installed cement manufacturing capacity in India, the company said. The cement business of the Aditya Birla group will now spend Rs 16,000 crore to achieve its target capacity of 240 mtpa by 2027-28 (FY28). Strategic Expansion and Future Goals I see the 200-million-tonne milestone only as a marker, not a destination. With a target of 240 million tonnes by FY28 at an investment of Rs 16,000 crore already in motion, the path ahead is firmly underway, said Kumar Mangalam Birla, chairman, Aditya Birla group. Indias largest cement producer commissioned three new cement grinding units on Friday, with a cumulative capacity of 8.7 mtpa. The facilities, located in Shahjahanpur (Uttar Pradesh), Patratu (Jharkhand), and Vizag (Andhra Pradesh), have been strategically positioned to strengthen regional supply. These would be serving North Indias booming construction corridor, the industrial heartland of Jharkhand, and the rapidly urbanising coastal belt of Andhra Pradesh, the company noted. UltraTechs consolidated global capacity stands at 205.5 mtpa, which includes 5.4 mtpa from its operations in the UAE, Bahrain, and Sri Lanka. India's Infrastructure Growth and UltraTech's Role Further, Birla said the 200 mtpa milestone also describes Indias place in the world, an India that has grown comfortable with scale, in its ambitions, its execution, and its sense of self. India stands at a defining juncture, where choices made over the next decade, will shape infrastructure for generations. "That calls for continuity of purpose and clarity of execution. "And, UltraTech is well positioned to translate this moment into enduring value for all stakeholders, Birla added. UltraTech took 36 years to reach the capacity of over 100 mtpa, which it achieved in 2019. The next 100 mtpa has taken less than seven years. Of its 200 mtpa capacity, about 110 million tonnes has been built through greenfield and brownfield expansions. The remaining 90 million tonnes is through a series of acquisitions over the years. Ambuja Cements is UltraTechs nearest competitor in terms of capacity with a consolidated capacity of 109 mtpa, as of FY26. Scale and Market Penetration Birla went on to say that scale is not everything, but the only thing. UltraTechs contribution to India must be understood not only through tonnage, but through where those tonnes finally go. One in every three homes built in India is built with UltraTech. Also, two of every five km of National Highways Authority of Indias (NHAIs) concrete roads and four of every five km of metro rail use UltraTech Cement. Two of every five bags of cement that go into Indias airports are also UltraTech, Birla said. UltraTechs network spans 150,000 channel partners, with a presence across more than 90 per cent of Indias talukas. Around 65 per cent of UltraTechs trade sales come from rural India. The company spends over Rs 16,000 crore every year for logistics. Its procurement basket exceeds Rs 27,000 crore annually. Delhi Police have apprehended two individuals involved in an online investment fraud, where a 25-year-old man was duped of Rs 1.46 lakh with promises of high returns. IMAGE: Illustration: Dominic Xavier/Rediff.com Key Points Two individuals have been arrested by Delhi Police for allegedly defrauding a man of Rs 1.46 lakh in an online investment scam. The victim was lured with promises of high returns for completing online hotel ratings and reviews. The accused initially gained the victim's trust with small payments before persuading him to invest larger sums. A multi-state operation spanning Delhi and Ludhiana led to the arrest of the suspects. Police investigations revealed a network of bank accounts used to facilitate the fraudulent transactions. Two people were arrested for allegedly duping a 25-year-old man of Rs 1.46 lakh on the pretext of offering high returns through online investment tasks, police said on Saturday. According to the police, the accused were apprehended following a multi-state operation spanning Delhi and Ludhiana after a detailed technical investigation into the fraud. How The Online Investment Scam Unfolded The victim, Pankaj Dwivedi, had lodged a complaint stating that he was approached via social media for a part-time job involving online hotel ratings and reviews. Initially, he was given small tasks and paid nominal amounts, which helped gain his trust, a police officer said. Subsequently, he was persuaded to invest larger sums in so-called "prepaid tasks" with assurances of higher returns. After multiple transactions, he was asked to deposit additional money on the pretext of errors and account freezing during the withdrawal process. Realising he had been cheated, Dwivedi reported the matter. The Investigation And Arrests The police said technical analysis of IP logs, call detail records and financial transactions led investigators to suspect accounts and mobile numbers. Surveillance helped trace one of the accused, Puneet Sharma (43), in Ludhiana, who was arrested on April 2. Based on his interrogation, co-accused Manish (29) was identified. He was later tracked to Delhi and arrested from the Kingsway Camp area on April 4. He frequently changed locations to evade arrest, the police said. Unravelling The Fraud Network During questioning, police found that Sharma had provided multiple bank accounts to Manish, who further supplied them to others involved in the fraud network for monetary gain. Further investigation into the matter is underway, the officer said. Under Indian law, charges of fraud and cheating, potentially under Section 420 of the Indian Penal Code, are likely to apply in this case. The investigation will likely focus on tracing the flow of funds and identifying other individuals involved in the larger network. Cybercrime, including online investment scams, has been on the rise in India, prompting increased vigilance from law enforcement agencies. Delhi Police have busted an LPG cylinder black marketing operation in Shaheen Bagh, arresting three individuals involved in illegally refilling and selling subsidised gas cylinders for profit. IMAGE: Photograph: Manash Das/ANI Photo Key Points Three individuals arrested in Shaheen Bagh, Delhi, for black marketing LPG cylinders. Police seized 108 LPG cylinders and two vehicles used for illegal transportation. The accused were illegally refilling subsidised domestic LPG cylinders for sale at higher prices. One of the accused has a prior criminal record, indicating a pattern of illegal activity. Investigation ongoing to uncover the full supply chain involved in the LPG black market racket. Three people have been arrested for allegedly hoarding and black marketing domestic LPG cylinders in southeast Delhi's Shaheen Bagh area, police said on Saturday. According to the police, the accused were apprehended after a raid conducted by the crime branch at 40 Foota Road following a tip-off about illegal refilling and sale of subsidised LPG cylinders. LPG Cylinders Seized During Raid "A total of 108 LPG cylinders and two vehicles, including a small commercial carrier and a pickup van used for transportation, were recovered from their possession," the police officer said. Accused Identified and Arrested The accused have been identified as Kuldeep (35), Ashish (22) and Vijay (28), all residents of Faridabad in Haryana. Illegal Refilling Operation Uncovered During the investigation, it was found that the accused procured domestic LPG cylinders meant for household use at subsidised rates and illegally transferred gas into other cylinders for sale in the open market at higher prices. Investigation Ongoing One of the accused, Kuldeep, was previously involved in a criminal case, police added. Further investigation is underway to identify the entire supply chain and other persons involved in the racket. Under Indian law, black marketing of essential commodities like LPG cylinders can attract charges under the Essential Commodities Act, leading to imprisonment and fines. Police will likely investigate the source of the subsidised cylinders and the network of buyers involved in the illegal trade. Such rackets often thrive due to the price difference between subsidised and commercial LPG rates. Police in Hoshiarpur have arrested three individuals suspected of vandalising a Dr B R Ambedkar statue, with investigations underway to determine potential links to the banned organisation Sikhs for Justice. Photograph: ANI Photo Key Points Three men have been arrested for vandalising a Dr B R Ambedkar statue in Nurpur Jattan village. The accused are suspected of having links to the banned organisation Sikhs for Justice (SFJ). Police investigation revealed the accused were allegedly paid around Rs 50,000 to commit the act. The main suspect, Gurkirat Singh, had previously travelled to the US and is suspected of contacting SFJ-linked individuals. Police have arrested three men in connection with a case of vandalising a statue of Dr B R Ambedkar here, with possible links to banned outfit Sikhs for Justice (SFJ), officials said on Saturday. The incident took place on the intervening night of March 30 and 31 at Nurpur Jattan village, where unidentified persons vandalised the statue installed on the roof of a room near a canal. A case was registered at Mahilpur police station under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Sandeep Kumar Malik said. Investigation and Arrests He said special teams led by Superintendent of Police (Detective) Manpreet Shimmar were constituted to crack the case. Using technical inputs and human intelligence, police identified Gurkirat Singh (26), a resident of Barian Kalan village, as the main suspect. His preliminary interrogation led to the identification of two accomplices, Babandeep Singh (20) and Sahilpreet Singh (22), both residents of SAS Nagar (Mohali). All three have been arrested. SFJ Links and Financial Incentives According to the SSP, the accused carried out the act at the behest of foreign-based elements and were lured with money. "During investigation, it has come to light that the conspiracy may have links with SFJ and its chief Gurpatwant Singh Pannun," Malik said, adding that further probe is underway to verify the international links. Police said a metal rod and mobile phones have been recovered from the accused. Accused's Travel History and Payments Malik said Gurkirat Singh had illegally travelled to the US in 2023 and was deported in 2025. During his stay abroad, he is suspected of having come in contact with SFJ-linked individuals and remaining in touch with them after returning to India. The accused were paid around Rs 50,000 to execute the act, police said. Under Indian law, defacing a statue of a respected figure can lead to charges related to inciting disharmony or causing damage to public property. The next stage of the investigation will likely involve gathering evidence to substantiate the links to SFJ and determining the extent of their involvement. Amid tensions with the US, Iran declares it will strictly control maritime passage through the Strait of Hormuz, requiring Iranian authorisation and designated routes. IMAGE: US President Donald Trump waves as he boards Air Force One at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland, on April 11, 2026. Photograph: Kevin Lamarque/Reuters Key Points Iran asserts control over the Strait of Hormuz, requiring designated routes and Iranian authorisation for passage. Iranian Parliament criticises US President Donald Trump's remarks and rejects Washington's claims. Iran warns of reciprocal measures if the US continues its maritime blockade targeting Iranian ports. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy details conditions for vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz. Iran has asserted that maritime movement through the Strait of Hormuz will be strictly controlled by Tehran, stating that passage will be allowed only through designated routes and under Iranian approval, amid escalating tensions with the United States over regional security and negotiations. Speaker of the Islamic Republic of Iran's Parliament Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf sharply criticised recent remarks by US President Donald Trump on X and rejected Washington's claims regarding ongoing developments. Iran's Stance on Maritime Control "1- The President of the United States made seven claims in one hour, all seven of which were false. 2- They did not win the war with these lies, and they will certainly not get anywhere in negotiations either. 3- With the continuation of the blockade, the Strait of Hormuz will not remain open," he wrote. Reiterating Iran's position on maritime control, Ghalibaf said, "4- Passage through the Strait of Hormuz will be conducted based on the 'designated route' and with 'Iranian authorization.' 5- Whether the Strait is open or closed and the regulations governing it will be determined by the field, not by social media." Accusations of Information Warfare He further accused the US of information warfare, stating, "6- Media warfare and engineering public opinion are an important part of war, and the Iranian nation is not affected by these tricks." Earlier, Iran had warned that it would take reciprocal measures if the United States continues its maritime blockade targeting Iranian ports, even as it outlined conditions for shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, Al Jazeera reported. Conditions for Shipping Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei offered clarification on an earlier statement by Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, Al Jazeera reported, citing the semi-official Tasnim news agency. According to Al Jazeera, Baghaei said that "Shipping through the Strait of Hormuz will be allowed along a pre-determined route by Iran." He added, "If the maritime blockade of Iran's ports continues, Iran will take reciprocal measures," and asserted that "Iran is the guardian of the Strait of Hormuz and will show leniency where necessary." Separately, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy detailed conditions for vessels seeking to transit through the Strait of Hormuz, Al Jazeera reported. The Strait of Hormuz is a vital shipping lane for global oil supplies, and any disruption could significantly impact energy markets. India, a major oil importer, closely monitors developments in the region due to its reliance on Middle Eastern oil. Heightened tensions could lead to increased shipping costs and potential supply disruptions for India. Three individuals have been arrested in connection with the tragic death of a Kerala dental student, allegedly driven to suicide by harassment from a loan app company. Photograph: ANI Photo Key Points Three men operating a loan app called 'Instant Funds' have been arrested in connection with the death of a Kerala dental student. The arrests followed a complaint from a teacher who was harassed after the student failed to repay a loan taken through the app. Police traced the accused to an IT park in Noida, where they were using SIM boxes to make calls. The student, Nithin Raj R L, was found critically injured after falling from a building and later died. Police have also registered cases against faculty members for alleged harassment based on caste and complexion. Three men, arrested from Noida in Uttar Pradesh a day earlier by a cybercrime police team from Kannur in connection with the death of a first-year BDS student at a dental college in Kerala, were on Saturday remanded to judicial custody. The Uttar Pradesh natives Rishikesh Tiwari (32) and Prashant Khewal (28), and Prakash Jai (54) from Haryana, were arrested by the cyber crime team with the assistance of Uttar Pradesh Police from an IT park-like establishment in Noida, where around 40 people were working, Kannur police said. Loan App Investigation and Arrests They were remanded to judicial custody by the Kannur Judicial First Class Magistrate Court. Meanwhile, the family of the student continued to claim that his death had nothing to do with loan apps and expressed dissatisfaction with the police investigation. The trio, who allegedly operated a loan app called "Instant Funds," were arrested based on a complaint filed by one of the teachers of the deceased student, police said. Details of the Harassment Police said that after the student-Nithin Raj R L (22)- borrowed money through the app and failed to repay it, repeated calls and messages were made to the teacher's phone number, which had been provided as a reference. The callers allegedly threatened to continue harassing the teacher if the money was not repaid, police said. When one number was blocked, harassment reportedly continued from other numbers, following which the teacher lodged a complaint. Tracing the Accused Police said that although most of the numbers used to harass the teacher were found switched off during the investigation, one remained active, through which it was traced that the accused were in Noida. Subsequently, the cybercrime team reached Noida, traced the establishment where the accused were working, and arrested them with the help of Uttar Pradesh Police. An inspection of the premises by the team revealed that the accused allegedly used SIM boxes instead of phones to make calls, police said. A SIM box is a device used as part of a Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) gateway setup. It contains multiple SIM cards, including those of different service providers. Student's Death and Further Investigations Raj, a first-year BDS student at a private dental college in Anjarakandy, was found critically injured after falling from a building on April 10 and later succumbed to his injuries. Police have registered a case against two faculty members for abetment of suicide and under provisions of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, following allegations that Raj was harassed over his caste and complexion. In addition, two separate FIRs have been lodged against two different loan apps in connection with his death. Under Indian law, charges related to abetment of suicide and harassment are likely to apply in this case. The investigation will likely focus on the financial transactions and communication records between the student, the loan app operators, and the faculty members to determine the extent of culpability. Cases involving loan app harassment have been on the rise, prompting increased scrutiny from law enforcement agencies. 'In a volatile global market, India is pursuing a low-risk, low-return policy, akin to a SIP -- slow, steady investment.' 'Pakistan is following a high-risk, high-return policy.' IMAGE: Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf meets with Pakistan army chief Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, in Tehran, April 16, 2026. Photograph: Iranian Parliament Speaker Office/WANA (West Asia News Agency)/Handout/Reuters Although it is becoming harder and harder to get accurate real-time information from Pakistan, some channels still work. To the question -- "who is the real force in Pakistan powering United States-Iran talks?" -- to a Pakistani colleague, the reply was: "The army, of course!" This is as if to say this should be patently obvious to everyone! Key Points Pakistan's military, led by Asim Munir, is seen as the central force influencing US-Iran ceasefire negotiations. Munir holds unprecedented authority as field marshal, chief of army staff and the chief of defence forces. Munir's strategy includes reshaping regional policy, Islamic diplomacy outreach, and strengthening ties with Gulf nations and Saudi Arabia. Reports suggest Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar have been hard at work, rallying round the country's allies and working the phones to influence Iran and the United States to call a ceasefire. But the power behind the throne in the negotiations, without a shred of doubt, is Field Marshal Asim Munir. Munir is not just a field marshal, only the second in Pakistan's history. He is chief of army staff (COAS) and the chief of defence forces (CDF). All this is underwritten by the Pakistan constitution's 27th amendment, passed last year. It grants life-time immunity from prosecution to a five-star military officer, a rank now held only by him. The removal of the CDF requires a two-thirds parliamentary majority (it only takes a simple majority to remove an elected prime minister). The rank puts him over the heads of the air and naval forces. As CDF he exercises full command over the Strategic Plans Division, which manages Pakistan's nuclear stockpile. His tenure as army chief, a post he has held since 2022, has been reset as CDF for five years until 2030. Pakistan will hold general elections in 2029. No prizes for guessing why it is a five-year reset and not four or three. US Iran talks role Why all these precautions? Consider the circumstances in which he became COAS. In 2019, then prime minister Imran Khan removed Munir as director general, Inter-Services Intelligence, replacing him with Faiz Hameed. Munir was relegated to quarter master general, which, any Pakistan (or Indian) army officer will tell you, is a humiliating demotion. He was removed because he told Mr Khan about corruption in his household, implicating Mr Khan's wife, Bushra Bibi. When Mr Sharif became prime minister, he put Hameed in prison, a rare case of a three-star officer being court-martialled, and appointed Munir to the top army job. Islamic diplomacy strategy The general moved fast. He outlined a decisive policy on Afghanistan and the Taliban regime, irritated by the actions of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, allegedly operating under protection from Kabul, and rewrote Pakistan's policy in Central Asia, the Gulf -- and Iran. There is an added dimension to him. He is a hafiz, which means he has memorised every verse of the Quran. Earlier in his career, as Pakistan's defence attache in Riyadh, he forged lasting relationships and elected to stay back after his tenure to 'refresh his understanding and memory of the Quran', he told the local media. How much this adds to his martial prowess we may never know. But what it has done is start a new phase of 'Islamic diplomacy', making Pakistan a self-styled leader of the Islamic world, including the Gulf Cooperation Council and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation. Last year, a decades-long informal understanding between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia was cemented into a 'Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement'. The pact clearly states: 'Aggression against one would be considered as an aggression against both.' So Munir has forced Saudi Arabia to take sides should Pakistan attack India, something that the Saudis have been reluctant to do. It is another matter that Riyadh is feeling a bit cheated. When it asked Pakistan for air-defence systems to protect it against Iranian missile attacks, Islamabad was unwilling and unable to help. For years, Saudi Arabia has been asking Pakistan to deploy soldiers against its war against insurgent Houthis in Yemen. Pakistan has been as non-committal now as it was in the past. India Pakistan strategic contrast In 2025, Pakistan mounted an attack on unarmed civilians in Pahalgam, killing only Hindus. In retaliation, India launched Operation Sindoor. Pakistan considered Munir had done a great job and he was made field marshal. But he got more than that. For the first time in 15 years, a US president hosted a Pakistan military chief to lunch at the White House without aides. Analysts believe that the idea of attacking Iran's nuclear weapons was planted at this meeting. Later, Munir's only job was 'taking care' of Iran via his contact with the Revolutionary Guard. Between then and now, President Donald Trump has had big words of praise for him on at least 10 occasions, calling him 'a great fighter', 'a very important guy', and an 'exceptional human being'. For years, India has been able to ensure that most world capitals blackball Pakistan for being a State sponsor of terror. But now, with the help of Turkiye, a social media charm offensive is on, projecting Pakistan as a warm and fuzzy peace-loving facilitator. All Munir's work. A diplomat put it best. "In a volatile global market, India is pursuing a low-risk, low-return policy, akin to a SIP (systematic investment plan) -- slow, steady investment. Pakistan is following a high-risk, high-return policy, like a venture capitalist or a hedge-fund manager. "Its returns are no doubt good. But there's also very high risk." Feature Presentation: Ashish Narsale/Rediff Morgan Stanleys new Bitcoin exchange-traded fund raked in $100 million in its first six days of trading. Thats a solid debut for the first Wall Street bank to offer an in-house Bitcoin product, and it comes just as Goldman Sachs and Charles Schwab prepare to offer their own branded crypto products. Its an excellent number, Ric Edelman, renowned financial adviser, told DL News. It shows the high demand among investors and advisors alike, and will spur all the other wirehouses to do likewise. Morgan Stanleys move combined with Goldman Sachs and Charles Schwab preparing their own crypto products marks a turning point for an industry that staunchly turned Bitcoin and its ilk away in the past. Now the largest banks on Wall Street are racing to keep the clients that are interested in crypto under one roof, instead of ceding their assets and millions in management fees to BlackRock or another of the 10 existing ETF providers. Morgan Stanley manages around $6.2 trillion across 16,000 financial advisers. Wall Street awakens Many banks are likely watching Morgan Stanley to see how it fares. But some arent staying put. Goldman Sachs announced this week that it was also launching its own in-house Bitcoin ETF. Charles Schwab announced today that it would begin offering crypto trading to its customers. Together, they manage over $15 trillion in assets. Indeed, the Wall Street banking Bitcoin land grab is in full force. Wall Streets Bitcoin ETFs have absorbed more than 1.6 million coins since launching in January 2024. Even as war broke out in the Middle East multiple times, Bitcoin ETF investors continued adding to their positions. They have piled around $2.1 billion into Bitcoin ETFs since the start of the year, according to DefiLlama data. Starting to spin Morgan Stanleys Bitcoin ETF is on pace for a blockbuster debut, Edelman recently told DL News. At its current rate of accumulation, the new ETF will bring in more than $7 billion in its first year, which would eclipse many of the already-existing ETFs like VanEck and Franklin Templeton. The flywheel is just starting to spin, Edelman previously told DL News. Pedro Solimano is a markets correspondent based in Buenos Aires. Got a tip? Email him at psolimano@dlnews.com. A deadly road rage incident in Gujarat's Dhandhuka resulted in one death and the torching of several shops, prompting police intervention and arrests. Key Points A motorcycle accident in Dhandhuka, Gujarat, led to a violent clash between two men from different communities. Dharmesh Gamara, 30, died after being stabbed during the altercation. Following Gamara's death, a group of people set fire to several roadside shops, causing significant damage. Police have arrested two people for the killing and detained 15-20 others in connection with the arson. A man was killed in a violent altercation triggered by a motorcycle accident in Dhandhuka in Gujarat's Ahmedabad district on Saturday, after which several shops were set on fire, a police official said. Clash After Motorcycle Accident Two men from different communities clashed this afternoon after their motorcycles collided, which intensified when members of one group went to the house of the other individual involved in the accident, he said. "During the confrontation, Dharmesh Gamara (30) was stabbed in the leg with a knife. He later died due to excessive bleeding. Following his death, tensions flared, and a group of people set ablaze seven to eight roadside shops. Several properties were damaged," Ahmedabad Rural Superintendent of Police Om Prakash Jat said. Shops Engulfed in Flames Videos circulating on social media showed small shops engulfed in flames, with thick black smoke rising in the area. Police and fire brigade teams rushed to the scene and brought the situation under control, Jat told PTI. Police Investigation Underway "The fires have been doused," he said, adding that house-to-house combing and patrolling were underway in the area to identify those involved in the arson. Two persons identified as Samir and Rizwan have been arrested for alleged involvement in the killing of Gamara, while 15-20 persons have been detained in connection with the arson, police said. Under Indian law, the accused could face charges of murder and rioting, among others, depending on the evidence gathered. The investigation will likely focus on identifying all individuals involved in the violence and determining the extent of the property damage. The Opposition accused the government of delaying implementation by linking it with delimitation and using it to serve its political interests. IMAGE: Union Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, Kiren Rijiju, and Congress MP Shashi Tharoor at Parliament, in New Delhi. Photograph: Rahul Singh/ANI Photo Key Points The Women's Reservation Bill, aimed at reserving seats for women in legislatures, was defeated in the Lower House. The BJP accuses the Congress and opposition parties of betraying women by opposing the bill. The Congress claims the government is delaying implementation of the women's quota law for political gain. Opposition parties object to linking the women's reservation with delimitation, raising concerns about the country's future. The government's motives are being questioned, with allegations of using the bill for political advantage in upcoming elections. The Bharatiya Janata Party and the Opposition on Saturday engaged in a war of words over the issue of the implementation of women's reservation in legislatures, with Union minister Kiren Rijiju saying the parties which stalled the Constitution Amendment Bill will face the wrath of women. The Opposition accused the government of delaying implementation by linking it with delimitation and using it to serve its political interests. While the BJP termed the development a 'black day' and accused the Congress and other opposition parties of betraying women, the Congress and its allies asserted that the quota law, passed in 2023, should be implemented immediately and accused the government of playing politics over it. Political Blame Game Over Women's Quota Parliamentary Affairs Minsiter Kiren Rijiju accused the Congress of being anti-women, and said it will have to face their wrath across the country. "They will have to face the anger of the women of the country. This is a black stain on the Congress and its allies, one that they will never be able to erase. This Bill was about giving historic representation to women-what objection could there have been?" he told reporters in the Parliament House complex. "The opposition is celebrating after depriving women of their rights; women of the country will teach them a good lesson," he added. Union minister Shobha Karandlaje targeted Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, alleging that the Opposition's actions had undermined both women's empowerment and regional representation. "They have harmed south India as well, where seats could have increased by over 50 per cent. Women were supposed to get reservation, but they have been denied that opportunity. This has been done under the leadership of Rahul Gandhi," she alleged. Opposition's Stance on the Reservation Bill BJP MP Bansuri Swaraj accused the Congress and the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) of deceiving women and backtracking on their earlier stand. "They have betrayed the trust of women, and we will take this story of your deception to every citizen," she said. Swapna Verma, general Secretary, BJP (Madhya Pradesh) Mahila Morcha, said, "Congress and its INDI alliance have once again exposed their anti-women mindset. Despite the sincere appeal of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi ji for collective, and non-partisan support, those driven by political obstinacy chose to defeat not just a Bill, but the aspirations of an entire nation." Opposition leaders accused the government of delaying implementation and using the issue for political gain in assembly elections in West Bengal and Tamil Nadu. Delimitation Concerns and Political Motives Congress MP Shashi Tharoor said the opposition is not against women's reservation, but has objected to its linkage with delimitation. "We are fully in support of women's reservation and would have happily passed the Bill on Friday itself. Our objection was not to reservation, but to linking it with delimitation," he said. Tharoor said delimitation raises 'fundamental questions' about the country's future and cannot be rushed. "This is a very important issue for India's unity and democracy. It requires serious, wide-ranging discussion -- not something to be decided in a two-day session. Alleging political motives, he added, "This was a political game, not about women. Women were being used to serve short-term political interests. If the government brings a new Bill in the Monsoon Session without linking it to delimitation, we will pass it." "There must be a serious discussion involving all parties and states, especially in light of future Census data and the framework for a new delimitation exercise." Demands for Immediate Implementation Congress MP K C Venugopal said there is no disagreement on women's reservation and demanded its immediate implementation. "Their agenda was to link delimitation with women's reservation, which has failed. They wanted delimitation according to their convenience, like in Assam and Jammu and Kashmir, by redrawing constituencies. That has failed. "We demand that, without any delay, the 2023 women's reservation law be implemented," he said. Communist Party of India-Marxist leader John Brittas alleged that the government's strategy had been exposed in Parliament. "The dubious and diabolical game plan of the government has fallen flat. They were using women as a shield to mislead the nation. If they have even an iota of sincerity, let them implement one-third reservation based on the present strength of legislatures," he said. "The opposition will jointly defeat any ulterior motives and designs of this government," he added. Samajwadi Party leader Ram Gopal Yadav questioned the legislative process and alleged political motives. "This historic Bill was already passed in 2023. Why was there a need to bring amendments again? Even after that, the earlier law was notified. So what was the need for discussion and voting?" he asked. "The whole country knows this was done with elections in West Bengal in mind. When you knew you did not have a two-thirds majority, what was the point of bringing it? This shows there was a political angle, not genuine intent," he said. The Constitution Amendment Bill, which sought to operationalise women's reservation and increase the strength of the Lok Sabha, was defeated in the Lower House on Friday as it failed to secure the required two-thirds majority. While 298 members voted in favour of the Bill, 230 voted against it. Out of 528 members who voted, the Bill required 352 votes for passage. According to the Bill, Lok Sabha seats were to be increased to a maximum of 850 from the current 543 to operationalise the women's reservation law before the 2029 parliamentary polls, following a delimitation exercise based on the 2011 Census. Seats were also to be increased in state and Union Territory assemblies to accommodate 33 per cent reservation for women. The CBI has arrested three individuals, including a bank official, in connection with a Rs 1.6 crore digital arrest scam that targeted a senior citizen. IMAGE: Photograph: Anushree Fadnavis/Reuters Key Points The CBI has arrested three people in connection with a Rs 1.6 crore digital arrest scam. An IndusInd Bank assistant manager is among those arrested for their involvement in the scam. The accused allegedly coerced a senior citizen into transferring Rs 1.6 crore through threats of a digital arrest. The bank official allegedly helped open a fraudulent account to receive the illicit funds. Searches were conducted across Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, leading to the seizure of incriminating documents and electronic devices. The CBI has arrested three people, including an assistant manager of IndusInd Bank, in connection with a Rs 1.6 crore "digital arrest" scam, officials said on Saturday. Details of the Digital Arrest Scam Investigation The agency conducted searches at five locations across Telangana and Andhra Pradesh as part of the investigation, they said. The case was transferred to the CBI by the Supreme Court. According to the agency, the accused allegedly coerced a senior citizen into transferring Rs 1.6 crore with the threat of a so-called "digital arrest", they said. Bank Official's Role in the Fraud The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) found that the bank official allegedly helped in opening a fraudulent account in the name of a company, into which the illicit funds from the scam were transferred, they said. "The other two arrested accused were actively involved in arranging mule bank accounts and facilitating the layering and transfer of proceeds of crime from the victim through multiple accounts," the agency said. Seizure of Evidence During the course of searches conducted at the premises linked to the accused, various incriminating documents and electronic devices have been seized, it said. Under Indian law, the accused could face charges of fraud, extortion, and conspiracy. The CBI will likely continue its investigation to uncover the full extent of the scam and identify any other individuals involved. Digital fraud cases have been on the rise in India, prompting increased awareness campaigns by law enforcement and financial institutions. Following a peace appeal, a deadly ambush in Manipur's Ukhrul district has left two dead, raising tensions between Kuki and Naga communities. Photograph: PTI Photo Key Points Two individuals were killed in an ambush in Manipur's Ukhrul district by suspected militants. The attack occurred near Yaolen village, dominated by the Kuki community, following a peace appeal by the Chief Minister. The victims were travelling in a convoy from Imphal to Ukhrul when the ambush took place. The Tangkhul Naga Long condemned the attack, alleging involvement of Kuki SoO cadres and demanding security measures. Two persons were shot dead by suspected militants in an ambush in Manipur's Ukhrul district on Saturday, officials said. The incident took place near Kuki-dominated Yaolen village this afternoon, a day after Chief Minister Y Khemchand Singh visited the Tangkhul Naga-majority hill district and appealed for peace and dialogue during an interaction with both Kuki and Naga residents. Details of the Manipur Ambush Suspected militants opened fire at an Ukhrul-bound convoy of civilian vehicles coming from Imphal. A man sitting in the front passenger seat of a car was struck by a bullet in the head and he died on the spot, while another person who suffered gunshot wounds succumbed to his injuries, they said. The deceased were identified as S W Chinaoshang from Tashar village and Y Vashum from Kharasom village. Windshields and rear windows of three cars were also damaged during the ambush. Reactions to the Attack The Kuki Zo Council has denied any involvement of the community in the killing of two persons. On the other hand, the Working Committee of Tangkhul Naga Long (TNL), in a separate statement, strongly condemned the incident. "The victims were part of a group of passengers, including women, children, and elderly persons, travelling from Imphal to Ukhrul under security escort... The attack was carried out by Kuki SoO cadres using snipers and long-range weapons shortly after the security escort had withdrawn," it said. The committee demanded immediate combing operations in Yaolen and nearby Kuki-inhabited villages, holding the government responsible for ensuring the safety of civilians, it added. Under Indian law, murder charges would typically apply in this case, and the investigation will likely involve identifying the perpetrators and their motives. Manipur has seen ongoing ethnic tensions, and this incident could further destabilise the region. Security forces will be under pressure to prevent retaliatory attacks. Chief Justice of India Surya Kant cautions against the uncritical adoption of Artificial Intelligence in the judiciary, emphasising the irreplaceable role of human judgement and ethical considerations in delivering fair and just outcomes. Photograph: ANI video grab Key Points Chief Justice Kant urges judicial officers to approach AI with caution, stressing the importance of understanding its limitations within the judiciary. AI should be used as an aid to enhance efficiency, but not as a substitute for human intellect, experience, and constitutional conscience in the judicial process. The Chief Justice warns against over-reliance on AI tools, which could lead to inaccuracies, fabricated precedents, and flawed legal submissions. Justice Kant highlights the necessity of independent verification of AI-generated material to ensure accuracy, authenticity, and fairness in judicial decisions. The judiciary must adapt to technological advancements while preserving its core identity, ensuring justice remains a human endeavour guided by reasoning, values, and experience. Cautioning that the adoption of technology in the judiciary must be accompanied by a clear and conscious understanding of its inherent limitations, Chief Justice of India Surya Kant on Saturday urged judicial officers not to be "afraid" of AI. Asserting that technology must remain an aid, not a substitute, he said the integration of Artificial Intelligence into the judicial process must be guided by a principle of balance-leveraging its benefits to enhance efficiency while steadfastly preserving the human intellect, experience, and constitutional conscience that lie at the heart of justice. AI's Role: Enhancing Efficiency, Not Replacing Judgement The chief justice was speaking at the 22nd biennial state-level conference of judicial officers, themed 'Reimagining the Judiciary in the Era of Artificial Intelligence', organised by the Karnataka State Judicial Officers Association. "I would also like to add that you should not be afraid of AI. What do you do when a case involving very complicated facts and complex questions of law is placed before you? You apply more thought, spend more time, exercise greater patience, and feel a sense of satisfaction when you decide such a case," Justice Kant said. "The same will happen with AI tools when we begin using them carefully and consciously, ensuring that the judge within you remains independent and is not influenced by these technical tools," he added. Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Supreme Court judges B V Nagarathna and Aravind Kumar, and Chief Justice of the Karnataka High Court, Vibhu Bakhru, among others, were present at the event. Opportunities and Challenges of AI in the Courts Stating that the emergence of AI presents both significant opportunities and serious challenges for the judiciary, the CJI said that, on one hand, AI has the potential to enhance efficiency in meaningful ways-by assisting in legal research, streamlining case management, organising large volumes of data, and reducing administrative burdens that often consume valuable judicial time. "With structured and targeted training, judicial officers can effectively harness these tools to improve productivity and ensure that greater time and attention are devoted to the core function of adjudication," he said. However, he added, the adoption of such technology must be accompanied by a clear and conscious understanding of its inherent limitations. "AI operates on patterns, algorithms, and existing datasets; it does not possess judgment in the human sense, nor can it engage with the ethical, social, and moral dimensions that frequently underpin judicial decision-making," Justice Kant said. The Human Element: Why Justice Must Remain a Human Endeavour "The process of judging is not merely analytical-it is also reflective, contextual, and guided by constitutional values. An over-reliance on AI tools risks reducing this nuanced exercise to a mechanical output, thereby diluting the depth, independence, and integrity of judicial reasoning," he said. Expressing concern about inaccuracies generated by such systems, he said there have been recent instances of fabricated precedents, incorrect citations, and entirely fictitious legal propositions being produced by AI platforms. "These so-called 'hallucinations' are not minor technical lapses; they strike at the very foundation of the judicial process, which rests on accuracy, authenticity, and trust. If left unchecked, they have the potential to mislead, distort legal arguments, compromise the quality of adjudication, and misdirect outcomes," he said. Justice Kant further warned of the growing risk of AI tools being misused to generate misleading pleadings, frivolous claims, or superficially convincing yet substantively flawed submissions. "Such practices not only burden the judicial system but also divert attention from genuine disputes that require urgent resolution. In an already strained system, this adds a layer of complexity that must be addressed seriously," he said. Navigating the Future: Discernment, Verification, and Responsibility Highlighting the role of judicial officers in this evolving landscape, the CJI said, "Technology must be approached with discernment, not deference." Any material generated through AI must be subjected to scrutiny and independent verification, he said, adding, "The responsibility to ensure accuracy, authenticity, and fairness cannot be delegated to a machine. It remains an essential and non-negotiable component of judicial duty." He emphasised that while navigating this evolving landscape, it is necessary to reaffirm a foundational principle-that justice is, and must remain, a human endeavour. "It is shaped by reasoning, guided by values, and enriched by experience, and no technological advancement can replicate the intuitive understanding and moral judgment at the core of judicial decision-making," he said. The CJI said the future of the judiciary will be shaped by its ability to adapt without losing its core identity. This requires continuous learning, reflection, and a commitment to excellence, he added. "We stand at a moment of transition, where the choices we make will define the trajectory of the judiciary for years to come. While our tools and methods may evolve, our fundamental responsibility remains unchanged-to deliver justice that is fair, accessible, and humane," he said. Highlighting that there are moments in the life of an institution when introspection becomes indispensable, the CJI said the time to pause and introspect has arrived for the Indian judiciary. A time comes when it must pause-not out of hesitation, but out of responsibility," he added. The CJI's remarks come at a time when Indian courts are increasingly exploring AI to expedite case processing and reduce backlogs. However, concerns remain about data privacy, algorithmic bias, and the potential for AI to exacerbate existing inequalities within the legal system. The Supreme Court of India is currently considering guidelines for the ethical and responsible use of AI in judicial proceedings. Chief Justice of India Surya Kant advises caution in adopting AI within the judiciary, highlighting the importance of balancing technological advancements with human judgment and ethical considerations to maintain the integrity of the judicial process. Photograph: ANI video grab Key Points Chief Justice of India urges judicial officers to approach AI with caution, emphasising its limitations within the judiciary. AI should enhance, not replace, human intellect, experience, and constitutional conscience in judicial processes. Over-reliance on AI risks reducing nuanced judicial exercises to mechanical outputs, diluting depth and integrity. The CJI warns of inaccuracies and fabricated precedents generated by AI platforms, potentially misleading legal arguments. Independent verification of AI-generated material is crucial to ensure accuracy, authenticity, and fairness in judicial duty. Cautioning that the adoption of technology in the judiciary must be accompanied by a clear and conscious understanding of its inherent limitations, Chief Justice of India Surya Kant on Saturday urged judicial officers not to be "afraid" of AI. Asserting that technology must remain an aid, not a substitute, he said the integration of Artificial Intelligence into the judicial process must be guided by a principle of balance-leveraging its benefits to enhance efficiency while steadfastly preserving the human intellect, experience, and constitutional conscience that lie at the heart of justice. The chief justice was speaking at the 22nd biennial state-level conference of judicial officers, themed 'Reimagining the Judiciary in the Era of Artificial Intelligence', organised by the Karnataka State Judicial Officers Association. Balancing AI Benefits With Human Judgement "I would also like to add that you should not be afraid of AI. What do you do when a case involving very complicated facts and complex questions of law is placed before you? You apply more thought, spend more time, exercise greater patience, and feel a sense of satisfaction when you decide such a case," Justice Kant said. "The same will happen with AI tools when we begin using them carefully and consciously, ensuring that the judge within you remains independent and is not influenced by these technical tools," he added. Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Supreme Court judges B V Nagarathna and Aravind Kumar, and Chief Justice of the Karnataka High Court, Vibhu Bakhru, among others, were present at the event. Stating that the emergence of AI presents both significant opportunities and serious challenges for the judiciary, the CJI said that, on one hand, AI has the potential to enhance efficiency in meaningful ways-by assisting in legal research, streamlining case management, organising large volumes of data, and reducing administrative burdens that often consume valuable judicial time. AI's Limitations In Ethical And Moral Dimensions "With structured and targeted training, judicial officers can effectively harness these tools to improve productivity and ensure that greater time and attention are devoted to the core function of adjudication," he said. However, he added, the adoption of such technology must be accompanied by a clear and conscious understanding of its inherent limitations. "AI operates on patterns, algorithms, and existing datasets; it does not possess judgment in the human sense, nor can it engage with the ethical, social, and moral dimensions that frequently underpin judicial decision-making," Justice Kant said. "The process of judging is not merely analytical-it is also reflective, contextual, and guided by constitutional values. An over-reliance on AI tools risks reducing this nuanced exercise to a mechanical output, thereby diluting the depth, independence, and integrity of judicial reasoning," he said. Concerns Over AI-Generated Inaccuracies Expressing concern about inaccuracies generated by such systems, he said there have been recent instances of fabricated precedents, incorrect citations, and entirely fictitious legal propositions being produced by AI platforms. "These so-called 'hallucinations' are not minor technical lapses; they strike at the very foundation of the judicial process, which rests on accuracy, authenticity, and trust. If left unchecked, they have the potential to mislead, distort legal arguments, compromise the quality of adjudication, and misdirect outcomes," he said. Justice Kant further warned of the growing risk of AI tools being misused to generate misleading pleadings, frivolous claims, or superficially convincing yet substantively flawed submissions. "Such practices not only burden the judicial system but also divert attention from genuine disputes that require urgent resolution. In an already strained system, this adds a layer of complexity that must be addressed seriously," he said. Justice Must Remain A Human Endeavour Highlighting the role of judicial officers in this evolving landscape, the CJI said, "Technology must be approached with discernment, not deference." Any material generated through AI must be subjected to scrutiny and independent verification, he said, adding, "The responsibility to ensure accuracy, authenticity, and fairness cannot be delegated to a machine. It remains an essential and non-negotiable component of judicial duty." He emphasised that while navigating this evolving landscape, it is necessary to reaffirm a foundational principle-that justice is, and must remain, a human endeavour. "It is shaped by reasoning, guided by values, and enriched by experience, and no technological advancement can replicate the intuitive understanding and moral judgment at the core of judicial decision-making," he said. The CJI said the future of the judiciary will be shaped by its ability to adapt without losing its core identity. This requires continuous learning, reflection, and a commitment to excellence, he added. "We stand at a moment of transition, where the choices we make will define the trajectory of the judiciary for years to come. While our tools and methods may evolve, our fundamental responsibility remains unchanged-to deliver justice that is fair, accessible, and humane," he said. "As custodians of this responsibility, we must ensure that technology serves to enhance, and not replace, the human elements that define justice," he added, noting that trust in the judiciary is sustained not by words but by the consistent discharge of duty in courtrooms across the country. Highlighting that there are moments in the life of an institution when introspection becomes indispensable, the CJI said the time to pause and introspect has arrived for the Indian judiciary. A time comes when it must pause-not out of hesitation, but out of responsibility," he added. The CJI's remarks come as Indian courts increasingly explore AI for tasks like case management and legal research. Concerns about data privacy and algorithmic bias will need addressing as AI adoption grows. The Supreme Court of India has been actively considering the use of AI to improve efficiency and reduce case backlogs. Supreme Court Justice Manmohan argues that criticism of the legal system should be seen as constructive suggestions for improvement, not as outright condemnation, to foster necessary reforms. Key Points Justice Manmohan advocates for viewing criticism of the legal system as a suggestion for improvement, not condemnation. He stresses the importance of addressing shortcomings in the legal system to elevate its standards. Justice Manmohan urges law firms to adopt a global perspective on legal education and shared problem-solving. He highlights the need for human oversight in technology within the legal process, treating it as an enabler. Justice Manmohan raises concerns about the arbitration system becoming a replica of court proceedings and losing its intended informality and sensitivity. Supreme Court judge Justice Manmohan on Saturday said any criticism of the existing system should not be treated as its condemnation but rather as a suggestion. He was speaking at a legal conclave and awards ceremony organised by the Society of Indian Law Firms (SILF) and Society of Legal Professionals (SILP) on the theme: 'Justice to all-Accessible and Affordable.' Understanding Criticism in the Legal System "Last time, I spoke about improving the system, and my address was misunderstood by some people, as if it were a condemnation of the system. When you talk about improving the system, you often have to talk about the issues that arise in the system. "When you highlight the shortcomings in the system, you do so only to improve the system, not to condemn it. Therefore, it should not be treated as a condemnation of the system. Nor should it be used as a weapon by those who wish to further their own case," the apex court judge said. He said the most important thing is to have a healthy way to handle issues. "Let me illustrate the point that I have just made. A case had come up before me some years ago, which I had decided. "It concerned the quashing of an FIR against a film's producer, where an FIR had been lodged under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, and the allegation was that the film depicted the social evil of the caste system in great detail and, therefore, the producer had to be prosecuted under the Act," Justice Manmohan said. The Role of Film and Social Commentary The apex court judge said he quashed the FIR because the issue gave him a good occasion to say that a film which sought to convey that a social practice is evil had to necessarily depict that social practice. "Otherwise, how will the public understand it? So, when we talk about the issues arising in the system and seek to improve the system, it is not a condemnation of the system. It is only pointing out that the system requires certain reforms. It is taking the system to a higher level by addressing the shortcomings that exist in it," he said. "Criticism should not be treated as a condemnation of the system. It should be treated as a suggestion," Justice Manmohan added. Global Perspective and Technology in Law He said law firms should not take a narrow view of issues of legal education. "They should not just concentrate on India. They have to treat the whole world as a canvas. The world today has to be treated as a single entity. You will have to find solutions to shared problems. That is the tendency of the times," Justice Manmohan said. Regarding the role of technology, he said it had always been a double-edged weapon. "No one is saying that the entire decision-making process should be handed over to technology. Technology must remain human-controlled. We must treat it as an enabler. "We must use it, but we must retain human oversight. The ultimate decision must rest with the human mind. But technology should be used as a tool," Justice Manhoman said. Addressing Pendency and Arbitration The top court judge also flagged the issue of pendency, saying all available means must be used to reduce it. "And I think the legal community must debate whether the arbitral system, which was supposed to be a solution to the problem, has itself become a problem. And has it become a problem only because of the way we are conducting arbitral proceedings?" "Why has the law and the courts ensured that arbitration becomes a replica of proceedings conducted in court? It was supposed to be an informal process. It was supposed to be informal. It was supposed to be inexpensive. It was supposed to have sensitivity. I think we have taken out the sensitivity aspect from arbitration," he said. Justice Manmohan urged the government to ensure that mediation is involved at all levels. "If the government has taken a decision to stay out of arbitration law if the claim is beyond a certain threshold, I think that may require reconsideration. Yes, there are shortcomings in the arbitration process. But if you feel it is not working, you have the power to bring about legislation and remove those shortcomings. "I think that is the process we must adopt. Remove the shortcomings, but do not say that you will not abide by it or that it will simply be kept outside the system. That is my view on it," he said. Under Indian law, criticising the judiciary can be construed as contempt of court, potentially leading to legal action. The next step following such statements often involves legal experts and the bar association weighing in on the appropriateness of the remarks. This discussion highlights ongoing debates about judicial reforms and the balance between free speech and maintaining the integrity of the legal system. Delhi Police dismantled an international drug syndicate with links to Thailand, arresting three individuals and seizing over 1 kg of hydroponic ganja worth more than Rs 25 lakh. Photograph: ANI Photo Key Points Delhi Police arrested three individuals involved in an international drug syndicate. Over 1 kg of imported hydroponic ganja, valued at over Rs 25 lakh, was seized. The drug syndicate has alleged links to Thailand, with the consignment sourced from Bangkok. The accused were caught exchanging contraband for cash near Maulana Azad Medical College. A case has been registered, and further investigation is underway to trace other members of the network. Delhi Police has arrested three people, seized over 1 kg of imported hydroponic ganja valued at more than Rs 25 lakh, and busted an interstate and international drug syndicate with alleged links to Thailand, an official said on Saturday. Acting on a tip-off received on April 14, a police team laid a trap near the Maulana Azad Medical College (MAMC) gate. At around 4.10 am, they intercepted two men on a motorcycle and a third on a scooter while they were allegedly exchanging a packet of contraband for cash. Details of the Arrest and Seizure The three accused -- Faizan Rizwi, 24, Riyazuddin, 44 and Nadeem Beg, 42 -- were arrested on the spot. Police recovered 1,030.5 grams of imported hydroponic ganja, packed in two vacuum-sealed packets, along with Rs 4 lakh in cash meant for drug procurement. International Connections and Investigation "During interrogation, the accused allegedly disclosed that the consignment was sourced from Thailand and was part of a larger syndicate operated by a Muzaffarnagar-based man currently residing in Bangkok," a police officer said. A case has been registered, and further investigation is underway to trace other members of the network. What is Hydroponic Ganja? Hydroponic ganja refers to cannabis cultivated without soil, using a nutrient-rich water solution and inert growing mediums such as rockwool or clay pebbles, typically in controlled indoor environments. Under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, the accused could face significant jail time and fines depending on the quantity of drugs involved. The investigation will likely focus on identifying the source of the drugs in Thailand and any other individuals involved in the supply chain within India. Delhi Police dismantled an international drug syndicate with links to Thailand, seizing over 1 kg of imported hydroponic ganja worth more than Rs 25 lakh and arresting three individuals. Photograph: ANI Photo Key Points Delhi Police arrested three individuals involved in an international drug syndicate. Over 1 kg of imported hydroponic ganja, valued at over Rs 25 lakh, was seized. The drug syndicate has alleged links to Thailand. The consignment was allegedly sourced from Thailand and operated by a Muzaffarnagar-based man residing in Bangkok. Delhi Police has arrested three people, seized over 1 kg of imported hydroponic ganja valued at more than Rs 25 lakh, and busted an interstate and international drug syndicate with alleged links to Thailand, an official said on Saturday. Drug Bust Operation Near Maulana Azad Medical College Acting on a tip-off received on April 14, a police team laid a trap near the Maulana Azad Medical College (MAMC) gate. At around 4.10 am, they intercepted two men on a motorcycle and a third on a scooter while they were allegedly exchanging a packet of contraband for cash. Arrest and Seizure of Contraband The three accused -- Faizan Rizwi, 24, Riyazuddin, 44 and Nadeem Beg, 42 -- were arrested on the spot. Police recovered 1,030.5 grams of imported hydroponic ganja, packed in two vacuum-sealed packets, along with Rs 4 lakh in cash meant for drug procurement. International Links and Ongoing Investigation "During interrogation, the accused allegedly disclosed that the consignment was sourced from Thailand and was part of a larger syndicate operated by a Muzaffarnagar-based man currently residing in Bangkok," a police officer said. A case has been registered, and further investigation is underway to trace other members of the network. Under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, the accused could face significant jail time if convicted. The investigation will likely focus on tracing the supply chain and identifying other members of the international network. Delhi has seen an increase in drug-related arrests in recent months, prompting increased vigilance from law enforcement. A father and son were tragically murdered in their Delhi apartment, sending shockwaves through their community and raising concerns about safety in the area. Key Points Rakesh Sood, 62, and his son Karan Sood, 27, were fatally stabbed in their apartment in Alaknanda, Delhi. Police have arrested Asad Siddiqui, a resident of the same apartment complex, in connection with the double murder. A long-standing financial dispute is suspected to be the motive behind the attack. Rakesh Sood was known for organising a 'bhandara' to feed the poor every Thursday. The double murder has raised concerns about law and order in Delhi, according to AAP president Saurabh Bharadwaj. On Saturday, the house of Rakesh Sood in the upscale Tara Apartments at Alaknanda under the CR Park police station in south Delhi stood broken, after he and his 27-year-old son Karan Sood were fatally stabbed on Friday, with family members and neighbours struggling to come to terms with the loss. "They lost everything in one night, the father and the only son. The house looks so empty that it is hard to describe in words," said a friend of Rakesh, requesting anonymity. According to police, Rakesh and his son Karan were attacked with a sharp-edged object around 6 pm on Friday inside the apartment complex. The accused, Asad Siddiqui, a resident of the same society, has been arrested. Details Of The Crime Information about the incident was received at 9:20 pm on Friday from a private hospital in Saket, where three men were admitted by their relatives. While Rakesh and Karan were declared brought dead, their relative, Rahul, sustained injuries and is undergoing treatment, police said. Police suspect the attack was linked to a long-standing financial dispute. For those who knew the family, the details of the crime have done little to soften the blow. Community Remembers Rakesh Sood "Rakesh Ji was a very religious person. Every Thursday, he would organise a 'bhandara' (community meal) outside his house," a neighbour said. "He would stand there himself and serve food to people. It is difficult to accept what has happened," he said. The residents of the society described Rakesh, who was in the real estate business, as someone always available at times of need. "If anyone approached him for help, he never refused. Whether it was financial help or any other support, he would quietly step in. People trusted him," a colleague said. Karan Sood Followed In His Father's Footsteps Karan, the neighbours said, had joined his father in the family business and worked closely with him. "Rakesh was in the property business for the past 40 years. Karan joined his father two to three years back and was learning everything from him a not just the tricks of trade, but also how to treat people," the colleague said. Many saw in him a reflection of his father. "Karan was soft-spoken, respectful and grounded. You could see he was following in his father's footsteps," another associate said. The neighbours recalled that the father-son duo shared a close bond and were often seen together. "It is hard to believe that both are gone, that too in such a brutal manner," a neighbour said. Family Devastated By The Loss Rakesh is survived by his wife and their two daughters, both around 30 years old, who are inconsolable and struggling to come to terms with the twin blow. "The Sood family has been living in Tara Apartments for the past 15-20 years. The wife and girls were at home when the incident took place. Just imagining the horror they went through makes us shiver," one of the neighbours said. The neighbours described the family as a close-knit unit. "They were simple, decent people who were always there for others. What happened does not feel real," another neighbour said. For many in the neighbourhood, the double murder left a lingering sense of disbelief. "This is not something you can accept easily. One moment they were here, and the next they were gone," a resident of the society said. Delhi AAP president Saurabh Bharadwaj, who lives in south Delhi, said in a post on X that the incident has raised serious concerns over law and order in the national capital. "Tara Apartments in Alaknanda was considered a safe, gated colony where several prominent figures, including former Union minister Sushma Swaraj, lived. Such incidents reflect a worrying situation," Bharadwaj said. Under Indian law, the accused would likely face charges of murder under Section 302 of the Indian Penal Code. The police investigation will now focus on gathering evidence to support the charges and determine the full extent of the financial dispute that allegedly led to the crime. Such incidents of violence in gated communities raise concerns about security measures and the potential for disputes to escalate. The fix is straightforward but time-sensitive. Anyone with older 401(k) accounts should consider rolling them into their current employers plan before they retire. This brings the entire balance under the protection of the Rule of 55. The consolidation must happen while you are still employed, because that window closes once you separate from service. 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. The mechanics are important. The Rule of 55 only applies to the 401(k) plan from the employer you separate from in or after the year you turn 55. If a surgeon has multiple 401(k) accounts from different employers, only the plan from their final employer qualifies for penalty-free withdrawals. All prior accounts remain subject to the 10 percent penalty until age 59 and a half. The IRS permits penalty-free distributions from a 401(k) if you separate from service during or after the calendar year you turn 55. For a surgeon retiring at 58, this rule provides several years of penalty-free access to their 401(k) funds before reaching the standard age of 59 and a half. The 10 percent early withdrawal penalty is waived entirely. Ordinary income taxes still apply, but the penalty does not. An orthopedic surgeon retiring at 58 faces a specific problem: a 19-month gap between their last paycheck and age 59, when the IRS normally allows penalty-free 401(k) access. The standard answer is to wait or set up a rigid SEPP arrangement. The Rule of 55 provides a third path: penalty-free 401(k) access starting at 55, with no fixed withdrawal schedule. Rolling a 401(k) into a traditional IRA upon retirement blocks access to the Rule of 55, forcing reliance on the rigid SEPP arrangement instead, while also creating IRMAA surcharges ($2,900 to $6,350 annually) and Social Security taxation complications for early retirees drawing significant income before age 65. The Rule of 55 allows penalty-free 401(k) withdrawals starting at 55 for those who separate from service, closing the gap for early retirees before age 59, but only applies to the current employers planolder 401(k) accounts must be rolled into the current plan before retiring or they remain subject to 10% penalties. Story Continues The IRA Rollover Mistake The standard advice upon retirement is to roll a 401(k) into a traditional IRA. For a 58-year-old needing income before 59, rolling into an IRA is costly. Unfortunately, the Rule of 55 does not apply to IRAs. In other words, if the surgeon rolls their 401(k) to a traditional IRA upon retirement, they lose penalty-free access until age 59 and would need to use the more restrictive SEPP (Rule 72(t)) instead. Under SEPP, the withdrawal amount is fixed by an IRS formula and cannot change for at least five years or until age 59, whichever comes later. Missing a payment, changing the amount, or needing a lump sum triggers retroactive 10% penalties on every prior distribution. The Rule of 55 carries no such rigidity that a surgeon can take $80,000 one year and $150,000 the next without triggering penalties. That flexibility matters when bridging to Social Security or managing variable spending in early retirement. The Tax Cascade at Age 65 A surgeon retiring at 58 with a substantial 401(k) balance is not yet on Medicare, so IRMAA surcharges are not immediate. However, the two-year lookback means that the income you report at ages 63 and 64 will determine your Medicare premiums when you turn 65. Withdrawals you take earlier than that, such as at age 58, will not affect your initial IRMAA calculation. The 2026 IRMAA brackets impose Medicare surcharges when your MAGI exceeds $109,000 for single filers or $218,000 for married filing jointly. At Tier 2, which is $137,001 to $171,000 for a single person, the monthly Part B premium rises to about $406, and the annual IRMAA surcharge reaches roughly $2,900 per person. At Tier 4, which is $205,001 to $499,999 for a single person, the annual surcharge climbs to about $6,350 per person. A surgeon who withdraws $300,000 annually from their 401(k) at age 63 could face roughly $11,000 to $13,000 in combined IRMAA surcharges for a married couple once Medicare begins. The Social Security taxation threshold adds another layer of complexity. Once your combined income exceeds $34,000 for single filers or $44,000 for married couples, up to 85 percent of your Social Security benefits become taxable. A surgeon who claims Social Security at age 62 while also drawing significant 401(k) income will almost certainly hit that threshold. This does not mean the same income gets taxed twice. Rather, the 401(k) withdrawals push your Social Security benefits into taxable territory, which can create an unexpectedly high marginal tax rate on each additional dollar you take from your retirement account. Three Decisions That Change the Math Consolidate before retiring. Roll all prior employer 401(k) accounts into the most recent employer's plan before separation. Do not roll anything into an IRA until after age 59, when the Rule of 55 is no longer needed. The order of operations is irreversible once employment ends. Model the IRMAA exposure now. If you are turning 65 in 2026, your initial Medicare premiums will be based on your 2024 tax return. A surgeon retiring in 2026 should look closely at their income during the ages 63 and 64, not just age 63. Those two years determine your starting IRMAA. If your combined income is projected to exceed $109,000 for a single filer or $218,000 for married filing jointly, a fee-only fiduciary advisor can help you decide whether spreading withdrawals across more years or making Strategic Roth conversions will reduce your total lifetime Medicare costs. Distinguish flexibility from urgency. The Rule of 55 permits withdrawals; it does not require them. A surgeon with other liquid assets, a spouse's income, or deferred compensation can leave the 401(k) untouched and let it compound while drawing from taxable accounts first. The penalty-free access is an option, not an obligation. 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. Indian authorities seized crystal methamphetamine worth Rs 1.58 crore at Calicut International Airport, arresting a passenger arriving from Muscat under the NDPS Act. Photograph: ANI Photo Key Points DRI seizes crystal methamphetamine worth Rs 1.58 crore at Calicut International Airport. A passenger arriving from Muscat was arrested under the NDPS Act. The contraband was concealed in food packets in the passenger's checked-in baggage. Investigation underway to identify the source and network involved in the drug smuggling operation. DRI's Cochin Zonal Unit seized narcotics worth Rs 70.76 crore in Kerala during the last financial year. The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) on Saturday said it has seized crystal methamphetamine worth about Rs 1.58 crore from a passenger at Calicut International Airport and arrested him under the provisions of the NDPS Act. The passenger, a native of Malappuram district, had arrived from Muscat on Friday. Details Of The Drug Seizure Acting on specific intelligence, officers of the Calicut and Kannur regional units of the DRI's Cochin Zonal Unit intercepted the passenger and recovered two packets containing 1,974 grams of crystal methamphetamine, a banned drug, a press release said. The contraband was allegedly concealed in food packets placed in the passenger's checked-in baggage, the statement said. Legal Proceedings And Further Investigation The passenger was subsequently arrested under the provisions of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act. Further investigation is underway to trace the source of the narcotics and identify the wider network involved in the smuggling operation, it added. Previous Seizures By DRI In a similar case, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence had seized 1.931 kg of crystal methamphetamine from a Palakkad native at the same airport on March 2, it said. During the last financial year, the DRI's Cochin Zonal Unit seized narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances, including hydroponic weed, methamphetamine, and cocaine, valued at Rs 70.76 crore in Kerala, and arrested 21 persons in connection with these cases, the statement added. Under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, the arrested individual could face significant jail time and fines, depending on the quantity of drugs involved. The DRI will likely investigate the passenger's connections to determine if they are part of a larger drug trafficking syndicate operating in the region. Kerala has seen an increase in drug-related cases in recent years, prompting increased vigilance by law enforcement agencies. In a major crackdown on narcotics, Jammu authorities demolished the property of a known drug peddler, sending a strong message against drug trafficking in the region. Key Points Jammu authorities demolished the residential property of a drug peddler, Shamsdin alias Pappi, as part of an anti-narcotics campaign. The demolition was conducted amid heavy security arrangements in Belicharana, Jammu. The action is part of the 'Nasha Mukt Jammu and Kashmir Abhiyan' launched by the Lieutenant Governor to curb drug trafficking. Authorities have seized or demolished properties of over 150 drug peddlers in the Jammu region in the past year. The local administration has demolished the residential property of a drug peddler in Jammu amid heavy security arrangements as part of its ongoing crackdown on narcotics, officials said on Saturday. Crackdown on Drug-Related Properties A large contingent of officials and police, armed with heavy-duty bulldozers, demolished the property owned by Shamsdin alias Pappi in Belicharana for his involvement in drug peddling, they said. The authorities demolished Shamsdin's house, removed grass huts and seized some two-wheelers, they added. 'Nasha Mukt Jammu and Kashmir Abhiyan' The action was part of the 100-day 'Nasha Mukt Jammu and Kashmir Abhiyan' launched by Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on April 11 to curb drug trafficking and dismantle the financial networks of those involved in it, the officials said. "Shamsdin, locally known as Pappi, is currently lodged in jail. He was involved in drug-related activities, and the property he built over time was funded using the proceeds of crime. We have demolished the property," the local tehsildar told reporters. Shamsdin hails from the border area in RS Pura and had built the property in Belicharana, he added. Past Actions and Future Directives According to officials, properties of more than 150 drug peddlers have either been seized or demolished in the Jammu region in the past year. On Monday, L-G Sinha directed the police to prepare a list of top drug peddlers at every police station and take action to dismantle their networks within 30 days. He also warned that the administration will launch a stringent crackdown on traffickers and syndicates, including revocation of passport, driving licence, Aadhaar card and arms licence. Under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, drug peddling carries significant penalties in India, including imprisonment and fines. The next stage typically involves further investigation to identify the network and source of the drugs. Jammu and Kashmir has been actively working to combat drug trafficking in the region. Dushyant Chautala, leader of the Jannayak Janta Party, is demanding an investigation and FIR against a police team after an alleged confrontation involving his car in Hisar. Photograph: ANI Photo Key Points Dushyant Chautala demands an FIR against a police team for allegedly blocking his car. Chautala accuses Hisar Superintendent of Police of inaction and seeks his transfer. The JJP leader claims the police team's intention was unclear and alleges a threat involving a weapon. Hisar police claim the confrontation resulted from a high-speed overtake attempt by Chautala's convoy. Police allege that Chautala's workers attempted to pull an officer from his car during the incident. Jannayak Janta Party leader Dushyant Chautala on Saturday demanded an FIR against a police team that he accused of blocking his car while he was going to meet the Hisar district police chief. Chautala also slammed Hisar Superintendent of Police Siddhant Jain, alleging that no action has been taken yet despite his complaint. He sought the SP's transfer, demanding a fair probe under the supervision of the home secretary. Chautala's Allegations Against Police Chautala said he was on his way to meet the SP regarding the "wrongful arrest" of six people connected with the JJP over a protest at Guru Jambeshwar University in Hisar on Thursday, when a police team intercepted his convoy. Two men stepped out of the vehicle and one of them, wearing a red- shirt, was holding an object that appeared to be a weapon and issued a threat, he claimed, speaking to reporters. Chautala claimed that the man wearing the red shirt was Inspector Pawan. "When I came out of my car and approached the vehicle, they ran away," he said. He said five policemen from the City police station had been tailing him. "What was their motive? It is still unclear," Chautala said. "Their intention was not to stop us. Their intention was something else," he said, warning he would move to court if an FIR is not filed by Monday. Police Version of Events Meanwhile, the Hisar police claimed the confrontation resulted from an overtake attempt at high speed. They said the in-charge of the Hisar Crime Investigation Agency was traveling along the Old Sabzi Mandi Road toward the Additional Director General of Police's office. On the route, a convoy approached from behind at a high speed, blaring sirens. One of the vehicles, the police said, attempted to overtake the police car and attempted to ram into it. Another car, fitted with a flashing light, also sped past the police vehicle, narrowly averting a collision, the police said on Friday. Counter-Accusations and Investigation When the officer stopped to clarify the situation, some party workers and security men accompanying Dushyant Chautala rushed to the vehicle, opened the window, and attempted to pull him out of the car, the police said. The police officer had no weapon and Rajkumar, a member of the CIA staff, was also manhandled, they claimed. The matter is being investigated by a Deputy Superintendent of Police rank officer, the police said. A video purported to be of the incident was shared by the JJP leader on Thursday. Under Indian law, obstructing a public servant in the discharge of their duties can lead to charges under Section 186 of the Indian Penal Code. The investigation will likely involve gathering statements from all parties involved and reviewing any available video evidence to determine the sequence of events. Delhi Police swiftly arrested an employee who allegedly orchestrated a fake gunpoint robbery in Rohini to steal Rs 17 lakh from his employer, exposing a criminal conspiracy. Key Points A man was arrested for staging a gunpoint robbery to steal Rs 17 lakh from his employer in Rohini. The complainant, Abhishek, was identified as the mastermind behind the fabricated robbery. Police recovered Rs 6 lakh in cash, a toy pistol, and the scooter used in the staged crime. Two accomplices, Anuj and Bharat, were also apprehended in connection with the staged robbery. Police arrested a man within six hours for allegedly staging a Rs 17 lakh gunpoint robbery in Rohini to siphon off his employer's money, officials said on Saturday. According to police, a PCR call regarding the incident was received at the North Rohini police station based on a complaint lodged by Abhishek, who was later identified as the mastermind. "A case was registered, and an investigation was promptly initiated," an officer said. Investigation Reveals Staged Robbery Plot During the probe, police relied on technical surveillance and local intelligence to track the suspects. However, inconsistencies soon emerged in Abhishek's version of events. Sustained questioning and verification of evidence revealed that the robbery had been fabricated. "Abhishek had conspired with his associates, Anuj, Bharat and another accomplice identified as Ajay, to stage the robbery and misappropriate his employer's money due to financial distress," the officer said. Arrests and Recovery of Stolen Funds Two accused, Anuj (39) and Bharat (27), were apprehended. At their instance, police recovered Rs 6 lakh in cash, a toy pistol, and the scooter allegedly used in the crime. The complainant was also taken into custody and charged in the case. Relevant sections about criminal conspiracy and cheating have been added, police said. Ongoing Efforts to Apprehend Remaining Suspect Efforts are underway to recover the remaining amount and to apprehend the absconding co-accused, Ajay, police said. Under Indian law, charges of criminal conspiracy and fraud typically apply in such cases. The next stage of the investigation will likely involve further questioning of the arrested individuals and attempts to recover the remaining stolen funds. Such incidents of staged robberies highlight the challenges faced by businesses in safeguarding their assets. Delhi Police have apprehended the primary suspect in a double murder case where an elderly man and his son were fatally stabbed due to a financial disagreement in the Alaknanda area. Photograph: ANI Photo Key Points Delhi Police arrested Asad Siddiqui in connection with the double murder of Rakesh Sood and Karan Sood in Alaknanda. The double murder stemmed from a long-standing financial dispute between the accused and the victims. Rahul, a cousin of the deceased, was injured in the attack and is currently receiving medical treatment. Police are analysing CCTV footage and mobile phone records to reconstruct the events leading up to the murders. The incident has raised concerns about law and order in Delhi, particularly in gated communities. Delhi Police has arrested the main accused behind the double murder of an elderly man and his son, who were stabbed to death in the south Delhi area, an official said on Saturday. The deceased were identified as Rakesh Sood (62) and his son Karan Sood (27), while his cousin Rahul suffered injuries and is undergoing treatment, police said. Details of the Alaknanda Double Murder Incident According to the police, information regarding the incident was received around 9:20 pm on Friday from a private hospital in Saket, where three persons from Tara Apartments at Alaknanda under the CR Park police station in south Delhi were admitted by their relatives. "Upon examination, Rakesh Sood and Karan Sood were declared brought dead by doctors, while Rahul was found injured," Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police, South, Aishwarya Singh, said. Soon after the incident, a police team rushed to the spot. During the investigation, the police found that the incident took place due to a long-standing financial dispute. Investigation and Arrest of the Accused "The accused, Asad Siddiqui, a resident of Tara Apartments, attacked the victims with a sharp-edged object around 6 pm," Singh said. Crime and forensic teams inspected the scene and collected evidence, while CCTV footage from the area is being analysed as part of the probe, the police said. "Based on the survivor's statement, a case was registered, and the accused was arrested," Singh said. The vehicle used by the accused to flee from the crime scene has been seized. Financial Dispute as Motive Investigators suspect that the altercation may have escalated following disagreements over monetary dealings between the accused and the victims. Police said that the mobile phones of the accused and the victims will be examined to establish the last communication exchanged between them. Technical analysis, including call detail records and digital evidence, is expected to play a crucial role in reconstructing the chain of events leading up to the murders. Police are questioning the accused to ascertain the exact sequence of events and the nature of the financial dispute that led to the fatal attack. For many in the neighbourhood, the double murder left a lingering sense of disbelief. The elderly man is survived by his wife and two daughters, both aged around 30. Political Reaction and Further Investigation Meanwhile, Aam Aadmi Party leader and Delhi unit president Saurabh Bharadwaj, in a post on X, raised concerns over the law and order situation in the national capital. Referring to the location, he said Tara Apartments in Alaknanda was considered a safe gated colony where several prominent figures, including former Union minister Sushma Swaraj, had resided, and added that such incidents reflect a worrying situation. Further investigation into the matter is underway. Under Indian law, the accused would likely face charges of murder under Section 302 of the Indian Penal Code. The police will now focus on gathering forensic evidence and witness statements to build a strong case for prosecution. Such incidents of violence stemming from financial disputes highlight the need for effective conflict resolution mechanisms within communities. The Allahabad High Court has ruled that a father, being the natural guardian of a Hindu minor, cannot be accused of illegally detaining the child unless he violates a court order, dismissing a mother's habeas corpus petition. Key Points Allahabad High Court dismisses habeas corpus petition filed by a mother seeking child custody. Court affirms that a father, as a natural guardian, cannot illegally detain a child unless violating a court order. The decision references the Supreme Court's judgment in Tejaswini Gaud vs Shekhar Jagdish Prasad Tewari. The court noted that the minors have been residing with their father since 2022. Custody disputes between parents are generally not adjudicated under Article 226 of the Constitution. The Allahabad High Court has dismissed habeas corpus petition moved by mother as non-maintainable observing that a father, being a natural guardian of a Hindu minor, cannot be said to illegally detain a child even if he forcibly takes custody from the mother, unless such an act is in violation of an order of a court. The petitioner's mother had moved to court alleging that her estranged husband forcibly took away their two minor children at gunpoint in 2022 and had kept them under illegal detention since then. Court Relies on Supreme Court Judgement Dismissing the petition, Justice Anil Kumar-X, relying on the Supreme Court's judgment in Tejaswini Gaud and others vs Shekhar Jagdish Prasad Tewari and others, observed that habeas corpus in child custody matters can be invoked only when the custody of a child is illegal or without lawful authority. On behalf of mother, Anjali Devi, it was submitted that several applications were filed before different forums seeking custody of the minors. However, no effective action had been taken by the authorities. Arguments Presented by Both Parties The petitioner's counsel also relied upon the high court's recent judgment in Rinku Ram alias Rinku Devi and another v. State of UP and seven others to argue that the court can invoke its extraordinary jurisdiction in the best interest of the child even in cases where a child is in the custody of another parent. On the other hand, the state counsel and the counsel for the respondent submitted that both minors have been residing with the father since 2022, and the petitioner-mother, before moving to the high court, had not availed of any remedy under the Guardian and Wards Act to date. It was also argued that the custody disputes between parents ordinarily cannot be adjudicated in a writ petition under Article 226 of the Constitution. Lastly, it was contended that the judgment in the Rinku Ram case was distinguishable on facts, as in that case the custody of the minor was forcibly taken in violation of an order passed by the Child Welfare Committee, which had directed that custody be handed over to the mother. However, in the present case, no such circumstance existed. Court's Observations and Judgement The court, in its judgment passed on April 10, noted that an offence would be attracted only when the minor is removed from the custody of a person who is legally recognised as the guardian and the person taking the minor is not himself a lawful guardian. The court also referred to section 4(2) of the Guardians and Wards Act to note that the law recognises the father as a natural guardian. In view of this, the court held that a mere allegation that the father has forcibly taken the minors from the custody of the mother, even if accepted on its face value, would not lead to the conclusion that the minors are in illegal detention. "The father, being a natural guardian, cannot be said to have taken the minors out of lawful guardianship so as to attract any criminality. Such forcibly taking away will constitute an offence only if it has been done in violation of a legal order or legal prohibition," the court observed. The court noted that, in the present case, the minors, who are over five years of age, have been residing with the father since 2022, and no extraordinary circumstance had been brought on record to indicate that their custody is illegal or detrimental so as to warrant interference by this court in the exercise of its writ jurisdiction. Under Indian law, charges of abduction or wrongful confinement could apply in cases of illegal child detention. The next step would typically involve the mother appealing to a higher court or pursuing remedies under the Guardian and Wards Act to seek custody. Delhi Police successfully cracked a major burglary case in Delhi's Madhu Vihar, arresting five suspects and recovering a significant portion of the Rs 1 crore worth of stolen valuables. Key Points Delhi Police solved a burglary case in Madhu Vihar involving stolen valuables worth approximately Rs 1 crore. Five individuals were arrested, including a goldsmith who allegedly received the stolen property. Police recovered around 70 per cent of the stolen gold and diamond jewellery, 80 per cent of silver articles, and Rs 8 lakh in cash. The accused conducted reconnaissance of residential areas to identify locked houses before committing burglaries at night. The accused are habitual offenders with a history of involvement in previous criminal cases. Delhi Police has cracked a burglary case involving theft of valuables worth around Rs 1 crore in east Delhi's Madhu Vihar area, arresting five people, including a goldsmith who allegedly received the stolen property, an official said on Saturday. The case pertains to a burglary reported at Arya Nagar Apartment in the Madhu Vihar area earlier this month, he said. A complaint was received on April 1, in which the victim said that the house had been locked on the evening of March 31, but upon returning the next day, "the locks were found broken and gold, diamond and silver jewellery, along with cash, were missing", a senior police officer said. Investigation and Arrests in the Delhi Burglary Case The total value of stolen items was estimated at around Rs 1 crore, including nearly Rs 12 lakh in cash, the officer said, adding that the police registered an FIR and an investigation was taken up. "The team mapped the movement of the accused over a stretch of nearly 10 km, which proved crucial in identifying them. Police conducted a raid on April 8 and arrested two accused, identified as Babloo alias Kalua and Rampal alias Ramkumar," the officer said. During interrogation, they revealed the involvement of their associate Vishal alias Vikku, who was subsequently apprehended on April 10, the officer added. Recovery of Stolen Valuables and Further Investigation Further questioning led to the identification of Pinky, an associate, and Ravi Soni, a goldsmith who allegedly received the stolen jewellery. Both were later arrested, police said. The police recovered a substantial portion of the stolen item, including around 70 per cent of gold and diamond jewellery, 80 per cent of silver articles, and Rs 8 lakh in cash. Tools used in the crime were also seized, the officer said. During the investigation, it was found that the accused conducted a recce of residential colonies during the daytime to identify locked houses and carried out burglaries at night. Police said the accused are habitual offenders and were involved in several previous criminal cases. Further investigation is underway. Under Indian law, charges for burglary and receiving stolen property would typically apply in this case. The next stage of the investigation will likely involve gathering further evidence and preparing a charge sheet for court. Four individuals have been arrested in Palghar, Maharashtra, for the theft of copper cables valued at Rs 3.40 lakh, highlighting ongoing efforts to combat property crime in the region. Photograph: ANI Video Grab Key Points Four individuals, including a scrap buyer, have been arrested in Palghar for allegedly stealing copper cables. The copper cables, valued at Rs 3.40 lakh, were stolen from a newly constructed building in Virar. Two of the accused are repeat offenders previously booked for a similar theft in Mumbai in 2021. Police seized the stolen copper cables and a WagonR car used in the crime. Police have arrested four persons, including a scrap buyer, for allegedly stealing copper cables valued at Rs 3.40 lakh in Palghar district of Maharashtra, officials said on Saturday. According to the police, the theft occurred between February 23 and March 13 at a newly constructed building in Virar (West). An unknown person entered a flat on the 9th floor and decamped with multiple bundles of copper wires. Investigation Into Copper Cable Theft A case was subsequently registered at the Bolinj Police Station under Sections 305(A), 3(5), and 317(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). Police said two of the four accused are repeat offenders who were previously booked by the D.N. Nagar police station in Mumbai for a similar theft in 2021. Police Recover Stolen Goods "The Crime Detection Team has succeeded in arresting the accused who stole bundles of copper wire and seized the items in question. Along with the stolen goods worth Rs 3,40,214, we have also seized a WagonR car worth Rs 3,50,000 used to commit the crime. A search is underway for the remaining accused and the rest of the stolen property," stated an official release by the MBVV Police. Under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, the accused could face charges related to theft and property offences. The investigation will likely focus on recovering the remaining stolen property and identifying any other individuals involved in the crime. Copper theft is a recurring problem in many Indian cities due to the metal's high value. Punjab's Governor is calling on schools to take a leading role in the fight against drug abuse, implementing awareness programmes and community engagement to protect the state's youth. Photograph: Yves Herman/Reuters Key Points Punjab Governor urges schools to actively participate in the anti-drug campaign to protect youth. The Governor accuses a neighbouring country of attempting to weaken Punjab by spreading drugs. Schools are encouraged to implement awareness programmes, counselling, and community engagement to combat drug abuse. Villages in Pathankot district have declared themselves drug-free, setting an example for others. The Governor stresses the importance of collective efforts from all sections of society to eliminate drug abuse in Punjab. Punjab Governor Gulab Chand Kataria on Saturday called upon school administrations and faculty to play a proactive role in safeguarding youth from drug abuse, emphasising the role of educational institutions in the statewide anti-drug campaign. He also lashed out at the "neighbouring country" saying it is bent on pumping drugs into Punjab to destroy its youth, as it is incapable of confronting India in direct combat. School Principals Discuss Anti-Drug Strategies Chairing a meeting with principals of border-area schools at Shri Sai College, Bandhani, in Pathankot district, the governor urged them to motivate students to stay away from drugs, directing institutions to implement awareness measures. Kataria, who has been on a three-day visit to Pathankot, held interactions with members of block-level committees and participated in a foot-march organised under the 'Nasha Mukti Abhiyan'. During the meeting, Dr S Bhola, State Programme Officer for Mental Health and De-Addiction, shared statistical data and outlined strategies to prevent addiction among youth. IPS officer Akhil Chaudhary highlighted enforcement measures and the role of the Anti-Narcotics Task Force (ANTF) in curbing drug trafficking. Principals from various schools also shared suggestions on strengthening the fight against drugs, emphasising awareness programmes, counselling, and community engagement. The Role Of Education In Combating Drug Abuse Addressing the gathering, Kataria underscored the critical role of teachers, stating that education must go beyond academics to include understanding students' behaviour and mental well-being. "If teachers make students aware of the harmful effects of drugs, the results can be transformative," he said. Invoking Punjab's legacy of sacrifice, the governor noted that the state produced countless martyrs who laid down their lives for the nation. "If our youth can sacrifice their lives for the country, then eradicating drugs from Punjab is not an impossible task," he remarked, urging collective responsibility in tackling the issue. Cross-Border Drug Trafficking Concerns Kataria also raised concerns over cross-border drug trafficking, alleging that attempts were being made to weaken Punjab by targeting its youth. "Although our neighbouring country cannot directly fight a war with us, it is leaving no stone unturned in spreading drugs in Punjab to destroy its youth," the governor said, in an apparent reference to Pakistan. He stressed the need for heightened awareness and active participation of educated youth in anti-drug campaigns. Highlighting positive developments, the governor said several villages in Pathankot district have already declared themselves drug-free. He suggested installing signboards at village entrances and educational institutions declaring them "drug-free zones" to reinforce the message and inspire others. Every school must ensure a drug-free environment and display this commitment publicly, Kataria said, asserting that this will send a strong message to the coming generations. Punjab's Commitment To A Drug-Free Future At a separate event in Amritsar, Kataria reaffirmed the state's commitment to eradicating drug abuse, asserting that Punjab will continue to lead from the front in the fight against narcotics. Addressing the 'Nasha Mukt Punjab Sankalp Samagam 2026' organised by Nasha Mukti Chetna Sangh Punjab at Gurdwara Sahib Sant Baba Darshan Singh Ji Kulli Wale, Kataria said despite attempts by "international forces" to push Indian youth toward drugs, the people of the country will not allow such designs to succeed. "Punjab has always led the nation on every front, and it will continue to play a leading role in in eliminating the drug menace," the governor said, calling for collective and proactive efforts to tackle the problem. He stressed that the issue can only be resolved through active engagement of all sections of society. Former Chief Justice of India Jagdish Singh Khehar also addressed the gathering, expressing concern over the increasing spread of drugs, and urging every citizen to contribute towards eliminating the social evil. Later, the governor visited the historic Thathiaran Bazaar at Jandiala Guru in Amritsar, renowned for its traditional craft of making brass and copper utensils. During the visit, Kataria interacted with artisans working at Thathiaran Bazaar and appreciated their skill, dedication, and efforts in preserving Punjab's rich cultural heritage. He emphasised that such traditional crafts need to be promoted at national and international levels, which would not only strengthen the livelihood of artisans but also enhance Punjab's cultural identity. Under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, possessing, selling, or trafficking drugs can lead to significant jail time and fines. The Anti-Narcotics Task Force (ANTF) will likely intensify its operations in the border regions following the Governor's statements, focusing on disrupting drug supply chains and apprehending those involved in cross-border trafficking. Following a father's persistent plea, Ambala police have registered a murder case related to the suspicious death of a 25-year-old man, initiating a new investigation into the circumstances surrounding his demise. Photograph: ANI Photo Key Points Ambala police file murder case in connection with the death of Rahul Mishra. The victim's father alleged foul play, prompting a fresh investigation. Haryana minister Anil Vij directed the police to register a murder case. The victim's landlord and his son are under suspicion in the case. A murder case was filed in connection with the death of a 25-year-old man two months ago at Lekhi Complex in the Mahesh Nagar area of Ambala Cantonment here, police said on Saturday. Rahul Mishra, a resident of Ambala Cantonment, was employed as a deputy engineer at a private company. Father's Plea Leads to Murder Investigation The case was lodged after Rahul's father, Vinod Kumar Mishra, who is serving in the Indian Air Force as a junior warrant officer, approached Haryana Transport minister Anil Vij at his residence on Friday. Vinod, a resident of Lucknow, stated that his son died under mysterious circumstances, but the police did not take any action in the matter. The officer leveled serious allegations against Rahul's landlord and his son in connection with the death of Rahul. Minister Orders Investigation Vij directed the Station House Officer (SHO) of the Mahesh Nagar Police Station to register a case of murder in the matter, and the request was seen through. Earlier, the police had been proceeding with the case on the premise that Rahul Mishra's death was an accident. Rahul's father in his fresh complaint stated that his son was a deputy engineer and was living in a rented accommodation. On February 6, his body was recovered in the parking area of Lekhi Complex. The landlord claimed that Rahul died after he fell from the roof. Under Indian law, murder charges typically fall under Section 302 of the Indian Penal Code. The next stage of the investigation will likely involve questioning the landlord and his son, along with gathering forensic evidence from the scene. Tesla (TSLA) stock rose on Friday and finished the week higher, snapping an eight-week losing streak. The stocks rebound comes as earnings are set to be released on April 22. Late Thursday, Reuters reported that Tesla was looking to hire chip engineers in Taiwan, which is notable because TSMC (TSMC34.SA), one of the largest chipmaking companies in the world, is based there. More from Yahoo Scout What are analysts expecting for Tesla's Q1 earnings? How significant is Tesla's AI5 chip development? What updates are expected on Tesla's robotaxi efforts? What drove Tesla's stock rebound this week? This comes as Tesla stock jumped this week on optimism on the chip front, with CEO Elon Musk claiming early Wednesday that Tesla was taping out, or had completed the final stage of the chip design process for its upcoming AI5 chip, destined for future EVs, massive training clusters, and Optimus robots. The news on AI5 comes as Tesla has its own ambitious plans to fabricate its own chips at its upcoming Terafab facility. Analysts and experts claim the move to create its own fab is highly ambitious and likely a massive engineering challenge. Some good news on Teslas chipmaking efforts though more of a long-term play coincides with the companys upcoming first quarter earnings report, slated for Wednesday after the bell. Read more: Live coverage of corporate earnings Analysts expect Tesla to post revenue of $22.08 billion, down 9% compared to a year ago, on adjusted EPS of $0.35. Teslas adjusted EBITDA is expected to slip to $3.217 billion, down 14.4% versus Q1 last year. Earlier this month, Tesla reported Q1 deliveries of 358,023 vehicles globally, versus 364,645 expected, up 6.3% year over year. However, the companys total from last year was down due to the changeover to the new Model Y, meaning Q1 results from last year were unusually low. Elon Musk at the Terafab announcement in Austin, Texas. SpaceX The company is also expected to give an update on its full self-driving (FSD) and robotaxi efforts, which would be a big shot in the arm for Tesla. Morgan Stanley predicts Tesla will surpass 10 billion FSD miles shortly, a major milestone for the company and one that could lead to more breakthroughs, given all the data collected. Future rollout plans of new cities for Teslas fledgling robotaxi service will be expected, as the companys progress in this area has been slow to date. Currently, only Austin, Texas, and the San Francisco Bay Area are offering services, with safety drivers in most of these vehicles. Pras Subramanian is Lead Auto Reporter for Yahoo Finance. You can follow him on X and on Instagram. Click here for the latest stock market news and in-depth analysis, including events that move stocks Read the latest financial and business news from Yahoo Finance The court will now hear the parties on whether prior notice to the accused was legally required. IMAGE: Lok Sabha LoP Rahul Gandhi speaks during a public meeting at Peruncheri of Ponneri, in Thiruvallur on Saturday. Photograph: @INCIndia_X/ANI Photo Key Points Allahabad High Court restrains order for FIR against Rahul Gandhi in dual citizenship case. The court will review the legal requirement of prior notice to the accused before issuing any directives. The case is based on allegations that Rahul Gandhi declared himself as a British citizen in company documents. A BJP worker filed the petition seeking an FIR against Gandhi under various acts including the Passport Act. The Lucknow bench of the Allahabad high court has restrained its order directing a first information report (FIR) against Congress MP Rahul Gandhi in connection with the alleged dual citizenship controversy. The court will now hear the parties on whether prior notice to the accused was legally required. A bench of Justice Subhash Vidyarthi, which had in Friday in an oral order observed that prima facie cognisable offences appeared to be made out against Gandhi, and permitted the Uttar Pradesh government to hand over the probe to a central agency, said it would first examine the legal position on issuance of notice before passing any direction. The development came after the bench, before signing its dictated order, came across a full court verdict mandating that notice be issued to the proposed accused in such matters. The court noted that none of the counsel brought this legal requirement to its attention in the earlier hearing. The bench has posted the matter for April 20. The order was passed on a plea filed by Karnataka-based BJP worker S Vignesh Shishir. During the Friday proceedings, Deputy Solicitor General of India S B Pandey produced records of the Centre relating to the citizenship controversy, while government advocate V K Singh submitted on behalf of the state that the allegations prima facie disclosed cognisable offences. After a hearing, the bench observed that material on record indicated that Gandhi had allegedly committed cognisable offences and that the matter warranted investigation. Allegations Against Rahul Gandhi In his petition, Shishir alleged that Gandhi was a United Kingdom citizen and had incorporated a company, M/s Backops Ltd, in August 2003, declaring his nationality as British. The petitioner claimed that Gandhi submitted the company's annual returns in October 2005 and October 2006 listing his nationality as British, and that the firm was dissolved in February 2009. He sought registration of an FIR against the former Congress president under provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, the Official Secrets Act, the Foreigners Act and the Passport Act. The complaint was initially filed before a special MP/MLA court in Rae Bareli and was later transferred to Lucknow on the petitioner's request. A headmaster in Hazaribag, Jharkhand, is facing legal action after being accused of sexually harassing girl students, prompting a police investigation and suspension. Key Points A headmaster in Hazaribag, Jharkhand, has been booked for allegedly sexually harassing girl students. The accused headmaster has been suspended, and an FIR has been lodged against him. Girl students contacted Childline to report the harassment, displaying exemplary courage. The headmaster has been booked under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the POCSO Act. Police are currently searching for the headmaster, who is on the run. A headmaster of a government school in Jharkhand's Hazaribag district was booked for allegedly sexually harassing girl students, officials said on Saturday. The accused headmaster has been suspended, and an FIR has been lodged against him based on the statement of the mother of a 13-year-old girl at Charhi police station on April 15, they said. Headmaster Suspended After Allegations Surface "The headmaster has been suspended from his post after the matter surfaced. He had been harassing the girls for quite a few months. They were scared and refused to attend school because of his behaviour," said Akash Lal, the District Superintendent of Education (DSE) of Hazaribag. Students Contact Childline "However, three girls showed exemplary courage, dialled Childline 1098 and disclosed everything," the DSE said. On the basis of this information, the Childline authorities, along with some volunteers, rushed to the school and met the girls there, where they narrated their woes. They even told the team that the headmaster had threatened them that if they disclosed anything about him, he would harm them, Lal added. Accused Booked Under POCSO Act The accused has been booked under the relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the POCSO Act, said Kundan Kant Vimal, the officer in charge of the Charhi police station. The headmaster is on the run, and police are making efforts to nab him, the OC said. Under the POCSO Act, the headmaster could face a lengthy prison sentence if convicted. The next step in the investigation will likely involve gathering further statements from the victims and witnesses. Jharkhand has seen a number of similar cases reported in recent years, highlighting concerns about child safety in schools. Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma has ignited controversy by accusing West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee of using state funds to support Bangladeshi Muslim infiltrators, sparking a political row. Photograph: @himantabiswa/Twitter Key Points Himanta Biswa Sarma accuses Mamata Banerjee's government of diverting resources to 'Bangladeshi Muslim infiltrators'. Sarma claims BJP governments in Assam and Tripura have prevented 'Bangladeshi Muslim' entry, unlike Bengal. Sarma alleges Banerjee has 'destroyed' Bengal and warns of the state being 'taken away' by Bangladeshi Muslims. Sarma promises to 'kick out all Bangladeshi infiltrators' if the BJP forms a government in Bengal. Sarma pledges a constitutional solution to the Gorkhaland issue and 'justice for Gorkhas' if BJP is voted to power. Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Saturday accused the Mamata Banerjee government in West Bengal of diverting the state's resources for "Bangladeshi Muslim infiltrators", and said she has to be removed from power "else we will lose Bengal". Addressing a rally in Kalimpong, the BJP leader claimed that his party's governments in Assam and Tripura have prevented the entry of "Bangladeshi Muslims" into India, while infiltration of illegal immigrants continues in Bengal. Sarma's Allegations Against Banerjee "Mamata Banerjee has earmarked the entire treasury of Bengal for Bangladeshi Muslim infiltrators. She sold this land to Bangladeshi Muslims for votes," he alleged. Alleging the TMC supremo has destroyed the entire Bengal since she became the chief minister, Sarma said, "We have to remove Mamata Banerjee as Bengal CM, else one day Bangladeshi Muslims will take away the state from us." BJP's Promises for Bengal The BJP leader claimed that there has been no development in north Bengal under her tenure and pitched for a change in government while promising that "once the BJP forms a government in Bengal, we will kick out all Bangladeshi infiltrators from this region." He also said the BJP would seek a constitutional solution to the Gorkhaland issue and "ensure justice for Gorkhas" if voted to power. Response to Election Commission Complaint Speaking at another rally in Cooch Behar district's Dinhata, Sarma referred to the Trinamool Congress lodging a complaint against him with the Election Commission, accusing him of making "communally charged, inciteful and divisive" remarks against the Bengal chief minister. He said that such a move by the TMC would not scare him. The BJP leader also referred to former TMC MLA and Aam Janata Unnayan Party (AJUP) founder Humayun Kabir's attempt to build a Babri Masjid in Bengal, and said that had there been such an attempt in Assam, he would have taken strict measures and put the person behind bars. Under Indian law, allegations of aiding illegal immigration could potentially lead to investigations by state and central agencies. The Election Commission is likely to review Sarma's remarks for any violations of the Model Code of Conduct during the ongoing election period. This controversy adds to the already tense political climate in West Bengal. A 21-year-old IIT-Kharagpur student was found dead on campus in a suspected suicide, prompting a police investigation and cooperation from institute officials. Photograph: ANI Photo Key Points Jaiveer Singh Doriya, a 21-year-old IIT-Kharagpur student, was found dead on the campus. Police suspect the engineering student may have jumped from the eighth floor of a hostel building. The student's body was discovered by campus security near the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Hall. IIT-Kharagpur officials are cooperating with the police investigation into the student's death. The body of a 21-year-old student of IIT-Kharagpur was found in a pool of blood on the campus on Saturday, with police suspecting that he might have jumped from the eighth floor of a hostel building. Student Identified, Investigation Underway The deceased has been identified as Jaiveer Singh Doriya, a third-year engineering student from Ahmedabad. Police said his body was spotted by campus security personnel near the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Hall in the morning, and they alerted the institute authorities. The student was rushed to the BC Roy Hospital, where doctors declared him dead, an official said. Preliminary investigation suggests that the student may have jumped from the eighth floor of a hostel building, a police officer said, adding the exact cause of death would be ascertained after post-mortem. IIT-Kharagpur officials said they are cooperating with the investigation. "The matter is under inquiry, and all necessary steps are being taken in coordination with the police," an official of the institute said. Suicides at IIT and other top engineering institutes are a recurring concern, often attributed to academic pressure and social isolation. Police will likely file a case of unnatural death and conduct a thorough investigation, including interviewing fellow students and reviewing any available evidence. Police in Maharashtra's Beed district have successfully busted an illegal gutka factory, seizing banned tobacco products and equipment, highlighting ongoing efforts to combat illegal tobacco manufacturing. Key Points Police in Beed, Maharashtra, dismantled an illegal gutka manufacturing operation. Banned tobacco products and manufacturing equipment worth Rs 2.12 lakh were seized during the raid. The illegal gutka factory was being operated from a residence in Georai town. The accused, Javed Nizam Shaikh, has been arrested by the police. Police in Maharashtra's Beed district busted an illegal gutka manufacturing factory and seized banned tobacco products and equipment worth Rs 2.12 lakh on Saturday, an official said. Details Of The Illegal Operation One Javed Nizam Shaikh was allegedly operating the illegal unit from a room in front of his house in Georai town, they said. Seized Items And Arrest During the raid, police recovered a large quantity of banned flavoured tobacco, betel nut mixtures and various ingredients prohibited in Maharashtra, the official said. The team also seized machines used for manufacturing gutka. The total value of the seized goods and machine is worth about Rs 2.12 lakh, he said, adding that Shaikh has been arrested. Gutka is banned in Maharashtra, and those found manufacturing or selling it face strict penalties under food safety laws. The investigation will likely focus on the source of the raw materials and the distribution network of the illegal gutka. Delhi Police have successfully dismantled an interstate liquor smuggling operation, arresting three individuals and seizing a significant quantity of illicit liquor destined for the city. Photograph: ANI Photo Key Points Delhi Police arrested three men involved in an interstate liquor smuggling network. Over 674 cartons of illicit liquor were seized during the police operations. Four vehicles used for transporting the illegal liquor were seized by the police. The illicit liquor originated from neighbouring Haryana and was intended for distribution in Delhi. Delhi Police have arrested three men, and seized a large quantity of illicit liquor following a series of operations by the Outer North district police targeting an interstate smuggling network, officials said. Major Liquor Seizure In Delhi Police said raids conducted over the last week led to the recovery of more than 674 cartons of illicit liquor and the seizure of four vehicles used for transportation. The accused have been identified as Kishan, 32, a resident of Samaypur Badli; Rajesh, 28, a resident of Nangli Poona; and Hemant, 25. One more accused has been identified, and efforts are underway to apprehend him. Details Of The Police Operation "In one of the key seizures on April 17, a goods vehicle was intercepted carrying 115 cartons of illegal liquor. In another operation, 200 cartons were recovered, while additional consignments were seized from two other vehicles," a senior police officer said. The largest haul came during multiple raids across Libaspur, Alipur and Swaroop Nagar, where consignments originating from neighbouring Haryana were intercepted before distribution in the city, he added. "On April 16, a team arrested Hemant along with a vehicle carrying a large quantity of illegal liquor. He is found to be previously involved in multiple cases," the officer said. Further investigation is underway, police added. Under Indian law, the accused could face charges related to smuggling, excise violations, and potentially conspiracy, depending on the evidence gathered. The investigation will likely focus on identifying the source of the liquor in Haryana and the intended recipients in Delhi to fully dismantle the network. 'The Atomic Energy Commission has approved the FDI policy and it is going in for ministerial consultations.' IMAGE: India's first indigenously developed 700 megawatt electric nuclear power reactor at the Kakrapar Atomic Power Station in Gujarat. Photograph: ANI Photo The Atomic Energy Commission has given its go ahead for the new foreign direct investment policy for the nuclear power sector, according to a senior official. This brings the country a step closer to opening its nuclear power sector for private participation in line with the Sustainable Harnessing and Advancement of Nuclear Energy for Transforming India (SHANTI) Act, 2025. Key Points Atomic Energy Commission approves new FDI policy, advancing plans to open India's nuclear power sector to private participation. Policy aligns with SHANTI Act 2025, targeting significant expansion of nuclear capacity through foreign and private investments. Estimated Rs 20 lakh crore funding required to achieve 100 GW nuclear capacity target by 2047, highlighting financing challenges. Private sector enthusiasm remains muted post-legislation, raising concerns about participation despite policy reforms and incentives. Government aims to reduce project timelines and tariffs while pushing for at least one nuclear plant site in every state. Nuclear FDI policy approval "FDI initiatives are in the pipeline. The Atomic Energy Commission has approved the FDI policy and it is going in for ministerial consultations," said Seema S Jain, member (Finance), Department of Atomic Energy (DAE). She was speaking at a workshop in New Delhi on the operationalisation of the Act organised by the Central Electricity Authority (CEA), DAE, and NTPC Ltd. Jain added that innovative financing models will be expected so as to ensure fund flow to this sector, and so that it is not crowded by other competing demands. "If we take Rs 22 crore per Megawatt (Mw) as the standard baseline which was the requirement in the recent approvals, easily around Rs 20 lakh crore financing is required to reach 100 Gw (Gigawatt) target by 2047," she said. Fleet mode expansion or multiple reactors at one site will compress the total approval cycle and the time required for setting up of the nuclear power plants, Jain said. Private sector interest concerns Speaking at the same event, NTPC Chairman and Managing Director Gurdeep Singh flagged concerns over less than expected interest in the nuclear power sector from private companies. "There was a lot of discussion before the Bill was passed. But after its enactment, the same level of excitement from the private sector is not seen for some reason," he said. Taking note of the Centre's direction of at least one nuclear plant site to be identified in every state, Singh said: "We are working with around 14 states at present. And with little hesitance, I would like to say that the acceptance rate is not that high." Tariff and timeline reduction Speaking at the event, Central Electricity Authority Chairman Ghanshyam Prasad said there is a need to cut project timelines and tariffs to boost nuclear capacity addition. "Tariffs for newer plants are in the range of Rs 5.50 to Rs 6.50 per unit and we will have to take steps to reduce this." He added that the process for project commissioning, which currently takes around 13 years for regulatory approvals and project implementation, needs to be reduced to around eight to nine years or even lesser. Feature Presentation: Ashish Narsale/Rediff Amidst US-Iran tensions, Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy is tightening control over the Strait of Hormuz, imposing restrictions on maritime traffic and raising concerns about potential conflict. IMAGE: A vessel at the Strait of Hormuz, off the coast of Oman's Musandam province, April 12, 2026. Photograph: Reuters Key Points Iran's IRGC Navy restricts Strait of Hormuz access to civilian vessels using Iranian-designated routes. Military ships are barred from transiting the Strait of Hormuz under new Iranian directives. Iran links maritime restrictions to a potential '40-day war scenario' if ceasefires are violated. All maritime movement in the Strait of Hormuz requires prior authorisation from Iranian naval authorities. Amid the United States's continued blockade of Iranian ports despite the Islamic Republic announcing the opening of the strategic Strait of Hormuz, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy issued new directives restricting maritime movement through the strait, stating that only civilian vessels using Iranian-designated routes will be permitted passage and asserting that all military ships are barred from transiting the strategic waterway. According to a statement reported by Iranian state media, Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB), the IRGC Navy outlined four key points regarding navigation rules in the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world's most critical oil transit chokepoints. Key Navigation Rules in the Strait of Hormuz The four key points follow Speaker of Iran's Parliament, M B Ghalibaf, slamming US President Donald Trump on X after Trump said that the US blockade on the ports of the Islamic Republic will continue until a full agreement with Iran is completely finalised. In his post, Ghalibaf asserted that maritime movement through the Strait of Hormuz will be strictly controlled by Tehran, stating that passage will be allowed only through designated routes and under Iranian approval. According to IRIB, the IRGC Navy stated that civilian vessels are required to adhere strictly to routes officially designated by Iran and further emphasised that safe passage is permitted only for civilian ships operating under Iranian regulations, while military vessels are explicitly prohibited. Implications of Iranian Maritime Restrictions "Civilian vessels can only navigate the routes officially announced by Iran. Safe passage is only permitted for civilian ships, according to Iranian regulations. No military ship has the right to pass through the Strait of Hormuz or enter or transit the Strait," the IRGC Navy stated in its statement, as quoted by IRIB. The IRGC Navy also stated that any maritime movement in the region would require prior authorisation from its naval authorities, effectively placing all traffic under Iranian clearance. In a more sharply worded warning, the statement linked the restrictions to the two-week "temporary ceasefire" situation, cautioning that if the ceasefire is violated, conditions in the Strait could revert to a "40-day war scenario," during which even commercial shipping could be halted. US Blockade and Potential Conflict This comes after Trump, in a post on Truth Social, declared that the American naval blockade of Iranian ports will persist until a comprehensive peace agreement is finalised with Tehran, despite Iran's move to restore access to the Strait of Hormuz. 'The naval blockade will remain in full force and effect as it pertains to Iran only until such time as our transaction with Iran is 100% complete.' He further noted that 'this process should go very quickly', the post read. The Strait of Hormuz, a narrow maritime passage between the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman, remains one of the world's most sensitive shipping routes, with a significant share of global energy exports passing through it. Amid rising tensions, Iran's reimposition of restrictions on the Strait of Hormuz, including firing on tankers and turning back Indian vessels, raises critical concerns about global energy supplies and maritime security, especially for India. IMAGE: A vessel in the Strait of Hormuz, off the coast of Oman's Musandam province, on April 12, 2026. Photograph: Reuters Key Points Iran has reimposed restrictions on the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial global oil route. Iranian forces opened fire on a tanker, escalating tensions in the region. Two Indian ships, including a supertanker carrying Iraqi crude oil, were forced to turn back. The restrictions raise concerns about energy supplies, particularly for India, which relies heavily on oil shipments through the strait. Iran's Supreme Leader issued a defiant warning, praising recent drone strikes. Iran has reimposed restrictions on the strategically crucial Strait of Hormuz, with its forces opening fire on a passing tanker and forcing at least two Indian vessels to reverse course, escalating tensions in the region and raising concerns over energy supplies. Heightened Tensions in the Strait of Hormuz According to the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO), two gunboats of Irans Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps opened fire on a tanker transiting the strait. The vessel and its crew were reported safe, though its identity and destination were not disclosed. The incident comes as Iran tightened control over the key global oil route in response to a US blockade on its shipping and ports. During the ongoing conflict, Tehran has allowed only authorised vessels to pass through the narrow channel. Impact on Indian Vessels and Oil Shipments Amid the heightened tensions, a vessel-tracking service said two Indian ships, including an Indian-flagged supertanker carrying about 2 million barrels of Iraqi crude oil, were forced to turn back after reports of gunfire in the area. The developments mark a fresh escalation in the region, where disruptions to maritime traffic have persisted for weeks. The situation holds particular significance for India, which relies heavily on crude oil shipments routed through the Strait of Hormuz. Iran's Defiant Stance Meanwhile, Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei issued a defiant warning, saying the countrys 'valiant navy' was ready to inflict 'new bitter defeats' on its enemies. In a message marking the anniversary of the establishment of Irans army, he praised Irans drone strikes targeting Israel and US interests across the region during the conflict, underscoring Tehrans hardened stance amid the ongoing crisis. The Strait of Hormuz is a vital waterway for global oil transportation, and any disruption can significantly impact crude oil prices. India imports a substantial portion of its crude oil through this route, making it particularly vulnerable to these restrictions. The Indian government will likely engage in diplomatic efforts to ensure the safe passage of its vessels and secure its energy supplies. Tensions escalate as the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps fires upon India-bound ships in the Strait of Hormuz, disrupting oil and gas supplies and raising concerns about maritime security. IMAGE: Ships and tankers in the Strait of Hormuz off the coast of Musandam, Oman, on April 18, 2026. Photograph: Stringer/Reuters Key Points Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps fired on India-bound ships in the Strait of Hormuz. The attack forced 13 vessels to return to the Persian Gulf, disrupting shipping routes. One Indian-flagged ship carrying crude oil managed to pass through the Strait of Hormuz. The incident has raised concerns about the security of the Strait of Hormuz and potential energy crisis. The Indian government is coordinating with Iranian authorities for the safe passage of stranded ships. A convoy of 14 India-bound ships carrying crude oil and gas were stopped by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) by firing at two of them while they were transiting the Strait of Hormuz, leading to 13 of the vessels returning to different locations in the Persian Gulf, official sources privy to the development said. An Indian-flag carrying ship, which was hit by bullets fired by the IRGC while crossing the Strait of Hormuz, was carrying crude oil and a window pane was broken, forcing it to stop the journey and return. The extent of damage to the second vessel was not immediately known but it also had returned. Impact on India's Oil Supply However, another ship, which was Indian flagged and loaded with crude oil for the Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited, sailed through the Strait and is now heading towards India, the sources said. Two Iranian gunboats approached the targeted tanker and fired at it without warning. Gunboats approached the vessel 37 kilometres northeast of Oman, causing other vessels to return without completing the crossing, the sources said. The incident was reported in waters between the Qeshm and Larak islands, they said. Vessel Details and Cargo Out of the 14 India-bound vessels, seven are carrying the Indian flag, four have the Liberia flag, two are of the Marshall Islands and one of Vietnam. Six of them are loaded with crude oil, three have LPG and four are loaded with fertilisers. Among the ships, five are bulk carriers. All 14 vessels were sailing in a row. Thirteen of them were stopped by the Iranian Navy and were instructed to wait. Out of the 13 stranded vessels, seven vessels are drifting south of Larak Island, waiting for clearance from the Iranian Navy, the sources said. Diplomatic Efforts and Regional Tensions The Indian government is understood to have been coordinating with the Iranian authorities for the safe voyage of the stranded India-bound ships, they said. The standoff over the Strait of Hormuz reportedly escalated again on Saturday as Iran reversed its reopening of the crucial waterway and fired on ships attempting to pass. This came as the United States pressed ahead with its blockade of Iranian ports. Confusion over the Strait, through which roughly one-fifth of the world's oil passes, threatened to deepen the energy crisis. The ceasefire between Iran and the US is due to run out by mid-next week. Iran's joint military command said Saturday that 'control of the Strait of Hormuz has returned to its previous state ... under strict management and control of the armed forces'. It warned that it would continue to block transit through the strait as long as the US blockade of Iranian ports remained in effect. India imports a significant portion of its crude oil through the Strait of Hormuz, making it a critical chokepoint for energy security. Any disruption to shipping in this region can have a direct impact on India's economy and energy prices. The Indian government will likely engage in diplomatic efforts to ensure the safe passage of its vessels and to de-escalate tensions in the region. CEO Ed Bastian has emphasized that Deltas refinery gives it a unique advantage, but even that does not eliminate the pain of a sharp fuel move. The good news is that Deltas broader revenue mix has been strong enough to absorb much of the pressure so far. Delta said the spike added about $400 million in Q1 costs, and management has already responded by adjusting fees and reducing unprofitable capacity where possible. Still, the market reacted first and asked questions later. Airline exchnage-traded funds (ETFs) fell, several carriers sold off, and Delta briefly dropped before stabilizing as oil prices eased. The biggest pressure point in April has been jet fuel. A sharp rise in crude oil sent aviation fuel costs soaring, with industry estimates showing a roughly 130% YOY increase. For airlines, that is a major problem because fuel is one of the largest and most unpredictable expense lines. Delta ranks as a top-rated stock in the S&P 500 Industrials, and after the companys solid first-quarter results, DAL stock has started to look more like a pullback than a breakdown. Shares have rallied 72% over the past year, yet have risen less than 1% year-to-date (YTD). Technically, DAL stock is hovering near its 50-day moving average and well above its 200-day line, which suggests the recent weakness may be more about sector-wide fuel fears than a real deterioration in the underlying business. Delta Air Lines (DAL) has not been immune to the selloff, but it stands out for a few reasons. Demand remains solid, its loyalty program continues to be a powerful profit engine, and the companys premium-focused strategy gives it more pricing power than many rivals. Airline stocks have been under pressure since March 2026 as jet fuel prices have surged and investors have reassessed how much margin strain carriers can absorb. Geopolitical conflict and production cuts have pushed jet fuel roughly 130% higher year-over-year (YOY), raising costs across the industry and pressuring names from American Airlines (AAL) to United Airlines (UAL). The U.S. Global Jets ETF (JETS) and most major airline stocks have moved lower as a result. Story Continues The most interesting thing is that, after the haircut, DAL stock's valuation looks appealing. Its price-to-sales (P/S) ratio is at 0.74 times and its price-to-book ratio is at 2.31 times, both significantly lower than the sector medians of 1.9 times and 3.2 times, respectively. This suggests that DAL stock is relatively undervalued compared to its peers. That is why some investors see the recent pullback as a buying opportunity. Q1 2026 Showed Real Operating Strength Deltas March-quarter results were better than the stock action might suggest. Total revenue reached a record $14.2 billion, up 9.4% from a year earlier, driven by strong premium and loyalty sales. Premium fares grew about 14% YOY, while loyalty and related revenue rose about 13%. That mix is important because it shows Delta is not relying only on basic passenger demand. It is monetizing higher-value travelers and recurring brand loyalty, which gives the company more durability when fuel prices rise. On a GAAP basis, the quarter included a sizable investment loss that pushed Delta to a reported net loss of $289 million, or $0.44 per share. But the adjusted picture was much stronger. Adjusted EPS came in at $0.64, up 44% YOY, while pre-tax income reached $532 million for a 3.7% margin. Cash generation was healthy as well. Delta produced $2.4 billion in operating cash flow and $1.2 billion in free cash flow during the quarter. The firm ended March with about $5.05 billion in cash and equivalents and reduced net debt to roughly $13.5 billion, which leaves the balance sheet in better shape than it was before the pandemic. Managements guidance for the second quarter was cautious but constructive. Delta expects low-teens revenue growth YOY on flat capacity, with operating margins in the 6% to 8% range and EPS of $1 to $1.50, assuming fuel prices around $4.30 per gallon. That is not a blowout forecast, but it does suggest the business is still running well despite the fuel backdrop. Why Delta Still Looks Different From the Pack Delta has been busy making tactical moves to support the network. Recent route additions include daily service from Austin to Phoenix and Bozeman, expanded winter service from Los Angeles to Florida, and a new nonstop service between New York-JFK and John Wayne Orange County (SNA)" starting this May. Delta also highlighted its employee profit-sharing program, which reached about $1.3 billion for 2025 results, one of the largest payouts in the industry. That kind of spending speaks to managements confidence in the business and helps support employee retention in a labor-intensive industry. The market is focusing on fuel, while Delta is still delivering revenue growth, margin resilience, and balance-sheet improvement. What Do Analysts Think of Delta Stock? Morgan Stanley recently put DAL stock at the top of its airline list with a $90 price target, while Goldman Sachs raised its target to $77 and kept a Buy rating. Likewise, BMO Capital labeled the stock as an Outperform with an $80 target. In March, Wells Fargo kept an Overweight rating on DAL but lowered its target to $75 from $87. Wall Street remains mostly bullish on Delta with a consensus Strong Buy rating. The average 12-month price target is $81.22, implying roughly 16% potential upside from current levels. With the stock trading at a modest earnings multiple and the business still performing well, many on the Street see the recent weakness as more of an entry point than a warning sign. www.barchart.com On the date of publication, Nauman Khan 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 Justice B V Nagarathna warns against over-reliance on AI in the judiciary, emphasising that human judgment, constitutional values, and the rule of law must remain central to ensure fairness and equity. Key Points Justice Nagarathna stresses that judicial independence now includes freedom from algorithmic influence. AI should only assist judges, with human judgment remaining central to decision-making. Excessive reliance on AI could create cognitive influence, affecting judicial reasoning. AI can support legal aid systems by improving efficiency and reducing delays. Judges must be free from external pressures and maintain courage and independence. Supreme Court judge Justice B V Nagarathna on Saturday said that judicial independence in the modern era is not just freedom from external power, but also from algorithmic influence. She said the future of justice cannot be shaped by Artificial Intelligence (AI) alone, but must be determined by judges-supported by tools, yet always guided by constitutional values, the rule of law, and a commitment to equity and fairness. The Rule Of Law In The Age Of AI Justice Nagarathna was speaking at the 22nd Biennial State-Level Conference of Judicial Officers, themed 'Reimagining the Judiciary in the Era of Artificial Intelligence', organised by the Karnataka State Judicial Officers Association. "The principle that must remain absolutely unchanged amid all this change is the rule of law. No matter how advanced technology becomes, the foundation of our judiciary cannot and must not shift," she said. "The rule of law is not a technical concept; it is a moral and constitutional commitment that ensures fairness, equality, and accountability," she added. AI As A Tool, Not A Replacement Justice Nagarathna emphasised that artificial intelligence must always remain on the periphery-as a tool, an aid, and a support system, but never the core of decision-making. "The core must always be human judgment, guided by legal reasoning, constitutional values, and a deep sense of justice. If at any point technology begins to replace human judgment, we risk weakening the very institution of the judiciary that we are trying to strengthen," she said. Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, Supreme Court Judge Aravind Kumar, and Chief Justice of the Karnataka High Court Vibhu Bakhru were among those present at the event. The Threat Of Cognitive Influence Stating that AI must respect the experience, discretion, and role of judges as guardians of justice, she said excessive reliance on AI could create a form of cognitive influence. "AI poses a threat to human cognition by subtly shaping how we process information and make decisions. It can affect the cognitive autonomy of individuals," she said. "Therefore, the classical idea of judicial independence must evolve to include independence from undue AI influence. This means ensuring that judges retain final control over reasoning and that the use of AI remains at the periphery at all times and at all stages," she added. Judicial independence in the modern era is not just freedom from external power, but also freedom from algorithmic influence, she said. At a broader level, Justice Nagarathna noted that AI can support the functioning of legal aid systems. AI And The Legal Aid System "In a system where delays and costs are major concerns, even small efficiency improvements can make a significant difference for litigants who often wait years-sometimes across generations-for resolution," she said. "Justice involves empathy, compassion, context, and a deep understanding of human life. No machine can replicate that. Therefore, the principle must remain clear and non-negotiable: artificial intelligence can assist, but the judge must always decide," she said. "Unlike other sectors, errors in the judicial system do not merely cause inconvenience; they can affect life, liberty, and dignity. Therefore, the introduction of AI into judicial processes must be approached with a deep sense of responsibility," she added. Judges Must Be Free From External Pressures Justice Nagarathna also said judges who are unable to live within their known sources of income and fall prey to greed and temptation must be "weeded out of the system." "I must add that judges must be free from external pressures or from their colleagues. They must develop courage and independence. There cannot be any 'coordination' in decision-making," she said. "A tainted decision by a judge is a black mark on the judge and on the judiciary itself. Hence, let us realise and be conscious of our duty to the litigant public and to the nation," she added. The Supreme Court has been exploring the use of AI to improve efficiency and reduce case backlogs. However, concerns remain about the potential for bias and the need to ensure human oversight in judicial decision-making, especially in sensitive cases involving personal liberty. Justice Nagarathna warns that while Artificial Intelligence can assist the judiciary, it should not replace human judgement, emphasising the importance of judicial independence from algorithmic influence. Key Points Justice Nagarathna stresses judicial independence must include freedom from algorithmic influence. AI should be used as a tool to support judges, not replace human judgement in the judiciary. The rule of law and constitutional values must remain the foundation of the judiciary in the age of AI. Excessive reliance on AI in the judiciary could create cognitive influence and affect human cognition. AI can support legal aid systems by improving efficiency, but judges must always make the final decision. Supreme Court judge Justice B V Nagarathna on Saturday said that judicial independence in the modern era is not just freedom from external power, but also freedom from algorithmic influence. She said the future of justice cannot be shaped by Artificial Intelligence (AI) alone, but must be determined by judges-supported by tools, yet always guided by constitutional values, the rule of law, and a commitment to equity and fairness. The Role of AI in Reimagining the Judiciary Justice Nagarathna was speaking at the 22nd Biennial State-Level Conference of Judicial Officers, themed 'Reimagining the Judiciary in the Era of Artificial Intelligence', organised by the Karnataka State Judicial Officers Association. "The principle that must remain absolutely unchanged amid all this change is the rule of law. No matter how advanced technology becomes, the foundation of our judiciary cannot and must not shift," she said. "The rule of law is not a technical concept; it is a moral and constitutional commitment that ensures fairness, equality, and accountability," she added. Justice Nagarathna emphasised that, in this context, artificial intelligence must always remain on the periphery-as a tool, an aid, and a support system, but never the core of decision-making. Maintaining Human Judgement in the Age of AI "The core must always be human judgment, guided by legal reasoning, constitutional values, and a deep sense of justice. If at any point technology begins to replace human judgment, we risk weakening the very institution of the judiciary that we are trying to strengthen," she said. Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, Supreme Court Judge Aravind Kumar, and Chief Justice of the Karnataka High Court Vibhu Bakhru were among those present at the event. Stating that AI must respect the experience, discretion, and role of judges as guardians of justice, she said that excessive reliance on AI could create a form of cognitive influence. "AI poses a threat to human cognition by subtly shaping how we process information and make decisions. It can affect the cognitive autonomy of individuals," she said. Ensuring Independence From Undue AI Influence "Therefore, the classical idea of judicial independence must evolve to include independence from undue AI influence. This means ensuring that judges retain final control over reasoning and that the use of AI remains at the periphery at all times and at all stages," she added. Judicial independence in the modern era is not just freedom from external power, but also freedom from algorithmic influence," she said. At a broader level, Justice Nagarathna noted, AI can support the functioning of legal aid systems. "In a system where delays and costs are major concerns, even small efficiency improvements can make a significant difference for litigants who often wait years-sometimes across generations-for resolution," she said. "Justice involves empathy, compassion, context, and a deep understanding of human life. No machine can replicate that. Therefore, the principle must remain clear and non-negotiable: artificial intelligence can assist, but the judge must always decide," she said. "Unlike other sectors, errors in the judicial system do not merely cause inconvenience; they can affect life, liberty, and dignity. Therefore, the introduction of AI into judicial processes must be approached with a deep sense of responsibility," she added. Justice Nagarathna's comments come at a time when Indian courts are exploring AI to improve efficiency and reduce case backlogs. The legal framework in India is still evolving to address the ethical and practical challenges posed by AI in judicial processes. The Supreme Court and various High Courts are actively considering guidelines to regulate the use of AI in the judiciary. Mamata Banerjee fiercely criticises the BJP's failure to pass the Women's Reservation Bill, alleging it was a political manoeuvre to divide India and Bengal and accusing the BJP of deception. Photograph: ANI Photo Key Points Mamata Banerjee accuses the BJP of using the Women's Reservation Bill as a political ploy to divide the country and Bengal. Banerjee claims the BJP's failure to pass the bill exposes their 'real game' to redraw the electoral map for political gain. The TMC leader alleges the BJP government failed to secure the passage of the bill, which sought to provide 33 per cent reservation for women in Parliament and state assemblies. Banerjee questions why women's reservation was tied to delimitation, accusing the Centre of hiding its 'real game'. Banerjee claims that the BJP government would bring in NRC and send people to detention camps after delimitation. The BJP's "downfall" began in Parliament and will continue in Bengal, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said on Saturday, seizing on the Centre's failure to pass a Constitution amendment bill to implement women's quota in legislatures from 2029. Addressing rallies at Uluberia in Howrah, and Baruipur, Bhangore and Sonarpur in South 24 Parganas, she launched a blistering attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, claiming the BJP's failed bid to link women's reservation with delimitation had exposed the Centre's "real game" to divide the country and Bengal. Banerjee Accuses BJP of Political Ploy The TMC supremo alleged the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill was never really meant to empower women but was a political ploy to redraw the country's electoral map and help the BJP cling to power. "The bill was never meant for the empowerment of women. In the name of the Women's Reservation Bill, they wanted to divide the country and divide Bengal. The fall of Modi has started from yesterday. In the coming days, we will dethrone the BJP," Banerjee said, turning the NDA's parliamentary setback into a battle cry for the assembly polls. "Yesterday proved they are no longer a majority government. It is a minority government, somehow running with the support of two parties. They have been badly humiliated in Delhi. Now the people of Bengal should humiliate them again," she said. Details of the Failed Women's Reservation Bill The BJP-led government at the Centre failed to secure the passage of the bill, which sought to provide 33 per cent reservation for women in Parliament and state assemblies before the 2029 Lok Sabha polls through a delimitation exercise based on the 2011 Census. The legislation, which also proposed increasing the strength of the Lok Sabha to 816, required a two-thirds majority but fell short, with 298 MPs voting in favour and 230 against. It needed 352 votes to pass. Banerjee repeatedly questioned why women's reservation had been tied to delimitation, accusing the Centre of hiding its "real game" behind the language of women's empowerment. "We have fought for women's reservation since 1998. We already have 50 per cent reservation for women in panchayats and municipalities. In the Lok Sabha, 37 per cent of our MPs are women. In the Rajya Sabha, women account for 46 per cent. Narendra Modi should learn from us," she said. Banerjee Alleges BJP's Hidden Agenda "What was the need for clubbing delimitation with the Women's Reservation Bill? Do they think they are too clever? They brought delimitation under the garb of the Women's Reservation Bill because Narendra Modi could not have won with the existing number of seats. That is why they wanted to increase Lok Sabha seats to around 850. This was the underlying game," the TMC supremo claimed. Invoking the Bengali idiom 'shak diye mach dhaka' (covering the Sun with a sieve), Banerjee alleged the BJP was trying to conceal a far bigger political design. "This is not a Women's Reservation Bill. They decide what the media should show and what it should not. Behind women's reservation was their plan to divide India and divide Bengal," she said, adding that having sensed the design early, the TMC sent most of its MPs to attend the Parliament session. "I was asked to send 20 MPs. I sent 21 MPs. They all went despite election campaigning because Bengal had to be protected. We will not allow the nation to be divided, no matter what," Banerjee said. Banerjee Intensifies Attack on Modi With Prime Minister Modi scheduled to address the nation on Saturday evening, Banerjee sharpened her attack further. "I have heard Modi will speak today. His speeches are nothing but a barrage of lies. Through delimitation, they wanted to divide the country. They are the real tukde tukde gang. The Women's Reservation Bill was only a front," she said. "After delimitation, they would have brought the NRC and sent people to detention camps. In the name of SIR, they have already taken away your voting rights. They deleted names from the voters' list. Do you want to stand in more queues after demonetisation, Aadhaar and NRC? You have stood in too many queues. Now throw the BJP out of the queue," Banerjee said. The TMC supremo sought to weave together Parliament, Bengal and the upcoming elections into one political narrative -- that the BJP's setback in Delhi could become the beginning of its slide in Bengal and beyond. "Yesterday, they lost in Parliament. Tomorrow they will lose on the ground. We first defeated them in Bengal (in 2021). Now we have targeted Delhi. After winning Bengal, we will capture Delhi democratically," she said. The TMC chief also revived her familiar charge that the BJP was trying to rule Bengal through central agencies and the bureaucracy. She then switched to bread-and-butter issues, seeking to reinforce the TMC's campaign among women and poor voters. "Narendra Modi promised two crore jobs every year. In 12 years, that means 24 crore jobs. Where are those jobs? In Bengal alone, we have given two crore jobs," she claimed. "Have you got Rs 15 lakh? Has black money come back? After the elections, they will increase the prices of petrol, diesel and cooking gas again," Banerjee alleged. The chief minister also warned people against what she described as the BJP's attempts to collect data in the name of financial assistance. "Now they are saying they will give you Rs 3,000. Don't fill out those forms. They are taking your names and addresses. Then they will take money from your accounts. They are frauds," she alleged. The Constitution (One Hundred and Twenty-Eighth Amendment) Bill, 2023, commonly known as the Women's Reservation Bill, proposes to reserve one-third of the seats in the Lok Sabha and state legislative assemblies for women. The bill is currently stalled, and similar attempts to pass the legislation have failed for over a decade due to lack of consensus among political parties. The next steps would involve further negotiations and potentially another attempt to pass the bill in a future parliamentary session. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has launched a scathing attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, accusing him of delivering speeches filled with falsehoods that fail to provide any real assistance to the impoverished. Photograph: @AITCofficial/X Key Points Mamata Banerjee criticised Narendra Modi's speeches, calling them a 'pack of lies' that offer no relief to the poor. Banerjee accused the BJP regime of being led by individuals who previously incited riots. She invoked Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose and Mahatma Gandhi as symbols of unity and harmony. Banerjee highlighted the failure of the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill to pass in the Lok Sabha, which aimed to reserve 33 per cent of seats for women. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday stepped up her attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi ahead of his address to the nation, saying his speeches offered no relief to the poor and were "nothing but a pack of lies". Speaking at a rally in Bhangar in South 24 Parganas district, Banerjee said, "I hear the prime minister will again address the nation with yet another web of falsehoods. People will not get rations by listening to his speech. His speeches are nothing but a pack of lies." Banerjee Criticises Failed Women's Reservation Bill Modi is scheduled to speak to the nation at 8.30 pm, a day after the BJP-led government failed to secure passage of the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill in the Lok Sabha. The bill sought to implement 33 per cent reservation for women in Parliament and state assemblies before the 2029 Lok Sabha polls through a delimitation exercise based on the 2011 Census. The legislation required a two-thirds majority but failed to cross the mark, with 298 MPs voting in favour and 230 against. It needed 352 votes to be passed. Broader Political Attack On BJP Banerjee also launched a broader political attack on the BJP, alleging that people who had once fomented communal tensions were now in charge of the country. "Under the BJP regime, those who once incited riots have now risen to become the leaders of the country," she said. Invoking National Leaders Invoking Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose and Mahatma Gandhi, the Trinamool Congress supremo said India's true leaders had stood for unity and harmony. "The real leaders of this nation have always been towering figures like Bose and Mahatma Gandhi, who united the country through ideals of freedom, secularism and harmony, not those who thrive on division, hatred and violence," she said. Political rhetoric often intensifies in the lead-up to elections, and these statements reflect the ongoing tensions between the Trinamool Congress and the BJP. The Election Commission of India oversees the Model Code of Conduct during election periods, which governs permissible statements by political figures. A Dalit labourer was allegedly abducted and strangled to death in Uttar Pradesh, sparking a police investigation and raising concerns about caste-based violence. Key Points A Dalit labourer was allegedly abducted and murdered in Muzaffarnagar, Uttar Pradesh. The victim, Suresh, was reportedly strangled and his body was dumped in a Ganga canal. Police have registered a case against three individuals, including charges under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. One suspect, Vikal, has been arrested in connection with the murder. A labourer belonging to the Scheduled Caste (Dalit) community was allegedly abducted, strangled to death, and his body dumped into a Ganga canal here following an altercation, police said on Saturday. Arrest Made In Connection With The Murder Based on the investigation and CCTV footage, police registered a case against three accused individuals and arrested one Vikal (32). According to the police, the deceased labourer has been identified as Suresh (45), a resident of Ibrahimpur village in the Ramraj police station area of Muzaffarnagar district. Police Investigation Underway SHO of Ramraj police station Ravindra Yadav told reporters here on Saturday that the police registered a case against Vikal, Kartik Bhati, and Aadesh Goswami under charges of murder and provisions of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. According to the police, Suresh had gone to work at a brick kiln on April 16 but did not return home. The SHO said further legal action is underway. Under Indian law, the accused could face charges of murder under Section 302 of the Indian Penal Code, as well as charges under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. The investigation will likely focus on gathering forensic evidence and witness statements to build a case against the accused. A man in Thane, Maharashtra, received a life sentence for the 2016 murder of his neighbour following a dispute, while his parents were acquitted due to insufficient evidence. Photograph: Pixabay.com Key Points A man in Thane was sentenced to life imprisonment for stabbing his neighbour to death in 2016. The court acquitted the man's parents due to a lack of evidence linking them to the crime. The incident stemmed from a dispute where the victim confronted the accused for allegedly harassing his sister. The accused stabbed the victim multiple times, leading to his death three days later. Witness statements regarding the parents' involvement were deemed inconsistent, leading to their acquittal. A court in Maharashtra's Thane district sentenced to imprisonment for life a 42-year-old man accused of stabbing his neighbour to death over a dispute in 2016, while acquitting his parents, citing a lack of evidence to establish their role in the crime. Additional sessions judge D S Deshmukh on Friday found Mohammed Asgar alias Samar Dilshad Husen Sayyed guilty of the charges under section 302 (murder) and 504 (intentional insult) of the Indian Penal Code. The court sentenced him to imprisonment for life and imposed a fine of Rs 50,000. It acquitted Asgar's father, Dilshad Husen Shahanshah Sayyed, and mother, Efsari Dilshad Husen Sayyed. Details of the Fatal Stabbing Incident Additional public prosecutor V G Kadu stated that on the incident in the Kausa area of Mumbra on May 21, 2016, when the victim, Ahmad Raja Shaikh, confronted Asgar for allegedly harassing and "peeping" into his house to look at his sister. A scuffle ensued, and the accused rushed into his house to retrieve a knife and stabbed Ahmad multiple times in front of several witnesses. The victim succumbed to his injuries three days later at Sion Hospital. Acquittal of Parents Due to Doubtful Evidence Judge Deshmukh noted that prosecution witnesses had made "improvements" in their statements by saying that the accused's parents caught hold of the victim's hands and allowed their son to commit murder. This created doubt about their involvement in the murder, he held, while acquitting the parents. Under Indian Penal Code Section 302, murder carries a minimum punishment of life imprisonment, extendable to the death penalty in certain cases. The next step typically involves confirming the sentence and transferring the convict to a prison facility. The acquittal of the parents highlights the importance of concrete evidence in establishing guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. A 50-year-old man was shot dead in Uttar Pradesh due to a long-standing land dispute, prompting a police investigation and raising concerns about rural crime. Key Points A 50-year-old man was fatally shot in Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh, due to a suspected land dispute. The victim, Kallu alias Kalyan, was attacked in the fields by assailants allegedly lying in wait. Police have initiated an investigation, deploying heavy security and detaining two individuals for questioning. The murder is believed to be linked to a long-standing rivalry over land, with tensions escalating recently. A 50-year-old man was shot dead in broad daylight in a suspected case of old enmity in a village here on Saturday morning, police said. The deceased, identified as Kallu alias Kalyan, had gone to the fields when assailants, who were allegedly lying in wait, fired at him indiscriminately, killing him on the spot, they said. Police Investigation Underway Superintendent of Police (North) Anshika Verma said she, along with Aonla Circle Officer Nitin Kumar and Bhamora Station House Officer Pawan Kumar Singh, reached the spot soon after receiving information about the incident. The body has been sent for post-mortem. Heavy police deployment has been made in the village to maintain law and order, and raids are being conducted to nab the accused, police said, adding that two persons have been taken into custody for questioning. Land Dispute As Possible Motive Preliminary investigation suggests that the murder stemmed from a long-standing dispute, apparently linked to a land-related rivalry, officials said. According to the family, the victim had been engaged in a dispute with some villagers for a considerable period. His brother Dharmpal alleged that an altercation had taken place about two years ago, and the tensions had resurfaced in recent days. The matter had even reached the police station on Friday, with a settlement reportedly scheduled for Sunday. However, before any resolution could be reached, the attackers allegedly carried out the killing, indicating premeditation, the family claimed. Case Registered, Investigation Continues Police said a case is being registered based on a complaint, and further investigation is underway. Under Indian law, murder charges typically fall under Section 302 of the Indian Penal Code. The next stage of the investigation will likely involve gathering forensic evidence and witness statements to build a case against the accused. Land disputes are a common trigger for violent crime in many parts of Uttar Pradesh. A 30-year-old man in Aligarh was tragically stabbed to death by relatives following a dispute over the repayment of a Rs 20,000 loan, highlighting the deadly consequences of financial disagreements. Key Points Afsar, a 30-year-old canteen owner, was stabbed to death in Aligarh after demanding repayment of a Rs 20,000 loan. The victim was attacked by relatives, including his sister and brother-in-law, over the loan repayment dispute. Police have arrested four individuals, including the victim's sister and nephews, in connection with the murder. The main suspect, the victim's brother-in-law, is currently absconding and being sought by the police. A 30-year-old man was stabbed to death allegedly by his relatives after he asked them to return Rs 20,000 that he had loaned them, a police official said on Saturday. The deceased has been identified as Afsar (30), they said. Details of the Aligarh Stabbing Incident According to police, Afsar (30) used to run a canteen near the AMU campus and is a father of two young children. He was returning from the canteen late on Friday night when the attackers surrounded him and stabbed him several times. Some other family members and some policemen rushed him to the Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries, police said. The Loan Dispute Leading to Violence Afsar had lent Rs 20,000 to his sister and brother-in-law several weeks back. Recently, he had started demanding it back, and his sister and his brother-in-law became enraged by his persistent efforts. Some other family members had worked out a compromise a day back, but suddenly, late on Friday night, matters took a violent turn, leading to the incident, and Afsar was stabbed to death, police said. Police Investigation and Arrests Circle Officer (Civil Lines) Sarvan Singh on Saturday told reporters that four persons, including Afsar's sister Shahnaaz and his three nephews, have been arrested. Police are searching for the other attackers, including his brother-in-law Imran, who is absconding and is believed to be one of the main attackers. Under Indian law, the accused could face charges related to murder and conspiracy. The police investigation will likely focus on locating the absconding brother-in-law and gathering evidence to build a case against all involved parties. Following the killing of two civilians in an ambush in Manipur's Ukhrul district, the state government has handed over the investigation to the National Investigation Agency (NIA). Photograph: PTI Photo Key Points Two civilians, including a retired army personnel, were killed in an ambush in Manipur's Ukhrul district. The Chief Minister of Manipur has ordered the National Investigation Agency (NIA) to take over the investigation into the killings. The incident occurred a day after the Chief Minister appealed for peace and dialogue between Kuki and Naga residents. Security forces have launched an operation to apprehend those responsible for the attack in Ukhrul. Various community organisations have condemned the killings and called for peace and security for civilians in Manipur. A retired Army personnel was among two persons shot dead by suspected militants in an ambush in Manipur's Ukhrul district on Saturday, with Chief Minister Y Khemchand Singh announcing that the probe into the incident would be handed over to the NIA. The incident took place at T M Kasom village in Litan police station area this afternoon, a day after the chief minister visited the Tangkhul Naga-majority hill district and appealed for peace and dialogue during an interaction with both Kuki and Naga residents. Details of the Manipur Ambush Suspected militants opened fire at an Ukhrul-bound convoy of civilian vehicles coming from Imphal. A man sitting in the front passenger seat of a car was struck by a bullet in the head and he died on the spot, while another person who suffered gunshot wounds succumbed to his injuries, they said. The deceased were identified as Chinaoshang Shokwungnao, a retired Army personnel, from Tashar village; and Yaruingam Vashum from Kharasom village. Windshields and rear windows of three cars were also damaged during the ambush. Government Response to the Killings The chief minister appealed to all communities to maintain calm and not fall prey to provocations intended to vitiate the atmosphere. In a social media post, the CM said, "I strongly condemn the killing of two innocent civilians in an attack by militants at T M Kasom village in Ukhrul district around 2.30 pm today. My government has decided to hand over the case to the National Investigation Agency (NIA)." "Ex gratia will be provided to the families of two victims, Chinaoshang Shokwungnao, a retired Army personnel of Naga Regiment, who hailed from Tashar village, and Yaruingam Vashum of Kharasom C V village," he said. He said security forces have launched an operation to apprehend those behind the attack. "I offer my condolences to the bereaved families and share their grief in this hour," he said. In another statement, he said a case has been registered with Litan police station and further investigation is underway. Security Measures and Community Reactions Singh and Home Minister Govindas Konthoujam are personally monitoring the situation and a high-level meeting was held during the day to review security arrangements, the statement issued by the CM Secretariat said. The home minister also appealed to the public to cooperate with the security personnel for nabbing the attackers. The CM said his government remains firmly committed to protecting the lives of its citizens and will take all necessary measures to prevent the recurrence of such incidents. The Kuki Zo Council, meanwhile, denied any involvement of the community in the killing of two persons. On the other hand, the Working Committee of Tangkhul Naga Long (TNL), in a separate statement, strongly condemned the incident. "The victims were part of a group of passengers, including women, children, and elderly persons, travelling from Imphal to Ukhrul under security escort... The attack was carried out by Kuki SoO cadres using snipers and long-range weapons shortly after the security escort had withdrawn," it said. The committee demanded immediate combing operations in the area, holding the government responsible for ensuring the safety of civilians, it added. Under Indian law, murder charges would typically apply in this case, potentially including conspiracy if the attack was pre-planned. The NIA investigation will likely focus on identifying the perpetrators, their motives, and any connections to militant groups operating in the region. Manipur has seen ongoing tensions between different ethnic communities, adding complexity to the investigation. Haryana police have successfully busted an interstate robbery gang, arresting seven individuals including the suspected mastermind, who orchestrated the theft of gold and cash from a bullion trader's employees. Key Points Haryana police arrest seven individuals, including the alleged mastermind, in connection with a bullion trader robbery. The arrested individuals are part of an interstate gang involved in organised robberies across the National Capital Region, Haryana, and Madhya Pradesh. Police recovered cash, gold, vehicles, fake number plates, and mobile phones from the accused. The alleged mastermind, a former government employee, has 26 prior cases registered against him. Police have arrested seven persons including the suspected mastermind in connection with the alleged robbery of gold and cash from a driver and an employee of a bullion trader in Haryana's Palwal district, an official said on Saturday. Police have recovered Rs 17.50 lakh in cash, 138 grams of gold, two vehicles used in the crime, a motorcycle, four fake number plates, and four mobile phones from their possession. Interstate Gang's Modus Operandi According to police, the accused are part of an interstate gang that executed organised robberies across the national capital region, Haryana, and even Madhya Pradesh. The alleged mastermind has been identified as Dharmbir (64) -- a former government employee who was sacked from the civil department of Ministry of Defence. The official said, on April 2, criminals posing as officers of the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) stopped a car owned by a bullion trader near HUDA Chowk on National Highway-10, and allegedly robbed his driver, Rajkumar, and his employee, Vijay, of 30 tolas (nearly 350 grams) of gold and Rs 31 lakh in cash. Subsequently, the accused allegedly abducted Vijay in the car and left the spot, later dropping him off in Gurugram. Investigation and Arrests Following the complaint by bullion trader Vikas Jain, an FIR was registered under relevant sections at Palwal City police station. Four teams, which also comprised crime branch officers, were formed to investigate the matter, police said. In a joint operation by the crime unit of Palwal police and Palwal City police station, a total of seven accused including the mastermind were arrested from various locations in Delhi and Faridabad, police said, adding that the teams scanned over 250 CCTV cameras in Palwal, Gurugram, Delhi, and surrounding areas to identify and track the suspects. Criminal History and Further Investigation Sustained interrogation revealed that the accused were involved in several organised crimes, first conducting reconnaissance and then using fake IDs and number plates to pose as law enforcement officials to carry out robberies. Few months ago, the gang had robbed a gutkha trader in Madhya Pradesh's Gwalior of Rs 25 lakh, besides another Rs 5-lakh heist in Delhi, Palwal Superintendent of Police Nitish Agarwal said, adding that the accused are being questioning. The alleged mastermind of the gang was identified as Dharmbir alias Sarji alias Fauji (64), a resident of Silani village in Jhajjar district, and currently residing in Faridabad. Police also arrested clinic operator Narender Kumar alias Nitu (42), a resident of Badhani village in Jhajjar; and Delhi and Faridabad-based drivers Amit alias Bablu (39), a native of Uttar Pradesh's Sitapur, Laxman alias Kehri (36), a native of Palwal, Bijender Kumar alias Kala Pandit alias Topi (44), and Dinesh Kumar (39) -- both residents of Delhi. Deepak Samanto (44), a West Bengal native residing in Delhi, is also among arrestees. "During investigation, it was revealed that the accused mastermind Dharambir has 26 cases registered against him in various police stations in Delhi and Haryana under serious sections of robbery, dacoity, theft, etc. He has been involved in crime since 2011, and was removed from government service. Accused Bijendra Kumar alias Kala Pandit has 17 cases registered against him in various police stations in Delhi and Haryana under serious sections including robbery, dacoity, fraud, etc. Dinesh Kumar has 11 cases registered against him in various police stations in Delhi and Haryana while four cases each are registered against the accused Amit alias Bablu and Laxman alias Kehri. Further probe is underway", the police spokesperson said. Under Indian law, charges of robbery and conspiracy are typically applied in such cases, potentially leading to significant prison sentences upon conviction. The next stage of the investigation will likely involve gathering further evidence and filing a chargesheet in court. Haryana has seen a rise in organised crime in recent years, prompting increased police vigilance. There's no doubt that money can be made by owning shares of unprofitable businesses. By way of example, Alma Metals (ASX:ALM) has seen its share price rise 180% over the last year, delighting many shareholders. But while history lauds those rare successes, those that fail are often forgotten; who remembers Pets.com? In light of its strong share price run, we think now is a good time to investigate how risky Alma Metals' cash burn is. For the purpose of this article, we'll define cash burn as the amount of cash the company is spending each year to fund its growth (also called its negative free cash flow). First, we'll determine its cash runway by comparing its cash burn with its cash reserves. AI is about to change healthcare. These 20 stocks are working on everything from early diagnostics to drug discovery. The best part - they are all under $10bn in marketcap - there is still time to get in early. Does Alma Metals Have A Long Cash Runway? A company's cash runway is the amount of time it would take to burn through its cash reserves at its current cash burn rate. As at December 2025, Alma Metals had cash of AU$2.6m and no debt. In the last year, its cash burn was AU$2.1m. Therefore, from December 2025 it had roughly 15 months of cash runway. That's not too bad, but it's fair to say the end of the cash runway is in sight, unless cash burn reduces drastically. You can see how its cash balance has changed over time in the image below. ASX:ALM Debt to Equity History April 18th 2026 See our latest analysis for Alma Metals How Is Alma Metals' Cash Burn Changing Over Time? Alma Metals didn't record any revenue over the last year, indicating that it's an early stage company still developing its business. Nonetheless, we can still examine its cash burn trajectory as part of our assessment of its cash burn situation. While it hardly paints a picture of imminent growth, the fact that it has reduced its cash burn by 34% over the last year suggests some degree of prudence. Admittedly, we're a bit cautious of Alma Metals due to its lack of significant operating revenues. We prefer most of the stocks on this list of stocks that analysts expect to grow. How Hard Would It Be For Alma Metals To Raise More Cash For Growth? Even though it has reduced its cash burn recently, shareholders should still consider how easy it would be for Alma Metals to raise more cash in the future. Issuing new shares, or taking on debt, are the most common ways for a listed company to raise more money for its business. Many companies end up issuing new shares to fund future growth. We can compare a company's cash burn to its market capitalisation to get a sense for how many new shares a company would have to issue to fund one year's operations. Mumbai police have apprehended a key supplier in the tragic drug overdose case involving two MBA students, intensifying the investigation into the distribution of ecstasy and other illicit substances at city events. Photograph: ANI Photo Key Points Mumbai police arrested Ayush Sahitya, a key supplier, in connection with the drug overdose deaths of two MBA students. The arrest brings the total number of individuals in custody to nine, including alleged drug peddlers and the event organiser. The victims reportedly consumed alcohol and ecstasy pills during a music concert in Goregaon. Police are investigating a case of culpable homicide not amounting to murder under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. The Mumbai police on Saturday arrested a key supplier in the death of two MBA students due to suspected drug overdose at a concert in the city's Goregaon area, an official said. Key Supplier Arrested in Thane District With the arrest of the 24-year-old accused, Ayush Sahitya, police have taken nine persons into custody so far, he said. According to the official from Vanrai police station in Goregaon, Sahitya was arrested in Ulhasnagar in neighbouring Thane district. He was produced in a court and remanded in police custody. Investigation Reveals Drug Supply Chain Sahitya had allegedly supplied drugs to accused Anand Patel, who was earlier arrested in Kalyan on Mumbai's outskirts, and was constantly in touch with him. Sahitya is a student and has no known criminal background, the official said. Two MBA students, a man and a woman, died of suspected overdose after consuming alcohol and ecstasy pills during a music concert on April 11. Both died on April 12, while a third student was undergoing treatment at Bombay Hospital, according to police. The victims were part of a group of 20 to 22 students who had attended the event at Nesco Ground in Goregon. Preliminary investigations showed that some of them had consumed ecstasy before entering the venue, while alcohol was also consumed during the concert, as per the police. Ecstasy Use and Previous Arrests Ecstasy is the street name for 3,4-methylenedioxy-methamphetamine (MDMA), a synthetic drug. It is popular in the club and rave scene for its ability to produce feelings of increased energy, empathy, and euphoria. Earlier, eight persons, including the event organiser and a suspected drug supplier, were arrested. They have been identified as Prateek Pandey, Raunak Khandelwal, Anand Patel, Vinit Garlani, Shubh Agarwal, Akash Sanal, Sunny Jain and Balkrishna Kurup. Of the nine arrested, six are alleged drug peddlers, police said, adding that they have recorded the statements of more than 12 persons as part of the investigation. Ongoing Investigation and Search Operations Thousands of youngsters had attended the music concert, and several of them reportedly felt unwell during the event. They were rushed to nearby hospitals, said officials. The Vanrai police have registered a case under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita for culpable homicide not amounting to murder and other offences. Following the drug overdose deaths, police and the crime branch have been conducting searches at multiple locations, they said. Police had said earlier that the racketeers seem to have supplied drugs during earlier events held at the same venue. All those arrested have been remanded in police custody, and further investigation is underway, officials added. Under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, culpable homicide not amounting to murder carries a potential sentence of imprisonment for up to ten years, or life imprisonment if the act is committed with the intention of causing death. The police will likely focus on tracing the source of the drugs and determining the extent of the distribution network. A TCS employee in Nashik, India, accused of religious conversion and sexual harassment, has applied for anticipatory bail, prompting police investigation and an internal probe by TCS. Key Points A TCS employee in Nashik, Nida Khan, is seeking anticipatory bail amid allegations of religious conversion and sexual harassment. Nashik police have launched an investigation and questioned the accused's husband, while TCS has initiated an internal probe. TCS has clarified that the accused is a process associate, not an HR manager, and has suspended employees allegedly involved in the harassment. Tata Sons chairman N Chandrasekaran has expressed concern and promised a thorough investigation into the allegations. Police have arrested eight TCS employees in connection with the alleged exploitation and harassment. A female employee of the TCS unit in Nashik, accused in a case related to alleged religious conversion and sexual harassment of some women colleagues at the office, on Saturday moved an anticipatory bail application, citing her two-month-old pregnancy. The accused, identified as Nida Khan, stated that the charges invoked against her attract less than seven years of punishment. Khan's plea will be heard by the Nashik sessions court on Monday. Her lawyer denied the charges against Khan, saying she cannot be accused of outraging the modesty of other women. TCS Responds to Harassment Allegations Nashik Police Commissioner Sandip Karnik had said that Khan is accused in only one case of religious harassment at the IT firm unit. TCS on Friday clarified that Khan is not an HR manager as being referred to in some reports, but a process associate and never held any leadership role. A Nashik police Crime Branch team is currently stationed in Mumbra in Thane district to track down Khan, and questioned her husband on Friday, an official said. Police sources had said that Khan's husband was questioned at his home about her whereabouts. "The investigative team is following specific leads in Mumbra. We have information that the accused had shifted her base to evade arrest," a police officer said on Friday. According to another official, her husband told the police his wife had gone to a relative's house. However, when the police team reached the relative's residence, it was found locked. Also, the mobile phones of the accused and her relative were switched off, he said. Police Investigation and Arrests Police have so far arrested eight TCS employees -- seven men and a female operations manager at the unit. The Nashik police have formed three teams to trace Khan. These teams have been dispatched to various places, and one of them landed in Mumbra, officials said. The SIT is probing a total of nine cases registered in connection with the alleged exploitation, attempt of forceful conversion, hurting religious sentiments, molestation and mental harassment of female employees at the TCS unit. TCS Zero-Tolerance Policy TCS has clarified that it has adopted a zero-tolerance policy towards harassment and coercion of any form for a long time, and the employees allegedly involved in sexual harassment at the Nashik office have been suspended. Tata Sons chairman N Chandrasekaran had termed sexual harassment as "gravely concerning and anguishing", and announced that a thorough internal investigation was underway to establish the facts and identify individuals responsible for the situation. TCS on Friday said that it had not received any complaints through its internal channels on the matter. According to a preliminary probe, the company was not in receipt of any complaints, as alleged, a statement said. "A preliminary review of the systems and records pertaining to the Nashik unit indicates that we have not received any complaints of the nature that are being alleged on either our ethics or POSH (prevention of sexual harassment) channels," it said. The country's largest IT services company also announced an oversight panel and engagement of external entities in its internal probe. Under Indian law, charges related to sexual harassment and religious conversion can carry significant penalties, including imprisonment. The next stage of the investigation will likely involve gathering evidence, recording witness statements, and potentially further arrests. This case highlights the ongoing concerns around workplace harassment in the IT sector. A TCS employee accused of religious conversion and sexual harassment in Nashik has applied for anticipatory bail, as police continue to investigate the alleged misconduct at the IT firm. Image used only for representation. Photograph: ANI on X Key Points A TCS employee in Nashik, Nida Khan, seeks anticipatory bail in a case involving alleged religious conversion and sexual harassment. Two male accused, Raza Memon and Shafi Sheikh, have their police remand extended to allow for further investigation and witness questioning. TCS clarifies that the accused female employee was a process associate, not an HR manager, and that the company has a zero-tolerance policy towards harassment. A Special Investigation Team is probing nine cases related to the alleged exploitation and attempted forced conversion of female TCS employees. TCS has launched an internal investigation and engaged external entities to probe the allegations of sexual harassment at its Nashik unit. A female employee of the TCS unit in Nashik, accused in a case related to alleged religious conversion and sexual harassment of some women colleagues at the office, on Saturday, moved an anticipatory bail application, citing her two-month-old pregnancy. The accused, identified as Nida Khan, stated that the charges invoked against her attract less than seven years of punishment. Khan's plea will be heard by the Nashik sessions court on Monday. Police Remand Extended for Male Accused Separately, a court extended the police remand of two male accused, Raza Memon (35) and Shafi Sheikh (36), in the alleged sexual harassment and religious conversion case till April 20 to allow police to identify and question key witnesses and collect more evidence. Nida Khan's lawyer has denied the charges against his client, saying she cannot be accused of outraging the modesty of other women. Nashik Police Commissioner Sandip Karnik had said that Khan is accused in only one case of religious harassment at the IT firm unit. Memon and Sheikh are among the seven employees, including a woman HR manager, who have been arrested so far, while Nida Khan is absconding. The duo was arrested afresh in a related case on Wednesday and were produced before a magistrate at the end of their remand on Saturday. The other accused are already in judicial custody. The police requested the court to extend their remand for five days to identify and question key witnesses in the case. The accused have allegedly committed various acts with religious motives against male and female colleagues. Due to the large scope of these crimes, a detailed interrogation is needed, the police said. Government lawyers Kiran Bendbhar and Aniket Avhad submitted that the accused duo are habitual offenders with multiple cases registered against them at the Mumbai Naka police station in Nashik. The prosecution submitted that the custody of Memon and Sheikh is required to conduct a technical analysis of their mobile phones. Additionally, police need to identify and question eyewitnesses and collect further evidence. Defence Arguments and TCS Clarification Defence lawyers Rahul Kasliwal and Baba Sayyad questioned the need for physical police custody of the accused for analysing technical evidence, such as the recovery of the password, and urged that they be remanded in judicial custody. TCS on Friday clarified that Khan is not an HR manager, but a process associate and never held any leadership role. A Nashik police Crime Branch team is currently stationed in Mumbra in Thane district to track down Khan, and questioned her husband on Friday, an official said. Police sources had said that Khan's husband was questioned at his home about her whereabouts. "The investigative team is following specific leads in Mumbra. We have information that the accused had shifted her base to evade arrest," a police officer said on Friday. According to another official, her husband told the police his wife had gone to a relative's house. However, when the police team reached the relative's residence, it was found locked. Also, the mobile phones of the accused and her relative were switched off, he said. TCS Response and Internal Investigation A Special Investigation Team is probing a total of nine cases registered in connection with the alleged exploitation, attempt of forceful conversion, hurting religious sentiments, molestation and mental harassment of female employees at the TCS unit. TCS has clarified that it has adopted a zero-tolerance policy towards harassment and coercion of any form for a long time, and the employees allegedly involved in sexual harassment at the Nashik office have been suspended. Tata Sons chairman N Chandrasekaran had termed sexual harassment as 'gravely concerning and anguishing', and announced that a thorough internal investigation was underway to establish the facts and identify individuals responsible for the situation. TCS on Friday said that it had not received any complaints through its internal channels on the matter. According to a preliminary probe, the company didn't receive any complaints, as alleged, a statement said. 'A preliminary review of the systems and records pertaining to the Nashik unit indicates that we have not received any complaints of the nature that are being alleged on either our ethics or POSH (prevention of sexual harassment) channels,' it said. The country's largest IT services company also announced an oversight panel and engagement of external entities in its internal probe. Following a series of tragic deaths, an NIT Kurukshetra student's suicide attempt has raised serious concerns about student mental health and academic pressures on campus. Photograph: Kind courtesy Liza Summer/Pexels.com Key Points A BTech student at NIT Kurukshetra attempted suicide, prompting concerns about student well-being. This incident follows a series of student suicides at NIT Kurukshetra in recent months. The student cited academic stress as a contributing factor, highlighting the pressures faced by students. NIT Kurukshetra has ordered students to vacate hostels and replaced key hostel officials in response to the incidents. Police are investigating the recent student death and the circumstances surrounding the suicide attempt. A first-year BTech student of the National Institute of Technology (NIT), Kurukshetra, allegedly attempted to commit suicide, police said on Saturday. The attempt comes two days after another student died by suicide on the same campus. The institute has seen the deaths of four students by suicide in four months. According to the police, the computer science student went to the fifth floor of her hostel at about 11.30 pm and tried to jump, but was stopped by fellow hostellers. Before the attempt, the Maharashtra native posted a message in a WhatsApp group, stating that her life had no purpose and hinted at ending it. The woman was counselled by the NIT administration and was admitted to a local hospital. She is currently stable and under medical care, authorities said. Rising Concerns Over Student Mental Health Vinod Kumar, Kurukshetra University police post in-charge, said that the woman gave conflicting statements. She told the police that she had been under stress as she got 90 per cent in class 12, but only 40 per cent in BTech, and later started changing her statements, Kumar said. On Thursday, a 19-year-old BTech student, Diksha Dubey, allegedly died by suicide. Her death sparked protests on campus. Dubey's death marked the fourth such incident on the campus in the past two months. NIT Kurukshetra Responds to Crisis A first-year student from Telangana in mid-February, a student from Nuh at the end of March, and a third-year student from Sirsa on April 9, allegedly killed themselves on campus. Prof Gian Bhushan, the institute's public relations officer, said the administration has ordered all students to vacate hostels by April 19 in light of the events. Students with upcoming viva exams will be informed in advance. A police investigation into Diksha Dubey's case is currently underway. Preliminary findings suggest she sent and later deleted a message to a friend shortly before her death. Her body was later found hanging in her hostel room. A post-mortem was conducted under videography, and the body was handed over to her family. No formal complaint has been filed by the family so far. The institute has replaced key hostel officials, including the chief warden and deputy warden of the girls' hostel. Under Indian law, attempting suicide is a criminal offence, though the Mental Healthcare Act 2017 aims to provide care and rehabilitation for those attempting it. Police investigations will likely focus on the circumstances leading to the attempt and whether any external factors contributed to the student's distress. The rise in student suicides across India has prompted calls for better mental health support in educational institutions. The alleged mastermind behind the violent Noida workers' protest, Aditya Anand, has been arrested in Tamil Nadu after being on the run, marking a significant development in the case. Key Points Aditya Anand, the main accused in the Noida workers' protest, has been arrested. Anand was apprehended at Tiruchirappalli Railway Station in Tamil Nadu. He is accused of masterminding the violent protests during a labour movement in Noida. A reward of Rs 1 lakh was offered for information leading to his arrest. Police had been conducting raids across multiple states to locate Anand. The Gautam Buddh Nagar Police and the Special Task Force have jointly arrested the main accused in the violent workers' protest in Noida, officials said on Saturday. The accused, identified as Aditya Anand, was apprehended from Tiruchirappalli Railway Station in Tamil Nadu. He was carrying a reward of Rs 1 lakh and had been absconding since the incident. Accusations Against The Protest Mastermind Police said Anand was the alleged mastermind behind the violent protests that took place during a labour movement in the Gautam Buddh Nagar area. A case had been registered against him at the Phase-2 police station, and a non-bailable warrant had also been issued by a local court for his arrest. Investigation And Arrest Details According to officials, Anand was involved in orchestrating provocative activities and inciting violence during labour sit-ins and demonstrations in the district. Police teams had been conducting raids across multiple states to trace him before finally arresting him in Tamil Nadu. Further legal proceedings against the accused are underway, police added. Under Indian law, those accused of inciting violence during protests can face charges ranging from rioting to potentially sedition, depending on the severity and intent. The next stage of the investigation will likely involve gathering evidence to build a case against Anand and identifying any accomplices who may have assisted him. Amidst rising tensions, one Indian oil tanker successfully navigated the Strait of Hormuz while others turned back, highlighting the strategic waterway's importance for global energy supplies. IMAGE: Ships and tankers in the Strait of Hormuz off the coast of Musandam, Oman, on April 18, 2026. Photograph: Reuters Key Points One Indian-flagged oil tanker, Desh Garima, successfully crossed the Strait of Hormuz. Several other Indian oil tankers reversed course after Iran signalled the strategic waterway was closed. The disruptions have been attributed to tensions and potential threats from Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps gunboats. The Strait of Hormuz is a critical energy artery, handling a significant portion of global oil and liquefied natural gas flows. The halt in transit has driven up energy prices and triggered supply shortages globally. One Indian-flagged oil tanker crossed the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday, while at least four others trying to transit the choke point turned back after Iran signalled the strategic waterway was closed again. Oil tanker Desh Garima appeared to have successfully crossed the Strait on Saturday, ship tracking data showed. The Shipping Corporation of India (SCI) tanker is the 10th India-flagged vessel to have crossed the Strait since early March. As of Saturday evening, it was sailing in the Gulf of Oman, according to ship tracking data from maritime data and intelligence platform MarineTraffic. Impact On Indian Shipping MarineTraffic data showed oil tankers Sanmar Herald, Desh Vaibhav and Desh Vibhor, along with bulk carrier Jag Arnav, reversing course near the chokepoint, taking the number of India-flagged ships in the Persian Gulf to 14. State-run SCI owns Desh Vaibhav and Desh Vibhor, while Sanmar Herald is operated by Sanmar Shipping and Jag Arnav by Great Eastern Shipping Company. Tensions In The Strait Of Hormuz According to the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations, a tanker reported being approached by two Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps gunboats and fired upon about 20 nautical miles northeast of Oman. This may have prompted the Indian vessels to turn back. In New Delhi, the Ministry of External Affairs summoned the Iranian envoy to lodge a protest over the reported targeting of Indian vessels. Global Energy Market Implications According to shipping monitor TankerTrackers.com, two India-flagged ships, including a supertanker carrying Iraqi crude, were forced to turn back after coming under fire. The disruptions come as scores of commercial vessels and thousands of seafarers remain stranded in the Persian Gulf since the outbreak of the West Asia war on February 28, which has sharply curtailed movement through the Strait of Hormuz. The Strait of Hormuz handles about a fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas flows, making it one of the world's most critical energy arteries. Iran's ability to disrupt traffic through the narrow passage has emerged as a key lever in the conflict. The halt in transit has driven up energy prices, triggered supply shortages in parts of the world and forced some countries to ration fuel, underscoring the global impact of the standoff. The Ministry of External Affairs is likely to closely monitor the situation in the Strait of Hormuz, as disruptions could affect India's energy security. India relies heavily on oil imports, and any increase in global prices will impact consumers and the economy. The incident also raises concerns about the safety of Indian seafarers in the region. Foreign ministers from Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Turkiye, and Egypt met in Antalya to discuss strengthening partnerships and enhancing cooperation across key areas of mutual interest, aiming to promote regional peace and stability. Photograph: Hamad I Mohammed/Reuters Key Points Foreign Ministers from Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Turkiye, and Egypt met to discuss enhanced cooperation. The ministers aim to deepen coordination and expand collaboration across key areas of mutual interest. Discussions included evolving regional dynamics and the importance of dialogue for peace and stability. Pakistan is preparing to host further talks between the US and Iran to address the West Asia conflict. The countries are devising a cooperative framework focusing on peace, prosperity, and economic development. Foreign Ministers of Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Turkiye, and Egypt have discussed ways to enhance cooperation in "key areas of mutual interest" in a third consultative meeting held in Antalya. The meeting between Pakistan's Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Saudi Arabia Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, Turkiye Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty was held on the sidelines of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum on Friday, according to a statement issued by the Foreign Office (FO) on Saturday. Commitment to Partnership and Coordination "The Foreign Ministers expressed a shared commitment to advancing this partnership, deepening coordination and expanding collaboration across key areas of mutual interest," it said. They also exchanged views on evolving regional dynamics, reaffirming the vital role of dialogue and diplomacy in promoting peace, stability, and shared prosperity. Pakistan's Role in Regional Conflict Resolution The meeting comes as Pakistan prepares to host the second round of high-stakes talks between the US and Iran to resolve the West Asia conflict, which caused significant economic strain and threatened regional stability. The US and Iran held rare direct talks in Pakistan last week aimed at ending their conflict, but the talks ended without any agreement. Previous Meetings and Future Framework The group held the first meeting last month in Saudi Arabia, followed by a second one in Pakistan. Earlier, the senior diplomats from the four countries met in Islamabad on April 14 for the inaugural Senior Officials' Meeting. They also met Ishaq Dar, also the Deputy Prime Minister, who urged them to devise a "cooperative framework" among Egypt, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye. Dar had appreciated the close, brotherly relations and convergence of views on important regional and global matters among the four brotherly countries, the FO said. "He called for devising a cooperative framework among the four countries, focusing on the shared goals of peace, prosperity and economic development," the FO added. Pakistan has been trying to position itself as a key mediator in the ongoing tensions between the US and Iran. The Foreign Office will likely be closely monitoring the outcomes of these diplomatic efforts and their potential impact on regional stability. A polio worker was fatally shot in Peshawar, Pakistan, underscoring the ongoing dangers and challenges facing polio eradication efforts in the region. Photograph: Screen grab/X Key Points A polio worker was shot dead in Peshawar, Pakistan, during a vaccination campaign. The attack occurred in Urmar village, a suburb of Peshawar. This is the latest in a series of attacks targeting polio workers and security personnel in Pakistan. Pakistan remains one of the last two countries in the world where polio is endemic. A week-long anti-polio campaign is underway in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, aiming to vaccinate 6.5 million children. Unidentified gunmen killed a polio worker on the outskirts of Peshawar, the capital of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province in northwest Pakistan, police said Saturday. The incident occurred in Urmar village of Peshawar suburb on Friday during an ongoing polio eradication campaign when the assailants targeted the polio worker. The deceased polio worker, identified as 35-year-old Shoaib Ali, died on the spot in the attack, police said, adding, the attackers managed to flee the scene. Attacks on Polio Workers in Pakistan An FIR regarding the incident has been lodged at the Urmar police station. No group has claimed responsibility for the attack so far. Earlier on Wednesday, suspected militants abducted three polio workers in the Bannu district of the province. Escalating Violence Against Vaccination Teams On Monday, a police constable was killed, and four others were injured when militants fired at a security contingent deployed to protect a polio vaccination team in the Hangu district of the province. In a separate incident in Balochistan, a constable guarding a vaccination team was killed when unidentified armed men opened fire on them in Nasirabad district on Wednesday. Pakistan's Ongoing Polio Crisis Pakistan is one of the last two countries in the world, besides Afghanistan, where polio remains endemic, as per the World Health Organisation (WHO). Despite global efforts to eradicate the virus, challenges such as safety issues, vaccine hesitancy, and misinformation remain in eliminating the virus. Around 50,000 police personnel have been deployed to provide security to over 35,000 vaccination teams as part of a week-long anti-polio campaign across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The campaign, being held from April 13 to April 19, aims to vaccinate about 6.5 million children against poliovirus across all districts of the province, including Peshawar. Under Pakistani law, attacks on health workers can be prosecuted under terrorism statutes, carrying severe penalties. The investigation will likely involve intelligence agencies to identify the perpetrators and any associated network. These attacks undermine public health efforts and contribute to Pakistan's struggle to eradicate polio. Flight operations at Pune Airport have returned to normal after a fighter aircraft incident caused a temporary runway closure, leading to flight diversions and cancellations. Image used only for representational purposes. Photograph: ANI Photo Key Points Pune airport flight operations resumed after a fighter aircraft experienced a technical issue during landing. The incident caused a temporary runway closure, leading to flight diversions and cancellations. The Indian Air Force (IAF) confirmed the runway was restored and declared operational after safety inspections. Affected passengers were provided with refreshments, and airlines coordinated regarding delays and cancellations. Flight operations at Pune Airport have returned to normal following the resolution of the technical snag. Flight operations at Pune airport resumed on Saturday morning after the runway was cleared and declared operational following an overnight closure caused by a technical snag in an Indian Air Force (IAF) fighter aircraft, officials said. A fighter aircraft experienced a technical issue in the undercarriage during landing around 10.25 pm on Friday, causing the runway to be blocked, Pune airport director Santosh Dhoke said in a press statement. Fighter Jet Incident Causes Runway Closure 'As per SATCO, IAF, the aircraft became immobilised. Both pilots are safe. Due to the aircraft's position and damage, a NOTAM was issued for temporary runway closure until 5.30 am, later extended to 9 am to facilitate safe removal, inspection, and restoration,' he said. Earlier on Friday night, the IAF had stated that the runway at Pune airport was temporarily unavailable following an incident involving one of its fighter aircraft. The aircrew are safe, and there is no damage to civil property, it had said. Runway Restored and Operations Resume Later in a post on X, the IAF said, 'The runway has now been restored and declared operational. All necessary safety inspections and clearances have been completed. Operations are resuming in a phased manner.' Dhoke said that the IAF aircraft was cleared from the runway around 5.45 am, and the runway has since been declared fit for operations. Departures resumed from 7.30 am and arrivals from 8 am, he said. Impact on Flight Operations and Passenger Handling According to the statement, flight operations were significantly impacted during the closure. While 12 flights arriving at the airport were diverted, as many as 73 flights of various airlines were cancelled, it states. Passengers on the affected flights were provided drinking water, beverages and light refreshments. "Teams from the CISF and AAI ensured smooth passenger handling and effective crowd management. Flight operations have now returned to normal. Airlines have coordinated with passengers regarding delays, cancellations, and diversions," the release said. Such incidents involving military aircraft at civilian airports can cause significant disruptions, as Pune airport also serves as an airbase. Investigations are likely underway to determine the exact cause of the technical malfunction and prevent future occurrences. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation will likely review the incident report. A Pune lawyer, his wife, and their daughter have been arrested in connection with the murder of a 32-year-old female employee, sparking a police investigation into the crime and potential conspiracy. Key Points A Pune-based lawyer, his wife, and daughter have been arrested for the alleged murder of his 32-year-old employee. The victim was found dead in the lawyer's office, leading to suspicion and a police investigation. The lawyer's wife suspected an affair between her husband and the victim, allegedly leading to the murder. Police are investigating the lawyer's potential involvement in the conspiracy and destruction of evidence. A city-based lawyer and BJP legal cell office-bearer, his wife and their daughter have been arrested over the alleged murder of his 32-year-old woman employee, police said on Saturday. The victim, who had been working as a secretary at the lawyer's office in Chandan Nagar for more than three years, went to work on April 16 but did not return home. Her husband called her repeatedly but could not reach her. When he contacted her employer, the laywer gave evasive replies, raising suspicion, said a police official. When the husband visited the office next morning, he found its outer shutter partially open. Upon entering, he discovered his wife's body stuffed in a gunny sack which lay in a pool of blood. He immediately informed the police. Motive Behind The Murder As per the preliminary probe, the lawyer's wife suspected an illicit relationship between her husband and the victim, the police official said. The woman and her minor daughter allegedly confronted the victim at the office, restrained her and assaulted her with blunt objects, leading to her death, he said. Investigation Underway Teams from Chandan Nagar police station and the crime branch detained the three accused on Saturday and launched a probe. While the wife and daughter allegedly confessed to the crime, the police are probing whether the lawyer knew of the conspiracy and whether he played any role in the attempt to destroy evidence, the official said. A case of murder and conspiracy has been registered under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, he said. Under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, the charges of murder and conspiracy can carry significant penalties, including life imprisonment or the death penalty depending on the severity and circumstances. The next stage of the investigation will likely involve gathering forensic evidence, recording witness statements, and potentially conducting further interrogations of the accused to establish the full extent of their involvement. A routine regulatory filing in Alaska has pulled back the curtain on one of Alphabet Incs most valuable hidden assets: a stake in SpaceX that could soon be worth roughly $122 billion. Rare Filing Reveals Hidden Ownership The disclosure comes from an annual requirement in Alaska, where companies operating in the state must list any shareholders holding 5% or more. SpaceX, still privately held and famously tightlipped about its ownership structure, rarely offers this level of visibility. Yet the filing shows that Google LLC Alphabet's main operating unit held 6.11% of SpaceX at the end of 2025, according to a Bloomberg report, providing one of the clearest public snapshots of the rocket company's cap table in years. Don't Miss: Googles Decade-Old Bet Paying Off Big That position traces back to 2015, when Google and Fidelity jointly invested about a billion in SpaceX at a valuation of about $12 billion, Benzinga reported earlier. At the time, the deal was viewed as a strategic bet on satellite connectivity and launch infrastructure. A decade later, the scale of that wager looks dramatically different. SpaceX's valuation has soared into the trillions in private markets, powered by the rapid expansion of Starlink's subscriber base and the company's dominance in commercial launches. IPO Speculation Gains Momentum If SpaceX goes public anywhere near the $2 trillion valuation investors increasingly discuss, Alphabet's stake would instantly become one of the most lucrative noncore holdings in its history. See Also: Avoid the #1 Investing Mistake: How Your Safe' Holdings Could Be Costing You Big Time For a company already defined by search, cloud computing and AI, a twelvefigure windfall from a longago venture investment would be a striking addition to its balance sheet. SpaceX has not committed to a listing date, but expectations for an IPO have intensified as the company matures and Starlink's revenue becomes more predictable. An offering of that size would rank among the largest ever attempted, and the Alaska filing only adds fuel to the speculation by confirming just how much Alphabet stands to gain. For now, the disclosure serves as a rare reminder of how dramatically SpaceX has grown and how a single early investment has quietly turned into one of Alphabet's most powerful financial assets. Image via Shutterstock Read Next: Rajasthan Police have frozen a property worth over 1 crore linked to drug trafficking in Nagaur district, as part of Operation Sankalp, targeting assets acquired through illegal drug trade. Photograph: ANI Photo Key Points Rajasthan Police have frozen a house worth over Rs 1 crore in Nagaur district, allegedly funded by drug trafficking proceeds. The property was seized under Operation Sankalp and the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act. Accused Govind Ram allegedly used profits from interstate drug trafficking to purchase land and construct the house in his wife's name. Govind Ram faces four serious cases under the NDPS Act across different police stations in Rajasthan. Rajasthan Police have frozen a house in Nagaur district worth over Rs 1 crore, allegedly built using proceeds from drug trafficking, officials said. Operation Sankalp Targets Drug-Related Assets The action was carried out under anti-drug campaign Operation Sankalp, and the property was attached under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act. Accused Faces Multiple Charges Superintendent of Police Roshan Meena said the accused, Govind Ram, had earned substantial profits through interstate drug trafficking and used the illegal income to purchase two plots on the Didwana-Bikaner bypass, where the house was constructed in his wife's name. The accused is facing four serious cases under the NDPS Act in different police stations across the state. Technical evidence gathered during the probe established that the property was acquired entirely through proceeds of crime, he said. A proposal to freeze the property was sent by Kotwali police to the competent authority in Delhi, which, after detailed examination, confirmed the freezing order on April 17. Under the NDPS Act, individuals found guilty of financing drug trafficking can face severe penalties, including imprisonment and asset forfeiture. The next step in the investigation will likely involve tracing the network of individuals involved in the drug trafficking operation and identifying other assets acquired through illegal means. The United States has unexpectedly extended a sanctions waiver, allowing countries to continue purchasing Russian oil for another month, despite earlier indications it would be discontinued. IMAGE: The waiver applies to Russian oil already at sea on or before April 17. Photograph: Norlys Perez/Reuters Key Points The US has extended a sanctions waiver allowing countries to purchase Russian petroleum products for another month. A previous waiver had allowed 140 million barrels of Russian oil to reach global markets. The US Treasury Secretary previously indicated that the waiver would not be renewed. The United States has extended by a month a waiver from sanctions to allow countries to buy petroleum products from Russia, days after it ruled out renewal of the special measure. The US Department of Treasury issued an order late Friday extending the waiver from sanctions on Russian oil that is already at sea on or before April 17 through May 16. Previous Sanctions Exemptions Earlier, the US had granted an exemption from sanctions to India for buying Russian oil for a month beginning March 5. A few days later, a similar waiver was extended to several other countries, which ended on April 11. The general licence issued by the US on Friday does not authorise any transaction involving a person, entity or joint venture located in Iran, North Korea, Cuba, or parts of Ukraine. Reversal of Policy On Wednesday, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Washington would not be renewing the waiver for Russian oil and another for Iranian oil. The previous waiver of sanctions had made available 140 million barrels of Russian oil already loaded on ships to global markets as prices soared against the backdrop of the US war with Iran. Official Order "Effective April 17, 2026, General License No. 134A, which was dated March 19, 2026 and expired on April 11, 2026, is replaced and superseded in its entirety by this General License No. 134B," said the order issued by the Department of Treasury. The extension of the waiver may provide temporary relief to countries reliant on Russian oil imports. India's energy security strategy has involved diversifying its sources, but Russian oil remains a significant component. The US decision will likely influence global energy markets and geopolitical dynamics. A daring bank robbery in Madhya Pradesh saw five masked gunmen steal Rs 5.7 crore in gold and cash, prompting a police investigation and one arrest in Bihar. Photograph: ANI Photo Key Points Five masked gunmen robbed a Bank of Maharashtra branch in Singrauli, Madhya Pradesh. The robbers stole gold and cash worth Rs 5.7 crore from the bank. One suspect has been arrested in the Dehri area of Bihar's Rohtas district. The robbers threatened employees and customers at gunpoint during the heist. Police are investigating the robbery and seeking information to arrest the remaining suspects. Five masked gunmen barged into a public sector bank and took away gold and cash worth Rs 5.7 crore in Madhya Pradesh's Singrauli district, following which one suspect was arrested from Bihar, officials said on Saturday. Initially, police had said that only Rs 14 lakh was robbed in the incident at a Bank of Maharashtra branch on Friday. The district in eastern MP borders Uttar Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. Police Investigation Underway MP Director General of Police Kailash Makwana, who had rushed to Singrauli late on Friday night, told reporters in Bhopal that he had sought assistance from his peers in UP, Chhattisgarh and Bihar to trace the robbers. He also announced a reward of Rs 50,000 for information leading to their arrest. Kotwali Station House Officer Ashok Singh Parihar said that one of the five suspects has been arrested from the Dehri area in Bihar's Rohtas district. Details Of The Bank Heist Five armed persons wearing masks stormed the bank premises in Singrauli on Friday and robbed gold jewellery and Rs 20 lakh cash, collectively worth Rs 5.7 crore, Superintendent of Police Manish Khatri told PTI. The robbers threatened employees and customers at gunpoint and fired shots, and also assaulted some staff members and customers. "One suspect pointed a pistol at the bank manager and demanded keys to the gold locker, slapped him and threatened to shoot when he did not comply immediately," said Khatri. In tense moments that followed, the accused forced people to sit on the floor before fleeing with the valuables, according to police and eyewitnesses. Gold Pledged Against Customer Loans Stolen Khatri said the robbers took away Rs 6 lakh from the strong room and Rs 14.2 lakh from the cash counter, along with gold worth Rs 5.5 crore. He said the gold was pledged against customer loans. Footage from CCTV cameras showed that the robbers fled on two motorcycles towards Bijpur in Sonbhadra in UP and then entered the Surajpur district in neighbouring Chhattisgarh, the official said, adding one of the suspects was arrested in Bihar later. The faces of three suspects have been captured on CCTV cameras, said police. The bank remained closed on Saturday for customers as senior bank officials visited the premises. Under Indian law, charges of armed robbery and potentially attempted murder could apply, depending on the extent of violence used. The investigation will likely involve forensic analysis of the crime scene and interrogation of the arrested suspect to identify the remaining individuals involved and recover the stolen assets. Bank robberies, while not common, do occur in this region of Madhya Pradesh. A Saharanpur woman has accused local police of illegal detention and extortion, sparking an investigation into alleged misconduct and raising concerns about police practices in Uttar Pradesh. Key Points A Saharanpur woman alleges police illegally detained her husband and extorted Rs 80,000. The woman claims her husband was beaten and detained despite a High Court order staying his arrest. Police claim the man was brought in for questioning regarding an old road accident case. An investigation is underway into the allegations of police misconduct and extortion in Saharanpur. The Superintendent of Police states initial findings suggest the allegations against the police are false. A woman in Saharanpur district has accused the police personnel of illegally detaining her husband, subjecting him to harassment, and extorting Rs 80,000 in exchange for his release. Meanwhile, Superintendent of Police (Rural) Mayank Pathak on Saturday told PTI that these allegations are prima facie false and said that an investigation into the matter is underway. Accusations Of Illegal Detention And Torture The complainant, Momina, alleged that her husband, Arif, a resident of Hinduwala locality in the Mirzapur area, was named as an accused in an old road accident case. A petition was filed in the Allahabad High Court. The woman claims that despite a High Court order staying her husband's arrest, police personnel arrived at their home around 11.30 pm on April 6 and forcibly took him away. According to the woman, her husband was detained at the police station throughout the night, brutally beaten, and released only after Rs 80,000 was extorted from them. Formal Complaints Lodged In this regard, Momina has lodged complaints with the district's Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) and via the Chief Minister's portal. She further said that when her husband's condition deteriorated, he was admitted to a hospital in a critical state, where injury marks were found on his body. Police Response And Investigation The police became aware through social media that serious allegations have been levelled against the Behat police station personnel, accusing them of subjecting an individual to "third-degree torture", the SP said. He said that the investigation confirmed that Arif, the accused in the accident-related case, had been brought to the police station on April 9. Following the interrogation, a notice was served to him, and he was handed over to the custody of his family members. An entry regarding this was recorded in the general diary, and photographs were also taken. The SP said that based on the photographs, the allegations levelled against the police appear to be prima facie false. He added that an investigation into the matter is underway. Under Indian law, extortion can carry a significant prison sentence and fines. The investigation will likely involve gathering witness statements, reviewing police records, and potentially forensic analysis of any alleged injuries. This case highlights ongoing concerns about police accountability and due process in Uttar Pradesh. Gautam Adani and Sagar Adani seek more time in their US securities fraud case, jointly requesting an extension from a US court to file key submissions, as they fight allegations of misleading investors. IMAGE: Photograph: Andrew Kelly/Reuters Key Points The US SEC and Gautam and Sagar Adani have jointly requested more time to file submissions in their securities case. The Adanis are seeking dismissal of the fraud lawsuit, arguing it's an impermissible application of US law. The SEC alleges the Adanis misled investors by not disclosing an alleged bribery scheme tied to Indian officials. The proposed schedule includes a motion to dismiss by June 8 and an SEC response by August 7. The US Securities and Exchange Commission and Indian businessmen Gautam Adani and Sagar Adani have jointly requested a US court for more time to file key submissions in a civil securities case, proposing a revised schedule for motions and responses. In a filing before the US District Court for the Eastern District of New York, the parties said they had conferred in line with the court's April 7 directive and agreed on a new timeline, which has been submitted for approval to Judge Nicholas G Garaufis. Adani's Defence Against SEC Allegations The SEC had sued Adani Group founder Gautam Adani and his nephew, Sagar, in November 2024, alleging they had misled investors by failing to disclose an alleged bribery scheme tied to Indian state officials, framing the case under US securities laws. Denying all allegations, the two, through their lawyers, on April 7, filed a pre-motion letter ahead of a planned April 30 motion, seeking dismissal of a fraud lawsuit, arguing the case represents an impermissible extraterritorial application of US law and fails for lack of personal jurisdiction. Proposed Timeline For The Adani SEC Case Under the proposed schedule, the defendant's (Adanis) motion to dismiss would be due by June 8, the SEC's amended complaint or opposition by August 7, and the defendants' reply by September 21. The parties also suggested May 20, May 22 or May 29 as potential dates for a pre-motion conference, subject to the court's availability. The request follows a pre-motion letter filed by the defendants on April 7, after which the court directed both sides to confer on next steps. Key Arguments In The Motion To Dismiss In their anticipated motion to dismiss, Adanis are expected to argue that the court lacks jurisdiction because the claims concern conduct outside the United States, that the alleged statements are too general to be relied upon by investors, and that they were not involved in a USD 750 million bond offering in 2021. The SEC filed the lawsuit in November 2024, alleging violations of US securities laws. An earlier briefing schedule approved in January set April 30 as the deadline for the motion to dismiss, June 29 for the SEC's response and August 13 for the defendants' reply. The Adanis have denied the allegations and said they will seek dismissal of the case. Gautam Adani is represented by Sullivan & Cromwell LLP, while Sagar Adani is represented by Nixon Peabody LLP and Hecker Fink LLP. The SEC is represented by its New York regional office. Under Indian law, bribery of public officials can attract charges under the Prevention of Corruption Act. The Enforcement Directorate could also investigate related money laundering offences if any illegal proceeds were routed through India. The outcome of this case in the US could influence regulatory scrutiny in India. Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is pushing for a Supreme Court bench in South India to make justice more accessible, while also addressing the ethical implications of Artificial Intelligence in the judicial system. Key Points Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah advocates for a Supreme Court bench in South India to improve access to justice for citizens. Siddaramaiah highlights the importance of addressing algorithmic bias in the judiciary's use of Artificial Intelligence. The Chief Minister stresses the need to preserve judicial independence amidst increasing technological dependence. AI offers opportunities to strengthen judicial processes, but must be adopted with care to ensure fairness. Karnataka government is committed to building robust judicial infrastructure and facilitating digital transformation. Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Saturday stressed the need to improve accessibility to the highest court of the land, asserting that establishing a Supreme Court bench in South India would go a long way in ensuring justice. Speaking at the 22nd Biennial State Level Conference of Judicial Officers with a theme 'Reimagining the Judiciary in the era of Artificial Intelligence', he said, the authority of a judge must never be overshadowed by the authority of an algorithm. Addressing Case Pendency and Systemic Reforms "Even as we explore these new frontiers, we must remain mindful of the enduring challenges facing our judiciary," the chief minister said. "Pendency of cases continues to be a serious concern that affects the timely delivery of justice. While technology can provide tools to address this, it must be complemented by systemic reforms through strengthening infrastructure, increasing judicial capacity, and modernising court processes," Siddaramaiah said. "There is also a strong and compelling need to improve accessibility to the highest court of the land. The establishment of a Supreme Court bench in South India would go a long way in ensuring justice," he said. Chief Justice of India, Surya Kant, Supreme Court Judges B V Nagarathna and Aravind Kumar and Chief Justice of High Court of Karnataka Vibhu Bakhru were among those present. AI's Transformative Role and Potential Concerns The CM said, "We stand today at a defining juncture where law and technology are no longer separate domains, but interconnected forces shaping governance, rights, and the very nature of justice itself." "Artificial Intelligence is emerging as a transformative force that challenges how we interpret evidence, how we understand facts, and how decisions are arrived at. It offers immense promise, aiding faster legal research, improved case management, and the possibility of reducing pendency through intelligent systems," he said. "Yet, it also raises profound concerns. Algorithmic bias can undermine the guarantee of equality before law. Opaque systems may weaken the doctrine of reasoned decisions, which lies at the heart of our judicial process," he added. Preserving Judicial Independence in the Digital Age Siddaramaiah said, Judicial independence, which is the cornerstone of our democracy, must be preserved not only from external pressures but also from subtle technological dependence. "The authority of a judge must never be overshadowed by the authority of an algorithm," he said. Pointing out that the emergence of AI-generated evidence presents new challenges for our legal system, the CM said, Deepfakes, synthetic data, and machine-generated content compel us to revisit established doctrines relating to admissibility, burden of proof, and authenticity. "The courts will increasingly be called upon to determine what constitutes reliable evidence in a digital age. In doing so, we must ensure that truth remains grounded in verifiability and integrity, not merely in technological sophistication," he said. Ethical Framework for AI Deployment Hoping that the judiciary will play a defining role in shaping the regulatory framework for artificial intelligence in India, he further said, "through well-established constitutional doctrines such as due process, proportionality, and the right to privacy, our courts will determine the contours within which AI must operate." "The judiciary, therefore, is not only a user of technology but also the ethical compass that will guide its deployment in society," he added. Noting that technology also offers meaningful opportunities to strengthen judicial processes, Siddaramaiah said, AI-assisted legal research may democratise access to precedents and reduce disparities in legal knowledge. Siddaramaiah also said that blockchain technology holds promise in ensuring secure, tamper-proof judicial records. Stating that the intelligent case management systems can streamline court functioning and reduce delays, he said, "However, these innovations must be adopted with care, ensuring that efficiency does not come at the cost of fairness." "In this transformation, the capacity of our judicial institutions becomes critical. Judges of the future must be equipped not only with legal acumen but also with a clear understanding of technological systems," he added. Stating that the question is how artificial intelligence intersects with the fundamental principles of equality and social justice, the CM said, if not carefully designed and regulated, AI systems can replicate and even amplify existing social inequalities. No algorithm can replace the human capacity for empathy, the wisdom that comes from lived experience, or the moral reasoning that defines judicial decision-making, he said, "Technology can assist, but it cannot replace the human conscience that lies at the heart of justice." Siddaramaiah said, the Government of Karnataka remains committed to building robust judicial infrastructure, facilitating digital transformation, and creating an ecosystem where innovation and justice can progress together. The call for a Supreme Court bench in South India has been a long-standing demand to reduce the burden on litigants from the region. Establishing such a bench would require a constitutional amendment or a decision by the Supreme Court itself. The Chief Justice of India's presence at the conference underscores the importance of these discussions. Maharashtra police swiftly recovered a farmer's stolen tractor in Beed district, arresting the thief and recovering the vehicle within two days, showcasing effective crime investigation. Key Points A farmer's tractor was stolen from near his house in Beed district, Maharashtra. Police traced and recovered the stolen tractor within two days. The accused, Ramdas Asaram Shriram, was apprehended by the police. The stolen tractor and trolley are worth approximately Rs 5.70 lakh. A tractor belonging to a farmer was allegedly stolen from near his house in Beed district of Maharashtra, but the thief was traced and the vehicle was recovered from him within two days, police said on Saturday. The accused, Ramdas Asaram Shriram (25), was apprehended on Friday, they said. Farmer Reports Tractor Theft Farmer Satish Bansode, who resides in Kaij tehsil, lodged a complaint on April 15 stating that his tractor and its trolley parked in front of his house were stolen at night. A case of theft was then registered at the Kaij police station. The Local Crime Branch initiated an investigation and examined footage from CCTV cameras installed in the surrounding area, an official said. Police Investigation and Recovery Based on the information, a trap was laid on April 17 around 9 pm at Paytalwadi village in Majalgaon tehsil in the district and the accused was apprehended. During the interrogation, the accused told the investigators that he had stolen the tractor and kept it hidden in his agricultural field, he said. The police then recovered the stolen tractor and trolley worth around Rs 5.70 lakh from his possession and the accused was handed over to Kaij police station for further legal action. Under Indian law, theft of a vehicle can attract charges under Section 379 of the Indian Penal Code, potentially leading to imprisonment and fines. The next stage of the investigation will likely involve gathering further evidence and preparing a charge sheet for court proceedings. Rural areas in Maharashtra sometimes see such thefts due to the value of agricultural equipment. The US government has launched an investigation into the mysterious deaths and disappearances of several top scientists with connections to aerospace, defence, and UFO research, raising concerns about potential foul play and national security. IMAGE: US President Donald Trump signs an executive order in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, on April 18, 2026. Photograph: Nathan Howard/File Photo/Reuters Key Points The US is investigating the deaths and disappearances of at least 10 scientists with links to aerospace, defence, and UFO research. Republican Congressman Eric Burlison suggests the scientists' fates are linked to classified information and possibly involve foreign actors. President Trump has been briefed on the situation and describes the disappearances as 'pretty serious stuff'. The White House is working with the FBI to review the cases and identify potential commonalities. Several scientists, including those from NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory and Los Alamos, have died or disappeared under mysterious circumstances. The deaths or disappearances of at least 10 top United States scientists and researchers with access to information related to aerospace, defence and extra-terrestrial life have kicked off a row in Washington, DC, prompting the administration to order a probe. Earlier this week, US President Donald Trump was briefed on the deaths and disappearances of key scientists, and more details will be available over the next week and a half. According to reports in the American media, the earliest of the deaths dates back to July 2023. Michael David Hicks, a NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory physicist who specialised in comets and asteroids, passed away on July 30, 2023. The cause of his death was not disclosed. Concerns Raised Over Coincidental Disappearances Congressman Eric Burlison, a Republican from Missouri and member of the House Oversight Committee, said he has been drawing attention to some of the disappearances for quite some time as he found them 'too coincidental'. The lawmaker argued the fate of the scientists is almost 'certainly' linked to the access some had to classified aerospace, defence and UFO information - and may involve bad actors from China, Russia or Iran. "This is too coincidental, and so we have to investigate this. We need to have our nation's top investigators, the FBI and every agency looking into this matter," the lawmaker told Fox and Friends. Details of Missing Scientists Emerge Burlison said some scientists 'literally just disappeared' without a trace -- including Air Force Maj Gen William McCasland, who vanished in February. The lawmaker claimed McCasland tried to contact him twice about his research into Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena (UAPs), popularly known as UFOs. Trump described the disappearances as 'pretty serious stuff' and said that some of the scientists who have reportedly gone missing or died were 'very important people'. The president said he would know more about the cases and whether there could be any connection between them in the coming days. "I hope it's random," Trump responded Thursday when asked if he thought there was any link between the cases. White House Response and Ongoing Investigation White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the administration was 'actively working with all relevant agencies and the FBI to holistically review all of the cases together and identify any potential commonalities that may exist'. "No stone will be unturned in this effort, and the White House will provide updates when we have them," her statement continued, previously adding in the post that the questions surrounding the cases are 'legitimate'. List of Deceased and Missing Scientists A Novartis researcher, Jason Thomas, disappeared on December 12, 2025. His wife reported him missing when he didn't return home. His body was recovered from a Massachusetts lake on March 17, 2026. Nuclear physicist and MIT professor Nuno Loureiro was shot dead at his home near Boston on Dec 15, 2025. Former Los Alamos employee Anthony Chavez disappeared on May 4, 2025. He was last seen leaving his home on foot. Los Alamos houses America's earliest nuclear facilities. Melissa Casias disappeared from her home on June 26, 2025. Casias was an administrative assistant at Los Alamos National Laboratory. A researcher with NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Frank Maiwald, died on July 4, 2024, at 61, in Los Angeles. Monica Jacinto Reza was a JPL employee who disappeared on June 22, 2025, while on a hike. On February 16, 2026, Carl Grillmair was shot to death on his front porch. He was an astrophysicist at Caltech who collaborated with NASA and found water around exoplanets. Steven Garcia, a 48-year-old government contractor, was last seen leaving his home in Albuquerque on Aug 28, 2025. He was on foot and carrying a handgun, with police reportedly warning he may have been a danger to himself. Garcia worked as a property custodian at the Kansas City National Security Campus, which manufactures non-nuclear components for nuclear weapons. Given the sensitive nature of the work conducted at facilities like Los Alamos and NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, security protocols are typically stringent. Any potential compromise of personnel with access to classified information would be treated as a matter of national security, potentially involving counterintelligence investigations. Delhi Police have successfully thwarted a terror plot by arresting four radicalised individuals and seizing an IED, preventing potential attacks on sensitive locations in India. Image used only for representation. Photograph: ANI Photo Key Points Delhi Police arrested four individuals from Maharashtra, Odisha, and Bihar for allegedly plotting terror attacks. An Improvised Explosive Device (IED) and related materials were seized during the coordinated police operation. The suspects were allegedly influenced by extremist ideologies and were attempting to recruit others through encrypted online platforms. The group allegedly conducted reconnaissance of sensitive locations, including the Red Fort and India Gate, as potential targets. The accused discussed potential strikes on high-value targets such as the Ram temple in Ayodhya and the Parliament House. Delhi Police has arrested four 'radicalised' men from Maharashtra, Odisha and Bihar who allegedly planned terror activities, carried out recce of sensitive locations to target them and attempted to recruit others through encrypted online platforms, officials said on Saturday. An Improvised Explosive Device (IED) and related material were seized during the operation, police said. Two of the accused were in the process of assembling a remote-controlled toy car fitted with an IED to target crowded places, they alleged. Details of the Arrests and Suspects The Special Cell apprehended two of the accused from Maharashtra and one each from Odisha and Bihar in a coordinated, intelligence-led operation, the officials said. The four were influenced by extremist ideology centred around the idea of establishing a Caliphate and were promoting narratives such as 'Ghazwa-e-Hind', the police alleged "They were also allegedly inspired by the concept of a 'Lashkar from Khurasan' carrying black flags, which they used as part of their propaganda to radicalise others," a senior police officer said. He said the accused were active on closed and encrypted social media groups where content related to jihad, extremist ideology and weapons was shared. These platforms were allegedly used to identify, indoctrinate and recruit new members. "One of the accused allegedly shared an edited image of the Red Fort with a black flag to radicalise followers and signal symbolic targets," the officer said. Targets and Reconnaissance The probe revealed that one of the accused had visited Delhi in December 2025 and conducted reconnaissance of key locations, including the Red Fort and India Gate. Investigators said the module had also discussed potential strikes on high-value targets such as the Ram temple in Ayodhya, the Parliament House and certain military installations. Security agencies believe the group intended to target crowded public places and symbolic landmarks to maximise panic and psychological impact. "All four accused -- Mosaib Ahmad, Mohammad Hammad, Mohammad Sohail and Sheikh Imran -- belong to modest socio-economic backgrounds. A case has been registered and further investigation is underway to identify their associates, handlers and the broader network," the officer said. Suspect Backgrounds and Roles Mosaib had previously worked in Gulf countries as an auto electrician and was allegedly using his technical skills to design a remote-controlled car fitted with an IED. "Preliminary findings suggest the use of a small remote-controlled device points to a plan to execute a stealth attack in crowded areas," the officer said. Investigators said the accused had begun collecting materials, conducting reconnaissance and coordinating their activities through encrypted communication platforms before they were intercepted. Mosaib Ahmad originally hails from Azamgarh in Uttar Pradesh and studied up to class 10th. He worked in various capacities, including as a welder, auto mechanic and as an auto electrician, in India and in countries like Saudi Arabia and Qatar. Presently, he was working at a private automobile workshop in Thane. He was part of multiple online groups where discussions related to 'Lashkar of Mahdi and jihad' were held. He assisted co-accused Mohammad Hammad by 'opening the circuit of a remote-controlled toy car for IED making and sharing its image within a closed group'. Mohammad Hammad is a resident of Mumbai. He is pursuing class 12th through correspondence. Around January 2026, he joined a closed group in which other active members included Mosaib Ahmad. In the group, discussions were held on jihad and Ghazwa-e-hind. He shared pictures of ball bearings, nails, a remote-controlled toy car and boxes as material for the preparation of an IED in a closed group, the officials alleged. He handed them over to co-accused Mosaib Ahmad, who, being a mechanic by profession, was tasked with assembling the IED, according to security agencies. Sheikh Imran was born in Bhubaneswar, Odisha, in a lower-class household. He studied up to the 10th standard and thereafter, worked as a security guard and delivery boy. In 2024, he began listening to lectures/takreers of Tareeq Jameel, Israr Ahmed, Zakir Naik, etc. and gradually developed radical beliefs. He came across his associates Mohammad Hammad, Mosaib Ahmad, through social media and created a closed group where discussions centred on jihad, khilafat and Ghazwa-e-Hind. He discussed targeting 'Ram Mandir, Parliament and military installations', they alleged. He visited Delhi in December 2025 for a recce of the Red Fort and India Gate. He promised members that he would arrange arms training and physical training, including horse riding, in Odisha and asked them to contribute funds for the same. Mohammad Sohail is a resident of Katihar, Bihar. He is a plumber by profession. He studied up to Class 10th. "He was influenced by the speeches of Israr Ahmed. He created multiple social media accounts and exhorted youth in the name of jihad. In March 2026, he incited followers of his channel to collect weapons and explosives for Ghazwa-e-Hind. He shared his bank account/QR code to collect money in the name of jihad," the officer alleged. Multiple mobile phones and digital devices have been seized and are being analysed to uncover the full extent of the conspiracy and any possible links to other modules, police added. Under Indian law, the accused could face charges related to conspiracy to commit terrorist acts, unlawful activities, and sedition, depending on the evidence presented. The next stage of the investigation will likely involve forensic analysis of the seized devices and interrogation of the suspects to uncover the full extent of their network and planned activities. Given the mention of 'Ghazwa-e-Hind', investigators will also be looking into any international connections or funding sources. The BJP in West Bengal is fiercely criticising the Trinamool Congress (TMC) government, alleging a collapse of democracy, increased political violence, and economic mismanagement in the state. Photograph: @AITCofficial/X Key Points BJP accuses TMC government of crushing democracy and fostering lawlessness in West Bengal. Samik Bhattacharya highlights alleged political violence and killings of BJP members under TMC rule. BJP claims West Bengal's debt has significantly increased under the TMC government, impacting investor confidence. The BJP aims to restore investor confidence and address the exodus of merit, capital, and labour from West Bengal. BJP pledges to provide an alternative through development pledges and a roadmap outlined in their manifesto. The BJP's West Bengal unit chief Samik Bhattacharya on Saturday threw a "living fossil" barb at the Trinamool Congress government in the state, asserting that it was on "borrowed time" and has been virtually rejected by people. Alleging the TMC regime has crushed democracy while law and order has collapsed, he claimed that political violence reached alarming heights in the past few years, while police looked the other way. TMC Accused Of Crushing Democracy "People of the state want restoration of democracy. There has been a total absence of law and order in West Bengal, where 253 BJP office-bearers were killed by the TMC after the 2021 elections. "Hundreds of women were raped and tortured. Democracy came under attack as TMC's goons were involved in mayhem," he said. Reminding the gathering that in 2011, Mamata Banerjee ended the 34-year-old Left Front reign with the slogan 'Restoring Democracy'. "Soon after, her party appropriated the CPI(M)'s goondaism and muscle power, and unleashed a reign of terror for the next two terms. She tried to intimidate people and opposition parties so that no one could stand up to them." "However, the 'syndicate raj' and goondaism and muscle power they almost institutionalised in every election were being resented by the voters who could not open their mouths in fear," the state BJP chief claimed. Allegations Of Mismanagement And Disrespect Accusing the TMC of "politicising everything", he said the ruling party disrespected the governor's post in every way. "It was unprecedented that the Assembly Speaker had made it clear that the governor has to take his consent before attending a House session. "It is unprecedented that the vice chancellor of a state university did not respond to the governor's phone call, saying he needs the government's nod. This is another proof that democracy is under grave threat in West Bengal," the BJP Rajya Sabha MP said. Economic Concerns Raised By BJP He said that the Rs 1.92 lakh crore debt that West Bengal was under when the TMC took over the reins has risen to Rs 7 lakh crore now. In the 15 years of TMC rule, 1,600 companies faced liquidation while 6,300 firms shifted headquarters, the state BJP chief claimed. "Those sharing photos with the chief minister at Bengal Global Business Summits are not investing here. Investor confidence has been shaken by Singur and Nandigram land acquisition movements and Tata Motors leaving Bengal. The BJP will restore confidence among investors once it wins the polls," he said. Bhattacharya said that the TMC, while weaving a "false narrative" of attack on Bengali-speaking migrants in other states, has inadvertently confirmed the exodus of merit, capital and labour from Bengal. "If you care to hear people's voices and demands, you will see an anti-TMC wave sweeping in the state. People will vote us to power as we have given them the alternative, through our development pledges, and our roadmap charted in the manifesto," he added. Under Indian law, accusations of political violence and killings can lead to investigations involving charges such as murder, rioting, and conspiracy. The National Human Rights Commission often takes cognizance of such allegations, especially when they involve state actors and potential human rights violations. The next stage would likely involve police investigations, potentially followed by judicial inquiries if the allegations are serious enough. Xiconomics: From trade tracks to tech ties -- How robust economic partnerships bind China, Vietnam closer Xinhua) 09:50, April 18, 2026 An aerial drone photo taken on Aug. 3, 2025 shows a sightseeing train running on a 7-arch bridge on the Yunnan-Vietnam Railway in Kaiyuan City of southwest China's Yunnan Province. (Photo by Li Yunsheng/Xinhua) Amid a sluggish global economy, the two close neighbors have leveraged their geographical proximity, mutual need and steady diplomacy to create one of the world's most dynamic bilateral economic relationships, with cooperation spanning infrastructure, trade, people-to-people exchanges, artificial intelligence (AI) and green energy. HANOI, April 17 (Xinhua) -- For many young people in Hanoi, riding the Cat Linh-Ha Dong metro line to snap skyline photos or even take wedding portraits has become a fashion. The metro line, which has cut once-congested cross-city travel to just 23 minutes, now stands as a symbol of modern urban life in the capital of Vietnam, enabled by an ever deepening practical economic partnership between China and the Southeastern Asian country. Amid a sluggish global economy, the two close neighbors have leveraged their geographical proximity, mutual need and steady diplomacy to create one of the world's most dynamic bilateral economic relationships, with cooperation spanning infrastructure, trade, people-to-people exchanges, artificial intelligence (AI) and green energy. FAST-TRACKING ENGAGEMENT VIA INFRASTRUCTURE Infrastructure has long been the backbone of China-Vietnam economic integration. The Cat Linh-Ha Dong metro line is a key cooperation project that has received high attention from Chinese President Xi Jinping, who mentioned the project several times in his signed articles in Vietnamese media. During talks with Vietnamese President To Lam, who is on a four-day state visit to China, Xi said both countries should work together in their modernization drive, accelerate the alignment of development strategies and prioritize infrastructure connectivity. Beyond urban transit, the two countries are pushing ahead with cross-border rail links and smart port upgrades. In the southern Chinese city of Nanning, the T8701 train departs daily for Hanoi, while the return train, T8702, departs from Gia Lam Station in Hanoi to China each evening. This daily cross-border passenger rail service strengthens the bond between the two nations. The China-Vietnam railway cooperation mechanism was launched in 2025 during Xi's visit to Vietnam, his fourth state visit to the country. Currently, three standard-gauge railway projects in northern Vietnam are being advanced by both sides and have achieved positive breakthroughs. The enhanced physical connectivity has led to growing people-to-people exchanges. Chinese visitors topped the list of international arrivals to Vietnam in 2025, accounting for 25 percent of all foreign tourist visits, or more than 5.28 million visitor arrivals, up 41 percent from a year earlier. Short distance, shared culture and ease of travel have made Vietnam a favored getaway. The launch of the China-Vietnam tourism cooperation year for 2026-2027, announced during the two leaders' meeting on Wednesday, further strengthens this growing exchange. Vehicles bound for Vietnam are pictured after customs clearance at Youyiguan Port, or Friendship Pass, in Pingxiang City, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Jan. 28, 2026. (Xinhua/Lu Boan) SHARED HUGE MARKETS The robust economic relationship is also reflected in trade: China has been Vietnam's top trading partner for more than two decades. In 2025, bilateral trade surged past 290 billion U.S. dollars, a historic high. Vietnam remains China's largest trading partner in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and its fourth-largest globally. The relationship is mutually beneficial and deeply related to ordinary people, especially for farmers. In 2025, Vietnam's fruit and vegetable exports to China exceeded 5 billion dollars, accounting for more than 64 percent of its total fruit and vegetable exports. Vietnam durian and fresh coconut exports have become highly sought-after in China. China is also the fastest-growing export market for Vietnam's aquatic products, including fish and shrimp. In 2025, such exports reached 2.45 billion dollars, rising 29 percent year-on-year. More high-quality Vietnamese products are welcome to enter the Chinese market, Xi said on Wednesday. In return, China supplies Vietnam with machinery, components and raw materials that fuel the country's manufacturing boom. "The key driving force behind the strong growth of economic and trade cooperation in recent years lies in the internal demand for development cooperation of each country, along with their respective advantages and complementarities," said Nguyen Thi Phuong Hoa, a senior researcher at the Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences. Bilateral cooperation in trade is expected to shift toward higher-value-added activities and promote official exports, especially in agricultural products, processed foods and technology-intensive industrial goods, she said. China and Vietnam launches a bilateral QR code payment service in Hanoi, Vietnam, Dec. 2, 2025. (Photo by Vu Trung Kien/Xinhua) NEW FRONTIERS During To Lam's visit, the two countries signed cooperation documents covering a number of areas, including inter-party exchanges, public security, judicial cooperation, economy, industrial and supply chain cooperation, among others. While the economic partnership between the two countries continues to leverage their current complementary strengths in traditional sectors, it is also strategically oriented toward future-facing demands, enabling them to better address global challenges and seize new opportunities in a changing world. Notably, in the current context, both countries share similar development needs for the new phase, Nguyen Thi Phuong Hoa noted. Vietnam has identified science, technology, innovation and digital transformation as strategic priorities and the primary drivers for rapid and sustainable development. Meanwhile, China's 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-2030) also prioritizes high-quality development, technological self-reliance, green transformation and higher-level opening-up, she said. Vietnam's push into smart, digital and green economies has opened opportunities for Chinese expertise. Chinese-built renewable energy projects -- solar farms, wind installations and waste-to-energy plants -- have formed a huge clean energy cluster, supporting the country's energy transition and helping to alleviate power shortages that have long hampered industrial growth. On AI, China's Guangxi province has taken a lead by launching an innovation center with Vietnam to develop Vietnamese-language large models and train technical workers. In 2025 alone, five AI training sessions were held for more than 200 Vietnamese participants. During talks with To Lam, Xi called on both sides to strengthen cooperation in emerging fields such as artificial intelligence, semiconductors, and the Internet of Things. Vietnam-China economic relations are expected to continue growing strongly and steadily, thanks to new driving forces, the researcher said. (Web editor: Zhao Tong, Wu Chaolan) Babcock & Wilcox Enterprises Inc. (NYSE:BW) is one of the 11 Stocks With 3x-5x Returns This Year. Babcock & Wilcox has seen its stock price climb by 191 percent year-to-date as investors cheered its increasing role in the artificial intelligence (AI) sector with the development of a $2.4 billion power generation project for a major AI infrastructure operator. Last month, the company officially secured the green light for the construction of a 1.2-gigawatt power generation project for Base Electrona company backed by Applied Digital Corp., primarily intended to support the latters power needs for its AI factory campuses. AES Keeps Dividend Steady, Marks Over a Decade of Increases Photo by Matthew Henry on Unsplash Under the agreement, Babcock & Wilcox Enterprises Inc. (NYSE:BW) will engineer, procure, and construct four natural gas-fired boilers and steam turbine generator systems capable of powering 300 megawatts, with the help of Siemens Energy, which will design and supply the steam turbine generator sets. Receiving full notice to proceed for this $2.4 billion project further underscores the strategic role B&W plays in supporting the rapidly expanding power needs of largescale AI data centers, Babcock & Wilcox Enterprises Inc. (NYSE:BW) Chairman and CEO Kenneth Young said. Our natural gas-fired boilers and related technologiesas well as steam turbines supplied through an agreement with Siemens Energyprovide the reliable, highcapacity energy generation on a schedule that is required for the grid today, he added. In other news, Babcock & Wilcox Enterprises Inc. (NYSE:BW) narrowed its net loss attributable to shareholders last year by 39 percent to $36.2 million from $59.9 million in 2024. Revenues inched up by 1.1 percent to $587.7 million from $581 million year-on-year. While we acknowledge the potential of BW 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 BJP has launched a scathing attack on West Bengal's Trinamool Congress government, alleging a collapse of democracy, widespread violence, and economic mismanagement, promising to restore investor confidence and democratic values if elected. Photograph: ANI Photo Key Points BJP accuses TMC of crushing democracy and fostering lawlessness in West Bengal, citing political violence and economic decline. Samik Bhattacharya claims 253 BJP office-bearers were killed by TMC after the 2021 elections, alleging widespread human rights abuses. The BJP criticises TMC for disrespecting the governor's post and politicising state institutions, undermining democratic norms. BJP pledges to restore investor confidence in West Bengal, addressing concerns raised by Singur and Nandigram land acquisition movements. BJP highlights the exodus of merit, capital, and labour from Bengal under TMC rule, promising development and a clear roadmap in their manifesto. The BJP's West Bengal unit chief Samik Bhattacharya on Saturday threw a "living fossil" barb at the Trinamool Congress government in the state, asserting that it was on "borrowed time" and has been virtually rejected by people. Alleging the TMC regime has crushed democracy while law and order has collapsed, he claimed that political violence reached alarming heights in the past few years, while police looked the other way. "People of the state want restoration of democracy. There has been a total absence of law and order in West Bengal, where 253 BJP office-bearers were killed by the TMC after the 2021 elections. "Hundreds of women were raped and tortured. Democracy came under attack as TMC's goons were involved in mayhem," he said. TMC's Governance Under Scrutiny Bhattacharya reminded the gathering that in 2011, Mamata Banerjee ended the 34-year-old Left Front reign with the slogan 'Restoring Democracy'. "Soon after, her party appropriated the CPI(M)'s goondaism and muscle power, and unleashed a reign of terror for the next two terms. She tried to intimidate people and opposition parties so that no one could stand up to them." "However, the 'syndicate raj' and goondaism and muscle power they almost institutionalised in every election were being resented by the voters who could not open their mouths in fear," the state BJP chief claimed. Accusing the TMC of "politicising everything", he said the ruling party disrespected the governor's post in every way. "It was unprecedented that the Assembly Speaker had made it clear that the governor has to take his consent before attending a House session. Economic Concerns and Investor Confidence "It is unprecedented that the vice chancellor of a state university did not respond to the governor's phone call, saying he needs the government's nod. This is another proof that democracy is under grave threat in West Bengal," the BJP Rajya Sabha MP said. He said that the Rs 1.92 lakh crore debt that West Bengal was under when the TMC took over the reins has risen to Rs 7 lakh crore now. In the 15 years of the TMC's rule, 1,600 companies faced liquidation while 6,300 firms shifted headquarters, the state BJP chief claimed. "Those sharing photos with the chief minister at Bengal Global Business Summits are not investing here. Investor confidence has been shaken by Singur and Nandigram land acquisition movements and Tata Motors' leaving Bengal. The BJP will restore confidence among investors once it wins the polls," he said. BJP's Vision for West Bengal Bhattacharya said the TMC, while weaving a "false narrative" of attack on Bengali-speaking migrants in other states, has inadvertently confirmed the exodus of merit, capital and labour from Bengal. "If you care to hear people's voices and demands, you will see an anti-TMC wave sweeping in the state. People will vote us to power as we have given them the alternative, through our development pledges, and our roadmap charted in the manifesto," he added. Lambasting the TMC and Congress over the NDA failing to pass the Constitution amendment bill to give women quota in 2029 in Parliament, Bhattacharya said, "These parties should remember that women are most politically conscious." "During the Congress-led UPA's rule, the women's reservation bill had been discussed several times but never executed in letter and spirit. The BJP took the initiative and got it passed." "When the matter of its implementation arose, the TMC and the Congress did not allow it to pass due to their political considerations," he said. Electoral Roll Concerns Over the deletion of 90 lakh voters under the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, the Bengal BJP chief said, "The Election Commission should be held accountable if the name of any genuine voter gets omitted. "We have often been asking Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar to come and see for himself how the TMC has been sabotaging the SIR exercise by putting hurdles in the data entry operation." The EC, however, should ensure that not a single Bangladeshi or Rohingya is included in the voter list, which had been the real intent of the TMC supremo and her other leaders, Bahttacharya said. "Why did she go to the SC when some petitions were already pending. Who do the CM wish to save and protect?" the BJP Rajya Sabha MP posed. Ideological Stance Claiming that personalities like Syama Prasad Mookerjee had made people's dream for a "Hindu homeland" a reality, Bhattacharya said, "Bengali Hindus would have suffered a lot in the absence of people like Mookerjee." Mookerjee is the founding president of Bharatiya Jana Sangh, the precursor to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). "The intellectuals in Kolkata, who call for abolishing the border with Bangladesh, should condemn the persecution and killing of liberal minded anti-jihadi people and Hindus of Bangladesh. "We haven't seen any intellectuals in Kolkata hitting the streets against the attacks and harassment by radical elements in Bangladesh, he said while clarifying that the BJP was "against radical jihadi forces, and not nationalist Indian muslims". Asked about raids by federal agencies in the houses of TMC candidates and those associated with the party ahead of polling, he said, "The BJP has nothing to do with those raids. It was purely part of the ongoing probe into certain cases involving those leaders." To a question about the BJP's chief ministerial candidate, Bhattacharya said, "We don't have any CM face or mask. But if BJP wins the polls, the chief minister will be someone from Bengal, as asserted by Union Home Minister Amit Shah." Under Indian law, charges related to political violence and murder can include sections 302 (murder), 307 (attempt to murder), and various sections of the Indian Penal Code related to rioting and unlawful assembly. The next stage of investigation would typically involve gathering evidence, recording witness statements, and potentially arresting suspects based on the findings. Haryana Police have recovered five stolen motorcycles in Nuh and arrested a suspect involved in a vehicle lifting network that demanded ransom for the bikes' release. Photograph: Reuters Key Points Haryana Police recovered five stolen motorcycles in Nuh district. A suspected vehicle lifter was arrested for allegedly demanding ransom for the stolen bikes. The accused, identified as Osama alias Bilal, is a resident of Palwal district. Police are searching for other individuals involved in the vehicle lifting network. The recovered motorcycles are linked to cases in Haryana and Delhi. Police recovered five stolen motorcycles in Haryana's Nuh following the arrest of a suspected vehicle lifter who allegedly demanded ransom for releasing poached bikes, an official said on Saturday. After being produced in a local court, police took him on one-day remand for further questioning, he said. Vehicle Thief Arrested and Motorcycle Impounded According to police, an anti-vehicle theft unit arrested the alleged vehicle thief -- identified as Osama alias Bilal, a resident of Roopdaka village in Palwal district -- on Thursday, and impounded a motorcycle from his possession. During investigation, the motorcycle's engine and chassis numbers were verified and found to be related to a case registered at Nuh Sadar police station. Recovery of Stolen Motorcycles and Ongoing Investigation Subsequently, on the instance of the accused, police searched premises linked with him and five stolen motorcycles -- related to various cases registered at Haryana's Tauru, and Delhi's Keshavpuram and Neb Sarai police stations -- were recovered, the official said. He said during interrogation, the accused revealed that he used to steal motorcycles, and demand ransom for their release. Based on his disclosures, the police are now searching for other persons associated with the vehicle lifting network, he added. "We are trying to find out how many stolen motorcycles were released by the accused after taking ransom, and further probe is underway," the police spokesperson said, adding that the accused was produced in court on Friday, and has been taken on one-day police remand for further questioning. Under Indian law, vehicle theft can attract charges under Section 379 of the Indian Penal Code, while demanding ransom could lead to charges of extortion. The investigation will likely focus on identifying the other members of the network and recovering more stolen vehicles. Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, Trump said the US prefers a negotiated settlement and expects cooperation from Iran on securing nuclear-related materials. IMAGE: US President Donald Trump gestures as he walks after exiting Marine One on the South Lawn while returning to the White House in Washington, DC, on April 17, 2026. Photograph: Nathan Howard/Reuters Key Points Donald Trump warns of 'unfriendly' action if Iran deal fails. US insists on securing Irans nuclear materials, prefers negotiated route. Iran rejects any transfer of enriched uranium. Trump signals ceasefire may not be extended beyond April 22. Fresh US-Iran talks scheduled in Islamabad to break deadlock. United States President Donald Trump has warned that Washington, DC could take aggressive steps to secure Iran's nuclear materials if a deal is not reached, while also signalling uncertainty over extending the ongoing ceasefire with Tehran Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, Trump said the US prefers a negotiated settlement and expects cooperation from Iran on securing nuclear-related materials. He added that Washington, DC may jointly remove such materials with Tehran and bring them to the United States, but warned that if diplomacy fails, the US would obtain them 'in a much more unfriendly way'. Iran rejects US proposal Trump's remarks come as Iran firmly rejected claims that it had agreed to transfer enriched uranium. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said such material would not be handed over 'under any circumstances', calling it as integral as Iranian territory. At an event in Arizona, Trump reiterated that retrieving nuclear material could involve large-scale excavation carried out jointly with Iran. Ceasefire uncertainty and military warning Trump also cast doubt on extending the ongoing ceasefire with Iran beyond its April 22 deadline, suggesting a tougher US stance if talks fail. "Maybe I won't extend it we'll have to start dropping bombs again," he said, adding that the US naval blockade of Iranian ports would continue regardless of the ceasefire's fate. Talks in Islamabad to break stalemate The developments come amid ongoing diplomatic efforts following over a month-long conflict between the US and Iran. A fresh round of negotiations is expected in Islamabad on Monday, with both sides aiming to find a breakthrough after earlier talks ended without resolution. The Pakistan-mediated discussions are seen as a key attempt to move toward a broader agreement and prevent renewed escalation in West Asia. This election is different. It is no longer simply about governance or welfare. It is about identity, fear, and who belongs. The BJP has successfully shifted the terms of the debate from what the government has delivered to who the real Bengali is and who is an outsider, points out Ramesh Menon. IMAGE: West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee speaks during an election campaign rally in North 24 Parganas, April 10, 2026, for the West Bengal assembly election. Photograph: @AITCofficial X/ANI Photo Key Points West Bengal goes to the polls with Mamata Banerjee seeking an unprecedented fourth term, facing serious anti-incumbency over corruption, unemployment, and governance failures. But there is no credible opposition to effectively challenge her. The BJP is aggressively pushing fears of illegal Muslim infiltration from Bangladesh and has backed the Election Commission's controversial Special Intensive Revision of voter rolls, which deleted 63.66 lakh names, which Mamata calls targeted voter suppression. Two major scandals -- the Sandeshkhali sexual exploitation case and the rape and murder of a trainee doctor at RG Kar Medical College have severely dented the TMC's carefully built image as a champion of women's rights. As religion and identity politics dominate the campaign, real issues like unemployment, poverty and infrastructure are being pushed to the margins, a pattern that benefits parties seeking to avoid accountability. The West Bengal assembly elections are being watched with great interest across India. This is a state that was governed by the CPI-M for over three decades. During that period, it appeared the Marxists could never be defeated. When Mamata Banerjee entered the scene with her Trinamool Congress, riding high on the Nandigram agitation against the forcible acquisition of farmers' land for industrialisation, she proved that they could indeed be unseated. She has now been in power for 15 years and has emerged as a formidable political force. Yet there is visible anger among the youth over corruption, unemployment, recruitment scams, and governance failures. The Bharatiya Janata Party has launched an aggressive campaign to oust her. It will not be easy even for the powerful, cash-rich party that rules India. Over the years, Mamata has perfected the art of direct welfare delivery, especially to women and those below the poverty line, building a loyal army of beneficiaries. Her welfare ecosystem covering programmes like Lakshmir Bhandar, Kanyashri and Swasthya Sathi, has created deep loyalties in rural Bengal. These schemes yielded significant dividends in the 2021 assembly elections, when the TMC secured 48% of the votes against the BJP's 38%, winning 213 of 294 seats while the BJP managed just 77. She hopes to replicate that success. For the BJP to rule West Bengal, it needs 148 seats to achieve a majority. That remains a steep climb. One advantage Mamata has is the absence of any credible opposition. Voters have few real choices. Yet she cannot afford to underestimate the BJP. In the coming years, it will make an even deeper impact, given its institutional strength, its grassroots workers, and its financial resources. BJP's Infiltration Narrative The rise of the aggressive BJP is now exposing the weaknesses within the Trinamool Congress. It is effectively playing on fears of infiltration by Bangladeshi Muslims, warning voters that the demographic fabric of West Bengal is under threat. The BJP claims that the Congress, CPI-M and TMC have, over the past seventy years, pandered to Muslim voters to build a vote bank, and that Hindus risk being pushed to the margins. This growing narrative has stirred genuine fears among the majority population, a trend reflected in the BJP's growing support base. Home Minister Amit Shah has vowed to remove infiltrators if the BJP is elected to power. IMAGE: BJP Supreme Leader and Prime Minister Narendra Modi during an election rally in Purba Bardhaman, April 11, 2026. Photograph: Narendra Modi Photo Gallery/ANI Photo Census data show that the Muslim population in West Bengal rose from 19.85% in 1951 to 27% in the 2011 Census. Today, it is estimated at around thirty per cent. For context, Islam became widespread in the region during Mughal rule from 1576 to 1765. Before the 1947 Partition, Muslims comprised about 33% of West Bengal's population. After Partition, over 16 lakh Muslims from West Bengal migrated to East Pakistan, which is now Bangladesh. Notably, H M Ershad, Bangladesh's former president and military dictator, was from Cooch Behar; Khaleda Zia, Bangladesh's former prime minister, hailed from Jalpaiguri. According to the 2011 Census, districts with significant Muslim populations include Murshidabad (66%), Malda (51%), Uttar Dinajpur (50%), Birbhum (38%), South 24 Parganas (36%), and North 24 Parganas (26%). BJP General Secretary B L Santosh has declared, 'To save India, we have to win Bengal.' The subtext is unmistakable. Suvendu Adhikari, a former TMC leader now with the BJP, is leading the anti-infiltration campaign on the ground. IMAGE: Senior BJP leader and Union Home Minister Amit Shah launches the BJP's election manifesto, 'Sankalp Yatra 2026', in Kolkata in the presence of West Bengal BJP President Samik Bhattacharya and West Bengal Assembly Leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari. Photograph: ANI Photo In previous elections, anti-Muslim rhetoric did not deliver results, as Mamata dominated the polls. This time, the BJP also hopes to benefit from the Election Commission's Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls, under which around 63.66 lakh names, approximately 8.3% of the electorate, were removed, reducing the voter base from 7.66 crore to just over 7.04 crore. The general perception is that many of the deleted names belong to Bangladeshi Muslims who infiltrated Bengal and should be deported. But the reality is more complicated. Many Muslims of Indian origin, who have lived here all their lives, have found their names missing from the voter list -- simply because they lack the documentation required to prove their citizenship. The deletions have sparked fierce political debate. Mamata has alleged that the SIR process was deliberately designed to exclude the TMC's Bengali Muslim supporters. There are, however, Bengalis who quietly welcome the exercise, believing it will weed out illegal immigrants. What is undeniable is that explanations for many of the deletions remain vague. Elections are increasingly about who gets to vote, not just how they vote. Identity Politics Overshadows Core Issues The BJP has made illegal infiltration a defining issue in this campaign. The Islamist turn following the July 2024 uprising in Bangladesh has only reinforced its narrative that West Bengal's neighbour poses a direct threat to welfare benefits, law and order, and social harmony. The BJP is seen as consolidating Hindu voters. The TMC is seen as dependent on Muslim support. These perceptions are reshaping political narratives in ways that are difficult to reverse. When religion and identity politics take centre stage, the first casualties are real issues like poverty, unemployment, urbanisation, economic growth, and infrastructure. They fade into the background, allowing political parties to avoid accountability and ride back to power on emotional and communal appeals. IMAGE: Face masks of Narendra Modi Mamata Banerjee and TMC General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee at Bara Bazar in Kolkata, April 10, 2026. Photograph: ANI Photo The Trinamool Congress faces serious anti-incumbency. Unemployment, deteriorating law and order, governance failures, and sheer voter fatigue have accumulated over 15 years. In an attempt to counter this, the party has denied tickets to 74 of its sitting MLAs. Just as Prime Minister Narendra Modi told voters in 2014 that a vote for the BJP was a vote for him personally, Mamata has told Bengal's voters the same. She knows she is larger than the party she leads. She is also stressing the need to protect Bengali identity and culture, warning that a party of outsiders will destroy what makes Bengal unique. The CPI-M ruled West Bengal for 34 years. It was comprehensively routed in 2011, reduced to zero seats in the assembly. It is still talking about labour rights, agrarian distress, and public sector concerns, but it is no longer talking about ruling Bengal. It is fighting simply to remain relevant. Having gone unchallenged for so long, the Left never imagined a day would come when it would have no representative in the assembly. In the current polarised landscape, a revival seems highly unlikely. Its time is over. The Congress, once a dominant force in the state, has no meaningful presence today. Its cadres have drifted to the Left, the TMC, or the BJP. It failed to win a single seat in the last election. IMAGE: Mamata Banerjee campaigns alongside TMC candidate Sayantika Banerjee, canvassing from Dunlop to Baranagar in Kolkata, April 10, 2026. Photograph: ANI Photo Mamata cannot escape the ghosts of her last tenure. The Sandeshkhali scandal exposed the dark underbelly of TMC's political machine. In January 2024, an Enforcement Directorate team arrived to question Sheikh Shahjahan, a local TMC district council member implicated in the siphoning of food ration funds. His supporters attacked the ED officers, destroying their phones and files. Soon after, hundreds of women took to the streets, alleging that TMC leaders had sexually abused them and grabbed their land. Mamata was slow to act. Shahjahan was suspended only after he was arrested at the end of February 2024. Some of the lands were returned. The protests damaged both Mamata and the TMC. The BJP was quick to politically weaponise the episode. A key witness against Shahjahan was later killed in suspicious circumstances. The scandal seriously dented the TMC's carefully cultivated image as a champion of women's rights -- and it has surfaced repeatedly in the BJP's election campaign. Another crisis followed. A 31-year-old postgraduate doctor at the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata was raped and murdered while on duty. The crime triggered nationwide outrage and protests. The accused, Sanjay Roy, was a Kolkata Police volunteer employed to look after the families of police personnel at the hospital. Doctors went on strike demanding workplace safety. Medical services across government hospitals were suspended. The Supreme Court set up a national task force to formulate safety protocols for healthcare workers. What damaged the Mamata government even more than the crime itself was the perception of institutional cover-up, a response that reeked of administrative callousness and political impunity. The case continues to haunt the TMC. Meanwhile, Mamata has written to Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar alleging that BJP agents are flooding the state chief electoral officer's office with thousands of fraudulent voter enrolment applications to smuggle in non-residents from other states. The BJP has dismissed the charges. The Election Commission has not responded. But the allegation has given Mamata a unifying narrative of institutional victimhood -- a familiar and potent tool in her political arsenal. Her parallel charge that the central government has been withholding funds legitimately due to West Bengal is reinforcing the same message. IMAGE: People gather to attend Modi's public meeting in Kolkata, April 14, 2026. Photograph: Narendra Modi Photo Gallery/ANI Photo West Bengal has always been a state of fierce political passions. It threw out the Left after 34 years when it stopped listening. It could do the same to the TMC if people's patience runs out. But this election is different. It is no longer simply about governance or welfare. It is about identity, fear, and who belongs. The BJP has successfully shifted the terms of the debate from what the government has delivered to who the real Bengali is and who is an outsider. Mamata is fighting on two fronts simultaneously: Defending her record and fighting to keep her voters on the electoral rolls. It is an exhausting battle, and she knows it. The Bengal of 2026 is not the Bengal of 2021. Something has shifted. The question is whether it has shifted enough. Ramesh Menon, award-winning journalist, educator, documentary filmmaker and corporate trainer, is the author of Modi Demystified: The Making Of A Prime Minister. Feature Presentation: Aslam Hunani/Rediff Q : Can you provide more details on the short-cycle order weakness and its impact on revenue? A : Kenneth Bockhorst, CEO, explained that the short-cycle order weakness, resulting in $15 million to $20 million less revenue than expected, is due to inherent variability in the market. This variability is not new and is influenced by selling to numerous utilities with different replacement cycles. Robert Wrocklage, EVP, added that the weakness is timing-related and not due to market positioning or share loss. Operating margin decreased to 17.4% compared to a record 22.2% in the prior year period, primarily due to the deleveraging effect of lower volumes. Badger Meter Inc ( NYSE:BMI ) continues to see constructive market and customer activity, with utilities prioritizing modernization, efficiency, and visibility across their water networks. The acquisition of UD Live is expected to be accretive to EPS in year one and enhances Badger Meter Inc ( NYSE:BMI )'s position in the global sewer line monitoring market. Despite a soft start to the year, Badger Meter Inc ( NYSE:BMI ) maintains strong gross margins, reflecting the durability of pricing discipline and structural mix benefits. The company has a robust pipeline of awarded AMI projects expected to begin deployment in the back half of 2026, representing between 2.6 million and 3.6 million connections over multiple years. For the complete transcript of the earnings call, please refer to the full earnings call transcript . Story Continues Q: What is the confidence level regarding the PRASA project ramping up in the second half of the year? A: Kenneth Bockhorst, CEO, expressed increased confidence in the PRASA project, noting that they have received a purchase order and installation partners are lined up. This confidence is higher than before, indicating a positive outlook for the project's timely ramp-up. Q: How does the updated guidance account for potential project delays into 2027? A: Kenneth Bockhorst, CEO, clarified that while they don't provide formal guidance, they have increased transparency regarding project pacing. As projects move closer to deployment, confidence in their timelines improves, reducing the risk of significant delays into 2027. Q: Can you elaborate on the gross margin performance and expectations for the rest of the year? A: Daniel Weltzien, CFO, stated that gross margins remained strong at 41.7% in Q1, supported by high-margin products like BEACON SaaS. They expect to operate within the 39% to 42% range for the year, despite potential mix changes as projects ramp up. Q: How does the acquisition of UD Live fit into Badger Meter's strategy, and what is the market potential for sewer line monitoring? A: Kenneth Bockhorst, CEO, explained that the acquisition of UD Live enhances Badger Meter's position in sewer line monitoring, complementing their Smart Cover acquisition. The market is in early stages of adoption, with significant regulatory drivers and investment in the US and UK, offering substantial growth potential. For the complete transcript of the earnings call, please refer to the full earnings call transcript. Billionaire investor Bill Ackman has built quite a reputation as an investor. He once focused primarily on activist short-selling, a period during which he waged an epic battle with another investing titan, Carl Icahn, over the company Herbalife. Ackman currently runs a concentrated hedge fund, Pershing Square Capital Management, which typically holds 10 to 12 long positions at any given time. 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 Ackman and his team will occasionally engage with management teams, but in the form of "long-term constructive engagement." The fund has performed well, with a 10-year return of 380% net of fees as of March 31. Now, Ackman is ready to open his hedge fund to U.S. retail investors. Here's what investors need to know about this complex initial public offering (IPO). Image source: Getty Images. The complex nature of the IPO The corporate structure of Ackman's fund can be difficult to understand. Ackman and his team, who actually manage the fund, operate under Pershing Square Capital Management, which had net assets of over $15.5 billion at the end of 2025. Then there is Pershing Square Holdings (OTC: PSHZF), a European closed-end fund that essentially gives retail and institutional investors access to Pershing Square Capital Management's investments. Closed-end funds issue a fixed number of shares. The shares cannot be redeemed like an open-end mutual fund but trade on a secondary market, as a stock would. Later this month, Ackman will conduct an IPO for Pershing Square USA under the ticker PSUS, which will trade on the New York Stock Exchange. Similar to Pershing Square Holdings, Pershing Square USA will be a closed-end fund, meaning if you invest in PSUS, you are betting on Ackman and his team's investing prowess and their ability to generate market-beating returns from their stock portfolio. Ackman is seeking to raise at least $5 billion in the IPO and as much as $10 billion, and has already lined up a private placement of $2.8 billion. As a sweetener, and likely because closed-end funds typically trade at a discount to their net asset value (NAV), investors of PSUS will also receive free shares in Pershing Square Inc. under the ticker PS, a separate company that Ackman is taking public in tandem with PSUS. PS is the management company of PSUS. Investors in PS are effectively buying the business of managing the closed-end fund. The success of PS depends on how much capital Pershing Square USA can raise and, therefore, how much in fees it can collect annually. The brother of jailed Iranian Nobel Peace Prize winner Narges Mohammadi has told RFE/RL's Radio Farda that her life is "in serious danger" following a heart attack she suffered in prison last month. Hamid Reza Mohammadi said his sister was being denied medical care and suffering from "vision problems, nausea, blood-pressure issues, and chest pain." Narges Mohammadi has spent much of the last decade behind bars as a result of her human rights activism. She was most recently arrested in December, during a memorial ceremony in the northeastern city of Mashhad. "After her arrest in Mashhad, because of blows she received to the head, she was already in bad condition," her brother said. Following her arrest, she was given a new prison sentence of 7 years, her foundation said in February. In April, her husband, Taghi Rahmani, told Radio Farda that her health had significantly deteriorated in prison. Hamid Reza said she was now being held in Zanjan prison, some 330 kilometers west of the capital, Tehran. "Lawyers and the family have been trying to at least send her to a specialist in Tehran for treatment, but that too was prevented," he said. "They do not allow Narges to see a trusted specialist." 'Cruel Abuse' The Norwegian Nobel Committee issued a statement in February calling on Iran to end what it called the "cruel abuse" of Mohammadi, and to release her immediately. On April 2, human rights group Amnesty International also called for her release, citing the recent heart attack. "Prisoners in Zanjan are at risk from US and Israeli airstrikes amid explosions near the facility, which Narges Mohammadi said prisoners hear, further heightening their stress and exacerbating her fragile health," it said. Hamid Reza said that the prison conditions she faced were harsher than usual, amid heightened anxiety among the Iranian authorities about internal dissent due to the ongoing confrontation with the United States. "The government is determined to maintain control even through mass executions and by killing prominent figures such as Narges and Nasrin Sotoudeh, Fatemeh Sepehri, and many others," he said. Amid an intensifying crackdown in Iran, Sotoudeh, a prominent rights activist, was arrested at her home in Tehran on April 1. Sepehri has been in jail since 2022, when she was arrested during the mass nationwide Women, Life, Freedom protests. She was given an additional sentence in 2024 after condemning the October 7 attack on Israel by Hamas, which is designated a terrorist organization by the United States. Hamid Reza Mohammadi told Radio Farda he felt that human rights abuses in Iran were being neglected by the international community. "Unfortunately, countries involved in this conflict, including European states, are focused on the Strait of Hormuz and oil prices. Human rights have been completely forgotten," he said. WASHINGTON -- The United States has again temporarily eased sanctions on Russian oil, issuing a new waiver that allows certain shipments already at sea to be delivered and sold, even as Washington publicly insists it is maintaining pressure on the Kremlin. On April 17, the US Treasury Departments Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) released General License 134B, authorizing transactions tied to Russian crude and petroleum products loaded onto vessels as of that date. The waiver runs through May 16 and replaces a previous license that expired on April 11. The move comes at a moment of sharp volatility in global energy markets, driven in part by tensions surrounding the Strait of Hormuz amid the ongoing conflict involving Iran. Oil prices dropped significantly the same day the waiver was announced after Iran signaled that the key shipping route would reopen to commercial traffic. Policy Reversal Raises Questions The timing has fueled confusion in Washington. Just two days earlier, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent had told reporters the administration would not extend the earlier waiver, signaling what appeared to be a firmer stance on Russian energy exports. That position has now shifted. The renewed license is narrowly tailored -- it applies only to oil already loaded onto ships -- but critics say the repeated use of such waivers risks undermining the broader sanctions regime imposed after Russias full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Leading Senate Democrats, including Chuck Schumer of New York, Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, and Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire, condemned the decision as a 180-degree reversal, arguing that it sends a mixed signal at a time when Russia continues its military campaign. This decision is shameful, they said in a joint statement, linking the move to ongoing Russian attacks in Ukraine and warning that it could prolong the war. Between Market Stability And Sanctions Pressure Administration officials have previously framed such waivers as technical measures aimed at preventing sudden disruptions in global supply -- particularly during periods of geopolitical instability affecting major oil transit routes. But some experts say the policy reflects a deeper dilemma. The energy shocks coming out of Asia and Oceania into Western markets are rapidly backing Washington into a corner, said sanctions expert Brett Erickson of Obsidian Risk Advisors. At some point, the only solution left is letting Moscow ride to the rescue and dramatically damaging the sanctions architecture the West has spent years building, Erickson told RFE/RL on April 17. Others see the approach as part of a broader -- and risky -- balancing act. Matthew Murray, former deputy assistant secretary of commerce for Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, argues that relying solely on sanctions has not produced the desired political outcomes. The question now is whether President Donald Trump can successfully apply both carrots and sticks, said Murray, now an adjunct professor at Columbia University and Georgetown University. He suggested that selective relief may be intended to influence Moscows behavior, even if the results remain uncertain. Ukraine Warns Of Consequences From Kyivs perspective, any easing of pressure carries clear risks. Vladyslav Vlasiuk, a senior adviser to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, has consistently argued that sanctions are working -- and should be strengthened, not diluted. The more sanctions are applied against Russia, the quicker we will see success in peace negotiations, he told RFE/RL earlier this week, warning that even temporary waivers can translate into billions of dollars in additional revenue for Moscows war effort. He also questioned the economic logic behind the waivers, noting that Russian oil volumes are too small to offset disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz, a critical artery for global energy supplies. A Pattern Emerging The latest decision follows a series of recent steps by US authorities that have drawn scrutiny in Washington and among allies. On March 31, the Treasury Department removed sanctions on several Russian-flagged commercial vessels -- including the Sv Nikolay, Fesco Moneron, and Fesco Magadan -- which had previously been listed for links to sanctioned entities and activities tied to Russias war in Ukraine. The delisting allowed those ships to reenter certain parts of the global shipping system, including access to services such as insurance and port operations. This was followed by the initial issuance of General License 134A in March, which temporarily authorized the delivery of Russian oil already in transit. That license expired on April 11. For shipping companies, insurers, and commodity traders, the current waiver provides a defined legal pathway to complete transactions involving cargo already at sea, including services necessary for vessel safety and delivery. For governments, it underscores the ongoing challenge of reconciling sanctions enforcement with the practical realities of managing global energy flows during periods of disruption, experts say. Hopes that shipping would resume through the Strait of Hormuz proved short-lived on April 18, as Iranian forces attacked at least three civilian ships after Tehran announced it was reversing its decision to reopen the vital waterway. United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO), a shipping security monitor, detailed three attacks -- the first such incidents since a cease-fire began on April 8. In the first incident, two Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) gunboats fired on a tanker without warning, UKMTO said. Later, it said a container ship was "hit by a projectile," while there was a near miss with an attack on a third vessel. Two of the ships were Indian-flagged, prompting India to summon the Iranian ambassador in protest. Speaking in Washington, US President Donald Trump said "They got a little cute...They wanted to close up the strait again, you know, as they've been doing for years. And they can't blackmail us." But Trump also said there were "good conversations going on" with Iran and that "we'll have some information by the end of the day." Earlier, shipping tracking data had showed several vessels passing through the strait. But many of them turned back as news of Iran's decision and the IRGC attacks filtered through. Maritime intelligence company Windward noted in a social media post that 13 vessels had made "abrupt U-turns, illustrating the volatility of the situation." The dramatic events followed a mood of optimism the previous day, when global oil prices had plunged following the initial reopening announcement. But the optimism dissolved as Iranian state media announced that the decision to open the strait had now been reversed, in response to Trump's decision to keep his country's naval blockade of Iran in place. As long as the passage of vessels from Iranian origin [or] to Iranian destination remains under threat, the status of the Strait of Hormuz will remain in its previous state, said a statement by the IRGC command. After the civilian vessels were fired upon, the IRGC naval forces late on April 18 issued a statement saying that "ships of any kind" approaching the strait "will be targeted." Roadblock To Peace The status of the strait is a key area of dispute between Washington and Tehran. Prior to the war, it was the conduit for 20 percent of global oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG) shipments. It has been effectively closed to traffic since US and Israeli air strikes on Iran on February 28. Iran's moves to shut it down sent oil prices skyrocketing and shook the global economy. Reopening the strait is a key US demand in peace talks, and Iran's announcement on April 17, indicating that shipping could resume, appeared to suggest diplomatic momentum was building. It followed a cease-fire coming into effect in Lebanon, which had been an Iranian demand. Later on April 17, Trump said there were now no "significant differences" between Washington and Tehran and that talks would continue over the weekend. We'll see how it all turns out, but it should be good, some very good discussions, he said. "A lot of good things are happening. But that high-water mark of optimism was followed by a series of negative signals. In a blistering social media post, Iranian Parliament speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf accused Trump of telling "lies" and said that "with the continuation of [the US] blockade, the Strait of Hormuz will not remain open." This threat was carried out hours later, shortly after it was announced that the key Pakistani mediator, army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir, has left Tehran after three days of talks. Where this now leaves the prospects of direct talks resuming following the failed US-Iranian negotiations in Islamabad on April 11 is unclear. Photo Gallery: In Photos: Week Seven Of The Iran War Prayers for peace, cease-fires, and an ongoing energy crisis dominated the seventh week of the conflict in the Middle East. Fate Of Enriched Uranium There is also ongoing uncertainty about another key stumbling block in the talks -- the fate of some 450 kilograms of highly enriched uranium held by Iran. The US president on April 17 repeated his suggestion that Tehran has agreed to give this up. Some confusion remained over precisely what material Trump was referring to. Tehran denied it had agreed to give up its supply, saying, "Iran's enriched uranium is not going to be transferred anywhere." "Transfer of Iran's enriched uranium to the US has never been raised in negotiations," said Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baqaei. Reuters cited Trump as referring to "nuclear dust" and said it would be retrieved "very soon." The report added that Trump's mention of nuclear dust was a reference to what he believes remains after the US and Israel bombed Iran's nuclear installations" in June 2025, although Trump has occasionally referred to enriched uranium as "nuclear dust." Later, speaking to reporters in Phoenix, Trump also referred to "nuclear dust." "Somebody said, how are we going to get the nuclear dust? We're going to get it by going in with Iran, with lots of excavators," Trump said. "But we're going to go in together with Iran. We're going to get it. We're going to take it back home to the USA very soon." He added that no money would be changing hands in a deal with Iran. Some media reports had suggested that the US would release frozen Iranian assets in exchange for the right to take control of Tehran's enriched uranium. With reporting by RFE/RL's Alex Raufoglu in Washington and Reuters KYIV -- A shooter killed six people and injured 14 others in Kyiv before being eliminated by Ukraine's special forces in a daylight incident on April 18, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said. Ukrainian Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko said the shooter killed four people on a street in the Holosiyivskiy district before barricading himself inside a local supermarket, where he took a hostage and then killed a fifth person. Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said the sixth person had died in a hospital was among the people injured in the shooting. According to Klitschko, the injured included a child. "He shot at point-blank range with single shots. People had almost no chance," Klymenko said, adding that the shooter acted "very chaotically" and without any pattern. "We expect a prompt investigation... Four hostages have been rescued," Zelenskyy wrote shortly after the incident, expressing condolences to the relatives of those killed. User-generated videos shared on Ukrainian Telegram channels showed shocking images in which the shooter was seen killing a passerby at close range. One of the servicemen said the operation to detain the shooter was "very difficult," explaining that the shooter was unwilling to communicate. Klymenko added that special forces tried to negotiate with him before storming the barricaded supermarket, but were met with gunfire. The man was armed with a carbine legally available for civilian purchase, Klymenko said. "It was registered...In December 2025, he applied to the permitting authorities for a weapons license. He submitted a medical certificate. The investigation will determine who issued it," he added. While the shooter's motives remain unclear, Ukraine's General Prosecutor Ruslan Kravchenko said he was 58 years old and was born in Moscow. Zelenskyy added that he had also long lived in Ukraine's Donetsk region. It was later reported by the Ukrainian media that the man had set his apartment on fire before his shooting spree. According to a neighbor who had known the shooter for about ten years, he lived alone and had almost no contact with other residents. She told RFE/RL's Ukrainian service that he appeared well-mannered and showed no signs of aggression. Microsoft (MSFT) has found itself in unfamiliar territory. For a stock that spent much of the past decade as Wall Streets darling, 2026 has been anything but. According to Seeking Alpha, the stock has tanked roughly 17% year-to-date, its worst quarterly showing since the 2008 financial crisis. However, top bank BNP Paribas just cut through the noise with one of the sharpest calls on Wall Street. The bank said that the ingredients for a rebound are simmering, but that the near-term pain isn't going away quietly. BNP analyst Stefan Slowinski didn't mince words about the frustration, saying that, "The 'SaaS Smash' has not spared Microsoft, which is the largest SaaS vendor, mainly through its 365 Commercial Cloud products." However, Slowinski believes there isnt a broken core business here. Azure continues to generate a ton of cash, and the enterprise moat is massive to say the least. The conundrum is whether the tech giant can convert its massive AI investments into real top-line growth in a relatively short period. This, in turn, is a twofold problem: Copilot traction and Azure capacity allocation. Slowinski argues that investors have grown too impatient with Copilot's lack of clear momentum, potentially overlooking future growth from Anthropics Cowork product. In fact, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella is reportedly working to fix Copilot, with a clear focus on improving user experience and performance. At the same time, the company is tackling another issue in Azure capacity. BNP Paribas estimates that nearly one-third of Microsofts new AI capacity last quarter was used internally, supporting its internal apps and training AI models, rather than being sold to customers. According to Microsofts latest earnings transcript (Q2 2025), if the capacity had been directed to external clients, growth might have topped 40%, rather than the 38% reported. The fear here is that Microsoft is being drawn into a relentless and incredibly expensive superintelligence race with its own partner OpenAI, which happens to be Azures share of the collateral damage. Strong fundamentals remain intact, though Copilot traction and capex concerns weigh on sentimentGetty Images picture alliance / Contributor Microsoft stock returns compared to the S&P 500 Tom Tuite A young man maimed his brother in a horrific crash after speeding "like a missile" through a Midlands village. Mullingar Circuit Criminal Court heard that Gerard Duffy McAndrew (23) had been using cannabis and filming himself drinking wine while driving earlier that night. Across the video clip were the words: "Beer, steer and go". Just 18 months beforehand, he had been united with his brother Stephen Murphy (29), who had been adopted. Duffy McAndrew, of Rathcorbally, Monilea, Westmeath, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving causing serious injury and having no insurance for the car he was using at the time of a collision in Rathowen, Westmeath, during the early hours of March 23rd last year. Murphy, who was flung from his brother's Audi, suffered "catastrophic injuries" and lost his left leg. During an emotionally charged hearing on Friday, defence senior counsel Colm Smyth likened the events to a Shakespearean tragedy. Judge Keenan Johnson described it as an instance "of bad things happening to good people" and a "tragedy of gigantic proportions for all involved". CCTV However, having viewed CCTV footage, he also said it was a miracle no one was killed, and he regarded it as one of the worst examples of dangerous driving he had seen. Referring to the video evidence, he commented: "Looking at that car, it was like a missile." He adjourned sentencing for Duffy McAndrew, who has no prior convictions, to allow a probation report to be prepared and sentencing in May. Garda Sergeant Alan Brehon told Cathal O Braonain BL, instructed by the State solicitor for Westmeath, Matt Shaw, that the accused crashed at high speed into two trees in the village at about 2.30am, and lost control of his car. It continued for another 135 metres before coming to a halt. Murphy, who was asleep in the passenger side, was flung through the windscreen after his seatbelt snapped. He landed on the other side of the street in agony, bleeding heavily and had a bone sticking out of his leg. He lost four litres of blood and suffered a punctured lung, a dislocated hip and chest damage. Based on video evidence, gardai estimated the accused was reaching speeds of 163 km/h a few minutes beforehand in nearby Ballinalack, where the speed limit is 50km/h. Another motorist reported that, as he was driving on the N4 at 100km/h, Duffy McAndrew's car passed out him on the hard shoulder. Minutes later, when he crashed in Rathowen, his speedometer "froze" at 195km/h. It was also a 50km/h zone. There was debris all over the street. The engine came away from the car as it hurled through the village after hitting trees. Its battery was projected and embedded into the engine of a local woman's parked car, which was written off. Tiles on two-storey houses were damaged by debris from Duffy McAndrew's car. At one point, it rotated, and the video evidence showed a trail of sparks as it careered along the village street. Apprentice block-layer and stoneworker, Duffy McAndrew, was slumped unconscious in the driver's seat but had a faint pulse and had to be cut out of his car. He was over the legal drink-drive limit. The brothers were rushed by ambulance to Tullamore hospital and were both in comas, but the driver came out of his coma and was found to have a fractured shoulder. His brother's condition remained severe, and he was transferred to the Mater Hospital, where the amputation was carried out 10 days later. His right ankle also remains damaged and may have to be replaced, the court heard. Murphy spent four and a half months in hospital and is now back at work on his farm, but still requires assistance. Judge Johnson praised his resilience. Duffy McAndrew's phone was analysed, and a video clip from that night was played during the hearing. It showed his brother asleep in the car while he was driving with no hands. The camera also switches to selfie mode, showing him drinking from a bottle of wine. No NCT The court heard that the accused was not insured for the car and that it had no NCT. It emerged that he drove it because the household's main car was unavailable and he wanted to visit his brother, who had just gone through a break-up. They went to Portrunney in Roscommon, but Duffy McAndrew told the court he had no memory of what happened after that. Visibly upset, he told the court that he learned about his brother about 18 months before the collision. He was "over the moon" when he made contact because he had always wanted a brother, and they just "clicked". He apologised and thanked the emergency workers and Rathowen residents who helped after the crash. Due to legal advice, with his case pending, he had not been in contact with his brother recently. Duffy McAndrew spoke about constantly feeling guilty. He said he would do everything he could to assist his brother, who did not attend the hearing or provide a victim impact statement. The court head visited him in the early stages of his recovery. Sergeant Brehon said that the victim had no memory of the crash or the previous month. Duffy McAndrew could not explain what occurred and acknowledged his "stupidity" had put others at risk. He maintained that he did not normally use cannabis and that he hardly drank before this. Since then, he spends most of his spare time fishing or going on long walks with his dog. Their mother wept in court and told the judge that it had broken her heart, and she loved both her sons, as she pleaded with the judge not to jail the accused. Duffy McAndrew's employer vouched for his hardworking nature and good character, saying he was the best apprentice he had ever had, and other testimonial letters were handed in to the court. EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES Are you looking for a job or thinking of a career change? The Roscommon Career and Employment Expo takes place at Kilbride Community Centre, Fourmilehouse on Wednesday, April 22nd from 11 a.m.. Meet local employers, businesses, and education providers all in the one place. Whether you are job hunting, looking to upskill or exploring new opportunities, this event is for you. Everyone is welcome. Free bus available. Check Roscommon LEADER Partnership on Facebook or call Claire at (086) 6094262 for details SCDA FORTNIGHTLY DRAW Results of the SCDA fortnightly draw held on March 31st- Numbers drawn - 8 10,16, 18. One Match Three winner - Ronan Shiel, Carniska. Next draw is on Tuesday, April 14th at the SCDA office, jackpot, 1,050. Thank you for your continued support. SUNDAY MASS Sunday Mass at Kiltrustan Church on Sunday, April 19th is at 10 a.m.. St. Barry's ladies taking part in the Strokestown Easter Parade. Pic: Gerard O'Loughlin CLOONCAGH NS Enrolment forms for September, 2026 for Clooncagh NS are now available, phone (071) 96333253 or (085) 8819245 or e mail cllonaghschool@gmail.com for further information. SPCA Roscommon SPCA says a sincere thanks to everyone for the very generous donations received to the collection held on March 28th last. Every penny goes directly to animal welfare. As a non-profit charity run entirely by volunteers, the kindness and support helps them continue in their work to rescue, care for and protect animals in the county. Amount collected was 949.74. ALONE Would you be willing to provide companionship to an older person in the Strokestown area. ALONE is seeking volunteers in the area. Full training and > support provided. If interested, please apply via the ALONE website or for further information contact ALONE on volunteer@alone.ie or call 0818 222024. If you are over 60 and would like to know more about this service ALONE can offer you, call 081 8222024. LATE MR JOE McLOUGHLIN The death took place recently in Maryland, USA, of Mr Edward Joseph (Joe) McLoughlin, a native of Corraslira, Strokestown. He was the only son of the late Mr Joe McLoughlin and of the late Mrs Kate McLoughlin (nee Kennedy). He grew up on the family farm. He joined An Garda Siochana and following his retirement from the force he emigrated to the USA in 1990. There he worked in the real estate business. He was a longstanding member of the Knights of Columbus and of the Teamsters. He had a deep love of Irish music, history and culture. He will be forever remembered for his quiet strength, enduring faith, his generosity of spirit and kindness to all who knew him. News of his sudden passing was heard of with deep regret among his relatives, former neighbours and friends in the locality . He was predeceased by his sister, Catherine (USA). The Funeral Mass was concelebrated at the Church of the Immaculate Conception, Strokestown, by Fr. Eamonn O'Connor, P.P., and Canon Ciaran Whitney (Strokestown), and the interment of his ashes followed in the family plot at Strokestown Cemetery. He is survived by his sister, Mrs Maura Lundon (Multyfarnham, County Westmeath), brother-in-law, nieces, nephews, extended family and other relatives to whom deepest sympathy is extended. LATE MR FRANCIS COLLINS The death took place on Easter Sunday at University Hospital, Galway, of Mr Francis Collins, of Ballybeg, Strokestown, aged 71 years. He was the third son of the late Mr Frank Collins and of the late Mrs Sheila Collins (nee Gibbons), Merchants, Ballybeg. He was educated at Carniska National School and Scoil Mhuire Secondary School, Strokestown. Destined to take over the family business, he served his apprenticeship to the bar trade in Dublin, before returning home and eventually following in the footsteps of the business first established by his grandfather, the late Luke Gibbons. He successfully carried on the business for many years. He continued to farm at Ballybeg. Of an outgoing and sociable disposition, he loved music and singing and he was never without his radio and ear plugs as he carried out his daily tasks on his David Brown tractor. He was noted for his sense of humour. News of his passing following a short illness was heard of with deep shock and sorrow among his relatives, neighbours and many good friends. He was predeceased by his parents, his infant sister, Fidelma, parents-in-law, Jimmie and Doodle Smyth (Ballintubber) and by his brother-in-law, Ray. The Funeral Mass was concelebrated at St. Mary's Church, Carniska, by Fr. Eamonn O'Connor, P.P., Fr. Vincent Atueyi and Canon Ciaran Whitney (Strokestown), and the interment followed in Strokestown Cemetery. A Guard of Honour accompanied the cortege from the bridge below the town to the cemetery. He is survived by his wife, Ita (nee Smyth); children, Ellen (Fallon) Yvonne (Gilleran), Seamus and Christine; grandchildren, Keelan, Rian, Aoibhe, Ruadhan, Fiadh and Keeva; sons-in-law, Damien and Sean; daughter-in-law, Ellen; brothers, Sean (Strokestown), Hugh (Ballinasloe) Clement (Kilrooskey) and Vincent (Beechwood); sisters, Mrs Mary Boylan (Celbridge) and Mrs Dympna Hurley (Glinsk); nephews, nieces, brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, and other relatives to whom deepest sympathy is extended. ROOSKY/KILGLASS HONDA 50 RUN The Roosky Honda 50 Run in aid of Sick Children's Fund takes place on Sunday, April 19th. Run begins at Kilglass GAA pitch. Registration starts at 10.30 a.m.. Run departs at 12.30 p.m.. Registration fee, 20. Refreshments before and after the run. The Feeney School of Irish Dance taking part in the Strokstown Easter Parade. Pic: Gerard OLoughlin KILGLASS GAELS LOTTO In the Kilglass Gaels Lotto held on April 11th the numbers drawn were 4, 9, 10, 11, bonus number 8. There was no jackpot winner. There were four Match 3 number winners of 50 each, Michael Diffley, Declan Kavanagh, Oliver Cox, Johnny Reynolds. Next jackpot is 9100 for four correct numbers, 13,100 for four correct numbers plus bonus number. Next draw takes place in the clubrooms on Saturday, April 18th. CAMINO Drumreilly Community Camino is having its Camino walk on Saturday, May 2nd with three routes to cater for everyone's needs - a 35.5 km, a 21.5 km and a 10.5 km route. Registration from 6 a.m. and from 9 a.m. for the 10.5 km route. Check out drumreillycamino.ie for tickets. T shirt, medal, and delicious hot meal for each walker and promises to be a brilliant weekend.. PROGRESSIVE 25 Progressive 25 continues in Kilglass GAA Centre on Tuesdays at 9 p.m.. Last week's winners were Joint 1st ,J P Farrell & Charlie Reynolds; 2nd, Pat Mullooly; raffle, John OBeirne. New players welcome. BINGO Bingo every Saturday at 8.30 p.m. in Kilglass Gaels Centre. Get insights on thousands of stocks from the global community of over 7 million individual investors at Simply Wall St. Calfrac Well Services is back on the radar for many investors, with its fair value price target adjusted from CA$7.00 to CA$7.50. Analysts linking this shift to recent research updates see the higher target as consistent with a more constructive stance on the company and its execution. Read on to see how to interpret this evolving narrative and what to watch as sentiment continues to develop. Stay updated as the Fair Value for Calfrac Well Services shifts by adding it to your watchlist or portfolio. Alternatively, explore our Community to discover new perspectives on Calfrac Well Services. What Wall Street Has Been Saying Bullish Takeaways RBC Capital raised its price target for Calfrac Well Services by C$1.50, which aligns with the higher fair value range now discussed around C$7.50 and signals increased confidence in how the market is framing the company. Research from ATB Capital includes an upgrade on the stock, indicating that at least one additional firm is now viewing the risk and reward setup more favorably than before. Both RBC Capital and ATB Capital are engaging with the name in recent research, which can help support investor attention on execution and balance sheet progress. Bearish Takeaways The recent upgrade and price target increase still come with typical concerns around execution, especially in a service heavy business where activity levels and pricing can affect results. Analysts raising targets often highlight that the story depends on management continuing to deliver on operational and financial priorities, so any setback could quickly affect sentiment and valuation. Do your thoughts align with the Bull or Bear Analysts? Perhaps you think there's more to the story. Head to the Simply Wall St Community to discover more perspectives! TSX:CFW 1-Year Stock Price Chart We've flagged 2 risks for Calfrac Well Services. See which could impact your investment. What's in the News A County Roscommon heritage project has been awarded Strategic Investment funding. Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, James Browne TD, and Minister of State with Responsibility for Nature, Heritage and Biodiversity, Christopher OSullivan TD, marked World Heritage Day today (Saturday, April 18th) by announcing a capital investment to support UNESCO World Heritage ambition across the country. Four sites on the World Heritage Tentative List for Ireland will benefit from 365,000 in funding this year, supporting 11 different projects in counties Roscommon, Kerry, Kildare, Offaly, Sligo and Westmeath. Roscommon is included under Royal Sites of Ireland with 58,000 for a geophysical survey at Rathcroghan and interpretation at the Hill of Uisneach, County Westmeath and Kilcullen, County Kildare, while 25,000 has been allocated for the Passage Tomb Landscape of Sligo for interpretation work. Minister Browne welcomed the announcement, saying: This critical funding will help protect and conserve Irelands Tentative List sites as they progress through the World Heritage nomination process, ensuring their potential Outstanding Universal Value is recognised and safeguarded. By investing in conservation, research and presentation, and supporting the communities and custodians of these sites, we not only help maintain these extraordinary sites but we strengthen their role as places that connect people to our shared past, present and future and which will help them withstand the effects of climate change. April 18, 2026 UPDATE A roundup of local and world news April 18, 2026 UPDATE Newsroom, 18.04.2026, 20:00 Political crisis Five thousand local PSD leaders are preparing to vote on Monday to express their lack of confidence in Liberal Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan. In their view, Romania is suffering under poor governance, a direction they believe must be changed. In contrast, the PNL, USR, and UDMRthe other partners in the co-governancewant the current coalition formula to continue. These parties argue that a political divorce would damage the countrys economy and finances and jeopardize the absorption of the final billions of euros from the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR). To prevent the collapse of the coalition, Head of State Nicusor Dan has attempted to mediate the conflict, holding talks with both Premier Bolojan and PSD leader Sorin Grindeanu. In an interview Friday with Radio Romania, the Prime Minister declared he will not resign, even if the Social Democrats demand it on Monday, denouncing what he called PSDs evasion of responsibility and double standards. Bucharest: Crisis in the Danube Delta The situation in the Danube Delta is at the edge of disaster, stated Environment Minister Diana Buzoianu. Today, she announced that she will forward the Control Bodys report regarding the activity of the Danube Delta Biosphere Reserve Administration to the DNA (National Anticorruption Directorate) and ANI (National Integrity Agency). The document points to possible criminal acts, including conflicts of interest, the blocking of projects funded by European funds, and the use of field inspections as a pressure tool against economic operators. On Friday, at the Ministers proposal, Premier Ilie Bolojan decided to dismiss the Governor of the Reserve Administration. The institution is responsible for managing and conserving biodiversity and promoting sustainable development in the Danube Delta, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Energy Romania has produced less energy and is increasingly reliant on imports, even as demand decreases. According to the National Institute of Statistics, during the first two months of the year, domestic energy production decreased by over 2%, while coal imports saw a spectacular increase of more than fivefold. This occurred despite the fact that the population consumed over 4% less electricity due to high prices. In the natural gas sector, a relatively modest increase in consumption was largely covered by imports. Simultaneously, the consumption structure of petroleum products has shifted toward a stronger reliance on imported finished products, particularly diesel. Dumitru Chisalita, President of the Energia Inteligenta Association, believes that Romania is facing not just consumption issues, but structural and coordination problems regarding energy resources, resulting in low efficiency and a limited capacity to withstand external shocks. Event Romanian Foreign Minister Oana Toiu, alongside Economy Minister Irineu Darau, will inaugurate Romanian Industry Day on Monday at NATO headquarters in Brussels. The event aims to promote the national defense industry, with over 20 top Romanian companies announcing their participation. Organized for the first time at the North Atlantic Alliance headquarters, the event represents a major milestone in Romanias economic diplomacy efforts. According to a Foreign Ministry statement, the central objective is to highlight the strategic relevance of the defense industry to NATOs security architecture and to raise the profile of the defense and cybersecurity sectors as potential suppliers for allies. Tennis Romanian tennis player Sorana Cirstea withdrew on Saturday before her semifinal match against Ukraines Veronika Podrez at the WTA 250 tournament in Rouen, France, after sustaining a leg injury. Cirstea made the decision to avoid jeopardizing her participation in the final Roland Garros tournament of her careera venue where she reached the quarterfinals in 2009 at the age of 19. Sorana Cirstea had qualified for the Rouen semifinals after defeating Hungarys Anna Bondar on Friday, 7-6, 6-2. (VP) This week on Listeners Letterbox: from Indonesia to Ireland Discover how shortwave radio continues to connect listeners across the globe, featuring everything from digital DRM tests in Mumbai to thoughtful reflections on Romanian village life. This week on Listeners Letterbox: from Indonesia to Ireland Vlad Palcu, 18.04.2026, 14:00 It has been another busy week for our mailbag, with reception reports and heartfelt messages arriving from all corners of the globe. From long-time listeners to those returning to the shortwave hobby after decades, we are thrilled to see our community growing. Here is a roundup of the listeners featured on our latest program: Indonesia: Safril Susanto sent a detailed report from Pasuruan, East Java. Using a DIY long-wire antenna , Safril tuned into our Romanian service on 15200 kHz and even provided a video link of the reception. Safril Susanto sent a detailed report from Pasuruan, East Java. Using a DIY long-wire antenna , Safril tuned into our Romanian service on 15200 kHz and even provided a video link of the reception. Ireland: We welcomed back Fionnbarra Mac Treanfhir from South Carlow. This was his first reception report since the 1980s. Testing out a brand new receiver, he enjoyed our Working in Romania segment, noting, It brought back memories of DXing from all those years ago. We welcomed back Fionnbarra Mac Treanfhir from South Carlow. This was his first reception report since the 1980s. Testing out a brand new receiver, he enjoyed our Working in Romania segment, noting, It brought back memories of DXing from all those years ago. Denmark: Hans Verner Lollike shared a thoughtful message reflecting on the cultural significance of the Easter season. Discussing our program on rural traditions, Hans remarked that village life constitutes the religious and cultural elements that make you a nation. Hans Verner Lollike shared a thoughtful message reflecting on the cultural significance of the Easter season. Discussing our program on rural traditions, Hans remarked that village life constitutes the religious and cultural elements that make you a nation. India (Mumbai): Hari, a regular listener, tuned in to our DRM (Digital Radio Mondiale) broadcast on 17680 kHz. He shared a recording of the reception on his YouTube channel to showcase the digital signal quality in Mumbai. Hari, a regular listener, tuned in to our DRM (Digital Radio Mondiale) broadcast on 17680 kHz. He shared a recording of the reception on his YouTube channel to showcase the digital signal quality in Mumbai. India (Visakhapatnam): R.S. Vijay Kumar provided an extensive log of our news and features from the South East Coast. Despite unfavorable conditions, he managed to capture details from Think Greener and The Cooking Show, sending a warm Namaskar to all the staff members at RRI. We want to hear from you! Our listeners are the heart of our broadcasts. Do you have a comment on our programs or a technical reception report to share? Please write to us with your opinions and suggestions. Your feedback helps us shape the future of our English service and brings our global community closer together. Europe might run low on jet fuel in about "six weeks or so" if the disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz continue, warns Fatih Birol from the International Energy Agency. This could lead to flight cancellations and broader economic repercussions. Birol pointed out that the ongoing conflict in Iran has sparked what he calls the "largest energy crisis" seen in recent history, with nearly 20 percent of the world's oil typically flowing through that strait. If blockages last, airlines may have no choice but to reduce their routes because of fuel shortages, and rising kerosene prices are already putting pressure on carriers. The crisis is likely to push petrol, gas, and electricity prices higher around the globe, with developing regions in Asia, Africa, and Latin America expected to feel the toughest impact. Still, Birol emphasized that "no country is immune," as the effects of supply constraints spread across . Airlines such as Delta Air Lines, KLM, and easyJet are keeping a close eye on the situation, with some already cutting flights and increasing fares due to the rising costs. Even if the strait reopens, it could take up to two years to fully repair the damage to regional energy infrastructure, which would continue to strain supply. Birol also mentioned that this crisis could speed up the shift towards alternative energy sources, highlighting how geopolitical issues are reshaping global energy markets. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Business News Latest spy shots reveal that Hyundais new B Segment EV is largely the same size as the Tata Nexon EV Hyundai has plans to launch multiple new EVs in India by 2030, one of which is a new sub-4-meter electric SUV. Test mules have been spotted frequently in recent months. Latest spy shots reveal the SUV at a charging station, parked next to Tata Nexon EV. Lets check out the details. Hyundai Punch-rivalling EV Exterior highlights Similar to Hyundais other sub-4-meter offerings like the Venue and Exter, the new electric SUV has a boxy profile. Spied from the rear, key features include a slightly raked windshield, a roof-mounted spoiler and horizontally-stacked sharp LED tail lights. Other highlights include rear parking sensors and a rear view camera. Hyundais new B-segment EV has a largely flat roof and comes with robust roof rails. Window frames have an angular profile and appear similar to those of the new Venue. ORVMs are rectangular units and these could get cameras to enable 360 view functions. While the wheels are not clearly visible, they appear to have a dual-tone finish. In earlier spy shots, we had also seen one of the base variants with steel wheels. Another key detail is the front-left placement of the charging port, above the fender. Hyundai uses different configurations for the placement of charging ports in its EVs. For example, EVs like the Ioniq 5 and Ioniq 6 have the charging port located on the right rear fender. In comparison, EVs like Creta Electric and Inster EV have the charging port at the front. In these latest spy shots of Hyundais new small EV, the front section is not visible. The test mule spotted earlier this year in January was seen with pixel-style top-mounted LED DRLs. Between the DRLs, Hyundai has used its four-dot logo. The headlamps are rectangular units and placed lower, at wheel level. The SUV has a prominent front bumper, a compact bonnet, circular wheel arches and flush door handles. Competitive pricing with heavy localization Hyundai had earlier stated that its new small EV will be designed to cater specifically to the needs of Indian consumers. With a high level of localization, the electric SUV could be launched at a competitive price point. For context, the primary rival Punch EV is available at a starting price of Rs 9.69 lakh. With BaaS, Punch EV is available at just Rs 6.49 lakh. Another option in the entry-level EV segment is Citroen e-C3, which is available at a starting price of Rs 12.90 lakh. Nexon EV is another popular product in this space, which starts at Rs 12.49 lakh. Mahindra XUV 3XO EV is available at a starting price of Rs 13.89 lakh. There are some compelling upcoming products as well, such as the Bridger EV. Interior and powertrain specs of Hyundais new sub-4-meter electric SUV are yet to be revealed. It is likely that this SUV will be based on the E-GMP (K) platform. Manufacturing could take place at Hyundais new plant in Talegaon, near Pune. Launch is expected later this year or in 2027. Source After receiving a lukewarm response from Indian SUV buyers towards its Model Y, Tesla Inc seems to be on damage control. A recent report has revealed that Tesla could launch a larger 6-seater version of Model Y (called Model Y L) in India. The company has held an event scheduled on April 22nd, 2026. Connecting the dots, one could speculate that Tesla might be launching the Model Y L in India on April 22nd, positioning it above standard Model Y in the portfolio. There will be a higher sticker price with Tesla Model Y L too. Lets take a closer look. Tesla Model Y L The L in Tesla Model Y L stands for long wheelbase, which offers a longer length and a longer wheelbase. It is currently exclusive to China only and was introduced last year. With the longer length and longer wheelbase than standard Model Y, Tesla has managed to fit a third row of seating, offering a 2+2+2 layout. Tesla Model Y L is likely to better sync with Indian buyers expectations as it comes with flexibility of seating up to 6 people. Currently, Tesla Model Y units sold in India are manufactured in China and are being imported from Shanghai. Same will be the strategy with Tesla Model Y L 6-seater electric SUV as well. Launched in July 2025, Tesla has managed to sell only 225 units across 2025, while the expectations were to fully utilise the 2,500 units quota. There have been reports mentioning Tesla offered discounts of up to Rs 2 lakh to push unsold inventory too. What to expect? In terms of pricing, Tesla Model Y L starts from CNY 339,000 in China, which translates to around Rs 46.18 lakh. In India, standard Tesla Model Y has been priced starting from Rs 59.9 lakh (Ex-sh) for Long Range RWD variant and Rs 67.9 lakh (Ex-sh) for Long Range AWD variant. Promised range was up to 622 km range on a single charge. Model Y L, on the other hand, gets an 82 kWh battery pack and AWD, promising 751 km of range in China. Dimensionally, Tesla Model Y L measures 4,976 mm in length, 1,982 mm in width, 1,668 mm in height and has a 3,040 mm long wheelbase, longer than standard model by 150 mm. Notable features include powered 2nd row armrest and seats with heating and ventilation function, powered and heated 3rd row seats, panoramic glass roof, acoustic glass, 18-speaker audio system, powered tailgate, adaptive headlights, blind spot monitoring, 19-inch wheels, 16-inch for front and 8-inch touchscreen for rear occupants, 250 kW DC charging and more. Source Cathie Wood, head of Ark Investment Management, was relatively quiet this week, even as the S&P 500 rallied about 4.5% over the past five days. Wood made no trades on Tuesday, April 14, and Wednesday, April 15, and sold some shares of two medical stocks on Monday, April 13, and Thursday, April 16. But on Friday, April 17, she made a bigger move, adding shares of a megacap tech company that had dropped nearly 10% in a single day, in line with her usual dip-buying approach. In 2025, the flagship Ark Innovation ETF gained 35.49%, far outpacing the S&P 500s return of 17.88% in the same period. So far this year, Woods flagship Ark Innovation ETF (ARKK) is up 1.75% year to date, while the S&P 500 surged 4.1%. Wood gained a reputation after the Ark Innovation ETF delivered a 153% return in 2020. But her style also brings painful losses in bearish markets, as seen in 2022, when the Ark Innovation ETF tumbled more than 60%. Those swings have weighed on Woods long-term gains. As of April 17, the Ark Innovation ETF has delivered a five-year annualized return of -8.47%, while the S&P 500 has an annualized return of 12.86% over the same period, according to data from Morningstar. Cathie Wood expects great acceleration brought by tech developments Wood focuses on high-tech companies across artificial intelligence, blockchain, biomedical technology, and robotics. She thinks these businesses have strong growth potential, though their volatility often causes fluctuations in the Arks funds. From 2014 to 2024, the Ark Innovation ETF wiped out $7 billion in investor wealth, according to a March 2025 analysis by Morningstars analyst Amy Arnott. That made it the third-biggest wealth destroyer among mutual funds and ETFs in Arnotts ranking. The analyst hasnt updated the 2025 ranking. Related: Oracle adds $100B in market cap on major announcement In a March 23 Bloomberg podcast, Wood says the global economy is not heading into a downturn, but into what she calls a great acceleration driven by AI and other breakthrough technologies. Were not going into the Great Depression; were going into the great acceleration, Wood said, pointing to how past technological revolutions reshaped economic growth. She noted that global real GDP growth averaged just 0.6% between 1500 and 1900, before the Industrial Revolution lifted it to about 3% for more than a century. Now, she argues, a new wave of innovation could push growth much higher. We think [technologies] are going to take growth into the 7 to 8% range, Wood said, adding that the number may actually be conservative. Vernon Hills, Illinois-based CDW Corporation (CDW) provides information technology (IT) solutions. With a market cap of $17.1 billion, the company offers hardware, software, computer peripherals, cloud computing, mobile devices, network communication, and security solutions. The leading multi-brand provider of IT solutions is expected to announce its fiscal first-quarter earnings for 2026 in the near term. Ahead of the event, analysts expect CDW to report a profit of $2.14 per share on a diluted basis, up 5.4% from $2.03 per share in the year-ago quarter. The company has consistently surpassed Wall Streets EPS estimates in its last four quarterly reports. More News from Barchart For the full year, analysts expect CDW to report EPS of $9.98, up 4.7% from $9.53 in fiscal 2025. Its EPS is expected to rise 7.7% year over year to $10.75 in fiscal 2027. www.barchart.com CDW stock has underperformed the S&P 500 Indexs ($SPX) 33.5% gains over the past 52 weeks, with shares down 10.4% during this period. Similarly, it notably underperformed the State Street Technology Select Sector SPDR ETFs (XLK) 56.8% gains over the same time frame. www.barchart.com On Feb. 4, CDW shares surged 9.5% after reporting its Q4 results. Its adjusted EPS of $2.57 exceeded Wall Street expectations of $2.44. The companys revenue was $5.5 billion, surpassing Wall Street forecasts of $5.3 billion. Analysts consensus opinion on CDW stock is reasonably bullish, with a Moderate Buy rating overall. Out of 12 analysts covering the stock, six advise a Strong Buy rating, and six give a Hold. CDWs average analyst price target is $167.40, indicating a potential upside of 25.6% from the current levels. On the date of publication, Neha Panjwani 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 Getting lab results can feel like decoding a foreign language filled with numbers, abbreviations, and color-coded warnings. Many people glance at normal or abnormal and move on, assuming everything is either fine or urgent. But medical experts warn that lab results are rarely that simple, and misinterpreting them can lead to unnecessary worryor worse, missed health issues. Even results outside the normal range dont always mean something is wrong, while normal results dont always guarantee good health. The smartest move you can make is asking these five questions before you trust what you see. 1. What Does This Result Actually Mean for Me? The first and most important question to ask about your lab results is what the numbers truly mean for your specific situation. Lab reports include reference ranges, but those are based on averages and may not apply perfectly to you. For example, a slightly high cholesterol number might not be concerning if your overall health is strong and stable. On the other hand, a normal result could still require attention if youre experiencing symptoms. Doctors emphasize that lab results should always be interpreted alongside your medical history, medications, and lifestyle. This is why simply reading your lab results online without context can be misleading. Always ask your provider to translate the results into real-world meaning for your health. 2. Is This Result Normal for Meor Just Average? Many people assume normal range equals healthy, but thats not always true. Reference ranges are based on large groups of people, not your individual baseline. For instance, your blood sugar or cholesterol may consistently run slightly higher or lower than average without indicating a problem. What matters more is how your lab results compare to your past results over time. Experts often look for trends rather than one-time readings when evaluating health. Thats why its helpful to keep copies of previous lab results and bring them to appointments. Asking this question helps you avoid overreactingor underreactingto a single number. 3. Could Anything Have Affected These Lab Results? Lab results are not created in a vacuum, and many outside factors can influence them. Things like medications, dehydration, recent illness, or even whether you fasted properly can change your results. For example, taking certain supplements or medications can temporarily raise or lower specific values. Even something as simple as stress or lack of sleep can impact some tests. This means your lab results might not reflect your typical health at all. Doctors often ask about these factors before interpreting results, but its important to bring them up yourself. Asking this question ensures your lab results are evaluated accurately instead of in isolation. 4. How Accurate Is This Testand Do I Need Another One? No lab test is perfect, and false positives or false negatives can happen. This means a test might suggest you have a condition when you dontor miss one that you do. Some tests are more reliable than others, and results can vary depending on the lab or method used. Thats why doctors often confirm abnormal findings with repeat testing or additional exams. Asking about accuracy helps you avoid unnecessary panic or treatment decisions based on incomplete information. In many cases, the next step isnt immediate actionits verification. 5. What Happens Next Based on These Lab Results? The final question ties everything together: what should you actually do with your lab results? Lab tests are just one piece of the puzzle and are often used to guide next steps rather than provide final answers. Depending on your results, your doctor may recommend lifestyle changes, additional testing, or monitoring over time. Sometimes, no action is needed at all, which can be reassuring. Other times, early intervention can prevent a small issue from becoming a major health problem. This is where lab results become powerful tools rather than confusing reports. Always leave your appointment knowing exactly what actionsif anyyou need to take. Why Asking Questions About Lab Results Can Save You Stress and Money Understanding your lab results is one of the most overlooked ways to take control of your health and finances. Misinterpreting results can lead to unnecessary follow-up tests, costly treatments, or avoidable anxiety. On the flip side, asking the right questions can help you catch problems early and make smarter decisions. Experts consistently emphasize that discussing your lab results with your provider is essential for understanding what they mean and what to do next. Think of your doctor as a translator who can turn confusing data into clear, actionable advice. The more informed you are, the more confident youll feel about your health decisions. In the end, asking these five questions isnt just smartits essential. Have you ever received lab results that confused or worried you? What questions did you wish you had asked? Share your experience in the comments. What to Read Next Faster Parkinsons Diagnosis: New Skin Biopsy Test Boasts 93% Accuracy The Free DNA Test Scam Is Back: Why Senior Centers Are Seeing a New Wave This Spring This Routine Blood Test Is Leading to Unnecessary Treatments in Seniors, Experts Say New Blood Test Can Detect Alzheimers Years Earlier Offering Hope for Adults Over 50 6 Medical Tests Seniors Over 75 May No Longer Need, According to Experts The week of April 13, Reuters revealed, apparently for the first time, a White House meeting held on Feb. 25 to discuss the over half-a-billion-dollar redevelopment project planned for Dulles International Airport near Washington, D.C. Reuters reported that President Trump hosted United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby at the confab. United is the dominant carrier at Dulles, claiming an 82% market share. Fortune has further learned from people familiar with the talks that Susie Wiles, the presidents chief of staff, was instrumental in organizing the discussion. According to these sources, Wiles is strongly committed to the sweeping Dulles revamp that includes a new United concourse and would like to see Trump receive recognition for the new Dulles. The president wont rename Ronald Reagan Washington National for himself! quips an industry insider. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott also attended, say people Fortune spoke to. Both airlines are crucial to the Lone Star States economy: American is headquartered in Fort Worth, and United dominates George Bush Intercontinental in Houston. Anytime one airline seeks to buy a rival, the proposed transaction attracts antitrust scrutiny and political controversy practically unmatched in any other realm of M&A. And because of its scale in an already highly concentrated sector, and potential to raise fares, limit choice, and curb the frequency of service to dozens of smaller markets, this mother of all unions would face far fiercer than usual opposition on multiple fronts. Hence, its a long shot. But the industry insiders Fortune interviewed swear that its by no means impossible. The reason: the Trump administrations attraction to grand gesturesyou can call it broad exercises in industrial policythat remake wide swaths of the economy (and may sideline the usual top goals such as ensuring strong competition). In the past few days, headlines are buzzing over the possibility of a mega-mega-merger that before the news broke would have seemed inconceivable: a possible tie-up between United Airlines and American Airlines. American already ranks as the worlds largest carrier by passengers flown, and United stands fourth. At their current sizes, the combo would be twice the size of both second place Delta and number three Ryanair on the global stage, and ferry over three-and-a-half times as many folks as continental Europes largest stalwart, Lufthansa. In the U.S., the deal would break a near three-way tie with Delta for available seats and catapult a new behemoth into by far the most dominant stateside position in the annals of air travel. Story Continues According to the Reuters piece and other accounts, Kirby floated the joining-of-forces concept directly to the president. Kirby contended that the combination would achieve the giant scale required to better battle international airlines that, hes noted in the past, are often heavily subsidized by their governments, handing them an unfair edge. In a September 2025 interview, Kirby observed that foreign-flagged carriers supply two-thirds of seats on flights headed abroad from U.S. airports. Yet around 60% of the passengers are U.S. citizens. Kirby reportedly emphasized to Trump that by attracting a larger proportion of international traffic, this super-carrier would hike American competitiveness and reduce our overall trade deficit. Neither Reuters nor other news organizations reported that Trump expressed a pro or con view on the Kirby idea. Asked about the proposed prospect of a United acquisition of American at a briefing on April 15, press secretary Karoline Leavitt stated, Its not anything we have a position on or are commenting on. I know the idea has been proposed by private industry but its not something the president or White House have an opinion on or are weighing in on at this time. How do soaring fuel prices play a role in United/American merger interests? From 2005 to 2016, the U.S. airline industry endured a consolidation wave that reduced the number of major players from nine to the current Big FourAmerican, United, Delta, and Southwestthe group that now controls 80% of the domestic market. In many of those deals, a jump in the price of jet fuel proved the tipping point, forcing weaker carriers into the arms of stronger rivals, including America Wests takeover of US Airways (2005), Deltas acquisition of Northwest (2008), and Southwests purchase of AirTran (2011). Since the start of the Iran conflict on Feb. 28, the price of jet fuel has jumped from $100 a barrel to nearly $200. That spikeand especially the likelihood that after the conflict ends, costs will remain well above the prewar levelis hitting the weaklings far harder than the thriving warriors, especially the two biggest profitmakers, Delta and United. Of course, the leap triggered by the damage to oil infrastructure in the Middle East and closure of the Strait of Hormuz happened after the White House session on Dulles International. But Americans fragile financial state makes it highly vulnerable to any oil shock: In 2025, it earned just $111 million on $55 billion in revenues, and the interest expense on its crushing $37 billion in debt pretty much erased its operating income. By comparison, United posted $3.5 billion in profits on $59 billion in sales, numbers that give it lots of cushion to withstand all rough weather. Like Delta, United has thrived by luring premium customers, especially the business crowd that pays extra to reserve at the last minute, while American has struggled in attracting that highly lucrative tier. Once again, a leap in fuel coststhey represent between 20% and 30% of operating expensespromises to unleash a new wave of buying that further narrows the roster. As Delta CEO Ed Bastian said on Deltas Q1 earnings call, Over my career, Ive seen many periods of disruption in this industry. And time and time again, high fuel prices have been the most powerful catalyst for change, separating the winners and forcing weaker players to rationalize, consolidate, or be eliminated. American, the largest airline in the world, is also one of the most vulnerable to the force that more than any other has reshaped the industry. How would routes be affected if American merged with United? A deal would create a colossus potentially wielding much greater power, in far more markets, than any airline ever. As of today, one of the two carriers holds market shares of 44% or more in one of the nations 50 largest airports. Americans captured 44% in Phoenix, 66% in Miami, 72% in Philadelphia, and 86% in Dallas/Fort Worth, while United towers at 50% in Denver, 55% in San Francisco, and 75% in Houston. Locking arms would lift their slice of the passenger pies in the New York and Chicago airports, and in LAX, respectively, to 45%, 70%, and 46%. They would also rise to number one from lesser status in Honolulu, Fort Myers, West Palm Beach, Pittsburgh, and San Antonio. A recent report from Raymond James observes that today, American and United command 70% or more of traffic respectively on 35% and 27% of their routes. Prior to any divestitures, United-American would reach or exceed that highly concentrated benchmark on around two-thirds of their city pairs. The rub for passengers and regulators: Airlines make the most money when theyre either a monopoly carrier on a route, or face just one other competitor. Mike Fitzgerald, an analyst for Cowen & Co., projects that the pro forma carrier would have no fewer than 287 of those metro-to-metro connections. Whats good for United could be a downer for travelers, and traditionally, anything that shrinks the list of rivals linking the same two metros from a longer roster to just one or two raises red flags for regulators. Lets get real: How likely is the deal to happen? The Trump approach to airline consolidation represents a sharp departure from the Biden template. The previous administration quashed JetBlues purchase of Spirit in 2024Spirit then went, and remains, bankruptand successfully sued to nix a joint venture between American and JetBlue called the Northeast Alliance. By comparison, under the Trump regime, Allegiant in mid-March gained antitrust approval for its acquisition of Sun Country after a quick review. The posture of Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy is particularly revealing. In a recent interview on CNBC, Duffy stated that he sees room for airline mergers. He also declared that the president loves big deals, suggesting that the POTUS might get a kick from green-lighting a biggie in this fabled, super-high-profile sphere. Still, a United purchase of American would unleash strong opposition from state attorneys general who would fear that their residents would suffer shrunken schedules and pricier tickets. Unions might also rebel since its notoriously hard to integrate seniority lists for the likes of pilots and flight attendants. Most of all, even though the Trump administration favors a lighter regulatory touch, the near monopoly clout the combination would exert on so many routes might prove a no-go for its DOJ. But heres the roadblock that may be decisive, and it has nothing to do with the opposition of regulators, AGs, or unions. Duffy has cautioned that a major merger would require that the airlines peel off some of their assets, meaning ax gates and landing slots at airports where they hold extremely strong positions. Those requirements would clear the runways for competitors, including low-cost carriers, and ramp up the competitive heat. Thats a big negative for United: The obligation to sacrifice many lucrative routes would undermine a lot of the potential benefits of the deal. The acquirer would also need to assume all of Americans massive debt. Yet United wouldnt be getting full value because of all the carve-outs at airports where competition is lowest and its profits potentially the highest. Plus, past cases show that its time-consuming and expensive to combine reservation and computer systems, as well as fleets and workforces. So big expenses come upfront, and the benefits of consolidation may be minimal, considering whats peeled off. So by conventional standards, the odds are long. On the other hand, the industrys seldom seen a more daring swashbuckler than Scott Kirby. Hes done it twice before, and he recognizes that if it doesnt happen under fellow wheeler-dealer Trump, it will never happen. News of Kirbys proposal to Trump at the White House was a big surprise. A United and American flying under the same flag is probably a surprise too far. Is Carl Icahn waiting in the wings? Until all the speculation over United-American erupted, the takeover talk centered on JetBlue. In early 2024, legendary investor Carl Icahn took a 10% stake in the airline, and subsequently won two board seats. The Icahn blueprint typically revolves around buying into troubled targets on the cheap, then putting them in play. Now, JetBlue has reportedly hung out a for sale sign. Media reports say the Queens-based carrier has hired advisors to pitch Alaska Airlines, Southwest, and United. At age 90, the wily Icahn must know that the chances that Kirby wins American are long. But the mere size and scariness of that whale may make Uniteds, or another airlines, bid for JetBlue look harmless by comparison, especially since the Trump administration has already shown leniency on the Allegiant takeover of Sun Country. No ones talking about Icahn in the scenario making all the noise. But when the condensation trail clears, it could be this seasoned warrior behind the scenes who helps orchestrate the next big salea sale thats part of still another fuel-shock-driven upheaval where the weak performers will need shelter. Who ends up with whom is a game to flummox even the greatest oddsmakers. This story was originally featured on Fortune.com We recently published Jim Cramer Said Allbirds Management Are "Jokers" & Discussed These 18 Stocks. General Dynamics Corporation (NYSE:GD) is one of the stocks discussed by Jim Cramer. General Dynamics Corporation (NYSE:GD) is a major defense contractor that makes and sells items such as submarines and combat vehicles. Its shares are up by 22.6% over the past year and are down by a percent year-to-date. Banking giant Wells Fargo initiated coverage of General Dynamics Corporation (NYSE:GD)s stock on April 1st. It set an Overweight rating and a $400 share price target for the firm. Wells Fargo pointed out that the defense contractor appeared to be turning its business around and added that tailwinds in the business jet, shipbuilding, and vehicle demand could help the firm. A day later, on the 2nd, Citigroup adjusted General Dynamics Corporation (NYSE:GD)s share price target as it reduced it to $380 from $389. Earlier, on February 1st, Jefferies had increased the share price target to $385 from $360 and maintained a Hold rating on the shares. The bank outlined that General Dynamics Corporation (NYSE:GD)s latest earnings report had factored into its coverage. Cramer discussed the firm after co-host Carl Quintanila brought up reports of Tomahawk missile supplies being low: Someone actually trimmed numbers, General Dynamics today. Well theyre not part of the scrum, but when I read that I said well we have to rebuild everything and these stocks should just be a buy, and a buy, and a buy. And you come back and say, does anyone other than Cemblest know this stuff? General Dynamics (GD) Should Be a Buy Amidst Iran War, Says Jim Cramer Copyright: 36clicks / 123RF Stock Photo While we acknowledge the potential of GD 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. Its tempting to chase the latest trend when deciding where to invest, but private equity fund manager and real estate investor Grant Cardone said that this is the wrong approach. Find Out: Investor Who Made $20 Million on Nvidia Stock Reveals the Next Big Opportunity Read Next: 7 Low-Risk Accounts Financially Savvy People Trust for Reliable Returns And How You Can Use Them Dont chase the trends because every week theres a different one, Cardone, who will be hosting the 10X Wealth Conference in Miami on May 16-17, told GOBankingrates. There was gold two weeks ago, silver a week ago, oil this week. Dont chase trends. Instead, focus on assets that have long-term growth potential. Here are the two Cardone recommended investing in this year. Real Estate: Cash-Flow Investments That Can Support Retirement Cardone recommended investing in real estate that will generate cash flow from rental income. If investors dont have enough cash to invest, he recommended utilizing funds from a retirement account. I would take my retirement account and self-direct it into a real estate deal that cash flows and let it be my retirement income 30 years from now, he said. The greatest retirement hack in the world is to convert a retirement account invested in stocks into a stable asset that cash flows. According to Cardone, real estate offers both capital protection and income that can grow over time. You protect your capital and get the cash flow, and those rents grow over the next 30 years, Cardone said. In 30 years, when youre ready to retire, youre withdrawing cash flow; youre not withdrawing the actual capital. Learn More: This Boring Investment Could Be the Secret to Never Running Out of Retirement Income Energy: A Long-Term Play Beyond AI and Tech Trends While there is significant buzz around investing in artificial intelligence, Cardone believes energy is the stronger long-term bet. That can include energy-related stocks or energy ETFs. He pointed to consistent demand as the key reason. Energys going to win, even if AI fails, because theyre going to need energy to make the AI work, he said. Why Long-Term Asset Focus Beats Market Timing Regardless of the asset, Cardone emphasized concentration and patience over short-term market timing. Pick one thing or two things, and go long term on it, he said, and dont worry about 2026. Herbalife India and IIT Madras have launched a new Center of Excellence at IIT Madras Research Park focused on Plant Cell Fermentation Technology under a CSR-funded initiative. The center will advance research in scalable, sustainable production of herbal biomass and high-value plant-based compounds using advanced bioprocessing and metabolomics tools. It aims to strengthen academia-industry collaboration, support innovation and startups, and boost Indias capabilities in green biotech and plant-based manufacturing. Herbalife International India Private Limited has partnered with the Indian Institute of Technology Madras to launch a new Center of Excellence focused on Plant Cell Fermentation Technology at the IIT Madras Research Park. The initiative, funded through Herbalife Indias corporate social responsibility program, marks one of the first dedicated facilities in the country aimed at advancing translational research in plant cell-based fermentation. The collaboration builds on an existing partnership between the two organizations and is designed to accelerate innovation in the sustainable production of herbal biomass and high-value phytochemicals. By leveraging plant cell fermentation, the center will explore scalable ways to produce bioactive plant compounds that can be used in health and wellness applications. The facility is expected to integrate advanced cultivation systems, modern downstream processing methods, and metabolomics platforms to support cutting-edge research and development. Also Read: India Advocates Peace Amid Rising Tensions in West Asia Officials involved in the partnership highlighted that the center will serve as a hub for scientific collaboration, skill development, and entrepreneurship. It is expected to bring together students, researchers, industry experts, and startups, fostering stronger ties between academia and industry. In addition to research output, the initiative aims to generate intellectual property, support technology transfer, and encourage the creation of spin-off companies in the herbal and biotechnology sectors. Leadership from Herbalife India emphasized that the project aligns with the companys broader focus on sustainability and innovation in nutritional science, particularly in developing reliable and traceable plant-based ingredients. Representatives from IIT Madras noted that the center will help translate laboratory research into real-world applications, strengthening Indias role in emerging bio-manufacturing technologies. Once operational, expected to begin in June 2026, the Center of Excellence is anticipated to enhance Indias capabilities in commercial plant cell fermentation. It also aims to reduce dependence on imported raw materials while promoting environmentally sustainable and cost-effective production methods for plant-derived health products, positioning the country as a growing leader in green biotechnology innovation. Advertisement NationalFive Minutes with Fitz Opinion Ben Roberts-Smith, frontier wars and the Balibo Five: Inside the revamped war memorial Peter FitzSimons Columnist and author April 19, 2026 5:00am April 19, 2026 5:00am Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Share A A A Matt Anderson is the director of the Australian War Memorial, which is about to open its new galleries, once derided as a Disneyland theme park. Fitz: Matt, I do want to explore this weeks opening, as well as the issue of continuing to have the Ben Roberts-Smith Victoria Cross display, but lets start with your recruitment. Your predecessor in the role, Brendan Nelson, told me that you first came to his attention as a great candidate when, as our ambassador to Afghanistan after a successful career in the army, youd apply when home on leave to come with your son and quietly wash the Tomb of the Unknown Australian Soldier, as part of the regular cleaning program that usually was open to parliamentarians? Australian War Memorial director Matt Anderson at the roll of honour in Canberra. Alex Ellinghausen MA: That is true, though I had known Brendan previously a little through the diplomatic corps. And as a matter of fact, I remember when I was deputy high commissioner in London, Brendan came through as director of the AWM, and made the pitch for the memorials expansion. And I said to him, Why? Mate, I think the war memorial is perfect. And his response was, No, mate, its unfinished. And then he spoke about the need for the expansion of space to tell more stories. Fitz: Fast forward to 2020, and Brendan successfully pushes for you despite having no experience of running cultural institutions of any kind to take over as director of the AWM and be his successor. Advertisement MA: I was quite stunned at the opportunity, but yes, Brendan and the then chair, Kerry Stokes, convinced me to apply and it all went from there. Fitz: That joint background as ambassador to Afghanistan and a former captain in the Australian Army certainly gives you some good credentials to cope with the current controversy over the continued display of Ben Roberts-Smith and his VC, despite him being already judged on a balance of probabilities to have committed murder, and now facing formal charges of being a war criminal. This must be, for you, an absolute minefield? MA: [Quietly.] Youre talking to a former combat engineer who was a mine warfare instructor and a demolition supervisor, so for me, its not a minefield. But it is a case in which the Australian War Memorial has found itself sitting right on a fault line of a very strong national conversation. So it is something that we need to treat as a minefield, where we need to tread very, very carefully, thoughtfully and precisely through. Fitz: Go on ... MA: Ben Robert-Smiths VC has a date engraved on the back of it, and thats June 11, 2010. Now, beyond that, a legal process is under way, and in my mind, that doesnt alter the actions for which he was awarded the Victoria Cross. And a plaque beside that display now records that he has been so charged. Advertisement Fitz: You and I will, of course, let that legal process take its course without fear or favour, but if the absolute worst came to the worst, and he was convicted of war crimes, would that display remain? Related Article Opinion Roberts-Smith case The Ben Roberts-Smith saga is a test for Australia Chris Masters Investigative journalist MA: His actions of June 2010 are not erased by any subsequent court process. And Im quite sure Ill get lots of free advice on what I should and shouldnt do in the event you describe. But whenever the truth is known, we will tell it. Fitz: As you know, I very much admire Brendan Nelson, and I think he was absolutely outstanding in the role of director of the Australian War Memorial. It is, nevertheless, my respectful view that Brendan made an error, given his role as director, to make such strong public commentary in support of Roberts-Smith theres no national interest in tearing down our heroes, Ben Roberts Smith is, by any standard, one of the greatest Australian terms of heroism of the country produced as that risked politicising the AWM. Your thoughts? MA: I think everything Brendan did, he did for a reason, and Im quite sure that Brendan holds to those views about Ben Roberts-Smith to this day. I dont think hes changed his views. And I think Brendan is a very, very loyal and thoughtful man who wants to ensure that Ben Roberts-Smiths bravery on the battlefield is recognised nationally. Advertisement Fitz: OK, so this Anzac Day will see you opening 80 per cent of the massive rebuild and expansion of the AWM to the public. My friend, the journalist and author Paul Daley made a famous and now oft-repeated criticism of the expansion, writing: We demean our history when we turn the Australian War Memorial into Disneyland. He argued the expansion would turn a place of solemn reflection into a theme park spectacle that prioritises hardware displays and celebration over uncomfortable truths. Your response? MA: [Coldly, firmly.] My response is: we dont. The Australian War Memorial has always told stories through objects, and we have since the days of the founder, Charles Bean. I look out the window now and see the Amiens Gun. We have the Lancaster Bomber. Those who criticise the expansion are OK with us using a Lancaster Bomber to tell the story of Bomber Command. But somehow they are not OK with me using the classic Hornet from 75 Squadron, the first Royal Australian Air Force aircraft to drop bombs since the Vietnam War, to tell the story of Australian service in Iraq in 2003 all the way through to Syria in 2017? It doesnt make sense to me. And Brendan was right: sadly, the memorial has always needed to expand. Fitz: You sound very passionate about this. MA: Yes. Unless we start closing down some of the earlier galleries because we need to create space for the newer ones, we must expand. It was conceived as a WWI memorial, but it wasnt opened until November 1941, when we were involved in WWII. It was expanded again when we went into Korea in 1950, and additional wings were added, then for Vietnam and so on. Overall, theres been 11 different expansions or developments of the memorial because we have to continue to tell the Australian experience of war, and we continue to find ourselves in conflict. Fitz: I think we all get that. But does it need over half a billion dollars of expansion? Advertisement MA: The fact that we can now tell the story of 69 peacekeeping missions means that I need new space to do it, but this idea that Im celebrating is offensive. What I am doing is commemorating. This is a place of commemoration through understanding. And I encourage anyone to walk into the peacekeeping galleries and the first thing youll see is the rusting, battered remains of a Land Rover being driven by Sergeant Ian Ward on November 12, 1974, when he drove into a minefield in the buffer zone in Cyprus to rescue a Turkish family and was killed. Hes a Vietnam veteran, and whats left of that Land Rover is on display. Its the first thing you see when you walk into the galleries. We reflect on the Kibeho Massacre in Rwanda, we reflect on the difficulties of Timor-Leste and the Balibo Five. This is not a place where we do anything other than want people to commemorate through understanding the gritty, awful nature of war. King Frederik X and Queen Mary of Denmark laying a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Australian Soldier at the Australian War Memorial. Alex Ellinghausen Fitz: And in the entire collection, nothing is more sacred than the holy site which first made Brendan regard you as his possible successor? MA: Nothing. When I first arrived, one of my staff responded to one of my queries and said, Oh, youre the boss, you can do anything, cos youre the most important person here. I said, Hold that thought and walk with me. I walked with him down to the Tomb of the Unknown Australian Soldier and said, Tell me again, Im the most important person here? Fitz: OK, I seek your counsel on this. I was honoured to be on the council of the war memorial for two terms. Is it permissible for me to delicately raise a particular bug-bear I had, or does that betray confidentiality? Advertisement MA: You may. The passage of time means theres no longer a code of silence. Fitz: I raise the subject of honouring those who fought in the frontier wars against colonisation. In my last meeting, circa 2015, I put a motion that Indigenous warriors should be recognised as the first Australian soldiers, and received one vote of support. Where is that up to, and do you support the notion? MA: Well, they were certainly the first battles for Australia I think thats the way I would put it Australias wars, the first wars included the resistance that they put up against the colonisers. So theres absolutely a place, and there will be a place in the new gallery for the recognition of frontier wars at the Australian War Memorial. Because, you know, it was warfare, it was guerrilla warfare and they should be given the dignity of people understanding that they formed war councils, that they actually fought a war of manoeuvre. They were outgunned, they were outmanned, but they still resisted, and they resisted in war-like ways, and thats the story that will be told in the galleries. Fitz: For the frontier wars display, there is one thing Id like you to put a deputy sheriff badge on my left lapel and say, Go and get it, son! Something I think that is most important. Can you guess what it is? MA: [Wryly, I think.] No. I dont know what that object would be, and in any case, it will be the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders who tell me what that is, not a middle-aged white man ... Advertisement Fitz: Its the Gweagal shield! Its the very shield dropped by one of the two brave warriors who stood on the shores of Botany Bay, trying to defend their land against the landing of Captain Cook, only to receive a burst of buckshot for their trouble. Its in Cabinet 198, in the British Museum, and it is a disgrace that they have it. I say that next time you and I are in London together, we break in at midnight and we take it back, because it is stuff the British stole and its ours. Rodney Kelly in front of the Gweagal Shield at the British Museum. Martin Al-Ashouti MA: [In calming tone.] Well, youve identified something, but I think lets just do baby steps. Lets just make sure we begin by having a conversation with those communities involved in this frontier violence, and we can ask them what they would like to see on display and the stories they would seek to have told through the display of those objects. Ill start that. That will be the process that we go through, and lets see where it goes. Fitz: Lets say, and hope, you serve another two or three terms. What do you want your legacy to be? MA: That todays veterans can see their service told in the same way and in the same place as those generations that have marched before them. You know, when I arrived at the AWM, during COVID, I could walk from the Vietnam Gallery to the Tarin Kowt Wall in an exit corridor in 15 paces. So in just 15 paces, we were trying to tell the story of 69 peacekeeping missions in Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria and so forth. With this opening, everything will change. I want my legacy to be that I have brought a new generation of service into that very rich vein of service that started from our first wars. Advertisement Fitz: Thank you. Peter FitzSimons is a journalist and columnist. Connect via Twitter. The Opinion newsletter is a weekly wrap of views that will challenge, champion and inform. Sign up here. Advertisement NationalNSWHeritage From fruit stickers to human hair: The State Librarys strangest collections Julie Power April 18, 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 A collection of fruit stickers from Sydneys northern beaches doesnt seem to have much in common with slightly icky, Victorian-era mourning jewellery made from human hair, a book smaller than the nail on a pinky finger, or the original First Fleet journals. But they are among more than 200 items chosen by staff at the State Library of NSW from its 6.5 million collection for a special 200th-birthday exhibition that tells the stories of all sorts of stuff from the ephemeral to the quotidian and valuable collected by Australians. Curator Elise Edmonds with an old waxed bread wrapper. The State Library of NSW will soon open a new exhibition of treasures from the collection to mark its 200th anniversary. Wolter Peeters Some will be part of a G-rated peep show within a box of curiosities. A microscope will assist visitors to read the words of the Lords Prayer (in several languages) on pages of the librarys smallest book. Visitors can also examine hairwork: Victorian-era human hair woven into a wearable reminder of someone who had died, or sailed to Australia. Advertisement Curator Elise Edmonds said: We love to tell the big stories, the famous, internationally significant stories, with some of our amazing items. But we also love those personal stories from everyday people. I think thats why a lot of us love working here. Portraits of colonial landowner John Blaxland and his wife Harriott are attached with ropes of their plaited hair. Hairwork jewellery like this was treated as family heirlooms. Wolter Peeters The librarys smallest book contains the Lords Prayer in many languages. Wolter Peeters Edmonds said the exhibition would show another side of the august institution that most people associated with its books, valuable maps and medieval manuscripts. A book of bright fruit stickers collected over a year by a staff member who lived in Mona Vale is on display, alongside labels for early Australian wine including Coo-ee brand port and burgundy. Advertisement Better-known treasures include the UNESCO-listed First Fleet journals, Frank Hurleys photographs of Antarctica, Ethel Turners original manuscript of Seven Little Australians, and the Indigenous author Ruby Langford Ginibis papers. The new exhibition starts on Sunday, to coincide with the librarys open day. Collections of labels from early wine labels and fruit stickers in a book. Wolter Peeters Colourful waxed bread wrappers were collected by a Queensland teenager and given to the library. Wolter Peeters A collection of 1960s, bright-coloured, waxed bread wrappers collected by Susan Stephenson brings back the smell of a time when bread was baked daily and locally. Advertisement Before plastic, bread wrappers were waxed, and each bakerys was distinctive. Related Article History Out of the loo and into a museum: Trash from Sydneys past becomes treasure Theyre beautiful, eye-catching things, everyday objects that we just take for granted, Edmonds said. When Stephenson donated the collection in 2024 she said her parents had been happy to buy a loaf of bread whenever and where they went on holidays, so she could add the wrapper to her collection. As well as a lock of hair from Mary Shelley, the author of Frankenstein, the exhibition includes hair from Captain James Cooks wife Elizabeth, woven into a necklace resembling a gold chain. Advertisement When members of the conservation team looked at the Victorian hairwork under a microscope and then tried weaving each others hair, they found it was harder than it looked. Its a real artwork, Edmonds said. As for the ick factor, a library staffer said it depended on the hairs condition. Neatly presented, most people were intrigued. If messy and musty, however, the pieces were creepy, they said. The Morning Edition newsletter is our guide to the days most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up here. Management spent significant time addressing deposits and liquidity, including end-of-quarter flows. In response to questions, Chief Financial Officer Srinivasan Vaidyanathan said deposit accretion tends to be seasonally strong in the March quarter, and in FY2026 it was more squeezed towards the last month of the quarter, as liquidity improved from late February into March. On balance sheet strength, Jagdishan cited a capital position of 19.7% and gross NPAs of 1.15% . He also noted a provisioning buffer of about 125 basis points , adding, we dont have any stress in our portfolio as we speak. Jagdishan reported net income growth of 11% for the year, similar to the prior financial year, and EPS growth of 10% versus 3% last year. He attributed a net interest margin (NIM) decline to faster transmission on asset yields versus deposits, but said profitability stayed resilient: return on assets remained stable at 1.9% , supported by cost efficiency and lower credit costs. On a core basis, the banks cost-to-income ratio declined from 40.5% to 39.5% . Chief Executive Officer Sashidhar Jagdishan said the bank delivered 12% credit growth in FY2026, accelerating from 5.5% in the prior year and exceeding the banks earlier estimate for system credit growth of around 10.5%11.5%. Deposit growth came in at 14.4% , which he said continued the banks pattern of growing deposits faster than loans and at a rate above the system. HDFC Bank (NYSE:HDB) executives used the lenders fourth-quarter and full-year FY2026 earnings call to emphasize a rebound in credit growth, continued outperformance in deposits, and a multi-year technology buildout they believe will drive operating leverage and returns over the next several years. Tech and AI investment: After about $1 billion of technology spend, digital adoption is high and the bank has built an AI platform with 5 use cases in production and 14 in development to drive operating leverage and efficiency. Deposits and liquidity: Incremental deposits under INR 3 crore rose to 47% (from 31%), the LCR was around 114% (target 110120), and management emphasized responsible growth despite faster system credit expansion (~ 13.5%13.9% ). FY2026 financials: The bank delivered 12% credit growth and 14.4% deposit growth, with net income up 11% and EPS up 10% ; ROA stayed stable at 1.9% , capital was 19.7% , gross NPAs 1.15% , and a ~ 125 bps provisioning buffer. Story Continues Vaidyanathan highlighted a shift toward more granular deposits. He reiterated figures referenced by Jagdishan that, within incremental deposit mobilization, the share of deposits under INR 3 crore rose to 47% from 31% in FY2025, which he described as very less volatile and very sustainable. The Nasdaq's Historic Rally Doesn't Mean the Risk Is Gone On liquidity, Vaidyanathan said the banks liquidity coverage ratio (LCR) target range remains 110120, and management expects to operate around the middle of that range. The banks LCR was discussed on the call as being around 114% in the quarter, down from roughly 116% in the prior quarter. Outlook on growth: corporate demand, retail momentum, and geopolitical caution Deputy Managing Director Kaizad Bharucha told analysts the bank sees corporate growth sustaining, supported by demand, while also flagging potential near-term uncertainty from geopolitical developments. He said the bank sees opportunities across electronics, food processing, auto ancillaries, the renewable sector, and the semiconductors, along with acquisition financing, project finance, and supply chain opportunities. On retail, Bharucha said growth has stepped up versus last year and improved sequentially over the last three quarters, including in personal loans and business loans, while mortgage demand remained consistent. He added that the overall loan mix remains roughly 53%54% retail with the balance wholesale. Asked about whether the bank would commit to growing above the industry average as system growth shifts, Vaidyanathan said the bank calibrated FY2026 plans against earlier expectations of 10.5%11.5% system credit growth, and delivered 12%. He noted that based on RBI period-end numbers, system growth appeared closer to 13.5%13.9%. While acknowledging faster system growth, he said the bank intends to maintain momentum without overstretch that could create future risks, framing the approach as responsible growth driven by risk-reward considerations. Margins and funding: transmission dynamics and residual repricing Management described NIM as influenced by the speed of repricing in a falling-rate environment, with floating-rate loans repricing faster than deposits. Vaidyanathan said deposit transmission so far has been only about 4050 basis points, not fully offsetting asset-side repricing. He also discussed how a higher propensity for time depositstime deposit growth was cited as 15.5% year-over-year against total deposit growth of 14.4%can weigh on deposit costs relative to CASA. On borrowings, Vaidyanathan said changes in the borrowing mix can be favorable by reducing higher-spread funding. However, he cautioned that overall outcomes depend on the broader rate cycle and deposit mix. In a follow-up exchange, he said that if borrowings fell while all else remaining same, it would improve NIM and returns. When asked about cost of funds and repricing, Vaidyanathan referenced a published cost of funds of about 4.4%, saying it had marginally come down. He added that time deposit repricing can continue over multiple quartershe cited 5, 6 quarters or soassuming other factors remain steady. Technology and AI: management outlines operating leverage thesis Jagdishan argued the banks investments over the past five to six yearsmade through events including COVID and what he called one of the largest mergers in corporate historyposition HDFC Bank for operating leverage. He said distribution nearly doubled to 9,700 branches, customers nearly doubled to 100 million, and technology investments increased to around $1 billion. He detailed digital adoption metrics, including 97% digital adoption for payments and service transactions and 92% for acquisition journeys. Jagdishan said the banks mobile app has more than 16 million registered customers and emphasized security features including OTP-less authentication, enhanced locks, and a full-stack UPI-enabled wallet called the Zapp Account. On AI, Jagdishan said the bank has built an intelligence layer and an in-house unified AI platform designed to deploy AI agents at scale, supported by a lakehouse data architecture and governance controls, including an independent unit in the risk team as a second line safeguard. He said the bank has five AI use cases in production and 14 more in development, aimed at improving turnaround times and freeing mid- and back-office capacity for customer-facing roles. Jagdishan said these capabilities are expected to support efficiencies and enhance return on asset over the next one, two, three years. Separately, when asked about expenses, Vaidyanathan said full-year cost growth was around 6.5%7%, below top-line growth. He added that cost-to-assets is around 1.9, which he described as best-in-class, but said further opportunity exists through technology implementations. Merger-related synergy updates and other disclosures Bharucha provided an update on mortgage-related synergies following the merger with HDFC Limited. He said that among inherited home loan customers, liability penetration increased from about 36% to around 49%50% over roughly two and a half years, net of attrition and acquisition. He also said the bank continues to see about 98% of newly disbursed home loan customers opening a liability account with the bank. He added that CASA balances tied to this franchise rose from roughly INR 50,000 crore to INR 86,000 crore over the period, and said that nearly 23% of home loan customers on stock have active credit cards with the bank. Bharucha also said roughly 60%65% of the liability-linked stock pays EMI through the banks account, which he characterized as supportive from both value and risk perspectives. Jagdishan also addressed matters referenced during the quarter, including the resignation of the former part-time chairman and the Dubai branch related matter. He said the legal review previously committed to is in process and the bank will provide a summary when completed. He added that the audited financial statements include notes on these issues, and referenced a March 23 order from the NCDRC stating that complainants were not retail or uninformed investors and had intended to pursue high-yield, high-risk investment products. Jagdishan said the bank had nothing incremental to add beyond what was already disclosed in the notes to accounts. About HDFC Bank (NYSE:HDB) HDFC Bank Limited is one of India's leading private sector banks, headquartered in Mumbai. Incorporated in 1994 and promoted by Housing Development Finance Corporation (HDFC), the bank provides a full range of banking and financial services to retail, small and medium-sized enterprises, and corporate customers. It is publicly listed and also accessible to international investors through American Depositary Receipts (ADRs) trading on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol HDB. The bank's core activities include retail banking (deposit accounts, personal loans, home loans, auto loans, and credit cards), commercial and corporate banking (working capital finance, term lending, trade finance and treasury services), and transaction banking (cash management and payment solutions). The article "HDFC Bank Q4 Earnings Call Highlights" was originally published by MarketBeat. Advertisement NationalNSWCity life Opinion Its the station where I got my first Sydney broadcasting shift. Now it could all be over Robbie Buck Radio presenter April 19, 2026 5:30am April 19, 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 For any radio announcer, the greatest fear of all is dead air. Its a nightmare that wakes you in a cold sweat. So the news last week that one of Australias largest and most loved community radio stations might soon be silenced was particularly chilling. Volunteers at Sydneys 2SER-FM were informed on Tuesday that the station may be off the air permanently as soon as July. They were told that following Macquarie University pulling its funding late last year, the University of Technology was also threatening to withdraw its financial support. It would be a tragic end to a much-loved pillar of the Sydney cultural landscape. For nearly half a century 2SER has nourished the citys music, art and cultural scenes. Its been a bastion of independent journalism, a beacon of diverse voices and a showcase for our citys great talents. Robbie Buck began his Sydney radio career at 2SER. Janie Barrett I first walked through its doors in 1992. Id just stepped off the XPT from Lismore, backpack in hand, looking for adventure. Back then the studios were at the top of the brutalist UTS tower. After a long, rickety ride in an ageing lift, I was ushered into a back room where a volunteers meeting was under way. We were given the rundown. Here was a station that served all of Sydney. It ran on the sweat of volunteers and just a few skeleton staff. It was cool. It played music you wouldnt find anywhere else. It fostered amazing talent. And it prided itself on a dedicated audience right across the city an audience who put its money where its mouth was by coughing up supporter pledges each year to keep the station on air. In the midst of the volunteer meeting, the co-ordinator, a wonderful woman named Kath Duncan, mentioned that they had a hole in the schedule that night. It was the graveyard shift. Did anyone want it? I looked around at the distinct lack of hands being raised and slowly lifted mine. Right, she said, youre on air at 1am. And that was it. That was the start of my Sydney broadcasting career. Advertisement That same thrill has been enjoyed by thousands of volunteers since the station first went to air in October 1979. And many of them have gone on to enjoy extraordinary careers. Social Services Minister Tanya Plibersek volunteered, as did Michael Rowland of ABC News Breakfast fame, the BBC China correspondent Stephen McDonell, Eleanor Hall from ABCs The World Today, ex 702, JJJ & Radio National manager Cath Dwyer, Michael Koziol from this masthead, Four Corners Supervising producer Alice Brennan as well as ABC presenters Sarah Dingle, Richard Kingsmill, Sarah Macdonald, and many, many more. All drawn to the sense of community, fun and intellectual challenge that this unique entity offered. The fact that so many high-profile media names have come through 2SER is no fluke. Not only is it a priceless cultural asset for Sydney, its also an unparalleled training ground for its students and volunteers. When Macquarie retreated last year, Professor Chris Dixon wrote an email to the arts faculty, where he said the loss of the station wouldnt affect the standard of students education. He wrote: Macquarie continues to offer rich experiential learning through purpose-built, on-campus studios. These facilities provide high-quality, industry-standard training embedded in the curriculum. Related Article Exclusive Radio Sydney community radio station 2SER could shutter in July as funds run out Unfortunately, as a broadcaster with more than four decades of experience, Id have to question whether that isnt a loss for students. Theres simply nothing else that compares to working in a true broadcast environment. The deadlines, the pressure, the camaraderie, the adrenaline and, yes, the unadulterated joy. Theres also the experience of giving back to the community, in a wholly unique way. You simply dont get that by sitting in a recording studio thats not connected to a transmitter. And that transmitter is special too. Its signal is connected to the 107.3 bandwidth on the FM spectrum thats worth untold millions. The last time a slice of the Sydney FM spectrum was auctioned off was in 2004. The winning bid came from the DMG group, which now hosts Smooth FM on that frequency. What did it pay? A whopping $106 million dollars. And UTS is prepared to let that asset go for nix? So whats gone so wrong? Well, this is the question we, as 2SER alumni, have been putting to the 2SER board and the UTS council over the past few weeks. Theyre saying that after Macquarie pulled out, theyve been forced to find other financial partners to carry the load, in the form of either the University of NSW or University of Sydney. At this stage, theres been no word from UNSW, but University of Sydney has declined. Advertisement So, how competently has the process been handled? Macquarie announced its departure in September last year and Ive been told the partner prospectus didnt go out to the other bodies until mid-March. Thats six months later. Staff were warned in March that the prospectus must be picked up within a few weeks or they could lose their jobs. Youd think that given this was the greatest fiscal crisis in the stations history, all stops wouldve been pulled out to find a solution as early as possible. But the volunteers werent aware of the looming threat until last week. And apparently there hasnt been a single station meeting called in the past year, despite the precarious situation. The other question is: why were only two sandstone universities being approached? Why not a more creative angle? One that looks at other bodies such as the Australian Film Television and Radio School, the education department, government bodies, etc? Related Article Exclusive University Too focused on money: University ombudsmans verdict after a year in the job While UTS claims it can no longer carry the funding alone, its worth placing its fiscal commitment in perspective. The university handles a budget of well over a billion dollars. According to the 2024 2SER financial report, the core funding from Macquarie was $325,000 and UTS just over $300,000, plus in-kind contributions. Its small fry for an institution of its size. In the scheme of things a decision by UTS to continue to fund the station wouldnt touch the sides. But it would generate some much-needed positive news, for an organisation thats weathering its worst reputational damage in history. The ABCs Four Corners put a blowtorch to the recent governance of UTS. And an interim report from the NSW Parliament Standing Committee into higher education has been equally scathing, writing the committee was very troubled by evidence relating to council processes, the management of conflicts of interest, and the use of external consultants in workforce and performance decision-making. That final point is a big one. UTS easily spends more than $40 million a year on consultants. A tiny fraction of that would save 2SER. Not to forget the $1.5 million spent on a leadership consultant being flown up from Victoria to teach the executive group how to umm lead. Advertisement Last weeks shocking news has triggered a wave of concern from across the country, as former volunteers, musicians, journalists and radio lovers share their distress at the prospect of no more 2SER. Our message to UTS is clear. Announce youll continue funding for future years, with or without partners. And above all else, give us your assurance that you wont let 2SER fall silent. Because that dead air, as we know, would be a nightmare. 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 NationalNSWLetters Uni stakeholders clash on agendas April 18, 2026 9:00pm Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Share A A A Universities are between a rock and a hard place (Unis are too focused on money, says ombudsman, April 12). They need money to run a huge number of students with high testosterone paying huge fees, and these students expect an effective return on investment. Unis cant fulfil the desires of stakeholders staff, students and government with different agendas. Add in international students new to Australia and the Australian university experience, culture, etc, and you have the perfect recipe for disaster. Strangely, unis run courses on conflict, finance, human resources and budget management, but they cant manage themselves. These students will work in industries and I wonder what they will contribute with their experiences in studies with no faith in their courses. Mukul Desai Hunters Hill What hope have universities of keeping everyone happy? Sally Tsoutas The story about universities prompts the response that were all too focused on micro commentary rather than the bigger picture. In case we hadnt noticed, our civilisation is on a slide. Money focused universities is just a micro view of the max picture. We are so distracted with all the fatuous detail we are deluding ourselves into some sort of mindless lemming march over a cliff. Will someone please wake us out of this completely catatonic silliness? Perhaps that is what the backstory of Trumps ascendancy is ultimately all about? Where is the planned wellness blueprint towards our future? Addressing the big picture, or is it just too hard? Neville Williams, Darlinghurst Universities require proper funding if they are to improve our students in under-graduate, graduate or research, and better our country. How is our ombudsman going to do his job if he doesnt have funding. Let him go without funding and see if he stays the course. Allan Fozzard, St Ives Absent presence Advertisement Sometimes its the actual presence in the household of inadequate fathers that can be the problem (The missing men in manosphere doco, April 12). Fathers who are there but not there, which in itself gives a seemingly okay picture of happy family roles but in essence makes for a disturbingly dysfunctional role model of what a father and manhood looks like to a child especially a son yearning for guidance of his place in the family of things. Arguably the absence of a father figure but the presence of a good mother or a wise male mentor (these beings do exist) is often better than a father who is never really emotionally present with their child, often exhibiting the role of a gaming focused, depressive and misogynistic male, fuelled by the manosphere. Judy Finch, Taree Having recently viewed Louis Therouxs documentary, I read Parnell Palme McGuinness analysis of it with interest. For her, the missing fathers of the men who are interviewed are the key contributor to what the subjects of the documentary are peddling as masculinity without having good role models themselves. This may well be, but the message I took away was a bit different. It seemed clear that for all these influencers pronouncements about exerting control in relationships because thats what women really want, these are ideas they themselves dont actually believe in; they are simply in it for the money (sponsorships through advertising) that this particularly odious notoriety brings. I think all of us, not only Theroux, are uncomfortable on the sidelines of this world, where men exploit other men and place women in danger, not because of beliefs in a philosophy about masculinity, but for a buck. Kerrie Wehbe, Blacktown PCIT benefits The enormous benefits of the PCIT (Parent-Child Interaction Therapy) program are clear and dynamic (One-way mirrors, earbuds and an end to meltdowns, April 12). Incorporated into schools with purpose-built facilities, and including teachers as well as parents and children, the program appears to be turning childrens (and their familys) lives around. Interestingly, fathers or close male role-models are not specifically mentioned, the necessity for child development, later highlighted by Parnell Palme McGuinness in her analysis of Louis Theroux: Inside the Manosphere. Further study and program implementation is essential across the state. Janice Creenaune, Austinmer Bankrolling bias Advertisement The double standard from One Nation is hard to miss (Byelection candidates clash over Facebook post, April 12). Apparently its fine for them to be bankrolled by Gina Rinehart, but not for Michelle Milthorpe, an independent candidate in Farrer, to have support from grassroots group Climate200. Its a bit rich. Amy Hiller, Kew (Vic) Naming rights I was fortunate to become a grandmother in my early 50s and couldnt wait to be given a traditional name by my darling granddaughter (No more nanna: Grandparents choose their own monikers, April 12). I wanted to emulate and carry on the heritage of my own precious Grandma. There are plenty of people who can call me fun names, but its an exclusive club, of six, who can use this special title. I suggest people need to get over their fear of ageing it brings so many wonderful experiences, crowned by grandparenthood. Of course, if youre searching for that name that reflects your youthfulness, Bottoxy or Filly could both be fun. Elisabeth Goodsall, Wahroonga When I became a grandparent fourteen years ago I too chose not to be called Nanna, the name I chose has become a name used by close members of my family daughters and their husbands. A very happy CC. Carol Horton, North Sydney Spud talk Advertisement In the 1970s, the food writer and restaurant critic Leo Schofield referred to the ubiquitous foil-wrapped baked potato, typically served with sour cream and chives, as the dreaded Idaho potato (Hot potato! The classic jacket is back, April 12). From that point on my parents, with tongue in cheek, have always done the same. Lisa Clarke, Watsons Bay To submit a letter to The Sun-Herald , email letters@smh.com.au. Click here for tips on how to submit letters. The Opinion newsletter is a weekly wrap of views that will challenge, champion and inform. Sign up here. Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Share License this article More: Letters Opinion Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Share A A A The arrival of a silver Audi SUV at Silverwater Correctional Complex was the first sign of movement. For hours, a growing media pack had patiently waited outside the jail for a glimpse of Australias most decorated living soldier, seen only fleetingly since his arrest on war crimes charges on April 7. When Ben Roberts-Smiths girlfriend, Sarah Matulin, drove through the camera flashes and approached the designated pick-up point for released inmates, the moment seemed to have arrived. But as reporters and photographers readied themselves, a cunning plan involving Corrective Services NSW officers to whisk Roberts-Smith out of the sprawling complex and away from the cameras was being hatched. Correctives Services officers try to stop this masthead from photographing Roberts-Smith. Nine News Throughout Friday, inmates released from Silverwater had discarded their prison greens, collected a small bag of personal belongings and trudged out of the western Sydney facility. None were escorted out, and all were forced to make the long walk past the media pack on foot; no special treatment was offered. The same could not be said for the accused murderer. Advertisement Long before Judge Greg Grogin granted the 47-year-old bail during an hours-long hearing in Sydneys Downing Centre Local Court, arrangements were being made to help Roberts-Smith give the media the slip. A longstanding agreement allows media to wait at a designated point near the prisons main entrance. Corrective Services NSW officers throughout the day asked members of the media, who obliged, to remain on grassed areas either side of the entry and exit to the facility and clear of nearby footpaths. Maintaining that position, they said, would ensure the safety of both the media and Roberts-Smith as he left the complex. Roberts-Smith leaves Silverwater Correctional Complex. Sam Mooy Corrective Services NSW officers attempt to stop this masthead from photographing Roberts-Smith. Sam Mooy But just after 5.30pm about 30 minutes after Matulin had driven into the gated section of the prison officers formed a convoy and began escorting the disgraced former Special Air Service corporal out the back exit. Footage shows a vehicle carrying several Corrective Services officers preparing to escort Roberts-Smith from the facility. Shortly after, several vehicles followed Roberts-Smith, sitting in the passenger seat of an Audi Q7 being driven by Matulin, out of the facility and along Jamieson Street a public road bordering Silverwaters eastern perimeter. As Roberts-Smith left the complex, a white 4WD blocked off Jamieson Street, which leads to a public park on the banks of the Parramatta River, to prevent him from being followed. Footage shows the 4WD leaving the complex at the head of the convoy. Media tracked Roberts-Smiths exit via a live chopper feed. The Herald, suspecting the 47-year-old may try to evade media, was positioned on Jamieson Street as his taxpayer-funded convoy approached. A team of Herald photographers positioned at the front of the complex captured Matulins entrance and tracked the convoys exit. Advertisement Herald photographer Sam Mooy captured several exclusive images of Roberts-Smith leaving Silverwater. Nine News As Roberts-Smiths vehicle approached the end of Jamieson Street, a black ute that had exited Silverwater behind him veered off the road and into the path of the Heralds moving vehicle, blocking it. As the Herald tried to manoeuvre around the vehicle, photographer Sam Mooy dashed towards Roberts-Smith, capturing an iconic photograph of the accused murderer. Mooy captured several exclusive images of Roberts-Smith and Matulin as they sat at an intersection, inadvertently blocked by a vehicle waiting to turn right, despite two correctional officers attempting to stop him photographing the 47-year-old. The Herald did not block Roberts-Smiths path. Related Article Updated Roberts-Smith case Ben Roberts-Smith released from prison amid chaotic scenes Footage of the interaction shows one officer physically pushing Mooys camera as she blocks his line of sight. Stop, stop, you cant take pictures, an officer shouted. After the Audi Roberts-Smith was travelling in turned left onto Holker Street towards Olympic Park, a convoy of several other cars followed the 47-year-old, attempting to stop media outlets from photographing him. The white ute carrying the officers who had tried to block Mooys path escorted Roberts-Smith for several minutes after he had left the vicinity of the complex. Advertisement In response to questions about the escort, Corrective Services NSW said it was reviewing the handling of Roberts-Smiths departure from Silverwater. Due to high levels of public interest and a large number of people surrounding the centre, a risk assessment determined the protocols and security measures required for the safe passage of the high-profile inmate from custody, ensuring the safety of both the inmate and the public, a department spokesperson said, adding that community and staff safety was one of the departments top priorities. Corrections Minister Anoulack Chanthivong said he expected any breaches of policy or protocol identified in the review to be addressed appropriately. The arrangements in place were focused on reducing risk and ensuring everyone involved, including members of the public, remained safe, he said. It is unclear what reprimands officers involved in Roberts-Smiths departure could face. Roberts-Smith, who faces five counts of war crime murder over the alleged killing of unarmed Afghan detainees, is required to report to police three times a week under strict bail conditions. Roberts-Smith and Matulin did not fly out of Sydney on Friday night, instead they drove north for several hours. Roberts-Smith will next face court on June 5. You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Advertisement NationalVictoriaCrime Another Melbourne bar targeted in attempted arson attack Angus Delaney April 18, 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 Another Melbourne hospitality venue has been targeted in an attempted arson attack, less than a day after police warned revellers to beware firebombings following a string of attacks at bars across the city this week. Bar Bambi in the CBD became the seventh victim after unknown offenders attempted an arson attack and burglary about 6am on Saturday. Police and firefighters at Bar Bambi this morning. The bar was hit in an attempted arson. Police were called to the AC/DC Lane cocktail bar after a suspicious vehicle was reported outside. It is believed unknown offenders forced entry to the business in an attempt to set it on fire and fled the scene prior to police arrival, a police spokesperson said. Police located a jerry can outside the premises. Advertisement Fire Rescue Victoria crews also attended the scene and assisted police with the investigation. There have been attacks on six other venues since Tuesday: the Mens Gallery on Lonsdale Street; the Albion Hotel and Kittens Strip Club in South Melbourne; the Emerson in South Yarra; and two Southbank venues the Soho restaurant and bar and a neighbouring business. There was also a drive-by shooting at the Mens Gallery on Friday morning, after the attempted arson on Tuesday. Detective Inspector Chris Murray said on Friday it was a mystery why hospitality venues had suddenly become targets. Advertisement Certainly, the [venue] owners have been co-operative, Murray said. They dont understand why they are being targeted. Police have urged people enjoying themselves at nightlife venues in Melbourne to call Triple Zero if they see suspicious activity. Loading Murray said the offenders were generally young men who were had been hired through the criminal equivalent of AirTasker a website used to outsource jobs to strangers and paid a few hundred dollars. Often, they dont even know who theyre working for, he said. Thats the business model that we see. Advertisement Young individuals are being used for a few hundred dollars, and then weve seen in recent times in court cases, theyre getting long stints in prison. Again, I ask, is that worth it? He said the common denominator in the firebombings was there was someone sitting above who is pulling the strings. Murray added that firebombings carried a huge risk of seriously injuring or killing people inside targeted venues, and those carrying out the attacks. Theyre rolling the dice, he said. They dont know whos in there. Advertisement The police investigation into the latest attempted firebombing and burglary is continuing. Anyone with information about who is responsible for the attacks or the motivation behind them has been urged to come forward. Bar Bambis owners were contacted for comment. With Ashleigh McMillan and Lachlan Abbott Advertisement NationalVictoriaViolence Cases that stay with you forever: They see women killed by violence, and this is what they want you to know Wendy Tuohy April 19, 2026 5:00am Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Share A A A Joanna Glengarry has performed 5000 autopsies on people who died in hundreds of ways. She describes forensic pathologists as a robust bunch, yet some of these deaths stay with her. They are the cases in which no amount of science can explain the horrendous violence inflicted on women with everything to live for. Joanna Glengarry, head of forensic pathology services at the Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine. Photograph by Chris Hopkins Many of these killings made national and international headlines, but the New Zealander who now heads up forensic pathology at the Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine has seen the carnage up close. Some hit home because she and the victim of a crime that outraged a community had so much in common as was the case with Auckland accountant Jo Pert, 41. Dr Glengarry did her autopsy after Perts daylight killing during her regular jog. Advertisement She was my age, she was just out for her afternoon run, and she was stabbed multiple times, says Glengarry, a fellow runner. The man [who murdered her] had decided that his goal for that day was to kill someone. He had previously assaulted two women. Related Article Tribute Eva longed to see her daughters again, but she never made it on the plane Others stay with Glengarry because her investigation reveals no one must have known about a womans drawn-out suffering. These are the women referred for other reasons than death by homicide, but whose skin, bones or organs reveal how they really lived. Medicine in general teaches you to compartmentalise, probably even more so in this profession; we really tend to self-select were a relatively hardy group, says the former surgeon. I can count on one hand the cases that have really affected me over the course of my career, and two of them certainly did even before they hit the media: Eurydice Dixon and Aiia Maasarwe. Advertisement Not long after she left New Zealands national forensic pathology service in 2017 for Australia, Glengarry was abruptly introduced to a scourge that continues to defy national efforts to curb it. Related Series Crime Remember their faces: Women killed in Australia She did autopsies of both 22-year-old Dixon, a performer who was stalked, raped and killed in June 2018 while walking home through a city-fringe park, and of international student Maasarwe, also raped and killed viciously (seven months later in January 2019) after getting off a Bundoora tram. It is just the brutality and randomness of these crimes against women going about their lives that struck Glengarry as she documented them. She was heartbroken to have to shave Maasarwes lush hair to expose the extent of damage, causing more distress to her devoted father. I remember dreading the court cases as well because I knew having to describe the injuries would be a huge thing for the community, and especially for the families, she says. Advertisement Yet sitting in an office decorated cosily to feel like home and scrolling through her case-file history, the femicides that did not cause a national outcry also catch Glengarrys eye. See that, they are two older ladies killed by their husbands that didnt make the media: an older lady, 78, with an elderly husband who beat her to death, and a woman sent to the coroner as an unexpected cause of death who had ligature marks and bruising around the neck she had been strangled, she says. Glengarry is part of a national push to have suicides linked to family violence reflected accurately in homicide statistics. Photograph by Chris Hopkins It is the hidden toll of violence that Glengarry and her pathologist colleagues also wish to expose and discuss. She is part of a national effort, including Victoria Police, to have womens suicides strongly suspected to be linked with family violence reclassified as homicides so statistics better reflect reality. Advertisement States around Australia are grappling with how to capture this phenomenon, and submissions to a federal parliamentary inquiry into the relationship between domestic, family and sexual violence and suicide closed on March 13. Glengarrys colleagues Dr Heinrich Bouwer and Dr Paul Bedford share her sense that the community does not have a complete understanding of how much gendered violence we live among, or its true impact. The case of a woman whose body revealed she had experienced a life of prolonged violence that was not recognised until she died will stay with me forever, says Dr Heinrich Bouwer. For Bouwer, one case illustrates what goes unseen. A womans body arrived at the mortuary so heavily concealed under layers of clothing that it took time to understand the extent of her injuries and that they werent one-off, he says. Gradually, it became clear there had been a long pattern of harm, and what struck me most was how hidden it all was, even from people close to her. Advertisement The effect of the case endures. Being confronted with that kind of sustained violence, even indirectly, isnt something you just walk away from unaffected, he says. It shifts your sense of what people can be living through without it being [recognised]. Related Article Victorian Parliament The minister against the manosphere: Allan adds new focus to cabinet shake-up That patients death was recorded as homicide, but Bouwer recalls that the wider world of violence in which she lived was not investigated or reported in a way that reflects what had actually been going on. It is the type of case that stays with you forever, he says. Bedford summarises what he sees as the core issue bluntly: Gruesome, horrible things are tolerated, he says. [Violence against women] is almost acceptable in Australia. Thats where, to me, the real problem is: cultural attitudes. Advertisement In March the Australian Bureau of Statistics revealed 2024-25 marked the highest recorded family violence offender rate nationally since family and domestic violence data was first published in 2019-20. The Australian Institute of Health and Welfares most recent national survey on attitudes towards violence against women found 23 per cent of respondents agreed that much of what is called domestic violence is a normal reaction to day-to-day stress and frustration. Related Article Graphic content Domestic violence She tried to leave her abusive partner. It cost Sophia her children Bedford says his general observation is that there are males who think they have rights, and their duty as a man is to control women. There is just a massive disconnect in equality. It is purely and simply wrong, he says. Advertisement Over Easter, his team examined the body of 53-year-old mother of two Eva Lasrini, after she was found dumped near the Princes Highway at Little River on April 4. Her 67-year-old estranged husband, Allen Keys, of Patterson Lakes, was charged with murder as he allegedly tried to board an international flight. Lasrinis death was listed by the national advocacy group Counting Dead Women as the 14th Australian woman to die by violence in 2026. Since then, a 54-year-old woman was found dead at a property in Mareeba, Queensland, after which a man known to her was charged with murder, and 27-year-old Christine Hunter was found dead in car in the Northern Territory, after which her 33-year-old partner, Blayze Noble, was charged with murdering her while the Sunshine Coast pair were on a road trip. Loading Other than continuing to promote greater community awareness of the scale of, and need to act on, violence against women, Joanne Glengarrys message to those fortunate enough not to be directly affected is to check in clearly with anyone they fear is. Advertisement She urges people to be alert to bruising in unlikely places, such as the soft skin of the upper arms which can happen from being grabbed and held hard and on the neck or the cheek, marks unlikely to have happened accidentally. Most importantly, her work has taught her that people should never shrink from asking someone outright about their welfare if the persons behaviour or demeanour suggests violence might be present in their life. People are really reluctant because they dont want to get involved in case theyre wrong, she says. Of course its tough to raise that, but if you care for that person, do it. She vows to reveal the truth for those who have lost their lives. I really do feel like we get to be that voice after death, to tell [the community] what the medicine says, she says. The body may keep its secrets from those around us during life, but after death it doesnt. And its up to us to tell the story of what happened. Advertisement If you or anyone you know needs support, you can contact the National Sexual Assault, Domestic and Family Violence Counselling Service on 1800RESPECT (1800 737 732), Lifeline 131 114, or Beyond Blue 1300 224 636. Advertisement The Supanova comic culture convention paused for a minutes silence at noon on Sunday, in tribute to a young man who lost his life after being hit by a car while leaving the event at the Melbourne Showgrounds on Saturday. The dead mans friend is fighting for his life in hospital after they were hit by a car that swerved onto the footpath outside the showgrounds just after 5pm on Saturday. Loading An Ambulance Victoria spokesperson confirmed that the injured man had been taken to the Royal Melbourne Hospital in a serious but stable condition. He remained in a stable condition on Sunday. The car, which police believe to be a rental, was driven by a 33-year-old Werribee man. Major collision investigation unit Detective Inspector Craig McEvoy said the driver was well known to police. Advertisement He said police were investigating whether the incident was intentional. One hundred per cent. Well look at everything, McEvoy said. Well let the evidence tell us whats occurred here tonight. Were still yet to determine if drugs, alcohol, speed are involved, but that will form part of our investigation. In a social media post on Saturday night, Supanova organisers said they were deeply saddened and distressed by the incident. Our thoughts and prayers go out to all those affected by the unspeakable tragedy that has happened on our doorstep, the organisers wrote. Advertisement As the matter is still under police investigation and took place outside the showgrounds precinct, we do not have any further details at present. As such, we will not enter into any speculation regarding this appalling situation until all the facts come to light. Supanova stallholder Malika Carper leaves flowers at the gate where the men were hit by a car. Penny Stephens The minutes silence, originally scheduled for 10am but subsequently moved to midday, was held in sympathy for the victims of the incident, the organisers said. Premier Jacinta Allan said it was a tragic incident that never should have happened. Advertisement My heart goes out to the family and loved ones of the individual who has been tragically killed, and I understand there are others who are injured, she said. Police are investigating, so its a little soon to provide further details around individuals or the circumstances surrounding this terrible accident. She thanked emergency services who responded, acknowledging it would have been an incredibly distressing scene. A car mounted the kerb and struck two pedestrians outside Melbourne Showgrounds. Luis Enrique Ascui A witness, Tom, who gave only his first name, had just left the Supanova Comic Con and Gaming event at the venue with his wife and young daughter when the silver Toyota Echo sped past them. I heard a screech and a guy mounted the kerb at an erratic speed, hit a couple [of] people, he said. McEvoy said the car swerved into the pedestrians, then drove 120 metres along the footpath between trees, power poles and the fence around the showgrounds venue. Advertisement After driving along the footpath back towards Tom, the car stalled, and he ran up to the driver and stopped him from fleeing. He was erratic, Tom said. I said, Youre not going anywhere, mate. Emergency services examine the car that mounted the kerb and struck two pedestrians. Luis Enrique Ascui An off-duty police officer arrived at the scene shortly after and arrested the driver. Two men in their 20s were hit by the vehicle. One died at the scene while the other was rushed to hospital with life-threatening injuries. A third person was also taken to hospital due to the trauma of the incident. Advertisement The vehicle has travelled a significant distance along the footpath, which is extremely odd, McEvoy said. Nothing suggests at this point in time [that] its medically related. The driver was under police guard on Saturday night, and McEvoy said detectives were waiting to interview him. Emergency services attended after a car struck two pedestrians, killing one, outside Supanova fan expo. Luis Enrique Ascui Hes well known to police at this point in time, he said. Dozens of police and SES volunteers had taped off the street and were interviewing witnesses about 6pm. Advertisement Tom said his wife, a paramedic, worked on the seriously injured victim for 20 minutes before emergency services relieved her. He couldnt move, but he was breathing, he said. The boots of one of the victims were strewn across the footpath. Luis Enrique Ascui A police officer was overheard at the scene saying the incident was graphic and difficult to witness. Fabian, a resident of Langs Road, saw four to five police officers and paramedics tending to an injured victim about 5.15pm. He said the victims large black platform boots were strewn across the footpath. Advertisement I really hope whoever it is pulls through holy shit, he said. It looked really grim. Fabian, who has lived in the area for six years, said the traffic was often abysmal in the area, particularly when events were held at the showgrounds. [There are] huge crowds, huge lines [and people] directing traffic one way along Langs Road, he said. Detective Inspector Craig McEvoy from the Major Collision Investigation Unit described the drivers behaviour as extremely odd. Luis Enrique Ascui Three SES marquees were set up outside the Ascot Vale venue, next to Flemington Racecourse. An SES spokesperson confirmed their Essendon and Brimbank units had been called to assist. The Supanova Comic Con and Gaming event which was scheduled to run all weekend at Melbourne Showgrounds describes itself as the welcoming home of Australias pop culture fandom. Advertisement Guests at this years convention include Lord of the Rings and Planet of the Apes star Andy Serkis, Buffy the Vampire Slayer star James Marsters, Stranger Things actor Jamie Campbell Bower and Harry Potter actress Bonnie Wright. Start the day with a summary of the days most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter. Advertisement Updated NationalWAHospitals Bubbly Perth toddler Sandipan Dhars death was preventable: WA Coroner Hamish Hastie Updated April 18, 2026 4:37pm ,first published April 18, 2026 9:45am Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Share A A A A blood test two days before his death would have revealed Sandipan Dhars undiagnosed leukemia and likely saved his life, the WA coroner has found. Sandipan died in the emergency department at Ramsay Health Cares Joondalup Health Campus on March 24, 2024 due to complications from undiagnosed acute blastoma leukemia, a curable blood cancer identifiable with a blood test. Sandipan Dhar died aged 21 months in March 2024. In her 86-page findings, Acting State Coronor Sarah Linton rejected Ramsays submissions to the inquest that she could not determine whether his death was preventable, concluding that a blood test on his first presentation to the hospital on March 22 could have saved the 21-month-olds life. This was more than a missed opportunity, she said. Advertisement I find on the balance of probabilities that had blood tests been performed on 22 March 2024, Sandipans leukaemia would have been identified, and he would likely have survived with definitive treatment; his death was therefore probably preventable. However, Linton made no finding whether the Joondalup Health Campus staff provided reasonable care by not performing a blood test. The coronial inquest was held in May last year and heard evidence from Sandipans father Sanjoy, doctors at the GP clinic he was taken to in the weeks prior and staff in the Joondalup Health Campus emergency department. Its purpose was to determine whether a blood test could have picked up his cancer and triggered treatment. Sandipans death shocked the WA community and once again turned the spotlight on WAs struggling hospital system, raising questions about the level of care he was provided and whether the cultural background of his parents contributed to crucial communication errors. Advertisement Linton said Sandipan was, by all accounts, a remarkable little boy. He had always been healthy and well until the last few weeks before his death, she said. Sandipan had been suffering a long-running mild fever in the month prior to his death and he had been to GPs several times. His concerned parents took him to Key Largo Medical Centre in Clarkson on March 20, where a GP noted his mildly elevated temperature, pus on his tonsils, and a mildly inflamed right ear. He was prescribed paracetamol and antibiotics. Advertisement Sandipans symptoms persisted, and his family returned to Key Largo two days later with a temperature of 38.3 degrees. The parents requested a blood test, but were sent to Joondalup Health Campus with a letter from the GP recommending a urine and blood test as part of a sepsis screen. Sanjoy Dhar. Nine News It was during this visit that Dhar said his family requested a blood test at least three times. This was disputed by Joondalup Health Campus operator Ramsay Healthcare and supervising ED consultant doctor Dr Yii Siow during the coronial inquest. Advertisement It was concluded he had viral tonsillitis, and no blood test was done. He was sent home that day, and the hospital never followed up with his parents. His parents rushed him back to the hospital two days later after his symptoms worsened. His condition deteriorated quickly and he died at 10.38pm. Linton said she was satisfied there was an opportunity for an experienced clinician, such as Dr Siow, to have identified that Sandipan had a more serious health issue than a simple viral illness. Siow told the inquiry she did not read the GP referral, instead relying on another doctor to distil the information to her. Advertisement She said with the benefit of hindsight she would have read the letter herself which might have alerted her to the fact the GP was concerned about sepsis. Linton said Siow should have read the letter. This was more than a missed opportunity. WA Acting State Coroner Sarah Linton In those circumstances, I consider it was incumbent upon Dr Siow to inform herself personally of the contents of the GP letter, which would have alerted her to the recommendation that a blood test be performed, she said. Whether Dhar and his wife asked for blood tests at Joondalup was a point of contention during the inquest but Linton said she preferred Dhars evidence. Advertisement Related Article Exclusive Hospitals As coroners report looms, Sandipans family hope his death will not be a statistic She did not make a finding about whether those requests for blood tests were made to Siow because there were no notes written and Siow recalled the events differently. She found Siow considered doing a blood tests, but did not proceed because she was waiting for results of a urine test and after weighing the pros and cons deemed it unnecessary at the time because she thought Sandipan likely had viral tonsillitis. Linton said she could not resolve the question of whether it was reasonable that a blood test did not happen because expert evidence from both sides differed as to what would have constituted reasonable care. Linton found Dhar and his wife ultimately accepted Siows decisions on March 22. Advertisement She also made remarks about Sandipans discharge from the hospital and why there was no follow-up. She referenced another near-miss case at Joondalup Health Campus around that period when a mother whose daughter had been bitten by a snake felt doctors werent taking her concerns seriously enough, so she took her to another hospital where her concerns were proven correct. The difference between this case and that one is that in the other case, the parent was not willing to trust the doctors advice, whereas unfortunately, in this case, Mr and Mrs Dhar placed more trust in the doctors opinion, she said. Linton found the Dhar familys Indian cultural heritage likely played a role in the communication breakdown, with the non-confrontational demeanour mistaken for agreement with the plan devised by doctors. Linton made six recommendations, including that JHC update and review its ED discharge and follow-up guidance and improve training for dealing with families from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds. Advertisement On Saturday, Ramsay Health Care State Manager (WA) Dr James Cafaro said Joondalup Health Campus accepts the Coroners findings and recommendations in full. We acknowledge the past two years have been extremely difficult for the Dhar family, their grief is lifelong, and we offer our deepest sympathy for their loss, he said. Cafaro said Joondalup Health Campus had made a number of significant changes to how paediatric patients were assessed and treated in the emergency department, and improved communication with their families. Many of the changes we have made have been as a result of the Dhar familys feedback, and we thank them for their bravery in helping shape our approach, he said. The changes include strengthening how we listen to and communicate with parents and families, so they feel heard, informed and supported in our emergency department. Advertisement The emergency department now has more dedicated paediatric roles, including a specialist paediatrician. We have also set up a Paediatric Rapid Access Clinic. This is where children who have been discharged can return for prompt review by a paediatric specialist if their parents have ongoing concerns about their condition. Joondalup Health Campus has also introduced new discharge safety measures so when families are discharged their concerns have been heard and they have clear information about when to seek further care. We recognise that there is more to do and we will implement all of the Coroners recommendations as a priority to continue to strengthen how we care for all children and support their families, Cafaro added. Advertisement PoliticsFederalVaccination Older Australians to receive free RSV vaccinations Mike Foley April 18, 2026 10:01pm Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Share A A A Free vaccinations for respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) will be available to older Australians from next month, amid concerns about people catching the potentially serious virus from their grandchildren or in aged care. All Australians aged 75 and older and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged 60 and over will be able to receive the free vaccine from May 15. The expansion of the federal governments free vaccination program, which provides the vaccine to pregnant women, comes ahead of winter, which is the peak season for infection. Free RSV vaccinations will be made available to people aged over 75. AP Older people face heightened risk from RSV, which is a common respiratory virus that can require hospitalisation or in some cases cause death in vulnerable people. Advertisement The vaccine, which is typically a single lifetime dose for older people, would have otherwise cost $300. It is available through local health services, including GPs, immunisation clinics, participating pharmacies and Aboriginal health services. Aged care residents are especially vulnerable to the spread of the infection due to shared living quarters. I encourage eligible Australians to protect themselves and their community this winter by getting vaccinated against RSV, federal Health Minister Mark Butler said. The government has committed $445.3 million to free access to the RSV vaccine for eligible Australians via the National Immunisation Program. Advertisement State programs provide the vaccine free to some eligible infants. More than 225,000 mothers have received the maternal RSV vaccine to protect their babies from serious illness since the free jabs were first made available in February last year. Related Article Flu season This is not the record we want to be breaking: Anti-vax ideology helping flu surge, GPs say This has resulted in a 10 per cent reduction in RSV cases for young children, which have fallen from 86,000 in 2024 to 78,000 in 2025. Sydney School of Medicine head of general practice Professor Charlotte Hespe said RSV had been under-recognised as a serious health threat in older adults. Enabling older Australians to access a funded RSV vaccine is a proactive step towards prevention, Hespe said. [It] can be given at the same time as the flu jab, making appointments more time efficient. Advertisement With older people playing an increasingly important role in childcare, National Seniors Australia chief executive Chris Grice said the free vaccination program was a positive response to changing demographics. Many are actively involved in caring for grandchildren, which can increase their exposure to RSV, Grice said. RSV is easily spread among family members, so its important for older adults to be aware of the risk and impact to their health. This funding recognises the risks and supports older people to make informed decisions about protecting their health. Butler also encouraged people to get a flu shot before winter. Advertisement Booking yourself and your family in for a flu vaccine each year is the safest and most effective way to protect yourselves and others against influenza, he said. No two influenza seasons are the same, and the flu can spread all year round, so its never too late to get vaccinated. 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 PropertyNewsAuctions We fell in love with it: Unrenovated inner west home sells for $2.4m Robyn Willis Updated April 18, 2026 4:45pm ,first published 2:00pm Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Share A A A An unrenovated Federation-era home in a heritage conservation area in Stanmore sold for $2,445,000 on Saturday at auction. More than 50 people gathered at 61 Corunna Road, spilling down the footpath and onto the street as auctioneer Emma Brown-Garrett opened bidding at $1.8 million. The property had a guide of $1.95 million and a reserve of $2.12 million. There is no legal requirement for a vendors reserve to be in line with their propertys price guide. Thirteen bidders registered and five were active with increments starting at $50,000 before decreasing to $20,000 and then $10,000. By the time the hammer fell there were 45 bids. Advertisement The winning bidders were a family of four who had recently returned from living in Byron Bay. While their daughter is enrolled in a local school, they said they had barely had time to settle since their return to Sydney a month ago. They plan to restore the property, which has three bedrooms and potential for a fourth bedroom or separate dining room. It still retains many of its original features, including decorative cornices, fireplaces, stained glass and a full-length, built-in hallway mirror. We fell in love with it, one of the new owners, who grew up in Stanmore but did not give her name, said. The new owners of 61 Corunna Road intend to restore the Federation-era home which still has many of its original features. Audrey Richardson Sales agent for Ray White Touma Taylor, Walter Burfitt-Williams, said it was his teams best auction this year. The property was being offered for the first time in 44 years and was sold as a deceased estate. Advertisement [The owner] was a collector and it was [initially] hard to assess because there was so much stuff, he said. But its a magnificent house. The property was one of 1171 scheduled to go to auction in Sydney this week. By evening, Domain Group recorded a preliminary auction clearance rate of 55 per cent from 710 reported results throughout the week, while 224 auctions were withdrawn. Withdrawn auctions are counted as unsold properties when calculating the clearance rate. In Potts Point, a first home buyer from nearby Darlinghurst paid $925,000 for a one-bedroom apartment in an art deco building. Bidders gathered in the light-filled apartment at 4/113-115 Macleay Street to avoid the distraction of the weekend markets with bidding starting at $750,000. Advertisement Bids jumped around, starting at $25,000, then $5000 before increasing to $15,000 and then $10,000. A final bid of $20,000 won the keys. Related Article Exclusive Title Deeds Rich Lister with $38m Point Piper mansion sells $11m temporary home The underbidder was also a local first home buyer. The property had a guide of $820,000 to $900,000 and a reserve of $900,000. Sales agent for BresicWhitney East Nuri Shik said while properties priced under $1.5 million will attract attention, some stand out more than others. Advertisement Anything in a beautiful old building with a bit of character, charm and style, there are always buyers. Time for those black ceilings to go? The decision lies with a young woman from Darlinghurst who just bought her first home in Macleay Street, Potts Point. Domain Further east, a waterfront apartment at Darling Point sold for $5.2 million, $300,000 above the reserve. The winning bidders for 4A/27 Sutherland Crescent were locals who plan to move into the spacious three-bedroom apartment. The underbidders were also locals looking for a new home. Advertisement The property overlooking Diendagulla Bay, Sydney Harbour and beyond had a guide of $4.9 million, the same as the reserve. While three bidders registered, two were active, with bidding opening at $4.5 million, going up in increments of $50,000. Michael Pallier, sales agent for Sydney Sothebys International Realty, said the property ticked a lot of boxes, with a north-easterly aspect, access to a communal swimming pool and private jetty. Its a waterfront position with a double lock-up garage and level access via a lift, he said. The building has recently had a major refurbishment. The fourth floor is also the best position its not too low down or high up. The apartment allows you to keep an eye on your boat from the comfort of your living room. Domain The apartment was a deceased estate being offered for the first time in 22 years. It includes Miele appliances, marble bathrooms with underfloor heating and an en suite with spa. Advertisement This property is quality real estate and there are plenty of people who want to buy that, Pallier said. South of the city in Caringbah it was the battle of the first home buyers, with a two-bedroom apartment selling for $995,000. Eight bidders registered with five active. A buyers agent opened bidding for 6/1-5 Sunnyside Avenue at $922,000, with increments initially of $10,000 before dropping back to $1000 bids. Five minutes later, the auction was over. The property had a guide of $890,000 and a reserve of $950,000. The winning bidders were a couple from Perth who had moved to Sydney for work. The buyers agents clients, also first home buyers, were the underbidders. Advertisement This two-bedroom apartment in Caringbah is close to schools and shops and is move-in ready. Domain Luke Lombardi, sales agent for Pulse Property Agents, said properties in the $850,000 to $950,000 price range were in high demand right now, especially if they are move-in ready. The floor plan [in this apartment] really worked well because it was nice and open, he said. Buyers dont want anything that requires work. They want to move in and enjoy it straight away. Property listings The core of Nikes business is based on its various lines of products: the sports apparel for men, women, and kids; the winter gear; and the companys most iconic lines, its shoes. These include basic athletic shoes, along with such specialized gear as cleats, running shoes, and workout shoes. And of course, basketball shoes. Nike didnt just depend on marketing savvy to build and expand its brand. The company has also succeeded in the old-fashioned way: it designed and produced the goods that people wanted to buy, and it did so without sacrificing quality. Linking itself to Michael Jordan was part of that approach Jordan has long been recognized for his own commitment to pursuing excellence, and he lent that reputation to Nike to good effect. Few brands carry the kind of instant recognition that Nike does. The iconic swoosh alone is enough to identify the company anywhere in the world, a rare branding advantage that speaks to decades of smart positioning and global reach. Since rising to prominence in the 1980s, Nike has grown into a dominant force in athletic apparel and footwear, blending performance with culture in a way few competitors have matched. A defining moment in that journey came through its partnership with Michael Jordan, which gave birth to the Air Jordan franchise still one of the most successful and influential product lines in the industry. Weve used that tool to zero in on two stocks that have recently attracted insider interest. Lets take a closer look and see why these insiders are loading up right now. Thats why insider trading activity tends to draw attention. While regulations require these transactions to be disclosed, the real value lies in interpreting them. When those closest to the business are buying, it can hint at confidence in what lies ahead. Still, the market does leave clues. Price action, sector rotation, and macro trends all tell part of the story, but some of the most telling signals come from inside the companies themselves. Corporate insiders executives and board members with a front-row seat to operations often act with a level of conviction that outside investors simply cant match. Building a strong portfolio sounds straightforward on paper pick the right stocks and let them do the heavy lifting. In reality, identifying those winners is where things get tricky. Markets move fast, sentiment shifts, and what looks like a clear opportunity one week can feel far less certain the next. Story Continues We should note here that Nikes stock is down sharply in 2026, having fallen by 28% since early January. The company faced headwinds in the form of reduced sales outlooks, falling revenue from the Chinese market, and increasing pressure from specialized competitors such as Hoka and On. On a positive note for investors to consider, two important insiders both made large purchases of NKE shares this past week. Tim Cook (yes, the CEO of Apple) sits on Nikes board, and purchased 25,000 shares for just over $1 million. Cook now holds 130,480 shares of Nike. The second big insider trade came from company CEO Elliott Hill, who bought 23,660 shares of NKE. Hill spent almost exactly $1 million on this stock purchase, and his holding in Nike stands at 265,247 shares. For RBC analyst Piral Dadhania, Nikes branding and success at scale are key advantages. He says of the company and its prospects, We have an Outperform rating, and remain constructive on the mid-term recovery potential given Nikes brand equity, scale and competitive advantages in a fragmented sportswear market, and anticipate sequential improvement in the coming quarters as Win Now actions start to better align across regions, channels and categories. Valuation multiple compression to historical average levels is helpful. The RBC analysts stated Outperform (i.e., Buy) rating is accompanied by a $70 price target that suggests a 54% gain in the next 12 months. (To watch Dadhanias track record, click here) Overall, Nike has 24 recent analyst reviews on record, with a split of 13 Buys to 11 Holds giving a Moderate Buy consensus rating. The stock is priced at $45.44 and its $60.90 average price target implies a 34% one-year upside potential. (See NKE stock forecast) Oscar Health (OSCR) Next up on our list of insider buys is Oscar Health, a health insurance provider in the US market. Oscar is a $4.6 billion company that provides a range of health insurance products in 20 states, working under the theory that health insurance does not need to be overly expensive, and that health outcomes do not need to be subpar. The company has approximately 2 million members in its network, and saw $11.7 billion in revenue last year. The company was founded in 2012, and has focused its approach to health care on bringing the benefits of digital tech to the provision of health services. Oscar offers telemedicine to connect its members with urgent care medical professionals 24/7; makes its interfaces digital and accessible; and offers a transparent claims system. That last is an important point, as the healthcare sector has long been known for its opaque pricing systems and labyrinthine bureaucracies. Oscar prides itself on earning the trust of its insured members, and boasts a 97% satisfaction rate among members for the virtual care delivery. Oscar offers plans for individuals, families, and employers. The company offers a wide range of supporting resources to assist members in locating doctors and pharmacies, finding urgent and primary care, contacting service providers, and even locating $3 prescriptions. Accounts and payments can be handled online, with customer service always available. Thats the background. In recent days, shares in OSCR got a boost after company CEO Mark Bertolini purchased 1 million shares of the stock. Bertolini spent a shade under $12 million on that purchase and we should note that, while insiders may sell for many reasons, they typically only buy when they believe the stock will post gains. With that in mind, Bertolini made a significantly large purchase, and now holds a stake in Oscar worth almost $156 million. In the 4Q25 report, Oscar reported quarterly revenue of $2.8 billion. This figure was up almost 18% year-over-year, although it missed the forecast by $318 million. Oscars earnings came to a net loss of $1.24 per share and missed the estimates by 38 cents per share. This stock has caught the attention of Raymond James analyst John Ransom, who explains why he is upbeat here, particularly citing stability in the US health insurance market. He writes, We see more supportive forward-looking outlook that should allow the company to expand margins and get to ~$1.77 of GAAP EPS in 2027. OSCR is expecting to deliver a ~2% EBIT margin in 2026, and we are estimating the company will get to a ~4% margin in 2027 due to improving MLR from continued repricing (100 bps of MLR improvement in 2027), and G&A efficiencies from economies of scale (100 bps of G&A improvement in 2027). The thesis is simple, with the ACA subsidies noise behind us and various other integrity rules now baked in, we think the ACA environment looks far more stable and should set the company up for modest margin expansion in 2027. Ransom rates the shares as Outperform (i.e., Buy), and supports that with an $18 price target that indicates room for a 15.5% upside on the one-year horizon. (To watch Ransoms track record, click here) That is the bullish view. The analyst consensus here is a Hold, based on 7 reviews that include 1 to Buy, 4 to Hold, and 2 to Sell. The stocks average target price of $15.29 implies it will stay rangebound for the time being. (See OSCR stock forecast) Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the featured analyst. The content is intended to be used for informational purposes only. It is very important to do your own analysis before making any investment. Disclaimer & DisclosureReport an Issue Child marriage is common in Cambodia. This girl was forced into marriage at just 16. Its a cultural norm dating back centuries, with children as young as 13 married off in remote parts of Cambodia. But one young woman has defied the odds, resisting tradition and now becoming the first girl from her village to go to university. Neary Ty travelled to Ratanakiri with Plan International to see firsthand the work thats being done to help others follow in her footsteps. Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Share A A A When Kary was just 13, her parents tried to force her into marriage with a boy in her village in Cambodia. Kary, a proud Indigenous woman from the Praov ethnic group in Ratanakiri province, refused. Karys parents tried to force her to marry at 13. She refused and is now studying psychology in Phnom Penh. Banung Ou/Plan International They wanted me to get married because [they said] if I got old no one would love me, Kary says. I didnt want to at the time because I thought I was still young and still enjoyed going to school. Parents on the boys side had a dream that we were a perfect match. Ratanakiri, in Cambodias north-east, is rich in natural beauty and known for its stunning gemstones. Its also the site of the highest rate of child marriage in the country. Advertisement According to Cambodias Ministry of Womens Affairs, about 37.7 per cent of girls here are married off before the age of 18. Its long been a social norm deeply rooted in many remote communities for girls to be forced into marriage from the age of 13 or 14. The Cambodian village of Ta Veng, where rates of child marriage have been historically high. Banung Ou/Plan International For families struggling with poverty, marrying early is often considered a form of financial security in her village of Ta Veng, which can feel like its stuck in time. But Kary, now 23, stood firm, and insisted that she stay in school instead of marrying. She says her father did not speak to her for two years. When my dad was angry, he was really angry for a long time, she says. It wasnt one day, two days or even three days, when he was angry he didnt look at me in the face. I thought, Why is he so angry? Why are we arguing over that? Something like that shouldnt be causing a nasty fight with your parents. Advertisement The village also turned against her, calling her names and questioning her morals. They say Im a bad girl, that I disobeyed my parents. Its really hard when the whole village is used to one way and you have an idea thats so different, you cant stand up and fight them and win. Kary is calm as she recounts her story, wearing wide-legged jeans, a long-sleeve top and a vest made from traditional indigenous Khmer fabric. Halfway through our interview, Karys father, Chor Lek, arrives home for lunch, and the mood becomes slightly tense. But she powers on. She says that when times get tough, she thinks of the hardship her mother has faced. Kary with her mother Taby. Taby married at 14, but Kary was able to stay in school and avoid a child marriage. Banung Ou/Plan International Advertisement Her mother, Taby, is thin, a sarong firmly tied around her tiny waist. Forced into marriage at just 14, Taby has never been to school and is banned from working. Women in the village can only look after the children, cook and clean. I thought that I should do something to show my mum that girls have power, value and can make decisions, and I want her to be proud of me, Kary says. When Im sad I think of my mum. Kary is now studying psychology in the Cambodian capital, Phnom Penh. Shes the first woman from her village to go to university and hopes to one day become a journalist. She says: We should strengthen our knowledge and education, find a good job and earn a modest living. So we can manage our own lives and dont have to rely on anyone. Kary hopes to one day become a journalist. Banung Ou/Plan International Taby says its hard having her daughter so far away. I do miss her. When I see her arrive at home, Im happy. Even though he was furious that Kary refused marriage as a young teen, Karys father now says hes grateful to the aid workers at Plan International Cambodia for helping Kary achieve her dreams and very proud of his accomplished daughter. Advertisement At first I wanted her to be like others, but when the NGO [non-government organisation] supports, Im thankful for the help shes received, Chor Lek says. For her part, Kary hopes she can inspire other girls to choose education and avoid the trap of becoming child brides. I want young girls to have a voice, young girls to be valued, I want the community to change their mentality about how women cant do anything and dont have the opportunities like men. If I could go back in time, Id want to finish school Many people in the communities in Ratanakiri believe that early marriage protects a girls reputation and prevents premarital sex, which is culturally shameful. In a nearby village, we meet a girl who was forced at 16 to marry a 24-year-old man. A girl who was forced to marry at 16 says she hopes to return to study one day. Banung Ou/Plan International I didnt want to get married back then, she says. Advertisement Advertisement WorldEuropeWorld elections Like a mosh pit: Celebrating a new political future, Budapest-style David Crowe April 18, 2026 9:51am Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Share A A A What in the World, a free weekly newsletter from our foreign correspondents, is sent every Thursday. Below is an excerpt. Sign up to get the whole newsletter delivered to your inbox. London: Im sitting at my desk and flicking through images of the euphoric crowd I encountered in Budapest a few nights ago, when thousands of people jammed the streets to celebrate the outcome of Sundays election in Hungary. As I look through the video files, Im grateful to people who had time to share their views about the defeat of prime minister Viktor Orban. And Im thankful I had a wireless microphone they could hold while they spoke, because on the night, with all the raucous cheering, I could hardly hear a thing they said. Peter Magyar celebrates after ousting Viktor Orban as Hungarys prime minister, winning two-thirds of the seats. Bloomberg We want a whole new government to lead Hungary into a better future, said one young man holding a placard with the face of Peter Magyar, the new prime minister. Then, as the crowd cheered behind him, he let out a piercing scream. Nearby, a woman with her partner and teenage son was quietly chuffed. Very basic rules, very basic laws can be changed in a good direction, she said. As the results came in, thousands more people caught the metro and packed into Batthyany Square, across the Danube from the historic parliament. They were not just overjoyed at a change of government: they erupted when the results confirmed Magyar could govern with more than two-thirds of the seats, enabling him to overturn laws and appointments with a higher barrier for change. I hadnt had to weave my way through a crowd this tight since the mosh pit of a David Bowie concert some years back. Advertisement A group of young women told me they felt the election made history. This is the first time I felt proud to vote, said one. Others described the result as the most important for the country since the fall of communism, given it had swept away a leader who had become so entrenched over 16 years. It is a truly incredible feeling, said another young woman. Loading Ive been to election night gatherings where supporters have rejoiced in victory. (Kevin Rudd in Brisbane in 2007 comes to mind). Ive been to nights where the party faithful have wept into their beers (Labor and Bill Shorten in Melbourne in 2019), or greeted a narrow success as if it were a bitter defeat (the Liberals with Malcolm Turnbull in 2016). But Ive never seen one where so many voters have rushed to the streets in such wild delight. This was hardly a random sample of the electorate, of course. I chose to join the Magyar crowd without knowing whether they would end the night jubilant or dejected. The Orban supporters, meanwhile, were across the river, and I could not be in two places at once. When Id met some of them earlier in the day outside a polling station, one was worried that Magyar would weaken the migration laws. One man simply did not want to risk change. We need a strong leader, and not someone who needs to learn how to govern a country, he said. Europe correspondent David Crowe joins the euphoric crowds in Budapests Batthyany Square to celebrate the election defeat of Viktor Orban. David Crowe Advertisement It is too soon to know if Magyar, 45, will be up to the task ahead. One placard in Batthyany Square summed up a key feature of the discontent. It showed Orbans face on the outside of a matryoshka nesting doll. The man holding the placard flicked his wrist, and the placard revealed who was inside the doll. Surprise! It was Russian President Vladimir Putin. The crowd chanted Ruszkik haza! which means Russians go home. Hungarians shouted these same words at Russian troops who took control of the country in 1956. In the crowd, you didnt just ponder the history, you could feel it. Related Article Analysis World elections How a former Orban ally toppled the populist right-wing leader In the days since the election, Ive been struck by the lament from conservatives outside Hungary who believe Orban should have won. Former Australian prime minister Tony Abbott was among them. Many saw Orban as a global champion of the right, but they overlooked what worried so many Hungarians. The people I spoke to near polling stations talked of the centralisation of power, the state control of the economy and the wealth accumulated by Orbans family members, to name a few concerns. On Wednesday, Magyar appeared on state television for the first time in 18 months. He called the state media a propaganda machine and said he would suspend its news services until its public service charter was restored. Long before the election, Reporters Without Borders labelled Orban a predator of press freedom for the many ways he sought to control the media. Outside the country, his fans praised his conservative values. Inside the country, ordinary people saw his autocratic values. Advertisement Over a beer in a restaurant near the Opera House, I spoke to an Australian who has lived in Hungary for 35 years. John Verpeleti, a subscriber to The Age, left Melbourne to take up a job in the country of his forebears after the fall of communism. He has seen a lot since then, and he thinks the fall of Orban was a great day for Hungary and democracy. The outgoing administration may have used populism as the cloak, but there were a lot of things underneath that the people noticed and rejected, he told me. The abuse of power, state capture and corruption had reached horrendous levels, and a reckoning was overdue. I am glad there was enough of the democratic framework still in place to deliver it. One morning after the election, I managed to get a ticket to visit the parliament. (Tip: get there at 8am). The building is so wonderful, with its colossal dome and countless spires, that it seems to feature in every promotion for a cruise on the Danube. It is magnificent in design and decoration, but it is also a monument to history. For more than 1000 years, the Hungarians have survived the rise and fall of empires, invasions and totalitarian rule. No wonder they were so euphoric about democracy in action on Sunday night. With luck, Ill get back for another beer. Hopes are high for Magyar and his new government. Lets see if they can deliver. 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 Updated WorldMiddle EastMiddle East at war Iran cant blackmail us, says Trump as ships attacked in Strait of Hormuz Updated April 19, 2026 12:28am ,first published 8:29pm Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Share A A A US President Donald Trump said Iran cant blackmail us over the Strait of Hormuz after Iran reimposed restrictions on the critical waterway and ships attempting transit reported attacks. Trump insisted there were very good conversations going on with Iran and it was working out very well, but that they got a little cute, as they have been doing for 47 years. Loading Were talking to them. They wanted to close up the strait again, as theyve been doing for years. They cant blackmail us, Trump said as he briefly addressed the war while signing an executive order in the Oval Office on Saturday morning (Washington time). Trump said there would be some information by the end of the day but the US was talking to them, and were taking a tough stand. He did not take questions about the conflict. Advertisement Two gunboats from Irans Revolutionary Guard opened fire on a tanker attempting to cross the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday, and a container ship also sustained damage after being hit by an unknown projectile. The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations Centre on Saturday night reported an attack 20 nautical miles north-east of Oman, and said the tanker and crew were safe, without identifying the vessel or its destination. The captain of the tanker also reported the two gunboats opened fire without issuing a radio challenge. Tankers anchored in the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday. AP In a separate incident, the centre said it had received a report of a cargo ship being hit by an unknown projectile which caused damage to some of the containers, 25 nautical miles off the north-east of Oman. Iran earlier announced it had swiftly reversed course on reopening the Strait of Hormuz, reimposing restrictions on the critical waterway on Saturday after the US said it would not end its blockade of Iran-linked shipping. Advertisement Irans joint military command said on Saturday that control of the Strait of Hormuz has returned to its previous state ... under strict management and control of the armed forces. It warned that it would continue to block transit through the strait as long as the US blockade of Iranian ports remained in effect. The announcement came the morning after US President Donald Trump said that even after Iran announced the straits reopening on Friday, the American blockade will remain in full force until Tehran reaches a deal with the US, including on its nuclear program. The conflict over the choke point threatened to deepen the energy crisis roiling the global economy after oil prices began to fall again on Friday on hopes the US and Iran were drawing closer to an agreement. Roughly one-fifth of the worlds oil passes through the strait and further limits would squeeze already constrained supply, driving prices higher once again. Donald Trump has said that the American blockade would remain in full force even with Strait of Hormuz being reopened. Bloomberg Control over the strait has proven to be one Irans main points of leverage and prompted the United States to deploy forces and initiate a blockade on Iranian ports as part of an effort to force Iran to accept a Pakistan-brokered ceasefire to end almost seven weeks of war that has raged between Israel, the US and Iran. Advertisement Iran said it fully reopened the Strait of Hormuz to commercial vessels after a 10-day truce was announced between Israel and Lebanon, where Israel has been fighting the Iranian-backed Hezbollah militant group. However, French President Emmanuel Macron on Saturday said a French soldier stationed among international forces in southern Lebanon had been killed and three other soldiers wounded in an attack, adding that evidence suggests Hezbollah was responsible. Related Article Analysis Middle East at war The price of peace: what kind of deal with Iran would Trump accept? Macron, in a post on X, urged the Lebanese government to act against the alleged perpetrators. The soldiers were part of the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), a peacekeeping mission in the countrys south. An end to Israels war with Hezbollah was a key demand of Iranian negotiators, who previously accused Israel of breaking last weeks ceasefire with strikes on Lebanon. Israel had said that deal did not cover Lebanon. Advertisement But after Trump said the blockade would continue, top Iranian officials said his announcement violated last weeks ceasefire agreement between Iran and the US and warned the strait would not stay open if the US blockade remained in effect. A data firm, Kpler, said movement through the strait remained confined to corridors requiring Irans approval. US forces have sent 21 ships back to Iran since the blockade began on Monday, US Central Command said on X. Loading Despite the escalation in the Strait of Hormuz, Pakistani officials say the United States and Iran are still moving closer to a deal ahead of the April 22 ceasefire deadline. The ceasefire in Lebanon could clear one major obstacle to an agreement. Speaking at a diplomatic forum in Antalya, Turkey, Pakistans Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said the ceasefire in Lebanon was a positive sign, noting that fighting between Israel and Hezbollah had been a key sticking point before talks in Islamabad ended very close to an agreement last weekend. Advertisement Pakistans army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir visited Tehran, while Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif met with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Qatars Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani in Antalya, the military and Sharifs office said. Pakistan is expected to host a second round of talks between Iran and the US early next week. Even though mediators were optimistic, it was unclear to what extent Hezbollah would abide by a truce it did not play a role in negotiating and which will leave Israeli troops occupying a stretch of southern Lebanon. Tracer rounds illuminate the night sky as people fire live ammunition and fireworks into the air following a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah, in Beirut, Lebanon. AP Trump said in another post that Israel is prohibited by the US from further strikes on Lebanon and that enough is enough in the Israel-Hezbollah war. The State Department said the prohibition applies only to offensive attacks and not to actions taken in self-defence. Advertisement Related Article Middle East at war More fuel price cuts by Anzac Day if Iran keeps shipping pledge Shortly before Trumps post, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel agreed to the ceasefire in Lebanon at the request of my friend President Trump, but that the campaign against Hezbollah is not complete. He claimed Israel had destroyed about 90 per cent of Hezbollahs missile and rocket stockpiles and added that Israeli forces have not finished yet with the dismantling of the group. In Beirut, displaced families began moving toward southern Lebanon and Beiruts southern suburbs despite warnings by officials not to return to their homes until it became clear whether the ceasefire would hold. A woman shows a picture of a man alongside flowers placed in a boot as people return to their homes in Southern Lebanon. Getty Images Advertisement The Lebanese army and UN peacekeepers in southern Lebanon reported sporadic artillery shelling in some parts of southern Lebanon in the hours after the ceasefire took effect. The war, which began with US and Israeli strikes on February 28, has killed at least 3000 people in Iran, more than 2290 in Lebanon, 23 in Israel and more than a dozen in Gulf Arab states. Thirteen US service members have also been killed. 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. Advertisement Analysis WorldMiddle EastMiddle East at war The price of peace: what kind of deal with Iran would Trump accept? Michael Koziol April 18, 2026 12:57pm Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Share A A A The bombs have stopped, the strait is notionally open and the price of oil is down. Donald Trump called it a great and brilliant day for the world. And we are told by the US president at least that a peace deal is all but done. So, is this the end of his Iran excursion? Or is it too good to be true? A certain scepticism might arise from the fact that Iran has quickly disputed much of what Trump has claimed about where things stand. The latest proclamations from Donald Trump would suggest hes looking to wrap up things in Iran. Matthew Absalom-Wong That includes his claim that Iran has agreed to surrender its nuclear dust, or the highly enriched uranium still in its possession most of which is believed to be buried under whats left of the nuclear facilities at Isfahan. Advertisement Irans powerful parliamentary speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, who led negotiations in Islamabad, said the Strait of Hormuz would not remain open so long as the US blockade continued. Indeed, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi only guaranteed safe passage through the strait for the remaining period of the ceasefire. Trump claimed Iran had promised never to close it again. Much of this is likely bluster from the Iranian regime. But as Brett McGurk, a former Middle East adviser to multiple US presidents, pointed out on CNN, competing claims about the strait will be set straight by the evidence we can see whether ships are passing through or not. It may take some time to become clear. Irans economy is collapsing, the regime needs sanctions relief, and Trump wants a win. McGurk and other experts said it was clear the American blockade of vessels transiting Iranian ports put real pressure on the regime to make concessions and quickly. Advertisement Elliot Abrams, a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, and a former foreign policy adviser to several Republican presidents, said during the week he thought the Iranians might withstand the economic damage for up to a month before backing down. It took barely four days. The US move to block the Strait of Hormuz will prove to have been strategically very effective, said Will Todman, a senior fellow in the Middle East program at the Centre for Strategic and International Studies. The price of Brent crude has slipped significantly as tanker traffic resumes on the Strait of Hormuz. AP I think this transformed the balance of power in terms of leverage in the negotiations. [It] really encouraged the Iranians to come back to negotiations more seriously, and to make compromises they previously thought they could avoid making. Nonetheless, many questions remain. Negotiations for the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action the deal to restrict Irans nuclear program signed by Barack Obama, which Trump tore up during his first term took 20 months. Trump, Vice President JD Vance and their team are trying to stitch something together in days. Advertisement It is clear neither the US nor Iran wants to resume fighting, though they may occasionally make threats. Trump is under domestic political pressure to wrap it up, has the midterm elections in six months and a visit to Beijing in weeks. Irans economy was already perilous and its partners such as China want stability to return. Related Article Middle East at war US chases a Trumpian grand bargain with Iran as the message shifts again Both sides would prefer a deal to no deal, says Farah Jan, an international relations lecturer at the University of Pennsylvania. Irans economy is collapsing, the regime needs sanctions relief, and Trump wants a win. The problem is that what Washington is demanding and what Tehran can accept dont yet overlap. Trump wants zero uranium enrichment, plus the removal of Irans uranium stockpile. But as Jan points out, he cares more about the packaging than the technical terms. Advertisement So, he will likely accept some Iranian enrichment if it comes with intrusive inspections, a long timeline, and stockpile limits. Irans Natanz nuclear site, where it produced a vast majority of its nuclear fuel, has been targeted repeatedly by the US and Israel. Planet Labs PBC His red line is rhetorical, not technical, she says. Whether they get there in weeks or months is the open question. Multiple US media outlets reported on Saturday (US time) that the Trump administration was considering unfreezing $US20 billion ($27.8 billion) in Iranian assets as part of a deal although Trump wrote on social media that no money will exchange hands in any way, shape or form. Todman says the most likely outcome which could come within days is a framework that leaves technical details to be negotiated later. That is typical of many of Trumps deals. Advertisement But having that announcement will be enough to usher in a period of stabilisation where hopefully the flows of energy through the Strait of Hormuz will resume and the disruptions to the global economy will begin to ease, and there can be the space and the time for more discussions. Related Article Opinion Trump diplomacy Trump and Netanyahu have formed a convenient coalition. But clear divisions are emerging Rodger Shanahan Middle East and security analyst There is a wildcard in all this: Israel. Benjamin Netanyahu agreed to a 10-day ceasefire in Lebanon, but US news site Axios reported the Israelis were blindsided by Trumps social media post saying he had PROHIBITED Israel from dropping any more bombs on Lebanon. Enough is enough! Trump wrote. It was a remarkable rebuke of Israel from a sitting US president though not unprecedented from Trump, who has openly reined in Netanyahu before. Technically, the US State Departments summary of the ceasefire terms says Israel reserves its right to take all necessary measures in self-defence, at any time, against planned, imminent, or ongoing attacks. That gives Netanyahu fairly broad latitude to resume strikes if he chooses or if Hezbollah resumes firing rockets. Advertisement Tracer rounds illuminate the night sky as people fire live ammunition and fireworks into the air following a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah, in Beirut, Lebanon. AP Still, the Israeli PM is bound to obey Trump his closeness to the US president, and ability to leverage the alliance, is one of his few remaining political assets. Blowing up Trumps peace process would be a career-limiting move. Can we declare the war effectively over? Its still too soon to say that for sure, says Todman. There could end up being wrinkles in the negotiations. I do think we are closer ... I think its in both sides interests now in a way that it hadnt been previously. 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. Iran broadcast to ships in the Strait of Hormuz that the vital oil and gas channel is once again closed to maritime traffic, with owners reporting gunfire in the waterway and ships abandoning efforts to transit after a brief spell when it appeared it might reopen. The radio transmission, heard by two owners with vessels in the area, came around the time as state-run news agency Nour reported that the strait had gone back to strict management and control by the armed forces. Tankers and gas carriers anchored in the Strait of Hormuz. AP The decision to close it again was because of a separate blockade that the US had been imposing on Irans shipping since Monday, Nour said. The fresh closure was the culmination of hours of chaos and confusion that resulted in some ships racing to get out, only to U-turn. One supertanker had issued a radio broadcast that it was coming under gunfire, the two shipowners said, asking not to be identified because of the security situation. A UK naval group also warned that a tanker had been approached by two Iranian gun boats and fired on without warning. It subsequently reported another ship had been hit by an unknown projectile. Bloomberg Never miss an important update on your stock portfolio and cut through the noise. Over 7 million investors trust Simply Wall St to stay informed where it matters for FREE. Transoceans updated analyst narrative centers on a fair value move from US$4.37 to US$5.91 per share, a sizable reset in how some models value the stock. That shift sits alongside research where bullish voices point to cash generation and new contracts, while more cautious analysts argue the recent share price already reflects higher sector assumptions. As you read on, you will see how to track these changing targets and what they might mean for your own view on Transocean. Analyst Price Targets don't always capture the full story. Head over to our Company Report to find new ways to value Transocean. What Wall Street Has Been Saying Bullish Takeaways Susquehanna raised its price target on Transocean to US$7.50 from US$6.50 and kept a Positive rating after Q4, citing solid free cash flow of US$321 million for the quarter and US$626 million for the year, along with several new contracts in Brazil and Australia. BTIG and Morgan Stanley both raised their price targets, signaling that some firms see room between prior valuation models and where they think the shares could trade, even as they weigh sector wide assumptions. Recent target increases from multiple banks suggest that contract wins and cash generation are key parts of the bullish thesis, with supporters focusing on execution on existing rigs and the potential value of the backlog. Bearish Takeaways Barclays downgraded Transocean to Equal Weight from Overweight while still lifting its price target to US$6, indicating a view that the share price is closer to what the firm considers fair value. Clarksons, Pareto and Fearnley all downgraded the shares in early 2026, highlighting more cautious stances on execution risk and how much future offshore activity is already reflected in current valuations. Do your thoughts align with the Bull or Bear Analysts? Perhaps you think there's more to the story. Head to the Simply Wall St Community to discover more perspectives! NYSE:RIG 1-Year Stock Price Chart We've flagged 2 risks for Transocean. See which could impact your investment. What's in the News Iran says its enriched uranium 'not going to be transferred' Tehran, April 17 (AFP) Apr 17, 2026 Iran's foreign ministry on Friday said the country's stockpile of enriched uranium would not be transferred "anywhere", denying an earlier claim by US President Donald Trump that the Islamic republic had agreed to hand it over. "Iran's enriched uranium is not going to be transferred anywhere," Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei told state TV. "Transfer of Iran's enriched uranium to the US has never been raised in negotiations." Trump posted on his Truth Social platform earlier Friday: "The U.S.A. will get all Nuclear 'Dust,' created by our great B2 Bombers," referring to enriched uranium buried by US strikes last year. But Baqaei said recent talks centred on solving the conflict and not on recovering Iran's uranium. "The previous negotiations focused on the nuclear issue, but now the negotiations are focused on ending the war, and naturally the range of topics discussed has become wider and more diverse," he said. "The 10-point plan for lifting sanctions is very important to us. The issue of compensation for the damages incurred during the imposed war is of particular importance." He also took aim at Trump for posting on his Truth Social platform Friday that the US naval blockade of Iranian ports would remain in place until a peace deal with Tehran was reached, despite Tehran declaring the Strait of Hormuz reopened. "The opening and closing of the Strait of Hormuz, does not take place on internet, it is determined in the field, and our armed forces certainly know how to behave in response to any action by the other side," said Baqaei. "What they call a naval blockade will definitely be met with an appropriate response from Iran. A naval blockade is a violation of the ceasefire and Iran will definitely take the necessary measures." His comments came after US news outlet Axios reported that Washington and Tehran were negotiating a plan that would include Washington releasing $20 billion in frozen Iranian funds in return for Iran giving up its stockpile of enriched uranium. Tehran still possesses a significant quantity of uranium enriched both to 60 percent, close to the 90-percent level required to make an atomic bomb, as well as a stockpile of uranium enriched to 20 percent, another critical threshold. Prior to US strikes in June 2025, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) calculated that Iran possessed approximately 440 kilogrammes of uranium enriched to 60 percent, well above the 3.67-percent limit set by a 2015 agreement from which the United States subsequently withdrew. Since June 2025, the fate of this stockpile has remained uncertain, with Tehran refusing access to IAEA inspectors at the sites ravaged by US and Israeli strikes. Turkey hosts latest diplomatic push on Middle East war Antalya, Turkey, April 17 (AFP) Apr 17, 2026 Turkey on Friday hosted a high?stakes diplomatic forum bringing together the foreign ministers of Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Egypt, as Iran declared the Strait of Hormuz open and Islamabad steps up efforts to help end the Middle East war. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said the shortest route to peace lay in dialogue and diplomacy. "I believe the window of opportunity opened by the ceasefire should be used in the most effective way to establish lasting peace," he told the opening of the three?day Antalya Diplomacy Forum at the Mediterranean resort. "No matter how deep the disagreements may be, we must not allow words to be replaced again by weapons," he said, adding that "the shortest cut to peace is constructive dialogue and diplomacy". The foreign ministers of Turkey, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Egypt met later on Friday on the sidelines of the forum, hours after Tehran declared Hormuz open to commercial shipping. A photo released by the Turkish foreign ministry showed the foreign ministers of four countries meeting in a diplomatic setting. Pakistan has sought to position itself as a key regional mediator, having hosted rare talks between Iran and the United States last weekend that ended without a breakthrough. The White House said further talks with Iran would "very likely" take place in Islamabad, where Vice President JD Vance led the US delegation during the previous round of negotiations. -'We must be vigilant'- Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who met Qatar's ruler in Doha on Thursday as part of a regional tour, attended the opening of the Antalya forum and also met Erdogan on its margins on Friday. "We will continue to provide all the support we can to ensure that the ongoing temporary ceasefire turns into a permanent one," a Turkish defence ministry source said on Thursday. The source added that Ankara hoped the war "whose effects are being felt increasingly not only regionally but also globally" would end swiftly, with all parties engaging constructively in negotiations. Turkey, a vocal critic of Israel, has joined diplomatic efforts with Egypt and Pakistan to help secure a ceasefire in the conflict, while maintaining that the truce should also apply to Lebanon. Erdogan did not comment directly on the latest ceasefire reached between Israel and Lebanon but warned against attempts to derail talks. "We must be prepared and vigilant against Israel's attempts to dynamite the negotiation process," he said. Turning to the Strait of Hormuz, Erdogan said access to the waterway must not be restricted. His words came shortly before Iran's declaration. "One side of Hormuz is Iran, while the other side is Oman. The right of Gulf countries to access open seas must not be restricted," he told the forum, calling for freedom of navigation "based on established rules" and for the strait to remain open to commercial vessels. More than 150 countries are taking part in the gathering, including more than 20 heads of state and government. Among those attending are Syrian President Ahmed al?Sharaa and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. Speaking earlier on Friday, Sharaa said he could consider "long?term negotiations" with Israel over the disputed Golan Heights if Israel agreed to withdraw from recently occupied Syrian territories. Since the fall of Syrian President Bashar al?Assad in December 2024, Israel has deployed troops into a UN?patrolled buffer zone that for decades separated Israeli and Syrian forces on the Golan Heights. War in the Middle East: latest developments Paris, France, April 17 (AFP) Apr 17, 2026 The latest developments in the Middle East war: - Enriched uranium transfers - Iran's foreign ministry on Friday said the country's stockpile of enriched uranium would not be transferred "anywhere", denying an earlier claim by US President Donald Trump that the Islamic republic had agreed to hand it over. "Transfer of Iran's enriched uranium to the US has never been raised in negotiations," foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei told state TV. - Oil prices drop - Wall Street topped records Friday after Iran's announcement reopening the Strait of Hormuz sent oil prices tumbling from a peak of nearly $120 a barrel to $90.38 for the Brent. - Lebanon-Israel 'agreements' - Lebanese President Joseph Aoun said that his country was on the verge of a "new phase" of "permanent agreements" and no longer an "arena" for anyone's wars after a ceasefire in the Israel-Hezbollah war went into force. Aoun added that direct talks with Israel were "not a sign of weakness nor a concession... negotiations do not mean, and will never mean, giving up any right, conceding any principle, or compromising the sovereignty of this nation". - Kurds killed - Drone and rocket strikes in Iraq's northern Kurdistan region killed three Iranian Kurds, including two women fighters, an exiled opposition group said, blaming the attack on Iran. - Iran deal 'very close' - US President Donald Trump told AFP there were "no sticking points" left for a peace deal with Iran, adding that an agreement was "very close". "We're very close to having a deal," Trump said in a brief telephone interview. Asked what unresolved issues were left, Trump said: "No sticking points." - Boeing's war boost - The Middle East war has so far boosted Boeing's defence business and hasn't affected deliveries to airline customers confronting high jet fuel prices, the company's CEO said. Kelly Ortberg cited a recent agreement with the US military to triple production of PAC-3 seekers, which identify and strike hostile aircraft and weapons, as an example of increased demand due to the war. - One killed despite truce - Lebanese state media said an Israeli strike on a motorcycle in the south killed one person, despite the start of a 10-day ceasefire in the Israel-Hezbollah war. - 'Never close' Hormuz - "Iran has agreed to never close the Strait of Hormuz again. It will no longer be used as a weapon against the World," Trump said on his Truth Social network. - Israel killed 2,300 in Lebanon - Israeli attacks on Lebanon have killed nearly 2,300 people since March 2, Lebanon's health ministry said, on the first day of the ceasefire in the Israel-Hezbollah war. In a statement, the ministry said that at least 2,294 have been killed, in a preliminary toll that included 274 women, 177 children and 100 health workers and rescuers. - France, UK Hormuz mission - France and the UK will lead a multinational mission to ensure freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz as "soon as conditions allow", UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said after co-chairing a meeting on the issue with French President Emmanuel Macron. - Trump says rejected NATO help - Trump said he had rejected an offer from NATO to help secure the Strait of Hormuz after Iran said it had reopened, telling the "useless" US-led alliance to "STAY AWAY". He also said Iran was removing mines from the crucial sea passage with US assistance. - Trump denies cash for uranium - Trump denied that any money would be involved in a deal with Iran over its nuclear program, after an Axios report that Washington was considering a $20 billion cash-for-uranium exchange. "No money will exchange hands in any way, shape, or form," Trump said on his Truth Social network. In the same post he said: "The U.S.A. will get all Nuclear 'Dust,' created by our great B2 Bombers," referring to enriched uranium buried by US strikes last year. - Israel 'prohibited' - Trump said the United States had "prohibited" Israel from bombing Lebanon following a ceasefire deal, adding that Washington would work with Lebanon to "deal with" Hezbollah. But Israel has not "yet finished the job" on Hezbollah, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said, vowing to press on with the Lebanese militant group's "dismantling" just hours after a 10-day ceasefire came into effect. burs-sbk/rmb/sla Trump says will bring Iran uranium 'back home to the USA' Phoenix, April 17 (AFP) Apr 17, 2026 President Donald Trump said Friday that the United States and Iran would jointly remove uranium from Tehran's nuclear sites with excavators under any peace deal, before the material is transferred to US territory. Trump's comment came despite Iran's foreign ministry saying earlier that the Islamic Republic's stockpile of enriched uranium would not be transferred "anywhere." "Somebody said, how are we going to get the nuclear dust? We're going to get it by going in with Iran, with lots of excavators," Trump told a gathering of the conservative Turning Point USA movement in Phoenix, Arizona. "We need the biggest excavators you can imagine," he added. "But we're going to go in together with Iran. We're going to get it. We're going to take it back home to the USA very soon." Trump's comments elaborated on his claim on Thursday that Iran had agreed to hand over its enriched uranium, but without giving any details on such a transfer. The US leader regularly uses the term "nuclear dust" to refer to Iran's stock of enriched uranium, which the United States accuses Iran of hoarding in order to make an atomic bomb. But he has also sometimes used it to refer to material left from US strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities in June last year. Trump sounded increasingly upbeat on Friday about the chances of a peace deal with Iran, telling AFP on Friday there were "no sticking points" and a deal was "very close." His remarks on Iran came during a speech to Turning Point USA, where he was introduced by Erika Kirk, the widow of the group's founder Charlie Kirk -- a Trump ally who was assassinated in September. War in the Middle East: latest developments Paris, France, April 18 (AFP) Apr 18, 2026 The latest developments in the Middle East war: - Iran threatens to close Hormuz again - Iran will close the strategic Strait of Hormuz again if the United States continues its blockade of Iranian ports, parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said Saturday. "With the continuation of the blockade, the Strait of Hormuz will not remain open," Ghalibaf wrote on X, adding that passage through the waterway would depend on authorisation from Iran. - Trump says US will bring uranium back from Iran - President Donald Trump said Friday that the United States and Iran would jointly remove uranium from Tehran's nuclear sites with excavators under any peace deal, before the material is transferred to US territory. Trump's comment came despite Iran's foreign ministry saying earlier that the Islamic Republic's stockpile of enriched uranium would not be transferred "anywhere." - Oil prices drop, stocks soar - Wall Street topped records Friday after Iran's announcement reopening the Strait of Hormuz sent oil prices tumbling from a peak of nearly $120 a barrel to $90.38 for the Brent. - Lebanon-Israel 'agreements' - Lebanese President Joseph Aoun said that his country was on the verge of a "new phase" of "permanent agreements" and no longer an "arena" for anyone's wars, after a ceasefire in with Israel-Hezbollah war went into force. Aoun added that direct talks with Israel were "not a sign of weakness nor a concession... negotiations do not mean, and will never mean, giving up any right, conceding any principle, or compromising the sovereignty of this nation". - Kurds killed - Drone and rocket strikes in Iraq's northern Kurdistan region killed three Iranian Kurds, including two women fighters, an exiled opposition group said, blaming the attack on Iran. - Iran deal 'very close' - US President Donald Trump told AFP there were "no sticking points" left for a peace deal with Iran, adding that an agreement was "very close". "We're very close to having a deal," Trump said in a brief telephone interview. Asked what unresolved issues were left, Trump said: "No sticking points." - Boeing's war boost - The Middle East war has so far boosted Boeing's defence business and hasn't affected deliveries to airline customers confronting high jet fuel prices, the company's CEO said. Kelly Ortberg cited a recent agreement with the US military to triple production of PAC-3 seekers, which identify and strike hostile aircraft and weapons, as an example of increased demand due to the war. - One killed despite truce - Lebanese state media said an Israeli strike on a motorcycle in the south killed one person, despite the start of a 10-day ceasefire in the Israel-Hezbollah war. - Israel killed 2,300 in Lebanon - Israeli attacks on Lebanon have killed nearly 2,300 people since March 2, Lebanon's health ministry said, on the first day of the ceasefire in the Israel-Hezbollah war. In a statement, the ministry said that at least 2,294 have been killed, in a preliminary toll that included 274 women, 177 children and 100 health workers and rescuers. - France, UK Hormuz mission - France and the UK will lead a multinational mission to ensure freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz as "soon as conditions allow", UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said after co-chairing a meeting on the issue with French President Emmanuel Macron. burs-jgc/ksb New Zealand rejects China airspace 'harassment' accusation Wellington, April 18 (AFP) Apr 18, 2026 New Zealand rejected on Saturday Beijing's allegations of "disruptive and irresponsible" military surveillance in Chinese airspace and insisted its maneuvers were part of UN-backed efforts to enforce sanctions against North Korea. Beijing said Friday that a New Zealand P-8A anti-submarine patrol aircraft had engaged in "close-in reconnaissance and harassment in the airspace" in the Yellow and East China seas. A spokesman for China's foreign ministry told reporters at a press briefing that the moves "undermined China's security interests, increased risks of misunderstanding and miscalculation, and gravely disrupted the order of civil aviation in relevant airspace". In response the New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) said the aircraft had been carrying out UN-mandated monitoring of North Korean sanctions in the region. "These activities are not directed at China but rather aim to monitor evasions of United Nations sanctions on North Korea, which do occur in the Yellow Sea and East China Sea," an NZDF spokesperson said. "The New Zealand Defence Force crew operated professionally and in accordance with international law and civil aviation procedures for the region," they added. "NZDF has reviewed the routes flown and all available information. We have no data which indicates they disrupted civil aviation." The NZDF spokesperson said there had been "dialogue" between Wellington and Beijing over the issue. Lebanese lives torn apart as Israel ceasefire loomed Nabatieh, Lebanon, April 18 (AFP) Apr 18, 2026 Khodr Sahmarani stood dazed beside the rubble of his south Lebanon home, his forehead in a white bandage, staring at the wreckage where his brother, nephew and two neighbours died. "I was upstairs, then I was underground. I screamed 'Where are you, where are you?', but there was no one," he said after surviving an Israeli airstrike on the city of Nabatiyeh just hours before the ceasefire began at midnight on Thursday night. The afternoon attack flattened what residents say was a five-storey building, creating a jumble of shattered concrete in the battered city. Nabatiyeh rescuer Mohammad Sleiman told AFP they recovered one body from the strike site on Thursday night, and another three on Friday morning. Sahmarani, 57, said rescuers "came and took me out of the rubble". Israel and Lebanon agreed to a 10-day ceasefire on Thursday in order to negotiate an end to six weeks of war between Israel and the Iran-backed group Hezbollah. The conflict saw massive Israeli airstrikes across Lebanon and also a ground invasion in the south. Lebanese authorities say the war that began on March 2 has killed nearly 2,300 people, and caused widespread devastation in southern towns and cities such as Nabatiyeh. President Joseph Aoun said on Friday that "direct negotiations" with Israel "are crucial", and that the government aims to "consolidate a ceasefire, secure the withdrawal of Israeli forces from the occupied southern territories, recover prisoners, and address outstanding border disputes". Hezbollah halted military operations after the ceasefire came into effect, but warned that it was keeping its "finger on the trigger" in case Israel violated the truce. - 'For whose sake?' - Nabatiyeh's streets were almost empty on Friday, and countless buildings in the city centre have been damaged or destroyed. A few kilometres outside the city, a small group of Hezbollah supporters cheered on the trickle of cars coming from the direction of Beirut, flashing victory signs and waving the party's yellow flag. Deadly Israeli strikes were reported up to the final few minutes before the midnight Thursday deadline agreed upon by the two governments. "It was the last hours. If it was the beginning of the war, the middle of the war, one can come to terms with it, but it was the last hours," Sahmarani said, his eyes bloodshot and tearful. Fadel Hassan Zahri, a neighbour, said the people who were killed had been "lifelong friends of mine". "I wouldn't eat without them, I wouldn't drink without them." Zahri said he was appalled by the government's willingness to negotiate potential peace and normalisation with Israel. "We've been honourable all our lives... we do not normalise with Israel." Sahmarani said he has nowhere else to go, and would probably crawl back into the rubble of his home at night and find a ledge or somewhere to lay his head. "Where should I go now? Who will even look at me?" he asked, adding that he distrusted the Lebanese authorities. "Let our leaders normalise; no one will listen to them and no one recognises them. "For whose sake? For whose sake am I supposed to lose all of this?" Pakistan's military chief concludes three-day visit to Iran Islamabad, Pakistan, April 18 (AFP) Apr 18, 2026 Pakistan's powerful army chief completed a three-day visit to Tehran, the country's military said on Saturday, having met top Iranian leaders and negotiators as part of efforts to end the Middle East war. Field Marshal Asim Munir met Iran's president, foreign minister, parliament speaker and the head of Iran's military central command centre, the statement said. The visit showed Pakistan's "unwavering resolve to facilitate a negotiated settlement... and to promote peace, stability, and prosperity", the military said ahead of expected US-Iran talks in Islamabad in the coming days. Parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi led the Iranian delegation to Islamabad for peace talks with the United States last week, the highest level face-to-face contact between the two countries in decades. Those talks ended without an agreement, but diplomacy continued thereafter, with Pakistan's prime minister undertaking a three-country tour to Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Turkey to push the peace process. A second round of talks is expected in Islamabad this coming week. In Tehran, "the Field Marshal underscored the need for dialogue, de-escalation, and peaceful resolution of outstanding issues through sustained diplomatic engagements", the Pakistani statement said. Tehran threatened on Saturday to shut the Strait of Hormuz once more if the United States continued its blockade of Iranian ports, hours after Iran announced it had reopened the strategic waterway in the wake of a ceasefire in Lebanon. Pakistan military chief, PM head home after Iran war diplomacy blitz Islamabad, Pakistan, April 18 (AFP) Apr 18, 2026 Pakistan's powerful military chief and prime minister on Saturday concluded separate visits aimed at ending the Iran war, with Field Marshal Asim Munir leaving Tehran and premier Shehbaz Sharif headed home from Turkey. Munir met Iran's top leadership and peace negotiators during a three-day visit to Tehran, a Pakistani military statement said. The visit showed Pakistan's "unwavering resolve to facilitate a negotiated settlement... and to promote peace, stability, and prosperity", the military said ahead of expected US-Iran talks in Islamabad in the coming days. Munir held talks with the country's president, foreign minister, parliament speaker and the head of Iran's military central command centre. Parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi led the Iranian delegation to Islamabad for peace talks with the United States last week, the highest level face-to-face contact between the two countries in decades. Those talks ended without an agreement, but diplomacy continued thereafter, with Pakistan's prime minister undertaking a three-country tour to Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Turkey to push the peace process. That visit also concluded on Saturday, with Sharif and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar departing a diplomacy forum in Antalya, according to statements from both officials. A second round of talks between the United States and Iran is expected in Islamabad this coming week. In Tehran, "the Field Marshal underscored the need for dialogue, de-escalation, and peaceful resolution of outstanding issues through sustained diplomatic engagements", the Pakistani statement said. Tehran threatened on Saturday to shut the Strait of Hormuz once more if the United States continued its blockade of Iranian ports, hours after Iran announced it had reopened the strategic waterway in the wake of a ceasefire in Lebanon. War in the Middle East: latest developments Paris, France, April 18 (AFP) Apr 18, 2026 The latest developments in the Middle East war: - Pakistan war diplomacy - Pakistan's powerful military chief and prime minister concluded separate visits aimed at ending the Iran war, with Field Marshal Asim Munir leaving Tehran and premier Shehbaz Sharif headed home from Turkey. Munir met Iran's top leadership and peace negotiators during a three-day visit to Tehran, a Pakistani military statement said. A second round of talks between the United States and Iran is expected in Islamabad this coming week. - Iranian airspace partially opened - Iran partially reopened its airspace on Saturday to international flights crossing the eastern part of its territory. "Air routes in the eastern section of the country's airspace are open for international flights transiting through Iran," the country's Civil Aviation Authority said, adding that some airports had also reopened at 7:00 am (0330 GMT). - Trump says blockade may 'remain' - President Donald Trump said late Friday he planned to maintain a US blockade of Iranian ports if a peace deal with Tehran is not reached, adding that he may not extend the ceasefire after its expiration. A ceasefire between Tehran and Washington is due to expire on Wednesday. "Maybe I won't extend it, but the blockade is going to remain," Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One, when asked if the ceasefire will be extended. Asked about a potential deal, Trump said, "I think it's going to happen." - Australia welcomes Hormuz reopening - Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese welcomed Iran's agreement to stop blocking the Strait of Hormuz but said the situation remained "fragile". "This was positive news that we received last night," Albanese told journalists on Saturday, adding: "We hope that it holds, but what we know is that the impact will be long lasting". - Iran threatens to close Hormuz again - Iran will close the strategic Strait of Hormuz again if the United States continues its blockade of Iranian ports, parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said Saturday. "With the continuation of the blockade, the Strait of Hormuz will not remain open," Ghalibaf wrote on X, adding that passage through the waterway would depend on authorisation from Iran. - Trump says US will bring uranium back from Iran - President Donald Trump said Friday that the United States and Iran would jointly remove uranium from Tehran's nuclear sites with excavators under any peace deal, before the material is transferred to US territory. Trump's comment came despite Iran's foreign ministry saying earlier that the Islamic Republic's stockpile of enriched uranium would not be transferred "anywhere." - Lebanon-Israel 'agreements' - Lebanese President Joseph Aoun said that his country was on the verge of a "new phase" of "permanent agreements" and no longer an "arena" for anyone's wars, after a ceasefire in with Israel-Hezbollah war went into force. Aoun added that direct talks with Israel were "not a sign of weakness nor a concession... negotiations do not mean, and will never mean, giving up any right, conceding any principle, or compromising the sovereignty of this nation". - Kurds killed - Drone and rocket strikes in Iraq's northern Kurdistan region killed three Iranian Kurds, including two women fighters, an exiled opposition group said, blaming the attack on Iran. - Iran deal 'very close' - US President Donald Trump told AFP there were "no sticking points" left for a peace deal with Iran, adding that an agreement was "very close". "We're very close to having a deal," Trump said in a brief telephone interview. Asked what unresolved issues were left, Trump said: "No sticking points." - Boeing's war boost - The Middle East war has so far boosted Boeing's defence business and hasn't affected deliveries to airline customers confronting high jet fuel prices, the company's CEO said. Kelly Ortberg cited a recent agreement with the US military to triple production of PAC-3 seekers, which identify and strike hostile aircraft and weapons, as an example of increased demand due to the war. - One killed despite truce - Lebanese state media said an Israeli strike on a motorcycle in the south killed one person, despite the start of a 10-day ceasefire in the Israel-Hezbollah war. burs-ach/cw X Shares of Netflix were about 20% off last summer's highs heading into Thursday's results. Credit: Mario Tama / Getty Images Key Takeaways Netflix shares plunged in extended trading Thursday after the streaming giant gave a disappointing outlook. The company also said Co-founder and Chair Reed Hastings plans to leave Netflix's board in June. Investors aren't cheering Netflix's latest showing. Shares of the streaming giant were down more than 8% in extended trading after the company gave a softer-than-expected outlook and said one of its co-founders is leaving. The news overshadowed quarterly profits and revenues that topped estimates. More from Yahoo Scout Why did Netflix shares drop after earnings? What is Reed Hastings' departure from Netflix board? What were Netflix's Q1 financial results versus expectations? How are content costs affecting Netflix's profit outlook? Netflix (NFLX) said it expects 13% revenue growth in the current quarter, just short of the 14% analysts surveyed by Visible Alpha called for. The company pointed to rising content amortization, or expenses tied the timing of title launches, for holding back profits. Why This Matters to Investors Netflix's stock rallied in the weeks leading up to Thursday's report, after the company pulled out of what threatened to be an expensive bidding war for Warner Bros. Discovery and raised prices. However, expectations of growing expenses are souring sentiment. Netflix said that it expects its content amortization growth to peak this quarter, before slowing in the second half of the year. Its full-year revenue guidance was left unchanged at $50.7 billion to $51.7 billion. The company reported earnings per share of $1.23 on a 16% year-over-year jump in revenue to $12.25 billion for the first quarter, ahead of analysts' expectations. Co-founder Reed Hastings is set to leave his position as chair of Netflix's board in June. He will "focus on his philanthropy and other pursuits," the company said. Hastings, previously Netflix's CEO, became co-CEO alongside Ted Sarandos in 2020, then left that role in 2023 to be replaced by Greg Peters. "My real contribution at Netflix wasnt a single decision; it was a focus on member joy, building a culture that others could inherit and improve, and building a company that could be both beloved by members and wildly successful for generations to come," Hastings said in a statement. Shares of Netflix were up about 15% for the year heading into Thursday's report, though still about 20% off their highs last summer. Read the original article on Investopedia Turkey says Israel using security as a pretext to acquire 'more land' Antalya, Turkey, April 18 (AFP) Apr 18, 2026 Turkey's foreign minister on Saturday accused Israel of using security as a pretext to acquire "more land". "Israel is not after its own security. Israel is after more land. Security is being used by the Netanyahu government as an excuse to occupy more land," Hakan Fidan told the Antalya Diplomacy Forum, referring to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Tensions between Turkey and Israel have steadily escalated since the Gaza war erupted following Hamas's October 7, 2023, cross?border attack in Israel. "Israel has created an illusion internationally, claiming that Israel is in favour of its own security but it has become very clear, especially in the recent years ... it is more than that," Fidan said. He said from the Palestinian lands, Gaza, the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and now towards Lebanon and Syria, it was "an onward occupation and expansionism in the region." "I think this has to stop". "Israel has to know that the only way to live peacefully in the region ... is to let the other countries enjoy their own security, and territorial integrity, and freedom, not to use power on those countries," he added. Turkey says Israel using security as a pretext to acquire 'more land' Antalya, Turkey, April 18 (AFP) Apr 18, 2026 Turkey's top diplomat on Saturday accused Israel of creating an international "illusion" and using security concerns as a pretext to seize "more land," in the latest flare?up in escalating tensions between the two regional powers. Israel and Turkey have been trading near?daily diplomatic barbs over a range of regional conflicts, from Israel's war in Gaza to rising tensions linked to Iran. "Israel is not after its own security. Israel is after more land," Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said at the Antalya Diplomacy Forum in the Mediterranean resort city. "Security is being used by the Netanyahu government as an excuse to occupy more land," he added, referring to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Speaking in English at a panel discussion, Fidan said Israel had created an "illusion" internationally by portraying itself as acting purely in its own defence. "It has become very clear, especially in recent years, that it is more than that," he said. From Palestinian lands including Gaza, the West Bank and East Jerusalem, and now extending towards Lebanon and Syria, Israel was pursuing "an onward occupation and expansionism in the region," Fidan said. "I think this has to stop." "Israel has to know that the only way to live peacefully in the region is to let other countries enjoy their own security, territorial integrity and freedom, and not to use power against them," he added. Turkey and Israel have frequently been at odds, including over Israel's military campaign in Gaza and differences over Syria's future. Relations were severely strained in 2010 when Israeli forces raided a flotilla of ships attempting to breach Israel's naval blockade of Gaza, killing nine Turkish activists and one US national. The flotilla was co?organised by a Turkish aid group. -'Move back to Russia-Ukraine talks'- Fidan on Friday met the foreign ministers of Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Egypt for talks on regional issues, including the Middle East conflict, on the sidelines of the forum. Asked about the discussions, Fidan said regional countries needed to come together to address shared challenges. "It is time for all of us to come together in a very mature way and own our problems," he said, again singling out Israel as the only country seeking territorial gains. Commenting on Turkey's quiet diplomacy over the Russia?Ukraine war, Fidan said those efforts had been overshadowed by tensions involving Iran. "That has left the Russia?Ukraine war on the side," he said. He added that attention should shift back to Ukraine talks once tensions with Iran eased, warning that the conflict remained open to escalation. Turkey, which has hosted several rounds of Russia?Ukraine negotiations, is also hosting Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha at separate panels during the Antalya Diplomacy Forum. Tankers pass Hormuz Strait in brief Iran reopening: trackers London, April 18 (AFP) Apr 18, 2026 At least eight oil and gas tankers crossed the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday after Iran briefly declared the crucial trade route open during a ceasefire in the Middle East war, maritime tracking data showed. One crude oil tanker, four liquified petroleum gas carriers, two oil and chemical tankers and one classified as an "oil products" vessel crossed the strait early Saturday after the Iranian announcement on Friday afternoon, data from tracking firm Kpler indicated. Around a fifth of the world's oil and liquified natural gas pass the strait in peacetime but traffic through the route had come to a near-standstill after the war erupted on February 28 with US and Israeli strikes on Iran. Tracking platform MarineTraffic showed several other crude oil tankers had approached the strait but then turned back near Iran's Larak Island, a checkpoint for vessels seeking to exit the Gulf under Iranian forces' blockade of the passage in the war. Iran's central military command on Saturday appeared to reverse the decision to reopen the route, saying it would resume "strict management" of the strait in protest at a US naval counter-blockade. Iranian forces' closure of the strait has trapped hundreds of ships in the Gulf and driven up the price of oil and the costs of shipping goods, with captains avoiding the region for fear of attacks or mines. At least three of the vessels tracked exiting via the strait on Saturday were listed as being under US sanctions. Some ships in the strait broadcast their destination as linked to India or China in a signal of neutrality. MarineTraffic showed a handful of other cargo vessels in the strait early on Saturday, including several container ships bearing the name of major French shipping firm CMA CGM. It also indicated that a cruise ship, the Celestyal Discovery, became the first passenger vessel to transit the strait since the start of the conflict. It crossed close to the coast of Oman on Friday afternoon after remaining docked for about 47 days in the UAE. "Reports indicate the vessel is sailing without passengers," Marine Traffic said in a post on X. The shipping industry had reacted guardedly to the reopening on Friday. "The status of mine threats in (Iran's maritime) traffic separation scheme is unclear," Jakob Larsen, chief security officer of major shipping association BIMCO, said in a statement emailed to AFP. "BIMCO believes shipping companies should consider avoiding the area." War in the Middle East: latest developments Paris, France, April 18 (AFP) Apr 18, 2026 The latest developments in the Middle East war: - Gunboats fire on tanker - Iranian gunboats fired on a tanker in the Strait of Hormuz, a British maritime security agency reported. The tanker's captain reported being approached 20 nautical miles northeast of Oman by two gunboats of Iran's Revolutionary Guards Corp (IRGC), which without any radio warning "then fired upon the tanker", the UK Maritime Trade Operations Centre said in an online statement. "Tanker and crew are reported safe. Authorities are investigating." - Supreme leader's warning - A statement said to have been issued by Iran's supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, warned that Tehran's navy was ready to defeat US forces. In a statement on his Telegram channel, Khamenei -- who has not been seen in public since before the start of the war -- said Iran's "brave navy stands ready to make the enemies taste the bitterness of new defeats". - No date for talks - No date has been set for the next round of Iran-US peace talks brokered by Pakistan following the failure of the first one, Iran's deputy foreign minister said. "Until we agree on the framework, we cannot set the date," Saeed Khatibzadeh told journalists. "Now we are focusing on finalising the framework of understanding between two sides. We don't want to enter into any negotiation or meeting which is due to failure which can be pretext for another round of escalation," he said. - 'Trump talks a lot' - US President Donald Trump "tweets a lot", Khatibzadeh also said, after Washington threatened fresh strikes if no deal was reached with Tehran. "The American side tweets a lot, talks a lot. Sometimes confusing, sometimes, you know, contradictory," he told journalists. - Egypt hopeful of peace - Egypt and Pakistan are working "very hard" as mediators to bring about "a final agreement between the United States and Iran", Egypt's foreign minister said. "We hope to do so (reach an agreement) in the coming days," Badr Abdelatty said, adding: "We are pushing very hard in order to move forward." - Hormuz closed again - Iran's central military command said it would resume "strict management" of the Strait of Hormuz, reversing a decision to unblock the strategic channel as part of negotiations with Washington. In a statement shared on state television, the headquarters said Washington had broken a promise by continuing its naval blockade of ships sailing to and from Iran's ports. - Turkey slams Israel - Turkey's foreign minister accused Israel of using security as a pretext to acquire "more land". "Israel is not after its own security. Israel is after more land. Security is being used by the Netanyahu government as an excuse to occupy more land," Hakan Fidan told the Antalya Diplomacy Forum, referring to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. - Pakistan war diplomacy - Pakistan's powerful military chief and prime minister concluded separate visits aimed at ending the Iran war, with Field Marshal Asim Munir leaving Tehran and premier Shehbaz Sharif headed home from Turkey. Munir met Iran's top leadership and peace negotiators during a three-day visit to Tehran, a Pakistani military statement said. A second round of talks between the United States and Iran is expected in Islamabad this coming week. - Iranian airspace partially opened - Iran partially reopened its airspace to international flights crossing the eastern part of its territory. "Air routes in the eastern section of the country's airspace are open for international flights transiting through Iran," the country's Civil Aviation Authority said, adding that some airports had also reopened. - Trump says blockade may 'remain' - President Donald Trump said late Friday he planned to maintain a US blockade of Iranian ports if a peace deal with Tehran is not reached, adding that he may not extend the ceasefire after its expiration. A ceasefire between Tehran and Washington is due to expire on Wednesday. "Maybe I won't extend it, but the blockade is going to remain," Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One, when asked if the ceasefire will be extended. Asked about a potential deal, Trump said, "I think it's going to happen." burs-ach/rmb X Israel army says established 'Yellow Line' in Lebanon, as in Gaza Jerusalem, April 18 (AFP) Apr 18, 2026 The Israeli military said Saturday it had established a "Yellow Line" demarcation in southern Lebanon, similar to the one separating its forces from territory still held by Hamas in Gaza, adding that it had already struck suspected militants approaching its troops along the line. "Over the past 24 hours, IDF forces operating south of the Yellow Line in southern Lebanon identified terrorists who violated the ceasefire understandings and approached the forces from north of the Yellow Line in a manner that posed an immediate threat," the military said, referring to such a line for the first time since a ceasefire came into effect. "Immediately after identification and in order to eliminate the threat ... forces attacked the terrorists in several areas in southern Lebanon," it said, noting that the military was authorised to take action against threats, despite the ceasefire. "Actions taken in self-defence and to remove immediate threats are not restricted by the ceasefire," the military said. Since a ceasefire came into effect in Gaza on October 10, the Palestinian territory has been split by a "Yellow Line", the de facto boundary dividing Gaza into two zones: one under Israeli military control and one under Hamas control. Israel and Lebanon agreed to a 10-day ceasefire on Thursday in order to negotiate an end to six weeks of war between Israel and the Iran-backed group Hezbollah. The war saw massive Israeli airstrikes across Lebanon and also a ground invasion in the south. Lebanese authorities say the war that began on March 2 has killed nearly 2,300 people, and caused widespread devastation in southern towns and cities such as Nabatiyeh. Hezbollah halted military operations after the ceasefire came into effect, but warned that it was keeping its "finger on the trigger" in case Israel violated the truce. Lebanese President Joseph Aoun said on Friday that "direct negotiations" with Israel "are crucial", and that the government aims to "consolidate a ceasefire, secure the withdrawal of Israeli forces from the occupied southern territories, recover prisoners, and address outstanding border disputes". US President Donald Trump has said the United States had "prohibited" Israel from bombing Lebanon following the ceasefire deal, adding that Washington would work with Lebanon to "deal with" Hezbollah. But Israel has not "yet finished the job" on Hezbollah, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said, vowing to press on with the Lebanese militant group's "dismantling" just hours after the truce came into effect. No date set for next round of Iran-US talks: Iran deputy FM Antalya, Turkey, April 18 (AFP) Apr 18, 2026 No date has been set for the next round of Iran-US peace talks brokered by Pakistan following the failure of an initial round, Iran's deputy foreign minister said on Saturday. "Until we agree on the framework, we cannot set a date," Saeed Khatibzadeh told journalists on the sidelines of an annual diplomatic forum in Turkey's southern Antalya province. "We hope that as soon as we can finalise that, then we can move on to the next step". Khatibzadeh said both sides were currently focused on finalising a framework of understanding before proceeding with further negotiations. "We do not want to enter into any negotiation or meeting that is destined to fail and could serve as a pretext for another round of escalation," he said. "I can assure you that Iran is very much committed to diplomacy". Pakistan's powerful military chief and prime minister concluded separate visits aimed at ending the Iran war, with Field Marshal Asim Munir leaving Tehran and premier Shehbaz Sharif headed home from Turkey. Munir met Iran's top leadership and peace negotiators during a three-day visit to Tehran, a Pakistani military statement said. Egypt and Pakistan were working "very hard" as mediators to brig about "a final agreement between the United States and Iran", Egypt's foreign minister told journalists at the Antalya Diplomacy Forum. Egypt and Turkey has joined diplomatic efforts with Pakistan to help secure a ceasefire in the conflict. "We hope to do so (reach an agreement) in the coming days," Badr Abdelatty said, noting that "not only us in the region, but the whole world is suffering from the continuation of this war". "We are pushing very hard in order to move forward," he said. - Trump 'tweets a lot'- Iran dismissed US threats of fresh military action, with the senior Iranian official saying that that Washington's statements were inconsistent. "The American side tweets a lot, talks a lot. Sometimes confusing, sometimes, you know, contradictory," Khatibzadeh said, referring to US President Donald Trump and his frequent social media posts. "It is up to the American people to decide whether these statements are consistent and in accordance with international law," he added. Khatibzadeh said Iran's position was clear and vowed resistance to pressure from Washington. "What we are going to do is quite clear. We will defend heroically and patriotically (our country) ... as the oldest civilisation on earth," he said. The deputy minister also rejected US accusations that Iran was threatening freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, a critical route for global oil shipments, after Iran's military again declared the waterway closed. "Americans cannot impose their will to do a siege over Iran while Iran, with good intention, is trying to facilitate safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz," Khatibzadeh said. He said Iran had announced safe passage for commercial vessels for the duration of Israel-Lebanon ceasefire, provided there was prior coordination with Iranian maritime authorities. However, Khatibzadeh accused Washington of attempting to "sabotage" those efforts. "If ceasefire terms are violated and Americans do not honour their commitments, there will be repercussions for them," he said. Lebanon president, PM discuss readiness for Israel talks Beirut, Lebanon, April 18 (AFP) Apr 18, 2026 Lebanon's president and prime minister discussed on Saturday preparations for the first direct negotiations with Israel in decades, as southerners headed home after the ceasefire in the Israel-Hezbollah war. In a statement, the office of President Joseph Aoun said he and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam conducted "an assessment of the post-ceasefire phase and the ongoing efforts to consolidate it", and discussed "Lebanese readiness for the anticipated negotiations" with Israel. Their meeting came a day after a strongly-worded speech to the nation from Aoun stating that the country was entering a new phase to work on "permanent agreements" with Israel and insisting that direct talks were not a "concession" -- an apparent rebuttal of Hezbollah criticism. The 10-day ceasefire seeking to end more than six weeks of war between Hezbollah and Israel has been in place since midnight on Thursday (2100 GMT) after being announced by US President Donald Trump. More than 2,300 people have been killed in Israeli attacks and more than a million displaced since Hezbollah dragged Lebanon into the Middle East conflict last month. Iran-backed Hezbollah and its supporters strongly oppose the negotiations, and have rejected several government decisions over the past year, including Beirut's commitment to disarming the group in 2025. Addressing Aoun at a press conference in Beirut's southern suburbs, senior Hezbollah official Mahmud Qamati said the president "does not respect" Lebanon. "Defeated, you go to the Israelis and Americans, let's see what you will get out of it." As the truce entered its second day, displaced people were still flocking to the south, which saw the brunt of the fighting, with roads packed with cars. Lebanon's military and other local bodies are working to open roads that were blocked due to Israeli strikes. In the heavily bombed southern suburbs of Beirut, families came to inspect their homes and grab belongings, though neighbourhoods in the area remained largely empty, according to an AFP correspondent, with people hesitant to return. Among the residents briefly visiting was Samah Hajoul, who is currently staying in a tent on Beirut's seafront. "We do not feel safe to return, for fear that something might happen at night and I would not be able to carry my children and flee with them," she told AFP. She only visited her home, which sustained minor damage, to "bathe the children and get summer clothes" as temperatures started to rise. "We will wait and see what happens during the days of the truce. If the ceasefire is consolidated, we will return to our homes," she added, saying that dozens of families staying in nearby tents were doing the same. During his meeting with Aoun, Salam expressed hope that "the displaced will be able to return safely to their homes as soon as possible after the ceasefire holds". He stressed that the government was working to "facilitate this return, especially by repairing the destroyed bridges, opening roads, and providing supplies in the areas where the return will be safe and possible". France blames Hezbollah for French peacekeeper's death in Lebanon Paris, France, April 18 (AFP) Apr 18, 2026 A French soldier was killed and three others wounded in an attack Saturday on UN peacekeepers in Lebanon that appeared to have been carried out by Hezbollah, French President Emmanuel Macron said, an accusation the group has denied. The attack follows an agreement between Israel and Lebanon on Thursday for a 10-day ceasefire to negotiate an end to six weeks of fighting between Israel and the Iran-backed group Hezbollah. "Everything points to Hezbollah being responsible for this attack," Macron said on X, urging Lebanese authorities to arrest the perpetrators. But Hezbollah -- which is strongly opposed to the planned talks with Israel -- denied involvement in the attack that killed the French peacekeeper, identified as staff sergeant Florian Montorio. "Hezbollah denies any connection to the incident that occurred with UNIFIL forces in the Ghandouriyeh-Bint Jbeil area," it said in a statement. The group urged "caution in making judgments and assigning responsibilities" pending the results of the Lebanese army's investigation into the incident. The fighting in Lebanon -- one of the fronts in the Middle East war -- has seen the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) deployed there repeatedly targeted, by both Israeli and Hezbollah forces. Montorio, was caught in an "ambush" as his unit headed to a UNIFIL outpost and he died from a "direct gunshot", France's armed forces minister Catherine Vautrin said on X. She said the outpost they had been heading to had been "cut off for several days by combat in the area". The ambush was carried out "by an armed group at very close range", she said. Vautrin added that Montorio was "picked up by his comrades under fire" but they were unable to resuscitate him. He is the second French soldier to die since the start of the war in the Middle East, after an Iranian-designed drone killed Arnaud Frion last month in Iraq's Kurdistan region. - Possible 'war crimes' - The attack came as Lebanon is eyeing the first direct negotiations with Israel in decades, a move Lebanon's President Joseph Aoun insisted was not a "concession" in an apparent rebuttal of Hezbollah criticism. But senior Hezbollah official Mahmud Qamati on Saturday said that his group was "not concerned with the negotiations being conducted by the state", saying they were "a failure, weak, defeated... and submissive negotiations". Aoun condemned the attack and pledged to bring those responsible to justice, while Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said he had ordered an investigation. Macron's office said he held calls with Aoun and Salam to urge them to "guarantee the security of UNIFIL soldiers". UNIFIL, in an online statement, said the peacekeepers "came under small-arms fire from non-state-actors" as they were "clearing explosive ordnance along a road in the village of Ghanduriyah" to get to the outpost. "Tragically, one peacekeeper succumbed to his injuries and three others were injured, two of them seriously," it said. Its initial assessment indicates the incoming fire was "allegedly Hezbollah", it said, adding that it had launched its own investigation into what "may amount to war crimes". UNIFIL patrols in south Lebanon near the Israeli border where Israel and Hezbollah have been fighting since last month after the Iran-backed militant group drew Lebanon into the Middle East war with rocket fire at Israel in support of its backer Iran. Three Indonesian peacekeepers were killed last month, with a preliminary UN investigation finding one was killed by Israeli tank fire, while the two others were killed by an improvised explosive device likely planted by Hezbollah. Other UNIFIL peacekeepers have also been wounded since the war erupted, and in April, Israeli soldiers destroyed surveillance cameras in UNIFIL's headquarters, the peacekeeping body said. Last week, an Israeli tank twice rammed peacekeeping vehicles, causing damage but no injuries, according to UNIFIL. United Nations peacekeepers have served as a buffer between Lebanon and Israel for decades, but their mandate concludes at the end of this year. jmt-sac/rmb/ekf/gv Iran says reviewing 'new proposals' from United States Tehran, April 18 (AFP) Apr 18, 2026 Iran's top national security body said Saturday that the country was reviewing "new proposals" received from the United States, even as it warned that its negotiators would cut no compromises with Washington. "In recent days, with the presence of the commander of the Pakistani army in Tehran as an intermediary and mediator in the negotiations, new proposals have been put forward by the Americans, which the Islamic Republic of Iran is currently reviewing and has not yet responded to," the Supreme National Security Council said in a statement carried by state media. It went on to say that Iran's negotiating delegation "will not make even the slightest compromise, retreat or leniency, and will defend with all its strength the interests of the Iranian nation". Pakistan has emerged as the main mediator between the two foes, and hosted an initial round of talks last week that ended without an agreement. The disclosure of the new proposals came hours after Iran declared that it was reimposing its closure of the Strait of Hormuz over an ongoing US blockade of its ports, prompting a warning from US President Donald Trump not to try to "blackmail" Washington. The Supreme National Security Council said "Iran is determined to enforce supervision and control over traffic through the Strait of Hormuz until the definitive end of the war", insisting the US blockade would preclude even a "conditional and limited reopening". The council said such a reopening would involve Tehran issuing transit certificates to vessels, "as well as requiring payment of fees related to services for security, safety and environmental protection". New Delhi protests Iran fire at Indian-flagged ships in Hormuz New Delhi, April 18 (AFP) Apr 18, 2026 New Delhi summoned the Iranian ambassador on Saturday to lodge a protest over a "shooting incident" involving two Indian-flagged ships in the Strait of Hormuz, the foreign ministry said. Iran has reversed its pledge to reopen the strategic trade route to commercial traffic during a ceasefire in the Middle East war in protest at a US counter-blockade of the waterway, a crucial passage for crude oil and gas. Security monitors said several commercial ships came under fire and threats from Iranian forces on Saturday as they tried to cross the strait. India's foreign ministry said in a statement that Secretary Vikram Misri summoned the Iranian ambassador and "conveyed India's deep concern at the shooting incident earlier today involving two Indian-flagged ships in the Strait of Hormuz". New Delhi also urged Iran to "resume at the earliest the process of facilitating India-bound ships across the Strait", the statement said, adding that the envoy "undertook to convey these views to the Iranian authorities". Monitoring site TankerTrackers.com said in post on X that "two Indian vessels were forced back west out of the Strait of Hormuz by Iran's Sepah (IRGC) Navy", adding one of the vessels was "an Indian-flagged VLCC supertanker carrying 2 million barrels of Iraqi oil." India, the world's second-largest buyer of liquefied petroleum gas, has managed to secure passage for several Indian-flagged vessels in recent weeks. India imports about 60 percent of its LPG needs and has been grappling with a gas crunch since the war in the Middle East began on February 28. New Delhi maintains strong relations with Tehran but has steadily expanded cooperation with Iran's rival Israel in defence, agriculture, technology and cybersecurity. We recently published Jim Cramer Said Allbirds Management Are "Jokers" & Discussed These 18 Stocks. RTX Corporation (NYSE:RTX) is one of the stocks discussed by Jim Cramer. RTX Corporation (NYSE:RTX) is one of the largest defense contractors in America. Its shares are up by 57% over the past year and by 8.3% year-to-date. Erste Group initiated coverage on the firm on March 24th and set a Buy rating. The firm outlined that RTX Corporation (NYSE:RTX) was benefiting from an uptick in global spending and rising demand for engines. With media reports suggesting that the US has fired years worth of Tomahawk supply in the Iranian conflict, Cramer discussed defense stocks after his co-host Carl Quintanilla pointed out the recent trends. Bernstein discussed RTX Corporation (NYSE:RTX) on March 9th, as it kept a Market Perform rating on the shares. The firm had assigned this rating on January 29th after the defense company had reported its earnings. Cramer discussed RTX Corporation (NYSE:RTX) on April 10th as he pointed out that one reason the stock was doing well was because the firm benefited from the aerospace and space markets. Heres what he said about RTX Corporation (NYSE:RTX) in this appearance: Well theyre not part of the scrum, but when I read that I said well we have to rebuild everything and these stocks should just be a buy, and a buy, and a buy. And you come back and say, does anyone other than Cemblest know this stuff? Jim Cramer Discusses RTX Corporation (RTX) Stock Amidst Iran War Jirat Teparaksa/Shutterstock.com While we acknowledge the potential of RTX 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. Israel army says established 'Yellow Line' in Lebanon, as in Gaza Jerusalem, April 18 (AFP) Apr 18, 2026 Israel's military said Saturday it had established a "Yellow Line" demarcation in southern Lebanon, similar to one separating its forces from Hamas-held areas in Gaza, adding it had hit a "terrorist cell" operating near its troops along the line. "Over the past 24 hours, IDF forces operating south of the Yellow Line in southern Lebanon identified terrorists who violated the ceasefire understandings and approached the forces from north of the Yellow Line in a manner that posed an immediate threat," it said, referring to such a line for the first time since a ceasefire came into effect. "In order to eliminate the threat... forces attacked the terrorists in several areas," it said, noting that the military was authorised to act against threats. "Actions taken in self-defence and to remove immediate threats are not restricted by the ceasefire," it said. In a separate statement later on Saturday, the military said the air force had eliminated a "terrorist cell" operating near troops in southern Lebanon. "The IDF eliminated a terrorist cell operating in proximity to IDF soldiers in southern Lebanon, in the area of the forward defence line," it said, referring to the Yellow Line. It did not specify how many suspected militants were killed in the airstrike. "Additionally, the IDF struck an underground shaft in the area south of the forward defence line, as well as Hezbollah terrorists who were identified entering it. A hit was identified," it added. Since a ceasefire came into effect in Gaza on October 10, the Palestinian territory has been split by a "Yellow Line", the de facto boundary dividing Gaza into two zones: one under Israeli military control and one under Hamas control. Israel and Lebanon agreed to a 10-day ceasefire on Thursday in order to negotiate an end to six weeks of war between Israel and the Iran-backed group Hezbollah. The war saw massive Israeli airstrikes across Lebanon and also a ground invasion in the south. Lebanese authorities say the war that began on March 2 has killed nearly 2,300 people, and caused widespread devastation in southern towns and cities such as Nabatiyeh. Hezbollah halted military operations after the ceasefire came into effect, but warned that it was keeping its "finger on the trigger" in case Israel violated the truce. Lebanese President Joseph Aoun said on Friday that "direct negotiations" with Israel "are crucial", and that the government aims to "consolidate a ceasefire, secure the withdrawal of Israeli forces from the occupied southern territories, recover prisoners and address outstanding border disputes". US President Donald Trump has said Washington had "prohibited" Israel from bombing Lebanon following the ceasefire deal, and the US would work with Lebanon to "deal with" Hezbollah. But Israel has not "yet finished the job" on Hezbollah, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said, vowing to press on with the Lebanese militant group's "dismantling" just hours after the truce came into effect. War in the Middle East: latest developments Paris, France, April 18 (AFP) Apr 18, 2026 The latest developments in the Middle East war: - Israel hits Lebanon - The Israeli military said its air force had eliminated a "terrorist cell" operating near its troops in southern Lebanon, despite the ceasefire there. "The IDF eliminated a terrorist cell operating in proximity to IDF soldiers in southern Lebanon, in the area of the forward defence line dedicated to preventing imminent threats to Israel's northern communities," it said, without specifying how many suspected militants were killed. - French peacekeepers gravely wounded - Two of the three French peacekeepers injured in an attack in Lebanon that also killed a French soldier are in serious condition, the French foreign ministry said. - Hezbollah denies peacekeepers attack - Hezbollah denied it was involved in a deadly attack on United Nations peacekeepers (UNIFIL) in southern Lebanon, after France accused the group of being behind the incident. "Hezbollah denies any connection to the incident that occurred with UNIFIL forces in the Ghandouriyeh-Bint Jbeil area, and calls for caution in making judgements and assigning responsibilities regarding the incident pending the Lebanese army's investigations to determine the full circumstances of the incident," the group said in a statement. - Iran reviewing 'new proposals' - Iran's top national security body said that the country was reviewing "new proposals" received from the United States, even as it warned that its negotiators would cut no compromises with Washington. "New proposals have been put forward by the Americans, which the Islamic Republic of Iran is currently reviewing and has not yet responded to," the Supreme National Security Council said in a statement. - Iran internet blackouts - The internet blackout imposed by Iranian authorities at the start of the Middle East war has entered an "unprecedented" 50th day, according to the monitor NetBlocks. "Metrics show the measure, unprecedented for a connected society, continues to the detriment of most Iranians' livelihoods and human rights," NetBlocks said on X. - Trump warns against 'blackmail' - US President Donald Trump warned Iran not to "blackmail" Washington with the fate of the Strait of Hormuz, after Tehran declared the strategic waterway once again closed. "We're talking to them. They wanted to close up the strait again -- you know, as they've been doing for years -- and they can't blackmail us," Trump said at a White House event. - French peacekeeper killed - A French soldier was killed and three others wounded in an attack on UN peacekeepers in Lebanon that appeared to have been carried out by Hezbollah, French President Emmanuel Macron said. "Everything points to Hezbollah being responsible for this attack," he said on X, urging Lebanese authorities to arrest the perpetrators. Israel and Lebanon had agreed to a 10-day ceasefire on Thursday in order to negotiate an end to six weeks of war between Israel and the Iran-backed Hezbollah. - Israeli 'yellow line' - The Israeli military said it had established a "Yellow Line" demarcation in the part of southern Lebanon it has invaded, similar to the one separating its forces from territory still held by Hamas in Gaza. The army added it had already struck suspected militants approaching its troops along the line. - Hezbollah 'not concerned' with talks - Senior Hezbollah official Mahmud Qamati said his group was not concerned by Lebanon's planned direct talks with Israel, labelling them a failure. Qamati said in Beirut his group was "not concerned with the negotiations being conducted by the state", dubbing them "a failure, weak, defeated... and submissive negotiations". - No date for Iran-US talks - No date has been set for the next round of Iran-US peace talks brokered by Pakistan following the failure of an initial round, Iran's deputy foreign minister said. - Gunboats fire on tanker - Iranian gunboats fired on a tanker in the Strait of Hormuz, a British maritime security agency reported. The tanker's captain reported being approached 20 nautical miles northeast of Oman by two gunboats of Iran's Revolutionary Guards Corp (IRGC), which without any radio warning "then fired upon the tanker", the UK Maritime Trade Operations Centre said in an online statement. burs-sbk/jxb X Mediators fail to salvage troubled European warplane project: report Berlin, April 18 (AFP) Apr 18, 2026 Mediators tasked with salvaging the troubled European FCAS warplane programme have failed to reach an agreement and produced separate final reports, the German press reported on Saturday. The FCAS programme is a flagship joint effort to build a next-generation combat aircraft between France, Germany and Spain, and is seen as a bellwether of European defence and security cooperation. But the multi-billion-euro project has faltered as disagreements persist between France's Dassault Aviation and Airbus, which represents Germany and Spain. In a last-ditch bid to rescue it, one mediator from France and one from Germany were tasked last month with coming up with proposals by the end of April. A German government source confirmed to AFP that the pair had submitted their reports and that Berlin "will discuss them with France in the coming days", without commenting on the outcome. But according to a report in the Handelsblatt financial daily, the mediators -- the ex-head of a German tankmaker and a former French defence executive -- could not reach an agreement, even producing two different reports. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz will be briefed on the outcome soon and will then make a decision, before discussing the matter with French President Emmanuel Macron at an EU summit in Cyprus on Thursday and Friday, Handelsblatt said. Merz, who last month insisted he was determined to find a solution for the project, could still decide to try to push ahead with it. But calls have been growing even within his own CDU party to pull the plug. If the mediation fails to produce a workable result, then "FCAS, in its current form, has failed", CDU lawmaker Volker Mayer-Lay told AFP, adding that Germany and France should then focus on developing separate fighter jets. "The phase of hesitation must not drag on any longer," he said. The FCAS programme was launched in 2017 to replace the Rafale jet and the Eurofighter planes used by Germany and Spain. Israel army says established Gaza-style 'Yellow Line' in Lebanon Jerusalem, April 18 (AFP) Apr 18, 2026 Israel's military said Saturday it had established a "Yellow Line" in southern Lebanon, similar to the one separating its forces from Hamas-held areas in Gaza, adding it had hit a "terrorist cell" operating along the demarcation. Since a ceasefire in Gaza came into effect in October, the boundary has divided the Palestinian territory into military- and Hamas-controlled zones, with Israeli troops routinely firing on anyone approaching it. In its first mention of such a demarcation in Lebanon, the army said Saturday that its troops in the south "identified terrorists who violated the ceasefire understandings and approached the forces from north of the Yellow Line in a manner that posed an immediate threat". "In order to eliminate the threat... forces attacked the terrorists in several areas," it added, noting that the military was authorised to act against imminent threats in spite of the recently agreed ceasefire in Lebanon. In a separate statement later in the day, the military said the air force had eliminated a "terrorist cell operating in proximity to IDF soldiers in southern Lebanon, in the area of the forward defence line", referring to the Yellow Line. It did not specify how many suspected militants were killed. The army said it also "struck an underground shaft in the area south of the forward defence line, as well as Hezbollah terrorists who were identified entering it". Israel and Lebanon agreed to a 10-day ceasefire on Thursday to allow for negotiations to end six weeks of war between Israel and the Iran-backed group Hezbollah. The war saw massive Israeli airstrikes across Lebanon and a ground invasion in the south. Lebanese authorities say the war has killed nearly 2,300 people since it began on March 2, and had caused widespread devastation in southern towns and cities such as Nabatiyeh. Hezbollah halted military operations after the ceasefire came into effect, but warned that it was keeping its "finger on the trigger" in case Israel violated it. - 'Crucial' talks - Lebanese President Joseph Aoun said on Friday that direct negotiations with Israel "are crucial", and that the government aims to "consolidate a ceasefire (and) secure the withdrawal of Israeli forces from the occupied southern territories". Hezbollah strongly opposes the planned negotiations between the two sides, which have technically been at war for decades. US President Donald Trump has said Washington "prohibited" Israel from bombing Lebanon following the ceasefire deal, and that the US would work with Lebanon to "deal with" Hezbollah. But Israel has not "yet finished the job" against the group, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said, vowing to press on "dismantling" it just hours after the truce came into effect. Since before the latest war, Beirut has pledged to disarm Hezbollah and assert its authority as the sole legal bearer of arms across the country, but Israel had criticised its efforts as insufficient. Lebanese army chief Rodolphe Haykal visited the south on Saturday to review his troops' "operational situation" in Kfar Dunin after the implementation of the ceasefire. He told soldiers there that "the Lebanese people look to (the army) during this difficult period", even as he acknowledged its "limited resources". Kfar Dunin is located around four kilometres away from where a French United Nations peacekeeper was killed earlier on Saturday, with Paris accusing Hezbollah of carrying out the attack, which it denied. France blames Hezbollah for French peacekeeper's death in Lebanon Paris, France, April 18 (AFP) Apr 18, 2026 A French soldier was killed and three others wounded in an ambush Saturday on UN peacekeepers in Lebanon that French President Emmanuel Macron blamed on Hezbollah, an accusation the group has denied. The attack follows an agreement between Israel and Lebanon on Thursday for a 10-day ceasefire to negotiate an end to six weeks of fighting between Israel and the Iran-backed group. "Everything points to Hezbollah being responsible for this attack," Macron said on X, urging Lebanese authorities to arrest the perpetrators. But Hezbollah -- which is strongly opposed to the planned talks with Israel -- denied involvement in the attack that killed the French peacekeeper, identified as staff sergeant Florian Montorio. "Hezbollah denies any connection to the incident that occurred with UNIFIL forces in the Ghandouriyeh-Bint Jbeil area," it said in a statement. The group urged "caution in making judgements and assigning responsibilities" pending the results of the Lebanese army's investigation into the incident. The fighting in Lebanon -- one of the fronts in the Middle East war -- has seen the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) deployed there repeatedly targeted, by both Israeli and Hezbollah forces. Montorio, was caught in an "ambush" as his unit headed to a UNIFIL outpost and he died from a "direct gunshot", France's armed forces minister Catherine Vautrin said on X. She said the outpost they had been heading to had been "cut off for several days by combat in the area". The ambush was carried out "by an armed group at very close range", she said. Vautrin added that Montorio was "picked up by his comrades under fire" but they were unable to resuscitate him. He is the second French soldier to die since the start of the war in the Middle East, after an Iranian-designed drone killed Arnaud Frion last month in Iraq's Kurdistan region. - Possible 'war crimes' - His commanding officer, Colonel Jeremy Akil, paid tribute to "an exceptional soldier" who had served in various conflict zones since enlisting in 2007. The 40-year-old father of two daughters was "at the end of his military career" and was due to return to civilian life within months, Akil added. His death came as Lebanon is eyeing the first direct negotiations with Israel in decades, a move Lebanon's President Joseph Aoun insisted was not a "concession" in an apparent rebuttal of Hezbollah criticism. But senior Hezbollah official Mahmud Qamati on Saturday said that his group was "not concerned with the negotiations being conducted by the state", saying they were "a failure, weak, defeated... and submissive negotiations". Aoun condemned the attack and pledged to bring those responsible to justice, while Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said he had ordered an investigation. Macron's office said he held calls with Aoun and Salam to urge them to "guarantee the security of UNIFIL soldiers". UNIFIL, in an online statement, said the peacekeepers "came under small-arms fire from non-state-actors" as they were "clearing explosive ordnance along a road in the village of Ghanduriyah" to get to the outpost. "Tragically, one peacekeeper succumbed to his injuries and three others were injured, two of them seriously," it said, with the French foreign ministry later confirming that two of the wounded were in a grave condition. UNIFIL's initial assessment indicates the incoming fire was "allegedly Hezbollah", it said, adding that it had launched its own investigation into what "may amount to war crimes". The force patrols in south Lebanon near the Israeli border where Israel and Hezbollah have been fighting since last month after the Iran-backed militant group drew Lebanon into the Middle East war with rocket fire at Israel in support of its backer Iran. Three Indonesian peacekeepers were killed last month, with a preliminary UN investigation finding one was killed by Israeli tank fire, while the two others were killed by an improvised explosive device likely planted by Hezbollah. Other UNIFIL peacekeepers have also been wounded since the war erupted, and in April, Israeli soldiers destroyed surveillance cameras in UNIFIL's headquarters, the peacekeeping body said. Last week, an Israeli tank twice rammed peacekeeping vehicles, causing damage but no injuries, according to UNIFIL. UN peacekeepers have served as a buffer between Lebanon and Israel for decades, but their mandate concludes at the end of this year. jmt-sac/sbk/jxb Israel army says soldier killed in south Lebanon Jerusalem, April 18 (AFP) Apr 18, 2026 The Israeli military said on Saturday that a soldier was killed the day before in southern Lebanon, where a ceasefire came into effect earlier this week. Command Sergeant Barak Kalfon, 48, died after being wounded on Friday in an incident that also injured three other soldiers, the military said. The military did not provide other details. Israeli news site Ynet said the incident occurred during an operation to clear structures in southern Lebanon, about 3.5 kilometres (two miles) from the border. Kalfon was among the first to enter a booby-trapped building, which then exploded, the report said. He received emergency medical treatment but was later declared dead. His death brings the military's losses in the six-week war between Israel and Hezbollah to 14, according to an AFP tally based on military figures. A ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon came into effect at midnight on Thursday. Hezbollah chief says truce can't be one-sided, vows to respond to Israel attacks Beirut, Lebanon, April 18 (AFP) Apr 18, 2026 Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem said on Saturday that the ongoing 10-day truce with Israel cannot be one-sided, vowing that his fighters would respond to Israeli attacks on Lebanon. "A ceasefire means a complete cessation of all hostilities. Because we do not trust this enemy, the resistance fighters will remain in the field with their hands on the trigger, and they will respond to violations accordingly," Qassem said in a statement read out on TV. "There is no ceasefire from the side of the resistance only, it must be from both sides." He also offered his first reaction since the ceasefire went into force at midnight on Thursday (2100 GMT), with the terms shared by the US State Department. Qassem called it "an insult to our country and our homeland, Lebanon, that America dictates its text and speaks on behalf of the Lebanese government". The truce came days after Lebanon and Israel's ambassadors to the US met in Washington ahead of planned direct negotiations between the two countries, the first in decades. "Enough of subjecting Lebanon to these humiliations by negotiating directly with the Israeli enemy and listening to its dictates, and by the shameful spectacle in Washington," Qassem said. Tehran-backed Hezbollah drew Lebanon into the Middle East conflict on March 2 by attacking Israel to avenge the killing of Iran's supreme leader, prompting waves of Israeli airstrikes and a ground invasion in the south. Qassem expressed "gratitude" to Iran "for their support and assistance", saying the country kept the Strait of Hormuz closed until a truce was reached in Lebanon. Iran's military declared the Strait of Hormuz closed again on Saturday, after a brief reopening, in response to a US blockade of its ports. The Lebanese government has taken several unprecedented steps against Hezbollah over the past year, including vowing to disarm it and outlawing its military activities. Hezbollah has rejected these moves, but Qassem maintained his group was "open to the fullest cooperation with the Lebanese authorities, embarking on a new chapter... and utilising our strengths within a national security strategy". Iran's Quds Force chief Qaani visits Iraq: senior official Baghdad, April 18 (AFP) Apr 18, 2026 Iranian commander Esmail Qaani arrived in Baghdad on Saturday to meet political leaders and representatives of armed factions and to discuss the Middle East war and its impact on Iraq, a senior Iraqi official told AFP. Political deadlock over the nomination of Iraq's next prime minister would also be on the agenda, the official said of Qaani's first reported trip abroad since a US-Iran ceasefire began on April 8. Qaani, whose visits to Iraq are rarely announced, heads the Quds Force, the foreign operations branch of Iran's Revolutionary Guards. Iraq has long walked a tightrope between the competing influences of its allies -- neighbouring Iran and the United States -- with Iraqi leaders struggling to maintain a delicate balance between the two foes. Iraq was drawn into the Middle East war with strikes targeting Iran-backed groups, which in turn have claimed attacks on US interests, mostly in Iraq but also across the wider region. The Iraqi official said Qaani was holding "meetings with Iraqi political leaders and a number of commanders of armed factions", adding that the goal of the visit was to "address regional de-escalation and its impact on Iraq". Qaani "seeks to coordinate positions among Tehran's allies in Iraq and to ensure that the security situation does not deteriorate during these sensitive times" in Iraq and the region, the official said. A source from a powerful Tehran-backed faction and another two close to the Coordination Framework -- a ruling alliance of Shia groups with varying ties to Iran -- confirmed the visit. All of the sources spoke on condition of anonymity. The visit is also part of Iranian "efforts to support the path of understanding between Iraqi parties and bridge their differences, especially amid ongoing disagreements over the government", the Iraqi senior official said. Iraqi leaders have been stuck in a political deadlock since January, after US President Donald Trump threatened to cut support for Iraq when the Coordination Framework backed Nouri al-Maliki to become the country's next prime minister. Trump said he would end all support for Iraq if Maliki, a two-time former prime minister with close ties to Iran, returned to power. Several political sources told AFP that the Coordination Framework will likely choose a new candidate soon. War in the Middle East: latest developments Paris, France, April 18 (AFP) Apr 18, 2026 The latest developments in the Middle East war: - Iran navy warning - "We warn that no ship, of any kind, should leave its anchorage in the Persian Gulf and the Sea of Oman. Any attempt to approach the Strait of Hormuz will be considered cooperation with the enemy, and the offending vessel will be targeted," the navy of Iran's Revolutionary Guards said in a satement on its official Sepah News website. - No one-sided truce - Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem said the ongoing 10-day truce with Israel cannot be one-sided, vowing that his fighters would respond to Israeli attacks on Lebanon. "Because we do not trust this enemy, the resistance fighters will remain in the field with their hands on the trigger, and they will respond to violations accordingly," Qassem said in a statement read out on TV. "There is no ceasefire from the side of the resistance only, it must be from both sides." - Israeli soldier killed - The Israeli military said that a soldier was killed a day earlier in southern Lebanon, where a ceasefire came into effect earlier this week. Command Sergeant Barak Kalfon, 48, died after being wounded on Friday in an incident that also injured three other soldiers, the military said. - Israel hits Lebanon - The Israeli military said its air force had eliminated a "terrorist cell" operating near its troops in southern Lebanon, despite the ceasefire there. "The IDF eliminated a terrorist cell operating in proximity to IDF soldiers in southern Lebanon, in the area of the forward defence line dedicated to preventing imminent threats to Israel's northern communities," it said, without specifying how many suspected militants were killed. - Hezbollah denies peacekeepers attack - Hezbollah denied it was involved in an attack on United Nations peacekeepers (UNIFIL) in southern Lebanon, after France accused the group of being behind the incident that left a French soldier dead and two seriously wounded. "Hezbollah denies any connection to the incident that occurred with UNIFIL forces in the Ghandouriyeh-Bint Jbeil area, and calls for caution in making judgements and assigning responsibilities regarding the incident pending the Lebanese army's investigations to determine the full circumstances of the incident," the group said in a statement. - Iran reviewing 'new proposals' - Iran's top national security body said that the country was reviewing "new proposals" received from the United States, even as it warned that its negotiators would cut no compromises with Washington. "New proposals have been put forward by the Americans, which the Islamic Republic of Iran is currently reviewing and has not yet responded to," the Supreme National Security Council said in a statement. - Iran internet blackouts - The internet blackout imposed by Iranian authorities at the start of the Middle East war has entered an "unprecedented" 50th day, according to the monitor NetBlocks. "Metrics show the measure, unprecedented for a connected society, continues to the detriment of most Iranians' livelihoods and human rights," NetBlocks said on X. - Trump warns against 'blackmail' - US President Donald Trump warned Iran not to "blackmail" Washington with the fate of the Strait of Hormuz, after Tehran declared the strategic waterway once again closed. "We're talking to them. They wanted to close up the strait again -- you know, as they've been doing for years -- and they can't blackmail us," Trump said at a White House event. - Israeli 'yellow line' - The Israeli military said it had established a "Yellow Line" demarcation in the part of southern Lebanon it has invaded, similar to the one separating its forces from territory still held by Hamas in Gaza. The army added it had already struck suspected militants approaching its troops along the line. burs-sbk/gv X Israeli army carries out demolitions in south Lebanon town: state media Beirut, Lebanon, April 18 (AFP) Apr 18, 2026 Israeli forces on Saturday carried out demolitions in the southern Lebanese town of Bint Jbeil, the scene of intense fighting with Hezbollah prior to the recently agreed 10-day truce, Lebanese state media reported. "The Israeli enemy is repeating its house detonating operations in the town of Bint Jbeil," Lebanon's state-run National News Agency (NNA) said, also reporting demolitions in other border towns where Israeli troops are present. Bint Jbeil, located around five kilometres north of the Israeli border, had been the scene of heavy fighting between Israeli forces and Hezbollah for days before the truce went into force at midnight on Thursday. The town has long been both a symbolic and strategic flashpoint in confrontations between Israel and Hezbollah. It was the site of some of the fiercest fighting during the 2006 war, when Hezbollah's resistance there became central to the group's narrative of defiance. And it was from the stadium in Bint Jbeil in 2000 that the group's former chief Hassan Nasrallah delivered his "Liberation" speech following Israel's withdrawal from southern Lebanon after 22 years of occupation. Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz has previously said house demolitions would be carried out "in order to remove once and for all the border-adjacent threats" as part of efforts to establish a security zone in south Lebanon. His Lebanese counterpart Michel Menassa decried the plans as evidence of an intention to "forcibly displace hundreds of thousands of citizens, and systematically destroy villages". After a November 2024 ceasefire sought to end the last conflict between Israel and Hezbollah -- during which Nasrallah and other top leaders were killed -- Israeli troops also carried out a series of demolitions in certain towns. Lumen Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:LUMN) was among Jim Cramers stock calls, as he discussed the rising market speculation. A caller asked if the companys recent partnerships with big companies, including Microsoft, Google, and Palantir, could help it come back from the ashes. Cramer replied: You know what, you know it better than I do. I know its from Monroe, Louisiana, and Ive always felt that it was a decent spec, and you qualify it by putting out a lot of interesting customers there. Ill go with you on that one. Photo by Anna Nekrashevich on Pexels Lumen Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:LUMN) is a networking company that provides integrated communication services, ranging from fiber infrastructure and edge cloud solutions to high-speed broadband and managed security. The company offers its products under brand names such as CenturyLink and Quantum Fiber. During the December 16, 2025, episode, Cramer said to exercise caution as he commented: Okay, I mean, look, this is home business technology. I think the stocks run too much. I know an $8 stock, people think cant hurt you, but it can. Id say be careful. While we acknowledge the potential of LUMN 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. Iran reports 3,468 dead in war with US, Israel: official Tehran, April 18 (AFP) Apr 18, 2026 Iran's state-run Foundation of Martyrs and Veterans Affairs said on Saturday that the war with the United States and Israel had killed more than 3,400 people in the Islamic republic. The announcement comes in the midst of a two-week ceasefire in the conflict, which erupted in late February with US-Israeli strikes on Tehran. Foundation head Ahmad Mousavi was quoted by the ISNA news agency as saying that 3,468 "martyrs... fell during the recent conflict". A previous toll from the head of the Iranian Legal Medicine Organization issued on April 12 said 3,375 people in Iran had been killed in the war. The US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) said on April 7 that at least 3,636 people had been killed, including 1,701 civilians -- among them at least 254 children -- as well as 1,221 military personnel and 714 people whose status had not been classified. Due to reporting restrictions, AFP is not able to access the sites of strikes nor to independently verify tolls in Iran. Iran closes Hormuz Strait again, as Trump warns against 'blackmail' Tehran, April 18 (AFP) Apr 18, 2026 Iran's military declared the Strait of Hormuz closed again on Saturday, prompting ships to abandon attempts to transit and President Donald Trump to warn Tehran against trying to "blackmail" the United States. On Friday, Tehran had declared the strait, which usually carries a fifth of the world's oil and liquefied natural gas, open after a ceasefire was agreed in Israel's war with Iran's ally Hezbollah in Lebanon. This prompted elation in global markets and sent oil prices plunging, but with Trump insisting that a US naval blockade of Iranian ports would continue until a deal to end the wider war was concluded, Tehran said it was shuttering the strait once more late Saturday morning. Iran's central military command said that, in response to the US blockade, Hormuz was again "under strict management and control of the armed forces". The powerful Revolutionary Guards warned that any effort to cross "will be considered cooperation with the enemy, and the offending vessel will be targeted". Trump had previously said the two sides were "very close" to striking a deal, but following Iran's announcement on Saturday, he insisted Tehran "can't blackmail us", even as he maintained communications were ongoing. "We'll be talking about Iran later. We have very good conversations going on," he added, accusing Tehran of getting "a little cute" with its recent moves. Iran's top national security body said during a visit by the military chief of mediator Pakistan that "new proposals have been put forward by the Americans, which the Islamic Republic of Iran is currently reviewing and has not yet responded to". It went on to say, however, that Iran's negotiating delegation would not offer "even the slightest compromise, retreat or leniency" in talks with Washington. - Ships threatened - A handful of oil and gas tankers crossed the Strait of Hormuz early Saturday during the brief reopening, tracking data showed, but others retreated and tracking platforms showed hardly any vessels crossing the waterway by the late afternoon. A UK maritime security agency said Iran's Revolutionary Guards fired at one tanker, while security intelligence firm Vanguard Tech reported the force had threatened to "destroy" an empty cruise ship that was fleeing the Gulf. In a third incident, the UK agency said it received a report of a vessel in the same area "being hit by an unknown projectile which caused damage" to shipping containers but no fire. New Delhi later summoned the Iranian ambassador to lodge a protest over a "shooting incident" involving two Indian-flagged ships in the strait, its foreign ministry said. Speaking at a diplomatic forum in Turkey, Iranian deputy foreign minister Saeed Khatibzadeh said the "Americans cannot impose their will over Iran" with a siege, and suggested the blockade was a violation of the ceasefire that merited "repercussions". Meanwhile, in a written message, Iran's supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei, who has yet to be seen since taking power, said Iran's navy "stands ready" to defeat the United States. - Four days left - There are just four days remaining before the end of the two-week ceasefire in the US-Israel war on Iran, launched on February 28. Nevertheless, Trump has appeared convinced that a deal could be finished shortly, issuing a stream of upbeat social media posts including ones praising mediator Pakistan. Egypt, which has also been involved in diplomatic efforts, appeared similarly optimistic on Saturday, with Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty saying Cairo and Islamabad hoped to secure a final agreement "in the coming days". He was speaking at the same event in Antalya as Khatibzadeh, who insisted no date had been set for the next round of talks, though Tehran was "very much committed to diplomacy". The Middle East war began with a massive wave of US-Israeli surprise attacks on Iran, despite Washington and Tehran being engaged in negotiations at the time. The conflict rapidly spread across the region, with Iran targeting US interests in the Gulf and Hezbollah dragging Lebanon into the conflict by launching rockets at Israel. In a sign that the two-week ceasefire remained stable, Iran's civil aviation agency declared its airspace was open again, with international flights able to transit Iran via the east of the country. Two major sticking points in the peace talks -- Iran's stockpile of near-weapons-grade enriched uranium and the future of the Strait of Hormuz -- appeared up in the air. Trump declared Friday that Iran had agreed to hand over its 440 or so kilogrammes of enriched uranium, saying: "We're going to get it by going in with Iran, with lots of excavators." But Iran's foreign ministry had said just hours before that its stockpile, thought to be buried deep under rubble by US bombing in last June's 12-day war, was "not going to be transferred anywhere", and that surrendering it "to the US has never been raised in negotiations". Jihadist-hit Nigeria strikes defence deal with Turkey Lagos, April 18 (AFP) Apr 18, 2026 Nigeria and Turkey have struck a defence agreement to help Africa's most populous nation fight its 17-year-long jihadist insurgency, the Nigerian defence minister said on Saturday. "We have agreed to move into training, production, improving on our defence industry cooperation," Christopher Musa told Turkish media while on a trip to Antalya, according to the Anadolu agency. Musa specified that 200 members of the Nigerian army's special forces would be sent to Turkey for training. Nigeria's longstanding security woes have drawn the ire of the United States in recent months, with President Donald Trump claiming that the country's Christians face "persecution". Both the Nigerian government and experts have rejected that argument, pointing out that the multi-religious country's overlapping conflicts kill Christians and Muslims alike. Yet the west African country has still managed to find common ground with Washington on defence, with the US deploying around 200 soldiers to the country and launching Christmas Day airstrikes on the northern state of Sokoto last year. Besides radical Islamists from Boko Haram and its rival splinter group, the Islamic State West Africa Province, Nigeria is also plagued by gangs of armed criminals known as bandits who pillage, kill and kidnap in the northwest. The country also has to contend with the worsening security crisis across the Sahel -- the vast region bordering the southern Sahara desert -- which has allowed jihadists to expand across west Africa. In an attempt to reduce its reliance on the US, Nigeria has sought to diversify its security partners. Musa's Turkey trip comes in the wake of President Bola Tinubu's visit in late January, the first by a Nigerian head of state in nine years. Turkey is renowned for its inexpensive armed drones, of which it is the world's leading exporter. "Turkey has improved dramatically regards production of military hardware and Nigeria is still developing," Musa said, adding that the two countries had agreed to produce some items together. Why is Vincent Kompany not on the touchline for Bayern Munich vs PSG today? Why Kompany is not on the touchline for Bayern Munich vs PSG today Ministers have yet to tell us what urgent action they plan on taking to defeat those in our country who wish to see it burn to the ground. The time for empty platitudes has come and gone. We need action now. We recently published Jim Cramer Said Allbirds Management Are "Jokers" & Discussed These 18 Stocks. The TJX Companies, Inc. (NYSE:TJX) is one of the stocks discussed by Jim Cramer. The TJX Companies, Inc. (NYSE:TJX) is an off price retailer. Its shares are up by 24% over the past year and by 3.9% year-to-date. Bank of America discussed the firm on February 26th, as per The Fly. It raised The TJX Companies, Inc. (NYSE:TJX)s share price target to $175 from $168 and kept a Buy rating on the shares. Among the factors that BofA discussed in its coverage were The TJX Companies, Inc. (NYSE:TJX)s operational success and growth in the retail industry. Following BofA, investment bank UBS also discussed the firm as it reiterated a Buy rating and a $193 share price target on the firm on March 4th. UBS outlined that the retailer had strong potential to eke out market share in its industry. Cramer previously discussed The TJX Companies, Inc. (NYSE:TJX) in Mad Money aired on March 223rd. The CNBC TV host remarked that the firm was benefiting from buying excess inventory. This time, he wondered whether it was time to buy, given that consumer sentiment was softening in the US, and commented in a tweet: Maybe pick up some $TJX down 4% from high? Rarely get that kind of discount! Jim Cramer Wonders Whether It's Time to Buy The TJX Companies (TJX) While we acknowledge the potential of TJX 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. JPMorgan is becoming more cautious on QUALCOMM Incorporated (QCOM) ahead of its upcoming earnings report, citing rising pressure in its core handset business. At the same time, newer growth areas are not yet large enough to offset that weakness. Here's JPMorgan's message to Qualcomm investors: JPMorgan flags rising earnings risk ahead On April 16, JPMorgan downgraded Qualcomm to Neutral from Overweight, cut its price target from $185 to $140, and put the stock on "Negative Catalyst Watch" ahead of fiscal Q2 results expected on April 29. Negative catalyst watch is a term JPMorgan uses when it sees meaningful near-term downside risk and no clear event likely to improve the outlook. Qualcomm shares have already fallen 22% so far in 2026 and nearly 40% from their October peak, with the stock currently trading around $136 per share. JPMorgan's call reflects growing downside risk to near-term earnings as Qualcomms handset business faces several pressures at once: Memory supply constraints Weak smartphone demand in China Heavy customer concentration with Apple and Samsung Those risks matter because Qualcomm still depends heavily on Qualcomm CDMA Technology (QCT), its chip unit, for earnings. J.P. Morgan now expects QCT revenue to decline 22% in calendar 2026, worse than the 17% decline expected by the broader Street. Qualcomm's current forward P/E multiple of just over 12x only looks cheap if earnings hold. If handset weakness persists and exposure to premium customers shrinks, the stock may not be cheap relative to normalized earnings power. Qualcomm's margin reset puts handset weakness back in focus The setup for Qualcomms upcoming Q2'26 earnings report on April 29 was established with Q1 results released in late December. The company posted fiscal Q1 revenue of $12.25 billion and non-GAAP EPS of $3.50, both ahead of consensus estimates of $12.21 billion and $3.39, respectively. But the market focused on weaker guidance rather than the beat. For fiscal Q2, Qualcomm guided to revenue of $10.2 billion to $11.0 billion and non-GAAP EPS of $2.45 to $2.65. More importantly, it guided QCT EBT margin to 26%-28%, down from 31% previously. More Qualcomm: QCT is Qualcomms main profit engine, so a 3- to 5-point drop in profitability reduces profit per handset dollar and increases the risk that any revenue decline will translate into a larger hit to EPS. A training aircraft sits on the recently renovated flight deck of the USS Kearsarge on April 15, 2026, as part of Fleet Week Houston. (Rose L. Thayer/Stars and Stripes) HOUSTON The tour groups moving through the USS Kearsarge as part of the citys first Fleet Week are getting a glimpse of the amphibious assault ship at its finest. The paint is near-perfect, the gym equipment brand new and the flight deck smooth and gleaming in the Texas sunshine. The more than 30-year-old ship is about seven months out of dry dock at its home station of Norfolk, Va., where it received a nearly $300 million renovation. It took about two years to complete and made the ship a more comfortable and efficient space for sailors, while also enabling it to support the F-35B Lightning II, the Marine Corps most modern fighter jet. Theres things that have to be done because of the engines, the way the engine actually thrusts with a lot of exhaust down on the deck to do a vertical takeoff and landing, Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Daryl Caudle said Wednesday during an interview in Houston. Two F-35B Lightning II aircraft, attached to the Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 542, prepare to land on the Wasp-class amphibious assault ship USS Kearsarge on Feb. 10, 2026, in the Atlantic Ocean. It was the first time an F-35B Lightning II aircraft had landed on Kearsarge. (Dylan Spears/U.S. Navy) The work was part of an ongoing Navy effort to upgrade all Wasp- and America-class ships, he said. These amphibious warships are also known as landing helicopter dock (LHD) ships, or landing helicopter assault (LHA) ships, and are designed to get Marines to the shore with a combination of aircraft and landing craft. To accommodate the F-35, the Kearsarge and similar ships need to have the flight deck upgraded to materials that can handle the extreme heat created by the jet. The ships were initially built to support the AV-8 Harrier, an attack aircraft capable of vertical or short takeoff and landing. The Harrier has done a lot for us, Caudle said. We still are deploying with it on ships that havent been upgraded yet, so its still very capable. But the F-35 is a much-improved airframe. The USS Tripoli, an LHA now deployed to the Arabian Sea, not only can support the F-35, but it has a non-traditional well deck that can handle more than 20 aircraft during peak operations, according to U.S. Central Command. As part of Fleet Week Houston, the first in a Texas city, the Kearsarges flight deck did not include an F-35 for display. It instead held a training aircraft that sailors use to gain familiarity with moving a jet in and out of the ships hangar. It also had two landing craft, air cushion hovercraft on display in its well deck, which would be used to move personnel and vehicles to shore. Outside of operations, the renovations touched nearly every aspect of sailor life berthing, the galleys, the gym and even the addition of the Liberty Center, where sailors and Marines can play video games, watch movies and check out gear, such as fishing poles. The center was paid for through a grant and is managed by the ships fun boss, a civilian who manages onboard recreation. The USS Kearsarge gym received all new equipment as part of a renovation of the ship completed in late 2025. It was on display April 15, 2026, as part of Fleet Week Houston. (Rose L. Thayer/Stars and Stripes) Seaman Apprentice Mora Villalobos cooks chicken in the recently renovated galley of the USS Kearsarge on April 15, 2026. (Rose L. Thayer/Stars and Stripes) Marine Cpl. Christopher Lopez chops onions in the recently renovated galley of the USS Kearsarge on April 15, 2026. (Rose L. Thayer/Stars and Stripes) The USS Kearsarge received a nearly $300 million renovation that took roughly two years to complete. It returned to the water in September 2025 and entered Galveston Bay in Texas on April 15, 2026, as part of Fleet Week Houston. (Rose L. Thayer/Stars and Stripes) Petty Officer 1st Class Brooke Sumner, a yeoman, said the gym has been her favorite improvement because it created more space, and equipment is much better. Its as nice as a Navy vessel could be, she said aboard the Kearsarge on Wednesday. Shes been assigned to the ship for more than two years and said the renovation also made her job in administration for the executive department more efficient. Her team was initially split into two offices, but now the wall has been removed between them. The office also got new floors and upgraded equipment. Its a big boat [and] trying to find someone could take hours, Sumner said. This makes us so were all on the same page. We work way more efficiently. I think we went up, like, 80% since all of this got renovated. Make better investment decisions with Simply Wall St's easy, visual tools that give you a competitive edge. L3Harris Technologies (NYSE:LHX) is investing over $1 billion to expand solid rocket motor manufacturing capacity in Virginia. The new Virginia Advanced Propulsion Facilities will more than double the companys manufacturing space. The project is expected to create hundreds of new jobs and support multiple national defense programs. L3Harris Technologies enters this expansion with its shares at $350.35 and a 1-year return of 63.3%, alongside an 84.5% return over 3 years and 83.5% over 5 years. For investors tracking defense and aerospace suppliers, this move shows how NYSE:LHX is positioning its propulsion operations to serve a wider range of defense programs. The Virginia Advanced Propulsion Facilities indicate that the company is preparing for higher demand in solid rocket motor production and deeper integration into national security supply chains. Readers may want to watch how this investment relates to contract activity, capital spending trends, and any future updates on capacity utilization at the new sites. Stay updated on the most important news stories for L3Harris Technologies by adding it to your watchlist or portfolio. Alternatively, explore our Community to discover new perspectives on L3Harris Technologies. NYSE:LHX Earnings & Revenue Growth as at Apr 2026 Beyond the headline: 2 risks and 4 things going right for L3Harris Technologies that every investor should see. Quick Assessment Price vs Analyst Target : At US$350.35, the share price is about 10.7% below the US$392.16 analyst target, sitting inside the published range of US$326 to US$443. Simply Wall St Valuation : Shares are flagged as trading about 22.6% below estimated fair value, which supports an undervalued classification. Recent Momentum: The 30 day return of about 4.9% decline shows short term weakness despite longer term gains. There is only one way to know the right time to buy, sell or hold L3Harris Technologies. Head to Simply Wall St's company report for the latest analysis of L3Harris Technologies's Fair Value. Key Considerations Early leaks surrounding the Samsung Galaxy S27 series are already enough to excite some fans. Reports indicate a major performance upgrade. Samsung is reportedly preparing to introduce the next-generation UFS 5.0 storage standard, which could make its upcoming flagship devices significantly faster than current models. UFS 5.0 May Be Exclusive to Premium Models According to insider information in a Naver blog, Samsung plans to include UFS 5.0 storage in select variants of the Samsung Galaxy S27 series rather than across the entire lineup. The rumored models include the Galaxy S27, S27+, S27 Pro, and S27 Ultra. Among these, the Pro and Ultra versions are expected to receive the new storage technology. From the looks of it, Samsung knows that reserving top-tier features for its most premium devices will be an effective strategy to attract more users. Why UFS 5.0 Is a Major Upgrade The introduction of UFS 5.0 marks a significant leap in smartphone storage performance. Compared to previous generations like UFS 4.0, the new standard can reach speeds of up to 10.8Gbps, nearly doubling data transfer rates. According to GSMArena, this improvement translates directly into real-world benefits, including faster app launches, smoother multitasking, and quicker file transfers. It also enhances performance for demanding tasks such as mobile gaming, 4K or 8K video recording, and AI-powered applications. Samsung's Strategy to Differentiate Flagships Limiting UFS 5.0 to higher-end models feels like an exclusive perk for buyers of the select models. Through this, Samsung can create a clear performance gap between standard and premium devices. This approach strengthens the appeal of its Pro and Ultra variants while maintaining a structured product hierarchy within the Samsung Galaxy S27 series. Samsung Galaxy S27 Will Deliver Better While still unconfirmed, these leaks suggest that the Samsung Galaxy S27 series could deliver one of the fastest smartphone experiences on the market. With UFS 5.0 potentially at its core, users can expect noticeable gains in speed, responsiveness, and overall efficiency. Donut Lab is facing a new controversy after a whistleblower filed a criminal complaint questioning the company's strong claims about its solid-state battery technology. The allegations have been extremely concerning since the startup overstated its performance metrics and readiness for large-scale production. Whistleblower Questions Battery Performance and Readiness The complaint was reportedly filed by Lauri Peltola, who has ties to Nordic Nano. According to the allegations spotted by Helsingen Sanomat, Donut Lab may have exaggerated key metrics such as energy density and battery lifespan. Peltola also challenged whether the company has the necessary infrastructure to scale production, casting doubt on earlier claims that positioned the technology as close to mass-market deployment. Read more: iOS 27 Will Soon Get These Four New Apple Intelligence Features Internal Reports Raise Questions About Development Progress Additional concerns surfaced following reports of internal communications between Donut Lab and its partners. The documents suggest inconsistencies between what was presented publicly and the actual development stage of the technology. Engadget also reported that the battery model showcased in demonstrations was reportedly based on an earlier version developed by CT-Coating. Sources claim that development had already shifted toward a newer but less mature design, raising questions about whether outdated technology was portrayed as production-ready. Company Executives Deny All Allegations Leadership from Donut Lab and Nordic Nano has firmly denied the accusations. CEO Marko Lehtimaki stated he was unaware of the complaint, while Nordic Nano CEO Esa Parjanen dismissed the claims entirely. In a joint response, both companies maintained that they have not misled investors or engaged in unlawful conduct. They also questioned the credibility of the whistleblower, suggesting the claims may stem from a misunderstanding of the technology. What Will Be Its Impact on the Solid-State Industry Solid-state batteries are widely seen as a breakthrough technology, but the path to commercialization remains complex and highly scrutinized. For the Donut Lab's part, the controversy could influence investor confidence and prompt stricter evaluation of emerging battery technologies. For an industry built on innovation promises, credibility and transparency are becoming just as critical as performance itself. Belron owns several of the worlds biggest glass repair companies, including Autoglass in the UK - Peter Dazeley/Getty Images One of the Labour Partys biggest donors is to make at least 1bn (870m) from a deal to list the owner of Autoglass. Gary Lubner, a South African businessman who has donated millions of pounds to Sir Keir Starmers party, is poised to cash in on the planned float of Belron, the car windscreen repair giant. Formerly chief executive of Belron, Mr Lubner still owns a minority stake of around 3.3pc in the business, which is aiming to secure a valuation of between 30bn and 35bn once it lists on the Amsterdam stock exchange. The deal could prove to be one of Europes biggest listings in years, as first reported by the Financial Times. Mr Lubner, who owns his stake in the conglomerate through holding company Atessa, has emerged as one of Labours biggest donors in recent years. Both Atessa and Belron management are said to own a combined 9.6pc of the business. He has given 10m to the party since 2022, according to figures from the Electoral Commission. Belrons origins in South Africa Belron is headquartered in Egham, Surrey, and owns an array of the worlds biggest glass repair companies, including Autoglass in the UK, European giant Carglass and US firm Safelite. It traces its origins to a company that was started by Mr Lubners grandfather, Morris Lubner, in South Africa in the early 20th century. The Lubner family has since been heavily involved with Belron, leading it to become one of the worlds biggest glass repair businesses, generating more than 6bn of sales each year. Mr Lubner took over as Belrons chief executive in 2000, succeeding his father, Ronnie Lubner, who had led the firm throughout the 1990s and fuelled its expansion into Britain. He later helped grow Belrons sales sevenfold through a series of acquisitions, before stepping down as chief executive in 2023. Carlos Brito, the former chief executive of drinks AB InBev, has served as Belrons boss ever since. Mr Lubner was born in Johannesburg, South Africa, in 1959 and studied in Cape Town before moving to Britain in the 1980s to complete a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree at London Business School. The businessman first pledged his support to the Labour Party in 2021 following a meeting with Rachel Reeves. In an interview with the Financial Times, Mr Lubner said he backed Labour after becoming disenchanted with the Conservatives. He has also described Brexit as the biggest own-goal ever. Mr Lubners son, Jack Lubner, was elected as the national chairman of Young Labour, the Labour Partys youth wing, in 2024. No London listing However, his ties to Labour were not enough to sway Belron to list in London, as the business chose Amsterdam over both the UK and the US. Thousands protest in Germany urging faster green shift Berlin, April 18 (AFP) Apr 18, 2026 Thousands of people demonstrated across Germany on Saturday, urging a faster shift to renewable energy and accusing conservative Chancellor Friedrich Merz's coalition of putting the brakes on the transition. In Berlin, Cologne, Hamburg and Munich, crowds took to the streets waving placards emblazoned with slogans including "renewables are our life" and "escape the fossil fuel trap". A coalition of campaign groups organising the demonstrations said about 80,000 people took part nationwide, although police gave lower figures. "The war in Iran and exploding energy prices make it very clear once again that we need to free ourselves from fossil fuels as quickly as possible," Christoph Bautz from campaign group Campact, which helped organise the protests, told AFP at the Berlin demonstration. He claimed that Economy Minister Katherina Reiche, from Merz's centre-right CDU party, was seeking to slow down the shift to renewables, which he said is "completely out of touch with the times and serves only the oil and gas industry". Merz's coalition, and in particular Reiche -- a former energy company executive -- have come under fire over various policies, including support for watering down EU-wide car emissions rules and their plans to build more gas-fired power plants. The chancellor argues steps need to be taken to relieve the burdens on Germany's struggling manufacturers, and help revive Europe's biggest economy whose heavy industry has suffered from high energy costs. While Germany has greatly expanded solar and wind power, with most of the country's electricity now provided by renewables, the new government's actions have fuelled fears it will miss its ambitious climate targets. Luisa Neubauer, a leading figure in the Fridays for Future movement in Germany, told AFP at the Berlin demonstration that she was "positively surprised" by how many people had turned up. "I'm surprised that the federal government thinks it can get away with its lame excuses and its obstruction of the energy transition," she said. "No one here is buying that." The organisers, who included groups like Greenpeace and WWF, said about 24,000 people demonstrated in Berlin, 30,000 in Cologne, 15,000 in Hamburg and 12,000 in Munich. Police in Berlin gave an initial estimate of 9,000, and in Cologne 4,500. Europe's far right rails at migration 'tsunami' in Milan after Orban defeat Milan, Italy, April 18 (AFP) Apr 18, 2026 Far-right leaders from Europe gathered in Milan Saturday for a rally attended by thousands against irregular immigration and Brussels bureaucracy, the first since the electoral defeat of nationalist Viktor Orban in Hungary. Supporters of the Patriots for Europe party, the third-largest bloc in the European Parliament, rallied in front of Milan's Duomo cathedral, separated by a significant police presence from a likewise thousands-strong rally by anti-fascist groups. Organiser Matteo Salvini, leader of Italy's nationalist League party, has deemed that "symbol of Christianity" ideal for the event billed as "Without Fear -- in Europe Masters in our Own Home!" France's Jordan Bardella and the Netherlands' Geert Wilders were in attendance at the invitation of Salvini, who is also deputy prime minister in the coalition government of Giorgia Meloni. "Today, the tragedy we predicted has become a reality. Our people, the original inhabitants of Europe, have been hit by a tsunami of mass immigration, illegal immigration, mostly from Islamic countries," Wilders told supporters. But the Hungarians were conspicuous by their absence after Orban, one of the co-founders of the Patriots, was voted out of power after 16 years in a crushing election defeat to pro-EU opposition figure Peter Magyar. "Dear Viktor, you have defended the borders and fought human traffickers and arms traffickers. Let us all continue this fight together, for freedom and the rule of law," Salvini told the rally. Ahead of last week's election, the president of France's National Rally, Marine Le Pen, went to Budapest to try and shore up Orban, stressing that 2027 was shaping up to be "absolutely fundamental" for the far right. Major upcoming elections in France, Italy, Spain and Poland would give potential far-right winners "the means to radically change the course of the European Union from within", she said. "I've come here to Milan to reassure you: our victory in the upcoming presidential election is within reach. And we're getting ready to say goodbye to Macron," her lieutenant, Bardella, told Saturday's rally. Also on Saturday, progressives including Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum and Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva are set to gather in Barcelona. - 'Faces uncovered' - In line with Meloni, the League has also called for the EU to soften budget deficit rules due to the energy crisis triggered by the Middle East war. "We are going to address all the issues that are affecting European societies, in particular the issue of immigration and the ever-increasing regulations imposed by the European Commission and the European Union on European industry and on the economies of the eurozone," Bardella told journalists ahead of the rally. Farmers in tractors protesting against free trade agreements and motorcyclists opposed to traffic restrictions were to lead the way Saturday for a short march from eastern Milan to the Duomo. The far-right rally is also a show of force for the League in its stronghold of Lombardy and in Italy as a whole, at a time when it can count only on around six to eight percent of voting intentions, according to the latest polls. The League's popularity has been on a downward trajectory, scoring 17.4 percent in the 2018 elections and 8.8 percent in the last ones in 2022. Salvini's party is under pressure from the new "National Future" party founded by retired general Roberto Vannacci, who defected from the League in February and already has about three percent of voting intentions. Despite being the League's coalition partner in Meloni's government, Forza Italia is also planning an event for its Milan chapter, dedicated to the "social and civic engagement" of children of immigrants in Italy. Get the latest entertainment news, reviews and star-studded interviews with our Independent Culture email Get the latest entertainment news with our free Culture newsletter Get the latest entertainment news with our free Culture newsletter Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice David Harbour has joined the cast of John Rambo, a new action feature set before the events of the 1982 Rambo film First Blood. Serving as an origin story for the character made famous by Sylvester Stallone, it will star Noah Centineo as the Vietnam veteran who uses his experience to fight corrupt police officers and drug cartels. Variety reports that Harbour will play Rambos commanding officer, Major Trautman, in the film directed by Jalmari Helander. Also appearing in the film are Filipino-Malaysian actor Yao, who made his Hollywood debut in Ryan Cooglers Oscar-winning 2025 film Sinners, A Thousand Blows star Jason Tobin, Yellowstone actor Jefferson White and Tayme Thapthimthong, best known for his role as Gaitok in season three of The White Lotus. Centineo, 29, is a former Disney Channel actor perhaps best known for starring in the To All The Boys... romantic comedy franchise. More recently he played a spy in Netflixs The Recruit, which was cancelled in 2025 after two seasons. Stallone played Rambo in five films, starting with First Blood (1982) and reprising the role in Rambo: First Blood Part II (1985), Rambo III (1988), Rambo (2008) and Rambo: Last Blood (2019). Harbour has joined the cast of the new Rambo film ( Getty ) Harbour currently appears in the dark comedy mini-series DTF St Louis, having previously shot to fame thanks to his role as Jim Hopper in Stranger Things, and as Alexei Shostakov/Red Guardian in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. He will reprise his role as Alexei in the upcoming blockbuster Avengers: Doomsday, scheduled for release in December. Earlier this year, Harbour had dropped out of Tony Gilroys drama Behemoth!. He had been due to star in the project alongside Pedro Pascal and Olivia Wilde. According to the films official logline, the plot follows a musician from a family of musicians who returns to Los Angeles. A love letter to the music of the movies and the people who make it. Would you want fat from a dead body pumped into yours for a little added oomph? Its a morbid question many answered with a resounding yes when the so-called zombie filler slowly emerged on the US market in 2024. Today, stateside clinics now have months-long backlogs of plump-seeking patients waiting to get their hands on vials of sterilised cadaver tissue. Read: Brazilian butt lifts (BBLs) and boob jobs are now being sourced from the morgue. Zombie filler real name alloClae was first released by manufacturer Tiger Aesthetics to a select group of doctors across the pond in 2024. When people donate their bodies to science after their death for altruistic acts like organ donation, tissue banks often collect their fat, too. Tiger Aesthetics then purchases it, screens it for diseases, sterilises and processes it, before selling it to surgeons in a little branded syringe, with the deceaseds fat now resembling severely curdled cake batter. The main perk of having a dead persons fat injected into your body is a reduced recovery time. For a BBL, while the buttocks still have to heal, there will be no other areas of liposuction (where fat is taken from donor areas) to heal as well. And while a boob job or BBL would normally require general anaesthesia and days of healing time, patients can have zombie filler injected into the desired areas with local anaesthesia on their work lunch break. It also means that slim people with no excess fat of their own to funnel into the areas where they desire curves can now get it from somewhere (or, rather, someone) else. This, in the age of Ozempic, Wegovy and Mounjaro, is big business. People have shifted the excess weight they didnt want but now theyre clambering to add a touch back in. Nora Nugent, President of the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons, says that she is seeing increasing numbers of weight loss patients at her surgery in the UK. I wouldnt say most patients know about alloClae yet, but in the last six months or so, Ive had patients specifically ask about it when Ive talked to them about procedures like fat transfer, particularly for breast surgery. Its coming into peoples awareness. Right now, alloClae is only officially available in the US. Tiger Aesthetics did not respond to requests for comment on whether they planned to expand to the UK in the future. At the moment, its not licensed by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), explains Nugent. Ultimately, it will probably come to market in the UK but its not right now. If youre offered it, something has gone wrong. open image in gallery Drop dead gorgeous? Increasing numbers of patients in the UK are asking surgeons about alloClae, aka zombie filler ( alloClae ) Founder of Safety in Beauty a UK-based support organisation for the industry Antonia Mariconda takes this warning one step further: Any current use will be off the radar on the black market offered by a handful of questionable non-medical individuals, she says, adding theres growing speculation within the industry that the product and others like it will enter the UK market legitimately in the near future. Black market zombie filler is as you might have guessed bad news. Inadequate cleaning, incorrect autoclave use, or lack of validation can lead to cross-contamination and serious infection, says Mariconda. Similarly, if fat is not harvested and processed under strict aseptic conditions, there is a risk of bacterial contamination, reduced tissue viability, and complications such as infection, fat necrosis, or inflammatory reactions. Essentially, the fat could get lumpy and die. Any current use will be off the radar on the black market offered by a handful of questionable non-medical individuals Safety in Beauty founder Antonia Mariconda If you dont know where backstreet fat has come from, then you cant verify how well its been processed or sterilised. Poor documentation and lack of traceability further increase risk by limiting the ability to respond effectively to incidents, Mariconda notes of the risk to patients. As with all new products, experts have very little idea of how zombie fat could look or feel as it ages. The jury is still out on long-term longevity, says Nugent. Its promising, but we dont have very long-term data on it. So, we don't know if there could be unknown issues in 20 years time. open image in gallery Zombie filler is proving particuarly popular among weight loss jab users ( Reuters ) Despite its ability to be administered while youre still awake, Mariconda also warns that zombie filler shouldnt be considered in the same blase way as many see procedures like dermal fillers or Botox. One of the key concerns were observing is the potential for these treatments to be positioned alongside standard injectable procedures, when in reality they require a higher level of medical expertise, clinical governance and patient consent, she says. There remains a lack of clear, consistent guidance around who is suitably qualified to perform such procedures and in what setting. If and when zombie filler does make its way to the UK shuffling like a character from The Walking Dead, no doubt questions linger on where exactly the fat will come from. In the US, its collected from corpses via donor tissue banks. Should we be concerned in the UK that our immortal legacy could soon be becoming part of a strangers boob job or BBL? It depends on licensing, says Nugent. It would remain to be seen whether fat is imported from the US home company, or whether it would be donated within the UK as well. The Human Tissue Authority said they were not aware of any allogeneic products like zombie filler being developed in, or imported into, the UK currently. So, dont bin your donor card yet. However, the Department of Health and Social Care do currently have a call out to stakeholders and the general public about future regulations for products derived from humans in the UK, so now might be the time to put your two pence in. Nugent notes that alloClae does have altruistic potential: A lot of breast cancer reconstruction patients have fat transfer as well, she says. So, its use wouldnt be entirely restricted to purely cosmetic purposes. But, for donors, it will be a very individual decision. Most people will assume their tissue will be used for someone badly in need. open image in gallery Secret Lives of Mormon Wives star Taylor Frankie Paul is among the celebrities whove tried the treatment ( Getty ) Should fat be flown across the Atlantic, there would be an expiry date but transportation is possible without the fat breaking down. Its sterilised, so it has a shelf life, says Nugent. Its not a living tissue anymore, so it doesnt need to be in a freezer or cold storage. That being said, demand is so high that America may not have much to spare. And, as cadaver fat is now a precious and finite resource, the procedure, including surgeon fees can cost up to $100,000 (73,792), Business Insider reports, depending on how many cubic centimetres of fat you want. As far as modern society is concerned, its akin to sterilised gold. Earlier this year The Sun reported that Taylor Frankie Paul of Secret Lives of Mormon Wives was known to have received the treatment. If it does come to the UK, a similarly high price tag is expected initially. Alloclae is the first of its kind, so other companies will be looking at this and developing their own products, says Nugent. Over time, it would likely become cheaper or more alternatives would become available, she says. open image in gallery Pure gold on demand: There are months-long wait lists for alloClae in the US ( alloClae ) No end of warnings have been issued about the sale and use of cheap dermal fillers and Botox available online. With the demand for zombie filler predicted to soar, Nugent predicts a similar race to the bottom could take place if the right quality control measures arent enforced. It depends on whether knockoff versions come to the market, she says, and on the company's sales policy, which, I've no reason to think, is anything other than above board at the moment. Safety aside, zombie filler initially seems like an Adams Family nightmare that opens up the unforeseen ethical conundrum: Is it right to have somebody elses fat injected into your body? I'm not against it coming to the UK, says Nugent. For me, its in the same realm as donated skin for burn patients or organ transplants. Its no spookier than that. The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice The FBI agent tasked with uncovering the digital footprint of Idaho mass murderer Bryan Kohberger has revealed for the first time that the killers calculated efforts to wipe clean his online life played a crucial role in proving his guilt. Jeff Tanzola, a supervisory special agent in Philadelphias FBI field office, explained to The Independent this week how large amounts of data text messages, Google searches, buffer logs, privacy dashboards, battery stats and usage were missing from Kohbergers phone and laptop, when those devices landed on his desk in 2023. And they werent missing by accident. A lot of times when you get a phone, you get a computer, theres a lot of evidence that just jumps off the screen at you, Tanzola said, during a panel moderated by The Independent at the Cellebrite C2C User Summit on Wednesday. This was not the case with that. It was the complete opposite of that. It appeared that Kohberger who was arrested a month after the Nov. 13, 2022 murders of four University of Idaho students discovered stabbed to death at their off-campus home and would ultimately plead guilty in July 2025 had attempted a digital blackout during the night of the murders. It was one of only four periods of total inactivity, dating back to June 2022, forensic experts previously reported. But the killers plan backfired. open image in gallery FBI Agent Jeff Tanzola spoke about his work on the Bryan Kohberger case and how he used the killers digital blackout against him ( Supplied ) Tanzola, along with the two forensic experts he enlisted to help Heather Barnhart, senior digital forensics expert for Cellebrite, and Jared Barnhart, the companys head of global engagement discovered the pattern of voids in his otherwise trackable life that appeared in the months leading up to the murders. A deeper dive then revealed some of the tracks the killer had not managed to cover. One of the voids in his digital trail was on the night of the murders. He didnt just lose signal or run out of battery, Jared Barnhart explained. This was an actual button press, power off, on purpose, and then a power back two hours later. And in the middle of that, four people were killed. The digital evidence was key to showing that the killings were premeditated, the experts have said, and bolstered the DNA evidence from a knife sheath found with the bodies, which tied Kohberger to the crime scene. The physical evidence combined with the digital evidence created a strong case that helped form a broader picture prosecutors were prepared to present at trial. But that trial, slated for August 2025 in Boise, Idaho, would never happen. In July 2025, Kohberger pleaded guilty and was sentenced to life in prison, avoiding the death penalty, for the murders of Kaylee Goncalves, 21, Madison Mogen, 21, Xana Kernodle, 20, and Ethan Chapin, 20. He has never explained his motive for the killings. open image in gallery Ethan Chapin, 20, Madison Mogen, 21, Xana Kernodle, 20, and Kaylee Goncalves, 21, were killed in November 2022 ( Instagram ) open image in gallery The four University of Idaho students were found stabbed to death inside this off-campus house in Moscow. The house has since been demolished ( Getty Images ) Why is nothing here? Tanzola, who is a senior digital forensic examiner for the FBI and the lab director for the Philadelphia Regional Computer Forensic Laboratory, wasn't called into this case initially for digital forensics, but for tactical operation. Kohberger was located and arrested on December 30, 2022, at his parents home in the area of Tanzolas operations, which is in the Poconos, Pennsylvania. So, ironically, I wasn't notified initially, and remember, it was like 48 days after the event before we were able to get out there and make the arrest, Tanzola explained. So, a lot of time had lapsed in there. Months later, Tanzola was tasked with checking for evidence on Kohbergers phone and laptop, but when he began combing through the devices, what stood out wasnt what he found it was what he didnt. And yet the pressure to find something was high. Im a senior digital forensic examiner, but I wasnt finding what I needed to find, Tanzola said. Youd still think youd be able to find remnants on that phone or his computer. But that really wasnt there. Nothing was really jumping off the screen. Everyones looking at you. Youre the digital forensic guy. You have the phone. Youre looking at it. Why is nothing there? Tanzola added. open image in gallery Jeff Tanzola, who is a senior digital forensic examiner for the FBI and the lab director for the Philadelphia Regional Computer Forensic Laboratory, ( Cellebrite ) open image in gallery Tanzola, alongside Cellebrites Sr. Digital Forensics Expert Heather Barnhart and Cellebrites Head of Global Engagement and Customer Experience, Jared Barnhart, spoke publicly about the Idaho murders case ( Cellebrite ) So Tanzola sought help from other FBI investigators at his lab but to no avail. We still werent finding anything. So, its always that check and balance just to make sure youre not missing anything. That next step, Tanzola said, was to reach out to Cellebrite, a digital forensics company that provides specialized software for law enforcement, government, and enterprise to unlock, extract, and analyze data. And thats how we got moving. And thats really what I want to portray for this partnership, Tanzola said, motioning to both Heather Barnhart and Jared Barnhart, the two forensic experts on stage at the Cellebrite conference this week. At Cellebrites annual conference this week, more than 900 digital forensics and investigative professionals from more than 30 countries gathered in Washington, D.C. where they discussed a wide range of criminal cases and investigative topics. Cellebrite also awarded 20 winners JUSTYS at its Digital Justice Awards. During the panel discussion on the last night of the conference, Tanzola and the Barnharts spoke to a packed room about how the Idaho college murders case, and specifically their task of extracting any sort of evidence from Kohbergers devices, was the most unique and difficult case they had worked on. When asked if they had ever worked cases like this, Tanzola replied: For me the short answer is no, Tanzola said. Never." One initial challenge was the amount of time that had passed between the murders in Moscow, Idaho, and Kohbergers arrest, 48 days later, at his parents home clear across the country in Chestnuthill Township, Pennsylvania, was both a blessing and a curse. Heather Barnhart said that so many days had passed before the phone was seized, that Kohberger had time scrub everything from his phone. But what the experts later found - was that new searches had appeared and new files saved - about the very murders he had just committed. Searches for serial killers, porn and his victims murders Kohberger had scrubbed his search history in the months leading up to the murders, but photos remained on his phone, and while not incriminating, many of them gave insight into who he was. Many of the photos were selfies that showed Kohberger giving the camera a thumbs up. Some were of him posing half naked in the mirror while flexing. There was no evidence that he sent these images to anybody. There were also saved photos of women in bikinis, though Barnharts previously confirmed that Kohberger had not taken these himself, just that these were all cache files saved to his device. open image in gallery What investigators mostly found on his phone were half-naked selfies of the convicted killer ( Supplied ) open image in gallery Kohberger poses for a selfie that prosecutors say was taken just hours after the quadruple Idaho murders ( Latah County Prosecutors Office ) Kohberger succeeded in deleting a massive amount of information leading up to the murders, he was less careful in the 48 days between the killings and his arrest on December 30. The team found that he had downloaded pdf files that included official updates on the Idaho murders case from the Moscow Police Department. He had also downloaded PDFs and URLs of his research on serial killers. On Christmas into December 26, 2022, just days before his arrest, Kohberger searched for more than two dozen serial killers, including Betty Lou Beets, Randy Kraft, William Lee Cody Neal, Danny Rolling, Joel Rifkin, Ted Bundy, Altemio Sanchez, Glen Rogers, Cary Stayner, John Wayne Gacy, Harvey Glatman, Paul Bernardo, Rodney Alcala, Robert Hansen, Gary Ridgeway, David Parker Ray, Cleophus Prince, Danny Rolling, Ed Kemper and Dennis BTK Rader. When Moscow Police put out an alert that they were looking for a white Hyundai Elantra, on December 28, 2022, Kohberger began shopping online for a new vehicle, the experts learned. Heather Barnhart said Kohbergers digital trail during those 48 days proved to be a key mistake because his searches, if they had been shared with a jury, would not have supported his initial claim of innocence. A disturbing pattern emerges But it wasnt a recovered message or hidden file that caused things to click for the forensic experts it was a pattern. The team had uncovered files scrubbed from devices, searches routed through VPNs, and URLs about serial killers he had downloaded all of which, they say, painted a chilling picture of obsession and planning. On Wednesday, Tanzola said it was like a flashlight aiming at the digital blackout Kohberger was attempting to create during the time of the murders. If you looked at it in the timeline that is is normal activity, but then see absolutely no activity for a certain time frame, obviously the timeframe around the homicide, and then there is activity again, he said. At 2:54 a.m. on November 13, 2022, Bryan Kohbergers phone went dark. The battery hadnt died, and it wasnt randomly powered off it was silenced with precision. WiFi and cellular data were disabled. No location tracking on. And no background activity. A deliberate blackout during the exact window prosecutors say four University of Idaho students were brutally murdered at their off-campus home. Two hours later, at 4:48 a.m., the phone turned back on. It would be months before investigators fully understood what that gap in activity meant. open image in gallery Many of the photos were selfies that showed Kohberger giving the camera a thumbs up ( Supplied ) open image in gallery Some photos showed the emotionless Kohberger just staring at the camera ( Supplied ) But even defining Kohbergers normal behavior proved unsettling. When you said normal activity... he was not normal, Heather said. He only had like 16 contacts. And those included general numbers, including AT&T, customer service, and maintenance, she added. So he did not have friends. He did not chat with people, Heather added. He had hour-long conversations with his parents. So it also felt weird on where is where is the normal. On December 29, a day before his arrest, Kohberger began calling and texting his parents obsessively, just as he had on the morning of the murders. If his mom didnt answer, hed call his dad, they said. That same day, Kohberger searched terms like paranoid psychopath and wiretapping. It was obviously weighing on him, Heather noted. Complicating matters further was Kohbergers background. As a criminology PhD student at Washington State University, Kohberger had long been immersed in the study of crime. But according to the digital forensics team, his interest crossed a line, from academic to obsessive. He didnt just Google these cases, Heather said. He downloaded full PDFs of case files. Not once, but repeatedly. He was downloading detailed reports on serial killers, including Danny Rolling, who also murdered college students using a similar knife. This wasnt casual browsing. This was meticulous research, she added. open image in gallery As a criminology PhD student at Washington State University, Kohberger had long been immersed in the study of crime. But according to the digital forensics team, his interest crossed a line, from academic to obsessive ( Getty ) open image in gallery Kohberger downloaded detailed reports on serial killers, according to the experts ( Supplied ) To determine exactly what happened during that two-hour window on the night of the murders, the Cellebrite team re-created the digital environment and studied call logs. Turning off your phone isnt enough, Heather said. You have to disable Wi-Fi, disable cellular, then power down. And thats what he did. They discovered that in the days right before and right after the murders, Kohberger disabled WiFi access on his devices and routed his traffic through NordVPN, a tool designed to anonymize online activity. While the act is not criminal, it is abnormal, Jared had noted. He was diligent in prep and cleanup and he made our job really hard, Jared said. This is someone who tried really hard to not be detected. It made it more difficult to distinguish intent from academic curiosity. So he had stuff on his phone that could be kind of devious, I would say, but also could be easily explainable as research for his doctoral program, Tanzola explained. open image in gallery Kohberger was arrested on December 30, 2022 in Pennsylvania ( Getty ) open image in gallery In July 2025, three years after his arrest, Kohberger pleaded guilty to the murders and was sentenced to life in prison ( Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved ) What are you hiding? As the team continued their investigation, signs of an intensive digital cleanup emerged on Kohbergers devices. While the digital evidence didnt deliver a specific aha moment, the team said, it painted a picture of sinister intent and a great deal of planning. I think it was little moments that kind of came together. His hard drive was glaringly absent. And for me, that was weird, Heather said. So there were so many things that just gave me doubt but I think all of that cleanup. What are you hiding? In a previous interview with The Independent, the Barnharts explained how the pattern of voids combined with the chilling images and searches found on a deeper dive, pointed to a well thought-out plan. This wasnt someone who just snapped, Heather said. This was someone who planned. He didnt accidentally stumble into this house and commit this heinous crime. It was intentional. There wasnt a single smoking gun, Jared Barnhart added. But we found that the digital evidence told the story of preparation. Despite their exhaustive efforts, the forensic team were left with many questions, something they had badly wanted to provide the grieving families. The Cellebrite experts and Tanzola, were all slated to testify at Kohbergers trial in August 2025 before the 30-year-old unexpectedly accepted a plea deal on June 30, 2025, avoiding the death penalty and receiving four consecutive life sentences plus an additional 10 years for burglary. For Tanzola, the moment was bittersweet. I think ultimately we want to see the subjects being held accountable for their crimes, he said. Im confident that he was the subject, Tanzola added. But you dont know what the jurys going to say. open image in gallery Parents of victim Kaylee Goncalves, Steve Goncalves consoles Kristi Goncalves as she speaks at Kohbergers sentencing hearing on July 23, 2025 ( Getty ) open image in gallery Madison Mogen and Kaylee Goncalves pictured together before their murders ( Instagram ) Tanzola noted that while there was pressure to find out more about the killer on his devices, a pressure to bring a solid case to trial, there was also the looming pressure of being on the stand. There's also pressure with being put on the hot seat on the stand, you know, because you don't want to be the one up there that either says something that turns the case in the wrong direction, he said Wednesday at the conference. Even though I'm confident that we had the evidence. For Tanzola, the biggest takeaway wasnt about what was, or was not, on the phone. It was the hard work and collaboration with fellow investigators and the Cellebrite team. We wanted to make sure we uncovered every stone, looked at everything and made sure that we understood what the answers were, he said. So, I think we brought together the best case forward with the evidence that we had. 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 Patients and colleagues are remembering Dr. Cerina Fairfax as a devoted mother, a caring dentist and the rock at the center of her family after she was killed by her estranged husband, former Virginia Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax. Police found both dead in their home in the Washington, D.C., suburb of Annandale, Virginia, early Thursday. They believe Justin Fairfax fatally shot his wife and then killed himself. They were going through a divorce and Justin Fairfax had been ordered by a judge to move out of the house by the end of the month. Cerina Fairfax, 49, ran a thriving family dentistry practice in the nearby city of Fairfax. A profile page on its described her as an avid reader who liked to travel, practice yoga, go on trail runs with her Vizsla-breed dogs and spend time with her wonderful family. Virginia Rep. Jennifer McClellan, who knew Fairfax through her husband's campaign and the time he spent in office, said their two teenaged children were the people she cherished most. Cerina Fairfax said in court filings that they separated nearly two years ago but they were still living in the same house with their children ( AP ) Cerina Fairfax was a loving and dedicated mother and the rock at the center of her large family," McClellan wrote in a statement. Terron Sims II, a friend and patient, remembered her as a quiet and caring friend, whose dentistry was more than a profession. It was an expression of love and compassion, Sims told WUSA-TV. It was her way of service to others. Fairfax was recognized in 2015 as the Outstanding Graduate of the Last Decade by the Virginia Commonwealth School of Dentistry. Dr. Jeffrey Johnson, the interim dean of the dental school, wrote that her loss is deeply felt by many who knew her. As a clinician and alumna, Dr. Fairfax embodied the ideals of our profession dedication to her patients, commitment to growth, and a deep sense of purpose in her work each day," Johnson wrote. "I know she was a mentor, role model, and friend to many in our school. Leaders in the states dental community also praised her accomplishments and commitment to patients. In addition to being a beloved practitioner in her community, Dr. Fairfax loved giving back through volunteer work and contributions to local charities focused on helping those in need, said Ryan Dunn, CEO of the Virginia Dental Association, in a statement. As we remember Dr. Fairfax, we honor the impact she made and the connections she helped build within the VDA and her community. Cerina and Justin Fairfax met as undergraduates at Duke University and married in 2006. Justin Fairfax unsuccessfully sought the Democratic nomination for attorney general in 2013, then won the race for lieutenant governor in 2017. He was considered a rising star in the Democratic Party until two women came forward accusing him of sexually assaulting them years earlier, before he and Cerina were married. He left office at the end of his term in 2022, following an unsuccessful run for governor. Cerina Fairfax said in court filings that they separated nearly two years ago. But they were still living in the same house with their children, who police said were both home at the time of their deaths. The judge overseeing the divorce had told Justin Fairfax to move out by the end of April, writing it is clear tensions in the Fairfax home have been extremely high for an extended period of time. 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 or text 988, or visit 988lifeline.org to access online chat from the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. 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 Find your next quality investment with Simply Wall St's easy and powerful screener, trusted by over 7 million individual investors worldwide. India hotel expansion agreement puts Hampton by Hilton in focus Hilton Worldwide Holdings (HLT) has drawn investor attention after signing an agreement with Royal Orchid Hotels to develop 125 Hampton by Hilton properties across key western and southern states in India. The franchised upper midscale hotels are planned for markets including Goa, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, targeting rising domestic travel and demand from Indias expanding middle class. See our latest analysis for Hilton Worldwide Holdings. Investors appear to be reacting to Hiltons India expansion and wider growth plans, with a 15.78% 1 month share price return and a 62.40% 1 year total shareholder return signaling firm positive momentum. If this kind of travel driven story has your attention, it could be a good moment to broaden your watchlist with 19 top founder-led companies Hiltons recent India deal, strong share price run and current price near its analyst target all raise a key question for you: is Hilton still offering value, or is the market already pricing in future growth? Most Popular Narrative: 3.7% Overvalued Hiltons latest close of $341.03 sits modestly above the narrative fair value of $328.80, which is built around unit growth, premium brands and digital roll out. The rapid expansion of Hilton's development pipeline, including opening 221 hotels in the quarter and a record 510,000 rooms in progress, with strategic focus on emerging markets (Asia-Pacific, Africa, India), positions Hilton to capture rising demand from growing middle-class travelers worldwide, supporting long-term revenue and earnings growth. Read the complete narrative. Want to see what kind of revenue trajectory and margin shift sits behind that room pipeline and fair value math? The core assumptions might surprise you. Result: Fair Value of $328.80 (OVERVALUED) Have a read of the narrative in full and understand what's behind the forecasts. However, this upbeat story can quickly change if RevPAR stays weak in key markets, or if competition and incentives start to squeeze Hiltons margins harder than expected. Find out about the key risks to this Hilton Worldwide Holdings narrative. Next Steps Given the mix of optimism and concern in this story, now is a good time to review the details yourself and decide where you stand. You can start with 1 key reward and 2 important warning signs. Looking for more investment ideas? If Hilton has sharpened your interest, do not stop there. Use the Simply Wall St Screener to uncover more focused opportunities that might suit your portfolio goals. East Baton Rouge Parish Schools Superintendent LaMont Cole, left, led up a delegation of school employees and students attending the 2026 Magnet Schools of America conference. Here they are accepting MSA's District of the Year award, awarded on the first day of the conference, Wednesday, April 15, 2026. From left, Cole; Casaundra McNair, executive director; Rosalind Wright, director of magnet programs; and Elizabeth Thomas, recruiter for magnet programs. Find your next quality investment with Simply Wall St's easy and powerful screener, trusted by over 7 million individual investors worldwide. Palantir Technologies: Event Overview and Recent Trading Context Palantir Technologies (PLTR) has drawn fresh attention after recent trading left the stock with a 1 day return of 2.5% and a 7 day gain of 14.3%, against weaker month and past 3 months moves. Those swings come as investors weigh a business generating US$4.48b in revenue and US$1.63b in net income, split across government and commercial customers, and heavily concentrated in the United States. See our latest analysis for Palantir Technologies. The recent 1 day and 7 day share price gains come after a weaker 30 day and 90 day share price return. However, the 1 year and multi year total shareholder returns remain very large, suggesting longer term momentum is still in place. If this recent move in Palantir has your attention, it may be useful to see what else is moving by checking a curated list of 38 AI infrastructure stocks So, with Palantir generating US$4.48b in revenue, US$1.63b in net income and trading at US$146.39, is the current valuation leaving upside on the table, or are markets already pricing in future growth? Most Popular Narrative: 52.5% Overvalued According to the most followed narrative, Palantir's fair value sits at $96 against a last close of $146.39, which builds in a sizeable premium. Palantir's market capitalization has seen a remarkable growth from $13.365 billion in 2022 to $183.495 billion in 2024. This steep increase, particularly the 391.13% jump from 2023 to 2024, suggests a high level of market optimism. The enterprise value (EV) follows a similar trend, indicating the market's high valuation of Palantir's future potential. Read the complete narrative. Want to see what sits behind that optimism and the premium to fair value? The narrative leans on fast revenue gains, rising margins and a future profit multiple usually reserved for market favorites. Result: Fair Value of $96 (OVERVALUED) Have a read of the narrative in full and understand what's behind the forecasts. However, this premium view could be tested if government contract spending tightens or if competitors in data analytics and AI win key deals away from Palantir. Find out about the key risks to this Palantir Technologies narrative. Next Steps With sentiment this split, it helps to move quickly, review the key numbers for yourself and decide how much optimism you share in those rewards, starting with 2 key rewards. Looking for more investment ideas? If Palantir has you thinking more seriously about your portfolio, now is the time to broaden your watchlist and spot opportunities you would regret missing later. Advertisement LifestyleLife & relationshipsSunday Life Kathy Lette wanted a trip to make her feel young again. Heres where she went Kathy Lette April 19, 2026 5:00am Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Share A A A This story is part of the April 19 edition of Sunday Life. See all stories . One of lifes great conundrums is why blokes prefer their women young and their wine old. This glaring double standard has driven women to wage an all-out war on ageing. So, whats the best solution? Detox? Botox? A slimy green juice fast? A fancy face cream? Nope. The best way to look young is to be photographed in front of ancient monuments, antiques and relics. Combine this kind of historical trip with some vintage wine-tasting and surely any sane bloke will deduce that women also become more precious, nuanced and delicious as the years roll by. Were not ageing, were maturing. Kathy Lettes adventure began with two nights in Portugals capital, Lisbon. To test this theory, I took my boyfriend on a 10-day wine-tasting cruise along the Douro River, through Portugals UNESCO World Heritage-listed wine region, where lush vines cascade down undulating hills to the rivers sleepy banks. The best way to see Europe is by boat. Before planes and trains, rivers and canals were the continents superhighways, with every major city accessible by boat. Adding to the attraction, aquatic sightseeing does away with so many travel hassles. There are no emphysemic hire cars, no character building accommodation, no botched hotel bookings, no endless packing and unpacking (and thats just emotional baggage from navigating convoluted suborbital ring roads in a foreign language). Thanks to Donald Trump, wine will soon be cheaper than petrol, so drink, dont drive. Vikings River of Gold adventure begins with two nights in the nations capital, Lisbon, reliving the 15th and 16th centuries, when Portuguese caravels and their intrepid crews set sail in search of new worlds, mapping vast oceans and connecting continents with nothing more than a sextant and a pickled sausage. Advertisement Remember all those school lessons on Vasco da Gama and Ferdinand Magellan? Well, Lisbons Maritime Museum brings their adventures to salt-encrusted life. Then its on to explore the baroque mosaic masterpiece of Sao Roque Church, imposing Sao Jorge castle and the citys vibrant bohemian district before a Viking tour bus whisks us off to our next picturesque destination. The multicoloured houses of Porto, the nations second city, cluster like cheerful barnacles up the steep riverbanks, leading to a medieval summit bristling with church spires. And a night on the tiles here takes on a whole new meaning as Portos buildings are beautifully decorated in trademark, traditional blue-and-white ceramics. Portos main activity, drinking port, feels less like tourism and more like a civic duty as you roam from cellar to cellar. Learning to differentiate the marmalade, spicy, smoky varieties from the coffee, toffee, and tawny ranges is happy homework indeed. Then came the moment of truth: boarding our boat. Strolling across Douros majestic Dom Luis I bridge, which spans the rushing Douro between Porto and Vila Nova de Gaia, I spotted our Viking home for the next week, moored far below. Portugal is the sardine capital of the world and, to be honest, I wasnt entirely thrilled by the idea of becoming one, packed into a floating tin can with strangers. How claustrophobic would I feel? Exploring some of Europes most magnificent castles, palaces, cathedrals, monasteries and medieval fortresses definitely puts ageing into perspective. KATHY LETTE All fears evaporate the moment we step into our spacious cabin, with its wide balcony, perfect for lazy hours watching the stunning scenery of the Douro River Valley roll gently by. Advertisement We set sail by moonlight to begin our river adventure and settled into a series of fascinating excursions, including to Iberias oldest university towns: Coimbra in Portugal and Salamanca in Spain. As Id hoped, exploring some of Europes most magnificent castles, palaces, cathedrals, monasteries and medieval fortresses definitely puts ageing into perspective. And nothing makes a man appreciate maturity as much as sipping vintage wine among ancient vines. Of course, the best thing about cruising is that you are umbilically attached to the mother ship. When your shoe leathers worn out, you simply board your boat, lie supine on deck and glide off to your next enthralling port. Related Article Opinion Sunday Life Party like its the end of the world? No thanks, Id much rather do this instead Kathy Lette Writer Vikings boats, with their practical yet aesthetically pleasing design, are elegant and discreet. No casinos or squealing kids, just concerts, libraries, lectures and local gourmet delights. We feast on succulent grilled Portuguese prawns, fleshy mussels, cod cooked in smoked paprika, exotic Iberian pork casseroles and, best of all, the warm, creamy, lemony tang of Portuguese tarts, all washed down with the most delectable wines. I also drink in the fascinating fado singing with its poignant tales of love and loss. Its hard to be a glass half-full person right now. With the world in such turmoil, the glass seems chipped, cracked and full of shards. But learning about the great Portuguese navigators while sampling vintage vinos in one of the worlds oldest demarcated wine regions is a timely reminder that this too shall pass. Advertisement The only wrinkles Im interested in now? The wrinkles in time Ive experienced on my historical Portuguese river trip. My timeless takeaway? To carpe diem like theres no tomorrow. Saude and tchin-tchin! Kathy Lette was a guest of Viking Cruises. Get the best of Sunday Life magazine delivered to your inbox every Sunday morning. Sign up here for our free newsletter. Advertisement LifestyleLife & relationshipsSunday Life Opinion The three little words helping me to make the most of every moment Jo Stanley Columnist April 19, 2026 5:00am April 19, 2026 5:00am Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Share A A A This story is part of the April 19 edition of Sunday Life. See all stories . I have never believed in horoscopes. I barely remember my own star sign. But for a few weeks earlier this year, as Lunar New Year approached, I became obsessed with the Chinese zodiac specifically the outgoing Year of the Snake. With absolutely no authority or cultural reference point, I joined the overnight experts in my social media feed, favourite podcasts and Pilates class as a sudden believer. Given most of us had no more knowledge of Chinese culture than where to find good yum cha, we had no right to jump on a thousands-year-old bandwagon, but I saw it as a mass response to having our struggles affirmed. I am living is not just gratitude it is an antidote to these strange and difficult times. iStock Snake years are about shedding, change, letting go of who we thought we were, and the painful, exhausting work of transformation and it rang so true. So many of us said, Yes! Come to think of it, 2025 did feel like I was dragging my freshly shucked body through dust towards forced renewal. It must have been the snake! Good riddance to that year. And then, as the Lunar New Year ticked over, and we woke up in the Year of the Horse, logic reminded me that every year brings change and uncertainty. Life in ways no horoscope can predict will still, at times, be hard. So if I want to have a better year and I never want one like last year again I should start with me. Advertisement I admit that last year I formed a habit of seeing a glass as half empty. Sometimes, I preferred the feeling of drowning over swimming to the surface. Something had to shift. And I am lovingly helping myself do this, with one simple phrase: I am living. Last year, I dont know that I was really living. I was enduring, managing, surviving. So this year, I am choosing aliveness. JO STANLEY This might sound a bit woo-woo, but if you can get on board with the Year of the Snake, it should be easy. Its simply the concept of repetition and refocus. I am living is a reminder that I am here, and I choose to live consciously. It sounds fairly obvious of course Im living and Im incredibly blessed to be so. Like all of us, I have lost enough loved ones to know that. But last year, I dont know that I was really living. I was enduring, managing, surviving. So this year, I am choosing deliberately and repeatedly to live. Im choosing aliveness. Advertisement Im focusing on the feeling of life. On the beat of my heart and the breath in my chest and the strength in my limbs, accompanied by that simple phrase that reminds me to never squander one moment. To make the most of every minute by being open to the possibility within it. Essentially, to stop being such a bloody sad sack because this body and the breath in it are the greatest and only gifts we need. Related Article Opinion Sunday Life How a dog in a yellow raincoat pulled me out of my melancholy Jo Stanley Columnist It turns out, I am living is not just gratitude it is an antidote to these strange and difficult times. Because of I am living, I have joyfully fed my soul with whatever feels like life. Dance parties in the sun, a solo road trip to nowhere just to enjoy my own company. Ive taken in the beauty of flowers, made friends with magpies, loved sunsets and sunrises and grey stormy skies. I have said yes when before Id say no. Left the house instead of hiding under the doona. Stopped to chat in the street instead of putting my head down and hurrying on. Ive met people, heard stories, laughed laughs that would have gone un-laughed, had I not chosen to live. Advertisement I am living is simultaneously yes to chocolate cake, sleep-ins and comedy shows with friends, and no to anything age-appropriate, doing things because I should, and pants that are too tight. I am living answers my mean inner critic with its hot, Im wearing shorts, and by the way, I love these knobbly knees, and, this is my body, and it gets to be seen. It calls to me this is your life dont miss it! and be bold, take up space! And when harder days hit, I am living whispers, I love you and you can do this and, dont be afraid, this too is life. In these three words there is resilience, acceptance and hope. There is defiance, rebellion and courage. Self-love and peace. Connection and joy. And there are enough great moments to make a really good year. Which is exactly the change I needed. Get the best of Sunday Life magazine delivered to your inbox every Sunday morning. Sign up here for our free newsletter. Daylight shooting at home of alleged crime boss The Sydney home of an alleged crime boss was shot at in broad daylight just metres from where children were playing Saturday sport. Advertisement Exclusive NationalProstate cancer Its the deadliest cancer for Australian men. This test could be life-saving for many, and their daughters Kate Aubusson April 19, 2026 5:00am Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Share A A A Ross Lamb vaguely recalls something about a famous actress, a gene mutation and breast cancer. But the 62-year-old had no inkling that Angelina Jolies double mastectomy had anything to do with his prostate cancer. Until he phoned his aunt. Ross Lamb had no idea his prostate cancer diagnosis could mean something for his daughters health. Ben Symons Doctors kept asking me if I had a history, and I always said no, this came out of the blue, Lamb said of his diagnosis with aggressive prostate cancer in December 2021. Then, called my aunt, and she gave me the background. Advertisement Lambs paternal grandmother died of breast cancer in the 1940s. His aunt had breast cancer and carried the BRCA2 mutation, which is linked to a breast cancer risk of 45 to 65 per cent, more than three times higher than the general population. Her three children also had the mutation. Her two daughters had breast cancer (one has passed away). Her son Lambs cousin had prostate cancer. She told me to go and get tested for BRCA2, and I was positive, Lamb said. Inherited genetic mutations are the cause of between 5 and 15 per cent of prostate cancers, the most commonly diagnosed cancer and the second leading cause of cancer death in Australian men. About 10 to 12 per cent of men with metastatic prostate cancer carry BRCA1/2 mutations. Advertisement Lamb immediately thought of his two daughters, Eleanor and Matilda. Eleanor was pregnant with twins. She didnt need any further stress. Ross Lamb, with wife Lyndsay, left, daughters Elle, centre, and Matilda, right, and grandchild Arlo. Ben Symons I was dreading the thought that Id passed this down to them and my grandkids, Lamb said. He and his wife, Lindsay, waited until the twins, Harvey and Adeline, were born to tell their daughters. When they came back negative, it was the greatest day of my life after my wedding day and my kids births, said Lamb, now 66. Advertisement It means it stopped with me, he said, thinking of his grandchildren, the twins, their eight-week-old brother, Arlo, and Matildas baby due in September. Too many men and their families are missing out on potentially life-saving testing and treatments because Australia lacks a national framework to guide genetic testing eligibility and access for prostate cancer, the authors of a national consensus paper say. Related Article Science The five everyday products linked to nearly one-third of all deaths globally Every year without reform is another year [when] men with hereditary prostate cancer miss earlier diagnosis and targeted treatment, and their families miss life-saving prevention, said the papers lead investigator, Professor Haitham Tuffaha, the University of Queenslands Effective and Efficient Healthcare program lead The first study to examine Australias genetic testing recommendations for prostate cancer found significant uncertainty among clinicians about which patients to refer for testing and how to do so, as well as major gaps in access to the rapidly evolving technology and counselling. Advertisement Meanwhile, patients, families, healthcare professionals, and researchers want Medicare-subsidised testing expanded beyond men with castration-resistant disease who are candidates for targeted treatment (primarily BRCA carriers), the authors reported in academic journal Familial Cancer. An analysis of Medicare data showed few men with metastatic prostate cancer are taking up BRCA1/2 testing, despite the test determining whether they are eligible for targeted therapies, including subsidised PARP inhibitor cancer drugs. Clinicians need clearer national guidance, better systems and workforce support to deliver it effectively, Tuffaha wrote. Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia (PCFA) chief executive Anne Savage said a unified national framework must be a priority, covering eligibility criteria, the types of genes tested and how, consent processes and cascade testing (in which immediate family members are also offered testing). We cannot afford to ignore the opportunity to completely transform survivorship outcomes for Australian men and their families, Savage said. Advertisement Professor David Thomas, chief science officer of Omico, which provides free genomic testing for advanced and incurable cancer patients, said precision medicine was increasingly critical for prostate cancer patients beyond BRCA mutations. Related Article Exclusive Cancer This cancer is on the rise but few want to talk about it Just over 10 per cent of Omicos prostate cancer patient cohort had gene mutations detected via germline testing (which analyses DNA from healthy cells in the blood). Roughly 8 per cent had BRCA mutations, and about 4 per cent had Lynch syndrome, caused by mutations in DNA mismatch repair genes. Thomas said 10 per cent was the magic number when testing starts to become common sense. This is just the tip of the iceberg, said the medical oncologist, who was himself diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2023. Advertisement There is another group of prostate cancer patients who dont have these gene mutations, but when Omico analysed their cancer tumour tissue, they found a type of impaired DNA repair called homologous recombination deficiency (HRD). HRD is the final product of those BRCA gene mutations, Thomas said. Clearly, some patients who have HRD but lack BRCA mutations have something else going on that produces the same consequence in the tumour as the mutations. This is important, Thomas said, because HRD predicts how well the PARP inhibitors work in prostate cancer, and immunotherapies are exquisitely potent for Lynch syndrome prostate cancers. Collectively, a sizable number of these people who may benefit from targeted treatments available to those with BRCA and Lynch syndrome genetic mutations, he said. How to improve access to genetic testing for Prostate Cancer National guidelines developed by Cancer Australia and EviQ (the Commonwealth governments online evidence-based cancer resource) covering eligibility by stage and risk, minimum gene sets, tumour and germline testing pathways, consent processes, and cascade testing. Expand MBS funding, including high-risk localised prostate cancer patients, Ashkenazi-Jewish ancestry, and a review of universal metastatic testing. Strengthen workforce and services: scale mainstream testing through oncology and urology services and telehealth genetic counselling Education courses for urologists, oncologists, and nurses on eligibility criteria, ordering tests (including cascade testing), informed consent and interpreting results. National datasets and auditing of testing uptake, cascade rates and equity of access by geography and socioeconomic status. Source: Prostate Cancer Genetic Testing in Australia, Professor Haitham Tuffaha Advertisement By the time Lamb was diagnosed, his cancer had spread to his lymph nodes and abdomen. It had been just nine months since his last PSA test. He underwent a radical prostatectomy followed by 32 rounds of radiotherapy, and is on a brutal hormone therapy regimen. Had I known about the genetic risk, Id have been having three or six monthly PSA tests, and maybe it would have been found earlier, he said. Cancer Australia assembled a national prostate cancer expert advisory group in March, whose remit includes inequity of access and early detection. It, alongside Genomics Australia, has submitted a proposal to the Medical Services Advisory Committee to expand Medicare funding for prostate cancer genetic testing. A Cancer Australia spokesman said the proposal would allow testing certain people with prostate cancer-related genes and testing for family members if a gene fault is found. Advertisement PCFA launched a nationwide survey to understand what the public and healthcare professionals know about genetic testing and its use. The Morning Edition newsletter is our guide to the days most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up here. Remove items from your saved list to add more. You have reached your maximum number of saved items. The car of a prominent western Sydney mayor was destroyed in a firebombing incident in the early hours of Saturday morning. A Mercedes hatchback owned by Cumberland Council mayor Ola Hameds family was engulfed in flames on a Merrylands street just after 3am. The car that was set alight on a Merrylands street in the early hours of Saturday morning. Hamed has been mayor of the council that stretches from Rookwood to Girraween via Merrylands since 2024. She was elected to the council as a Labor candidate when it was created as a result of amalgamations in 2017. She declined to comment. Two other cars parked in front of and behind Hameds vehicle were also damaged. A spokesperson for NSW Police said officers were called to the street at about 3.10am. Petrol supplies nationwide, including diesel, are looking promising A deal on more fuel is official but there are concerns other key supplies could come under threat while the US and Iran are at war. Remove items from your saved list to add more. You have reached your maximum number of saved items. A 17-year-old boy has been charged after a pedestrian was allegedly fatally struck by a car in Brisbanes north-east overnight. Police said the Sandgate man, identified by Nine News as 38-year-old father Bevon Sapolu, was hit by a black Ford Focus on Sinbad Street, near Allpass Parade, in Shorncliffe about 8.35pm on Friday. Loading Sapolu suffered critical injuries and died at the scene. It will be further alleged the vehicle continued across the road and drove through a fence before coming to a stop nearby, police said. A viewer watches QVC Germany in 2009. At its peak, the network broadcast in eight countries. Credit: Anke Thomass / Getty Images Key Takeaways QVC Group said it would file for Chapter 11, with billions in debt and a plan to exit bankruptcy in about 90 days. QVC and HSN lost about half their cable TV viewers between 2018 and 2024 as cord-cutting reshapes how people shop from home. QVC Group (QVCGA), whose home shopping channels hawked everything from faux-diamond jewelry to dancing Santa figurines, said late Wednesday it would file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. To paraphrase Hemingway, the losses came graduallya decade of American cord-cutting and shrinking audiencesand then all at once as debts mounted and its stock price entered free fall. But QVC's problem isn't that Americans have stopped buying off a screen at 2 a.m. It's that most have moved online. Why This Matters To You QVC's bankruptcy is the clearest sign yet that live television shopping, which once reached 100 million American homes, has lost audience to social media platforms like TikTok Shop, where U.S. sales have doubled in recent years. QVC, which also owns HSN, said in its 10-K filing that it planned to file for bankruptcy in the Southern District of Texas. The company said it expects to emerge in about 90 days under a prearranged deal with creditors. (As of Thursday afternoon, no filings appeared in online court records. QVC Group didn't respond to a request for comment.) The company twice delayed its annual filing, noting in late March "substantial doubt about the companys ability to continue as a going concern." Founded in the mid-1980s, QVC's first broadcast reached 7.6 million cable homes in 20 states. By the mid-2010s, QVC could be seen by more than 100 million U.S. households and aired in eight countries. The network helped launch household namesSPANX, IT Cosmetics, bareMinerals, and philosophy skin care all gained early traction on its channels. The company's peak wasn't that long ago. In 2017, QVC bought HSN, a longtime rival, and three years later, annual revenue hit $14.18 billion. Over the next five years, revenues dropped 35%, down to $9.23 billion in 2025, with a net loss of $2.4 billion. The company ended last year with $6.6 billion in debt. The stock price has fallen more than 99% since 2021, when home shopping got a pandemic-era boost. QVC could long bank on loyal customers: 97% of the company's 2025 sales came from repeat buyers, who spent an average of about $896 (down from $1,460 the year before). But the company never reached beyond its basein 2024, almost three-quarters of QVC shoppers were women over 50, with an average age near 60. Active customers dropped from 8.1 million in 2023 to about 7 million by September 2025. Advertisement Updated NationalVictoriaCrime PSOs removed from 119 railway stations, redeployed to crime hotspots Grant McArthur April 18, 2026 10:34am Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Share A A A Protective services officers are being cut from 119 suburban train platforms to beef up security at Melbournes most dangerous railway stations. A radical revamp of Victorias PSO deployment to throw more resources at crime hotspots will include daytime patrols at 32 stations, including CBD stations and suburban stops such as Dandenong, Sunshine, Footscray, Frankston and Ringwood. As revealed by The Age, violent offences occurring across the states rail network have surged by 33 per cent since the states COVID-era lockdowns ended, despite permanent patrols at all 220 metropolitan stations and four V/Line stations daily between 6pm and the last train. However, Victoria Police data shows transport network crimes spike around mid-morning and afternoon and, despite rising rates at known hotspots, there are low levels of crime recorded at four out of five stations. Advertisement Under the changes, unveiled by Victoria Police on Saturday, Melbournes train stations have been categorised into three levels of need based on patronage, crime data and police callouts. The 32 category 1 stations will have extended PSO patrols throughout the day as well as platform-based officers from 5pm. Related Article Crime Victorias most dangerous train stations revealed However, 119 smaller, less busy category 3 stations will no longer have platform-based PSOs, and will instead be covered by officers riding trains between the locations or responding as needed, splitting PSO teams between up to six stations. The stations which will have patrols reduced to roving PSO coverage include 79 stations which recorded no crimes against the person in 2024. A further 101 stations recorded fewer than six crimes against the person in 2024, according to data released by Victoria Police. There will be no change to current PSO patrols at 73 category 2 metropolitan stations and four regional stations, with the regular teams of officers clocking on at platforms from 6pm each day as normal. Advertisement Victoria Police Assistant Commissioner Mick Hermans said the more agile, impactful deployment of PSOs would begin on Sunday and be phased in over the next six months. Under the move, PSOs will patrol 32 high-risk stations from 9am until the last service, instead of from 6pm. It makes no sense to have PSOs stuck at smaller, less busy stations when they could have more impact aboard the train at these locations, Hermans said. This approach also frees PSOs to conduct more intelligence-led patrols across the network where and when we know crime is occurring. Advertisement That includes during the day when we see spikes in crime in the mid-morning and afternoon, including after school. Its important to make clear PSOs will remain out across the network until the last train service each night. Nightly PSO patrols were introduced to all Melbourne railway stations in 2012 after the Baillieu government was elected in 2010 on a promise to increase transport network security between 6pm and the final train service. House hunters Conor Allen and Jemima Hankin are worried about Yarraville station not being patrolled every night. Penny Stephens House hunters Jemima Hankin and Connor Allen caught the train to Yarraville on Saturday to investigate moving to the area, partly due to its safety and community feel. But they were shocked to find it was one of the stations losing its PSOs, and said none of network should be without the added security the officers offer. Advertisement I lived in Balaclava before, and a big reason I left the area is because crime just went up, Hankin said. Related Article Analysis Naked City Where we really need PSOs if we want to free up frontline police We considered Brunswick as well, but didnt move there because the trams and the trains and the crime. Everyone I know has had incidences around public transport, and I dont think they should be taking any (PSOs) away. Opposition Leader Jess Wilson slammed the removal of PSOs from suburban stations, and said the officers played a vital role in preventing crime. Rather than limiting dedicated railway station patrols, Wilson this month promised to recruit an additional 200 PSOs as part of a plan to beef up security in high-risk areas if the Coalition won this years state election. Advertisement She said crime against the person on train stations including assault, robbery and stalking and harassment had increased by 74 per cent between 2021 and 2025. PSOs will be deployed to patrol more shifts at train stations with higher crime rates, such as Sunshine. Jason South Under Labor, police [numbers] are down, crime is up and PSOs are being stripped from the majority of Melbournes train stations, Wilson said. Police Minister Anthony Carbines denied the removal of PSOs from stations with low crime rates would limit the perception of safety for many commuters. We take our advice from Victoria Police who have asked, and weve backed them, that they want to be able to deploy police resources where the crime is to keep Victorians safe, Carbines said. Advertisement Going back to the future, to models that were 12 to 15 years old, isnt the answer. This is about letting the experts decide where to put their significant resources to keep people safe, which means across so many very busy stations where lots of people are travelling, there will be more PSOs for longer to disrupt crime and hold people to account. And there will be a mobile service that will continue to provide support in the community. 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 PoliticsFederalMiddle East at war More fuel price cuts by Anzac Day if Iran keeps shipping pledge Mike Foley April 18, 2026 7:30pm Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Share A A A Fuel prices are set to fall even further by next weekend after an Iranian leader announced a halt to the regimes weeks-long blockade on shipping from the Middle East. However, the reprieve remained on a knife-edge Saturday night as both sides engaged in a war of words, with Tehran threatening to shut the gate again. And Australia has thrown its support behind an international mission to keep the Strait of Hormuz open, with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese saying any move by Iran to charge vessels transiting through the strait would upend the global economy. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Energy Minister Chris Bowen in Sydney on Saturday. Audrey Richardson Oil prices, which surged following the joint US-Israeli attack on Iran on February 28, dropped 10 per cent on Saturday after Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi declared that the strait would be completely open for the remaining period of the ceasefire. US President Donald Trump hailed it a brilliant day for the world. Advertisement Even before the hopeful news, Australias fuel prices were tumbling in line with global oil markets. Related Article Middle East at war Major chains under pressure as independent servos slash fuel prices A high point was reached in late March, when the national average price for unleaded petrol was $2.58 per litre and diesel hit $3.27 per litre. Prices began to fall when the Albanese government delivered a 26 discount by halving the fuel excise on April 1. Prices have fallen ever since. The cheapest unleaded petrol in Sydney on Saturday sold for $1.84 a litre, and the average across the city was $2.01. The citys cheapest diesel was $2.69 and the average was $2.96. Melbournes cheapest unleaded petrol was $1.82 a litre and the average was $2.06. The cheapest diesel was $2.83 and the average was $2.97. Advertisement Australian fuel prices shift in line with crude oil markets, typically with a lag of seven to 10 days. That means further discounts will soon reach Australian petrol stations if the downward trend continues. Each $US10-a-barrel decline in oil prices could cut 10 a litre at the pump in Australia. The fuel price cuts began on April 8 when a US-Iran ceasefire was announced. Crude oil is currently trading at $US92 a barrel, down from a high of $US128 in early April. Despite the falls, experts warn it could take many months or longer for prices to stabilise, normal shipping schedules to resume, and damaged oil facilities to be repaired to full capacity. Oil was traded for $US73 a barrel before the war. While Trump has foreshadowed a peace deal, confusion over Irans position persists ahead of the April 22 deadline for the ceasefire to end. An ongoing blockade of the strait would again be expected to drive oil prices higher, putting upward pressure on local fuel costs. Advertisement Trump insists that the US blockade of Iranian ports will remain, which Iranian leaders have said would prompt them to close the strait. Iran is also opposed to US demands for it to give up its stockpiles of enriched uranium. Related Article Petrol prices Refinery boss moves to calm fuel crunch fears after major fire However, the National Roads and Motorists Association said that barring the resumption of hostilities between the US and Iran, cheaper fuel should flow into the domestic market for at least another week. Our expectation is that, leading into the ANZAC Day long weekend, the falls will continue. But its the Middle East, and things can change by the hour, said NRMA spokesman Peter Khoury. On Friday night Albanese took part in the Strait of Hormuz summit with 49 national leaders, including from the UK, France, Canada, Germany and the United Arab Emirates. Its chief goal was to oppose a shipping toll, which would be used to generate significant revenue for Irans war-ravaged economy. Advertisement Albanese said such a move would be an existential threat to global trade and pledged that Australia would make an economic and diplomatic contribution to international efforts to ensure freedom of navigation. Requests for military contributions would be considered, he said at a press conference in Sydney on Saturday. We want to see the Strait of Hormuz opened and we want to see no privatisation and no tolls, Albanese said. The busy shipping channel carries more than a hundred cargoes a day of vital gas, fertiliser and chemicals, as well as one-fifth of global oil supply, via a bottleneck abutting Irans coastline in the Persian Gulf. Freedom of navigation is essential for global trade. It is how the world operates, not just in fuel but in other areas as well, Albanese said. Advertisement The precedent that would be created if a country was allowed to close a navigation strait to international traffic would change the very way that the global economy operates. Albanese said while there was no immediate need for motorists to cut their consumption, fuel-saving measures may be needed if oil exports from the Middle East remained shut for weeks into the future. Loading There may be difficult times ahead, he said. That is why we want to see an end to this war. Australias commitment to the Strait of Hormuz summit is another example of its shared priorities with other middle-powers such as Canada and Japan, like free trade and a rules-based global order, according to Jon Berry, geopolitics lead at KPMG. Advertisement Australia sees its interests are best met by banding together with other middle-power countries, he said. The meeting overnight is an example of that and weve also seen other examples recently in Anthony Albaneses outreach to Singapore and Malaysia and Brunei and Indonesia to reconfirm and solidify those trade and investment links. Energy Minister Chris Bowen on Saturday announced that the temporary lifting of sulphur limits on unleaded petrol would be extended from the initial deadline of the end of May until the end of September, so Australia could source fuel from a wider array of sources. Bowen revealed a significant boost to Australias fuel stockpile. There are 46 days of unleaded petrol in storage, which is 10 days more than on February 28 when the Iran war began. There are 31 days worth of diesel in stockpile, which is the same as last week, and 30 days of jet fuel, up by two days on last week. 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 NSWs $1 billion clean energy fund yet to invest a single dollar Jessica McSweeney April 19, 2026 5:00am Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Share A A A The state governments flagship $1 billion renewable energy investment fund is yet to invest a single dollar, almost three years since Labor took office. The Energy Security Corporation (ESC) offers investments between $25 million and $150 million to get renewable projects off the ground, prioritising short- to long-term energy storage projects to capture excess solar and wind power. The ESC aims to invest in energy storage projects to capture solar and wind power. James Brickwood The government is under pressure to deliver results on its renewables strategy amid concerns over Australias energy security, after conflict in the Middle East sent fuel prices to record highs and spiked demand for diesel. Touted during the election campaign as a much-needed intervention to fill the gap where the private sector was reluctant to invest, three years on, the ESC is still negotiating with potential projects. Advertisement In a September 2025 media release titled the need for speed in energy infrastructure investment, chief executive Paul Peters said the corporations role was to say yes where others hesitate. There is much to do and were working with urgency because the challenge is not just building a new system, its doing so at speed and scale while maintaining reliability, Peters said. Department secretary Anthony Lean told a budget estimates hearing in February the corporation was in discussions with a number of potential projects but had yet to close any deals. The $1 billion sits in a dedicated investment trust, where it is earning returns for the government. So far, $20.9 million has been withdrawn to create an operating balance and cover expenses incurred while setting up the agency. The corporation was a major election commitment of the Minns government, which then took more than a year to introduce a bill to parliament to actually create the agency. Advertisement Related Article Exclusive Bondi shooting The premier doesnt want you to say this hateful phrase. Hes yet to ban it The Energy Security Corporation Bill passed parliament in June 2024. Its board wasnt appointed until July 2025 a timeline Greens MP Abigail Boyd said wasnt good enough. It took them a year to put legislation together, it then took them another year to even set up a board. Were now three years in and theyve failed to spend a single cent on accelerating investment in renewable energy. Its hard to see this as anything other than a sham at this point, Boyd said. Last year The Australian Financial Review reported the corporation was aiming to finalise its first investment by the end of 2025. Peters told this masthead he instead expects the ESC to announce their first investment by the end of the current financial year, subject to approvals. Advertisement Priority areas include storage in the Sydney-Newcastle-Wollongong region to support reliability ahead of coal retirements, long-duration storage across NSW, and solar-battery hybrid projects where targeted capital can help projects reach final investment decision sooner, he said. The ESC co-invests with the private sector, meaning projects have to line up other finance before they can finalise an agreement with the government-backed fund, Energy Minister Penny Sharpe said. The ESC has been fully stood up and is in active negotiations with a strong pipeline of NSW projects, she said, promising investments would be made this year. The Morning Edition newsletter is our guide to the days most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up here. Advertisement PoliticsNSWEducation Skipping camp, public speaking: How schools have it wrong on kids anxiety Emily Kowal April 19, 2026 5:00am Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Share A A A Michelle Neverson-Smith thought she was doing the right thing. If an assembly felt overwhelming, the principal let her students sit out. If school camp seemed daunting, they stayed home. At Cudgegong Valley Public School in NSWs central west, as across the country, well-meaning adults had been removing obstacles in childrens path. Primary school principals are concerned by an increase in childhood anxiety but say previous methods of management are ineffective. Monique Westermann We were blissfully unaware of the negative impact that keeping them safe and removing barriers was having, she said. Their ability to cope with failure both in learning and socially had really dropped off. Australian school leaders are witnessing rising childhood anxiety. The average age for first diagnosis has fallen to 11 years old, according to the National Mental Health Commission, and a survey of 700 primary school principals found 81 per cent thought childrens anxiety was a significant issue within their schools. Advertisement But experts warn the instinct to shield children is inadvertently fuelling the problem. When adults jump in to fix it, says psychologist Michael Hawton, they rob kids of the opportunity to solve problems for themselves. Hawton is founder of The Anxiety Project. Created alongside the NSW Primary Principals Association, the program is currently used at 144 schools, reaching more than 50,000 students. It seeks to educate not only students but also their parents and teachers. Unlike traditional support models, the program specifically challenges unhelpful accommodations: the practice of letting a child avoid the very things that make them nervous, such as public speaking or playground conflicts. Weve got to expose [children] to an acceptable level of risk, said leading psychiatrist and former Australian of the Year, Professor Patrick McGorry. That will strengthen them. At the heart of the program is teaching children the biology of their fear. Students from kindergarten to year 6 learn about the amygdala their lizard brain, responsible for the bodys fight-or-flight response. Advertisement By identifying anxiety as a physical emotion rather than a permanent character flaw, students, teachers and parents learn to use Cognitive Behaviour Therapy techniques to manage it. Henry Ephraums, 8, and his family know how to tackle anxiety thanks to the new program. Audrey Richardson Eight-year-old Henry, a student at a participating school, said he now knows how to calm his amygdala using rhythmic belly breathing or simply taking a walk. His mum, Kate Ephraums, said the program provided her family with a common language to navigate distressing feelings. It wasnt a Band-Aid, Ephraums said. These are lifelong skills, and as parents we have to help them practise. Advertisement At the Australian Primary Principals Associations student anxiety summit in February, educators and mental health experts gathered to discuss what Australias schools can do to decrease the rate of child and teen anxiety disorders by 25 per cent by 2030. Related Article Education This Sydney school has eliminated bullying. Now theres a plan for every classroom Attendees issued a formal call to state education ministers for a standardised anxiety prevention program that involves the whole school community including parents. They argued the window between kindergarten and year 6 is the most critical and cost-effective time to intervene. Waiting until secondary school or adulthood to act was both clinically ineffective and economically irrational. Experts warned that well-meaning accommodation strategies where adults allow children to avoid stressful situations like assessments or public speaking were entrenching the problem. This cycle of avoidance teaches the childs brain that running away is the only effective strategy. Advertisement Weve failed to give these kids opportunities to fall over and hurt themselves because weve cocooned them away, said the Australian Catholic Universitys Paul Kidson. The summits statement also called for child and adolescent anxiety management to be mandatory in all initial teacher education programs and teacher induction frameworks across NSW. The push for a standardised approach across schools comes as mental health experts warn of the high stakes of inaction. The National Mental Health Commission believes 50 per cent of mental health issues emerge before age 14. Kate Ephraums, pictured with her son Henry, said she appreciated the skills taught in the program were not a Band-Aid. Audrey Richardson Left untreated, childhood anxiety acts as a gateway to more severe conditions, including depression, substance abuse and eating disorders. Advertisement A world-first Lancet Psychiatry commission on youth mental health, led by McGorry, found youth mental health had entered a dangerous phase and right now could be societys last chance to act. Suicide is now the leading cause of death for young people in several countries, including Australia. Eighty-five per cent of depressed adolescents have a history of childhood anxiety, while the academic impact is immediate: highly anxious year 1 students are 10 times more likely to be in the bottom third of their class by year 5, according to an Australian study. McGorry attributes the rise in anxiety to a more fragile and precarious world, citing the high cost of living and social inequality. However, he emphasises that anxiety can be unlearned if caught early. This trajectory, if unchanged, will define the wellbeing and productivity of a generation, McGorry said. Advertisement NSW Education Minister Prue Car said all public schools have access to high-quality, evidence-based wellbeing programs to support schools in delivering best-practice mental health support for students. Advertisement WorldNorth AmericaTrump diplomacy Opinion Trumps taken aim at the Pope. Its another holy war he cant win Julia Baird Journalist, broadcaster, historian and author April 18, 2026 5:00am April 18, 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 If I could sneak into any room in the world under an invisibility cloak right now, it would be wherever the Pope is hanging out with his gang, combing through the news. Imagine the unfiltered reactions, the flinching and the roars, the deep concern and the bemusement. Just this week Secretary for Defence Pete Hegseth in a prayer at the Pentagon cited what he claimed to be a verse from Ezekiel but was, in fact, from the Quentin Tarantino film Pulp Fiction. Illustration by Dionne Gain Then, on April Fools Day this year, Donald Trump described himself, again, as a Christ-like leader. On Palm Sunday, Jesus entered Jerusalem as crowds welcomed him with praise honouring him as king, he reminded us. They call me king now. Do you believe it? How jarring it must have been for the American president, who has repeatedly touted himself as a messianic figure saved by God from an assassin to make America great, and sold copies of God Bless the USA Bibles under his name, to be felled by a man who actually reads, understands and correctly quotes the Bible: the Pope. Advertisement In recent weeks, as the war in Iran has become increasingly cloudy and destructive, Pope Leo XIV has forcefully argued for peace, calling world leaders to lay down your weapons and issuing blunt reminders that the Bible says God does not listen to the prayers of those whose hands are full of blood. When Trump declared a whole civilisation would die in Iran, the Pope said this was a truly unacceptable threat. In response, an aggravated Trump posted an AI-generated photo of himself looking very much like Jesus Christ, placing his shining hand on a prone mans forehead. A holy healer. After an outcry, Trump later claimed he was meant to be a doctor, not a messiah, and deleted the post but his meaning was obvious. Last year, he had posted an AI image of himself as Pope during the conclave. Donald Trump holds a Bible outside St Johns Church in Washington during his first term in June 2020. AP On Truth Social, Trump smashed Pope Leo, calling him WEAK on crime, and terrible on foreign policy. I dont want a Pope who thinks its OK for Iran to have a Nuclear Weapon, he said. Advertisement Vice President JD Vance, a conservative Catholic, has, cautioned the Pope should be careful on the subject of theology and stay away from politics, from the smoking ruins and unnecessary deaths, the people homeless, stateless, suffering and dying throughout the Middle East. Its wild to see Vance, who reportedly opposed going to war with Iran, actually chastising the Pope, whom he met in May at the Vatican. He said on Fox News that the Vatican should: stick to matters of morality, stick to matters of whats going on in the Catholic Church, and let Trump stick to dictating public policy. The Vatican disagrees. Cardinal Michael Czerny said the question of living the gospel in the real world was inevitably political. The role of the church hierarchy is to form peoples consciousness as much as possible in line with the gospel. When necessary, we have to speak truth to power. Since the smears from Trump and Vance, American bishops have rallied behind their Pope, who has calmly continued to assert biblical truths on social media. As Trump roils on Truth Social, the Pope issues salvos on X. On April 14: Gods heart is torn apart by wars, violence, injustice and lies. But our Fathers heart is not with the wicked, the arrogant, or the proud. Gods heart is with the little ones and the humble Wherever there is love and service, God is there. Trump deleted a social media post of an image depicting him as Jesus Christ, or as he claimed, a doctor. Bloomberg, Truth Social/@realdonaldtrump On April 16: Peace is everyones responsibility, beginning with civil authorities. To govern means to love ones own country as well as neighbouring countries. The commandment love your neighbour as yourself is equally applicable to international relations! Advertisement This is a fascinating dispute with potentially serious consequences in the lead up to the midterms. Related Article Trump's White House Psychiatrists do not diagnose from afar. But Trumps latest messages were too dangerous to ignore First, Trumps support among Catholics who helped deliver him victory in 2024 is slipping (note, though, 62 per cent of white Catholics supported Trump while 58 per cent of Hispanic Catholics supported Harris.) Republican pollster Whit Ayres told The New York Times the most important variable in a midterm election is the presidents job approval rating. When above 50 per cent, the average loss of their partys House seats is 14. Below 50 per cent, the average loss is 32 seats. Right now, Trump is at about 39 per cent. Loading Advertisement Second, the attempts to dress up the unilateral offence in Iran started without the permission of Congress or support of American voters as a holy war have been exposed as bogus and indeed offensive to many. Hegseth, who has tattoos linked to the brutal crusades inked on his skin, even prayed for overwhelming violence of action against those who deserve no mercy and justice executed swiftly and without remorse after the first attacks on Iran by Israel and the US. (Neither he nor Trump apologised for the school bombing that killed 175 people, mostly children). But the case for a just war has not been made to Congress, the American voters and the world, let alone a holy one. Third, Leos clarity and boldness have served to highlight the peculiarity of the posture of prominent American evangelicals who have thrown their weight behind Trump, insisting he is deserving of unquestioning support. Their sycophancy has seriously damaged the standing of the church among those who now view Christianity as harsh to migrants and outsiders, rolled in rancour and self-righteousness, steeped in nationalism, lacking in humility and care for the widow, the stranger, the orphan but most of all, lacking in love. This clearly provokes the Pope. In Cameroon this week, he castigated those who manipulate religion in the very name of God for their own military, economic or political gain, dragging that which is sacred into darkness and filth. The world, he said, is being ravaged by a handful of tyrants, yet it is held together by a multitude of supportive brothers and sisters. Advertisement The Pope is reminding the world the mission of the church should not be the pursuit of power, but standing with, and loving, the powerless. Julia Baird is a journalist, author and regular columnist. Get a weekly wrap of views that will challenge, champion and inform your own. Sign up for our Opinion newsletter. Ralph Lauren price target boosted on stronger brand positioning among luxury peers Proactive uses images sourced from Shutterstock Bank of America has raised its price objective on Ralph Lauren Corp (NYSE:RL) to $450 from $400 while reiterating a Buy rating, pointing to a longer-duration outlook for margin-accretive growth and additional earnings upside. The analysts now value the stock on a higher earnings multiple, reflecting what they see as a structural improvement in business quality and a more luxury-aligned positioning. After multiple years of growth driven by a highly successful brand elevation strategy, the key debate on RL today is whether growth ahead justifies buying in at valuation well above peer and historical levels, they wrote. We say yes and reiterate Buy; we see a long horizon on margin-accretive growth opportunities supporting potential for EPS & valuation upside. While the stock already trades at a premium, they argue that continued brand elevation and more consistent earnings delivery support that gap. They state the company should trade more like a luxury brand & less like historical levels/peers. The revised price target is based on a 22x fiscal 2028 price-to-earnings multiple, replacing a prior EV/EBITDA framework and reflecting forward earnings as the primary valuation anchor. The analysts also highlighted that continued brand elevation and consistency of sales/EPS growth over time supports further multiple expansion. Key to the outlook is ongoing growth in higher average unit retail (AUR) categories that remain underpenetrated. Womens apparel represents roughly one-third of sales despite stronger engagement from female consumers, while handbags remain a small but fast-growing business line. International expansion, especially in Asia, continues to outpace overall company growth and is seen as a durable driver. The analysts expect near-term growth to remain weighted toward AUR rather than volume, though they see potential for a gradual shift as higher-quality categories expand and unit growth broadens. This mix shift is viewed as supportive of sustained margin expansion over time. On earnings, they highlighted Ralph Laurens consistent pattern of outperforming expectations and raising guidance. They also noted that recent strength does not appear to be purely timing-driven, with profitability gains supported by pricing power, operating efficiencies, and continued reinvestment in marketing. Valuation remains a key point of discussion, with Ralph Lauren trading above both US apparel peers and its own historical averages. The analysts argue this premium is increasingly justified by stronger margins, improved brand positioning, and an international mix that is closer to European soft luxury peers than traditional US retailers. Their 22x multiple assumption aligns more closely with European soft luxury averages, though still below the highest-tier luxury names. The next episode for Netflix? The start of a postReed Hastings era. The 65-year-old cofounder and former CEO of the worlds largest streaming service announced on Thursday that he wont stand for reelection to the board at the companys annual shareholder meeting in June, ending a 29-year run at the company he created in 1997. In a statement included in the first quarter investor letter, the billionaire said hes leaving to focus on philanthropy and other pursuits. He gave shoutouts to co-CEOs Greg Peters and Ted Sarandos, who took full control of Hastingss executive role in January 2023. A special thanks to Greg and Ted, whose commitment to Netflixs greatness is so strong that I can now focus on new things, said Hastings. While Netflix has shown its business can thrive without Hastings in an operating role, the founders complete separation from the company is something of an anomaly in the tech world where founders typically remain on the board of directors for years. Nor did the timing of Hastingss exitcoming shortly after Netflixs failed attempt to acquire Warner Bros.go unnoticed. So is Hastingss departure related to Netflixs attempted purchase of the Hollywood movie studio, an analyst asked during Netflixs earnings call on Thursday? Absolutely not, said co-CEO Sarandos. Sorry for anyone who was looking for some palace intrigue here, not so, Sarandos said, in what was Netflixs first earnings call since it walked away from the deal in February. Netflix proposed the $27.75 per-share deal for Warner Bros. in January. Warner Bros. accepted, and then in February 2026 Warner Bros. told Netflix that David Ellisons Paramount Skydance had submitted a better proposal. Paramount Skydance paid Netflix a $2.8 billion termination fee in the deal. The analyst who asked the question Thursday noted that Hastings was historically opposed to large acquisitions, but Sarandos said the Netflix founder was fully on board with the plan to purchase Warner Bros. Discoverys studio business and streamer HBO Max for an enterprise value of $82.7 billion. Reed was a big champion for that deal. He championed it with the board; the board unanimously supported the deal, so that absolutely had nothing to do with it, Sarandos said. Shares of Netflix plunged as much as 9% in after-hours trading on Thursday, as the company beat first-quarter financial targets but forecast second-quarter revenue and profits below Wall Street expectations, according to Bloomberg. We did not lose focus Sarandos said the company is looking ahead and not backward. Arms trader arrested, 50Chinese knives seized Staff Reporter : IN A joint operation, Crime Branch and Madhotal Police arrested an arms trader and seized 50 Chinese knives along with a mobile phone. The arrested accused has been identified as Paras Jain (33), son of Manoj Jain, native of Sangrampur in Damoh and currently residing in Mother Teresa Nagar, Madhotal. Additional SP (Crime), Jitendra Singh, while addressing a press conference, on Friday, informed that on the night of April 16, Crime Branch received a tip-off that Paras Jain was storing a large quantity of Chinese knives at his residence with the intent to sell them. Acting promptly on the information, a joint team conducted a raid the identified spot. During the search, 50 knives were recovered from a carry bag hidden under a bed. The accused revealed that he intended to sell each knife for Rs 200. He further disclosed that the knives were supplied by his relative Abhi alias Abhishek Gupta, a resident of Giridih, Jharkhand, through an intermediary. Madhotal Police have registered a case under Sections 25 and 25(3)(i) of the Arms Act and Section 49 of the BNS against Paras Jain, Abhishek Gupta and another unidentified person and a search is underway to arrest the remaining accused. BJP dominates zonal chairperson elections, wins eight seats Staff Reporter : The political landscape of the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) saw a significant day of transitions on April 17, as the elections for the chairpersons of the ten administrative zones were concluded. The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) maintained its strong foothold by securing eight zonal posts, while the Congress party managed to secure two zonal chairmanships. Congress win in hotly contested Ashi Nagar Zone was quite significant. The election process took place at the Dr Panjabrao Deshmukh Memorial Standing Committee Hall. District Collector Kumar Ashirwad served as the presiding officer, supported by Additional Commissioner Ankit, Additional District Collector Pravin Mehre, and NMCs Secretary Dr Ranjana Lade. The proceedings were conducted in numerical order of the zones, with several candidates winning their seats unopposed. BJPs unopposed eight victories The BJP demonstrated formidable strength, with eight of its candidates elected unopposed across various zones. Presiding Officer Kumar Ashirwad welcomed each winner with a bouquet in the presence of Standing Committee Chairperson Shivani Dani-Wakhre and Leader of the House Narendra (Balya) Borkar. Congress secures two key zones amid contested voting While most zones saw unopposed elections, Ashi Nagar (Zone 9) witnessed a competitive battle. The contest featured Asif Sadiq Sheikh of Congress and Alisha Fahim Khan of AIMIM. Out of the 16 corporators present, Sheikh secured 8 votes, narrowly defeating Khan, who received 7 votes. Notably, BSP corporator Harshala Jaiswal supported the Congress candidate, while BJP corporator Kiran Manpiya remained neutral. In Mangalwari (Zone 10), the Congress party secured another win as Seema Dawre was elected unopposed. Here, Congress had absolute majority as most of the Prabhags were in West Nagpur Assembly segment. In fact, the support of lone BSP corporator to Congress candidate was quite surprising as till the other day, she was maintaining equi distance form two national parties. AIMIM: AIMIM Group Leader Shakil Patel criticised Congress for forcing contest in only one zone, while at other nine zones, the election to Chairperson was held unopposed. He said, AIMIM had nominated Alisha Khan who is wife of Fahim Khan. Their house was demolished by NMC citing claims of latters involvement in Mahal riots. The demolition act was illegal and hence, AIMIM wanted to prove a point, but Congress chose to deliberately force election. He also criticised the stance adopted by BSP, saying the corporator chose to side with atrocities committed by the BJP-Congress combine. Leadership for Fire and Electricity Committee The BJP also consolidated its control over essential services. Rupali Thakur was elected as the Chairperson of the Fire and Electricity Special Committee, while Lakhan Yerawar was appointed as the Deputy Chairperson. DARING DAYLIGHT BANK ROBBERY SHOCKS SINGRAULI, Masked gunmen held staff and customers hostage at gunpoint, flee with 910 kg of gold, Rs 15 lakh cash Our Correspondent : A DARING daylight robbery at a branch of Bank of Maharashtra in Waidhan has triggered panic and raised serious concerns over law and order in the district. According to police, five unidentified armed miscreants stormed the bank around 1 pm on Friday and executed the robbery at gunpoint. The accused fled with approximately 910 kg of gold, estimated to be worth around Rs 1015 crore and around Rs 15 lakh in cash. The gold reportedly belonged to customers and was kept in a locker against loan pledges. Surprising is the fact that there was no security guard deployed at the bank premises. During the robbery, the assailants held staff and customers hostage, creating panic inside the bank. The manager was allegedly assaulted when he hesitated to cooperate and the gang forced open the locker before escaping within 15 minutes using bags to carry the loot. Superintendent of Police Manish Khatri reached the spot soon after the incident and all exit points in the city were sealed. CCTV footage is being closely examined and a multistate probe has been launched with assistance from neighbouring states. Senior officials have directed immediate arrest of the accused and strict measures to curb crime. Meanwhile, angry residents have demanded stronger policing and increased patrolling, citing a rise in criminal incidents in the area. Inspector General of Police, Rewa, Gaurav Rajput and Deputy Inspector General, Hemant Chauhan rushed to Singrauli to assess the situation and review the police response. Their visit underscores the gravity of the incident, which took place in a busy area of the city. IN prima facie of the investigation, police learnt that the robbers quickly overpowered the staff and forced everyone to remain seated. The gang assaulted the bank manager when he hesitated to hand over the keys and information about the cash and locker. He was struck on the head with a gun butt. Police said the robbers targeted a locker containing pledged gold belonging to customers, which had been kept against loans. The gang carried backpacks and a large cloth bag to collect the valuables before fleeing within about 15 minutes. Director General of Police, Madhya Pradesh, Kailash Makwana reportedly leave for Singrauli. Police have launched a multi-state investigation with assistance from neighbouring states. Efforts are underway to identify and arrest the culprits. DMKs Acid test EVEN as it seeks to return to power in Tamil Nadu (TN), the Dravida Munetra Kazgham (DMK) must be conscious of the acid test it has to undergo in the legislative elections. Though most political observers do not give the alliance of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the All India Anna Dravida Munetra Kazgham (AIADMK) a very bright chance to dislodge the DMK from Government. Yet, there are political pundits who expect a significant rise in the voting share for the alliance in general and the BJP in particular. The BJP, however, seems eager to declare that it is expecting a positive outcome of the election -- and win with whatever majority. If that really happens, then that would be the most critical political development in the country in recent years. The DMK, however, is under no impression that it would sail through the electoral process. In response to that anxiety, its entire leadership is working harder than ever to convince the voters that the BJP represents what its leaders describe as Aryan mentality, and therefore needs to be blocked from coming to power. The weakness of the AIADMK is also helping the DMK to weave the narrative of the NDA being a party from the North and therefore is incapable of ruling Tamil Nadu. The Dravidian plank is the most important tool in DMKs hand. All along, its effort has been to attach the nomenclature of Aryan to the BJP and wean away whatever numbers of voters from the party whose national electoral record has been splendid. Though the BJP talks of wresting power from the DMK, its assessment about the possible outcome is very realistic as always. Electoral bravado apart, the BJP is conscious that it may have to wait for a few more years to set a firmer foot in Tamil Nadu. It is conscious of the advantage it enjoys because of its alliance with the AIADMK, but knows that it must engage in a long haul battle in Tamil Nadu. However, the BJP treats these elections as a starting point for its systematic foray into the State. Over the next few years, it will establish itself fully in Tamil Nadu. Chief Minister Mr. M K Stalins main worry is exactly that -- the launch of the BJP in the State with firm local roots. If that happens, the DMK will have to keep fighting the BJP at every step of the way. That is Mr. Stalins main concern. For, he is conscious of his own partys limitation of not having many leaders of national stature to counter the BJP. The strategic masterminds of the BJP are planning to take advantage of exactly this lacuna in the DMK. One of the electoral planks of the DMK is its opposition to the imposition of Hindi on the State. The BJP does not seem to lay much emphasis on that point during its electioneering. Its strategists know that an anti-English stance would drive no point in the partys favour. Thus, leaving aside contentious issues, the BJP is trying to soften the mind of the average Tamilian voter towards its nationalistic policies -- and is seemingly beginning to capture a much increased vote share in this election. Some of the aspects of DMKs election rhetoric have a few anti-India touches. The BJPs campaigners are trying to exploit those to wean common voters away from the DMK. Good signs are already available on the ground that the common voters are questioning the DMK at every step of the way about some of its policies and positions. Chief Minister Mr. Stalin is finding those questions quite uncomfortable. Probably, the BJP is relying on those very issues that make the DMK lose its sense of stability. Enough signals are available from Tamil Nadu that common voters are beginning to accept the BJP as their own party -- which has been the purpose of the party all along, not just in Tamil Nadu but also everywhere in the country. The Tamil Nadu elections would offer another fresh testing ground to the BJP for its own policy-refinement. The biggest trouble-spot for the DMK is that the BJP is not fighting any do-or-die battle in Tamil Nadu. It is patient and is willing to take things as they come -- thus laying foundation for the moves in the next five years. ED raids Punjab MinisterArora, son and others NEW DELHI/LUDHIANA : THE Enforcement Directorate on Friday conducted searches at premises of Punjab Industries Minister Sanjeev Arora, his son and some others as part of a foreign exchange violation probe linked to alleged insider trading in stock markets and roundtripping of betting funds from UAE to India, officials said. A total of 13 residential and official premises in Ludhiana, Jalandhar, Gurugram and Chandigarh are being covered under the provisions of the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA). This includes the residences and offices of Arora, his real estate company Hampton Sky Realty Ltd (formerly Ritesh Properties and Industries Ltd) and that of Aroras son Kavya Arora (MD of the said realty company) in Ludhiana, the officials said. The premises of Hemanth Sood, who runs a financial investment and stock broker company named Findoc Finvest Private Ltd., in the same city and that of Jalandharbased businessman and alleged bookie Chandra Shekhar Aggarwal were also covered. The ED teams are being provided security cover by the jawans of a central paramilitary force, they said. Arora, 62, posted a message on X, saying he will cooperate with the probe. Good Morning! An action by the Enforcement Directorate took place at my premises. As a responsible citizen, I will fully cooperate with the agencies and I am confident that the truth will prevail, Arora, the minister for industry and commerce, said. The MLA from Ludhiana West was earlier raided by the ED in 2024 in a money laundering case linked to alleged misuse of industrial land for residential projects. He was then a Rajya Sabha MP. The latest action comes two days after the ED raided AAP Rajya Sabha MP Ashok Kumar Mittal, his family and educational institutions run by them in Punjab and Haryana as part of a FEMA case. Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann condemned the raids against Mittal, saying the BJP has begun its preparations for the upcoming Assembly elections in the state. Sanjeev Aroras realty company was under ED scanner for irregularities such as illegal change of land use in Punjab, booking fraudulent and inflated sales to inflate share prices, insider trading scams in stock market and roundtripping of ill-gotten funds and illegal betting money from UAE to India and so on. India welcomes IsraelLebanon ceasefire Supports every step leading towards peace NEW DELHI : INDIA on Friday welcomed the ceasefire announced between Israel and Lebanon, expressing support for every step that leads towards peace. While addressing a weekly media briefing in New Delhi on Friday, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, We welcome the ceasefire. We welcome every step that leads towards peace. MEAs statement comes after the US President Donald Trump on Thursday announced a ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon aimed at bringing a temporary cooling-off along another front linked to the Iran conflict. Lebanon is not directly engaged in a formal war with Israel, but Hezbollah controls large parts of southern Lebanon and has carried out attacks on Israel, prompting retaliatory strikes. Unable to rein in Hezbollah, Lebanon has borne the brunt of Israeli retaliation. When asked about Israel requesting India to designate Hamas as a terrorist organisation and Indias policy about disarming Hamas, Jaiswal responded, We have a process in place, and those issues are addressed under that process. OVER 2300 INDIANS SAFELY BROUGHT BACK FROM IRAN SINCE WEST ASIA CONFLICT BEGAN: MEA: THE Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Friday that India has safely brought back home 2,361 people since the beginning of the conflict in West Asia. Addressing a weekly media briefing in New Delhi on Friday, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated that these 2,361 people include Indian students, fishermen and also three foreigners. Since the outbreak of the conflict, we have helped bring 2,361 Indian citizens safely from Iran to India. Of these, 2,060 came via Armenia and 301 via Azerbaijan. Vedantas power plant tragedy, Vedanta Group chairman Anil Agarwal booked RAIPUR : THE death toll in the April 14 blast at Vedantas power plant in Chhattisgarhs Sakti district has gone up to 21 after a worker succumbed to injuries, officials said on Friday. The explosion occurred in a steel tube carrying high-pressure steam from the boiler to the turbine at the power plant located in Singhitarai village. Fourteen persons are currently hospitalised, five of whom are in critical condition, the officials added. A worker identified as Kismat Ali from Madhya Pradeshs Singrauli died at a private hospital in Raipur on Thursday night, Sakti Superintendent of Police Prafull Thakur told PTI. As per officials, four workers died on the spot, while nine succumbed to injuries soon after the incident. Another seven died in hospitals on April 15. The deceased comprise six labourers from West Bengal, five from Chhattisgarh, three each from Jharkhand and Uttar Pradesh, and two each from Bihar and Madhya Pradesh, they added. Of the 14 injured, six are admitted in Jindal Hospital in Raigarh, two each in Balaji Metro Hospital Raigarh, Apex Hospital Raigarh and Raigarh Medical College. One each is undergoing treatment in Shri Shankara hospital and Kalda hospital, both in Raipur. Five are critical, a government official said. Police have registered an FIR under sections related to causing death by negligence and negligent conduct with machinery. Eight to ten individuals, including Vedanta Group chairman Anil Agarwal and plant head Devendra Patel, have been named in the FIR, Sakti SP Prafull Thakur had said on Thursday. A preliminary technical investigation into the blast has found that excessive fuel accumulation inside the boiler furnace led to a pressure build-up, triggering the explosion, police officials said on Thursday. A report by the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) in Sakti also confirmed that the accumulation of fuel and the resulting excessive pressure were the primary causes of the explosion, they said. In a press conference here on Friday, Leader of the Opposition and senior Congress MLA Charan Das Mahant sought stricter charges of culpable homicide not amounting to murder in the case. Over the last two and a half years, around 300 workers have lost their lives in industrial accidents across the state. The FIR in the Vedanta power plant blast has been lodged under very ordinary provisions. Despite more than 20 people having died, only bailable charges have been pressed, he claimed. Our demand is that Section 105 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita be applied in this matter. Under the BJP government, industrial safety in Chhattisgarh has been left entirely to the mercy of God, Mahant added. He also said an incident of this magnitude must be probed by a sitting High Court judge rather than the sub divisional magistrate. Mahant demanded advanced treatment for critically injured workers at specialised centres in cities like Mumbai and Coimbatore, adding that a fully equipped burns hospital must be set up in Chhattisgarh. Talking to reporters here, Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai said a probe into the incident has been ordered and assured strict action against those found responsible. He added that arrangements are being made to ensure proper treatment for the injured. The district administration has ordered a magisterial inquiry in the incident. Womens quota bill defeated in LS, 298 members supported the bill while 230 voted against it NEW DELHI : IN A major setback to the Government, a Constitution Amendment Bill to implement 33 per cent reservation for women in legislatures in 2029 and increase the number of Lok Sabha seats to 816 was defeated on Friday, with the ruling dispensation asserting that the struggle to give the rights to women will continue. This was for the first time a bill under the Modi Government was defeated in Parliament. While 298 members voted in support of the bill in Lok Sabha, 230 MPs voted against it. Out of 528 members who voted, the bill required 352 votes for a two-third majority. According to the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, Lok Sabha seats were to be increased to 816 from the current 543 to operationalise the womens reservation law before the 2029 parliamentary polls, following a delimitation exercise based on the 2011 Census. Womens quota bill defeated... Seats were also to be increased in State and Union Territory Assemblies to accommodate 33 per cent reservation for women. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, senior ministers Rajnath Singh and Amit Shah, Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi were among those present during the voting. After the legislation was defeated during the voting, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla adjourned the House for the day and announced that it would meet again on Saturday. The three-day special sitting was convened from April 16 to 18 for getting the Parliaments approval to the bill. After the bill was defeated, Rahul Gandhi said if the Prime Minister is serious in providing women reservation in Parliament, he should bring the 2023 law and the Opposition would extend its support outrightly. Earlier, in a bid to get the bill passed, while replying to the two-day long debate, Shah assured the Opposition of an official amendment mentioning a 50 per cent increase in Lok Sabha seats in all States and Union Territories if the Opposition parties support the womens reservation bill. However, the Opposition did not budge The former Big Lots store in the Bristol Farms retail center will soon be home for Aldi supermarket, officials with the grocery chain confirmed on Tuesday April 7, 2026. This will be Aldi's second store in Bristol. Joseph Villanova/Hearst Connecticut Media The exterior of the building in the Meadow Commons retail center that Market 32 will be moving into in July 2026 Luther Turmelle/Hearst Connecticut Media An artist's rendering of the exterior of the new grocery store proposed for 1460 Post Road East in Westport. This would be the first Sprouts location in Connecticut if it is approved. The Arizona-based retailer sells organic and natural foods. Contributed photo Plans for expansion of big box retailers in Connecticut continue to move forward, with some projects expected to break ground later this year and others emerging for 2027 and beyond. The new big box locations that will be opening in Connecticut are largely existing retailers that are expanding their presence in the state. And the new big box retailers that are in the development pipeline involve a mix of new constructions projects as well as some renovation of vacant existing retail space that is being retrofitted to fit a new tenant. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The newest big box development - and perhaps the most intriguing - is in Southington, where plans for a $90 million retail, hotel and gas station project has been proposed for 38 acres in town. The Planning and Zoning Commission is considering an application for a zone change that would would allow the applicant, identified as Southington 2 LLC - to build the project to be built on undeveloped properties at 682 Curtiss St. and a portion of 115 Summit Farms Road. If approved the project would include a 172,000 square-foot retail space, a 20-bay gas station, a 100-120-room hotel, 100,000 square-foot industrial facility and two industrial buildings totaling more than 300,000 square-feet. Online speculation has centered around the retail tenant being Walmart, but a spokesperson told Hearst Connecticut Media this week that the Arkansas-based company does not "have any information to share at this time." Burt Flickinger, managing director of the New York City-based retail consulting firm Strategic Resource Group, said that even though Walmart already has a large store at 235 Queen St. just south of the I-84 interchange there, the tenant for the retail portion of new development proposal is likely Walmart. 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 existing Walmart store in Southington is just under 95,000 square feet, according to municipal records. Flickinger said many of Walmart's new Supercenter projects are typically 175,000 square feet and have on site gas pumps, something that the Queen Street store doesn't have. If WalMart is the tenant for the Curtiss Street project, Flickinger said it would improve the discount retailer's competitive position on two fronts. Membership warehouse retailer BJ's Wholesale Club has a store at 75 Spring St., just north of the Interstate 84 - Queen Street interchange. The 109,000 square foot store also has an onsite gas station. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The Southington BJ's Warehouse Club location is located a little over two miles from where the Curtiss Street project is being proposed. Flickinger said having a larger Walmart with fueling pumps on the property in Southington would allow the discount retailer to better compete with BJ's Wholesale Club for customers, but would also provide the company with a competitive advantage against Stop & Shop, which has a store at short distance away at 505 North Main Street. "All of these retailers are jockeying for position," Flickinger said. "The Southington store (for Stop & Shop) is one of their top sales volume stores in the and WalMart tends to go after the high volume Stop & Shop locations. This is a typical strategy for Walmart, surrounding the opposition from all sides." For that reason, he said that Walmart may not close its Queen Street stores if it ends up being the retail tenant for the Curtiss Street project. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Currently, Walmart has 12 "supercenters" in Connecticut and 19 smaller discount stores, according to the company's web site. While Walmart is a well known retail brand to Connecticut consumers, a Phoenix-based natural foods chain has confirmed it is making its first foray into the state next year. Sprouts plans to open stores on the Boston Post Road in Milford and Westport. Sprouts Farmers Markets officials confirmed earlier this month that they have signed a lease for a shopping center that is being built next to the Genesis car dealership in Milford on land that had been formerly occupied by a Hooters restaurant. That store is scheduled to open some time next year, according to Sprouts officials. A pre-application filing made earlier this year to the Westport Planning and Zoning Commission called for a 25,000-square-foot grocery store at 1460 Post Road East. While Sprouts was not mentioned by name in the application, an artist's rendition of the redevelopment of the property showed Sprouts logo on the building facade. Advertisement Article continues below this ad But that project remains in the pre-application phase on Thursday, an official with the town's Planning and Zoning Department said Thursday.. As Sprouts waits to open its first Connecticut store, the chain opened its first New York location in Centereach, Long Island in late January. The supermarket chain has more than 450 stores in 24 states. While Sprouts is new to Connecticut's grocery store landscape, one of the state's largest chains is laying the ground work for a pair of 2027 store openings. Massachusetts-based Big Y plans to open new stores in Orange and Farmington in 2027. Aimee Diliberto, a spokeswoman for the chain said Farmington's Planning and Zoning Commission has approved the company's plans for a 53,000-square-foot store in space on the Westfarms mall property that is currently used for overflow parking. Advertisement Article continues below this ad "We are working with the Simon Property Group on a start date for construction," Diliberto said of the company that owns Westfarms. The plans for a 53,000-square-foot Big Y in the Colonial Commons Shopping Center in Orange at the intersection of Marsh Hill and Indian River roads are still in the process of being reviewed by town officials, she said. And although both stores are scheduled to open in the spring of 2027, Diliberto said Big Y hasn't finalized a start date for the renovation of a former Christmas Tree Shops store in Colonial Commons retail center that will be turned into a Big Y. Meadow Commons opened with its first tenants in 2024, but the 43,000 square foot anchor space has sat empty since then. Advertisement Article continues below this ad When Market 32 opens in Meadow Commons, it will replace a Price Chopper that currently operates at 2985 Berlin Turnpike, according to officials with the Golub Corp., the Schenectady, N.Y company that operates both supermarket brands. A local resident walks among debris inside a mosque destroyed in an Israeli airstrike in Jibchit, southern Lebanon, Friday, April 17, 2026, following a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah. Hassan Ammar/AP President Donald Trump speaks with reporters while in flight aboard Air Force One, Friday, April 17, 2026, while in route to Joint Base Andrews, Md. Alex Brandon/AP Rescuers search for victims in the rubble of a destroyed building that was struck in Israeli airstrikes in the city of Tyre, south Lebanon, Friday, April 17, 2026. Mohammed Zaatari/AP A boy plays with a toy gun on the sidelines of a state-organized rally supporting the supreme leader, marking National Girls' Day, in Tehran, Iran, Friday, April 17, 2026. Vahid Salemi/AP An Israeli soldier directs a military vehicle in northern Israel, on the border with Lebanon following a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah, Friday, April 17, 2026. Ariel Schalit/AP Iran reversed its decision to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and fired on a tanker attempting to pass the waterway on Saturday. It also warned that it would continue to block transit through the strait as long as the U.S. blockade of Iranian ports remained in effect. Confusion over the critical chokepoint threatened to deepen the energy crisis roiling the global economy and push the two countries toward renewed conflict, even as mediators expressed confidence a new deal was within reach. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Irans joint military command said on Saturday that control of the Strait of Hormuz has returned to its previous state ... under strict management and control of the armed forces. Two gunboats from Irans Revolutionary Guard opened fire on a tanker transiting the Strait of Hormuz, the British militarys United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center said. It reported the tanker and crew as safe, without identifying the vessel or its destination. TankerTrackers.com reported vessels were forced to turn around in the strait, including an Indian-flagged supertanker, after they were fired on by Iran. Saturday's developments came after U.S. President Donald Trump said the blockade will remain in full force until Tehran reaches a deal with the U.S. that includes its nuclear program. Tehran had reopened the strait Friday to commercial vessels. 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 Roughly one-fifth of the worlds oil passes through the strait and further limits would squeeze already constrained supply, driving prices higher once again. Irans Friday announcement about the opening of the crucial body of water, through which 20% of the worlds oil is shipped, came as a 10-day truce between Israel and the Iranian-backed Hezbollah militant group in Lebanon appeared to hold. Despite the escalation, Pakistani officials say the United States and Iran are still moving closer to a deal ahead of the April 22 ceasefire deadline. The fighting has killed at least 3,000 people in Iran, nearly 2,300 in Lebanon, 23 in Israel and more than a dozen in Gulf Arab states. Thirteen U.S. service members have also been killed. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Here is the latest: Another Israeli soldier dies in combat Israels military says another soldier died in combat in southern Lebanon, the second death announced in under twelve hours. It brought the total number of soldiers killed in Lebanon to 15, and was the second soldier killed in combat since the ceasefire. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The military said another soldier was badly wounded in the same incident, along with four moderately wounded and four lightly injured. It was the second soldier to die since the ceasefire. The first died because of wounds sustained during combat, the military said. UN chief condemns attack in Lebanon that killed French peacekeeper Stephane Dujarric, the spokesman for U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, says Guterres has strongly condemned the killing of a French peacekeeper and the wounding of three others in an attack in southern Lebanon. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The U.N. peacekeeping force in southern Lebanon came under attack with small-arms fire Saturday morning. Two of the injured were hurt seriously, Frances president and the force known as UNIFIL said. Both President Emmanuel Macron and the UNIFIL force blamed Hezbollah, but the Lebanese militant group denied involvement. Iran declares the Strait of Hormuz fully closed, state media reports The navy of Irans Revolutionary Guard Corps said it extended the closure to the corridor it had earlier designated for the safe passage of vessels through the strategic waterway and declared the strait fully closed until the U.S. blockade on Iranian ports and ships is lifted. Advertisement Article continues below this ad On Friday, Iran said vessels could move through the strait in coordination with it and against the payment of a toll. But in a statement late Saturday carried by Irans state media, the navy warned that any violating vessel would be targeted. Iran considers the U.S. blockade a violation of the ceasefire between the two countries. Two vessels were attacked earlier on Saturday in the Strait of Hormuz and off Omans coast, at least one of them by Iranian gunboats. Israel says one of its soldiers has been killed in Lebanon The military said the soldier, an officer, was killed in south Lebanon on Friday, the day after the start of a U.S.-brokered ceasefire that has otherwise largely held. Advertisement Article continues below this ad It said two other soldiers were injured in the incident, but didnt release any more details. This brings to 14 the number of Israeli soldiers killed in the latest war in Lebanon. Hezbollah leader dismisses ceasefire paper published by US Naim Kassem, head of the Iran-backed Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, in a statement read on the groups al-Manar TV said a paper published by the U.S. State Department that it described as the text of a ceasefire agreement between Lebanon and Israel means nothing at the practical level, but it is an insult to our country. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Everyone knows that the government of Lebanon has not met or approved this statement, he said. The text published by the U.S. described the 10-day truce as a gesture by Israel to enable good-faith negotiations toward a permanent peace agreement with Lebanon. The text gives Israel the right to take all necessary measures in self-defense, at any time, against planned, imminent, or ongoing attacks. It does not mention any similar right for Lebanon or Hezbollah. Kassem said the truce should entail a complete cessation of all hostilities and that Hezbollah will respond to enemy violations. Israels military kills two UNICEF-contracted truck drivers in northern Gaza The Israeli military killed two UNICEF-contracted truck drivers at a water point in northern Gaza Strip, forcing the UN agency to suspend its operations in the area, UNICEF said. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Two other people were also injured in the attack that occurred Friday at the Mansoura water filling point in Gaza City, UNICEF said in a statement. The firing took place during routine, water trucking operations, with no changes in movement or procedures, it said. The Israeli military claimed that troops opened fire on suspected militants in the area of the so-called Yellow Line, which separates Israeli-controlled areas from the rest of Gaza. It said the incident was being investigated. UNICEF said the point is being used multiple times a day to keep providing hundreds of thousands of people in Gaza City with clean water from the Mekorot water supply line. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The agency said it suspended on-site activities until security conditions in the area are restored. India summons Irans ambassador after Indian-flagged tankers shot at near Strait of Hormuz India on Saturday summoned Irans ambassador in New Delhi after two Indian vessels were forced to reverse course in the Strait of Hormuz following reports of gunfire from Irans Revolutionary Guard. Indias foreign secretary conveyed New Delhis deep concern at the shooting incident at two Indian-flagged ships in the Strait of Hormuz to the Iranian ambassador, a statement by Indias External Affairs Ministry said. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The foreign secretary told the Iranian envoy that Tehran had earlier facilitated the safe passage of several ships bound for India. The statement said the Indian official urged the Iranian ambassador to convey Indias views to the authorities in Iran and resume at the earliest the process of facilitating India-bound ships across the Strait. Macron says a French soldier was killed and 3 were wounded in attack on peacekeepers in Lebanon A U.N. peacekeeping force in southern Lebanon came under attack with small-arms fire Saturday morning leaving one French peacekeeper dead and three wounded, two of them seriously, Frances president and the force known as UNIFIL said. The attack near the southern Lebanese village of Ghandouriyeh came after a 10-day ceasefire went into effect at midnight Thursday between Israel and Lebanons militant Hezbollah group. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Read more Pakistan prime minister returns home after regional visits ahead of expected US-Iran talks Pakistans Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif returned home Saturday after visiting Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Turkey ahead of an expected second round of talks between the United States and Iran. Sharifs office said in a statement that he was received by Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi upon arrival in the eastern city of Lahore. Advertisement Article continues below this ad It said Naqvi, who visited Iran earlier this week along with army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir and other officials, later met Sharif and briefed him on their talks with the Iranian leadership. Hezbollah denies links to attack that left one French peacekeeper dead in south Lebanon The Iran-backed group in a statement called for caution when assigning blame and judgment, until the Lebanese army completes its investigation of the incident. Hezbollah said the peacekeeping forces should coordinate with the Lebanese army in their operations. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Hezbollah expressed surprise at the hasty accusations leveled against it, especially given the silence of these same parties when the Israeli enemy attacks UNIFIL forces. Iran says it is reviewing new US proposals Irans Supreme National Security Council said in a statement that Pakistans army chief, serving as an intermediary, presented the proposals to Iran when he recently visited Tehran, and they were still under review. It was not revealed what was in the proposals. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The council said Iran has yet to respond, but further talks would require the U.S. to abandon excessive demands and adjust its requests to the realities on the ground. It also said that Iran will maintain full control over traffic through the Strait of Hormuz until the war fully ends and lasting peace is achieved in the region, adding that it would collect detailed information on passing vessels, issue transit certificates and impose tolls. The council added that it considered the U.S. naval blockade a violation of the ceasefire, and there would be no reopening of the Strait of Hormuz until that was lifted. Trump says Iran got a little cute, but there are good conversations happening President Donald Trump says that U.S. talks with Iran are going well and that he expects to have more information by the end of the day. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Trump made the comments Saturday morning during a White House event where he signed an executive order directing the Food and Drug Administration to expedite review of certain psychedelic drugs designed as breakthrough therapy for mental illness. Trump declined to take reporters questions about Iran but said, We have very good conversations going on. He says Iran got a little cute, later adding, They wanted to close up the strait again, referring to the Strait of Hormuz. They cant blackmail us, Trump said. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Pope Leo XIV says not in my interest at all to debate Trump but will keep preaching peace Pope Leo XIV said Saturday that it was not in my interest at all to debate U.S. President Donald Trump about the Iran war, but that he would continue preaching the Gospel message of peace. Leo spoke to reporters aboard the papal plane flying from Cameroon to Angola. He addressed the spiraling back-and-forth saga of Trumps critiques of his peace message, which have dominated news headlines this week. But the American pope also sought to set the record straight, insisting that his preaching isnt directed at Trump, but reflects the broader Gospel message of peace. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Theres been a certain narrative that has not been accurate in all of its aspects, but because of the political situation created when, on the first day of the trip, the president of the United States made some comments about myself, he said. Read more Turkish Vice President says US-Iran negotiations will take time to conclude Cevdet Yilmaz, whose country has been supporting Pakistans efforts to bring the sides together, told The Associated Press there are many complex issues on the table. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Yilmaz said he still believes talks between Iran and the United States would continue. We would all like these talks to end all at once, in a very short time. But we need to be realistic. These comprehensive negotiations will take some time, Yilmaz said. The vice president also said that a comprehensive settlement between Iran and the United States would be a prerequisite for free navigation through the Strait of Hormuz. What is the root cause here? The ongoing war. Therefore, the end of this war will provide the greatest guarantee, he said. Advertisement Article continues below this ad US says 23 ships turned back since Iran blockade started The U.S. military says it has forced 23 ships to turn around near the Strait of Hormuz since it imposed a naval blockade of Iranian ports. In a post on X, the Central Command said U.S. forces are still enforcing the blockade against ships entering or exiting Iranian ports and coastal areas. The blockade ordered by President Donald Trump started April 13 as part of U.S. pressure on Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Advertisement Article continues below this ad In response to the continued blockade, Iran reimposed restrictions on transit through the strait. British military say container vessel attacked near the Strait of Hormuz The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center said an unknown projectile hit the vessel, 25 nautical miles (46 kilometers) northeast of Oman. Some containers on the vessel were damaged, it said. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The attack is the second on Saturday, after two gunboats from Irans Revolutionary Guard opened fire on a tanker transiting the key waterway. Irans supreme leader sends defiant message Irans valiant navy is ready to inflict new bitter defeats on its enemies, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei said. Khameneis defiant remarks came as Iran swiftly reimposed restrictions on the Strait of Hormuz. Advertisement Article continues below this ad In a message celebrating the anniversary of the establishment of Irans army, he hailed Irans drone strikes that targeted Israel and the U.S. interests across the region during the war. Indian ships reverse course in Hormuz strait, vessel tracker says Two Indian vessels have had to reverse course in the Strait of Hormuz following reports of gunfire from Irans Revolutionary Guard, a vessel-tracker said. TankerTrackers.com said the vessels include an Indian-flagged supertanker, carrying 2 million barrels of Iraqi oil. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Iranian gunboats fire on tanker, British military says The British military says two gunboats from Irans Revolutionary Guard opened fire on a tanker transiting the Strait of Hormuz after Iran said it had reimposed restrictions on the vital waterway. The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations Centre said the tanker and crew were reported safe, without identifying the vessel or its destination. Iran said earlier it was reimposing restrictions on the strait in response to a U.S. blockade on Iranian shipping and ports. Iran has prevented vessels from crossing throughout the seven-week-long war, except for ones it authorizes. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Iran says it wont hand over enriched uranium to US Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Saeed Khatibzadeh dismissed claims from U.S. President Donald Trump over the uranium and sounded a note of caution with regard to future talks between the two countries. Speaking to the Associated Press in the Turkish city of Antalya, Khatibzadeh said the Iranians were not ready for a new round of face-to-face talks with the U.S. because the Americans have not abandoned their maximalist position. On Friday, Trump said the U.S. will go into Iran and get all the nuclear dust, referring to the 970 pounds (440 kilograms) of enriched uranium believed to be buried under nuclear sites badly damaged by U.S. military strikes last year. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Lebanese leaders discuss future talks with Israel The meeting between President Joseph Aoun and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam came during a 10-day ceasefire between Israel and Lebanons Iran-backed Hezbollah group. According to a statement from Aouns office, the pair discussed Lebanons readiness for negotiations with Israel. Lebanon and Israel have been in a state of war since 1948. Earlier this week, the two countries ambassadors to the U.S. held a meeting, in the first direct talks in decades. Advertisement Article continues below this ad U.S. President Donald Trump has invited Aoun and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to the White House, although no date has been set yet. Aoun has said he is ready to go anywhere to liberate my country, protect my people and save my nation. Iran reimposes restrictions in Strait of Hormuz Iran has reversed course on reopening the Strait of Hormuz, reimposing restrictions on the critical waterway after the U.S. said the move would not end its blockade. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The countrys joint military command said control of the Strait of Hormuz has returned to its previous state ... under strict management and control of the armed forces. It warned that it would continue to block transit through the strait as long as the U.S. blockade of Iranian ports remained in effect. The announcement came the morning after U.S. President Donald Trump said the U.S. blockade will remain in full force until Tehran reaches a deal with the U.S., including on its nuclear program. Pakistani leader heads home from Turkey ahead of U.S.-Iran talks Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has left for home after visiting Turkey, where he attended a diplomacy forum in Antalya. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Whiie there, he met Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani ahead of the second round of U.S.-Iran talks in Islamabad. While at the forum, Sharif discussed recent regional developments and ongoing diplomatic efforts between Tehran and Washington with Erdogan and the Qatari emir. Pakistan is expected to host the second round of talks between Iran and the United States early next week Iran announces partial reopening of its airspace Iran has announced a partial reopening of its airspace after a seven-week hiatus because of the war, state media reported. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The Civil Aviation Organization said air routes over eastern Iran were reopened at 7 a.m. (0330 GMT), according to the state-owned IRAN newspaper. It said flights at the countrys airports would gradually resume but did not give a timeframe. Irans airspace had been closed since the U.S. and Israel began striking Iran on Feb. 28. The partial reopening has come more than a week into a ceasefire between Iran and the U.S. Iranian lawmaker clarifies conditions for transit through Hormuz A senior Iranian lawmaker said only commercial vessels authorized by the Revolutionary Guard are allowed to transit through the Strait of Hormuz. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Ebrahim Azizi, head of Irans parliamentary National Security Commission, said in a social media post late Friday that commercial vessels must pay required tolls before transiting the strait, using a route set by Iran last month. The time has come to comply with the new Maritime Regime of the Strait of Hormuz, he said. These regulations are determined by Iran, not by social media posts! He warned that the mechanism could change if the U.S. attempts to create any disturbance for Iranian ships. Strait of Hormuz only open during ceasefire, Iranian military official says Irans Defense Ministry spokesperson said the Strait of Hormuz is only open during a ceasefire and conditionally, two Iranian semiofficial news agencies reported. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Rothschild & Co has named Ilga Haubert as head of investments for its UK Wealth Management business. Haubert will be responsible for the investment strategy and for overseeing the delivery of the firms investment proposition for clients, the firm said in a statement. She will report to UK Wealth Management CEO James Morrell and join the UK Wealth Management Committee. Haubelt said: I am excited to be joining Rothschild & Co and to play a part in supporting its UK Wealth Management clients and shaping investment strategy, building on the strong foundations already in place. The company said she will also take on Senior Managers & Certification Regime (SMCR) responsibilities for the investment team. Haubert has more than 20 years of experience across investment research, portfolio management and senior oversight of global investment teams. Most recently, she was head of equities at Fidelity, where she led the firms Europe-based portfolio management team. The role had been held by Mark Wallace, one of the co-heads of UK portfolio management. He will now focus on portfolio management on a full-time basis. Hauberts appointment is the first senior hire made by Morrell since he was confirmed as CEO of the UK Wealth Management business, effective January 2026. Morrell succeeded Helen Watson, who has become chair after a decade as CEO and more than 20 years working with him. Morrell said: As we continue to invest in our business, appointing a dedicated head of investments was one of our key priorities for 2026. I am delighted that we have appointed someone of Ilgas calibre and deep experience. I look forward to working with her as we continue to enhance our investment capability, always focused on our core objective to preserve and grow our clients real wealth over time. "Rothschild & Co names new investments head for UK wealth arm" was originally created and published by Private Banker International, a GlobalData owned brand. The Connecticut state Capitol in Hartford. Ned Gerard/Hearst Connecticut Media The Connecticut Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities was a median of 26 days late in serving some complaints to respondents and up to 399 days late in resolving some discrimination complaints, a state audit found. The failure to promptly process complaints delays the investigation and the potential issuance of a finding of reasonable cause, auditors said. This appears to be due to the volume of work exceeding staffing resources. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Other issues flagged by auditors included failing to fully account for thousands of dollars in gift cards and not preapproving overtime prior to employees putting in the hours. The audit covered fiscal years 2023 and 2024. During a phone interview, Cheryl Sharp, CHROs deputy director, said the agency does the best it can with available resources to meet the mandatory deadlines. 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 We had 62 employees when I started, and we have worked hard to get more employees, Sharp said, explaining why deadlines are often missed. But its very difficult, and we have such a grand mission and a lot of work that has to be done. We are doing our best and will continue to improve every year. Advertisement Article continues below this ad In written responses included with the audit, CHRO noted, Management is providing sufficient oversight; we are chronically understaffed and under resourced. There are not enough hours in the day or days of the week to meet all statutory and regulatory time frames because the volume of the work exceeds our available resources. The CHRO's mission includes enforcing state laws that prohibit discrimination in employment, housing, credit issuance and public accommodation and functions as an advocate for human rights, an enforcer of affirmative action law and state agency contract compliance. Late handling cases CHRO must meet 28 statutory deadlines for processing discrimination complaints, auditors said. For example, under state statute, the commission has 60 days to conduct a review and inform a complainant of any action taken and 90 days to decide whether the complaint should be heard by the Office of Public Hearings, assigned an investigator to conduct a full investigation or released from the jurisdiction of the commission. Advertisement Article continues below this ad A case investigator must make a finding of reasonable cause no later than 190 days from the date of the case assessment review. The commission must serve a respondent the person whom the complaint was filed against with the complaint and notice of rights no later than 15 days after the date of the discriminatory practice complaint. Auditors said a review of 20 discrimination complaints filed during the audited period found: CHRO served 19 complaints more than 15 days after the filing date. CHRO served the complaints between two and 167 days late, with a median of 26 days late. CHRO conducted 13 case assessment reviews more than 60 days from the filing of the respondents answer to the complaint. CHRO served the complaints to the respondent between one and 126 days late, with a median of 12 days late. CHRO assigned 10 cases to an investigator more than 15 days from the end of mediation or early legal intervention decision. CHRO assigned the investigators between two and 55 days late, with a median of 11 days late. One case went through the Early Legal Intervention process. CHRO made the ELI decision more than 90 days after the request for early legal intervention and made the decision 94 days late. For 15 complaints, the case investigator did not make a final cause determination within the statutory deadline. The case investigators made the final determinations between 14 and 399 days late, with a median of 150 days late. This places a burden on all parties, particularly the complainant who alleged discrimination, auditors said. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The findings have been reported in previous audits covering fiscal years 2021 through 2022. The failure to promptly process complaints delays the investigation and the potential issuance of a finding of reasonable cause, auditors said. This places a burden on all parties, particularly the complainant who alleged discrimination. This appears to be due to the volume of work exceeding staffing resources. Auditors added, The Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities should process discrimination complaints and determine reasonable cause within the statutory deadlines. The commission should consider seeking a legislative amendment to extend the statutory deadlines or request additional resources. In responses included with the audit, CHRO said it did not agree with the findings. Advertisement Article continues below this ad As an agency, we have managed to substantially reduce any backlog and have made gains with complying with the statutory and regulatory requirements despite our lack of resources, CHRO said. Sharp said separately that the state legislature has provided some additional employees and pointed out the agency processes thousands of complaints a year. Its been a repeated finding, and we have let the legislature know we need additional positions, Sharp said. Almost every year our responsibilities expand, and for many years our staff did not expand. Didnt track gift cards Auditors said a review of approximately 10 youth or community engagement events found CHRO only kept gift card distribution logs for the Kids Court Academy program. A total of $61,370 in gift cards were purchased. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The review of the gift card logs for the 17 KCA sessions held in calendar year 2024 found: CHRO did not maintain complete and proper tracking logs to confirm distribution and receipt of the gift cards. CHRO awarded $11,100 in gift cards to students but only documented that it mailed approximately 46% of the gift cards, totaling $5,095, to the students. In addition, CHRO only received confirmation that approximately 16% of the gift cards, totaling $1,760, reached the intended recipients. The gift card logs did not contain any evidence of supervisory review. CHRO did not perform reconciliations of gift card purchases, distributions and remaining stock to verify that it did not lose any gift cards. CHRO did not have written policies and procedures for managing gift cards, including safeguarding, storage and custody, segregation of duties, tracking logs, supervisory review and reconciliation. A lack of adequate monitoring and reconciliation of gift card activity increases the risk of fraud, waste and abuse, auditors said. This appears to be caused by the lack of management oversight related to the distribution and reconciliation of gift cards. The findings have not been reported in a previous audit. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities should establish a written policy detailing proper internal control procedures over the distribution of gift cards, auditors said. The commission should properly document and maintain records confirming distribution and reconciliation of the gift cards. In its response, the CHRO disagreed with the findings. A policy has been and continues to be in place governing the purchase, distribution and storage of gift cards, the agency said. With regards to reconciliation, the agency has implemented enhanced procedures to strengthen our existing controls and ensure greater accuracy in tracking and recordkeeping. Supervisory checks are also in place to prevent waste, fraud or abuse. CHRO noted its accurate that, in other youth programs and during education and outreach events, we have not required individuals to sign for gift cards. This is primarily due to the high volume of participants and the nature of these stand-alone events. However, moving forward, the CHRO will implement a signatory process and a reconciliation process for all gift card distributions to strengthen accountability and documentation. Advertisement Article continues below this ad In rebuttal comments, auditors said, CHRO has a policy for the Kids Court Academy that is available to program participants. However, there is no written policy and process for CHRO employees to safeguard the gift cards. Although CHRO has a policy that requires students to acknowledge receipt of gift cards, this policy was not always followed. CHRO only received confirmation for approximately 16% of the gift cards awarded in 2024. Sharp said separately that students earn gift cards, many of which are donated to the agency, by participating in various programs and are asked to acknowledge receipt when they get a gift card. Now if you dont acknowledge receipt, you dont get them in the next session until you acknowledge getting them, she said. Overtime not preapproved Auditors said a review of 242.5 hours of overtime revealed that a supervisor failed to preapprove 135.5 hours of overtime, totaling $6,746, for four executive unit employees. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Failure to properly administer and approve overtime could lead to unnecessary costs, auditors said. A lack of managerial oversight contributed to the condition. The findings have not been reported in previous audits. The Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities should strengthen internal controls to ensure compliance with its overtime approval policy promulgated in the Department of Labors overtime approval memorandum dated May 2, 2024, auditors said. The commission disagreed with the findings. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Overtime is consistently preapproved, typically through verbal authorization, the agency said. While documentation or email confirmation may be finalized after some overtime hours have been worked, the approval is granted in advance. CHRO added that given its chronic under-resourcing and staffing shortages, it is not always feasible for written approval to precede the overtime worked. This operational reality does not negate the fact that the overtime is authorized. Furthermore, in urgent or emergent situations, overtime may be necessary without prior approval to avoid costly delays such as the need to reschedule fact-finding conferences or mediations which would result in unnecessary expenditures and inefficiencies. In rebuttal comments, auditors noted, Supervisors did not provide written preapproval for more than half of the overtime earned by executive unit employees during the audited period. Preapproval of overtime helps manage labor costs and prevent unauthorized overtime. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Sharp said overtime is often verbally approved in part because staff is never sure how long a hearing or procedure will run. Pope Leo XIV arrives in procession to celebrate Mass at Yaounde Ville Airport, Cameroon, Saturday, April 18, 2026 on the sixth day of his 11-day pastoral visit to Africa. Andrew Medichini/AP Pope Leo XIV arrives to celebrate Mass at Yaounde Ville Airport, Cameroon, Saturday, April 18, 2026 on the sixth day of his 11-day pastoral visit to Africa. Andrew Medichini/AP Pope Leo XIV arrives in procession with cardinals and bishops to celebrate Mass at Yaounde Ville Airport, Cameroon, Saturday, April 18, 2026 on the sixth day of his 11-day pastoral visit to Africa. Andrew Medichini/AP FILE- This combination file photos show on left, President Donald Trump listening during a meeting with North Korean defectors where he talked with reporters about allowing the release of a secret memo on the F.B.I.'s role in the Russia inquiry, in the Oval Office of the White House, on Feb. 2, 2018, in Washington and on right, Pope Leo XIV arriving for his weekly general audience in St. Peter's Square, at the Vatican, on Aug. 6, 2025. AP President Donald Trump waves to reporters as he walks on the South Lawn upon his arrival to the White House, Friday, April 17, 2026, in Washington. Jose Luis Magana/AP ABOARD THE PAPAL PLANE (AP) Pope Leo XIV said Saturday that it was not in my interest at all to debate U.S. President Donald Trump about the Iran war, but that he would continue preaching the Gospel message of peace. Leo spoke to reporters aboard the papal plane flying from Cameroon to Angola as part of his 11-day tour of Africa. Advertisement Article continues below this ad He addressed the spiraling back-and-forth saga of Trumps critiques of his peace message, which have dominated news headlines this week. But the American pope also sought to set the record straight, insisting that his preaching isnt directed at Trump, but reflects the broader Gospel message of peace. Theres been a certain narrative that has not been accurate in all of its aspects, but because of the political situation created when, on the first day of the trip, the president of the United States made some comments about myself, he said. Much of what has been written since then has been more commentary on commentary, trying to interpret what has been 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 Trump launched the criticism on his social media platform Truth Social on the night of April 12, when he criticized Leos preaching about peace as the war, which began with joint U.S.-Israeli strikes on Feb. 28 and was followed by Irans retaliation, raged on. Trump accused Leo of being soft on crime, cozy with the left and said that the first American pontiff owed his election to Trump. Leo has issued consistent calls for peace and dialogue, and has denounced the use of religious justification for war. Specifically, he called Trumps threat to annihilate Iranian civilization truly unacceptable. The Vatican has stressed that when Leo preaches about peace, he is referring to all wars ravaging the planet, not just the Iran conflict. The Russian Orthodox Church, for example, has justified Moscows invasion of Ukraine as a holy war. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Speaking to reporters on Saturday, Leo referred specifically to his remarks earlier this week to a peace meeting in Bamenda, Cameroon. The city is the epicenter of a separatist conflict that has been raging in the western, Anglophone region of the country for nearly a decade. Leo said that his remarks, in which he blasted the handful of tyrants who were ravaging Earth with war and exploitation, were written two weeks ago, long before Trumps criticisms began. And yet as it happens, it was looked at as if I was trying to debate again the president, which is not in my interest at all, he said. Looking ahead, however, he said that he would continue preaching the Gospel. Advertisement Article continues below this ad I primarily come to Africa as a pastor, as the head of the Catholic Church to be with, to celebrate with, to encourage and accompany all the Catholics throughout Africa, he said. He drew attention to some upcoming liturgical readings about what it means to be Christian and to follow Christ, promote fraternity and brotherhood, but also looking for ways to promote justice in our world, promote peace in our world, he said. Leo arrived later Saturday in Angola, the third stop on his four-nation tour. A message of peace would be especially relevant for the southern African country, which was ravaged by a 27-year civil war that ended in 2002 but has left deep scars. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, left, embraces Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva at the end of the Global Progressive Mobilisation summit in Barcelona, Spain, Saturday, April 18, 2026. Joan Monfort/AP Gov. Tim Walz, D-Minn., delivers a speech at the Global Progressive Mobilisation summit in Barcelona, Spain, Saturday, April 18, 2026. Joan Monfort/AP U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., delivers a speech at the Global Progressive Mobilisation summit in Barcelona, Spain, Saturday, April 18, 2026. Joan Monfort/AP Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, right, greets Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum at the Meeting in Defence of Democracy summit in Barcelona, Spain, Saturday, April 18, 2026. Joan Monfort/AP Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, left, reacts next to Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva at the end of the Global Progressive Mobilisation summit in Barcelona, Spain, Saturday, April 18, 2026. Joan Monfort/AP BARCELONA, Spain (AP) Progressive leaders from around the globe gathered in Barcelona on Saturday to try and galvanize their forces and defend a rules-based world order. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, an outspoken critic of U.S. President Donald Trump and the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran, hosted two overlapping events about democracy and progressive politics in Spains second-largest city. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Democrats U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz were present alongside the leaders of Brazil, South Africa and high-ranking officials from other left-leaning governments. While no foreign leader criticized Trump by name in public, the staunchly unilateral position of the American president that breaks with decades of U.S. foreign policy, including his derision of NATO and the United Nations, hung over the meetings. We all see the attacks against the multilateral system, the repeated attempts to undermine international law and the dangerous normalization of the use of force, Sanchez said. 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 Trump again lashed out on Saturday on social media at Sanchez, who has faced Trumps scorn for not allowing the U.S. to use jointly operated military bases in Spain for operations related to the Iran war and for refusing to raise military spending from 2% to 5% of GDP. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Has anybody looked at how badly the country of Spain is doing. Their financial numbers, despite contributing almost nothing to NATO and their military defense, are absolutely horrendous. Sad to watch!!! Trump posted on Truth Social. Sanchez says the right's time is running out Spain, like the U.S. and other developed countries, is in debt, but it has one of the worlds leading economies under Sanchez. Sanchez told the rally of progressive politicians and party members held later on Saturday that the populist right screams and shouts not because they are winning but because they know their time is running out. Advertisement Article continues below this ad They know their vision of how the world should be ordered is falling apart due to the tariffs and wars, he said. Their embrace of climate change denial, of xenophobia, or sexism is their greatest error. They have tried again and again to make us embarrassed of our beliefs. That ends now. From now on they can be the ones who feel ashamed. Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa and Colombian President Gustavo Petro, and other leaders and officials, including Cabinet members from the United Kingdom and Germany, were in attendance at the IV Meeting in Defense of Democracy that kicked off Saturday's double-header of political events at the Barcelona convention center. Later in the day, Sanchez, Lula and Ramaphosa stayed put to attend the inaugural Global Progressive Mobilization, where some 6,000 left-leaning elected officials, policy analysts and activists exchanged ideas. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The far right is international, so we must be too, German Vice Chancellor and Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil told a crowd of activists. Democrats join rally Sen. Murphy, a Democrat from Connecticut, spoke at the progressive rally and he didnt shy away from blasting Trump while celebrating the loss of power of Trump's ally Viktor Orban in elections in Hungary last week. Donald Trump is out to end our democracy, Murphy said. We are not on the verge of a totalitarian takeover, we are in the middle of it. Advertisement Article continues below this ad But, he said, Americans are watching what is happening across the world, and the victory in Hungary just one week ago lifted our sails. Walz, Kamala Harris' vice presidential candidate who has faced a violent U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement migration crackdown in Minnesota, threw barbs at U.S. Vice President JD Vance, who campaigned for Orban and has backed far-right parties in Europe. Unlike our current vice president, Im not here to arrogantly lecture or scold you, I am not here to pick a fight with the Pope or host a rally for any local wannabe authoritarians, Walz said. New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani, former U.S. presidential candidate Hillary Rodham Clinton and Sen. Bernie Sanders all sent video messages played at the rally. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Progressives exchange ideas Among concrete proposals to come from the events, Ramaphosa said South Africa will present a draft resolution to establish an International Panel on Inequality, aiming to tackle the growing wealth gap both within and between nations, to the U.N. General Assembly in September. Sheinbaum plugged her idea that governments commit to spending the equivalent of 10% of their military budgets on reforestation projects. Each year, instead of planting the seeds of war, we will plant the seeds of life, she said. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Sanchez argued for the importance of regulating social media to stop the spread of hate speech and disinformation. His government also said that it is working with Lula's Brazil on a tax for the ultrarich. Lula, who met with Sanchez in a bilateral summit on Friday in Barcelona, kept the focus on how to invigorate the progressive moment. He avoided naming Trump except when he called for U.N. Security Council members to fulfill their obligation and guarantee peace. Stop this madness of war because the world cannot bear any more wars, Lula said. If youve bought a home before, you may already have a real estate agent in mind. But if youre looking for one, Carl Lantz III, a West Hartford broker with Coldwell Banker, shares his advice. Matt Rourke/Associated Press Save for the COVID-era surge, when many Connecticut homeowners seized the chance to cash out at prices they never expected to see, the decision to sell is usually driven by major life changes, real estate agents say. A new job that requires relocation, a major change in household income, a growing family, divorce, downsizing in retirement or settling an estate can all prompt a move. If youve bought a home before, you may already have an agent in mind perhaps the broker who helped you purchase your property or even someone on the other side of the deal who left a strong impression. But if youre looking for a home in Connecticut, how do you choose the right professional to guide you through the process? Advertisement Article continues below this ad Carl Lantz III, a West Hartford broker with Coldwell Banker who has served as president of Connecticut Realtors, shared his advice with CT Insider. Youve decided to put your home on the market. How should you approach hiring an agent? "I think the best way and the way that 90% of my business comes is referral, asking your friends and family who they've worked with," Lantz said. "Personal experiences, reputation all those bits and pieces I think it's really important to have that. You want somebody who's going to work the best on your behalf, so finding that right person is of utmost importance. Do the research. Find somebody who matches with you and has the chops to get you what you want out of your deal." Advertisement Article continues below this ad What should a home seller consider when evaluating an agent? "It's just like looking at your investments," Lantz said. "You want an investment adviser who's going to outperform the market, and you want a Realtor who's going to outperform the market. Just like anything else, there are online reviews those, of course, can be dead-on, or not so much but they can be one piece of the puzzle. 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 "With any referral, talk about the actual experience not just did the agent do well, but what was the experience for the person who was selling? Ask about communication styles that's something I ask about all the time. How do you want me to communicate with you? Do you want text? Do you want phone calls? Do you want email? Do you want all of it? How often do you want to hear from me? Advertisement Article continues below this ad "I lay out expectations of how a process is going to run and how it all works. I want to be prepared for any eventuality that might hit. The market always changes, and I don't care if you've been in it for two years as an agent or you've been in it for 22 years, there's always something new. Nobody saw the COVID market coming. We have to be flexible and adapt to whatever is thrown our direction and solve the problems that come our way. "Make sure that you understand the fees how they're paid, who pays them. The biggest change that we've seen is on the buy side. When you go into a deal, you may not know if the seller is offering the compensation that the buyer has to pay their agent." "Make sure that you understand the fees how they're paid, who pays them. The biggest change that we've seen is on the buy side. When you go into a deal, you may not know if the seller is offering the compensation that the buyer has to pay their agent. Once youve hired an agent, what happens before your home goes on the market? "I always say that I work for you, and that timeline is based on your needs," Lantz said. "If they need to be out of the house next week, we bust our backsides and do everything we can to get it ready to be on the market ASAP. Advertisement Article continues below this ad "If they've already moved after securing a new place, that's huge in this market, because now they can stage and set up and clean not everybody can do that. If you still live in the home being listed, you can do the very basics of decluttering and starting to pack, because you are moving. People want to see fresh, clean (spaces). They don't want your 1972 wallpaper; they don't want your fluorescent-orange kids bedroom. Selling a house, you're selling an image. You're not selling your reality, because how everybody uses it is going to be different." After a weekend or two on the market, if you receive multiple offers, what happens next? "Every agent is going to handle it differently," Lantz said. "That's something else you should talk about in your interview at the beginning. We're just driving the bus, and you are the one who's telling us where to go. I present offers as they come in to the seller, and then oftentimes, once we have multiples, I'll then set a deadline with the seller on much more time do they think they want. "My advice on that is not too long, because you don't want people who've put in an offer on day one to have to wait a week, and not too short, because you want to make sure everybody gets a chance to come in and see it. When I review the offers with a seller, I'm literally going through all the bits and pieces, because it is not just this offer is higher than that offer. There's so many pieces that you have to look at. How is the offer paid? How is it financed? How much money are they putting down? How big is their deposit? Advertisement Article continues below this ad "Contingencies for a mortgage or inspection might also be considerations on which an offer is considered the best all around, not just price." Spirit Airlines could collapse soon amid high oil prices. If it ceases operations, most tickets would become void without the promise of a refund. Customers could keep their tickets if Spirit managed to find a buyer. If Spirit Airlines goes out of business, your tickets with the carrier would become worthless. That's the risk hanging over the ultra-low-cost carrier as it searches for a buyer but has yet to secure a deal. The airline has struggled for years to turn a profit amid changing traveler habits and raising costs; reports say the oil crisis triggered by the Iran war could be the nail in the coffin. Basically, at the moment, it's a gamble. A merger or acquisition can mean that tickets are honored or rebooked onto the new airline, as seen in deals such as American Airlines and US Airways, United and Continental, and Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian. This typically happens while the acquired carrier is still operating. A full collapse is what Spirit is reportedly facing, and that usually means bookings are voided immediately. Spirit's operations would likely come to a complete halt, and there would be few resources for customers as call centers close and airport staff disappear. Spirit previously told Business Insider that it doesn't "comment on market rumors and speculation." If people must travel, they would still have to pay to book with another airline or find another method of transportation. Last-minute flights and trains are often costly, and it can be a headache to re-plan a trip. The airline may get a reprieve from the fall in oil prices on Friday after the US and Iran said the crucial Strait of Hormuz was open; Brent crude oil fell to $88 midday Friday from nearly $100 the day before. Spirit's Chapter 11 bankruptcy status also means it may refuse refunds. Customers may be able to recoup the ticket cost through a credit card chargeback (which I plan to do if my June Spirit flight is abruptly canceled). This has been the reality for years. Florida-based Silver Air recently shut down in June 2025, leaving passengers across the state and the Caribbean without flights. Icelandic low-cost carrier WOW Air similarly left a trail of chaos at airports when it suddenly halted operations in 2019. And nearly 30 years ago, in 1998, Pan Am's infamous collapse led to a total grounding of all its aircraft. Every ticket was canceled, and bankruptcy protection meant Pan Am didn't have to issue refunds. Spirit ended up on the brink of collapse after two failed attempts to merge with Frontier Airlines and JetBlue Airways. Frontier was the first bidder in 2022, before JetBlue swooped in with a more convincing offer. Make better investment decisions with Simply Wall St's easy, visual tools that give you a competitive edge. Sylvania Platinums fair value price target has shifted from 1.67 to 1.65, a small adjustment that still matters if you are tracking where analysts think the shares should sit. Recent Street research links these moves to a series of fine tuned changes in their views, with earlier 3 GBp upward adjustments now followed by a more cautious 1 GBp cut. As you read on, you will see how these evolving targets shape the broader narrative you can use to frame your own view on the stock. Analyst Price Targets don't always capture the full story. Head over to our Company Report to find new ways to value Sylvania Platinum. What Wall Street Has Been Saying Bullish Takeaways Berenbergs earlier 3 GBp increase in its Sylvania Platinum price target in January suggests the firm saw enough support in the story to fine tune its upside case, even if only at the margin. The current fair value level of 1.65 still reflects a structured view from covering analysts, which you can use as a reference point when comparing Sylvania Platinum with other names in the platinum group metals space. Bearish Takeaways The 1 GBp reduction in Sylvania Platinums price target at Berenberg in April points to a more measured stance, with the bank adjusting expectations rather than endorsing a more aggressive scenario. The shift from a prior 3 GBp upward move to a 1 GBp cut highlights how Berenbergs view has become more balanced, which may signal that execution, growth prospects, or valuation are being scrutinised more closely. Do your thoughts align with the Bull or Bear Analysts? Perhaps you think there's more to the story. Head to the Simply Wall St Community to discover more perspectives! AIM:SLP 1-Year Stock Price Chart We've flagged 3 risks for Sylvania Platinum. See which could impact your investment. What's in the News Sylvania Platinum's board has declared an interim dividend of 2.00 pence per ordinary share for the first half of fiscal 2026. It is payable on 2 April 2026 to shareholders on the register at close of business on 6 March 2026, with an ex dividend date of 5 March 2026. The company has updated its fiscal 2026 production guidance for 4E PGM ounces to a range of 90,000 to 93,000, compared with initial guidance of 83,000 to 86,000 ounces. Chrome production guidance for fiscal 2026 has been set at 60,000 tons to 90,000 tons, according to the latest company outlook. How This Changes the Fair Value For Sylvania Platinum Delivered 440 basis points of positive operating leverage, marking the seventh consecutive quarter of this trend driven by revenue growth and expense discipline. Performance attribution highlights robust core loan growth in commercial and credit card segments, alongside record consumer deposits for the second consecutive quarter. Strategic positioning in California following the Union Bank acquisition is yielding significant revenue synergies, with the region outperforming the broader franchise in small business growth. The Business Banking segment is being transformed through 'Business Essentials' integrated solutions, focusing on multi-serve relationships rather than transactional banking. Capital markets growth of nearly 30% was driven by increased product penetration with existing clients and favorable market volatility in fixed income and derivatives. Tesla (TSLA) investors finally caught a break after a long time, thanks to one of the biggest Wall Streetfirms in the world. UBSis making a brave call, moving Tesla's stock rating from Sell to Hold just as the markets prepare for the upcoming earnings report. Market observers want to know whether the worst is behind Tesla or if more pain is to come in the coming year. The moment also comes at a unique time for electric vehicles and the global oil supply chain. The Middle East is currently experiencing significant turmoil. Iran and the United States are actively fighting it out for the opening of the Strait of Hormuz. The small patch of land is becoming critical for the global oil supply chain and is becoming a major flashpoint in the war. The implications are major with U.S. gas prices topping $4 a gallon, making this one of the most unpopular conflicts in modern history. With world leaders conveging in Pakistan to put an end to the conflict, something larger is also happening in the backdrop. For now, it seems that the worst could be over since the Strait of Hormuzis now open. But you never know what is going to happen next. The urge to pick up an electric vehicle is also, quietly, going up. Surging fuel costs in 2026, driven by global instability, are forcing US consumers to take the plunge once again, with data showing a 12% jump in used-EV sales thanks to the crisis. It makes for a unique tailwind for Tesla. The EV giant is already contending with slow inventory turnover, costs are going up, and investors don't know what to do next. Related: Cathie Wood buys $2.5 million of tumbling megacap stock Levels more evenly balance near-term demand challenges, UBS analyst Joseph Spak said, pointing to softer EV sales and heavier spending. What that simply means is that TSLA's stock price is already reflecting the bad news. Now what investors are looking at is whether the latest crisis will provide an unexpected boost for TSLA stock. UBS sees Tesla valuation as more balanced Teslas recent struggles havent disappeared; UBS just thinks investors are now fully aware of them. The EV giant is already facing plenty of headwinds. The issues include lower demand for vehicles and more capital costs related to robotaxis and humanoid robots. These investments are crucial to Tesla's long-term plan, but they are also hurting profits in the short term and pressuring margins. More Tesla: The markets are having a tough time ignoring these risks. Investors should always consider the long game when looking at stocks. Even if a business is not doing well right now, that doesn't mean it'll always be the case. Looking at a broader time frame can help you identify promising long-term buys. One stock that is an intriguing one to consider is Pfizer (NYSE: PFE). These days, it hasn't been a hot stock to own, not by any stretch. Investors are worried about its growth. Its recent results haven't been impressive, and while the dividend offers a high yield, there may be concerns about it as well. The result has been a stock that's been in deep trouble: in five years, Pfizer's stock has declined by close to 30%. 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 Below, I'll look at where the business might be in the next three years, and whether it's worth investing in the healthcare stock today. Image source: Getty Images. Why Pfizer's business could look much different in a few years Over the next few years, Pfizer's sales from some of its top drugs are likely to decline heavily as the company faces patent cliffs for Eliquis, Ibrance, Xtandi, Xeljanz, and other products. Previously, in 2022, CEO Albert Bourla projected that the company might lose up to $18 billion in revenue from 2025 through to 2030, as a result of competition from generics. But at the same time, Bourla has also been planning to more than offset that with increases to the top line via acquisitions and in-house development. At the time, he said he was planning to bolster the company's top line by as much as $25 billion. And in recent years, Pfizer has been busy with acquisitions to reach that goal. Its most high-profile purchase was the company's $43 billion acquisition of Seagen in 2023, an oncology company that makes advanced cancer treatments. Last year, Pfizer also bought Metsera for up to $10 billion. Metsera is developing GLP-1 drugs, which could potentially make Pfizer a major player in the anti-obesity market. Will the company be in better or weaker shape? The big question mark is what Pfizer's financials might look like when all the dust settles from not just the patent cliffs but also all the wheeling and dealing it's been doing in recent years, and whether it will come out ahead. There will be declines in revenue from leading products today, but new ones could also fill the void and potentially more than make up for any losses. Photo Courtesy: Autorepublika. While some European automakers are beginning to feel the consequences of relying heavily on imported vehicles for the U.S. market, General Motors is taking a very different approach. Instead of pulling back, the American giant is doubling down by increasing production of the Chevrolet Trax in South Korea, a strategy aimed at pushing factories toward their full annual capacity of 500,000 vehicles. Even with tariffs on South Korean-built vehicles currently set at 15% and the possibility of those duties rising to as high as 25%, General Motors appears highly confident in the Traxs market potential. A Strong Sales Performer In The U.S. Photo Courtesy: Autorepublika. The compact crossover delivered its best sales year yet in 2025, with 206,339 units sold in the United States. That represented a 2.8% increase compared to the previous year. In a segment where affordability and practicality dominate buyer priorities, the Trax has become one of Chevrolets most important volume players. Positioned below the Trailblazer and Equinox, the Trax is the smallest crossover in Chevrolets lineup. Its main competitors include the Hyundai Venue, Honda HR-V, and Toyota Corolla Cross. Chevrolets biggest advantage lies in pricing. The base price for the 2026 model year starts at $21,700, making it one of the most affordable new vehicles currently available on the U.S. market. Under the hood is a 1.2-liter turbocharged three-cylinder engine producing 137 horsepower. On paper the numbers look modest, but in real-world driving it provides sufficient performance for daily commuting, especially when combined with reasonable fuel efficiency. South Korea As A Strategic Export Hub Photo Courtesy: Autorepublika. The Trax is not the only model General Motors is counting on. The company also plans to increase imports of the Trailblazer along with Buick crossovers such as the Encore GX and Envista, which are also built in South Korea. During the past year, export totals reached 296,655 units for the Trax and 150,561 units for the Trailblazer. Demand for the Trailblazer in the U.S. declined slightly in 2025, falling 2.9% to 101,363 deliveries, but GM still sees value in expanding its overall export volume. By increasing production toward a 500,000-unit annual target, General Motors is reinforcing its strategy of using South Korea as a competitive export base for North America despite ongoing trade pressures. The move also sends a clear message that the company has no intention of reducing its presence in Asia even as geopolitical and economic conditions remain uncertain. Competing In A Changing Market Photo Courtesy: Autorepublika. This strategy becomes even more significant when considering how the domestic South Korean market increasingly favors local brands such as Hyundai, Kia, and Genesis. At the same time, Hyundai and Kia continue to post strong sales results in the United States despite still relying heavily on imports that are subject to tariffs, even though both companies operate manufacturing facilities on American soil. By Stefanie Eschenbacher, Stephen Eisenhammer, Laura Gottesdiener and Shariq Khan April 16 (Reuters) - U.S. authorities have raided the offices of Ikon Midstream, a Houston fuel trader whose diesel exports are part of fuel-smuggling investigations in Mexico, two U.S. officials and a Mexican security official told Reuters. The operation, in which law enforcement executed a federal search warrant, occurred this week at Ikon Midstreams Houston headquarters, two of the U.S. sources said. One of the sources said it targeted computers and documents. Reuters was unable to confirm the exact reason for the search or what materials were seized. The raid has not been previously reported. The companys attorney, Joseph Slovacek, confirmed that U.S. Customs and Border Protection served a search warrant on Ikon. He said law enforcement cited earlier Reuters reporting about Ikon Midstream as the reason for the search. The warrant was entirely the result of your October 2025 article, and your persistent attempts to have Ikon investigated, Slovacek said in response to a Reuters request for comment sent on Thursday. No arrests were made because Ikon had not engaged in any wrongdoing, he added. Rhett Kenagy, Ikon Midstreams chairman and chief executive, could not be reached for comment. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and Mexicos presidency did not respond to requests for comment sent earlier on Thursday. The FBI declined to comment. The operations of Ikon Midstream were detailed in a 2025 Reuters investigation into the alleged smuggling of fuel into Mexico. That report chronicled, using tanker-tracking data and trade records, how a shipment of diesel exported by Ikon Midstream in March 2025 aboard the tanker Torm Agnes made its way to Mexico. That shipment ended up in the hands of Intanza, a Mexican company suspected of being a front for the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), according to three Mexican security sources and a government security document reviewed by Reuters. Intanza could not be reached for comment. Letters sent to the company by courier could not be delivered, and Intanza has no website, no publicly listed phone number nor any social media presence that Reuters could identify. Smuggled fuel and stolen crude oil have become the second-largest source of revenue for Mexicos cartels behind narcotics, according to the U.S. government, which has ramped up efforts to crack down on the illicit trade alongside its broader attempt to combat the drug gangs. The Trump administration designated CJNG as a foreign terrorist organization in February 2025. Days after the US asserted that it would not renew the waiver allowing countries to buy sanctioned Russian oil and petroleum products at sea, the Donald Trump administration did a U-turn and allowed it late on Friday. On Wednesday, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent had said that the US would not be renewing the waiver for Russian oil and another for Iranian oil. We will not be renewing the general licence on Russian oil and we will not be renewing the general license on Iranian oil. That was oil that was on the water prior to March 11. So, all that has been used, Bessent had said at a White House press conference. However, the Treasury Department posted the licence to its website on Friday, allowing countries to purchase Russian oil loaded on vessels as of Friday through May 16. The licence is part of the Trump administrations effort to boost global oil supply and control energy prices, and it replaces a 30-day waiver that expired on April 11. It, however, excludes transactions involving Iran, Cuba and North Korea. India was among the major beneficiaries of the waivers, with New Delhi ordering approximately 30 million barrels of Russian oil. The US had, in fact, asked India to buy Russian oil to "tamp down" concerns over supply shortages and price surge. India's crude oil purchases from Russia more than tripled to 5.3 billion euro in March this year, as volumes doubled and rising oil prices pushed up the import bill. Said the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA), a European think tank: "India was the second-highest buyer of Russian fossil fuels in March 2026, importing a total of EUR 5.8 billion of Russian hydrocarbons. Crude oil products constituted 91 per cent of India's purchases, totalling EUR 5.3 billion." In February, India was the third largest importer, purchasing Russian hydrocarbons worth 1.8 billion euro. Crude oil constituted the largest share at 81 per cent (EUR 1.4 billion), followed by coal (EUR 223 million) and oil products (EUR 121 million). The current move is expected to provide major relief to India amid oil and energy concerns due to the Iran-US-Israel war. Indian Air Force (IAF) chief Air Chief Marshal A.P. Singh took a close look at a Boeing F-15Ex Eagle II 4.5 generation, multirole fighter of the US during his recent visit to Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada of US. The IAF chief undertook a familiarisation sortie in the fighter jet, touted to be one of the most advanced fighter platforms in the US inventory, as it has the unique ability to accommodate up to 12 AMRAAMs (Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile) or an equivalent mix of large ordnance. According to the US officials, the flight allowed the IAF chief to better understand the capabilities of the fighter jet, which features digital fly-by-wire controls, an all-glass cockpit, modern mission systems and software, open mission systems architecture and the ability to carry hypersonic weapons. ALSO READ: India-Russia Su-57 fighter jet deal for IAF incoming? Designed for interoperability within the joint force, according to Boeing, customers of F-15EXwhich functions as a long-range standoff weapons system that can operate and penetrate in highly contested environmentsinclude Japan, Israel, Singapore, Saudi Arabia and Qatar. Interestingly, while this 4.5 figter has been on the offer for years, India had opted to go with Dassault Rafale fighter jets for its Multi-Role Fighter Aircraft (MRFA) programme. During his visit, the IAF chief also held discussions with senior US Air Force officials, including Brigadier General David C. Epperson, who is the commander of the US Air Force Warfare Centre, which conducts warfighter-centric live and virtual operational test and evaluation, tactics development, and advanced training to optimise Air Force capabilities and prepare Airmen for joint, all-domain combat operations. The talks reportedly focused on expanding joint exercise opportunities and aligning modernisation efforts between the two air forces. There were also discussions on building stronger interoperability between India and the US. Come Maharashtra Day, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis will honour the Special Operations Group (C-60 commandos) with medals for their valiant efforts to make the state Naxal-free. Five hundred personnel serving with the elite units in the Gadchiroli and Gondia districts of the state will be honoured by Fadnavis, reports said. Currently, 29 C-60 teams are deployed in Gadchiroli, while nine are active in the Gondia district. Each team in Gadchiroli reportedly consists of 28 personnel, while there are 20 in each of the Gondia teams. The state government also awards special service medals and commendation certificates to Force One commandos and officers who have served two consecutive years, as well as personnel serving four years in the Quick Response Team, Loksatta said in a report. The C-60 Special Operations Group is best known for being the first district-level commando force in the country formed from the indigenous tribal population. The Greyhounds of Telangana and AP, the Special Operations Group (SOG) of Odisha, and the Thunderbolts in Kerala are all state-level units, while the entire 60 members of the maiden C-60 team hailed from Gadchiroli. The brainchild of former Gadchiroli Superintendent of Police K.P. Raghuvanshi (who retired in 2015 as Director General of the Maharashtra Security Force), the C-60s were formed in 1990 and were formerly known as 'Crack Commandos' and 'Naxalite Kardankal'. "Veerbhogya Vasundhara" (The Brave Rule the World) is the motto of the unit, which recruits and trains tribal youth in modern policing and warfare. Equipped with modern gadgets, weapons, and technology, their familiarity with the terrain, communities, and language was the best counter-measure against the Naxal cadres, who were largely led by Telugu-speaking senior members, Raghuvanshi and his team found. A success model worth replicating The strategy was a success, and more C-60 teams were recruited and activated in the region. As per a 2018 report, 24 teams were divided between the Gadchiroli headquarters (14) and Aheris Pranhita headquarters (10) in the southern part of the district which, in terms of size, is bigger than many North-eastern states and Delhi. As per information on the Gadchiroli Police website, C-60 commandos undergo training at Greyhound Training Centre in Hyderabad, NSG Manesar in Haryana, Hazaribagh, Kanker, and the Unconventional Operations Training Centre (UOTC) in Nagpur. "They are also informed about Naxal tactics from time to time to carry out anti-Naxal campaigns. They are also given motivational lectures and shown commando movies to boost their morale," it said. They are known for several success stories over the decades, including the elimination of 33 Maoists at the Rale-Kasnasur-Boriya forest on the Gadchiroli-Chhattisgarh border in a single encounter in 2018, The Times of India said in a report. In 2025, 200 C-60 commandos stormed the Maoist headquarters of Abujmarh, dismantling a critical rebel camp after a gunbattle that lasted over two hours, another report added. According to Marathi media reports, the medals are part of an initiative that aims to provide government-level recognition for high-quality service. These medals will be announced every year on the eve of Maharashtra Day. For the first two years, 500 medals will be announced annually. From the third year onwards, the medals will be awarded to all eligible officers and personnel. David Harbour has been cast in "John Rambo", where he will be portraying Major Sam Trautman. The casting has been confirmed in recent reports from April 17th-18th, adding a new name to the films ensemble. The role of Trautman is a key part of the Rambo series, where the character serves as the commanding officer and mentor to John Rambo. The role was originally portrayed by Richard Crenna in the earlier films. In the upcoming prequel, the character is expected to be shown at an earlier stage, alongside a younger version of Rambo. The film, titled "John Rambo", is being developed as a prequel to the 1982 film "First Blood". It is set before the events of the original film and focuses on the early years of the character. The story is expected to follow Rambo during his time as a Young Green Beret, including his experiences during the Vietnam War. Noah Centineo is set to play the role of John J. Rambo in the film. The project also features a supporting cast that includes Yao, Jason Tobin, Quincy Isaiah, Jefferson White, and Tayme Thapthimthong. Further details about the characters have not been disclosed at this stage. The film is directed by Jalmari Helander ("Sisu"). It is being produced by Lionsgate and Millennium Media, with AGBO attached as executive producers. The production is part of ongoing efforts to expand the Rambo franchise through new stories and timelines. According to available information, "John Rambo" has already completed filming, with production reportedly wrapping in Thailand in March 2026. Harbour is described as a late addition to the project, with his casting coming after principal photography had concluded. At present, the film is in its post-production stage. No official release date has been announced so far. Further updates regarding the films release and promotional schedule are expected in the coming months as the project progresses. With every leap in technology, a familiar debate resurfaces - what if it helps us, and what if it harms us? Artificial Intelligence sits right at the centre of this dilemma. Once, a quick Google search was our go-to for health concerns - typing symptoms, scrolling through links, and often self-diagnosing. Today, that behaviour has evolved. Instead of searching, people are asking AI chatbots directly: Whats wrong with me? What do these symptoms mean? Should I be worried? The shift comes with concerns too. A new study by researchers at Massachusetts General Brigham, published in JAMA Network Open, highlights a critical gap in how these systems function. While AI models may appear accessible and provide easy-to-understand, detailed responses, they struggle with something fundamental to medicineclinical reasoning. For your daily dose of medical news and updates, visit: HEALTH At a time when people are turning to AI chatbots for quick health answers, the study raises urgent questions about safety, accuracy, and the expanding role of AI in healthcare. How was the study conducted? Large language models (LLMs) are increasingly marketed for clinical use, yet their ability to replicate full-spectrum clinical reasoning remains uncertain, the researchers note. To better understand this, the study set out to evaluate how well AI systems perform across the entire clinical workflow, not just in isolated tasks. Unlike traditional evaluations that rely on multiple-choice questions, this research used a more realistic and layered approach. In a cross-sectional study design, researchers assessed 21 off-the-shelf LLMs using standardised clinical vignettes from the January 2025 update of MSD Manual cases. These included some of the most advanced AI systems available today, such as GPT-5, Claude 4.5 Opus, Gemini 3.0 Flash and Pro, and Grok 4. Each model was tested across sequential stages of clinical reasoning, starting from forming a differential diagnosis to recommending diagnostic tests, arriving at a final diagnosis, suggesting management plans, and answering miscellaneous reasoning questions. To measure performance, researchers introduced a new benchmark - the Proportional Index of Medical Evaluation for LLMs (PrIME-LLM) score. This metric captures how balanced and accurate a model is across all stages of clinical reasoning, rather than just focusing on final answers. Strong final answers, weak diagnostic thinking The results reveal a striking contrast. While AI models performed relatively well in arriving at final diagnoses, they struggled significantly in the earlier, and arguably more critical, stage of differential diagnosis. LLMs were tested across 29 clinical scenarios, generating a total of 16,254 responses. The PrIME-LLM scores ranged from 0.64 for Gemini 1.5 Flash to 0.78 for Grok 4, indicating moderate overall performance. Models specifically optimised for reasoning performed better than standard ones, with GPT-based systems scoring among the highest. However, a deeper look shows where things fall apart. Differential diagnosis was less accurate than diagnostic testing, while final diagnosis, management, and miscellaneous reasoning were more accurate, the study found. In fact, failure rates for differential diagnosis exceeded 80% across all models, with some reaching as high as 90100%. In contrast, failure rates for final diagnosis were below 40%. This suggests that while AI can often land on the correct answer, it does not reliably follow the logical pathway needed to get there. The researchers highlight a key difference between human clinicians and AI systems. Clinicians preserve uncertainty and iteratively refine differential diagnoses, whereas LLMs collapse prematurely onto single answers. This tendency to jump to conclusions, without adequately considering alternatives, can be risky in medicine, where multiple conditions may present with similar symptoms. Missing out on these possibilities can lead to misdiagnosis or delayed treatment. The study also notes that while multimodal inputs (such as images) improved performance in some cases, these gains were limited and inconsistent. This indicates that AI still struggles to handle the diverse and complex data that real-world clinical practice demands. Importantly, AI might give a wrong answer but sound very sure about it, especially in complex situations where even doctors need time and careful thinking to be certain. Limitations of the study While the findings are significant, the researchers acknowledge several limitations that must be considered. Importantly, this study evaluates off-the-shelf LLMs without external augmentation to enable controlled, comparable benchmarking across model families. This means that the models were tested in their baseline form, without additional tools that are often used in real-world applications, such as web search, clinical guidelines, or advanced reasoning frameworks. The study also notes that models were accessed through a mix of API-based and web-based interfaces, with optional features like search and enhanced reasoning turned off. This could influence performance outcomes. Another limitation is the possibility of prior exposure. Since the clinical vignettes used in the study are publicly available, prior exposure during model pretraining cannot be fully excluded. Additionally, the evaluation did not include model augmentations like retrieval-augmented generation, calculators, or agent-based tools, which could improve accuracy in practical settings. As a result, the findings reflect baseline reasoning ability rather than maximum potential performance. The researchers also clarify that the PrIME-LLM framework is not intended to compare AI systems directly with human clinicians. The present study was not designed to answer human comparison questions. However, the implications remain important. Most importantly, the findings of this study caution against vendor claims that general purpose, off-the-shelf LLMs are ready for patient-facing clinical use. The study warns that strong performance in final diagnosis tasks may create a misleading impression of reliability. In reality, persistent gaps in reasoning and uncertainty handling make these systems unsuitable for frontline medical decision-making. Marketing LLMs as diagnostic agents risks fostering false confidence precisely where they are least reliable. AI can analyse data, but cannot take responsibility Dr Rajiv Kovil, Head of Diabetology and Weight Loss Expert at Zandra Healthcare, said the comparison between AI and doctors, while popular, is fundamentally flawed. He explained that medicine is not just about finding the right answer but about responsibility and decision-making. AI versus doctors is a very attractive narrative, but it is fundamentally flawed because medicine, whether diagnosis or therapy, is about owning responsibility. And responsibility cannot be outsourced, he said. According to him, AI does have a clear and important role in healthcare, particularly in analysing large volumes of data and identifying patterns that humans may miss. AI is exceptionally good at pattern recognition, he noted, pointing to examples like subtle changes in diabetic retinopathy, ECG readings, radiology scans, or continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) data. However, he emphasised that interpreting what those findings mean for a real patient requires clinical judgement. He drew a clear distinction between knowledge and clinical wisdom. AI can give you a lot more intelligence from data, but it cannot give you clinical wisdom. These two are not interchangeable at all, he said. Dr Kovil further explained that clinical acumen goes beyond textbook knowledge and involves making decisions under uncertainty, something that comes with experience and responsibility. He also highlighted how real-world medical decision-making differs from simulations or theoretical knowledge. Doctors often have to act in uncertain, high-stakes situations, where outcomes directly affect patients lives, something AI does not account for. While acknowledging AIs growing importance, he stressed that it should be seen as a support system rather than a replacement. It is not ever going to be a replacement, but definitely a reinforcement, he said. In his final message, Dr Kovil cautioned patients against over-relying on AI for medical decisions. While AI may help detect diseases or provide preliminary insights, it cannot take responsibility for outcomes. AI can detect diseases, there is no doubt about it. But only a doctor can understand the patient and take responsibility for what comes next, he said. This story is done in collaboration with First Check, which is the health journalism vertical of DataLEADS The US and Israeli military campaign in Iran and the far-reaching response from the Iranian regime has complicated international relations between the White House and its traditional allies. The result is a potential shift in the balance of power between the US and the world's second-largest economy, China, several experts told Yahoo Finance. In recent public appearances and online statements, President Trump has repeatedly derided Europe as a "paper tiger" and threatened to withdraw the US from one of its most critical international defense cooperatives. He has told Europe, which depends much more directly than the US on energy flows from the Persian Gulf, to "build up some delayed courage, go to the Strait, and just TAKE IT." Statements such as those from President Trump, along with threats to annex Danish territory Greenland and other international maneuvers, have rattled foreign confidence in the US commitments to its allies, creating a potential opening for Beijing, said Henrietta Levin, a senior fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies "China wants the United States' most important partners to question whether it will actually be there for the long term, whether the US will actually be there when it's difficult," Levin told Yahoo Finance. "The US commitment to allies in Europe is immediately relevant to deterrence in Asia, so that just makes the situation more precarious," she added. Read more: How to protect your money as Mideast turmoil fuels market volatility For Beijing, the United States' increasingly withdrawn posture toward international commitments could open up opportunities in the Indo-Pacific region, throughout the South China Sea, and, crucially, Taiwan critical to US economic and national security due to the country's semiconductor factories. China is unlikely to use the conflict in Iran as an opportunity to move militarily on Taiwan, Patricia Kim, senior fellow and Chinese foreign policy specialist at the Brookings Institution, told Yahoo Finance. In a fiery Saturday address to the nation, PM Narendra Modi hit out at the Opposition for blocking the passage of the constitutional amendment bill to implement women's reservation in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies. Despite the bill garnering support from 298 MPs in the Lok Sabha, it faced stiff opposition from 230 other MPsmeaning it passed the simple vote tally condition, but failed to achieve the 2/3 majority required for it to finally pass through the Lok Sabha. As expected, the failure of passage for the women's quota bill turned out to be the primary focus of Modi's speech on Saturday, in which he attacked the Opposition parties for being "anti-women", and declared that the ruling NDA government would continue to fight for women's rights in legislature. Here are ten important quotes from his brief, but loaded, speech on the subject: 1) "Today, every citizen of India is witnessing how the march of India's women has been halted. The dreams of the country's women have been mercilessly crushed, and despite our utmost efforts, we could not succeed." 2) "I seek forgiveness from all women of the country." #WATCH | In his address to the nation, Prime Minister Narendra Modi says, "Today I'm here to discuss an important issue, especially for the women of this country. Every citizen of this country is witnessing how women's progress has stalled... Despite our best efforts, we haven't pic.twitter.com/Y2s2hBUCz6 ANI (@ANI) April 18, 2026 3) "Opposition has committed a sin by opposing women reservation and they will be surely punished for this ... (They) have insulted our Constitution by defeating bill for women's reservation in legislatures." #WATCH | In his address to the nation, Prime Minister Narendra Modi says, "I will say clearly to those parties who opposed the Nari Shakti Vandan Amendment in Parliament yesterday: These people are taking women's power for granted. They are forgetting that women of the pic.twitter.com/0WE1i4MbDx ANI (@ANI) April 18, 2026 4) "Family-run parties do not want women to move forward as women could end their selfish politics. India's women saw how parties like Congress, TMC and DMK celebrated their selfish politics against our women power." #WATCH | PM Narendra Modi says, "There is a big reason behind the opposition to Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam - the fear of these dynastic parties. They are scared that if women get empowered, the leadership of these dynastic parties will be threatened. They would never want women pic.twitter.com/bJ1uRFyerm ANI (@ANI) April 18, 2026 5) "Parties like Congress, DMK, TMC and Samajwadi Party have committed foeticide by defeating bill on women reservation." 6) "This amendment Bill was an opportunity for all parties and states. Had the Bill been passed, seats in Tamil Nadu, Bengal, UP, Keralam and every state would have increased. But due to their selfish politics, these parties betrayed the people of their own states." #WATCH | PM Narendra Modi says, "This amendment Bill was an opportunity for all parties and states. Had the Bill been passed, seats in Tamil Nadu, Bengal, UP, Keralam and every state would have increased. But due to their selfish politics, these parties betrayed the people of pic.twitter.com/XwYTNNjh6c ANI (@ANI) April 18, 2026 7) "Congress has always believed in politics of dividing people, so they spread falsehood about North-South divide." 8) "Congress stopped all reforms ... It stalled border issues with neighbouring countries. It stalled water disputes with Pakistan. It stalled OBC reservation decision for 40 years. It stalled One Rank One Pension for 40 years. This attitude of Congress has always harmed the country." #WATCH | PM Narendra Modi says, "Several other countries attained independence along with us. Most of the countries have gone much further ahead of us. The reason behind this is that Congress stopped all reforms. 'Latkana, bhatkana, atkana' has always been the principle and work pic.twitter.com/NVm3YqsQgc ANI (@ANI) April 18, 2026 9) "Nari Shakti Vandan Amendment was the need of hour: an honest effort to ensure balanced empowerment across North, South, East and West." 10) "We may not have got 66 per cent votes, but we have got blessings of 100 per cent of women ... we will continue our fight." A pall of gloom descended over Pang-Palliparamba village in Malappuram district of Kerala as bodies of the teachers and staff members at a government school who died at a fatal road accident in Tamil Nadu reached their hometown. Thousands of people gathered at Pang Higher Secondary School, where the bodies were laid in state for the public to pay their respects. The accident occurred around noon on Friday when the vehicle carrying the 16-member group, including some teachers, staff, and their children, lost control on the Valparai-Pollachi ghat road, rolling down from the 13th bend to the 9th bend. The deceased included seven women and a child. They were identified as Ajitha (54), Ramla (52), Suhara (43), Asha (41), Majeed (43), Rukhiya (39), Noushad (39) and Sajida (45) and Hisham (12). Among the injured were Sajidas son Shahadeen Muhammad (11), Suhras daughter Masnin (10), Noushad Ali (39) and Muhammad Faees (22), the driver of the tourist van. Shahadeen is undergoing treatment at Coimbatore Medical College Hospital, while Masnin has been moved to a private hospital in Perinthalmanna. Heartbreakingly, both children remain unaware that they have lost their mothers, reported Manoramaonline. In a statement, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan expressed grief over the incident and instructed authorities to ensure the best possible treatment for those who were injured. He also assured that the government would provide necessary assistance to the families of the deceased. Prime Minister Narendra Modi also expressed his condolences to the families of the victims. According to a Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) member, the tour was not organised by the school. Teachers and staff went on the trip during the vacation period. Some of them had posted photos as WhatsApp status," he told the media. General Education Minister V. Sivankutty said he had contacted the office of the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, which assured that all necessary assistance would be provided. The minister added that he had been informed that all measures are being coordinated under the leadership of the Coimbatore District Collector. According to local reports, the group set out on Friday morning, visited Athirappilly Waterfalls in Thrissur and then proceeded to Valparai. The exact cause of the accident is yet to be confirmed, though preliminary reports indicate that the driver lost control while negotiating the sharp descent at the 13th hairpin bend. The Valparai-Pollachi Ghat Road, known for its challenging terrain with 40 hairpin bends, has a history of several accidents, particularly during the summer months. The fate of thousands of domestic workers in West Bengal hangs in the balance as their names are being removed from the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) list, even after their cases were heard in the under-adjudication category. Many of them were on the 2002 SIR list, or are descendants of those who were, yet their names have been deleted. I wish my name were included in the voter list. My fear is that people are saying I will be sent to Bangladesh. I am from the North 24 Parganas district. Only my sons and my name are not included, said Sahana Bibi, who lives in Kolkatas Patuli area. She even fell ill because of the stress and was admitted to the hospital, where she was put on saline due to a spike in her blood pressure and sugar levels. Noor Jahan Bibi, another domestic worker from the same locality in Kolkata, faces a similar fate. My parents are from the North 24 Parganas district. The fear is that they (authorities) will take me away. I have all the documents. I am not a Bangladeshi. My parents and grandparents were born here. I will fight if I have to, said Noor Jahan. For many like Sahana Bibi and Noor Jahan, what lies ahead is the option of appealing to the tribunal. However, the process is cumbersome, involving extensive documentation and legal fees, and many of them are illiterate. Some even have to run from pillar to post at police stations to obtain domicile certificates, a process that also involves spending money. Paschim Banga Griha Paricharika Samiti is a domestic worker welfare organisation helping around 250 workers to get documents in place and approach the tribunal with legal help. Sabar Institute, which conducts research on minority representation in West Bengal, offers free legal help to get documents in order before these domestic workers approach the tribunal. To file these petitions, lawyers want Rs 1000-2000. If there are two members in a household, where will they go for this money? I feel that after coming here, a lawyer will be there for us while we appeal, says Sapna Tripthi, an executive committee member of Paschim Banga Griha Paricharika Samiti. For a police verification certificate, they ask for Rs 2000-3000; they even ask for cigarettes. Those who dont have money did not go back, she adds. The situation speaks volumes about the apathy towards the low-income families who struggle to get the necessary documents to get their names included in the voter list, fearing backlash at their workplaces or facing the threat of being sent to detention camps or Bangladesh. BLOs (booth level officers) EROs (electoral registration officers) called them for a hearing twice, and they produced several documents, including a domicile certificate. They had to go back to their native villages. Where do they go? Who do they go with? For police verification, they have to go to the police station, where they are asked for money. They thought their names would be in the supplementary list, says Tripathi. The Supreme Court order permitting individuals who are appealing to the tribunal for name inclusion to vote in the upcoming assembly elections has offered some reprieve to lakhs of voters. However, the long drawn battle of appealing to the tribunal with relevant documentation in place remains a challenge for these voters. More than 90 lakh voters' names have been deleted from the SIR, of which close to 60 lakh voters were in the under adjudication category. Nearly 32 lakh cases have been cleared, while 27 lakh voters' names have been deleted, and they have to now appeal to the tribunal to include their names in the voter list. Of the 27 lakh deletions, the majority are from minority dominated districts of Murshidabad, Malda, North 24 Parganas and South 24 Parganas. She emerges from atop her campaign van with her hands folded. Clad in a light brown saree with a red, yellow, and black shawl draped around her neck, she says, I have come back to Virudhachalam as a representative of Captain to carry out and continue his good deeds among the people. On a Tuesday mid-morning, under the scorching heat, her convoy, accompanied by campaign vans fitted with speakers and a few SUV cars, sneaks through the bazaar and the many narrow lanes in the Mangalampettai town in Virudhachalam. Located 220km north of Chennai, it was the Virudhachalam constituency which legitimised the late Vijayakanths entry into the political arena. And two decades later, this is the second time she is fighting the electoral battle from the same constituency, where her husband, who was affectionately called Captain by his fans, scored his first victory in 2006 with a margin of 13,777 votes. For those who watched Premalatha Vijayakanths passionate oratory in Mangalampettai town, it seemed she was fighting just an electoral battle to win from a constituency that was once held by her husband. But to those who observed her closely, she was fighting to prove her betrayers wrong and also to bring new life to the party. Premalatha now shoulders the Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam (DMDK), founded by her husband. This election is crucial not just for me or for my DMDK. It is important for the people of Tamil Nadu, as it is going to bring a revolutionary change. It is a do-or-die battle for her to revive the party and make it re-enter the legislative assembly. Refused a Rajya Sabha ticket by the opposition AIADMK, as per the 2024 alliance agreement, the DMDK has now walked into the DMK fold an alliance that Vijayakanth never wanted to choose in his lifetime as a politician. DMDK has been allotted 10 seats in the alliance, two of which are contested by Premalatha and her son Vijaya Prabhakaran. While she is in the fray from Virudhachalam, the first seat won by Vijayakanth, Vijaya Prabhakaran is seeking his mandate in Virudhunagar, in south Tamil Nadu, which has the maximum number of Vijayakanth fans. Premalatha Vijayakanth during the election campaign | via X In her campaign trail, there is every resemblance of Vijayakanth and his style. The men and party functionaries around Premalatha carry the same discipline as their founder. And she carries the responsibility of reviving the party on her shoulders with strong determination. Ask her about the one dream that Vijayakanth always wanted to come true, she recalls the day when he handed over the party to her. He held my hand in the party office during the general council meeting and handed over the party to me. He indicated that I have to take the party to the next level. And now, years after his death, while fighting to fulfil his dream, she feels the void. He was always there for the people. Whenever there was any issue be it tsunami or flood, he would fold up his dhoti and be on the ground with the people. From the initial 8.38 per cent vote share the party secured in the 2006 election, Premalatha wants to prove her partys strength now. With a lone seat in 2006, the party secured 7.9 per cent and sat in the opposition benches with 29 MLAs. Its vote share dipped to 2.4 per cent in the 2016 elections and went down further below one per cent in the 2021 elections. But these numbers do not matter for Premalatha, who recently gave it back to AIADMK leader Edappadi K. Palaniswami, as he called DMDK the half per cent vote share party. It may be true that the DMDK held backdoor talks with all the major political parties in the state, including the TVK. For Premalatha, the only aim was to move above from being a single-digit vote share party to a strong force with representation in the legislative assembly and Parliament. Of course, this time, the political deal worked for the DMDK her brother L.K. Sudheesh is now a Rajya Sabha MP on a DMK ticket. And she has managed to bag 10 seats to contest in the upcoming election. Ideology or electoral arithmetic, nothing matters for her at this point. Every party has an ideology. No one will compromise on that. But electoral victory is more important at this point of time, she clarifies. This clarity in her thought has helped her transform into a star campaigner for the DMK alliance. She moves from one constituency to another to campaign, calls Stalin her big brother, and says DMKs victory in this election means Captains victory. This election means one last chance for her to test if Vijayakanths memory can still translate into votes to revive the DMDK. A preliminary review by IT giant Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) into allegations of religious conversion and sexual misconduct at its Nashik branch revealed that no internal complaints regarding the matter had been received. This comes amid the ongoing police probe into the allegations raised against the company. So far, police have arrested seven employees. The alleged mastermind behind the incident is 'HR head' Nida Khan, who is absconding. "A preliminary review of the systems and records about the Nashik unit indicates that we have not received any complaints of the nature that are being alleged on either our ethics or POSH (prevention of sexual harassment) channels," said the company. While clarifying the role of Nida Khan, TCS said that she is neither an HR manager nor involved in recruitment processes with the company. "She served as a process associate and held no leadership responsibilities," the company said. TCS also rejected claims that the unit has been shut down, calling the reports "entirely untrue". Earlier this week, Tata Sons chairman N. Chandrasekaran described the allegations emerging from the Nashik unit as "gravely concerning and anguishing". He also added that the matter is being treated with "utmost seriousness". Consultancy firm Deloitte and law firm Trilegal have been engaged as independent counsel for the probe. Meanwhile, police have widened their search for Nida Khan. A Nashik Police Crime Branch team arrived in Mumbra, Thane district, to track her down and questioned her husband at his residence. Despite these efforts, some reports suggest she may still be in Nashik. Her family said that she is in Mumbai and is expecting her first child. She also moved for anticipatory bail citing medical reasons. Nida's parents rejected allegations against her and said that it was a conspiracy to divert attention from the Ashok Kharat case. The self-styled godman was arrested on March 18 in a rape case. He is alleged to have sexually assaulted many women by drugging them with a sedative-laced water during rituals. After two Indian-flagged ships were shot at near the Strait of Hormuz, India on Saturday evening summoned the Iranian ambassador to lodge a formal protest, according to reports. The Ministry of External Affairs summoned ambassador Dr Mohammad Fathali at 6.30 pm. One of the damaged vessels was a supertanker carrying nearly two million barrels of Iraqi oil. Iran's IRGC Navy gunboats fired warning shots at the Indian-flagged tankers in the water between the Qeshm and Larak islands, according to Reuters. No casualties were reported. Both vessels reportedly suffered minor damage. Reports suggest that the firing was a signal to vessel that tried to pass the Strait without getting prior clearance from the IRGC. Very High Frequency (VHF) broadcasts transmitted to the ships declared that the Strait is "completely closed again," alleging that the US violated certain understanding reached between the two sides. "Attention all ships, regarding the failure of the US government to fulfil its commitment in the negotiation, Iran declares the Strait of Hormuz completely closed again. No vessel of any type or nationality is allowed to pass through the Strait of Hormuz," the message said. Seven other ships with Indian flags or travelling to India were turned back from the Strait of Hormuz since Saturday morning. This comes a day after ambassador Fathali thanked the people and government of India for being reliable and compassionate partners in times of hardship. He said that New Delhi and Tehran share common interests and both sides will continue to have good ties in the future too. Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched a scathing attack on the Opposition for defeating the Constitution Amendment Bill on womens reservation in Parliament, saying they will have to face the consequences. The bill, which proposed implementing 33 per cent reservation for women in legislatures by 2029 and increasing the number of Lok Sabha seats to 816, failed to pass Parliament on Friday, with 230 members voting against it. Out of 528 members who voted, the bill required 352 votes to secure a two-thirds majority. At a cabinet meeting on Saturday, Modi said the Opposition would have to face the consequences of the mistake they committed. They have let down the women of the country. This message must be conveyed to every single person, in every single village, sources quoted the Prime Minister as saying, according to NDTV. Meanwhile, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its partners in the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) announced a massive nationwide campaign against the Opposition following the bills defeat. The Congress and its allies, however, asserted that the quota law passed in 2023 should be implemented immediately and accused the government of playing politics with the issue. Opposition leaders also alleged that the government is using the matter for political gain in the upcoming Assembly elections in West Bengal and Tamil Nadu. Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi said on Friday that the Constitution Amendment Bill has nothing to do with womens reservation and is instead an attempt to alter the countrys electoral map to retain power. The BJP, meanwhile, termed the development a black day, accusing the Congress and other opposition parties of betraying women. Union Minister Kiren Rijiju said the Congress and the Opposition would face the anger of women across the country and accused them of permanently damaging their credibility. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to address the nation at 8:30 pm on Saturday, a day after the crucial Constitution Amendment Bill on womens reservation was defeated in Parliament. The subject of the address, however, has not been officially confirmed, fueling widespread speculation across political and media circles. "The Prime Minister will address the nation at 8:30 PM (April 18, Saturday)," an official said. According to reports, Modi is likely to explain the circumstances in which the bill on womens reservation was stalled in Parliament, with Opposition members voting against it. Earlier, at a cabinet meeting, the prime minister reportedly said the Opposition would face consequences for the mistakes they committed. "They have let down the women of the country. This message must be taken to every single person, to every single village," sources quoted him as saying, according to NDTV. The bill, which proposes implementing 33 per cent reservation for women in legislatures by 2029 and increasing the number of Lok Sabha seats to 816, failed to pass Parliament on Friday, with 230 members voting against it. Out of 528 members who voted, the bill required 352 votes to secure a two-thirds majority. Earlier, in his speech in the Lok Sabha, the prime minister had asserted that no statebig or small, north or south, or east or westwill be discriminated against in the delimitation of constituencies linked with the implementation of women quota law. Modi said the ruling dispensation did not want credit for implementation of the women reservation law in 2029 and offered to give credit to the opposition. Meanwhile, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its partners in the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) have announced a massive nationwide campaign against the Opposition following the defeat of the Womens Reservation Bill in Parliament. The incumbent Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has suffered a major setback in the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC) elections. In the recently held polls, the BJP faced a heavy defeat as it was limited to four seats, while TIPRA Motha won the remaining 24. The Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council reportedly administers nearly 70% of the states geographical area, which is home to around 15 lakh people. The BJP had set a target of winning all 28 seats and campaigned aggressively, but it suffered a significant defeat. We congratulate TIPRA Motha on their victory and humbly accept the peoples mandate. We see this defeat as an opportunity to learn, Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha said after the results were declared. "I extend my heartfelt gratitude to all the karyakartas of the Bharatiya Janata Party in the ADC elections for their courage, hard work, and dedication," Saha wrote on Facebook. TIPRA Mothas victory is considered significant. The party has long been demanding Greater Tipraland, and this mandate could further strengthen its ideology. Meanwhile, the CPI(M) and Congress failed to open their account for the second time in a row. Leader of the Opposition and CPI(M) state secretary Jitendra Chaudhury said he had anticipated that the wave was flowing in favour of the regional party, but did not imagine it could be of such magnitude. "Both Chief Minister Manik Saha and TMP founder Pradyot Kishore Debbarma made speeches with communal overtones during the electioneering," he alleged. Senior Congress MLA Sudip Roy Barman claimed that factionalism within the BJP was one of the reasons behind the TMP's landslide victory. Telangana BJP claimed on Saturday that its president, N. Ramachander Rao, had been placed under house arrest after he called for a protest outside Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddys residence over the Congresss stance on the Womens Reservation Bill. Rao was kept under house arrest to prevent the protest at the CM's residence, the Telangana BJP said in a post on X, also sharing photographs of the alleged police action. No matter how many arrests are made, the BJP's fight against the Congress government's stance will not stop, Rao was quoted as saying in the post. On Friday, Rao criticised the stalling of the Constitution Amendment Bill on womens reservation in Parliament, terming it a black day. He alleged that the Opposition party had denied women their rightful representation in legislatures and the Lok Sabha. Earlier, leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM), the BJP's youth wing, staged a protest in Hyderabad on Friday evening, where they burned an effigy of Rahul Gandhi and targeted the Congress over its stance on the Womens Reservation Bill in Parliament. The BJP and its partners in the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) have announced a massive nationwide campaign against the Opposition after the Womens Reservation Bill was defeated in Parliament. The Constitution Amendment Bill proposes to implement 33% reservation for women in legislatures by 2029 and to increase the number of Lok Sabha seats to 816. While 298 members voted in support of the Bill, 230 MPs voted against it. Out of 528 members who voted, the Bill required 352 votes to secure a two-thirds majority. By Sabine Siebold and Andreas Rinke FRANKFURT, April 18 (Reuters) - Mediators have failed to resolve a dispute between the companies involved in the Franco-German FCAS fighter jet project, though political leaders still have scope to intervene, Handelsblatt reported on Saturday. Citing people familiar with the talks, the newspaper said the mediators - one from France and one from Germany - would submit separate reports on their efforts. A person familiar with the matter told Reuters that the German mediator would conclude that building a joint fighter jet, once a key pillar of the project, was no longer feasible. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz is to be briefed on the status of the dispute on Sunday, the person added. Sources familiar with the project have previously told Reuters that Germany and France were likely to abandon development of the joint piloted jet but to continue cooperation on related software and data systems as well as on drones. Merz is set to meet French President Emmanuel Macron at the informal European Union summit in Cyprus on Thursday and Friday next week. The risk of failure or scale-back of the FCAS project comes as Europe seeks to boost unity and collaboration amid threats from Russia and waning support from the United States. The project has been stalled by a dispute over control between France's Dassault Aviation and Airbus, which represents Germany and Spain in the 100-billion-euro project. The head of Dassault Aviation said on April 1 he was giving his company two to three weeks to see whether a deal could be reached on the air combat system. Late last month, Merz said he was doing everything in his power to salvage the programme and that two mediators had been appointed to overcome differences. An Airbus spokesperson in France declined to comment. The German government, the French presidency and Dassault did not immediately respond to requests for comment. ($1 = 0.8631 euros) (Additional reporting by Tassilo Hummel in Paris, Joern Poltz in Munich. Writing by Ludwig Burger. Editing by Mark Potter) Amid reports that two Indian vessels have had to reverse course in the Strait of Hormuz following reports of gunfire from Iran's Revolutionary Guard, it has been confirmed that one of the tankers came under direct line of fire. According to a Reuters report, merchant vessels attempting to cross the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday received radio messages from Iran's navy telling them they were not allowed to pass. Media reports said the Indian tanker Jag Arnav came under fire, while a second vessel, Sanmar Herald, was not targeted. Officials have been quoted as saying that India is taking the issue seriously. Earlier, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations Centre said the tanker, which came under fire, and the crew were reported safe, without identifying the vessel or its destination. Iran said earlier it was reimposing restrictions on the strait in response to a US blockade on Iranian shipping and ports. Some merchant vessels received radio messages from Iran's navy saying the strait was shut again and that no ships were allowed to pass, shipping sources said on Saturday, a Reuters report said. "Attention all ships, regarding the failure of the US government to fulfil its commitment in the negotiation, Iran declares the Strait of Hormuz completely closed again. No vessel of any type or nationality is allowed to pass through the Strait of Hormuz," the radio message said. Pakistani mediators are engaged in intensive, high-stakes diplomacy in Tehran, now into their third day of efforts to bridge the divide between the United States and Iran. Momentum towards a potential peace settlement appears to have increased after Iran indicated that the Strait of Hormuz is open, with officials from Islamabad attempting to convert the announcement and also the recent 10-day ceasefire in Lebanon into tangible concessions from Tehran. Iranian and American representatives are said to be finalising a memorandum of understanding, which is expected to outline a broad framework for a permanent agreement while establishing a structured 60-day window for continued negotiations. For latest news and analyses on Middle East, visit: Yello! Middle East A second, crucial round of talks is set to take place in Islamabad on Monday, according to CNN, with delegations expected to touch down a day earlier. The planned summit has stirred cautious optimism among diplomats that a preliminary agreement could be signed within days, though many of those involved remain wary of the complexities still to be ironed out. Amid all this, US President Donald Trump has adopted a strikingly upbeat tone, putting out a string of public statements suggesting that negotiations are very nearly done. Speaking to multiple media outlets and posting on social media, Trump claimed that there were no sticking points at all and that a final deal could be reached within the next day or two. He also asserted that the agreement would guarantee Israels long-term security and that Iran had agreed to cease all support for regional proxy groups such as Hamas and Hezbollah. Trump also claimed that Tehran had committed to keeping the Strait of Hormuz permanently open and had agreed to relinquish its entire stockpile of highly enriched uranium. He described the material as nuclear dust, arguing that much of it remains buried in underground facilities damaged during recent strikes. According to Trump, the United States would cooperate with Iran to retrieve this material using excavation equipment, proceeding at what he described as a nice leisurely pace and without deploying American ground troops. He also dismissed reports that Washington was considering releasing $20 billion in frozen Iranian assets, insisting that no money is changing hands. Trump has linked his optimism in part to developments in the Strait of Hormuz. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi announced on Friday that the strait had been reopened to commercial shipping. He presented the move as a direct outcome of the Lebanon ceasefire, briefly raising hopes among those closely following the negotiations. Araghchis bold move, however, stirred up tensions within Iran, clearly demonstrating the rift between the political leadership and hardline factions. Media outlets affiliated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), including Tasnim News Agency, criticised Araghchis statement as bad and incomplete. Authorities subsequently issued clarifications suggesting that the foreign minister had misspoken. State media and military officials emphasised that while civilian commercial vessels may pass through designated routes with IRGC approval, military ships remain barred from the waterway. Iranian officials also strongly rejected several of Trumps assertions. Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf accused Trump of making seven false claims in one hour and warned against what he described as media manipulation. Foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei categorically denied that Iran would transfer its enriched uranium abroad, stating that it would not be transferred anywhere under any circumstances. Similarly, Tehran has not confirmed any commitment to ending its support for regional allies such as Hezbollah and Hamas. The fragile diplomatic progress came under further strain after Trump announced on Truth Social that the United States would keep its naval blockade on Iranian ports in place until a final agreement is formally signed. US Central Command later confirmed that the blockade remains fully operational. The stance has provoked a sharp reaction in Tehran, with Iranian officials arguing that the continued blockade cuts against the spirit of the ceasefire and threatens to undermine the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. Ghalibaf issued a pointed warning, stating that should the blockade persist, the strait "will not remain open" and that vessels seeking passage would require Iranian authorisation. Reflecting the growing unease, maritime tracking data shows that several ships, among them bulk carriers transporting fertiliser, have approached the strait only to turn back amid uncertainty over whether safe passage can be guaranteed. Despite Trumps confident rhetoric, officials on both sides acknowledge that substantial obstacles remain. The future of Irans nuclear programme continues to be the most contentious issue, with Washington seeking an explicit declaration that Tehran will never pursue nuclear weapons. At the same time, technical experts caution that the safe recovery and handling of Irans enriched uranium would be a highly complex undertaking, likely extending well beyond the proposed 60-day negotiation period. Financial disputes remain a considerable stumbling block. Iran, reeling from severe economic damage wrought by the conflict estimated at $270 billion and likely to require well over a decade of reconstruction has demanded the full lifting of sanctions, the release of frozen assets and compensation in the form of war reparations. The US is reportedly considering these demands, but it looks like a long bridge to cross at the moment. No wonder, while the potential negotiations in Islamabad could offer a pathway towards de-escalation, the sheer amount of unresolved political, technical and financial issues suggests that a comprehensive solution is unlikely anytime soon. Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei on Saturday said Iran's navy was ready to defeat the US forces amid disagreement over reopening of Strait of Hormuz. This comes as Tehran said no date has been set for the next round of talks with Washington. Taking to his Telegram channel, Mojtaba posted that Irans "brave navy stands ready to make the enemies taste the bitterness of new defeats." The US is yet to call of its blockade on Iranian ports, turning back at least 23 ships back towards the coast as of Saturday, according to the US military. Iran, on the other hand, has closed the Strait of Hormuz once again, preventing ships from passing. Two vessels were reportedly hit by gunfire from Iranian boats, according to sources. For latest news and analyses on Middle East, visit: Yello! Middle East Earlier, Iran's deputy foreign minister Saeed Khatibzadeh asserted that until there is an agreement on the framework, a date cannot be set for the negotiations. "Now we are focusing on finalising the framework of understanding between two sides. We dont want to enter into any negotiation or meeting which is due to failure which can be pretext for another round of escalation," he added. Khatibzadeh warned that if the conflict resumes, Tehran's response will not be limited, it will be "a full-force response". However, Islamabad has been gearing up for the second round of talks with beefed up security and logistical arrangements to host several key world leaders, including US President Donald Trump and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian. Other leaders expected to attend the meeting include Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Pakistani authorities have intensified the security along the VVIP route from Nur Khan Airbase to the Prime Minister's House. Several stretches on Express Highway, Murree Road and Shahrah-e-Dastoor which were in disrepair and lacked proper lane marking have also undergone maintenance works. In April 1970, a sudden oxygen tank blast damaged NASA's Apollo 13 spacecraft while it was heading towards the moon. Three astronauts were stuck in deep space with almost no power, failing systems, and very limited resources. What saved them was not luck. It was the calm and clever problem-solving done by a team sitting far away on earth. Engineers quickly designed a temporary carbon dioxide filter using whatever materials were available inside the spacecraft. They also calculated a safe route to bring the astronauts home, guiding them step by step until they landed safely. This rescue remains one of the greatest moments in space history, and it happened because of the ground team. When India sends its own astronauts to space under the Gaganyaan mission, all eyes will be on the brave crew members. But away from the cameras, another equally important team will silently decide whether the mission becomes a success or a failure. This is the ground support team, and for the first time, ISRO has started preparing them properly. At a time when India prepares for its first human spaceflight mission, Gaganyaan, ISROs Mission Mitra has opened an important conversation about how nations prepare humans for space. Human spaceflight is never only about rockets, capsules, or launch vehicles. It is equally about testing the limits of the human body, the mind under pressure, crew teamwork, and mission control responses when conditions become uncertain. That is why every major space power has created difficult earth-based simulations before sending astronauts into orbit or beyond. What is Mission Mitra? To train and select this hidden team, ISRO has launched a special programme called Mission Mitra, which stands for Mapping of Interoperable Traits and Reliability Assessment. It is being carried out with a private company named Protoplanet, and it is the first-of-its-kind exercise in India. The training was held at Likir, a remote village in Ladakh, at a height of nearly 4,000 metres. Temperatures drop to minus 20 degrees Celsius, oxygen levels are low, and the area is completely cut off from normal life. These tough conditions are similar to what astronauts may face in space, or even on the moon and mars in the future. This makes Ladakh a perfect natural laboratory for space training. Why does the ground team matter? Human spaceflight is not only about rockets and astronauts. It is also about taking the right decisions under heavy pressure. Astronaut Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla explained that a large team on the ground always communicates with astronauts, understands their problems, and works to solve them quickly. Recently, during NASA's Artemis II mission, the ground team fixed a serious issue with the space toilet that got blocked just hours after launch. A small problem like this, if not solved in time, could have affected the entire mission. So the ground team handles everything, from small daily issues to life-threatening emergencies, explained space analyst Girish Linganna. Teamwork is the real magic During Mission Mitra, 12 participants were divided into two teams led by astronauts. They worked for four tough days in freezing conditions, handling limited supplies, practising emergencies, and complex tasks. One interesting activity was like a spacewalk, where one person performed an outside task while another guided them from inside using very limited communication tools. What makes Mission Mitra significant is that India is joining a tradition followed by all major human spaceflight nations. Before any country places humans in space, it first tries to recreate aspects of space stress on earth. These are called analog missions. They may simulate isolation, weightlessness, hostile terrain, pressure changes, psychological stress, or technical emergencies, pointed out Srimathy Kesan, founder and CEO of SpaceKidz India Limited. ISRO found something very important. When teams were given strict step-by-step instructions, confusion increased, and communication became messy. But when teams were given the freedom to create their own methods, they worked more smoothly and efficiently. As Anurag Sinha, group director at ISRO's Human Space Flight Centre, said, human behaviour changes very quickly in extreme conditions, and humans are the most sensitive part of any space mission. Mind matters as much as body Mission Mitra was not just about physical strength. Mental fitness was given equal importance. Each participant had private one-on-one sessions of 10 to 15 minutes with a psychologist. A doctor from the Institute of Aerospace Medicine was also present throughout. Regular health checks, mental evaluations, and safety monitoring were done continuously. Before the main exercise, the team spent six days adjusting to the high-altitude environment so that nobody faced sudden health problems, said Linganna. Astronaut Air Commodore P. Balakrishnan Nair said that working together under stress was the biggest challenge. People from different backgrounds had to quickly adjust to each other while handling heavy workloads. But strong systems and proper teamwork helped them succeed. Why ISRO is playing catch-up Unlike NASA, which has decades of experience in human spaceflight, ISRO is building its system from scratch. Astronaut training began earlier, but ground team preparation started only now. Mission Mitra marks a big change in this approach. The goal is to build clear rules for choosing the right people who can think quickly, stay calm, and take correct decisions in tough situations. Mission Mitra is only the beginning. ISRO will now study the results, improve its selection process, and conduct similar exercises in different environments in the coming years. Global scenario Globally, the scenario is nothing different, as NASA built one of the most sophisticated astronaut preparation systems in history. American astronauts trained through habitat confinement programmes, underwater neutral buoyancy labs for spacewalk simulation, altitude chambers, centrifuges, desert geology expeditions, cockpit simulators, and integrated mission rehearsals. NASAs approach became highly system-driven, combining medicine, engineering, psychology, and repeated simulations before every mission,said Kesan. Russia and the earlier Soviet Union followed a more survival-oriented model. Cosmonauts trained in forests, snowfields, water landings, deserts, centrifuges, parachute systems, and confined spacecraft mock-ups. Because many early Soviet capsules landed in unpredictable remote zones, survival recovery was critical. China developed a modern blended system combining underwater training, spacecraft simulators, cave analogue missions, desert drills, and direct long-duration experience aboard the Tiangong space station. China moved rapidly from its first human launch to sustained orbital operations by building a complete astronaut ecosystem. The European Space Agency runs cave exploration analogues where astronauts operate underground in darkness and isolation, simulating exploration uncertainty similar to lunar or planetary missions. Compared with these programmes, Mission Mitra is impressive but also early-stage. It is innovative because it uses Indian geography rather than depending entirely on expensive artificial facilities. Ladakh offers natural hypoxia and environmental hardship at a lower cost. It is also uniquely focused on interoperability, meaning how astronauts, doctors, engineers, and controllers function together as one mission system. This is mature thinking, said Kesan. Unlike NASA or China, India does not yet have decades of repeated crewed missions, large-scale astronaut infrastructure, or long-duration in-orbit operational heritage. Mission Mitra is therefore best seen as a foundation, not a finished ecosystem. Christianity in the Middle East has received significant attention because of the plight of its adherents in the region. The Vatican has offered nothing but diplomatic silence. North Africa has a dwindling Christian population. And Algeria is one of the not so liberal countries when it comes to managing minorities. Mahin Siddiqui The Popes historic apostolic journey to Algeria took place from April 13-15. Pope Leo XIV became the first Bishop of Rome ever to set foot in Algeria. As a US-born pontiff, he sought to navigate a landscape defined by colonial cleavages, while looking upon a repressed Protestant community and a very small, almost vanishing, Catholic minority. Both the Vatican and Algeria present this visit as a convivial interfaith encounter. Both stand against the neocolonial military force. However, this visit might have sugar-coated an increasingly repressive state and portrayed Algeria as a liberal state that is tolerant toward religious minorities. Being invited by a repressive state and not demanding the protection of their own people indicates how diluted the Vaticans stance is. Moreover, occurring against the backdrop of the escalating US-Israeli war with Iran, the timing of the trip could not be more significant. Leo XIV used Algiers as a platform to deliver a sharp rebuke of contemporary global power dynamics. One of the key takeaways of the papal visit was its spiritual dimension, including a pilgrimage to the ruins of Hippo in modern-day Annaba. Pope Leo XIV, himself an Augustinian and walking in the footsteps of Saint Augustine, paved the way for modern Christianity to reconnect with its indigenous North African roots. For the Pope, beyond a spiritual homecoming, the visit pursued a diplomatic strategy that presented Christianity not as a European import but as an integral part of the Mediterraneans history and landscape. Solely focusing on the Pope in the 5th century and romanticising the past may have shifted attention away from the demons of the Algerian state, which were hidden in plain sight and strangling contemporary religious life in Algeria. The spiritual pilgrimage and triumphant interfaith conviviality drew significant attention. A large gap remained between the Popes rhetoric and the lived reality of Algeria's Protestant community. In Algeria, the Catholic Church is not problematic and, in fact, enjoys state-sanctioned status. By contrast, Berber converts within the large Protestant community have faced a sharp rise in state-sponsored repression. In recent years, almost 50 Protestant churches were reportedly shut by the authorities under the usual pretext of safety permits and zoning violations. Although this was not merely a matter of bygones for the Pope, he raised the issue of church closures and the criminalisation of pastors in private meetings with President Abdelmadjid Tebboune. Nevertheless, discreet advocacy for Christians is insufficient when every activity is carried out within the framework of the state. For many observers, this constitutes faith-washing. Additionally, the Popes visit to the Grand Mosque of Algiers is an undeniable symbol of interfaith respect, yet it also exposes imbalances in religious freedom in the region. Removing his shoes to pray at the mihrab, Leo XIV invoked the spirit of peace that should guide all religions. The trip also drew scrutiny for its humanitarian aspects. The Pope was deemed to possess selective moral outrage, focusing criticism only on the West while treading lightly on the woes of his hosts. By not publicly and forcefully condemning Algerias repressive practices during the state reception, the Pope was selective, at least for the regions Catholics. Ultimately, Leos mission in Algiers signified a high-stakes Realpolitik that enabled the papacy to re-establish itself as a moral mediator in world affairs and to confront the contemporary war situation. It at least gave a rare psychological boost to a neglected Christian community. However, it is unclear that much improvement will result. If the visit is not followed by the official reopening of the Protestant churches and a reform of the restrictive 2006 decree on non-Muslim worship, it is unlikely to be remembered for the breakthrough it promised in terms of religious freedom, but rather as an elaborate diplomatic gesture. In the end, Leo XIV offered hope to the Christians of Algeria, but one that remains dependent on the neocolonial and authoritarian power structures he professes to oppose. The author is a doctoral candidate at the Centre for West Asian Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi. FBI Director Kash Patel threatened to file a lawsuit against US publication The Atlantic on Friday after they published what he called a categorically false and defamatory report on him. Patels attorney described the story as a hit piece that used claims that were false, unsourced, and facially defamatory. The report in question alleged that the FBI director had been binge drinking on the job and behaving erratically. It started with an incident that occurred on April 10 when the FBI chief panicked after he struggled to log into an internal computer system. He behaved frantically and began calling aides to announce that he had been fired by the White House. Two people familiar with the matter described to The Atlantic that his behaviour was a freak out. The reports also alleged that a SWAT team had to once ask for breaching gear after Patel was uncontactable behind a locked door. Patel's external advisors have now threatened to sue and attacked the story by publishing attorney Jesse Binnalls three-page response, which was sent before the article was published. The response was a point-by-point fact check and a comment on the series of claims in the report. Binnal wrote that the vast majority of the claims in the draft article rely solely on vague, unattributed sourcing such as people familiar with the matter or some have characterised. Most of the claims they called defamatory were that the director drinks to the point of apparent intoxication. There were also reportedly multiple instances when security and staff were unable to wake him. Many of the sources said that they privately questioned whether Patels alcoholism played a role in his sharing inaccurate information following the murder of Charlie Kirk. Patel was also reportedly paranoid that he would lose his job, according to FBI officials. There were also reportedly discussions among senior members in the Trump administration on who would replace him. The report claimed to source its information from about two dozen people who all described that directors tenure as the FBI head as a management failure and personal behaviour as a national security vulnerability. On Friday, Patel responded directly to the story saying, See you and your entire entourage of false reporting in court, he wrote. But do keep at it with the fake news, actual malice standard is now what some would call a legal lay-up. The standoff over the Strait of Hormuz escalated again on Saturday as Iran reversed its reopening of the crucial waterway and fired on ships attempting to pass, in retaliation after the United States pressed ahead with its blockade of Iranian ports. Irans joint military command said, control of the Strait of Hormuz has returned to its previous state under strict management and control of the armed forces. It warned it would continue to block transits while the U.S. blockade remained in effect. Revolutionary Guard gunboats opened fire on a tanker, and an unknown projectile hit a container vessel, damaging some containers, the British militarys United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center said. Indias foreign ministry said it summoned Irans ambassador over the serious incident of firing on two India-flagged merchant ships, especially after Iran earlier let several India-bound ships through. Israels Channel 12 reported on Motzei Shabbos that President Trump held an urgent security consultation with his top aides over the Straits closure and the stalemate in negotiations with Iran. Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Saeed Khatibzadeh told Reuters on Saturday that there is currently no date for another round of talks with the United States, and that a framework of understandings must be reached before any new meeting, linking the maritime crisis to the diplomatic stalemate. Meanwhile, Axios reported that the White House sees the Iranian move as a clear attempt to pressure Trump, three days before the end of the ceasefire. According to the report, Trump said that Iran is trying to be clever, but added that contacts are still ongoing. However, as of now, there is no date for another round of US-Iran negotiations. On Friday, Iran announced the straits reopening to commercial vessels after a 10-day truce was announced between Israel and the Iranian-backed Hezbollah militant group in Lebanon. The reopening caused oil prices to fall. Trump, however, said the U.S. blockade of Irans ports will remain in full force until Tehran reaches a deal with the United States. Trump had imposed the blockade after a round of historic face-to-face talks in Pakistan between the countries ended without an agreement. U.S. forces have sent 23 ships back to Iran since the blockade began on Monday, U.S. Central Command said Saturday. Irans Supreme National Security Council issued a statement calling the blockade a violation of the ceasefire and said Iran would prevent any conditional and limited reopening of the strait. The council has recently acted as Irans de facto top decision-making body. Since most supplies to U.S. military bases in the Gulf region come through the strait, Iran is determined to maintain oversight and control over traffic through the strait until the war fully ends, the council said. That means Iran-designated routes, payment of fees and issuance of transit certificates. The renewed standoff over the strait came hours after Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said his country was working to bridge differences between the U.S. and Iran. Pakistan is expected to host a second round of negotiations early next week. Irans Supreme National Security Council said new proposals from the U.S. had been put forward during a visit to Iran by Pakistans army chief and were being reviewed. But Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Saeed Khatibzadeh told The Associated Press that the Iranians were not ready for a new round of face-to-face talks because the Americans have not abandoned their maximalist position. He also said Iran will not hand over its stock of 970 pounds (440 kilograms) of enriched uranium to the United States, calling the idea a nonstarter. Khatibzadeh did not address other proposals for the enriched uranium, saying only that we are ready to address any concerns. Trump said Saturday that Iran got a little cute but that very good conversations were happening, and more information would come by days end. They cant blackmail us, he added. On Friday, Trump said the U.S. will go into Iran and get all the nuclear dust, referring to the enriched uranium, which is believed to be buried under nuclear sites badly damaged by U.S. military strikes last year. (YWN Israel DeskJerusalem & AP) (YWNs Jerusalem desk is keeping you updated after tzeis haShabbos in Israel) Netflix (NFLX) appears to have forgotten its stock buyback plans in the first quarter. Wall Street isn't happy about it and a host of other elements in the streaming giant's late Thursday earnings report. Netflix only repurchased $1.3 billion of its stock in the first quarter, a slower pace than the $2.3 billion quarterly average in 2025. With Netflix shares falling 1% in the first quarter due to lingering concerns about the price tag for Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) a deal Netflix has since dropped the lack of more aggressive buying of the stock could be viewed as a red flag by investors. What's more, executives told Wall Street on its earnings call that there are no changes to its capital allocation program, despite their positivity around new podcasts, vertical videos, and live events. About $6.8 billion remains for repurchase under Netflix's authorization. So if Netflix intends to be an aggressive buyer of its stock as a show of confidence in its future fundamentals this quarter and into year-end, it will likely come as a surprise to the Street. "Recall, after large scale M&A was called off, investors suspected Netflix may increase its share repurchases and raise its fiscal year 2026 margin outlook, which incorporated 50 basis points of M&A expenses," Citi analyst Jason Bazinet wrote in a note. "In addition, some investors suspected the US price hike was previously not incorporated in the guidance. However, management suggested no change to their capital allocation strategy, maintained the FY26 outlook, and provided worse-than expected 2Q26 guidance. As such, wed expect shares to trade lower (especially given the recent run in the equity)." Netflix shares tanked 10% in premarket trading on Friday. Fans are seen at the Bullpen Fan Activation during the MLB Opening Night Game on March 25, 2026, in San Francisco, Calif. (Thos Robinson/Getty Images for Netflix) Thos Robinson via Getty Images Netflix's earnings day came up short elsewhere too. Investors were frustrated that Netflix failed to raise its full-year 2026 revenue guidance from $50.7 billion to $51.7 billion. The companys full-year operating margin guidance of 31.5% came in below the 32% analysts had modeled, suggesting that the "breakup fee" gains are masking higher content amortization costs. And adding to the uncertainty, longtime chairman Reed Hastings announced he is officially stepping down, marking the end of an era just as the company faces increasing pressure to prove its advertising business can truly scale. "Our overall view is that Netflix is properly valued at current levels and we believe increasingly growth is likely to be driven by price increases (and advertising gains off a relatively low base) rather than subscriber growth," Pivotal Research Group analyst Jeff Wlodarczak wrote in a note, adding, "We view the story as lacking excitement relative to a rich valuation." This week the United States Department of Education offered a scathing criticism of Kansas City metro schools that was largely ignored in favor of storm coverage. However . . . We notice Kansas conservatives picking up on the deets and for both supporters and critics of this report, the topic deserves consideration. A leading candidate for Guv . . . Dr. Jeff Colyer noted this on X . . . "The Trump Administrations Department of Education held four Kansas school districts accountable: Kansas City, Olathe, Shawnee Mission, and Topeka violated federal law by hiding childrens gender transitions from parents and allowing biological males into girls bathrooms, locker rooms, and sports. Parents rights come first. Girls safety and fairness come first. We will bring back Kansas common sense." Meanwhile . . . We're not sure about the weight of the statement given that MAGA was still planning to shut down the Department of Education last time we checked. Either way . . . Here's the word in a story that impacts three Kansas City metro districts . . . Check-it . . . Kimberly Richey, assistant secretary for civil rights in the department, said Kansas City, Kansas Public School District, Olathe Public Schools, Shawnee Mission School District and Topeka Public Schools have allowed gender ideology to run amok in their schools. The department concluded the districts violated Title IX and the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, or FERPA, after a months-long investigation stemming from a complaint from a right-wing organization that had the support of the Kansas Attorney General. Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com link . . . 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 18. An informal meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Organization of Turkic States (OTG) was held as part of the 5th Antalya Diplomatic Forum. Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov attended the event, Trend reports via Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry. Speaking at the meeting, Jeyhun Bayramov emphasized the growing importance of regional cooperation against the backdrop of increasing geopolitical fragmentation and ongoing conflicts. The importance of regularly held informal meetings of the Council of Foreign Ministers was also noted. It was noted that the "OTG+" format, established at the Gabala Summit in October 2025 and further functionally developed in Istanbul in March 2026, is an important tool serving the development of inclusive and strategic partnership. BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 18. On April 16, a meeting was held in Brussels between the delegations of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the European Union to resume negotiations on a new bilateral agreement, as well as to conduct the next round of discussions on the Partnership Priorities document, the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry said, Trend reports. The Azerbaijani delegation was headed by Deputy Foreign Minister Yalchin Rafiyev, while the EU delegation was led by Audrone Perkauskiene, Deputy Managing Director of the European External Action Service. The discussions, held in a constructive atmosphere, were aimed at achieving mutual understanding of the parties positions on both documents and planning the next stages of negotiations. Following the meeting, it was decided that the next round of talks would take place in early June in Baku. In addition to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Azerbaijani delegation included representatives of the ministries of economy, justice, energy, digital development and transport, finance, labor and social protection of the population, as well as the State Agency for Antimonopoly Control and Consumer Market Supervision under the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the State Customs Committee, the Central Bank, and the State Oil Company of the Republic of Azerbaijan. During the visit, Yalchin Rafiyev also held meetings with Jan Dusik, Deputy Director-General of the European Commission for Climate Action, and Patrick Child, Deputy Director-General for Environment. During the contacts, the sides exchanged views on the creation of an Azerbaijan-European Union dialogue format in the fields of climate action and environment, as well as on initiatives put forward within the framework of the COP process and international organizations dealing with climate and environmental issues. (Bloomberg) -- Television shopping network QVC Group filed for bankruptcy Thursday as part of a plan to cut more than $5 billion of debt, as declining viewership and a shift to online retail weighed on sales and squeezed margins. The company filed for Chapter 11 protection in the Southern District of Texas, part of a prearranged plan that will reduce its debt load to roughly $1.3 billion from about $6.6 billion and allow it keep operating, according to a statement. Vendors and other unsecured creditors are expected to be paid in full or have their claims left unchanged. The company said it had more than $1 billion in cash at the end of 2025 to fund ongoing operations. QVC has faced a range of challenges in recent years, from a shrinking customer base to growing competition from digital rivals. Tariffs imposed by the Trump administration also impacted its supply chain, and the network has worked to reduce its exposure to goods from China. In November, the firm said it was exploring financial and strategic options to tackle its troubled balance sheet. The company owns the television channels QVC and HSN, formerly known as the Home Shopping Network, which are famous for selling everything from kitchen appliances to luggage. QVCs brands have been running for nearly 50 years, with HSN first starting radio broadcasting to consumers in 1977. The company sought to adapt to the rise of cable television with stakes sold to operators in exchange for running the channel. Formerly controlled by Liberty Media Corp., the two companies were split off in 2011. In recent years, efforts to grow QVCs social media presence have been hampered by hefty debt payments. After the bankruptcy filing, the company plans to have access to a $300 million debtor-in-possession facility, according to court documents. As part of the restructuring, holders of notes issued by QVC or of its revolving-credit facility will receive a portion of new six-year loans and notes. QVC has also launched a process to raise an asset-based lending facility of up to $750 million both from existing and new lenders, the documents show. Additional Details: Photo: Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 18. Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov met with his Portuguese counterpart Paulo Rangel on the sidelines of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum, a source in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs told Trend. The ministers discussed the prospects for the development of bilateral relations, the expansion of political dialogue, the strengthening of cooperation in the economic, trade, and energy sectors, as well as issues of interaction within international organizations. The possibilities of further strengthening cooperation through the opening of the Portuguese embassy in Azerbaijan were also considered. Photo: Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 18. Azerbaijans Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov held a meeting with Yemens Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Shaya Mohsin Zindani on the sidelines of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum, Trend reports, citing the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. According to the ministry, the ministers discussed ways to strengthen political dialogue and bilateral relations. The importance of multilateral cooperation was also highlighted during the meeting. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 18. The prospects for bilateral and multilateral cooperation have been discussed between Azerbaijan and Rwanda, a source in the Azerbaijani Ministry of Foreign Affairs told Trend. The discussion was held during a meeting between Azerbaijan's Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov and Rwanda's Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Olivier Jean Patrick Nduhungirehe, on the sidelines of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum. The meeting noted that despite the geographical distance, the development of cooperation between the two countries is on the agenda, and expressed confidence that the political consultation mechanism in this direction is making a positive contribution to the process. Photo: Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 18. Long-term Azerbaijan-NATO cooperation has been discussed in Antalya, Turkiye, a source in the Azerbaijani Ministry of Foreign Affairs told Trend. The discussion was held during a meeting between Azerbaijan's Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov and NATO Deputy Secretary General, Senior Assistant for Partnerships and Special Representative for the Caucasus and Central Asia, Ambassador Kevin Hamilton, on the sidelines of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum. The parties emphasized the importance of long-term cooperation between Azerbaijan and NATO and drew attention to the activities carried out within the framework of the Partnership for Peace program. The discussions included the prospects for further development of the partnership in the areas of energy security and protection of critical infrastructure. The minister informed his counterpart about regional developments, including the post-conflict normalization process with Armenia, reconstruction work in the liberated territories, and measures taken to achieve lasting peace. The meeting also exchanged views on global security challenges, reducing tensions in the Middle East, respect for international humanitarian law, and the protection of civilians. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 18. Azerbaijan and Algeria discussed cooperation and mutual support within the UN, OIC, NAM, and other international organizations, including in the context of Azerbaijans chairmanship of CICA and hosting of the OIC Summit next year, the Azerbaijani Ministry of Foreign Affairs wrote on its X page, Trend reports. The discussion took place during the meeting between Azerbaijan's Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov and the Minister of State, Minister of Foreign Affairs, National Community Abroad and African Affairs of Algeria, Ahmed Attaf, within the framework of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum. The meeting highlighted the establishment of a Joint Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific, and Technical Cooperation as a key step in advancing bilateral ties, as well as underlined the importance of de-escalation in the Middle East, strengthening the ceasefire, and resolving conflicts through diplomatic means. BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 18. On April 18, Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov participated and delivered a speech at the informal meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS), held within the framework of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum, Trend reports via the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry. The minister positively assessed the regular holding of informal meetings of the Council of Foreign Ministers, emphasizing the importance of this format for open and effective discussion of issues on the organizations agenda, as well as for exchanging views on rapidly changing global and regional processes. It was stressed that in the current period, when profound transformation processes are taking place in the international relations system, geopolitical fragmentation is intensifying, uncertainty in global governance is increasing, and conflicts and crises are expanding in various regions, the role of the OTS is becoming even more relevant. It was noted that the strength of the OTS is reflected in its unity, common values, and shared vision, and confidence was expressed that further expansion of cooperation will further strengthen the organizations role in addressing regional and global challenges. At the meeting, in the context of recent developments in the Middle East, the impact of the crisis on regional security, global and regional supply chains, as well as economic and investment relations was discussed. The importance of real and sustainable strategies was emphasized to ensure that the progress achieved through ceasefire and mediation efforts leads to lasting peace. During the meeting, views were exchanged on regional and international issues of mutual interest. BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 18. Foreign Minister of Azerbaijan Jeyhun Bayramov met with Magdalena Grono, European Union Special Representative for the South Caucasus, on the sidelines of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum, Trend reports via Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry. The sides exchanged views on advancing dialogue and cooperation in the region, with a particular focus on the ArmeniaAzerbaijan normalization process. Discussions highlighted the importance of sustained diplomatic engagement, the progress achieved in peace negotiations, and the need to maintain momentum toward a comprehensive and lasting peace agreement. They also explored opportunities for expanding Azerbaijan-EU cooperation, including in energy security, transport connectivity, and economic partnership, underlining the importance of sustained engagement. BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 18. Foreign Minister of Azerbaijan Jeyhun Bayramov and First Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers and the Foreign Minister of Turkmenistan Rashid Meredov met on the sidelines of the Antalya Diplomatic Forum, Trend reports, citing the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry. The sides discussed key aspects of the AzerbaijanTurkmenistan partnership, emphasizing the strong foundation of bilateral ties rooted in shared history, culture, and mutual respect. Ministers also touched upon opportunities of further expanding cooperation in energy, transport and transit connectivity along strategic corridors linking Europe and Asia. They also exchanged views on regional and international developments, underlining the importance of maintaining peace, stability, and sustainable development across the wider region. Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to further deepening cooperation across multiple sectors and maintaining close dialogue at all levels. BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 18. On April 18, Azerbaijans Foreign Minister met with Kyrgyz Foreign Minister Jeenbek Kulubayev on the sidelines of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum, Trend reports, citing the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry. According to the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry, the sides discussed issues stemming from the bilateral and multilateral cooperation agenda between Azerbaijan and Kyrgyzstan, as well as the current situation in the region. The ministers noted with satisfaction that the historic friendship and brotherly ties between Azerbaijan and Kyrgyzstan have been further strengthened and elevated to the level of strategic partnership thanks to the mutual trust and political dialogue between the leaders of the two countries. It was emphasized that the strategic partnership relations between the two countries continue to improve and develop through the work of the Azerbaijan-Kyrgyzstan Interstate Council and the joint intergovernmental commission on cooperation in the economic and humanitarian fields. The sides noted that bilateral cooperation between Azerbaijan and Kyrgyzstan is multifaceted and covers various areas, including political, economic, trade, investment, transport and communications, tourism, culture, humanitarian affairs and others. They also stressed the importance of developing relations within regional and international organizations. In particular, they highlighted broad prospects for cooperation within the Organization of Turkic States (OTS), as well as the importance of intensive contacts among OTS member states to make full use of existing potential. The sides also exchanged views on other issues of mutual interest, as well as the security situation in the Middle East. BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 18. On April 19, Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov met with Uzbekistans Foreign Minister Bakhtiyor Saidov on the sidelines of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum, Trend reports, citing the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry. According to the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry, the sides expressed satisfaction with the dynamic development of Azerbaijan-Uzbekistan relations at the level of strategic alliance across all areas, and discussed joint efforts aimed at further strengthening the friendship and brotherly ties between the two countries. They reviewed joint activities and projects to further expand bilateral cooperation in the fields of economy, trade, investment, transport, energy, culture and humanitarian affairs. The meeting also emphasized the importance of mutual support and cooperation within international and regional organizations, including the United Nations, the Organization of Turkic States, the Non-Aligned Movement, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, as well as regional platforms. The sides also exchanged views on regional developments and other issues of mutual interest. By Ankur Banerjee and Alun John SINGAPORE/LONDON, April 17 (Reuters) - World stocks held near record highs on Friday and were set for their third straight week of gains, while benchmark oil prices were pinned below $100 a barrel ahead of a crucial weekend that could pave the way for a near-term resolution of the Iran war. U.S. President Donald Trump expressed confidence that an agreement could soon be reached to end the conflict and urged the Tehran-aligned Hezbollah group to hold its fire as a 10-day truce went into effect between Lebanon and Israel. Trump said the next meeting between U.S. and Iranian negotiators could take place at the weekend. Investors have been quick to take an optimistic view of any signs of denouement this month, even though the Strait of Hormuz - through which a fifth of the world's oil and gas supplies typically flow - remains largely closed. That optimism has kept oil prices below $100 per barrel though they remain well above the pre-war levels. Brent crude futures were down around 1% on Friday to $98.5 a barrel. U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude futures fell 1.2% to $89.1 a barrel. In stocks, MSCI's world share index, which tumbled in March due to the war, hit a record high on Thursday and has risen 8.5% so far in April. "The debate is 'has this gone too far too fast?', and 'what in the world are equities thinking rallying so hard when oil is still at $100?,'" said Ben Laidler, head of macro and equity strategy at Bradesco BBI. "But that misses the point," Laidler said, "(Investors) are forward-looking. Relative valuations look pretty good, earnings remain very strong, and it's a rare geopolitical event that hasn't been a buying opportunity." He said to continue rallying from here, stocks would need some validation of their recent moves from continuing de-escalatory steps in Iran bringing oil prices lower and from first-quarter earnings. "Expectations are quite high and we need to deliver on them," he said. The initial stages of U.S. earnings season have been broadly positive, though on Friday the focus was on Netflix, which slumped 9.6% in premarket trading after forecasting below-expectation second-quarter earnings per share. Broader index moves were more muted, with traders reluctant to make big bets ahead of a critical weekend when markets will be closed. Europe's broad STOXX 600, which has underperformed U.S. and Asian peers, was a whisker higher as were U.S. S&P 500 futures. Asia stocks dipped earlier in the day, but still posted weekly gains. BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 19. On April 18, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan Jeyhun Bayramov met with the Prime Minister of the Republic of Yemen, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Yemenis Living Abroad Shaya Mohsin Zindani within the framework of the Antalya Diplomatic Forum, Trend reports, citing the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry. During the meeting, the parties discussed the current state of political dialogue between Azerbaijan and Yemen and emphasized the importance of intensifying diplomatic contacts. Issues of mutual support within international platforms were discussed, and the parties noted the importance of cooperation within the UN and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation. In this context, it was emphasized that the summit of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, which will be held in Azerbaijan next year, is an important platform for further expansion of cooperation. In addition, the importance of the World Urban Forum, which will be held this year, was noted in terms of providing information on Azerbaijan's experience in the field of urban development. Discussions on regional security issues took place, and the importance of stabilizing and de-escalating the situation around Iran was noted. The current humanitarian situation in Yemen and the importance of efforts to restore stability were emphasized. Other issues of mutual interest were also discussed at the meeting. BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 18. On April 18 at 13:00, the Mdniyyt TV channel will broadcast the feature film Additional Trace, prepared to mark the 100th anniversary of Lieutenant General Arif Heydarov, Trend reports. The film - based on a screenplay by Arif Heydarov - tells the story of the investigation into the murder of a young woman. As the investigation unfolds, it reveals a complex chain of events in which criminal case facts are intertwined with human destinies and tragic consequences. The film was released after Heydarovs death. Today, it is presented to viewers as part of the history of Azerbaijani cinema and as a tribute to a man who dedicated his life to serving the law and justice. BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 18. The mono-performance Immortal, dedicated to Azerbaijans National Hero Natig Gasimov, has been presented in Mingachevir, where he once lived, Trend reports. The presentation was organized with the support of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, along with the Ministry of Culture, the Azerbaijan Theatre Workers Union, the Sumgait State Drama Theatre, and the Mingachevir State Drama Theatre. The stage production was authored and designed by Elshan Sarkhanoglu, directed by Peoples Artist Firudin Maharramov, with staging by Umid Abbaszade. The performance featured actor Elay Khasiyev from the Sumgait State Drama Theatre. The production portrays Natig Gasimovs bravery, patriotism, and self-sacrifice. It depicts his resistance after losing six comrades, as he held out alone against encirclement for five days, as well as his heroism in saving the lives of 22 residents taken hostage in Khojaly. Natig Gasimov was born in 1971 in the village of Kichik Garamuradli in the Gadabay district. When he was young, his family moved to Mingachevir. During the First Karabakh War, he volunteered for the front and demonstrated exceptional courage in battle. In 1992, in the village of Pirlar in Khojaly, Gasimov remained surrounded for five days but refused to surrender, continuing to resist. After being threatened with the execution of 22 hostages, he laid down his weapon and emerged from the Albanian church where he had taken refuge, but did not relinquish the Azerbaijani flag he held until the very last moment. He was posthumously awarded the title of National Hero of Azerbaijan by a decree signed by President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev on June 25, 2024. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 18. The time has come for countries to ensure their energy security, the Presidential Representative for Climate Issues of Azerbaijan and President of COP29, Mukhtar Babayev, said during panel discussions within the framework of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum, Trend reports. According to him, the world is still dependent on traditional energy sources. "COP31 in Turkiye will focus on the implementation of decisions taken at previous COPs. Unfortunately, a large part of the decisions taken at previous COPs have not yet been implemented. Hosting COP31 in Turkey will be an important opportunity to show how the energy transition process can be successfully implemented," he added. Simultaneously, the investment dimension of the regional development policy is being reinforced. In several districts, new enterprises are either under construction or in the planning stages, spanning a range of sectors from agricultural processing to the production of construction materials and light industry. Additionally, the development of municipal markets, logistics facilities, and agricultural packaging enterprises is being prioritized, thereby enhancing the role of local administrations in fostering economic growth. The energy sector is emerging as a significant focus of development efforts. In parallel with the modernization of existing energy infrastructure, small hydropower plants, with capacities ranging from several hundred kilowatts to nearly 8 MW, are being established in various regions. These energy projects are accompanied by the renovation and upgrading of irrigation systems and canals, directly aligning with the agricultural specialization of these areas. Housing and public infrastructure projects also form an integral part of the ongoing regional development. State-supported mortgage programs are facilitating the construction of multi-apartment residential complexes, while efforts to rejuvenate public spaces such as parks, stadiums, and recreational areas are underway. Some of these initiatives involve large-scale urban planning projects, including the construction of up to 16 residential blocks and nearly one thousand apartments within a single housing development. This reflects a holistic approach to urban and suburban development, which seeks to address both housing needs and the broader quality of life for local populations. Overall, this policy reflects a systemic commitment to improving the quality of life of the population and strengthening the economic resilience of the regions, thanks to the President of Kyrgyzstan. The overall logic of the current regional development model is based on synchronizing three key areas: infrastructure, social services, and the local economy. Within this framework, infrastructure projects provide the foundation, social facilities ensure internal demand and stability, while municipal enterprises and investment initiatives create potential growth points for employment. In terms of possible dynamics, several scenarios can be identified. In the baseline scenario, gradual alignment of infrastructure conditions between regions will continue, with a high share of state financing remaining. In an accelerated scenario, the development of municipal enterprises and local investment projects could lead to the emergence of more independent economic centers within districts, particularly in agricultural and border areas. However, there remains a risk of uneven project implementation, where development pace depends on the administrative efficiency of specific regions, the quality of project management, and the sustainability of budget financing. An additional factor is the ability of new facilities - from medical centers to industrial enterprises- to integrate into a long-term economic model rather than remaining isolated projects. Overall, the current regional policy of Kyrgyzstan demonstrates a shift from isolated infrastructure construction toward an attempt to build an interconnected development system at the district level, where infrastructure, social services, and the economy are treated as a single management framework. Premium Azerbaijan counts revenues from state property privatization and leasing in 1Q2026 In Q1 2026, Azerbaijan's State Service for Property Issues contributed to the state budget through privatization and leasing. Several auctions led to the privatization of shares and vehicles. New lease agreements were signed, generating significant revenue. BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 18. The volume of trade between Azerbaijan and China from January through March 2026 amounted to $1.104 billion. The data obtained by Trend from the State Customs Service indicates that this is $75.05 million, or 7.3%, more than the same period of 2025. Over the reporting period, trade turnover with China accounted for 11.73% of Azerbaijans total foreign trade volume, placing China third among the countries with which Azerbaijan conducts the most trade. From January through March 2026, Azerbaijan exported goods worth $29.05 million to China, which is $5.8 million, or approximately 25.2%, more than the same period last year. At the same time, Azerbaijan imported goods worth $1.07 billion from China, which is $60.2 million, or 6.9%, more than the same period of 2025. Thus, China has become Azerbaijans largest trading partner in terms of the volume of goods imported. Meanwhile, Azerbaijan carried out trade transactions with foreign countries totaling $9.4 billion from January through March of this year. This is $2.6 billion, or 21.9%, less than the same period last year. Of the total foreign trade turnover, $5.4 billion was accounted for by exports, and $4.005 billion by imports. Over the past year, exports decreased by $984 million, or 15.4%, while imports decreased by $1.6 billion, or 29.3%. Consequently, the trade balance showed a surplus of $1.3 billion, which is $675 million, or 1.9 times, higher than the previous year. ANTALYA, Turkiye, April 18. Azerbaijan holds strong potential as a strategic partner for the Islamic Organisation for Food Security (IOFS), given its growing agricultural sector, investment in infrastructure, and geographic position as a regional connectivity hub, IOFS Director General Ambassafor Berik Aryn said in an exclusive interview with Trend on the sidelines of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum. This potential was reaffirmed during my recent working visit to Baku on 45 March 2026, where the Republic of Azerbaijan expressed its readiness to sign the IOFS Statute at the earliest opportunity, paving the way for its accession to the Organisation. In meetings with Majnun Mammadov, Minister of Agriculture of Azerbaijan, we discussed expanding cooperation in sustainable agriculture, agricultural research, food safety systems, and regional food security initiatives, said Aryn. IOFS director general noted that the sides also explored practical areas of collaboration, including strengthening agri-food trade, developing agricultural supply chains, and enhancing knowledge exchange. Azerbaijans experience in these areas, as well as its active engagement in international food security efforts including its humanitarian contributions positions it as an important partner for IOFS. At the same time, our dialogue builds on existing cooperation, including high-level exchanges with Azerbaijani leadership and institutions, where both sides have consistently emphasized the importance of strengthening collaboration to address shared food security challenges. IOFS remains ready to deepen this partnership through joint projects, capacity-building initiatives, and integration into our programmes, with the aim of delivering tangible and regionally impactful outcomes, he added. Speaking about the Antalya Diplomacy Forum, Aryn pointed out that at this years event, IOFS is focusing on advancing integrated approaches to food security in the context of climate change, market volatility, and geopolitical uncertainty. Our priority is to highlight the importance of strengthening resilient food systems through sustainable agriculture, improved water management, and enhanced intra-OIC cooperation. IOFS is also emphasizing the need to move beyond production-focused approaches toward more equitable, resilient, and accessible food systems. In line with the panel discussion theme Overproduced, Underfed, IOFS highlights the global paradox where sufficient food is produced, yet millions remain food insecure due to distribution inefficiencies, conflict, economic disparities, and supply chain disruptions, said the director general. He noted that the message of IOFS to member states and partners is clear: food security must be treated not only as a humanitarian concern, but also as a strategic pillar of economic stability and regional resilience. This requires moving from dialogue to implementation, scaling up practical initiatives, mobilizing investment, and strengthening partnerships across sectors. In a nutshell, food security is not only about food. It is about stability, dignity, and the future trajectory of our societies. A world that remains underfed will inevitably remain unstable, he said. Aryn also spoke about the upcoming 7th General Assembly, noting that it represents an important milestone for IOFS as the organization continues to advance the implementation of its Strategic Vision 2031. The Assembly will be convened under the chairmanship of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Host Country of IOFS, underscoring its sustained leadership and strong commitment to the Organizations mandate and priorities. The meeting will focus on reviewing progress, aligning priorities, and advancing key programmes that deliver tangible impact on the ground. We expect to further strengthen Member State engagement around flagship initiatives, including climate-resilient agriculture, sustainable water management, and strategic commodity systems, he said. At the same time, as the director general pointed out, the Assembly will serve as a platform to enhance coordination and reinforce IOFSs role as a mechanism for practical cooperation, knowledge exchange, and joint implementation. Ultimately, it is an opportunity to reaffirm collective commitment and ensure that our efforts translate into measurable improvements in food security across the OIC geography. The current global context underscores the need for more resilient, diversified, and self-sustaining food systems. IOFS promotes a set of practical mechanisms to address these challenges. First, strengthening regional value chains and intra-OIC trade is essential to reduce dependency on external markets. Second, we are advancing initiatives related to strategic food reserves and coordinated response mechanisms to enhance preparedness during crises. Third, investment in climate-resilient agriculture and sustainable resource management remains a priority, particularly in water-scarce regions. In addition, IOFS supports capacity-building, technology transfer, and the use of data-driven tools to improve decision-making and early warning systems. These combined efforts are aimed at enhancing both short-term responsiveness and long-term resilience. Importantly, IOFS underscores that these challenges cannot be addressed in isolation. It is, therefore, strengthening multilateral cooperation and public-private partnerships, ensuring that coordinated, scalable, and sustainable solutions are implemented across member states. The overall approach is to move from reactive responses to proactive, system-wide resilience building in food security, he concluded. BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 18. The Middle Corridor opens new opportunities for trade and logistics, said Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan Alibek Bakayev during a panel discussion at the Antalya Diplomacy Forum in Turkiye, Trend reports. According to him, transport and logistics connectivity is becoming a key driver of regional development. Speaking about our logistics and transit cooperation in the region, I would like to mention the role of the Middle Corridor, which in the current situation connects not only regional countries but goes far beyond, he said. Bakayev noted that Kazakhstan is actively developing infrastructure to expand transport flows. When we talk about the Middle Corridor, we are talking about the eastern countries of our Eurasian continent. Kazakhstan has dry ports in Xian, a terminal in the port of Lianyungang, we are well connected with our Chinese partners, we have three border crossing points and are planning to open a new one, he emphasized. He added that countries of the region are increasingly interested in utilizing this route. BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 18. A panel session on New Opportunities in Connectivity was held as part of the 5th Antalya Diplomacy Forum in the Turkish city of Antalya, Trend reports. Speakers at the panel session included Elchin Amirbayov, Representative of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan on special assignments, Timco Mucunski, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade of the Republic of North Macedonia, A. Berris Ekinci, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Turkiye, Emanuele Giaufret, and Deputy Managing Director for Western Europe of the European External Action Service. Addressing the session, Elchin Amirbayov said that Azerbaijans strategic location on a key transit route and its geopolitical position further highlight the importance of diversifying exports. The Middle Corridor is an intercontinental transport route and possibly the most cost-effective, secure, and shortest connection between two continents. At the same time, it contributes to greater diversification. I believe that market volatility, geopolitical instability, and tensions further increase its importance. What was once just one of the alternative options is now becoming an increasingly vital route under current conditions, he emphasized. For decades, our region has been characterized by conflict, closed borders, and fragmentation. Following Azerbaijans restoration of its territorial integrity and sovereignty, a de facto peace now exists with neighboring Armenia, creating new opportunities, Elchin Amirbayov emphasized. Other speakers highlighted global trade routes and infrastructure projects, noting that to unlock the full potential of these projects, technical, legal, and investment challenges must be addressed through multilateral cooperation. As part of the broader objective of mapping tomorrow, this panel explored new opportunities in connectivity, showing how strengthened regional networks can manage uncertainties while fostering development, stability and resilience for participating countries. Relief at the gas pump is looking less certain as rising oil prices and tightening global supply trends threaten to push fuel costs higher. Oil futures have been volatile amid mixed signals on potential peace talks between Iran and the U.S., and as shipping traffic in the Strait of Hormuz returned to a standstill. Global energy prices have remained elevated since the start of the war with Iran, and Americans continue to feel the pain of skyrocketing gas prices amid ongoing tensions in the Middle East. The latest CPI data showed a 21.2% month-over-month increase in gasoline prices in March the largest monthly increase since the CPI was first published in 1967. The national average price for a regular gallon of gasoline is above $4, and the average cost of diesel continues to creep up toward $6 per gallon. Recently, news of the ceasefire positively impacted global markets and oil prices, but drivers have yet to feel any meaningful relief. Read more: Gas tops $4 and diesel is over $5. How an extended war with Iran could push prices higher. The rockets and feathers phenomenon, explained Changes in crude-oil prices have the power to impact gas prices fairly quickly; however, the comedown from a gasoline price spike isnt always immediate. While oil prices are certainly a key indicator of how gas prices may increase or decrease, it is just one of many factors that can play a role in how much you pay at the pump. Other factors, such as refining costs, disruptions in gasoline distribution, and retailers' price markups, can slow the rate at which gas prices return to normal after a spike. There is a saying that pump prices rise like a rocket and fall like a feather, and that holds, said David Doherty, head of natural resources research at BloombergNEF. It takes about three weeks for crude price rises to be fully felt in the price of gasoline prices, and it can take as much time for them to decline as refiners face an uncertain landscape when it comes to the price of crude, their main ingredient. Doherty says prices will spike very quickly if the ceasefire breaks down. Markets are already very apprehensive about the developments in the Gulf, and at $95-$100 per barrel, they are pricing in some skepticism, Doherty said. If the world were not disrupted by this, we would expect the fair value of Brent oil to be closer to $65 per barrel. So, what will it take for gas prices to fall? A resolution to the war in the Middle East and a permanent reopening of the Strait of Hormuz would be needed to begin regulating volatility in the oil market, experts say. On April 17, oil futures fell after Irans foreign minister posted on X that the Strait of Hormuz was now completely open to commercial shipping traffic during the 10-day ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon, a major development that could help ease supply fears. As oil tumbled 10% following the announcement, Patrick De Haan, the head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy, posted on X that gas prices could start to come down over the next few weeks. This could accelerate sending fuel prices lower starting this weekend with the national average likely falling below $4/gal to perhaps $3.65-$3.85 with diesel falling to $4.85-$5.15/gal in 3-4 weeks and could continue for a couple weeks barring any re-escalation, De Haan wrote. I still tend to believe that things could normalize 3 to 6 months from now. Our previous 2026 fuel outlook called for gas prices falling below the $3 mark later this year, De Haan said in an earlier interview with Yahoo Finance. He said that generally speaking, it only takes a couple of days for oil price changes to be passed through to the retail level. However, Iran soon reversed course on reopening the Strait of Hormuz, and as volatility in the oil market continues, one expert says it may be a while before gas prices settle. "Gas prices are still running on adrenaline, not fundamentals. The more excitement, the higher the spike, with crude driving roughly half the move, said Maksim Sonin, an energy executive who works with Stanford Universitys Center for Fuels of the Future. No one is rushing to be the cheapest in town. Margins tend to expand across the chain while the window is open. Some relief may come, but it will likely be location-specific, with weeks stretching into months, to settle. And longer still if another wave of adrenaline is around the corner." Read more: Best credit cards for gas Measures are being taken to ease the burden of gas prices for Americans Here at home, steps are being taken at the federal level to ease the financial burden of higher gas prices on everyday Americans. This includes the governments emergency EPA waivers, which allow nationwide sales of E15, gasoline blended with 15% ethanol, and the removal of all federal impediments to selling E10, gasoline blended with 10% ethanol, across the country. The EPA says this move will prevent disruption in Americas fuel supply by keeping E15 on the market and giving Americans more fuel options. Additionally, in March, the Trump administration ordered the release of 172 million barrels of oil from the U.S. Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) alongside the 32 member countries of the International Energy Agency, who unanimously agreed to release a total of 400 million barrels of oil from their emergency reserves to address the global disruption. Read more: What's the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, and can it help lower gas prices? At the state level, some states are implementing fuel tax holidays to help residents trim their costs. What you can do to protect your wallet now There are several ways consumers can take matters into their own hands to save money on fuel. Join fuel rewards programs: If you frequent a particular gas station, see if it offers a fuel rewards program you can join to start accruing rewards or earn a few cents off each gallon. Comparison shop: Stopping at your nearest gas station may prove to be the most convenient option for gas, but it may not be the most cost-effective. Before you pump gas, shop around and compare stations to ensure youre getting the best possible price. Get a credit card with gas rewards: If youre in the market for a new credit card, consider opting for one that offers cash back or points every time you fill up to help minimize the toll of elevated gas prices on your budget. Read more: How a gas card can help you navigate high prices at the pump BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 18. The key area of cooperation in the energy sector is the Green Corridor project, aimed at connecting the power systems of Central Asia with Europe via Azerbaijan, Muzaffar Madrakhimov during a panel discussion at the Antalya Diplomacy Forum in Turkiye, Trend reports. The development of renewable energy, including solar, wind, and hydropower, as well as green hydrogen, is one of the priority areas of regional cooperation. Ongoing and planned initiatives can transform Uzbekistan and Central Asia as a whole into an important energy hub of Eurasia. A key project in this area is the green energy corridor, aimed at linking the energy systems of Central Asia with Europe through Azerbaijan, he noted. Meanwhile, in April 2025, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed between Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan, providing for the possibility of expanding the Green Energy Corridor to Central Asia. The implementation of this project will make it possible to connect the regions renewable energy resources, primarily solar and wind energy, to the European Unions energy system via Azerbaijan. BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan, April 18. President of Kyrgyzstan Sadyr Japarov on April 18 met with the founder of the TRON blockchain platform, Justin Sun, to discuss current issues of global financial transformation, as well as the development of virtual assets and blockchain technologies in Kyrgyzstan, Trend reports via the press service of the Kyrgyz President. Welcoming the founder of TRON, Japarov emphasized his key role in the crypto industry and his personal contribution to the development of decentralized finance. "Today, in the digital era, thanks to such innovations, a new Digital Silk Road is being created - a network of open interaction and financial freedom," said Sadyr Japarov. He noted that high throughput, instant transaction finality, and low fees have made TRON one of the dominant infrastructures for the use of stablecoins. The President drew attention to the establishment of the National Council for the Development of Virtual Assets and Blockchain Technologies last year under his personal leadership. This platform unites the efforts of relevant government bodies and advanced expertise from internationally recognized blockchain industry experts. "In less than a year of the National Council and its Secretariats work, we have made a significant leap forward. We have held several high-level meetings where market-relevant decisions were adopted: from launching a national stablecoin and testing a central bank digital currency to implementing pilot regimes," he said. In this context, he highlighted the open government policy that has helped attract major technology companies and leading global experts to the country, with the visit of the TRON founder serving as a clear example. "Our strategic goal is to make Kyrgyzstan a regional hub for virtual assets and Web3 technologies in Central Asia. Currently, the virtual assets market is actively developing in the country, the number of licensed participants is growing, the regulatory framework is being strengthened, and infrastructure projects are emerging," Sadyr Japarov emphasized. The Head of State noted that earlier this year important amendments were made to the Law on Virtual Assets. In addition, a new state body for regulating and licensing the virtual assets sector will be established in the near future. "Our society is actively using digital opportunities. According to the global Chainalysis index, Kyrgyzstan ranks 19th in the world in terms of cryptocurrency adoption and confidently leads in Central Asia. This places responsibility on the state to build a transparent and reliable infrastructure," the President stressed. In turn, Justin Sun noted that he sees great potential in the development of the virtual assets market in Kyrgyzstan. The founder of TRON presented a detailed briefing outlining the operational principles and key indicators of HTX, one of the leading international cryptocurrency exchanges, as well as the TRON ecosystem itself. He also spoke about plans to obtain a license to operate in the virtual assets sector in Kyrgyzstan and expressed his intention to support programs aimed at improving digital literacy, as well as introducing blockchain technologies and artificial intelligence. Justin Sun noted that Kyrgyzstans accumulated experience will be highly valuable for neighboring countries and expressed confidence that Kyrgyzstan will become a reliable strategic partner, with which TRON can further deploy its operational network and scale services across Central Asia. At the conclusion of the meeting, President Sadyr Japarov instructed the Secretariat of the National Council for the Development of Virtual Assets and Blockchain Technologies to ensure effective cooperation and the practical implementation of joint plans and projects. Photo: Press Service of the Cabinet of Ministers of Kyrgyzstan BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan, April 18. President of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) Masato Kanda praised Kyrgyzstans economic reforms and reaffirmed the Banks readiness to continue supporting the countrys priority infrastructure and digital projects, Trend reports via the press service of the country's Cabinet of Ministers. He made the statement during a meeting with Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers and the Head of the Presidential Administration of Kyrgyzstan, Adylbek Kasymaliev on the sidelines of the Spring Meetings of the IMF and the World Bank Group (WBG). Furthermore, Adylbek Kasymaliev informed ADB leadership about the countrys economic performance, noting that the average annual GDP growth rate over the past four years reached 10.2%, while growth stood at 11.1% in 2025. According to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Kyrgyzstan ranked among the top three countries globally in terms of real GDP growth in 2024. Adylbek Kasymaliev also expressed gratitude to the ADB for supporting the National Electronic Logistics Platform project, which is expected to integrate transport information systems and enable digital data exchange among participants in logistics chains. Meanwhile, Kyrgyzstan and the Asian Development Bank maintain long-standing cooperation focused on supporting the countrys economic development and structural reforms. The ADB has been involved in financing projects across key sectors, including transport, energy, and public administration. BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan, April 18. Special Representative of the President of the Kyrgyz Republic for Special Assignments Bakyt Torobaev held a meeting as part of systematic efforts to form the investment portfolio of the Kyrgyzstan, Trend reports via the press service of the country's Cabinet of Ministers. The meeting was attended by the leadership of the Office of the Plenipotentiary Representative of the President in Jalal-Abad Region, as well as heads of state administrations of Chatkal, Ala-Buka, and Toktogul districts. The main objective of the meeting is to develop priority local investment projects, enhance investment attractiveness, and establish a unified system for regional economic development. Bakyt Torobaev noted that, in line with the Presidents instructions, the investment potential of each district is being reviewed, including the economic efficiency of projects, export potential, and employment opportunities for the local population. "Our main goal is to assess what opportunities exist in the districts of the country for project implementation. Based on this, we must implement one large-scale project. It is also important to train private entrepreneurs or government officials working in the districts in preparing feasibility studies. A total of 200 projects are planned to be developed across Kyrgyzstan. These include projects in the energy, tourism, manufacturing, healthcare, and education sectors. The projects will be consolidated in these areas and implemented in three stages," he said. Following the Presidents instructions, similar meetings have previously been held in the districts of Osh and Chuy regions, where investment projects were reviewed. Tomorrow, the meetings will continue in Suzak, Bazar-Korgon, Aksy, and Nooken districts of Jalal-Abad Region. The ongoing work is aimed at the systematic formation of a regional investment portfolio aligned with the priorities of the National Development Program of the Kyrgyz Republic until 2030 and the objectives of accelerating the countrys socio-economic development. Photo: Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 18. Central Asia demonstrates resilience amid global challenges, said Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan Alibek Bakayev during a panel discussion at the Antalya Diplomacy Forum in Turkiye, Trend reports. According to him, the region is successfully adapting to global changes. Today we are witnessing large-scale geopolitical and economic shifts that bring both challenges and new opportunities, he said. Bakayev emphasized that regional resilience is ensured by the political will of leaders. Thanks to the political will and wisdom of our leaders, peace and stability are maintained in the region, he noted. He added that regular high-level dialogue contributes to strengthening cooperation. We have regular meetings at the level of leaders and ministers, and many areas of multilateral regional cooperation are already covered, he said. BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 18. The Antalya Diplomatic Forum, held in Turkiye on April 17-19, 2026, has become an important platform for discussing key challenges in global politics, bringing together world leaders. In particular, President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev spoke at the panel session titled Mapping Tomorrow, Managing Uncertainties. One of the topics he addressed was the role of middle powers in global politics. According to him, Kazakhstan, Turkiye, and a number of other countries in this category are increasingly influencing international processes today. Azerbaijan can also undoubtedly be included in this group, as it positions itself as a middle power and consistently pursues a foreign policy based on balancing interests and active engagement in the regional agenda. Against this backdrop, Tokayevs participation in the Antalya forum should also be viewed through the prism of Turkic rapprochement, where Azerbaijan plays a key role as one of the centers of interaction. Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan are also active members of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS), which both sides see as an instrument for shaping a denser Turkic economic and geopolitical space across Eurasia. The economic dimension of this rapprochement is also strengthening. According to the State Customs Committee of Azerbaijan, bilateral trade with Kazakhstan in 2025 amounted to $670.6 million (1.4 times higher than in 2024). The Central Bank of Azerbaijan reports that in 2025, Kazakhstans direct investments in Azerbaijan amounted to $29.407 million. Compared to 2024, investment volume increased by $14.6 million, more than doubling. Kazakhstans share in total FDI stood at 0.4 percent. The dynamics indicate a steady increase in economic interdependence within the Turkic space. One of the main drivers of rapprochement is the development of the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route. Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan plan to sign an intergovernmental agreement on the route. Over the past 7 years, cargo volumes along the TITR have increased fivefoldfrom 0.8 to 4.5 million tons per year. In 2025, around 77,000 TEU were transported via the route, with a target of 300,000 TEU by 2029. This turns the corridor into one of the key elements of the emerging Turkic logistics system. In this process, the integration of transport and port infrastructure is strengthening. Azerbaijan is developing the ports of Alat and Baku, while Kazakhstan is developing Aktau and Kuryk, forming a unified Caspian logistics chain. As a result, the Caspian Sea is gradually becoming a central transit hub between Asia and Europe. Kazakhstan is also interested in further developing TITR as a sustainable route within broader Eurasian connectivity. Energy cooperation is emerging as a separate area. In addition to the traditional oil sector, the countries are strengthening cooperation in the field of green energy. In this context, a key role is played by the Green Corridor initiative involving Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan, which envisages electricity exports to Europe via the Caspian Sea. In the political dimension, Astana and Baku demonstrate a similar model of behavior. The sides support each others positions in international organizations, and consistently align their approaches on key issues such as transport connectivity, energy security, and regional integration. This forms the basis for deeper Turkic cooperation beyond a bilateral framework. Tokayevs participation in the Antalya Diplomatic Forum reflects not only the growing role of middle powers, but also a broader process of institutionalizing Turkic rapprochement. Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan are entering a new phase of interaction, where economic, transport, and energy projects are gradually forming a unified strategic agenda. Turkic cooperation is increasingly moving beyond political declarations and becoming a practical foundation for regional integration. Photo: Press Service of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kyrgyzstan BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan, April 18. Kyrgyzstan and Bangladesh have reviewed the current state and prospects of cooperation in the consular sphere, Trend reports via the Kyrgyz MFA. The issue was discussed on April 16, 2026, during a meeting between Director of the Consular Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kyrgyz Republic Seytek Zhumakadyr uulu and Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Peoples Republic of Bangladesh to the Kyrgyz Republic, with residence in Tashkent, Mohammad Monirul Islam. During the meeting, the parties discussed measures to ensure the protection of the rights and legitimate interests of citizens of both countries, enhance interagency coordination, and reviewed visa procedures. Following the talks, the diplomats noted their mutual interest in further developing bilateral ties and expressed readiness to consistently expand cooperation in consular affairs. Meanwhile, Kyrgyzstan continues to pursue a multi-vector foreign policy aimed at expanding cooperation with countries across Asia, including South Asia. In recent years, Bishkek has been working to strengthen diplomatic engagement, promote trade and economic ties, and facilitate people-to-people contacts with a wider range of international partners. Photo: Press Service of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kyrgyzstan BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 18. Kyrgyzstan counts on its partners, including Turkiye and Azerbaijan, to move forward together, said Kyrgyzstans Minister of Foreign Affairs Zheenbek Kulubaev during a panel discussion at the Antalya Diplomacy Forum in Turkiye, Trend reports. According to him, regional integration is not an end goal, but a continuous process. "Regional integration requires political will, compromises, and trust, especially trust between our peoples. Central Asia has always been a region of dialogue. We support a stable and predictable world that creates opportunities for development," he said. The minister noted that Central Asia can contribute to regional development by strengthening connectivity, developing transport and energy corridors, and supporting dialogue on security issues. "After 35 years, one thing is clear: Central Asia has become a strong region. We are independent actors with our own voice," Zheenbek Kulubaev added. BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 18. Central Asia has made significant progress over the past 35 years, said Kyrgyzstans Minister of Foreign Affairs Zheenbek Kulubaev during a panel discussion at the Antalya Diplomacy Forum in Turkiye, Trend reports. The minister noted that over the years of independence, Kyrgyzstan has built a constitutional system, gone through political challenges, and preserved its statehood. "Over the past 35 years, our region has made significant progress. We have established stable institutions and an active civil society. In the region, we have built trust and good-neighborly relations. We have resolved border issues that once seemed impossible. Border agreements reached with Tajikistan and Uzbekistan are important steps toward stability and cooperation," the minister said. Zheenbek Kulubaev noted that today the world is facing numerous challenges, while international relations are undergoing changes. "In this situation, open and respectful dialogue is more important than ever. The Antalya Diplomacy Forum plays an important role in bringing countries together. I am confident that this years forum will help generate new ideas and practical solutions," he added. BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 18. Iran has announced the reopening of its eastern airspace for international transit flights, the Civil Aviation Organization of Iran (CAO) stated, Trend reports. The statement noted that, alongside this step, technical preparations are being finalized to gradually resume flight operations at several airports across the country, enabling both military and civilian facilities to provide passenger services. Meanwhile, as no tangible progress was made in the nuclear negotiations between the U.S. and Iran, the situation escalated on February 28, when the United States and Israel launched military airstrikes against Iran. In retaliation, Iran initiated missile and drone strikes targeting Israeli and U.S. installations in the region. Following these developments, a two-week ceasefire agreement was brokered on April 7 through Pakistan's mediation. However, during subsequent talks between the U.S. and Iran in Islamabad on April 11, no consensus was reached. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel If gold (GC=F) is part of your long-term wealth strategy, you may be considering a gold IRA. This account type applies IRA tax advantages to your precious metal holdings. Gold IRA companies help you set up a gold IRA and connect you with partners for account management and gold storage. Finding one thats reputable and affordable is critical to your retirement saving success. Heres how to do it. Read more: How high will gold go this year? Top 3 predictions. Know the basics Technically, a gold IRA is a self-directed IRA (SDIRA) that can hold precious metals. These accounts offer the same tax perks as regular IRAs, but they are subject to a few additional IRS rules. The rules dictate the types of precious metals you can own and how theyre stored. Because of the added requirements, gold IRAs are specialized offerings. They are not readily available from mainstream brokerages and require three separate service providers to operate. A custodian manages the account and IRS compliance, a dealer sells the gold, and a depository stores it. This is where gold IRA companies add value. They act as facilitators, connecting you with the right partners for your account and helping you with account setup. Gold IRA companies are often gold dealers, but they may also serve as custodians. A reputable gold IRA company will have a good reputation, competitive fees, high-touch customer service, efficient workflows, and saver-friendly policies. Read more: How to invest in gold in 7 steps Verify custodian, dealer, and depository reputations The gold industry has been a target for financial scams ranging from high-pressure sales tactics to outright fraud. You can mitigate your scam risk by doing detailed reputation checks. Ask prospective gold IRA companies who their partners are and whether you can choose your own custodian, dealer, or depository. A reputable company will readily share this information. As Scott Maurer, vice president of sales at Advanta IRA, explained, It is a smart move to identify each of these vendors up front, perform due diligence on each, and get a complete fee breakdown for each. Confirm how long the companies have been in business and read any available reviews. You can also: Verify the dealer sells IRS-approved precious metals. Note that 99.5% pure gold bullion bars and coins produced by a government mint or certified company are acceptable. Rare collectible coins are not allowed. Confirm that custodians and depositories are IRS-approved. Take note of how the gold IRA company representatives interact with you. Communications should be professional and transparent, not slick or pushy. You may also want to ask friends, family members, and financial advisors if they know of any reliable gold IRA companies. Read more: Is gold a good investment? Compare fees and minimums Gold IRAs have more fees than regular IRAs. And because these fees are not standardized, pricing structures can vary dramatically. Spending less on fees ultimately helps you save more for retirement, so its worth the effort to compare charges across providers. The table below outlines the fees and minimums you should verify, along with where to get the data. In some cases, there may be two layers. For example, custodians and dealers may have separate transaction fees. Item Provided by Account opening minimum Custodian Trade minimum Dealer Account opening fee Custodian Recurring account maintenance fees Custodian Storage fees Custodian and depository Transaction fees Custodian and dealer Shipping fees to transport gold to storage Dealer Other fees for account closure, wire transfers, rollovers, paper statements, etc. Custodian Dealer markup above spot price Dealer Shipping fees to transport gold to be sold Depository Read more: Can you retire on gold alone? Ask about customer service and resources Gold IRA companies often promise to guide you through account setup and funding, which may include a rollover from another retirement account. Rollovers require careful handling to avoid IRS penalties. Ask prospective gold IRA companies how much help they provide with these early account tasks. Will they manage the rollover on your behalf, or do they simply provide instructions for you to follow? You may also want to ask if the gold IRA company provides educational resources. Access to a free library of investing materials is a strong value-add, particularly if you are just beginning your precious metals investing program. Compare transaction workflows Ask prospective partners to explain how you manage your account and place orders. Points to clarify include: Whether orders are placed online or via paper forms How quickly your orders are processed Whether the custodian coordinates your order or you must call the dealer directly Online platforms that offer quick execution minimize the risk that the metals price will change significantly before your order is completed. Evaluate buyback policies You have two options when youre ready to take distributions from your gold IRA. You can ask the depository to send you physical gold, or you can sell your gold back to the dealer. The latter is called a buyback. Dealer buyback pricing and processes can range from favorable to unfavorable. The dealer may pay a lower price than you can get elsewhere, or you may be assessed liquidation fees. Ask your dealer to share its buyback policies upfront so you can evaluate the costs youll incur for liquidations. Confirm depository due diligence Reputable gold IRA companies should take steps to ensure your gold is safe in the depository. Ideally, those steps include: Verifying the depository is IRS-approved Verifying the depository is appropriately insured Confirming that the depository is periodically audited by an independent third-party Reviewing the depositorys reporting procedures As Maurer explained, you should be comfortable with the business practices that occur as part of your gold IRA. Learn more: Best gold IRA companies in 2026 Gold for long-term wealth The right gold IRA company should support your wealth goals with reputable partners and a seamless, low-cost process for buying and holding gold according to IRS guidelines. Do your research, ask questions, and compare your options thats how to ensure you land in the right place. Gold IRA company FAQs How is rolling over an existing retirement account different from starting a new gold IRA? When you rollover an existing account, you take cash from another retirement account and deposit it into the gold IRA. Rollovers are not subject to IRA contribution limits. If you choose to fund your gold IRA with new funds, that initial deposit is treated as part of your annual IRA contribution and subject to IRS contribution and deduction limits. Why do gold IRA buyback policies matter? Buyback policies influence what you earn when you sell your gold back to the dealer. Some dealers offer favorable buyback policies, while others do not. After years of building your gold balance, you should be able to liquidate it at a fair price. What are the key IRS rules about gold IRAs? The standard IRA annual contribution limits apply to gold IRAs. Additionally, the IRS has quality, purity, and sourcing standards for the gold you can purchase in an IRA. The IRS also requires you to store the gold in an approved depository. BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 18. Iran has closed the Strait of Hormuz again, the spokesperson for the Iranian Khatam al-Anbiya Headquarters, Ibrahim Zolfaghari, told local media, Trend reports. He said that the situation in the Strait of Hormuz is fully under control until the U.S. allows ships to pass freely from and to Iran and has been returned to its previous state. According to him, based on the agreement reached through negotiations with various parties, Iran agreed to allow a number of oil tankers and commercial ships to pass through the Strait of Hormuz under control. However, the U.S. side continues to blockade Iranian ports. "For this reason, control over the Strait of Hormuz has returned to its previous state, and this strategically important strait is under the strict control of the Iranian Armed Forces," he noted. Meanwhile, as no tangible progress was made in the nuclear negotiations between the U.S. and Iran, the situation escalated on February 28, when the United States and Israel launched military airstrikes against Iran. In retaliation, Iran initiated missile and drone strikes targeting Israeli and U.S. installations in the region. Following these developments, a two-week ceasefire agreement was brokered on April 7 through Pakistan's mediation. However, during subsequent talks between the U.S. and Iran in Islamabad on April 11, no consensus was reached. BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 18. Iran has resumed operations at Imam Khomeini, Mehrabad, Mashhad, Birjand, Gorgan, and Zahedan airports, Secretary of the Association of Iranian Airlines Maqsoud Asadi Samani told local media, Trend reports. According to him, currently, airlines are preparing to operate domestic and international flights. Samani said that airlines must obtain a license from the Civil Aviation Organization of Iran to operate flights. Iran has announced that the skies over the eastern part of the country are open to international flights starting today. Meanwhile, as no tangible progress was made in the nuclear negotiations between the U.S. and Iran, the situation escalated on February 28, when the United States and Israel launched military airstrikes against Iran. In retaliation, Iran initiated missile and drone strikes targeting Israeli and U.S. installations in the region. Following these developments, a two-week ceasefire agreement was brokered on April 7 through Pakistan's mediation. However, during subsequent talks between the U.S. and Iran in Islamabad on April 11, no consensus was reached. BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 18. Iranian army's navy can defeat opponents again, Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyyed Mojtaba Khamenei said in his address on the occasion of "Iranian Army Day" today, Trend reports. According to him, the Iranian army is defending the country's territory with all its might and taking necessary measures if necessary. Khamenei added that, as in the previous two wars (the Iran-Iraq war and the war with the U.S. and Israel last year), the Iranian army, together with the country's other armed forces, stands guard over the country. Meanwhile, as no tangible progress was made in the nuclear negotiations between the U.S. and Iran, the situation escalated on February 28, when the United States and Israel launched military airstrikes against Iran. In retaliation, Iran initiated missile and drone strikes targeting Israeli and U.S. installations in the region. Following these developments, a two-week ceasefire agreement was brokered on April 7 through Pakistan's mediation. However, during subsequent talks between the U.S. and Iran in Islamabad on April 11, no consensus was reached. BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 18. We are discussing new proposals put forward by the United States, the Supreme National Security Council of Iran said in a statement, Trend reports. According to the statement, although the US had agreed to act within the framework of Iran's 10-point plan before the talks began, during the talks it made new and excessive demands. This, in turn, was met with a firm stance from the Iranian delegation, and the opposing side understood that Iran would not back down from its positions under any circumstances. The statement noted that for this reason, this stage of negotiations ended without a concrete result, and their continuation has been postponed until the United States adjusts its position in accordance with realities. "In recent days, the US has presented new proposals that include a visit by the Pakistani army chief to Tehran and his participation as a mediator. Iran is currently considering them but has not yet responded. To consolidate its historic victories and protect its interests, Iran will not compromise," the statement says. It is noted that Iran is determined to continue to control the movement of ships in the Strait of Hormuz until the end of the war and the establishment of a lasting peace. Control will be carried out by obtaining full information on passing vessels, issuing passage permits in accordance with the rules established by Iran, collecting fees for services to ensure safety, security and environmental protection, and working along established routes. Furthermore, if the other side organizes anaval blockade or creates obstacles to the movement of ships, this will be regarded as a violation of the ceasefire, and Iran will abandon the limited opening of the Strait of Hormuz. BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 18. On Saturday evening, Iran closed the Strait of Hormuz until the US completely lifted the naval blockade, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Naval Forces said, Trend reports. The statement noted that due to the violation of the ceasefire and the continued American naval blockade of Iranian ships and ports, the strait will remain closed until it is lifted. The IRGC called on shipowners to follow only the instructions of the Iranian side, and called US President Donald Trump's statements about the situation in the Strait of Hormuz unreliable. BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 18. NATO Ankara summit to focus on delivery of commitments, NATO Deputy Secretary General Radmila Shekerinska, said during a panel discussion at the Antalya Diplomacy Forum in Turkiye, Trend reports. According to her, while the Hague summit demonstrated political commitment, the upcoming summit in Ankara must focus on implementation. If The Hague was the summit that was supposed to show our commitmentand it didAnkara is the summit that needs to show our delivery, she said. Shekerinska noted that reaching agreement among all 32 allies on key decisions was not easy. Having a decision by all 32 allies, with different political circumstances and priorities, agreeing that collective security is our key goal and committing to a significant, historic, unprecedented increase in defense spending was not an easy feat, she said. She emphasized that current threats require decisive action. The threats that we are faced with do not allow for flexibility or delaysthey require decisive action, Shekerinska added. According to her, allies have already begun to deliver on their commitments. What we see is that European allies and Canada are stepping up, she noted, highlighting that countries such as Lithuania and Latvia have significantly increased defense spending, while Germany has made a dramatic difference by doubling its defense budget. She also stressed the importance of strengthening defense production and industrial cooperation. This is not only about money. We need increased production, stronger cooperation between companies, and shorter delivery times, she said. Shekerinska added that industry is responding to these demands. Industry is stepping up, increasing production and cooperation to maintain a strong transatlantic defense industrial base, she noted. BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 18. Additional co-sponsors have joined a bill in the United States Congress aimed at lifting restrictions on aid to Azerbaijan, Trend reports. Republican congressmen Derrick Van Orden and Randy Fine have joined the initiative introduced by Congresswoman Anna Paulina Luna. Randy Fine is a member of the United States House Foreign Affairs Committee. The bill titled Repeal of Aid Restrictions on Azerbaijan seeks to abolish Section 907 of the Freedom Support Act, which limits US assistance to Azerbaijan. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel Several airlines have already canceled flights or grounded airplanes due to rising costs. "Any cancellations announced so far by European airlines are linked to the high cost of jet fuel, not to supply shortages," he added. However, the European Union's transport commissioner, Apostolos Tzitzikostas, denied that the continent was close to running out of jet fuel. "This is already happening in parts of Asia," he added in the statement. Willie Walsh, the director general of the International Air Transport Association, an airline trade group, said the next day that "by the end of May we could start to see some cancellations in Europe for lack of jet fuel." "In Europe, we have maybe six weeks or so (of) jet fuel left," the International Energy Agency's executive director, Fatih Birol, told the Associated Press on April 16. Jet fuel prices have risen even faster, doubling in price to almost $200 a barrel. And as the war drags on, jet fuel is getting harder to come by for countries that don't produce it or have limited supplies. That saw the price of Brent crude oil rocket past $100 a barrel in early March, before dipping back below that benchmark once ceasefire talks began this month. The war has disrupted supply chains, trapping oil in storage facilities across the Middle East. Its analysis found the planned global capacity for May has dropped three percentage points since early March. Cirium revised its initial prediction of 4%-6% growth this year, saying it could decline by up to 3% under some potential scenarios. All but one of the world's 20 largest airlines are reducing capacity in the coming months, according to aviation analytics firm Cirium. First, the Iran war made flights more expensive. Now, it's making them disappear. Airlines have largely cut routes with multiple daily flights or those with lower demand. 19 of the world's 20 largest airlines have cut flights in May, according to Cirium data. Jet fuel costs and supplies across the globe are under pressure from the US and Israeli war on Iran. Story Continues Here's a look at some of the airlines that have already started canceling flights due to rising prices and falling supplies. European airlines Ryanair, Europe's largest airline, said it is considering reducing routes. CEO Michael O'Leary said its jet fuel supply could be at risk if the war continues during an interview with Sky News. "We don't expect any disruption until early May, but if the war continues, we do run the risk of supply disruptions in Europe in May and June," he said. KLM said on April 17 that it was canceling 80 return flights from Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport, its main base. It added that these routes were "no longer financially viable to operate" due to rising kerosene costs. The airline also clarified that there was no kerosene shortage. Lufthansa Group said in a press release on April 21 that the airline is cutting around 20,000 short-haul flights through October as it trims "unprofitable routes" and in response to surging fuel costs. The move is expected to save more than 40,000 metric tons of jet fuel, said Lufthansa. "The planned consolidation of the European network is being carried out across Lufthansa Group's six hubs in Frankfurt, Munich, Zurich, Vienna, Brussels, and Rome," said Lufthansa "Passengers will therefore continue to have access to the global route network, particularly long-haul connections," Lufthansa added. According to the press release, initial adjustments will be in place by May, and the airline expects to have a sufficient fuel supply for the coming weeks. KLM airplanes at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport. Patrick van Katwijk/Getty Images Switzerland's Edelweiss Air also said it was canceling flights to the US, due to declining demand and rising fuel prices. It will no longer fly to Denver or Seattle, and will reduce the frequency of flights to Las Vegas. A spokesperson for Scandinavian Airlines said that it would cut about 1,000 flights in April due to the surge in jet fuel costs. They added that most of the canceled flights were on short-haul routes in the Nordic region, at airports with multiple daily flights. And Aer Lingus said on April 20 that it had made adjustments to 2% of its schedule. In a statement, it said there were cancellations due to "mandatory maintenance on aircraft, along with a limited number of schedule adjustments." The Irish Independent had previously reported that over 500 flights were being cut. Asian airlines Several airlines in Asia said they would cut flights to mitigate fuel shortages and mounting costs. Vietnam Airlines suspended seven domestic flight routes beginning April 1, a local state-run newspaper reported, according to Reuters. The outlet reported that Vietnam Airlines planned to slash flight volume by 10% to 20% a month over the next financial quarter if jet fuel prices rise to $160 to $200 per barrel. Other local airlines, including Vietjet Air and Bamboo Airways, will also cut flights. AirAsia said it has cut 10% of its flights and raised fares to curb the impact of rising fuel costs. The Malaysian low-cost carrier, which flies to 25 countries, added that it would cut capacity on routes where it couldn't cover fuel costs. At a media briefing on April 6, CEO Bo Lingam said the fuel surcharge has risen up to 20%, and overall ticket prices have risen 30% to 40%. Lingam said its jet fuel had risen from $90 per barrel before the war to $200 per barrel, describing this as the airline's most serious challenge. United Airlines United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby said in a March memo to staff that the company would cut flights over the next two quarters. "In the short term, that means tactically pruning flying that's temporarily unprofitable in the face of high oil prices," Kirby said. The airline planned to cancel some off-peak flights and red-eyes. "If prices stayed at this level, it would mean an extra $11 billion in annual expense just for jet fuel," Kirby said in a message to employees posted on the company's website. "For perspective, in United's best year ever, we made less than $5B." Delta Air Lines Delta hasn't officially announced any flight cuts due to fuel prices; the oil refinery it owns in Pennsylvania has given it a buffer during the crisis. "It's not going to cover the crack entirely, but gives us a fairly significant hedge," Delta CEO Ed Bastian said at a March JP Morgan conference. Delta is cutting its seasonal Los Angeles to Anchorage route this summer, telling Business Insider that it "adjusts its schedule to align with customer demand." Alaska Airlines will be the sole operator on that route. Air New Zealand Air New Zealand said it would cut about 5% its flights, or about 1,100, at the start of May. "We're focused on consolidating flights that are off-peak flying hours, for example, or where there is an alternative that we can re-accommodate customers," CEO Nikhil Ravishankar told 1News, a local outlet, in March. Air Canada Air Canada said it will suspend certain routes starting in late May due to rising jet fuel costs. "Jet fuel prices have doubled since the start of the Iran conflict, affecting some lower profitability routes and flights which now are no longer economically feasible," the company's statement said. "Schedule adjustments including some frequency reductions are being made in response." Route suspensions will affect certain domestic Canadian, transborder, and international flights. Read the original article on Business Insider China is set to extend its oil stockpiling as part of efforts to insulate itself from any emergency situation, a senior official from Beijings central planning body said today. China is already relatively insulated against supply shocks in energy, Wang Changlin, vice chairman of the National Development and Reform Commission, said today, as quoted by Reuters. Reserve-building will continue to enhance the resilience of the worlds largest oil importer, he also said, as will diversification efforts with regard to imports. Additionally, the Chinese government will aim to boost domestic production of crude, Wang said. Last year, Chinas local oil production stood at 4.3 million barrels daily, rising to 4.4 million barrels daily over the first quarter of 2026. Meanwhile, imports of both oil and gas are down amid the surge in prices prompted by the war in the Middle East. The latest data, released earlier this month, showed that China imported 2.3% less oil in March than a year ago, at 49.98 million tons, although imports for the first quarter were up by 8.9% on the year as stockpiling continued. Natural gas imports were down by 11% in March from a year ago, and first-quarter gas imports were down an estimated 4% from a year ago, according to Bloomberg. Imports of liquefied natural gas specifically dropped by 22% in March. In diversification efforts, China is understandably turning away from Middle Eastern crude and seeking more volumes from Central Asian producers, and more specifically, Kazakhstan, Bloomberg reported earlier in April. Saudi oil volumes, meanwhile, are set for a sharp decline. May shipments from the kingdom to China could be only half of what the country is set to import this month, unnamed traders told the publication earlier this week. The April total is seen at 40 million barrels. By Irina Slav 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. Big acquisitions are always risky, so it was hardly shocking to see that Chevron's (NYSE: CVX) $53 billion deal to buy Hess didn't go as smoothly as planned. However, the delays caused by Chevron's main U.S. competitor may have been a good thing. Here's why Chevron's delayed purchase of Hess was close to the perfect outcome. Chevron's timing matters Chevron announced its agreement to buy Hess on Oct. 23, 2023. Almost instantly, ExxonMobil (NYSE: XOM) threw down a yellow card, calling a foul because it had a business relationship with Hess. It all boiled down to legal language around a large and important joint project. If Exxon was correct, the joint project could have been excluded from the acquisition, effectively killing Chevron's deal. 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. The dispute wound up in court, delaying the acquisition while the legal issues played out. In the end, Chevron won and closed its purchase of Hess on July 18, 2025. That's more than a year later, a delay that was viewed as a negative at the time. However, buying Hess dramatically increased Chevron's debt. While the company still remains financially strong, with a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.25x, that is notably above the 0.12x it was just a couple of years ago. High oil prices provide Chevron with an opportunity The most interesting piece of the puzzle here, however, is what has happened to oil prices in 2026. While nobody could have predicted the unfolding geopolitical conflict in the Middle East, it has had a predictable impact on oil prices. As with most energy producers, Chevron will see revenue and earnings benefits from high oil prices. The extra cash flow from this period of high energy prices gives Chevron a window to focus on reducing its leverage. That's actually fairly normal for the company, as it leans on its balance sheet during periods of low energy prices to support its business and dividend through the weak patch. The dividend has been increased annually for more than a quarter-century, which should make the stock attractive to dividend lovers. However, in the current situation, the delayed Hess deal could allow Chevron to benefit from the same dynamic in a slightly different manner. That actually makes the current oil price spike an even more timely opportunity. Sometimes good things come out of bad things If you own Chevron, you should be doubly pleased with the currently high oil price environment. High oil prices won't just lead to higher revenues and earnings; they could also lead to a material improvement in the business's financial strength. If you don't own Chevron but are considering investing in the energy patch, its lofty 3.8% yield could be a good option, given the unique deleveraging opportunity likely ahead. Quick Read Amplify Energy & Natural Resources Covered Call ETF (NDIV) targets 10%+ annualized income through dividends and covered call option premiums. NDIVs recent elevated distributions$0.27 to $0.30 in early 2026stem from energy volatility spikes, not permanent income gains. Monthly payouts range $0.11$0.17 normally; energy prices and option premiums determine actual distribution size, not predictable baseline. The analyst who called NVIDIA in 2010 just named his top 10 AI stocks. Get them here FREE. Amplify Energy & Natural Resources Covered Call ETF (NYSEARCA:NDIV) targets 10% or greater total annualized income by pairing high-dividend energy and natural resource stocks with covered call option premiums. That dual-income pitch draws investors who want commodity-sector exposure without sacrificing yield. Whether that income stream is durable is a different question. Two Income Streams, One Commodity Risk NDIV generates income two ways. First, it collects dividends from an equity portfolio concentrated in oil, gas, and consumable fuels (65%), chemicals (22%), and energy equipment and services (13%). Second, it sells covered call options on many of those same holdings, collecting premiums that supplement the dividend income. The covered call strategy caps the fund's upside when energy stocks rally sharply, but it adds a layer of income that does not depend on commodity prices alone. READ: The analyst who called NVIDIA in 2010 just named his top 10 AI stocks The options overlay is visible in the portfolio data. Short call positions exist on holdings including LYB, DOW, PBR, FLNG, KNTK, OKE, EMN, CHRD, AESI, NOG, and others. When volatility spikes, those premiums expand, which helps explain why recent monthly distributions have been elevated. What the Distribution History Actually Shows The monthly payment record is consistent but not stable in size. In 2024, monthly distributions ranged from roughly $0.12 to $0.17. In 2025, the range was $0.11 to $0.17. Then early 2026 brought a noticeable jump: the March 2026 payment reached $0.30, and February came in at $0.27, well above the prior two years' averages. That spike aligns directly with the energy sector's volatility surge in early 2026. WTI crude spiked to around $115 on April 7, 2026, before pulling back to around $100 by mid-April. That volatility inflated call option premiums, boosting NDIV's distributable income. The elevated February and March payouts are largely a product of that environment, not a permanent step-up in the fund's income capacity. Stocks in the energy sector have been doing very well since energy prices started to rise. The geopolitical conflict in the Middle East is a big part of the story, which should worry investors. Eventually, the conflict will end, and oil prices will fall. If you still want to buy an energy stock today, your best bet could be Chevron (NYSE: CVX). Here's why. Chevron is diversified When things are going well, investors often like to focus on the biggest winners. When oil prices rise, the biggest winners are likely to be upstream oil and gas producers. However, those are also going to be the biggest losers when energy prices fall, as oil prices have historically done after every oil spike. A better option is to buy a more diversified energy company, meaning an integrated energy giant like Chevron. Will AI create the world's first trillionaire? Our team just released a report on a little-known company, called an "Indispensable Monopoly," providing the critical technology Nvidia and Intel both need. Continue Image source: Getty Images. Adding downstream (chemicals and refining) and midstream (pipelines) assets to its upstream assets will limit Chevron's upside, but its diversification will also soften the blow when oil prices fall. The company is built to survive through the entire energy cycle, not just the good periods. That's highlighted by the fact that Chevron has increased its dividend annually for more than a quarter-century. Don't forget Chevron's yield and the balance sheet Chevron's 3.8% dividend yield makes the impressive dividend streak even more attractive, noting that the S&P 500 index (SNPINDEX: ^GSPC) is only yielding around 1.1% right now. If you are a dividend investor, Chevron is the kind of stock you can buy and hold for the long-term. An important part of that story, however, is the company's financial strength. It has a debt-to-equity ratio of roughly 0.25x. That would be low for any company and is the second lowest among Chevron's closest peers. But the real benefit is the flexibility it affords Chevron in the historically volatile energy sector. When oil prices are low, the company can lean on its balance sheet to support its business and dividend. When oil prices recover, as they always have historically, Chevron pays down debt in preparation for the next industry downturn. Chevron is prepared for whatever comes its way Simply put, Chevron is built to survive in a volatile sector. And despite the good news of high oil prices, the energy sector hasn't changed. It is still volatile. If you are tempted to buy an energy stock, Chevron's business provides exposure to the upside and some downside protection. And you get to collect an attractive income stream through the entire energy cycle. I spent the last week in Graz, Austria, attending a KDE sprint as well as Grazer Linuxtage. KDE Sprint Just like last year, the Grazer Linuxtage team had made rooms available for KDE people to meet in the week prior to the conference. More than twenty contributors attended, below are a few notes from discussions I have been involved with. Photo by Kieryn Darkwater AppStream release notes We use AppStream application metadata in a number of places currently: The apps.kde.org website. Software stores such as Flathub, F-Droid, Google Play or the Microsoft Store. Software centers such as Discover. In-app application metadata has so far been maintained separately though, using the KAboutData API. With KDE Frameworks 6.26 it will become possible to populate that from AppStream data as well, reducing duplicated data and duplicated translation efforts. We also expanded how we use release notes from AppStream data: Release notes can now also be translated. Theres new API for accessing AppStream release notes inside an application itself. This is meant to avoid duplicated efforts for in-app release notes. The KDE Gear release automation will now handle notes for pre-releases correctly. This means you can add release notes for users of CD builds already, those will get translated and merged into the subsequent stable release notes automatically. Theres a few more things to do here still: We dont have a Kirigami-based standard component for in-app release notes yet. The metadata converters for F-Droid and Google Play dont handle release notes yet. LSAN rollout on the CI After Albert had added infrastructure for LeakSanitizer (LSAN) suppressions in the CI, we were able to enable LSAN in several more repositories which had previously been blocked on unfixable or intentional leaks outside of our control. The increased visibility on actual issues then also helped with identifying and fixing a couple more real leaks, e.g. in KGuiAddons and LibKGAPI. Qt 6.11 for Android There has been some progress on the long overdue Qt update for our Android builds. This had been delayed as itll imply some rather drastic changes to the supported Android versions and devices. Lacking alternatives we will go ahead with this. In particular, after 26.04.0 is out this means only Android 9 and higher will be supported, and 32bit ARM builds will be discontinued. We prepared Qt 6.11 CI images and applied necessary build fixes to practically all of our apps that have Craft-based Android builds. Initial test looks promising, and some of the annoying input handling glitches seem to have been fixed. Sentry for Android Another Android-related topic we looked into was uploading crash information to KDEs Sentry instance. Our Linux and Windows builds can do this since some time, and it has been a great help with identifying, prioritizing and fixing crashes. Initial experiments got this to work quickly on Android as well, but it will require more work to do this properly and give users full control over whether they want to upload crash information or not. We explored a few options on how to do that and have a plan now, but that yet has to be implemented. KMime move to KDE Frameworks The long-lasting move of KMime to KDE Frameworks will finally happen early May, after the 26.04 KDE Gear release and in time for the 6.27 KDE Frameworks release. Users of KMime will need a few minor build system adjustments for this. The CMake target name changes from KPim6::Mime to KF6::Mime , and the version number changes from KDE PIM versioning KDE Frameworks versioning. You can either replace this at once, or use the forward-compatibility approach suggested below. The following CMake snippet replaces the previous find_package call for KPim6Mime and will handle both variants from before and after the move. find_package ( KF6Mime 6.27 CONFIG ) if ( NOT TARGET KF6::Mime ) find_package ( KPim6Mime 6.7.0 CONFIG REQUIRED ) add_library ( KF6::Mime ALIAS KPim6::Mime ) endif () Target names in target_link_library calls can then be switched to the new KF6::Mime already. Once the transition is complete, the above snippet can be simplified to a single find_package call for the new variant again, without needing to touch anything else anymore. Akademy preparations While we were in Graz the dates for this years Akademy were announced: September 19-24. Registration as well as the Call for Participation are open as well. As it was already known that Akademy would be in Graz this year, we could use the opportunity to inspect venues, test food options, as well as to review and improve OSM (indoor) mapping of the conference location. Itinerary With a bunch of people traveling to the sprint, Itinerary also got a bit of attention of course: Performance of opening the My Data page the first time was improved, by optimizing computing some of the statistics shown on that page. A new way of sharing GraphQL query fragments should simplify maintaining support for the various OpenTripPlanner flavors in KPublicTransport. For some of the backends, the information available for rental bikes/scooters/cars became more detailed as a result of this. Kates syntax highlighting got support for IATA SSIM flight schedules. Thats fallout from work on importing such data into Transitous, where it will eventually also benefit Itinerary and KTrip. And more Thats not all of course, other topics included: Improving the usability of the push services configuration in System Settings. Enabling System Settings to configure notifications from Flatpak apps using KNotificiation. Aligning the different ways currently used to share plain text via Purpose. Fixing some non-obvious issues with the static builds after a recent CI image update. Theres also reports from e.g. Kieryn, Albert and Kristen on Planet KDE with more details and other perspectives. Grazer Linuxtage KDE At Grazer Linuxtage we had a KDE booth again, showing devices running Plasma, Krita and Plasma Mobile, handing out stickers as well as the famous amigurumi Konqis, collecting donations, and of course with a bunch of KDE contributors around to talk to. KDE's booth at Grazer Linuxtage (photo by Kieryn Darkwater) Albert also did a presentation about 30 years of KDE. Transitous Also as part of the conference program I spoke about Transitous and what has been built for that and around that in the past two years. Following the recent discussions about dynamic traffic data, the talk about monitoring vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-infrastructure messages was particularly interesting. The information shown on opentrafficmap.org is obtained that way, and shows how incredibly detailed this is. Theres current positions of trams, busses, and regular cars, speed, acceleration vectors, status of all external lights, and which pedal gets pressed. Traffic lights report their current state and change timings as well as provide a full machine-readable model of their signal groups and lane relations. All of that in a standardized and (intentionally) unencrypted form. Lots of potential in this, I wasnt aware this went anywhere after things had gotten a bit quieter around the self-driving cars hype. How you can help! Bringing people together, for a small meeting or a big conference, is extremely useful and productive. The necessary travel and logistics come with costs though, which is where your donations to organizations like KDE e.V. or Grazer Linuxtage help! Patients and colleagues are remembering Dr. Cerina Fairfax as a devoted mother, a caring dentist and the rock at the center of her family, after police say she was killed by her estranged husband, former Virginia Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax. Police found both dead in their home in the Washington, D.C., suburb of Annandale, Virginia, early Thursday. They believe Justin Fairfax fatally shot his wife and then killed himself. They were going through a divorce and Justin Fairfax had been ordered by a judge to move out of the house by the end of the month. Cerina Fairfax, 49, ran a thriving family dentistry practice in the nearby city of Fairfax. A profile page on its website described her as an avid reader who liked to travel, practice yoga, go on trail runs with her Vizsla-breed dogs and spend time with her wonderful family. EDITORS NOTE This story includes discussion of suicide. If you or someone you know needs help, the national suicide and crisis lifeline in the U.S. is available by calling or texting 988. There is also an online chat at 988lifeline.org Virginia Rep. Jennifer McClellan, who knew Fairfax through her husband's campaign and the time he spent in office, said their two teenaged children were the people she cherished most. Cerina Fairfax was a loving and dedicated mother and the rock at the center of her large family," McClellan wrote in a statement. Terron Sims II, a friend and patient, remembered her as a quiet and caring friend, whose dentistry was more than a profession. It was an expression of love and compassion, Sims told WUSA-TV. It was her way of service to others. Fairfax was recognized in 2015 as the Outstanding Graduate of the Last Decade by the Virginia Commonwealth School of Dentistry. Dr. Jeffrey Johnson, the interim dean of the dental school, wrote that her loss is deeply felt by many who knew her. As a clinician and alumna, Dr. Fairfax embodied the ideals of our profession dedication to her patients, commitment to growth, and a deep sense of purpose in her work each day," Johnson wrote. "I know she was a mentor, role model, and friend to many in our school. Leaders in the states dental community also praised her accomplishments and commitment to patients. In addition to being a beloved practitioner in her community, Dr. Fairfax loved giving back through volunteer work and contributions to local charities focused on helping those in need, said Ryan Dunn, CEO of the Virginia Dental Association, in a statement. As we remember Dr. Fairfax, we honor the impact she made and the connections she helped build within the VDA and her community. Cerina and Justin Fairfax met as undergraduates at Duke University and married in 2006. Justin Fairfax unsuccessfully sought the Democratic nomination for attorney general in 2013, then won the race for lieutenant governor in 2017. He was considered a rising star in the Democratic Party until two women came forward accusing him of sexually assaulting them years earlier, before he and Cerina were married. He denied the allegations and wasnt charged. He left office at the end of his term in 2022, following an unsuccessful run for governor. Cerina Fairfax said in court filings that they separated nearly two years ago. But they were still living in the same house with their children, who police said were both home at the time of their deaths. The judge overseeing the divorce had told Justin Fairfax to move out by the end of April, writing it is clear tensions in the Fairfax home have been extremely high for an extended period of time. He also noted in a March 30 court order that Cerina has been the undisputed primary caregiver to the children in all aspects of their lives, and that she had been a port in a storm for her children. Their remarkable resilience and early success in life is down to what can best be described as Mother's grit, Judge Timothy McEvoy wrote. Amy Spain, Cerina Fairfaxs attorney, said her clients death leaves an immeasurable void in the lives of all who knew and loved her. Above all else, Cerina was a devoted mother to her beautiful children, who were the very center of her world, Spain said. She embodied the true meaning of motherhood through her unconditional and unwavering devotion to her children, providing a constant source of love, protection, and guidance. Associated Press writer John Raby in Charleston, West Virginia, contributed to this report. SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WAND) State representatives passed a bill Friday to create safer and stronger communities by improving housing and support services for people returning home from prison. Roughly 15,000 people leave Illinois prisons annually, but the vast majority of those Illinoisans are unable to find stable housing. Sponsors said that is due to inequities in the housing market and gaps in human services. The Home for Good plan calls for rental subsidies and wraparound services for returning residents. "70% of people going into IDOC, before they even go in, they either have unstable housing or they're homeless," said Rep. Maurice West (D-Rockford). "You can only imagine how it is when they come out." The legislation could also create a Home for Good Institute to provide training and technical assistance to community-based organizations helping with reentry 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. Republicans noted that the Illinois Housing Development Authority and Illinois Department of Human Services oppose the plan. However, West said the agencies only oppose the potential cost of the program which is not included in the bill. Advocates hope to receive $50 million in the Fiscal Year 2027 budget to launch the program, but an appropriations bill has not been filed at this time. House Bill 624 passed out of the House on a 63-34 vote. It now heads to the Senate for further consideration. "By creating a statewide strategy to better support people returning from prison, we can reduce homelessness, save taxpayer dollars and strengthen our economy," said Illinois Justice Project Director Ahmadou Drame. "We thank Rep. Maurice West for his unwavering leadership on this issue and look forward to working alongside Sen. Adriane Johnson (D-Waukegan) to secure passage in the Senate." Copyright 2026. WAND TV. All rights reserved. SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WAND) The Illinois Senate unanimously passed a plan Thursday to ban private schools from penalizing students with religious hairstyles. This plan expands the current state law that bans public and private schools from prohibiting hairstyles associated with race, ethnicity, or hair texture. Sen. Mike Simmons (D-Chicago) said rabbis asked him to file the bill to protect Orthodox Jewish students who have beards. "I live in the West Ridge community where there's a pretty big Orthodox Jewish community and dozens of people have brought up to me in the last few years since we passed the Jett Hawkins Act," Simmons said. "It seems like it's a good time to move forward with this legislation, particularly when we know that there's been such a big increase in antisemitism across the country and the world." Sectarian schools would be exempt if they are not subject to requirements that restrict their ability to adopt, enforce, or apply policies regarding religious hairstyles. Senate Bill 3361 now moves to the House for further consideration. Copyright 2026. WAND TV. All rights reserved. Patrick Pistolesi brings his signature retro-futurist style to the capital's historic heart with a focus on classic elegance and Japanese design. Internationally acclaimed cocktail bar Drink Kong is expanding its footprint in Rome, opening a second location in the central Campo Marzio district on Friday 17 April. Located on Via dei Prefetti 22, the opening marks a new milestone for founder Patrick Pistolesi, whose original Monti-based bar has been a mainstay on the Worlds 50 Best Bars list for seven consecutive years. Concept and design The new space continues the brands signature "retro-futurist" aesthetic and can accommodate around 50 guests. The interior is divided into three distinct areas including the main room, dominated by an eight-metre bar counter and a floor-to-ceiling back bar housing Pistolesis extensive spirit collection. There is also a lounge with a communal table along with a more intimate, Japanese-inspired space that draws inspiration from the "Nite Kong" concept - the club adjacent to Drink Kong in Monti. The decor is enriched with pop culture references, including an original Japanese Lost in Translation poster and soundtracks ranging from Star Wars to Akira Kurosawa films. Drinks list While the original Drink Kong is known for its avant-garde approach, the Campo Marzio location shifts towards a "refined back-to-basics" philosophy, or a "return to the future" as Pistolesi calls it. The menu has a strong focus on classic cocktails (20) reinterpreted in a contemporary way, alongside the signature cocktails (18-20) that have made the venue famous, such as the Gaijin, Puntarella Rossa reports. The menu also has a dedicated section offering five variations of the Martini, a selection of high-end classic cocktails, Champagne-based drinks and sophisticated non-alcoholic options. Location Pistolesi has stated that the opening is part of a mission to revitalise Rome's historic centre, bringing high-quality mixology to a neighbourhood traditionally dominated by tourist-centric establishments. The new location is not a replica of the Monti location, and is designed to interact with its surroundings while maintaining a distinct identity. "I've long wanted to bring Rome's historic centre back into the spotlight" - Pistolesi told Puntarella Rossa - "The new Drink Kong will be a temple for those who believe a bar isn't just a place to drink, but a place to experience." Photo Alberto Blasetti (Oil & Gas 360) The Middle East remains the center of gravity in global energy, but it is no longer viewed as a stable foundation. It is now both the systems anchor and its primary fault line. The global supply reset: The Middle East, still the core, but under pressure- oil and gas 360 No other region combines scale, cost advantage, and spare capacity the way the Middle East does. Saudi Arabia and the UAE continue to anchor global markets, with the ability to adjust output and influence price direction in ways no other producers can match. That capability keeps the region indispensable. But the Middle East is not a single story; it is a system of interconnected producers, each playing a distinct role. Qatar sits at the center of the global LNG market. As one of the worlds lowest-cost and most reliable gas exporters, Qatar is significantly expanding capacity, reinforcing its position as a cornerstone supplier to both Asia and Europe. Its long-term contracts provide stability in an increasingly volatile LNG market, making it one of the most strategically important energy players globally. Iraq represents scale, but also fragility. It holds some of the largest reserves in the region and continues to produce meaningful volumes, yet its infrastructure, political complexity, and reliance on export routes through the Gulf create ongoing vulnerability. In a constrained market, Iraqs ability to maintain stable output becomes increasingly important. Kuwait plays a quieter but critical role. As a consistent, low-cost producer, Kuwait contributes a steady supply while also investing in capacity expansion and downstream integration. It lacks the headline influence of larger neighbors, but its reliability adds depth to the regions overall supply base. Oman operates differently. Positioned outside OPEC, Oman has carved out a more flexible role, participating in global markets while also developing its LNG capacity and balancing regional dynamics. Its strategic location near key shipping routes adds to its importance, particularly as trade flows shift. Together, these producers reinforce the regions dominance, but also its complexity. Because the same concentration of supply also amplifies risk. The Strait of Hormuz remains the single most critical chokepoint in global energy. A significant portion of the worlds crude and LNG flows through this corridor, linking producers across Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Kuwait, Qatar, and the UAE to global markets. Even the perception of disruption can ripple across oil, gas, and refined product markets simultaneously. This is shifting how the market views the region. It is no longer just the worlds most important supplier, it is also the primary driver of volatility. The Trump administration has deported an elderly Irishman to Costa Rica as part of a controversial agreement between the two countries. The man arrived in the Central American country on Friday as part of a group of 22 deportees, according to The Irish Times. Since Donald Trump returned to the US presidency last year, the country has dramatically stepped up deportations, including of Irish nationals. Deportations of Irish people by US authorities increased from 15 in 2024 to 65 last year. To speed up the process, Washington is increasingly sending deportees to countries where they have no connections. Shannon Airport in Co Clare is frequently used as a refuelling stop by aircraft involved in these operations. According to Costa Ricas General Directorate of Migration and Foreigners (DGME), the Irish man arrived in the country along with eight Brazilians, three Romanians, three Uzbets, two Chinese, two Azerbaijanis, one Indian, one Belarusian and one Vietnamese. The DGME described the Irish man as elderly and said one of the Romanian deportees was a minor, The Irish Times reported. The Irish man will be offered assistance to return to Ireland under a programme managed by the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), authorities said. He may also apply to remain in Costa Rica on humanitarian grounds. It is the second group of foreign nationals to be deported to country by the US under a deal signed by Costa Ricas president Rodrigo Chaves last month. Eva Osborne Here are the stories making headlines this Saturday. The Irish Times leads with Daniel Kinahan, leader of the Kinahan cartel and a member of the super cartel that controls about a third of the European cocaine market, spending last night in a Dubai cell after being arrested. The clock is ticking on the extradition back to Ireland of top gangland fugitive Daniel Kinahan after a surveillance and arrest operation in the United Arab Emirates, according to the Irish Examiner. Taoiseach Micheal Martins departure date as Fianna Fail leader is at risk of being brought forward as a result of the fuel protests fallout, the Irish Independent reports. Spring 2027 is now seen as a deadline for his exit, one minister said. The public feel he talked down to them. He dismissed them. They wont forget it. Its a question of when over the next 12 months, the minister said. The Irish Daily Mirror also leads with mob boss Daniel Kinahan finally being behind bars after the police swooped on his Dubai bolthole once the go ahead came from Ireland. The Irish Daily Star also leads with Daniel Kinahan being detained in Dubai. A senior Garda source told the Irish Daily Mail that Daniel Kinahan: Had been under close surveillance for two days by Dubai police before they moved in. The Mail understands that a local shopping mall and nearby Indian restaurant not far from the Burj Khalifa served as the main hubs for surveillance on Kinahan. Latina star Karol is giving Beyonce a run for her money, according to Eleanor Halls of The Herald. A tattoo of her own face underscores confidence that sees her overcome controversy, Hall writes. Advertisement The search for a man missing after going overboard from a Carnival cruise ship near Moreton Island on Friday night resumed stretched into a second day at the weekend. The man, in his 70s, was a passenger on Carnival Splendor, which was sailing from the island towards Sydney. He was reported overboard north-east of Cape Moreton about 10.30pm on Friday, sparking an intensive air and sea search involving multiple assets, according to the Australian Maritime Safety Authority. The passenger was believed to have jumped from Carnival Splendor on Friday night. In an update on Saturday evening, AMSA said it had suspended the search operation. Advertisement The missing person was not located and AMSA has now released all assets from tasking, a spokesperson said. Queensland Police Service said the search and rescue operation resumed on Sunday. The mans disappearance followed the death of a 67-year-old Tasmanian woman, also a passenger on the ship, earlier on Friday. The woman had been snorkelling off Moreton Island, and despite attempts to revive her on the beach, she could not be saved. The two incidents were not believed to be linked. A Carnival Cruise Line spokeswoman said on Saturday it was helping authorities search for the man, who had apparently climbed over a safety railing and jumped. Advertisement The male guest was travelling with family, who alerted the ships crew of a possible missing person, the spokeswoman said. A review of the CCTV footage confirmed the guests action. All appropriate authorities have been alerted, and Carnival will assist authorities in their investigation upon the ships return to Sydney. Carnivals Care Team is supporting the guests family, and our thoughts and prayers are with them and their loved one. A Carnival Splendor passenger said the alert was first raised before 2am, with the captain confirming the incident within the hour. Advertisement The passenger said on Saturday a rescue helicopter could be seen searching the waters as the ship remained off Moreton Island. We are all safe, but I am disappointed that Carnival were not being upfront that we would be sure to be late to our 6am Sydney arrival tomorrow [Sunday], they said. Passengers reported seeing a rescue helicopter searching the waters on Saturday afternoon. The passenger said that about 3pm, the captain confirmed the ship would be leaving the area, and arrival in Sydney was expected to be 6pm on Sunday instead. AMSA said it was notified by the cruise ship early on Saturday morning, advising that a person had been lost overboard about 30 kilometres north-east of Moreton Island. Advertisement AMSA is currently co-ordinating the search and rescue operation and has tasked its Cairns and Melbourne-based Challenger jets, five rescue helicopters from around the metropolitan Brisbane area, and six surface vessels into the area, with Queensland Police assisting AMSA with the operation, a spokeswoman said. If you, or someone you know, needs support you can call Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 224 636. Start the day with a summary of the days most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter. Advertisement Updated WorldMiddle EastMiddle East at war Iran cant blackmail us, says Trump as ships attacked in Strait of Hormuz Updated April 18, 2026 10:28pm ,first published 6:29pm Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Share A A A US President Donald Trump said Iran cant blackmail us over the Strait of Hormuz after Iran reimposed restrictions on the critical waterway and ships attempting transit reported attacks. Trump insisted there were very good conversations going on with Iran and it was working out very well, but that they got a little cute, as they have been doing for 47 years. Loading Were talking to them. They wanted to close up the strait again, as theyve been doing for years. They cant blackmail us, Trump said as he briefly addressed the war while signing an executive order in the Oval Office on Saturday morning (Washington time). Trump said there would be some information by the end of the day but the US was talking to them, and were taking a tough stand. He did not take questions about the conflict. Advertisement Two gunboats from Irans Revolutionary Guard opened fire on a tanker attempting to cross the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday, and a container ship also sustained damage after being hit by an unknown projectile. The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations Centre on Saturday night reported an attack 20 nautical miles north-east of Oman, and said the tanker and crew were safe, without identifying the vessel or its destination. The captain of the tanker also reported the two gunboats opened fire without issuing a radio challenge. Tankers anchored in the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday. AP In a separate incident, the centre said it had received a report of a cargo ship being hit by an unknown projectile which caused damage to some of the containers, 25 nautical miles off the north-east of Oman. Iran earlier announced it had swiftly reversed course on reopening the Strait of Hormuz, reimposing restrictions on the critical waterway on Saturday after the US said it would not end its blockade of Iran-linked shipping. Advertisement Irans joint military command said on Saturday that control of the Strait of Hormuz has returned to its previous state ... under strict management and control of the armed forces. It warned that it would continue to block transit through the strait as long as the US blockade of Iranian ports remained in effect. The announcement came the morning after US President Donald Trump said that even after Iran announced the straits reopening on Friday, the American blockade will remain in full force until Tehran reaches a deal with the US, including on its nuclear program. The conflict over the choke point threatened to deepen the energy crisis roiling the global economy after oil prices began to fall again on Friday on hopes the US and Iran were drawing closer to an agreement. Roughly one-fifth of the worlds oil passes through the strait and further limits would squeeze already constrained supply, driving prices higher once again. Donald Trump has said that the American blockade would remain in full force even with Strait of Hormuz being reopened. Bloomberg Control over the strait has proven to be one Irans main points of leverage and prompted the United States to deploy forces and initiate a blockade on Iranian ports as part of an effort to force Iran to accept a Pakistan-brokered ceasefire to end almost seven weeks of war that has raged between Israel, the US and Iran. Advertisement Iran said it fully reopened the Strait of Hormuz to commercial vessels after a 10-day truce was announced between Israel and Lebanon, where Israel has been fighting the Iranian-backed Hezbollah militant group. However, French President Emmanuel Macron on Saturday said a French soldier stationed among international forces in southern Lebanon had been killed and three other soldiers wounded in an attack, adding that evidence suggests Hezbollah was responsible. Related Article Analysis Middle East at war The price of peace: what kind of deal with Iran would Trump accept? Macron, in a post on X, urged the Lebanese government to act against the alleged perpetrators. The soldiers were part of the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), a peacekeeping mission in the countrys south. An end to Israels war with Hezbollah was a key demand of Iranian negotiators, who previously accused Israel of breaking last weeks ceasefire with strikes on Lebanon. Israel had said that deal did not cover Lebanon. Advertisement But after Trump said the blockade would continue, top Iranian officials said his announcement violated last weeks ceasefire agreement between Iran and the US and warned the strait would not stay open if the US blockade remained in effect. A data firm, Kpler, said movement through the strait remained confined to corridors requiring Irans approval. US forces have sent 21 ships back to Iran since the blockade began on Monday, US Central Command said on X. Loading Despite the escalation in the Strait of Hormuz, Pakistani officials say the United States and Iran are still moving closer to a deal ahead of the April 22 ceasefire deadline. The ceasefire in Lebanon could clear one major obstacle to an agreement. Speaking at a diplomatic forum in Antalya, Turkey, Pakistans Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said the ceasefire in Lebanon was a positive sign, noting that fighting between Israel and Hezbollah had been a key sticking point before talks in Islamabad ended very close to an agreement last weekend. Advertisement Pakistans army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir visited Tehran, while Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif met with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Qatars Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani in Antalya, the military and Sharifs office said. Pakistan is expected to host a second round of talks between Iran and the US early next week. Even though mediators were optimistic, it was unclear to what extent Hezbollah would abide by a truce it did not play a role in negotiating and which will leave Israeli troops occupying a stretch of southern Lebanon. Tracer rounds illuminate the night sky as people fire live ammunition and fireworks into the air following a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah, in Beirut, Lebanon. AP Trump said in another post that Israel is prohibited by the US from further strikes on Lebanon and that enough is enough in the Israel-Hezbollah war. The State Department said the prohibition applies only to offensive attacks and not to actions taken in self-defence. Advertisement Related Article Middle East at war More fuel price cuts by Anzac Day if Iran keeps shipping pledge Shortly before Trumps post, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel agreed to the ceasefire in Lebanon at the request of my friend President Trump, but that the campaign against Hezbollah is not complete. He claimed Israel had destroyed about 90 per cent of Hezbollahs missile and rocket stockpiles and added that Israeli forces have not finished yet with the dismantling of the group. In Beirut, displaced families began moving toward southern Lebanon and Beiruts southern suburbs despite warnings by officials not to return to their homes until it became clear whether the ceasefire would hold. A woman shows a picture of a man alongside flowers placed in a boot as people return to their homes in Southern Lebanon. Getty Images Advertisement The Lebanese army and UN peacekeepers in southern Lebanon reported sporadic artillery shelling in some parts of southern Lebanon in the hours after the ceasefire took effect. The war, which began with US and Israeli strikes on February 28, has killed at least 3000 people in Iran, more than 2290 in Lebanon, 23 in Israel and more than a dozen in Gulf Arab states. Thirteen US service members have also been killed. 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. As the Strait of Hormuz gets unblocked, Greenland returns to the spotlight. Greenlands government has approved the transfer of its remaining 50.5% interest in the Tanbreez deposit to Critical Metals, bringing the New York-based companys total ownership to 92.5%. The Tanbreez rare-earth deposit is one of the worlds largest known rare-earths projects and was eyed by the Trump administration last year, when it floated the idea of acquiring Greenland. Critical Metals (CRML) shares jumped 22% in premarket trading Friday after the announcement. Rare earth supply chain race The deal also brings renewed focus to Greenlands emerging role in the global race for critical minerals. Tanbreez contains rare earth elements including terbium and dysprosium, crucial materials used in magnets, consumer electronics and defense technology. In a global landscape where China dominates rare-earth mining and processing, the Trump administration and its allies have been pushing for supply-chain independence. U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Wednesday urged the World Bank to move quickly to support projects developing critical minerals. Related: The World Bank has stark message on Strait of Hormuz With near-total ownership now secured, Critical Metals said it is positioned to become a cornerstone supplier of heavy rare earth elements to Western markets. This is a game-changing moment for Critical Metals Corp. and for Western rare earth supply security, Chairman Tony Sage said in a statement. It removes the most significant structural overhang on the project and provides the clarity to advance Tanbreez to production with confidence. U.S. eyed stakes The development also brought Greenland back into focus as a strategically important yet untapped resource. The semi-autonomous Danish territory has drawn growing interest in recent years because of its deposits of rare earths and other critical materials. Trump administration officials had discussed taking a stake in Critical Metals, a move that would have given the U.S. direct exposure to the Greenland deposit, Reuters reported last October. Those discussions reflected the administrations effort to reduce reliance on China, which dominates global rare-earth supply chains. That strategic planning was detailed in both the National Security Strategy, released late last year, and the 2026 National Defense Strategy, released in January. Related: Tariffs tied to Greenland dispute could rattle U.S. interest rates This story was originally published by TheStreet on Apr 18, 2026, where it first appeared in the Investing section. Add TheStreet as a Preferred Source by clicking here. The world is ramping up its lithium production in a bid to meet the growing global demand for critical minerals, being driven by renewable energy deployment and the higher uptake of electric vehicles (EVs) and other electronics. Lithium production from mining increased from 31,500 metric tonnes in 2015 to 82,500 tonnes in 2020 and 290,000 tonnes in 2025. While China remains the worlds biggest lithium producer, as production expands, several new players are entering the market, which is helping to diversify operations. The global lithium-battery market exceeded a value of over $150 billion in 2025, marking a 20 percent increase compared to 2024. Batteries are becoming a cornerstone of the automotive sector, a critical source of flexibility for power systems, and an increasingly important source of back-up power for digital infrastructure, including data centres and artificial intelligence, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA). Lithium-ion batteries are also used for industrial and strategic applications, such as in defence. South America is the most well-known region for lithium production and is home to the lithium triangle, an area with vast lithium reserves connecting Bolivia, Argentina, and Chile. The region holds approximately 53 percent of the worlds lithium reserves. The three countries, along with Peru, contain about 67 percent of proven lithium reserves and produce around half of the global supply, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. China dominates global lithium production, having invested in some of the worlds largest mines, as well as increased its domestic production of the white gold. By 2027, China is expected to contribute around 32 percent of global lithium production from domestic projects and another 18 percent of production from overseas operations, giving Chinese companies control of around half of the global lithium market. However, China holds a much larger control of the lithium refining market and is expected to manage around 81 percent of lithium refining activities by 2027. Western powers are, therefore, highly dependent on China for their lithium supply. Its strong hold of the lithium market has also led China to dominate global lithium-ion battery production, which has bolstered its electronics industry. In January, the United States announced plans to boost self-sufficiency and reduce its reliance on China for its lithium by rapidly expanding domestic mining activities. In October, the U.S. Department of Energy took a 5 percent stake in Lithium Americas Corp and a separate 5 percent stake in the companys Thacker Pass joint venture with General Motors, which is expected to be the largest lithium source in the Western Hemisphere. If you have an event you'd like to list on the site, submit it now! Submit This piece is inspired by a photograph taken near Tubbercurry, circa 1893, during the building of the western extension of Waterford, Limerick & Western Railway (WL&W), which extended from Claremorris in Co Mayo to Collooney in Co Sligo. By comparing this photograph with one taken at the same location in early 2026, a number of stories are revealed; the story of excitement at the railways creation, the story of struggle in its daily operations, and the story of disappointment at its eventual decline and death. According to railway historian, Tom Ferris, the railway movement that grew from colliery tramways to public railways began in the late eighteenth century with the first successful application of steam traction taking place in 1812. By 1826, Ireland was welcoming the railway and by 1834, Irelands first railway, which ran from Dublin to Dun Laoghaire, was opened. Irelands ever-growing railway network eventually arrived in east Mayo and south Sligo in 1890. Light railway The Chief Secretary for Ireland, Arthur Balfour, spearheaded a campaign to kill Home Rule with kindness, and as a sweetener, he secured funds for twelve light railways, culminating in the Light Railway (Ireland) Act of 1889. A Railway Order was later passed under the terms of that Act, allowing for the construction of the 46-mile light rail extension to Collooney. This project was the final stage of what one writer described as, the long west coast route, from Limerick to Sligo, built by a bewildering array of companies. The construction of the Swinford to Collooney section, which had been commenced by Worthington, was subsequently finished by Fisher and Le-Fanu. The Claremorris to Collooney line opened in October 1895 with stations that included Kiltimagh, Charlestown and Tubbercurry. The c. 1893 photograph from the Flannery Archive (Tubbercurry) contains 60 men, three boys and seven horses. Despite it being a light rail construction, the new line nonetheless provided huge local employment and involved massive amounts of building work; there were 42 bridges and 297 road crossings on the length of the route. The workmen at Tubbercurry were expected to move 20 tons of clay or rock per day. This huge task was completed primarily by hand, using nothing more than shovels, picks, and wheelbarrows. Norman Freeman ( The Irish Times, 2021), in an article, On Track - The Men Who Built the Railways, sets the scene. To the sounds of steady digging and the shouted orders of the gangers, these men had the gruelling job of preparing the ground so that barrow-loads of gravel could be unloaded into the open earth. Regarding the line itself, there were indications of inefficiencies and limitations from early on. Another writer humorously suggests that the new light rail line was light on everything except time and points out that the 145-mile trip, from Limerick to Sligo took over seven hours. After World War II, the Mayo-Sligo stage of line became known as the Burma Road because of the difficulties posed by its curves, gradients and enumerable crossings. Strident supporters The eventual construction followed years of debate, as local interest groups sought to have the railway built through their town. Among the most strident supporters of the railway were two Catholic priests, Fr Denis OHara, parish priest of Kiltimagh and Canon Staunton, parish priest of Tubbercurry. At that time the excitement of the railway era imbued the air over every town and village in South Sligo and East Mayo. The growing tradition of railways would finally arrive in the congested districts of the West. But there were troubles ahead; troubles, that despite good intentions and hard work, like the railway itself, emerged from poor foundations. It was obvious at all times that the railway was sought for the benefit of the region rather than for the bank accounts of shareholders. Coupled to that the fact that the line was a light rail design, built cheaply on unforgiving terrain, troubled from the start by overruns and a floundering construction company, and one begins to see a project that struggled into life, and thereafter, constantly struggled for oxygen. The abandoned railway line in 2026 is a ghostly reminder of the optimism that heralded its arrival in the late 1800s. Picture: Pat McCarrick Contrasting images The general tones of the original photograph from c. 1893 are those of expectation and enthusiasm; showing a posse of men armed for work, poised to create a new corridor into an exciting future. The 2026 photograph, captured at the same location, is a scene of decay and desolation. The skeletal whitethorns topping the bank in the background are ghostly reminders of the men and boys who stood there over 130 years ago. Freeman describes the beginning of the end. By the 1920s the country was covered by a webwork of railway lines, some reaching the most remote parts. However, over the following decades, the dominance of the internal combustion engine, with the consequent growth in the number of motor cars, buses and trucks on better roadways, meant the railway system began to be pared down to key routes. John Healy, writing in his famous book, No One Shouted Stop, tells the complete story of the line in one short paragraph. Charlestown Station, once the focal point of a thriving town, is now something of a monument to our failures. It took five years to lay the lines in and out of the town so that the first train came through, welcomed by a cheering populace, on October 1, 1895. Hidden behind the Signal Box is the loading ramp for the cattle we shipped out in wagon loads. Ox Mountain Gold Passenger services on the line finished in 1963 and the line closed to all rail traffic in November 1975. There is a story with reference to the possible reopening of the line from that time: responding to a question from Jim Fahy on the main RTE evening news a senior CIE management representative suggested that the Claremorris to Sligo railway might one day re-open if gold is found in the Ox Mountains'. It is obvious from the 2026 image that the gold was never found. Comparing the two photographs tells the story of a failed marriage; a marriage based on the promise of all that a railway could bring and the dire needs of an overcrowded, poverty-stricken region. It was a marriage that never really worked; failing in its ambitions to create a sustaining relationship or provide for its children. Allentown, PA (18103) Today Partly sunny and still fairly pleasant. A later afternoon shower is possible but most will stay dry for the day.. Tonight There might be an early shower; otherwise, mostly cloudy. At the heart of this new initiative was the announcement from Iraqs Oil Ministry of the launch of an accelerated gas processing and transport project in southern Iraq aimed at further reducing associated gas flaring and increasing supply to the domestic power sector. The project is being implemented by the South Gas Company (SGC) in partnership with the State Company for Oil Projects (SCOP) Oil Projects Company, focusing on capturing and processing additional volumes of associated gas from various oil fields, with several of these ranking as among Iraqs largest. The Oil Ministry highlighted that the project would supply around 55 million standard cubic feet per day (MMscfd) of dry gas to power plants, helping stabilise electricity generation across the country, which has frequently been subject to extended blackouts over recent years. The initiative includes transporting and processing associated gas from Bin Omar field, the Majnoon field, and the North Rumaila field in the Basra governorate through a new pipeline network, which will be executed in two phases. The first will cover 4.5 kilometres and the second phase a further 4 kilometres, with the overall effect being a mini-network that can connect to similar networks over time. It is due to be completed within a month, with the speed of the build partly being driven by the sudden and sharp drop in Iranian gas supplies following U.S. and Israeli attacks, which has reduced Iraqs electricity generation by 3,500 megawatts (MW), according to industry figures. The pipeline network being planned by the SOC and SCOP also encompasses moving gas from Iraqs first floating liquefied natural gas (FLNG) import platform, which is due to be operational by June. Iraqs perennial unwillingness to reduce the vast amount of gas that it burns while drilling for oil (associated gas) caused it three major problems over the years. To begin with, by failing to capture this gas for domestic power generation, the country was left reliant on Iran for as much as 40 percent of those needs, supplied through imported gas and electricity. That dependence gave Tehran an enormous lever over Baghdad, reinforcing the political, economic, and security influence it already wielded through its various proxy networks, as analysed in depth in my latest book on the new global oil market order . On top of that, the Iranian imports remained a persistent irritant in U.S.Iraq relations, scaring off a wide range of Western investors who did not want to be caught in the crossfire of sanctions or geopolitical pressure. And finally, the failure to capture this associated gas and to monetise it through exports exacerbated Iraqs often strained financing, pushing it into severe budget crunches. When U.S. President Donald Trump won his second term in office it became clear that he was not going to continue to put up with Baghdad promising Washington that it would end its energy dealings with Iran, while at the same time making bigger and longer deals with Tehran than ever before. The latest developments in its gas-capturing efforts revealed last week appear to underline this new commitment. Story Continues Related: Fire at Domestic Refinery Worsens Australia's Fuel Supply Crisis Crucially, from a Western perspective, U.S.-based technology and engineering giant KBR is the consultant firm for the FLNG platform, which is designed to handle 500 MMscf/d of gas, although it has a technical ceiling of up to 1 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d). The Khor al-Zubair port in the oil and gas hub of Basra is being modified to act as the permanent home of this infrastructure. Moreover, as exclusively analysed by OilPrice.com last year, U.S. firm Excelerate is a linchpin of the U.S.s push not just to sever the energy, economic and political links between Iraq and Iran but to replace Tehrans influence over Baghdad with Washingtons once again. Under a five-year renewable agreement signed with Iraqs Electricity Ministry, Excelerate holds a dual mandate to operate the terminal to convert liquid gas back into the dry gas needed for Iraqs power plants and to serve as the LNG supplier, effectively enabling it to prioritise U.S. gas to ensure supply reliability amidst regional volatility. This influence is further underpinned by the fact that Excelerate is the primary investor in the FLNG, with the projects cost now forecast at US$520-550 million. And just in case anyone in the Iranian, Russian, or Chinese governments missed the enormous strategic importance of what all this means, Excelerate made it clear in their summary of the deal: The project has been developed in close collaboration with the Iraqi government and enjoys strong support from both Iraqi and U.S. government stakeholders It represents not only a commercial partnership but also a strategic step toward enhancing Iraqs long-term energy security. Moreover, as the worlds leading producer and exporter of LNG -- and with nearby Qatars formerly steady and sizeable LNG supplies having been set back by recent Iranian attacks -- Washington is in an even better position now to press home its massive energy, economic, and political advantage in Iraq. Whilst the U.Ss Excelerate will provide Iraq with the immediate relief from an energy squeeze, Europes TotalEnergies is continuing to build the permanent backbone of Iraqs energy future. As part of the French supermajors four-pronged US$27 billion deal, TotalEnergies projects to reduce gas flaring from key Iraqi oil fields will not compete with the SOC/SCOP mini-network, but rather are likely to anchor it, creating a unified, Western-managed grid for the south. Over time, this will work alongside the other key moving parts of the four-pronged deal, including most notably boosting Iraqs oil production up to levels at least on a par with Saudi Arabias by rolling out the Common Seawater Supply Project (CSSP). As also detailed in my latest book on the new global oil market order, the CSSP involves taking and treating seawater from the Persian Gulf and then transporting it via pipelines to oil production facilities in order to maintain pressure in oil reservoirs, which will optimise the longevity and output of the fields. The scope for oil output gains was made plain back in 2013, in the Integrated National Energy Strategy (INES). This analyses in detail three realistic forward oil production profiles for Iraq and what each would involve, as also detailed in my latest book. Specifically, the INES best-case scenario was for crude oil production capacity to increase to 13 million bpd (at that point, by 2017), peaking at around that level until 2023, and finally gradually declining to around 10 million bpd for a long-sustained period thereafter. The mid-range production scenario was for Iraq to reach 9 million bpd (at that point, by 2020), and the worst-case INES scenario was for production to reach 6 million bpd (at that point, by 2020). These numbers compare to the average Iraqi production of 4-4.2 million bpd before the recent U.S./Israel-Iran conflict broke out. Taken together, these moves mark the most serious attempt in years to pull Iraq out of the structural trap created by decades of wasted gas, unreliable power, and external leverage. With U.S.?backed LNG capacity providing short?term stability and European?led flaring?reduction projects laying the foundations for a more resilient industry, Baghdad now has the beginnings of an energy architecture that could finally support genuine economic independence. Whether this becomes the long?awaited turning point will depend on execution rather than ambition, but the scale and alignment of the projects now underway give Iraq a clearer pathway than at any time in recent memory. By Simon Watkins 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. A 31-year-old oil trader who made $250 million trading Russian crude after Moscow's invasion of Ukraine is now chasing his next big opportunity and it's not where most investors are looking (1). Christopher Eppinger says he plans to invest up to $60 million in Guyana (2), a South American nation that's quickly emerging as one of the world's fastest-growing oil economies. His company, Petrichor Energy, is buying a quarry, setting up a trading office and preparing to bid on government contracts to transport crude and fuel. Must Read "I'm getting goosebumps," Eppinger told the Financial Times (3) in a phone interview."This is exactly what I was waiting for my whole life. I'm coming into a new market where everything is possible." The rapid growth is being fueled by a massive offshore oil discovery led by ExxonMobil (4), with Guyana expected to generate tens of billions in oil revenue in the coming years. "It's insane that nobody is looking at it," Eppinger said. A small country, a massive oil boom Guyana, a country of fewer than 1 million people, is quickly transforming from one of South America's poorest nations into one of the fastest-growing oil economies in the world. That shift began in 2015, when ExxonMobil (5) discovered an estimated 11 billion barrels of crude one of the largest finds in decades. Since then, production has surged to more than 900,000 barrels a day (6), with expectations for further growth. Analysts at Wood Mackenzie estimate the government could take in around $41 billion in oil revenue over the next five years (7) a massive windfall that's already reshaping the economy. Guyana's GDP has nearly quintupled to about $25 billion in just a few years, putting it firmly on investors' radar. That kind of rapid growth is attracting traders and dealmakers looking to capitalize on the next big oil opportunity. But not every market offers the same balance of risk and reward. Before turning to Guyana, Eppinger had explored deals in the Middle East, including fuel projects in Iraq and gasoline exports from the United Arab Emirates. He ultimately chose not to move forward a decision he now sees as well-timed as tensions in the region have escalated. Samsung C&T Engineering & Construction (E&C) Group has expanded its partnership with Hitachi Energy to expedite entry into the European power grid sector. Representatives from both companies signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on 13 April at Hitachi Energys headquarters in Zurich, Switzerland, confirming plans to work together on power grid projects. The agreement expands a strategic partnership that began in October 2024 and was initially centred around high-voltage direct current (HVDC) transmission projects. Under the new arrangement, Samsung C&T and Hitachi Energy will broaden their cooperation to cover high-voltage alternating current (HVAC) technologies, covering a larger range of power grid solutions within Europe. Hitachi Energy has been developing HVDC technologies for more than 70 years, utilising them in long-distance transmission, cross-border connections and subsea cable systems. The company also provides heating, ventilation and air conditioning infrastructure, which supports the stability of existing power grids. The integration of both technologies supports efforts to modernise and increase the reliability of power networks. Rising power demand throughout Europe, particularly from sectors such as transport, industrial operations and data centres, has placed increased pressure on electricity networks. At the same time, the growing inclusion of renewable energy sources introduces further variability, highlighting the need for efficient and flexible transmission solutions. Both HVDC and HVAC systems are seen as important to supporting these changes and facilitating the transfer of electricity between countries. Hitachi Energy supplies power technology globally, with its systems, automation and electronics used in more than 140 countries. Samsung C&T and Hitachi Energy will now develop strategies and identify projects for joint participation in the European market under the terms of the new agreement. The companies plan to establish a pipeline of collaborative projects focused on advancing electricity infrastructure. Hitachi Energy Grid Integration business CEO Niklas Persson said Europe is entering a crucial phase in the energy transition, emphasising the necessity of strong alternating current grid infrastructure. He further noted that enhancing collaboration would expedite grid modernisation, bolster system stability and facilitate the integration of renewable energy. Samsung C&T and Hitachi Energy are currently working together on Project Lightning, a subsea power supply system for offshore facilities managed by ADNOC in the United Arab Emirates, as well as the Marinus Link HVDC project in Australia. Weather Alert THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH 172 IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 PM CDT THIS EVENING FOR THE FOLLOWING AREAS IN ILLINOIS THIS WATCH INCLUDES 4 COUNTIES IN SOUTHERN ILLINOIS ALEXANDER JACKSON PULASKI UNION IN KENTUCKY THIS WATCH INCLUDES 6 COUNTIES IN WESTERN KENTUCKY BALLARD CARLISLE FULTON GRAVES HICKMAN MCCRACKEN IN MISSOURI THIS WATCH INCLUDES 11 COUNTIES IN SOUTHEAST MISSOURI BOLLINGER BUTLER CAPE GIRARDEAU CARTER MISSISSIPPI NEW MADRID PERRY RIPLEY SCOTT STODDARD WAYNE THIS INCLUDES THE CITIES OF BARDWELL, BLOOMFIELD, CAIRO, CAPE GIRARDEAU, CARBONDALE, CHARLESTON, CLINTON, DONIPHAN, HICKMAN, JACKSON, JONESBORO, MARBLE HILL, MAYFIELD, MOUND CITY, MURPHYSBORO, NEW MADRID, PADUCAH, PERRYVILLE, PIEDMONT, POPLAR BLUFF, SIKESTON, VAN BUREN, AND WICKLIFFE. Postal workers picketing outside the Albert Jackson Processing Centre, in east end Toronto, during the month-long strike in Fall 2024. When the Liberal government illegalized it, using a trumped-up "reinterpretation" of an obscure section of the Canada Labour Code, the CUPW leadership unilaterally ordered workers to submit to the back-to-work order despite mass rank-and-file sentiment for defiance. Are you a postal worker opposed to the Canadian Union of Postal Workers sabotage of our struggle? Are you ready to take up the struggle outlined in this statement or do you want to learn more about our strategy and program? Contact the Postal Workers Rank-and-File Committee at canadapostworkersrfc@gmail.com. Canada Post letter carriers, sorting plant workers, post office staff and drivers are voting between April 20 and May 30 on tentative agreements (TAs) for urban and rural units, and on a strike mandate. The Postal Workers Rank-and-File Committee (PWRFC) urges postal workers to vote No to the sellout agreements accepted by the union apparatus and Yes to the strike mandate. However, we will not sugar coat the truth. Important and necessary as such a vote would be, it alone will not suffice. To defeat the Liberal government and corporate Canadafor it is they ultimately who determine the class-war policies of Canada Post managementpostal workers must adopt a new strategy based on the mobilization of the social power of the working class. We must combine rejection of the TAs with a fight to make our struggle with Canada Post the catalyst for a broader working class offensive in defence of good-paying secure jobs, public services and the right to strike. We must call on all logistics workers and the broader working class to join us in waging an industrial and political struggle against the Carney Liberal government and the capitalist ruling elites agenda of austerity and war. The bureaucrats who head the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) have at every point sabotaged our struggle, while keeping us in the dark. If we are to prevail, power must be placed back in the hands of the rank and file where it belongs, through the building of democratic and militant rank-and-file committees at every work location. Why CUPWs betrayals demand rebellion The TAs under consideration intensify the Amazonification of Canada Post, by normalizing precarious, low-paid work throughout the Crown corporation. Language like flexible, part-time and weekend illustrate this. The framework is being created for a brutal restructuring and jobs massacre aimed at eliminating two-thirds, or 30,000 of the 55,000 current jobs, by no later than 2035. All of this is based on the claim that Canada Post must be a profit-making capitalist concern, something CUPW entirely accepts. The attacks are already unfolding before we vote. On April 16, Canada Post released details of the 136,000 addresses that will lose door-to-door delivery in the coming months. This is the first step in a five-year drive to end door-to-door delivery across the country. For decades, postal workers were among the most militant section of the working class. Weve lived up to that reputation by striking nationally for 32 days in November-December 2024, and then again for two weeks after wildcat strikes broke out in September 2025 in response to Minister for Government Transformation Joel Lightbounds announcement that the Liberal government was ordering massive cuts at Canada Post. In both cases, the strikes were initiated from below. In both cases, the CUPW repudiated our militancy. It coordinated with the Canadian Labour Congress to isolate our struggle from other sections of workers and to demobilize us. It kept all decisions about the conduct of our strike and our demands, including whether to defy the governments patently illegal December 2024 strikebreaking order, in the hands of a tiny number of senior bureaucrats. Our strikes were short-circuited from above, with nothing to show but deeper concessions and lost paycheques. This is not a matter of a few tactical errors. CUPWs interventions have materially weakened us, fueling frustration and division among the rank and file. The unions actions have enforced the subordination of workers needs to corporate profit, assisted the Liberal government which they continue to claim is a progressive alternative to Poilievres far-right Conservatives, and blocked the mobilization of the wider working class. The union has acted in opposition to our interests, because the CUPW bureaucracy, like all the union apparatuses, considers itself to be partners of corporate management and government, conspiring with them to ram concessions down workers throats. This process has been ongoing for the past four decades. In an interview with the Toronto Star, York University Professor Steven Tufts made note of the CPCs backroom dealings with the government, concluding, I think we can expect Canada Post with the assistance of the government to hit workers hard and fast with these changes. The only question left will be if it is with a closed or open fist. The Carney government and corporate Canada want to inflict a major defeat on us, pushing through a massive restructuring at our expense and trashing any conception of Canada Post as a public service, so as to set a precedent for the gutting of workers rights and all public services. Every capitulation hands the ruling class a verified tactic to intimidate workers across the economy! If Canada Post can be gutted on the basis of threats and government interventions, so too can other public services, federal and provincial. An alternative strategy is possible, because this is everybodys fight The attacks being advanced against postal workers are not isolated technical disputes over route layouts or job classifications. They represent the spearhead of a coordinated political offensive to diminish and privatize public services, slash wages across the economy, and convert secure fulltime employment into precarious, lowpaid, weekend and gigwork. There is a different path, because postal workers have power. Along with delivery workers at Amazon, Canada Post-owned Purolator and other providers, we operate the logistics backbone that keeps the economy moving. These are the sections of workers most immediately impacted by the outcome of our negotiations, and these are among the first workers to whom we must appeal for support in a future strike wave. But to translate this potential into victory requires an organizational and political break from the CUPW bureaucracy. What is required is the rapid development of democratic rankandfile committees in every depot, sorting plant and retail outlet. These committees must be accountable to members, elected and recallable by the shop floor, and run on a transparent mandate to defend jobs and the postal service. For a political struggle against austerity and war The federal government has explicitly tied its postal transformation plan to a program of fiscal sustainability. The assault on Canada Post is aimed at redirecting public resources away from public services toward corporate subsidies, military rearmament, and war. Domestic and foreign policy are inseparably linked, as workers are forced to fund war abroad and subsidize tax cuts for the super-rich. Stopping the Carney governments program therefore requires a political counteroffensive that exposes and opposes austerity and war. A workers strategy must link the defence of decent jobs and public services with opposition to militarism and corporate giveaways. The resources exist, but the political will to stand up to the vicious appetite of the monopolies and oligarchs remains to be mobilized. The transformation of our isolated contract fight into a working-class political struggle will cause workers across the logistics and public sectors to recognize our shared stake and respond. However, this is only possible insofar as our leadership is willing to speak these truths and organize masses of workers around clear demands based on what working people need, not what the government and big business claim is affordable. The nationalist and pro-capitalist union bureaucracy, tied to the bosses and their state apparatus, is organically incapable of doing this. The national basis of all the unions mean they are incapable of, and hostile to, the international character of the struggle were involved in. The delivery and logistics sectors are globally integrated, operating with ideas of efficiency and profitability determined in a ruthless process of worldwide competition. This is most evident in the explosive growth of giants like Amazon and UPS, but it is also underlined by the simultaneous drive of national postal services, like Canada Post, the US Postal Service and Britains Royal Mail, to destroy hard-won worker rights in order to boost corporate coffers. This is why we must respond with an international strategy to win decent-paying, secure jobs for all. Postal workers must build our own mass, democratic organizations rooted in the workplace, aligned with the International Workers Alliance of Rank-and-File Committees. The PWRFC is uniquely positioned to provide political clarity and organizational leadership, taking as our starting point an international perspective. Our struggle is part of a larger fight to place social needs above private profit, to put technology and AI at the service of workers and the public, and to democratize control over essential services. This requires rejecting the capitalist logic that demands austerity and war. We now face a defining choice: Accept a future of shrinking public services, precarious work and endless austerity, or organize independently, leading the broader working class in a political and industrial counteroffensive. Make our just struggle to defend our jobs and rights the beginning of a mass movement to defend all public services, defeat austerity and oppose rearmament and the drive to war! To develop the strategy and solidarity required to win, reach out to the PWRFC at canadapostworkersrfc@gmail.com or by filling out the form below. On April 15, Donald Trump sat down with Fox Business and said he was surprised oil was only this high. At the time, crude oil was trading around $92 a barrel, roughly 27% above the pre-war level, after the U.S. and Israel launched strikes on Iran and the Strait of Hormuz was effectively closed. Trump called that price "only high," suggesting he expected it to climb much higher. "If you told me that we were going to be at only $92 a barrel, I would have been very surprised," he told Fox Business. (1) "I'm very happy. And it's going to come dropping down very big as soon as it's over." Two days later, on April 17, Iran's foreign minister Abbas Araghchi declared the Strait of Hormuz was "completely open" (2) to commercial traffic, and oil prices fell more than 9% in hours. (3) West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude dropped to $83.85 a barrel (4) and Brent, the global benchmark, sank to $90.38. (5) Must Read What happens next depends on whether prices keep falling or stall and no one really knows right now. What Trump meant by 'only high' Before the war, Brent was trading at $72.48 a barrel. (5) At the peak of panic, Brent averaged $128 a barrel. (6) By the time Trump sat for his April 15 interview, prices had eased back below $90. His "only $92" framing makes more sense when you realize he was comparing it to $128, not to $72. Why the drop might not be as clean as it looks ING analysts warned that even with the Strait open, physical oil markets are tightening "every day that passes without a restart of oil flows," (7) estimating roughly 13 million barrels per day of supply has been disrupted. Trump's April 15 interview predicted prices would drop once the war ended, but Araghchi wrote on X that the Strait is only open until the end of the ongoing ceasefire, which was set to expire April 21. While both sides were expected to extend it, that was not guaranteed meaning prices could still rise. Trump responded to Araghchi's post by thanking Iran on Truth Social, and added that the U.S. naval blockade of Iran's ports will remain in "full force" (8) until the U.S. reaches a deal. The Strait remains open, but the underlying risk hasn't gone away. Home care workers in New York City have embarked on a hunger strike to abolish 24-hour shifts. These shifts are associated with chronic pain, injury and insomnia, and workers are paid for only 13 of the 24 hours in each shift. Together with supporters, the home care workers have held at least six protests outside City Hall over the past month. Their resort to a hunger strike, which puts their health at risk, shows how intolerable these shifts are and how determined the workers are to eliminate them. Home health aides on hunger strike in New York City. [Photo: Harry Mena] The home care workers hope to pressure the City Council to vote on the No More 24 Act, which would prevent home health agencies from scheduling shifts of longer than 12 hours, as well as shifts that total more than 12 hours in one 24-hour period. Last month, Council Speaker Julie Menin, a Democrat, promised the home care workers that she would bring the bill to a vote in April, but she missed the deadline to do so. In theory, the bill could be brought to a vote during a City Council meeting on April 30. New York City is home to about 200,000 home care workers, according to a 2023 report from the comptrollers office. About 89 percent of these workers are women, 71 percent are immigrants and more than half are black or Hispanic. Home care workers help elderly, ill or disabled patients with activities of daily living such as personal care, meal preparation and transportation. They often must lift patients without assistance, which contributes to injury and chronic pain. During a 24-hour shift, three unpaid hours are set aside for a workers meals, and eight unpaid hours for sleep. Nevertheless, the worker must always respond to the patients needs. Every time I ate, I had to at the same time take care of the patient, former home care worker Xue Zhen told The Indypendent. At nighttime, we had to take care of the patient. So, we did not have continuous sleep; often interrupted. We had to wake up a lot. For long-term, that also became a disease, insomnia. Even though I dont work anymore, I still have problems with sleep. Home care workers also have reported weight loss. This hunger strike is not the first for New Yorks home care workers. In March 2024, they conducted a hunger strike to force a vote on an earlier version of the No More 24 Act. The bill was introduced in 2022 and has undergone minor changes. After five days, the workers ended their previous hunger strike without a vote from the City Council, which has long been dominated by the Democrats. In the past two years, the City Council has held no votes on the bill. Its only action was to hold a committee hearing in February 2026 at which workers, health professionals and supporters testified in favor of the bill. Since the hearing, the City Council has taken no further action. This history illustrates that, like the Republicans, the Democrats are more attentive to the needs of the healthcare companies and Wall Street shareholders than to those of highly exploited essential workers. Many of New Yorks home care workers are members of 1199SEIU, which has done nothing to help them fight against intolerable conditions. In fact, the union apparatus initially opposed the No More 24 Act, contrary to the interests of its own members. The leadership changed its position, however, when the cap on the work week was raised to 56 hours. But 1199SEIU bureaucrats did not attend a rally that the workers held during their 2024 hunger strike. During the past two years, the union has not called any strikes, organized demonstrations against 24-hour shifts or applied any pressure on the City Council to pass the bill. Within New Yorks five boroughs alone, 1199SEIU claims 200,000 members who are healthcare workers. The union has refused to mobilize this tremendous power to fight for the home care workers. Though they claim to oppose 24-hour shifts, officials of 1199SEIU are unhappy with the No More 24 Act because they estimate that replacing each 24-hour shift with two 12-hour shifts would cost Medicaid an additional $460 million per year, which would be paid by the state and federal governments. Nothing could expose the bureaucracys character more clearly. The source of the additional money for 12-hour shifts is not workers concern; their urgent need is to abolish the torturous conditions over which they have been willing to wage two hunger strikes. The union bureaucrats objections prioritize fiscal rectitude and governmental procedure over their members health and well-being. No organization that genuinely fought for workers rights would take such a shameful position. The union bureaucrats also have financial ties to the home care agencies. Together with the companies, union representatives jointly administer the 1199SEIU Home Care Industry Education Fund, which ostensibly is used for training workers. Union representatives also operate health benefit funds and pension funds. These are massive financial institutions that require administrators, legal staff and other personnel. The top administrators of these funds enjoy six-figure salaries and significant institutional power. The 1199SEIU apparatus does not want to jeopardize the material advantages they gain from these responsibilities. The highly exploited home care workers are showing tremendous courage by conducting a second hunger strike, but the experience of the past two years demonstrates that they need a new strategy to win humane conditions. The 1199SEIU bureaucracy will not lift a finger to aid these workers. On the contrary, it will continue to isolate them and block an effective fight. The Democrats at the city and state levels have likewise shown complete indifference to the home care workers lives. The home care workers must establish rank-and-file committees outside the influence of the union apparatus and of both capitalist parties. These committees, which must be under the workers direct and democratic control, are the means through which the workers can develop a fighting strategy and appeal to other workers for support. Moreover, the fight against grueling shifts inevitably places workers in conflict with the system of for-profit medicine and the financial oligarchy that benefits from it. The Trump administrations cease-fire in its war of aggression against Iran is rapidly proving to be the setting for another escalation of a global conflict that is now underway. The US blockade of the Strait of Hormuz is setting into motion in particular an explosive confrontation between the United States and China, with far-reaching economic ramifications, that threatens to escalate into a wider, global war. This week, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the Treasury could impose secondary sanctions on any bank found to hold Iranian money, cutting the bank out of the US financial system and access to the US dollar. Like the blockade of the Strait of Hormuzwhich cuts off vital oil, gas and fertilizer exports on which the world economy dependsthis amounts to a declaration of financial war on countries trading with Iran. This measure is codenamed Economic Fury, echoing Epic Fury, the US militarys code name for the war on Iran launched this February. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent leaves after the G20 meeting at the IMF headquarters in Washington, Thursday, April 16, 2026. [AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana] At an April 15 press conference introducing Operation Economic Fury, Bessent said: We have told companies, we have told countries that are buying Iranian oil that if Iranian money is sitting in your banks, we are now willing to apply secondary sanctions, which is a very stern measure. And the Iranians should know that this is going to be the financial equivalent of what we saw in the kinetic activities, that is, the physical, military conflict. Bessent made clear the main current target of these threats is China, the worlds second-largest economy and largest manufacturing power, which now buys 91 percent of Irans oil. He said, We believe this blockade in the straits, there will be a pause of Chinese buying. But I will tell you that two Chinese banks received letters from the US Treasury. We told them that if we can prove that theres Iranian money flowing through your accounts, then we are willing to put on secondary sanctions. These remarks make clear that its war of aggression against Iran is part of a broader struggle for world domination, in particular directed at China and control of Eurasia, which threatens to explode into a global conflagration between the major nuclear-armed powers. Beijing has responded by calling for restraint on all sidesmaking no condemnation of US aggression against Iran and Trumps genocidal threat to annihilate Iranian civilization. According to Chinas state-run Global Times, Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun said: The root cause of the disruption at the Strait of Hormuz is the military conflict. To solve the issue, the conflict must stop as soon as possible. All parties need to remain calm and exercise restraint. China will continue playing a constructive role. After Bessents threats to strangle Chinese banks, Guo issued a statement pointing to their illegal character: China opposes illegal unilateral sanctions without authorization of the United Nations Security Council. Currently, the situation in the Strait of Hormuz remains unclear. Many ships are trapped inside the Persian Gulf with or without cargo, after several weeks of war has shattered much of the regions critical energy infrastructure. Washington, for its part, has released a barrage of reports bragging that Bessents threats have discouraged Chinese ships, for now at least, from defying the US blockade. US Central Command, which oversees US military operations in the Middle East, reported that China is respecting the blockade. It said 10 ships had complied with US orders to turn back or remain confined in Iranian waters. Of these ships, eight remained in port, while two others got underway but then turned back after reports emerged that Chinese banks could be sanctioned for financing their operations. The US war against Iran aims not only at regime change, undoing the 1979 Iranian revolution and reimposing a US puppet regime in order to grab Irans oil and gasas Trump has called to do. It also aims to assert direct control over vital energy supplies of China, Asia and the world, without which modern life is impossible. Via a blockade threatening to impose industrial depression and famine on workers internationally, Washington is setting out to assert its control over Asian and global economic life. While the Hormuz blockade threatens China, it is even more devastating for Asian countries with smaller petroleum reserves or who depend more on the Persian Gulf for energy imports. South Korea, Vietnam, Thailand, the Philippines, Bangladesh and Pakistan have imposed energy rationing or work-from home and shortened workweeks for layers of workers. This threatens not only a collapse of the worlds industrial activity, but also of its food supplies. In an essay for the Soufan Center think-tank, Professor Julie Chernov Hwang writes: Cambodian, Thai, Filipino, and Vietnamese farmers are struggling due to shortages of fertilizer and the high price of diesel that is required to operate irrigators, rice planters, and tractors. The higher cost of these inputs, combined with low profit margins, may lead farmers to plant less rice this year or perhaps not plant a crop at all. Gloating mafia-style about the grip the Trump administration hopes the naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz will give it over the economy of China and Asia, Trump said of Chinese President Xi Jinping: Hes somebody that needs oil. We dont. Trump went on to brag that this meant that Xi would no longer dare arm Iran. He responded to a letter that I wrote because I had heard that China is giving weapons to, and youre seeing it all over the place, to Iran. And I wrote him a letter asking him not to do that. And he wrote me a letter saying, essentially, that hes not doing that, Trump told Fox News interviewer Maria Bartiromo. For Washington, preventing China from arming Iran before the Pentagon resumes military action against Iran is no doubt a major objectve. However, it is clear that US imperialism is pursuing a far broader financial and military agenda, organized around the defense of its own, fading global hegemony. It is setting into motion military conflicts and social upheavals extending far beyond the Middle East and that are indeed engulfing the world. Beijing has, for now, responded cautiously to the US blockade and the financial strangulation measures against it. Undoubtedly, however, there are explosive discussions at the summit of the Chinese regime of what diplomatic and military action to take in response to the US war against Iranin particular, if US warships acting to enforce the Hormuz blockade seize or fire upon a Chinese vessel. There are reports of Chinese ships reinforcing military installations in the South China Sea, in particular around the disputed Scarborough Shoal, another significant naval chokepoint in its own right, alongside the Strait of Hormuz. But ultimately there is no military solution to the crisis of the entire capitalist system unleashed by the volcanic eruption of American imperialism. The escalating financial and military conflicts between the great powers reveal how the war in Iran could escalate into a global economic collapse and a nuclear conflagration. The decisive question is preparing and building a movement in the international working class against imperialist war, genocide and fascism, and to take power out of the hands of the capitalist oligarchy that is plunging the world towards a catastrophe. For several days, pilots and flight attendants have been striking against Lufthansa German Airlines brutal restructuring measures. On April 15, a strike by over 19,000 flight attendants from Lufthansa and LH-CityLine began again. Pilots from Lufthansa, Lufthansa Cargo, CityLine and Eurowings also joined in. The pilots are continuing their industrial action from Thursday through Saturday. Corporate management wants to keep Lufthansa profitable under conditions of war and trade war. Its austerity programme, named Turnaround, includes the winding up of unprofitable airlines and the founding of new low-cost carriers that pay crews less. Working conditions of pilots and flight attendants of the core brand are also under attack. In opposition to managements actions, Lufthansa CityLine flight attendants voted 99 percent in favor of strike action in late March. The union asserted that not a single flight attendant voted No. The percentage voting to authorize industrial action at Lufthansa itself was also very high, over 94 percent. Since Friday morning, thousands of Lufthansa flights from Frankfurt and Munich have been cancelled, with up to 3,000 flights this week hit at Frankfurt alone. Hamburg, Bremen, Hanover, Stuttgart, Cologne, Dusseldorf and Berlin are also affected. Section of the demonstration by well over a thousand Lufthansa and CityLine employees outside the companys 100th anniversary celebration, Frankfurt, April 15 In a loud, angry protest march Wednesday, over a thousand strikers marched to the Lufthansa Aviation Center (LAC) in Frankfurt, where the companys 100th anniversary celebration was taking place in the new Hangar One. The airlines CEO Carsten Spohr appeared there with high-ranking guests: Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Federal Transport Minister Patrick Schnieder, Hesse State Premier Boris Rhein (all three Christian Democratic Union, CDU) and many other prominent figures from politics and business. A large police contingent kept the strikers at a distance. They had prepared dozens of creatively worded placards to make clear what they thought of the centenary celebration: There is nothing to celebrate here, or: 100 years of tradition, zero appreciation; Look what you made us do; Without us you stay on the ground! or: We are CityLine, loud and proud! Many directed their placards against the Turnaround austerity measures at Lufthansa, with slogans such as Carsten: We are too expensiveWhere is your turnaround?; Restructuring, dismantling, overexploitation; 25 years at CityLine and now dumped!; Profit over personnelwe are getting out!; Treated fairly takes off better!; Whoever saves on us endangers the safety of the passengers; Turnover soaring. Crews at the limit; or simply: Slavery was abolished! An airline captain told the WSWS team, It simply cannot go on like this, and added, We have just received the summer timetable, and it is so crammed fullits simply not doable. Many can no longer withstand the stress. The anger is very great, and I am surprised that Friedrich Merz even dared to come here. Markus, Lufthansa flight attendant. His placard reads: Your bonuses our burnout. Safety knows no austerity measures! Markus, a Lufthansa flight attendant, reported confidently: We are all striking together now, Lufthansa and CityLine, the pilots too. It is important that we strike for the preservation of our working conditions, not for more money. All of us standing here love our job, but everything is to be cut. We simply want to continue flying people safely around the world, but Lufthansa wants to slash our working conditions to such an extent that we can no longer transport passengers safely. We pilots and flight attendants have a great responsibility after all, he continued. We have long working hours in the air, flying through many nights, especially for the older ones. The greater the age, the shorter the rest periods and recovery, the more difficult it becomes to maintain safety, the greater the pressure becomes. Markus sees a connection between global political developments with the Iran war and capitalism driving it, on the one hand, and the harsh intransigence of the Lufthansa corporation on the other. Worldwide, fewer and fewer compromises are being made, rule is only by power politics, and that has an effect right down into the company. For him it is clear: We workers must all show solidarity, we are all in the same boatalso against the war. Carla, CityLine purser with 30 years of professional experience. Her sign reads: Capitalism at the expense of cheap labour Not with us! Carla, a CityLine purser with 30 years of professional experience, carried a placard against capitalism. She explained why the new contract being offered was completely unacceptable: Costs are being squeezed; maybe they will still pay us the same salaries, but the workload is much greater. Less free time, more working hours, that means fundamentally the hourly wage has become significantly lower. Carla continued: No one wants to be worse off. Many here have worked at CityLine for years. The airline has existed for over 35 years, after all. CityLine always had the smaller flights, often we flew with just two of us. In the past, there were even the small fifty-seaters, which you were allowed to do alone. That was very familiar and personal. But that aircraft is outdated, and we only get new planes via the new City Airline, but then with new pay scales. That means we start from scratch again. She is also striking for the young people, Carla says, and for all those who could not go into the partial retirement scheme (ATZ) or still had to work for years. We have a particularly large number here who still have to work for five or ten years. They ought to be able to continue working at Lufthansa or Eurowings now, basically it is all one corporation. But there is absolutely no job guarantee at CityLine. We are being squeezed more and more at our expense. CityLine employees demonstrate against the Lufthansa corporation, Frankfurt, 15 April 2026. The placard reads: We are CityLine, Loud and Proud Some 800 jobs are to be lost in the winding up of CityLine and the corporation also wants to cut up to 4,000 jobs in administration. The executive board is reacting to the crews' demands with uncompromising harshness. With in-house trade union Verdi behind it, it is holding firm to the austerity measures at the expense of the workforce. Right in the middle of the first days strike by flight attendants from Lufthansa and CityLine, Verdi agreed a new contract with the Lufthansa executive board for the new low-cost carrier City Airline, which includes a three year (!) no-strike obligation. Lufthansa is increasingly relying on Verdi, which operates as a company union at the airport. Lufthansa management is attempting to oust the smaller unions UFO (Independent Flight Attendants Organization) and Cockpit Association (VC, pilots and flight engineers). Personnel chief Michael Niggemann called UFO irresponsible on April 13 and claimed it was completely indifferent to the fate of our passengers and the future of Lufthansa. Niggemann demanded that the employees show consideration for the geopolitical challenges such as extreme jet fuel prices and great uncertaintyin other words: line up behind the war and trade war policy of the government and airline. At the anniversary ceremony, Spohr only briefly addressed the strikers who were demonstrating close to the building, condescendingly claiming they were apparently still struggling with the newly chosen path. Supervisory board head Karl-Ludwig Kley ranted about the destructiveness of the trade unions and demanded from Chancellor Merz a new regulation restricting the right to strike before this grows into an even greater competitive disadvantage. In an escalating war situation, the capitalists demand nothing less than a ban on strikes. However, the union, UFO and Cockpit have little with which to counter this. Frightened by the unbroken determination to strike of the workers, they constantly signal their willingness to compromise. They regard continuing the strikes simply as a safety valve for their members anger, and at the same time, they appeal ever more urgently to Lufthansa executives. The situation is unchanged, Cockpit wrote on Wednesday. Neither is there an offer for a company pension scheme at Lufthansa or Lufthansa Cargo, nor is there a viable offer for a new contract covering remuneration at Lufthansa CityLine or for a company pension scheme at Eurowings. Cockpit had offered management to go to arbitration, which, was immediately rejected. Lufthansa went even further and raised the demand that not only unresolved collective bargaining disputes, but also already concluded, valid agreements some with times long running times must be renegotiated. UFO chief negotiator Harry Jager also appeared helpless: [For management] To escalate so fiercely, to say No! No! so often, ... I lack the imagination for that. I really dont know how things will continue either. One thing is becoming increasingly clear: to defend their jobs, conditions and retirement provisions, and to maintain the safety of air traffic, crews must take up a political struggle. The assault on flight personnel is in line with attacks on the health and pensions of the working class, with the mass layoffs in industry and the reintroduction of conscription for the young. Flight attendants and pilots must break not only with the union, Verdi, but also with UFO and Cockpit and organise themselves in independent rank-and-file committees. They must wage their struggle on a socialist and international basis and unite with workers at other airlines, in other sectors and countries. This is what the International Committee of the Fourth International (ICFI) and the International Workers Alliance of Rank-and-File Committees (IWA-RFC) is fighting for. For the second time in six months, the Labor government in the state of New South Wales (NSW) has defiantly defended imposing sweeping anti-protest legislation despite courts striking the laws down for violating the Australian Constitution. The NSW government absolutely stands by the decision to introduce this legislation, Premier Chris Minns declared on Thursday. We believe it was necessary and important for Sydney at the time. This was in response to Thursdays NSW Court of Appeal ruling, which declared the Minns governments laws banning all protests across entire areas of Sydney to be unconstitutional. It must be taken as another warning of the readiness of all the Labor governments, both state and federal, to violate basic democratic rights regardless of court decisions. Moreover, Minns government is going ahead with arrests and charges of people who were violently attacked by the police at a February 9 protest at Sydney Town Hall against the visit of Israeli President Isaac Herzog, which had been banned under the now-overturned legislation. The Albanese federal Labor government invited Herzog, who has been accused of inciting the genocide in Gaza, to Australia in another display of Labors political, diplomatic and material support for the Israeli regimes mass killings. Police block protesters near Sydney Town Hall, February 9, 2026 Authorised by the Minns government, the police went on a vicious rampage of bashing, pepper-spraying and mass arresting at the Herzog protest, explicitly invoking the now-invalid laws. In recent weeks, police in combat gear have conducted intimidating early morning raids on homes across Sydney to arrest people alleged to have participated in that protest. The struck-down legislation gave the NSW Police Commissioner the power to issue Public Assembly Restriction Declarations (PARDs), outlawing protests in any part of the state for 14 days at a time. These PARDs could be renewed repeatedly, effectively giving the government and the police powers to indefinitely shut down all demonstrations, whether anti-genocide, anti-war or anti-government more broadly. Under the PARD laws, the police were granted strengthened police-state powers, including to detain and search people and issue directions to disperse. The police have so far charged 25 people with various trumped-up offences, such as assaulting police, related to the Herzog protest. The Minns government, working in close collaboration with that of Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, defied warnings by legal and civil liberties groups about the unconstitutional character of the PARD laws to rush them through the state parliament last December. It did so on the false pretext of responding to the December 15 terrorist shootings at Sydneys Bondi Beachblatantly accusing the mass anti-genocide rallies and marches across Australia of being responsible for the anti-Jewish atrocity committed by two alleged Islamic extremist gunmen. The verdict by the Court of Appeal, the highest NSW court, was unanimous and unequivocal. The PARD legislation was unlawful, even under the 1901 Australian Constitution. This constitution contains no bill of rights or any other explicit protection of basic democratic rights, such as freedom of speech and assembly, only what the courts have defined as an implied freedom of political communication. Nevertheless, the three judges declared the legislation to be doubly unconstitutional. First, they rejected the Minns governments insistence that the protest ban was constitutionally legitimate to protect social cohesion by preventing anyone from being upset or offended by demonstrations. The judgment by NSW Chief Justice Andrew Bell and Justices Julie Ward and Stephen Free ruled against the notion that the community can and should be protected from political expression by some members of the community because it might be upsetting, inflammatory and divisive for other members of the community. Second, the judges said the PARD legislation was a blunt tool which does not require, or even allow for, consideration of the characteristics or conduct of any particular public assemblies or the nature or severity of any threat to the community that could be said to arise. The legislation was a sweeping and indiscriminate restriction on all public assemblies, without any mechanism for tailoring the restriction to assemblies that have the particular consequence of causing another part of the community to feel fearful or threatened. This is a partial blow to the offensive spearheaded by the Labor governments to outlaw anti-genocide and other dissent by banning protests, supposed hate speech or designated hate groups. All these measures are flagrant violations of free speech. It is the second such legal defeat, following last Octobers ruling that the Minns government breached the constitution by legislating a similar blanket ban on all protests allegedly anywhere near places of worship. The state Labor government responded by amending that legislation to try to achieve the same anti-protest purpose without being so sweeping. Thursdays Court of Appeal verdict still leaves open the powers of the government and the police, under pre-existing legislation, to deny protest permits to specific protests, as they did in banning a march to the Sydney Opera House last October to mark the second anniversary of the US-backed Israeli genocide. The judgment also leaves intact the Minns governments declaration of the Herzog visit as a major event under the 2009 Major Events Act, which a NSW Supreme Court judge ruled constitutionally valid in February. That court decision upheld police powers to search individuals without warrant, move people on and shut down a designated major event area. Failure to comply with police directions within this area could lead to fines of up to $5,500. The judge allowed the Minns government to invoke the major events legislation to also cover entire areas of Sydney for the Herzog visit, even though the Act itself said the powers could not be used to prevent political demonstrations. The Israeli Presidents visit was manifestly not a political demonstration or protest, the judge insisted. NSW Premier Chris Minns speaks during the National Day of Reflection for victims and survivors, at Bondi Beach in Sydney, Sunday, Dec. 21, 2025. [AP Photo/Mark Baker] Now Minns and his ministers are arguing that all the charges against the people being arrested for the Herzog protest remain valid because the police commanders at the protest issued dispersal orders under the Major Events Act, not the PARD laws. On Friday, NSW Treasurer Daniel Mookhey told Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) radio the PARD legislation was not used by police in the arrests, just the Major Events Act. But a video recorded by the Sydney Morning Herald at the Herzog demonstration plainly shows a senior police officer invoking the PARD powers when ordering protesters to disperse. Superintendent Paul Dunstan says in the video: Were not facilitating a march. It is in breach of the PARD. The PARD is in place for a reason, it is staying as it is. One of the recent arrests in Sydney was a pre-dawn raid involving eight police commandos smashing in the front door of a woman asleep in bed. Her lawyer, Nick Hanna, said on social media on Thursday that a senior police officer had told him that at least 30 more Herzog demonstrators could be expected to be similarly arrested in operations that could include such combat-style gear, handcuffs and battering rams. As the narrow character of Thursdays Court of Appeal ruling underscores, democratic rights cannot be defended exclusively through the courts, whose function is to uphold and seek to legitimise the capitalist economic and legal order overall. The demand must be raised throughout the working class for the dropping of all the charges and the overturning of all the anti-protest and hate speech laws. That must include the equally trumped-up and anti-democratic arrests and charges by the Labor government in the state of Victoria, for erecting an anti-genocide-related banner, and by the Liberal National Party government in Queensland, for using a prohibited anti-genocide slogan. The Minns governments belligerence and the ongoing police raids are warnings that the trade union-backed Labor governments, state and federal, are escalating their assault on anti-genocide and anti-war opposition, regardless of any, even limited, constitutional restraint. This is occurring as the US-Israeli onslaught on Gaza extends to Iran and Lebanon, with the political and material backing of the Albanese government, which has sent SAS troops, missiles, a war command plane and other military personnel to the Persian Gulf. By releasing its 2026 National Defence Strategy on Thursday, the Albanese government restated its total commitment to US-led wars globally, and above all to Washingtons advanced preparations for a catastrophic war against China, of which the drive for US control over the entire resource-rich and strategic Middle East is a critical part. In his speech, Defence Minister Richard Marles repeated the US litany of accusations of aggression against Beijing. He pledged to increase military spending by $53 billion over the coming decade, on top of record expenditure of more than $60 billion this financial year. That means further cutting social spendingfrom health and education to disability servicesto pay the colossal bill, at the expense of working-class households. The only way to defeat the attacks on fundamental democratic rights and stop the plunge into wider wars is through the mobilisation of the power of the working class against all those responsible, including the Labor governments. This fight requires the development of an independent working-class movementin workplaces, throughout industries and across national bordersagainst the capitalist system that is the root cause of war and repression. In late March 2012, when Iran was under threat of attack by the Obama administration, the World Socialist Web Site published a perspective on the Iranian film A Separation, directed by Asghar Farhadi. One month earlier, the movie had won the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film, becoming the first Iranian film to win the honor. The WSWS perspective asked: And will a war, in the name of the American people, based on one transparent falsehood or another, soon be launched against Iran? Will deadly US bombs and missiles shortly be raining down on the streets, buildings and human beings we see in A Separation? We added that US imperialism and its allies are planning to destroy Iran as a regional power, a task requiring the punishment of its population with the most lethal weaponry ever developed. Americans and Europeans should be seeing this film [A Separation] Mass opposition must build to the threat of war with Iran. Everything must be done to stop this crime being prepared before peoples eyes. That sentiment is more true now than ever. The US and international working class must put a stop to the imperialist war against Iran before millions are killed and a major civilization is destroyed. The WSWS has written, extensively and over a long period, about many of the remarkable films from Iran that were made in the aftermath of the mass 1979 revolution against the hated CIA-backed regime of the Shah. Notwithstanding the fact that what emerged from the revolution in the end was a clerical-led bourgeois nationalist regime, an Islamic Republic, Iranian filmmakers created some of the most intelligent and humane works in the 1980s and 1990s, and beyond. And whatever the subsequent political evolution or confusion of their makers, such films as Salaam Cinema, The White Balloon, The Mirror, Offside, A Time for Drunken Horses, The Apple, The Blue-Veiled and Under the Citys Skin remain valuable, humane works. Here we will simply point to the works of two Iranian directors, one earlier in this period and one more recent, Abbas Kiarostami (1940-2016) and Farhadi (born 1972). While this is by no means a comprehensive list, here are six films by Kiarostami and Farhadi that should be seen by audiences in the US and around the world, with links to WSWS reviews, and information about how to watch them online in 2026. These films provide some insight into the problems of Iranian society and help transform the Iranian devils and terrorists into humans very much like ourselves. Three films by Abbas Kiarostami Abbas Kiarostami in 2000 (Photo: David Walsh) In a 2016 obituary, WSWS arts editor David Walsh wrote that Abbas Kiarostami was perhaps the most important filmmaker in the world from 1987-1997. Walsh continued: At a time of general intellectual renunciationism and movement to the right within global left artistic circles, Kiarostami was one of the few filmmakers who maintained a concern for the problems of the young, the poor and the oppressed and, moreover, addressed those problems in an artistically fresh and innovative fashion. He was a member of a significant trend in Iranian cinema, inspired by the mass revolutionary potential of the 1979 events. Walsh interviewed Kiarostami for the first time in Toronto in September 1994. This is from their conversation: Walsh: You are choosing to make films about ordinary people, poor people. That itself is quite rare today. Kiarostami: I get my material from around me. When I leave my house in the morning, those are the people I come into contact with. In my entire life Ive never met a star, somebody Ive seen on the screen. And I believe that any artist finds his material from whats around him. Human beings and their problems are the most important raw material for any film. Close-up (1990) Close-up (1990) Is there any other film quite like Close-up? As Walsh explains in a 2002 WSWS comment on Close-up: Kiarostami was inspired to make the film when he came across a news item about a young man, Hossein Sabzian, who passed himself off to an upper middle class family in Tehran as the well-known film director, Mohsen Makhmalbaf. Sabzian gained the familys confidence and convinced its various members that he wanted to make a film with their participation. After his exposure and arrest, Sabzian was accused of setting the family up for a burglary. Kiarostamis film is an extraordinary mix of documentary and fiction. He won permission to interview Sabzian in prison and to film his trial. But, most remarkably, he was also able to convince all the participants to reenact the encounters between the impostor and the family members. The family gets to star in a film after all, and so does Sabzian! Close-up can be seen on Wikimedia Commons with English, Spanish, French and Italian subtitles. Life, and Nothing More (1992, also known as And Life Goes On) Life, and Nothing More (1992) In the second part of a trilogy about northern Iran, Life, and Nothing More, a fathersupposedly the director of Kiarostamis own Where Is the Friends Home? (1987)and his young son set out from Tehran in the aftermath of an actual earthquake that killed over 50,000 people to find the two boys who starred in the earlier film. Life, and Nothing More records the pairs encounters with various survivors, many of whom have lost entire families. Many of Kiarostamis central concerns at the time find expression in the extended final shot of Life, and Nothing More, which needs to be seen to be adequately appreciated. This is how Walsh described it in a review for the International Workers Bulletin (IWB), a predecessor to the WSWS, in 1995: The camera takes this in [from a distance]: A dirt road zigzags up a steep hillside. A man with a heavy object on his shoulder makes his way along the road. Two kids are on top of the hill [who may or may not be the boys the father and son are looking for]. The father and son attempt to make it up in their car. Their first attempt fails. The driver allows the car to roll back, out of the frame, in order to get a running start for another attempt. The second time the car successfully meets the challenge, passing the man with the heavy load who gestures for them to stop and give him a lift. But if they stop beside him, theyll never make it all the way up. When the driver reaches a level spot, he waits for the man. Then they head toward the summit where the two kids are visible. This film is available under the title And Life Goes On, on Youtube and Amazon Prime Video. Through the Olive Trees (1994) Through the Olive Trees (1994) Heres Walsh again, from a 1994 IWB review of Through the Olive Trees, perhaps Kiarostamis most astonishing work, posted on the WSWS in 2001: The story is both simple and complex: A film crew is in a village in northern Iran which has been destroyed by an earthquake. Much of the population lives by the highway in makeshift housing. Apparently the government is unwilling or unable to relieve their suffering. The name of the film the crew is shooting is And Life Goes On... in actuality the name of Kiarostamis previous film set in the same village. The treatment of social difference and the weight of longstanding traditions, the careful but unequivocal protest against the conditions of life, the simplicity of the narrative and dialogue, the clarity of the actingthis is the stuff of classical filmmaking. One is in the presence of an extraordinary talent. Through the Olive Trees is widely available, including on Youtube. Three films by Asghar Farhadi Asghar Farhadi in 2009 [Photo by Manfred Werner / CC BY-SA 3.0 A Separation (2011) A Separation (2011) David Walsh wrote in the above-mentioned WSWS perspective on A Separation: A Separation provides one of the few glimpses that Americans and others in the West will have into the reality of Iranian life. The film is direct and honest, unlike most products of the US movie industry. A Separation reveals to the viewer a complex and highly cultured society, where daily life, to be blunt, often proceeds along more civilized lines than in the US at present. A Separation is widely available, including on Youtube and Netflix. The Salesman (2016) The Salesman (2012) Tom Carter wrote in a February 2017 WSWS review of The Salesman, The film is remarkable and rich, the kind of experience you turn over in your mind for days afterwards, discovering new facets that reflect new themes or ideas. Above all, the film affirms the essential humanity of every personeven and especially the villainand exposes the emptiness and absurdity of revenge-taking. In the midst of a campaign by the American government to whip up bigotry and prejudice against Iraniansas well as war threats against that nation of more than 80 million peoplesuch a film is most welcome. The Salesman can be seen on Amazon Prime Video. A Hero (2021) Sahar Goldust and Amir Jadidi in A Hero Joanne Laurier wrote in a February 2022 WSWS review of A Hero: Farhadi looks at the tribulations of Iranian societys victims. Although not the poorest of the poor, the films characters are caught in the vice grip of near impossible circumstances, despite their best intentions. They work mightily to overcome the intractable obstacles. At every step, the viewer senses that life holds few rewards for the hard-pressed, including the dour creditor Bahram. No amount of effort, Herculean or otherwise, is sufficient. The innumerable Rahims are being poured into the very bottom of societydebtors prison. A Hero can be seen on Amazon Prime Video. These films, among other things, are an antidote to the savage, manic propaganda of the Trump-Hegseth cabal. Hayam El Gamal, the Egyptian mother of five imprisoned with her children at the Dilley Immigration Processing Center in Texas for over 300 days, was rushed to the emergency room earlier this month after repeated pleas for medical care were ignored or denied by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the staff of CoreCivic, which runs the prison. More than a week later, despite findings that she has an unknown mass in her chest, fluid near her heart and worsening pain, El Gamal is still being denied access to the outside diagnostic treatment doctors said she urgently needs. Immigrants at the ICE South Texas detention center in Dilley, Texas. [AP Photo/Eric Gay] According to court filings submitted by her attorney, Eric Lee, and reporting by NBC News, El Gamal was rushed to the emergency room earlier this month after weeks of complaints about a painful growth in her chest were brushed aside by ICE and CoreCivic officials at Dilley. Three doctors who reviewed her records concluded that ICE and CoreCivic were systematically denying Ms. El Gamal medical care and that the neglect posed an urgent threat to her health and potentially her life. El Gamals case has become a concentrated exposure of the barbarity of family detention in the United States. As Lee and other attorneys have reported, she repeatedly sought treatment for weeks as her pain worsened. After she was finally transported to an emergency room, doctors found that the supposed lump was not a bone, as detention staff had claimed, and that imaging showed fluid around her heart. Even then, the follow-up testing doctors recommended was denied, and she was sent back to Dilley still without answers and still in pain. In an update shared by Lee a week after the hospitalization, El Gamal reported that ICE was still refusing to allow her to see an outside doctor for the additional diagnostic work that could determine the cause of the chest mass, the fluid near her heart, the rashes and the escalating pain. The El Gamal family has effectively been imprisoned since June 2025, when federal agents detained Hayam El Gamal and her five children after her then-husband, Mohamed Sabry Soliman, was accused of carrying out a firebomb attack on a pro-Israel demonstration in Boulder, Colorado. From the outset, the Trump administration treated the family not as individuals with legal rights, but as targets for retaliation. Following the attack, the official White House account posted Solimans mugshot alongside video of the attack and gloated: Six One-Way Tickets for Mohameds Wife and Five Kids. Final Boarding Call Coming Soon. The persecution of the El Gamal family has nothing to do with public safety. An immigration judge ordered the family released on a $15,000 bond last September, citing their lack of any criminal record, their cooperation with law enforcement and strong community support. In court, the FBI confirmed that the family had no inkling at all of Solimans planned attack. Yet ICE invoked an automatic stay to block their release, and the administration later used additional procedural maneuvers to keep the family jailed while undermining their asylum claims. Hayam El Gamal has since divorced Soliman, but she and her children remain imprisoned. As Lee told the World Socialist Web Site last year, The Trump administrations vindictive attack on this young family echoes the methods of Nazi Germany, where authorities used kin punishmentSippenhaftto intimidate the population. That assessment has been borne out by the governments conduct ever since. The continued detention of Hayam and her children, despite the absence of any evidence implicating them in Solimans actions, is a campaign of deliberate state persecution, aimed at terrorizing an immigrant family through indefinite confinement, medical neglect and psychological torture. The governments claim that the family is a flight risk is as threadbare as it is vindictive. According to Lee, the family even offered to submit to ankle monitors and daily ICE check-ins, including for the younger children, in order to address any supposed concern about supervision. ICE still refused release. The prolonged detention has produced a broader physical and psychological breakdown throughout the family. In a recent phone interview with Scripps, Habiba Soliman, Hayams oldest daughter said, It is too much I feel like Im living in a nightmare, and it just cant be true. We unfortunately happen to be the family of somebody who committed a criminal act. I know what he did is awful. We didnt know anything. Our whole life destroyed in seconds. The Houston Chronicle reported Lees warning, Every week they get worse, and that he fears the children are suicide risks, saying they tell him, they dont want to be alive and wish they were dead. Drawing by a five-year-old detained at the Dilley immigration concentration camp showing a school and children beside the words, I am 5 years old. I want go school. I miss my bear. Ahead of a protest scheduled for Saturday outside the Dilley detention facility, Hayam El Gamal, speaking through her attorney Lee, appealed for the release of her family and all those still imprisoned there. I am a mother with five children who has been detained behind the gates of Dilley for over 10 months, she said. My kids, two of whom are 5 years old, have been struggling to live in a place that isnt suitable for such long periods of time. We have been suffering from terrible food, inhuman living conditions and medical neglect for almost a year. El Gamal then described in her own words the systematic denial of medical care that culminated in her emergency hospitalization. I have a weird bump in my chest that has been causing me pain for over three months. I do not know what it is and its causing me stress and anxiety, she said. I have been begging them to tell me whats wrong with me. She explained that despite her familys history of cancer and her repeated appeals for help, all I was given was ibuprofen and painkillers for almost three months. No meaningful tests were performed, she said, until the pain became unbearable and she had to be taken to the ER. Even afterward, although hospital doctors determined that she needed to see specialists and undergo more testing, I am still detained, with pain that is worsening everyday while no one cares at all. She concluded, This place is a prison. We didnt do anything to deserve this. Children shouldnt be punished for their parents actions. Please treat us as an innocent family. We will follow the law just as we have been doing our entire lives. We are asking for only one thing: our freedom. Freedom is a human right, and we are begging you to help us gain ours back. What is happening to the El Gamals is not an aberration but an extreme expression of a broader policy. The Marshall Project reported this month that ICE has detained more than 6,200 children during Trumps second term. By the end of the Biden administration, the daily average was 24 children in custody. After Trump revived family detention, that figure jumped tenfold to a daily average of 226. The same report found that the number of children in ICE custody rose to more than 550 on a single day in January before later declining. Nearly half of the children detained during the Trump term have been held at Dilley. The conditions described at Dilley expose the lie that family detention can be made humane. The Marshall Project reported that families at the facility have lodged more than 700 complaints over medical care, and court filings cited by the outlet describe cases including a baby sent to the hospital with dangerously low oxygen levels, children in severe mental distress and a 13-year-old placed in isolation after a suicide attempt. Government filings claimed that between November and February no detainees required hospitalization or emergency-room referral, but The Marshall Project obtained 911 calls indicating repeated hospital transfers. Medical and pediatric authorities have for years warned that detention itself is harmful to children. The American Academy of Pediatrics has said that no child should be in detention, and that even short periods of detention or family separation can cause psychological trauma and long-term mental health problems. Its earlier policy statement on immigrant children argued that children seeking safety should never be placed in detention facilities at all. At the same time that children and parents are being warehoused in for-profit concentration camps, the state is funneling immense resources into expanding the apparatus responsible. An Associated Press investigation published this week found that some newly hired ICE officers began work before passing full background checks and had troubling histories, including bankruptcies, misconduct allegations and unstable employment records. AP identified one new hire with two bankruptcies and six law-enforcement jobs in three years, another who had been accused of lying in a police report in a case that ended in a $75,000 settlement, and a third who had failed to complete a police academy and then lasted only three weeks in his sole policing job. DHS acknowledged to AP that some applicants received offers and began work on a temporary basis before full background checks were completed. This hiring spree is being financed by a staggering infusion of money. ICE received a $75 billion windfall from Congress last year, tied to the administrations mass deportation drive, and that the agency added 12,000 officers and agents in the push to double its force. The torture of the El Gamal family is a warning. What the American state is doing to Hayam El Gamal and her children today, it will do to others tomorrow, regardless of immigration status. A government that claims the power to imprison children, deny a mother urgent medical care, override court rulings and inflict collective punishment on a family that committed no crime is asserting powers that will be used ever more broadly against the entire working class. The same capitalist state that is building up ICE, expanding detention camps and hiring thugs to carry out mass deportations is also preparing for far wider confrontations with workers and youth. The trampling of immigrants rights is the spearhead of a general assault on democratic rights. This is why the fight to free the El Gamal family is not simply an immigration issue. It is a class issue and a democratic issue. The same government that is pouring billions into ICE and detention is preparing the machinery of repression for use against the entire working class. The defense of Hayam El Gamal and her children must become part of a broader struggle to abolish ICE, shut down the camps and put an end to the capitalist system that breeds dictatorship, fascism and war. Iran announced a shaky reopening of the Strait of Hormuz to commercial shipping yesterday, as 49 countries met in an emergency summit in Paris to plan a naval intervention into the waterway. US President Donald Trump responded, however, by refusing to lift the US naval blockade of Iranian ports. The flurry of announcements, while they produced a fall in oil prices, has neither produced a lasting peace nor resolved any of the fundamental conflicts underlying the war. 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] Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said that passage for all commercial vessels through the Strait of Hormuz is declared completely open for the remaining period of ceasefire. Thus the reopening depends on Washington continuing to respect the ceasefire it declared last week, as well as Israel respecting a truce with Lebanon. Under Araghchis terms, Iranian military forces will still control which vessels can transit the strait, the shipping lanes they can use, and the tolls they will pay to Iran. Trump immediately announced that the US naval blockade of Iran would remain in full force until Iran made a comprehensive deal with Washington. Vessels heading to or from Iranian ports remain subject to interception by the US Navy, and Irans oil exports remain blocked. Trump claimed that a peace deal is very close, but only days ago, negotiations in Islamabad collapsed after 20 hours of talks. Even if the US ceasefire somehow holds however, Trumps war of aggression against Iran, his calls to plunder Iranian oil and his genocidal threats to annihilate Iranian civilization will have lasting and irreversible economic and political consequences. The massive human and economic toll of the war is only beginning to come into view. Even if fighting does not resume, which is far from guaranteed, this toll will continue to grow in the coming months. New wars of extermination have claimed thousands of lives alongside the tens of thousands lost in Israels genocide in Gaza. Israels invasion of Lebanon has killed at least 2,196 people and displaced over one million. Iran reported that it had suffered 1,500 deaths and 18,551 wounded from the war by March 25. However, it is widely expected that it has downplayed casualties, especially those in its military forces, which number several thousand dead at the very least. Over 81,000 civilian buildings have been hit including 61,000 homes, 19,000 commercial properties, 275 medical centers, and 500 schools. At least 3.2 million Iranians are internally displaced within Iran, according to UN figures, mainly fleeing US bombings of major cities. In a late March statement based on testimony from its employees in Iran, the Norwegian Refugee Council said: Countless homes, hospitals and schools have been damaged or destroyed. (I)n nearly every neighbourhood of Tehran buildings are destroyed with surrounding damages. Desperate families tape their windows to prevent shattered glass that has already caused too many civilians casualties. With no Internet and heavily disrupted banking services, daily life is increasingly difficult. Moreover, International Energy Agency (IEA) Director Fatih Birol warned this week that the world economy now faces the greatest energy security threat in history, comparable to the combined impact of the 1970s oil shock and the 2022 cutoff of Russian gas supplies. Birol warned, we lost 13 million barrels (of oil) per day. Tomorrow may be bigger. In terms of gas, Russia's invasion of Ukraine, we lost about 75 [billion cubic meters], and today we are much higher than that The longer the disruption lasts, the more severe the problem becomes. Shortages are set to mount rapidly in the coming months. Over the last month, refineries were still receiving Persian Gulf energy shipments that had left before the war started, Birol added, but during the month of April, nothing has been loaded. Moreover, over a third of the Persian Gulfs 80 most critical energy facilities monitored by the IEA have been severely damaged. Returning them to normal output could take 2 to 5 years, assuming there are no further wars. Above all, however, energy, shipping and insurance companies have no clear idea whether or how long the current ceasefire, which Trump has set to expire on April 22, will last. Ships are therefore not passing through the Strait of Hormuz. This means that the coming energy shortages, resulting surges in prices, and hardships for the working class will be even greater than if it had been possible to restart operations today. The major capitalist powers inability to coordinate any progressive, rational policy in response to the coming global shock was on display yesterday in the Paris summit. Leaders of France, Britain, Italy and Germany met in Paris; those of 45 other countries including European countries, Persian Gulf sheikdoms, Japan, South Korea, Australia, Canada and Ukraine attended by videoconference. It focused on planning their own military and naval intervention into the Persian Gulf. The Paris summit communique featured no criticism of the criminal actions of the US government, its launching of an illegal war of aggression, its calls for a genocide of Iranian civilization, or war crimes like mass targeting of civilian infrastructure. It was silent on the fact that the US blockade of Hormuz is an act of war against not only Iran, but their countries own vital energy supplies. It aimed instead to position these governments in the coming conflicts over what energy resources will remain available. From left: German chancellor Friedrich Merz, French President Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni arrive at the Elysee Palace for a conference on the initiative for maritime navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, in Paris, Friday April 17, 2026. [AP Photo/Jeanne Accorsini] The summit called for the unconditional, unrestricted, and immediate re-opening of the Strait of Hormuz. It pledged to work with shipping operators, insurers, and industry bodies so they can resume operations as soon as conditions permit. It proposed that Britain and France would lead a strictly defensive multinational mission to protect merchant vessels, reassure commercial shipping operators, and conduct mine clearance operations as soon as conditions permit following a sustainable ceasefire agreement. The claim that a deployment led by two leading former colonial powers in the Middle East would be strictly defensive, after they acquiesced to the US war of aggression against Iran, is ludicrous. Britain and France are imperialist powers. While it is unclear whether conditionsthat is to say, Iranian missile and drone forceswill allow them to deploy their warships to the Gulf, it is evident that they are intervening to defend their military bases and oil profits in the region. Significantly, European officials at the Paris summit called for both military coordination with the Trump administration and German military participation in the operation. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz proposed a deployment of the German army in the context of an international mission So we will participate in discussions on military planning that will soon take place. And we would also like to consider participation by the United States of America. While Merzs call to coordinate with US forces underscores European governments complicity in US government criminality, his call for military coordination with US imperialism cannot paper over the explosive conflicts between the NATO imperialist powers. The fact that these leaders met without any formal US participation, effectively disinviting the United States while the US Navy blockaded their energy supplies, points to the deep-going collapse of US-European relations. Tensions are also mounting with China, which was invited to attend the Paris summit but ultimately declined to do so as US officials threatened its energy trade with Iran. Deepening global wars and economic crises will not only expose the criminality of imperialism, but also provoke growing opposition among workers internationally. It is this progressive social force that must come forward against a mortal crisis of the capitalist system. The decisive question is the independent, international mobilization of the working class against imperialist war and to take power out of the hands of the capitalist oligarchies that are profiting from the mass slaughter and impoverishment of working people. A massive explosion and fire tore through Viva Energys Geelong oil refinery late Wednesday night, resulting in a conflagration that took firefighters some 13 hours to extinguish. Around 50 workers were on site when the blaze erupted. All escaped without injury, but some were forced to literally run for their lives, according to media reports. Fire at Viva Energys Geelong refinery, April 16, 2026 [Photo: Instagram/ketobbey] Shortly before midnight on Wednesday, operators in the MOGAS (motor gasoline) section of the plant noticed a drop in pressure on their control boards and raised the alarm, but before they could investigate, there was a large explosion. Tony Hynds, Geelong organiser for the Australian Manufacturing Workers Union (AMWU), noted that the lack of casualties was only an accident of timing: If this had happened during the day, wed be talking about a whole different outcome in terms of injuries and fatalities. The fire produced a massive plume of smoke that spread across Geelong, with local residents warned to stay indoors, close doors and windows and turn off heating and air-conditioning systems. Extraordinarily, while Fire Rescue Victoria (FRV) officials identified a mechanical or engineering failure of the plant as the likely cause, the refinery remains operational, with only a small section taken offline. The refinery, one of only two remaining in the country, produces petrol, diesel, LPG, jet fuel and avgas. It supplies roughly half of Victorias petrol and about 10 percent of national fuel supplies. Representatives of management and the federal Labor government rushed to downplay the impact of the blast on fuel availability, emphasising the partial character of the shutdown. However, its significance, amid a global fuel supply crisis resulting from the US-led war of aggression against Iran, is undeniable. This was underscored by Labor Prime Minister Anthony Albaneses immediate return to Australia from South East Asia, where he was seeking to shore up future fuel import deals, to deliver a press conference at the Geelong site on Friday. Albanese insisted the incident had only caused a slight slowdown in production at the refinery and will not lead to any change in Australias four-stage fuel security policy. This was echoed by Viva Energy CEO Scott Wyatt, who declared, were still producing, making about 80 percent of diesel and 60 percent of petrol. We do hope to be able to lift that over the coming weeks. Wyatt claimed we can run this facility close to full production without those two units and that the company was investigating how it could operate the site for an extended period of time as close to full production as we possibly can get. Wyatt denied there had been a ramping up of production in response to the Iran war, telling reporters the recent increase in output at the refinery was simply because it had returned to normal operations after completing a five-yearly maintenance plan. But the fact that Vivas immediate response to what could have easily been a catastrophic mass casualty accident is to try to rejig its operations to achieve full production even before the damaged sections of the plant are repaired would seem to be starkly at odds with the safety first picture Wyatt sought to paint. The financial context is unambiguous: As the Iran war has tightened fuel supply, refining margins have surged. The Albanese governments March 2026 enhancement of the Fuel Security Services Payment (FSSP) subsidy schemelifting per-litre rates and extending the program to 2030was explicitly designed to keep the refinery producing at maximum levels. Vivas share price surged in March on the combination of higher profit margins and expanded government support. Bill Patterson, Vivas general manager of energy and infrastructure, admitted Thursday that some maintenance had been postponed in March, but claimed it didnt relate to the integrity of equipment on the site, and that There wasnt a link between any delays of maintenance and this event that we know of. This attempt to shield the company from responsibility for the explosion in fact reveals that decisions about maintenance at the refinery are being made on the basis of keeping production and profits flowing during a supply shortage and points to the possibility of future malfunctions, with potentially lethal consequences. Experts have raised concerns over the age of the plant, which opened in 1956. Yuan Chen, from the School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at the University of Sydney, told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, Oil refining is inherently a high-temperature, high-risk industrial process. These operating conditions, combined with the potential for equipment degradation over time, can increase the likelihood of incidents such as fires if not carefully managed through maintenance and safety systems. Speaking to reporters, Hynds painted a grim picture of conditions in the plant: You walk around that place and you see some of the rusty shit around there and you think how can this be? Look at the rust on that. Look at the condition of the concrete foundations. The union official noted, Theres been incidents there of leaks over the years because its an old place. But he then leapt to the companys defence, noting, They run on very small margins. They are up against international refineries where wages and conditions are a lot less. In other words, Hynds is saying that Viva cannot be held responsible for the consequences of their decrepit facilities and deferred maintenance, because providing safe working conditions would threaten their profits and international competitiveness. He is also effectively telling workers that improvements to safety and maintenance would have to be paid for through cuts to their wages, conditions and even jobs. Incredibly, given the massive explosion hours earlier, Hynds claimed maintenance and safety at the refinery was getting better: Some years ago it was a big concern, and we had numerous incidents, it was shocking really, but in the last five to six years its certainly improved. Hynds was not only providing cover for the companys track record on safety, but that of the AMWU, Australian Workers Union (AWU) and Electrical Trades Union (ETU), which have presided over the 70-year-old plants history of leaks, safety breaches, and regulatory prosecutions. In November and December 2017, the refinery suffered two separate leaks of hydrofluoric acidone of the most hazardous substances used in petroleum processingexposing workers to toxic vapour. WorkSafe Victoria responded by laying 11 occupational health and safety charges against the company in 2018, including failing to provide safe systems of work, adequate training, and safe plant, and for failing to properly notify the regulator of a serious incident. In 2020, a pipeline leak allowed oil to escape into the environment near the Geelong foreshore. In 2023, a contractors crane dropped a compressor during planned maintenance worksa serious near-miss in a facility defined as a major hazard site. The refinery has also been the scene of repeated large flares, power-related upsets causing uncontrolled releases, and persistent foul-odour incidents that have alarmed surrounding communities. Union records list multiple worker injuriesburns, chemical exposures, fracturesduring routine operations and turnaround maintenance. The claim that this track record has suddenly changed in the last five to six years is starkly exposed as a fraud by Wednesday nights explosion. As Hynds himself noted, if the leak had occurred during day shift, it could easily have been a mass casualty event. The fact that Hynds has stepped in to defend the company illustrates the role played by the trade union bureaucracy in every industry. It is on their watch that an average of 191 workers are killed on the job each year in Australia. These are not random tragedies but the result of the systematic subordination of safety to profit under capitalism. The union bureaucracies will not lead a fight for workplace safety, because they are themselves an integral component of the capitalist system and serve as an industrial police force of management. The Sri Lankan government signed another staff-level agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) mission to the country on April 9. The deal was announced after the IMF team conducted an intensive review of the governments implementation of the austerity program that began in late 2023. Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake meets with Evan Papageorgiou, head of the IMF mission for Sri Lanka [Photo: Presidents Media Division] President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, who is also the finance minister, signed the agreement which will mean implementing all remaining austerity measures outlined in the release of the $US3 billion bailout loan. Speaking at a press conference in Colombo, the IMF mission chief for Sri Lanka, Evan Papageorgiou, praised the governments commendable performance, citing 5 percent economic growth in 2025, rising tax revenues and building foreign reserves to $US7 billion. He said the team concluded the fifth and sixth reviews during their visit and, accordingly, $700 million will be available for the country. However, the release of the fund, with the approval of the IMF Executive Board, will be contingent on the restoration of cost-recovery electricity and fuel pricing and the completion of the financing assurances review so as to confirm multilateral partners financing contributions and adequate debt restructuring progress. The restoration of the price recovery mechanism for electricity and fuel are code words for strictly implementing price increases in these two sectors so as to eliminate the debts of the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) and the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation. From February 2022 to April 1 this year, the countrys electricity tariff has increased by around 125 percent. Though Papageorgiou did not say so publicly, the IMF is demanding the privatisation of state-owned enterprises (SOEs) proceed. Though the government earlier listed more than 400 SOEs, only a few have been restructured. The only major restructure has been the CEB, which has more than 20,000 employees and was broken up into six companies last month. The IMF mission head insisted that labour flexibility and new investment avenues must be established to attract investments. By labour flexibility, the IMF means new laws whereby investors can hire and fire employees. Although a new draft labour act has been prepared, scrapping dozens of old acts and regulations, the government has yet to publish the bill and present it to the parliament. Papageorgiou also emphasised the need for broad-based taxes, including a property tax. It is expected that homes and other properties will be taxed, affecting workers and sections of the lower middle class. The IMF official declared, We know Sri Lankan people are undergoing difficulties with the high cost of electricity, fuel and other everyday necessities. But people must understand, he added, that the reforms are needed to prepare for the future shocks and risks. The IMFs expression of sympathy for working people in Sri Lanka is utterly bogus. Its only concern is to ensure the repayment of defaulted foreign debts and to boost investors profits. When announcing the IMF bailout in 2023, former mission head Peter Breuer said the program was in fact a brutal experiment for Sri Lanka. Just two days before the latest agreement with the IMF was announced, Dissanayake presented a 100 billion rupees ($US310 million) relief package for the festive season to parliament. The package includes subsidised fuelup to 100 rupees per litre for diesel, from May. However, fuel prices and electricity charges will be adjusted according to the cost recovery mechanism. Full market-based fuel pricing is likely to push diesel prices above 600 rupees per litre, meaning 100 rupee subsidy is a drop in the ocean. Dissanayake also announced limited increases to the meagre welfare payments under the Aswesuma welfare scheme for the poorfrom 2500 to 7500 rupees for the April festive month only. Fertiliser subsidies will increase from 3,000 to 5,000 rupees but this is only for the current season. The governments so-called relief measures are a desperate attempt to contain rising social tensions while meeting all of the IMFs austerity demands. The ruling Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) is relying on the trade unions to suppress opposition in the working class, instructing them not to conduct or support any protest or industrial struggle. Trade unions that have previously organised protests by railway, postal, CEB and health workers sectors have virtually shut down all industrial action. The CEB unions have ended protests against the governments restructuring and are promoting the illusion that talks with Dissanayake with produce a favourable result. CEB Joint Trade Union Alliance leader, Priyantha Prabhath, told the media that after the discussions with the president, the unions all expressed their understanding of the challenges arising from the Middle East conflict and the governments response to them. They also affirmed that they would not impede the government. The opposition Samagi Jana Balavegaya (SJB) leader Sajith Premadasa criticised the so-called relief package and called for greater assistance. This is a cynical posturing, as Premadasa and the SJB were the first to urge the government in 2022 to beg for an IMF loan. The JVP-led National Peoples Power government will ruthlessly implement all of the remaining austerity measures dictated by the IMF. To fight these relentless attacks on living conditions, workers must organise independently of all capitalist parties and the trade unions which function as the industrial police for government and management. Workers need to build democratically elected rank-and-file action committees in workplaces, plantations and neighbourhoods that link together across industries and regions. Trade union bureaucrats and the representatives of capitalist parties should not be allowed to participate in these committees. The Socialist Equality Party (SEP) proposes that these committees demand: the repudiation of foreign debt, full funding for reconstruction, restoration and expansion of social services and the nationalisation of the banks and major corporations under workers democratic control. We call for the building of a Democratic and Socialist Congress of Workers and Rural Masses based on Action Committee delegates and the fight for a workers and peasants government committed to socialist policies as an integral part of the struggle for socialism internationally. Mt. Tronador and Casano Overa glacier in Argentina's southern Andes [Photo by McKay Savage / CC BY 2.0 In the summer of 2025, southern Argentinas Patagonia region was overwhelmed by fires that burned over 270,000 acres of forests, and thousands of homes. The fires were attributed to a decade-long dry spell combined with very high temperatures. Regional rains have fallen by 20 percent. This process was accompanied by less snow in the Andes Mountains, which feed the glaciers, which in turn feed the rivers and lakes upon which Patagonias cities and towns, and its tourist industry, depend. There was not enough water to fight the fires. Further north from Patagonia, the vineyards of central Argentinas Mendoza province are drying up from lack of water and being contaminated by gold and copper mining. The poor in many areas go days without potable water, which is diverted to rich neighborhoods. Indifferent to those links between the Patagonian fires, water shortages and water contamination due to the shrinking glaciers on the Andes Mountains, the fascistic administration of President Javier Milei rammed through a bill modifying legal protections to glaciers to increase mining activity in the Andes. A key provision in the new legislation leaves it up to the provinces and their corrupt politicians how to manage the glaciers within their borders, effectively pitting one province against another. These provinces will be allowed to decide on a case-by-case basis if they believe glaciers should remain protected or whether to permit open-pit mining projects that could destroy them. The purpose of the new law is effectively to hand over control of these water resources to mining and oil companies. This is justified by the corrupt and fascistic Milei administration as a road to economic development and greater employment to compensate for the attack on full-time jobs and the deindustrialization of the national economy. In effect, the right of workers, farmers and the middle class to water is to be sacrificed to further the profit interests of mining and oil monopolies and the financial oligarchy. On April 8, a special session of the Argentine Chamber of Deputies voted for Mileis bill to change the Glacier Law that has protected the Andean glacial and periglacial zones. The changes had been previously approved by the Senate and by the various commissions that deal with natural resources, conservation of the environment and constitutional affairs. The Glacier Law that this new legislation modifies was approved in 2010. It mandated a count of the glaciers in the Andes and set up strict controls on glaciers and periglacial areas (rock-glaciers and permafrost in the periphery of glaciers) that feed lakes and rivers and exist as reservoirs for fire emergencies, agriculture, human consumption and national parks. In the context of Mileis onslaught to free the hands of corporations to exploit workers and resources without restrictions having been celebrated as a model by Trump, Chiles new President Jose Antonio Kast, and numerous oligarchs worldwide, the international implications of this legislation cannot be exaggerated. Massive forest fires also took place in Chiles Patagonian region, in the province of Bio-Bio, where some 160,000 acres burned. Most of the major river basins in North and South America connect to glaciers and periglacial zones in the Andes, Rocky Mountains, and other regions where glaciers exist. Many of these are shrinking as a result of global warming driven by capitalism. In South America, the worlds largest river basin, the Amazon River Basin, with its source in the Andes glaciers, occupies one third of South America, approximately six million square kilometers. Its waters encompass Brazil, Bolivia and Peru on the eastern side of the Andes. South of the Amazon River Basin, the La Plata River Basin, occupies 3.1 million square kilometers in several nations, Brazil, Paraguay, Bolivia, Uruguay and Argentina. An important element of these and other basins are many lakes filled by the glacial waters providing water and hydroelectric energy to farms and towns and cities. The entire political establishment is implicated in this attack on these vital bodies of ice and snow, and its consequences. The original Glacier Law that had implemented protections had been originally vetoed in 2008 by Peronist president Cristina Kirchner, who argued against placing environmental concerns ahead of activities [such as mining and oil drilling] potentially worth 3 billion US dollars, that could be carried out with perfect care for the environment, (a phrase coined by and used repeatedly around the world by mining executives). The veto triggered waves of popular protests, in defense of glaciers, and against President Kirchners growing relationship with Canadian-based Barrick Gold and other multinational mining firms. In Argentina, Kirchners 2008 veto was dubbed the Barrick Veto. In September 2010, the Glacier Law was finally approved with Kirchners assurance that there would be no veto. Five years later, a major mining disaster took place, at the Veladero open pit gold mine in the Andean province of San Juan. The mine is a joint partnership between Barrick and Shandong Gold, a corporation owned by the Chinese government. The mine had opened in 2005 in the periglacial region, between 2.5 and 3 miles up the Andes, near several glaciers that feed streams that in turn feed the rivers of the Desaguadero Basin whose waters eventually flow into the Atlantic through southern Buenos Aires province. It continued operating, disregarding the 2010 law. On Sunday, September 13, 2015, 140 miles downriver from the mine in the town of Jachal, in northern San Juan Province, the family of a Veladero worker received a WhatsApp message about an accident at the mine. Following ten days of silence, Barrick/Shandong, confirmed on September 23 that some 300,000 gallons of cyanide had contaminated a nearby river and its tributaries in the basin. This event resulted in a social explosion and revealed the collaboration of provincial governments which had turned a blind eye to the way the mines were being run by the corporate oligarchy, in violation of the 2010 law. The cyanide spill was the largest ever in Argentina, contaminating water in San Juan, and other provinces. Since 2015, there have been four more toxic spills from the mine. In 2017, 70,000 people signed a petition demanding the mines closure. In addition to cyanide, there have also been arsenic spills and mercury contaminations. Similar violations have become common in Chile, Peru and other Andean nations. Barrick has become infamous for its violations of environmental regulations but continues to operate copper and gold mines in Peru, Chile, Mexico, Australia and in several African nations. Outside of Mileis governing coalition (La Libertad Avanza), the pseudo-left and some smaller parties (that voted against it), the voting for the April 8 legislation was mostly geographically divided. Legislators from eight mining provinces approved the law, regardless of party, while those from other provinces voted against. This was the case, also with those parties, and coalitions that brand themselves as Peronist. Support was also divided in the labor bureaucracy. The mining union (AOMA), the metal workers union (UOM) and truckers (STOTAC) supported the new law, while other unions passively rejected it without mobilizing workers against it. The lessons from Mileis glacier legislation demonstrate that the defense of the environment, including the protection of glaciers and periglacial zones, cannot be left to the political parties of the ruling class, including the fascistic Milei administration, the bourgeois nationalist parties like Peronism, the pseudo-left organizations or trade union bureaucracies. It requires the scientific education and the international mobilization of the working class, united across every continent, in the revolutionary struggle for the socialist transformation of the entire planet. With a market capitalization of $61.8 billion, Pennsylvania-based Cencora, Inc. (COR) is a leading global pharmaceutical services and drug distribution company, formerly known as AmerisourceBergen. It plays a critical role in the healthcare supply chain, acting as an intermediary between drug manufacturers and healthcare providers. The company is expected to release its Q2 2026 earnings results on Tuesday, May 6, before the market opens. Ahead of this event, analysts anticipate Cencora to generate earnings of $4.81 per share, representing an increase of 8.8% from $4.42 per share reported in the same quarter last year. The company has surpassed the Streets bottom-line estimates in each of the past four quarters. More News from Barchart For fiscal 2026, analysts expect the company to report an EPS of $17.57, indicating a 9.8% increase from $16 reported in fiscal 2025. Also, its EPS is expected to grow 11.3% year over year to $19.56 in fiscal 2027. www.barchart.com Shares of Cencora have surged 13.3% over the past 52 weeks, underperforming the S&P 500 Indexs ($SPX) 33.5% rise but outpacing the State Street Health Care Select Sector SPDR ETFs (XLV) 7.6% return during the same time frame. www.barchart.com On Mar. 23, Cencora agreed to acquire EyeSouth Partners retina business for $1.1 billion, with the physicians set to join its Retina Consultants of America (RCA) platform. The deal strengthens Cencoras position in specialty eye care, expanding its network and enhancing access to advanced retina treatments and clinical research. COR shares popped 2.1% in the next trading session. Analysts consensus view on COR is highly bullish, with a Strong Buy rating overall. Among 13 analysts covering the stock, 11 suggest a Strong Buy and two analysts give a Hold. Its mean price target of $407.92 represents a 26.5% potential upside to current price levels. On the date of publication, Kritika Sarmah did not have (either directly or indirectly) positions in any of the securities mentioned in this article. All information and data in this article is solely for informational purposes. This article was originally published on Barchart.com Billionaire entrepreneur Mark Cuban has proposed a "specially designed bank account" healthcare model using Affordable Care Act Silver planlevel monthly deposits to fund savings, stop-loss coverage and direct primary care, with remaining balances available for approved medical expenses or retained in the account with interest until age 65. Healthcare Reform Pitch Reframes Insurance as Personal Savings System In posts on X on Wednesday, Cuban described a model in which a family of five contributes about $2,100 per month, similar to a typical ACA silver plan premium. Of that amount, roughly $300 goes toward stop-loss insurance capped at $30,000, and $200 is allocated to local Direct Primary Care. The remaining $1,600 is saved in an individual account that can only be used for approved medical expenses, similar to a Health Savings Account, which is a tax-advantaged savings account structure. Don't Miss: Think Your Safe' Stocks Protect You? You're Ignoring the Real Growth Triggers Here's What to Add Now Caught With Nothing Saved for Retirement? These 5 GameChanging Tips Could Still Save You Cuban said unspent balances would earn interest, writing, "If you never have any medical expenses, you will get to keep the money plus checking account level interest when you turn 65." What if there was a bank account available, that required you to deposit monthly, what you would have paid an insurance company in premiums, for an ACA silver plan. So for a family of 5 about $2100. The amount would then be used for Stop Loss Insurance set at $30k dollars. https://t.co/Jtm3U9EYyO Mark Cuban (@mcuban) April 16, 2026 Cuban Escalates Criticism Of Insurer Consolidation Cubans proposal comes amid his broader campaign against insurer consolidation. In March, speaking at the Punchbowl News Conference in Washington, D.C., Cuban said that major insurers operate vertically integrated systems, including control over pharmacy benefit managers and wellness programs, which he argued gives them significant influence over the broader healthcare system. Cuban has separately argued that removing insurers from the equation and shifting to all-cash payments could eliminate 20% to 30% of healthcare costs tied to billing administration and fraud. See Also: Think you're saving enough for your kids? You might be dangerously off see why Earlier, he has also flagged how insurers deliberately design plans with deductibles most patients cannot afford, effectively turning hospitals into subprime lenders when patients borrow to access their own coverage. Poolbeg Pharma advances POLB 001 into UK trial - ICYMI Proactive uses images sourced from Shutterstock Poolbeg Pharma PLC (AIM:POLB, OTC:POLBF, FRA:POLBF) CEO, Jeremy Skillington, talked with Proactive about recent progress alongside Principal Scientist Liam Tremble, highlighting key regulatory and commercial developments for POLB 001. Tremble explained that the company has secured full regulatory approval from the MHRA, alongside HRA and ARSAC clearances, marking a major milestone that allows the POLB 001 clinical trial to proceed in the UK. He noted that this is the last regulatory hurdle before we progress to opening up the sites and getting patients screened and into the study, positioning the company to begin recruitment shortly. With six clinical sites now confirmed, including NHS Lothian and Royal Stoke University Hospital, the study is expected to generate interim data later this summer. The trial is focused on cytokine release syndrome (CRS), an acute condition associated with certain immunotherapies. Tremble highlighted that the risk window occurs early in treatment, meaning data can be gathered quickly. Skillington also outlined insights from independent US payer research, conducted to support discussions with potential partners. The findings confirmed a strong value proposition for POLB 001, with insurers recognising the significant cost burden associated with CRS. He stated that the findings highlight pricing levels [and] demonstrate that 001 is a multi-billion dollar peak sale potential in the US, underlining the scale of the opportunity. The company sees POLB 001 as a potential preventative solution in a market with a clear unmet need, strengthening its position ahead of anticipated clinical data and future partnership discussions. Proactive: Jeremy, Liam, very good to speak with you. Ill start with you Liam, you've announced some significant updates for the POLB 001 topical trial. Please can you explain to investors why clinical trial authorization from the MHRA is such a significant milestone? Liam Tremble: I am really delighted today to be able to announce that we have these regulatory approvals in place. This basically means that the trial is able to proceed in the United Kingdom. For these approvals, we submitted all of our preclinical, clinical and manufacturing data. They review them to make sure that the drug is safe to give to humans and that the protocol is designed properly. Along with the MHRA approval, this normally comes with Health Research Authority approval and ARSAC approval, which is the radiation approval. All of those are now in place, meaning we now have all regulatory approvals to proceed with the study. This is the last regulatory hurdle before we progress to opening up the sites and getting patients screened and into the study. Lifestyle influencer Ashlee Jenae was celebrating what appeared to be the happiest week of her life when her trip to Tanzania took a devastating turn. Days after getting engaged during a safari and marking her 31st birthday, the influencer, whose real name was Ashly Robinson, died under circumstances her family now describes as suspicious. According to TMZ, Ashlee had traveled to Tanzania with her fiance, Joe McCann, for a birthday trip that quickly became a major moment in her life. On April 3, she shared a video of McCann proposing during a safari, capturing him down on one knee against the backdrop of the African landscape. COMPLEX SHOP: Shop the brands you love, anytime and anywhere. Uncover what's next. Buy. Collect. Obsess. Advertisement Advertisement The couple had also spent time at the luxury Serval Wildlife Resort, where rooms can cost nearly $950 per night, before continuing their stay at a private villa at Zuri Zanzibar. Just two days later, Ashlee posted what would become her final social media update. The April 5 post showed her feeding a giraffe while standing beside red and white rose petals arranged to spell out HBD Ashlee. In the caption, she wrote, Chapter 31 and Im exactly where I need to be. Friends and followers flooded the post with birthday wishes, unaware it would be her last. On Sunday, April 12, Ashlees family released a statement confirming that she was later found unresponsive in her villa. That dream turned into our familys worst nightmare, the statement read. Advertisement Advertisement According to the family, she was rushed to a local hospital after being discovered unconscious, but doctors pronounced her dead hours later. The family said authorities in Zanzibar are actively investigating what happened and made clear that they do not believe all of the facts have been established. At this time there is an active investigation into the circumstances surrounding Ashlys suspicious passing, the family said. They added that they are cooperating with officials as they search for answers and urged the public not to treat any information released outside of the family as confirmed. We need justice for my friend Ashlee Jenae who was found dead in her hotel in Tanzania and her fiance Joe McCann claims she hung herself. Anyone who knows Ash knows she would NEVER commit suicide. We need answers now! pic.twitter.com/o3ejMCdp3q Savannah Britt (@sav_britt) April 12, 2026 Ashlee's family also pushed back on reports circulating online about how she died. In their statement, they said any information not released directly by the family should be treated as unverified while the investigation remains ongoing. That response came after claims surfaced from people close to the situation alleging that McCann told others Ashlee died by suicide. Advertisement Advertisement For now, officials in Zanzibar have not publicly announced a cause of death, and no determination has been released by investigators. If you or someone you know is struggling with thoughts of suicide or self-harm, call or text 988 to reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, or visit 988lifeline.org for support. Related News Jeffree Star Called Out by Latino Influencers Over ICE Joke: 'I Dont Find It Funny' Brazilian Influencers Balcony Fall Death Investigated as Homicide, Husband Arrested Honey Boo Boo's Sister Pumpkin Joins OnlyFans And Her Boyfriend Approves Related News DDG Follows IShowSpeed to Ethiopia With Viral MemeHouse Stream Byron Allen Takes Over Stephen Colberts CBS Time Slot COMPLEX SHOP: Shop the brands you love, anytime and anywhere. Uncover what's next. Buy. Collect. Obsess. Making Culture Pop. Find the latest entertainment news and the best in music, pop culture, sneakers, style and original shows. We always say we have the best viewers, and this story proves it. Last year, we told you about a teacher and her students stretching $20 grants to help others. This year, the program started expanding to another school because so many people responded. On Friday, five students from Hatboro-Horsham High School in Montgomery County took a field trip across the Delaware River to tell a class of New Jersey 10th graders about the $20 Challenge. Advertisement Advertisement Their teacher, Kristina Ulmer, started it to honor her sister, using the money she left after she died to fund and teach young people about kindness and empathy. "I thought it was going to be a one-time thing that I do just to honor my sister, but we received so many donations we've been able to do it every semester, twice a year, since fall 2018," said Ulmer. After last year's Action News story, so much money poured in that Ulmer was able to create a foundation to expand the challenge to other schools. What good deeds could you do with $20? It's not just a valuable lesson for Mrs. Ulmer's students. It's a call to action. Advertisement Advertisement On Friday, that happened for the first time at Ewing High School, and to her own beloved former teacher, Siri Bowman. "It's so nice to give back to her because she's given so much to me," Ulmer said. "I'm excited to see what my students walk away with," said Bowman. The visitors showed up with a $460 grant, enough for Ms. Bowman to hand out $20 bills to 23 students. They also gave testimonials about how great it feels and how creative and successful some ideas have been. Five years later, a Clovis man learned his fate in court after a drug he sold took the life of Olivia Patla. "My family has a lifetime of a sentence, and we are going to survive and he may have broken us a little, but we are going to be stronger," said Rene Patla. Before sentencing, 165 letters from family and friends were submitted to the court. The judge told the family he personally read every one before handing down today's decision. Advertisement Advertisement "No sentence is going to bring the victim back and, in some circumstances, it will not ease the pain of the family, however, accountability is essential," said Fresno County Judge Raj Singh Badhesha. On Friday, Fresno County Superior Court Judge Raj Singh Badhesha sentenced Lakota Wakley to the maximum sentence, five years, to be served consecutively after his current federal prison term. RELATED - Killer High: Fresno family turns grief into a mission after daughter's fentanyl death Wakley pleaded no contest to selling a fentanyl pill that killed Olivia Patla on May 31 of 2021. "We're not happy that was the max. Do we feel like justice was served, no, not really," said Olivia's mother. Advertisement Advertisement Nearly everyone in the courtroom was a friend or family member of Olivia, many wearing shirts reading "Justice for Liv." One by one, Olivia's parents, siblings, and grandfather shared deeply emotional statements, describing the light she brought into their lives and the pain they've carried for the past five years. "My siblings and I constantly have small highs and very bad lows and days when we feel very angry for no reason but the sense of our sister no longer being there with us," said Olivia's older brother. Her mother, taking a deep breath, while sharing the moment she last saw Olivia, being taken away on a stretcher. Advertisement Advertisement "It felt like somebody was taking the whole life out of me and my breath," said Rene, "I will never smile the way I smiled before she died." The family says their strength comes from a shared purpose, making sure no other family endures the same loss. Wakley stood silently in court, expressionless, as the sentence was read. While the maximum penalty in this case is five years, with the passage of Proposition 36 in 2024, future cases involving the sale of illegal drugs that result in death could now lead to murder charges. "That is probably the only comfort we get out of this. We know that because of Olivia, there are laws that are changing. There are people living because of her," said Rene. Advertisement Advertisement To learn more about Olivia's life, her family's fight to raise fentanyl awareness, their story is featured in our series "Killer High: The Silent Crisis." WATCH: Killer High: The Silent Crisis For news updates, follow Elisa Navarro on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Ukrainian authorities investigating Kyiv mass shooting as a terror attack 00:17 A gunman who killed at least six people in Kyiv, Ukraine's capital, before taking hostages and barricading himself inside a supermarket on Saturday has been shot and killed by police, Ukrainian officials said. Ukraine's special tactical police units stormed the store after attempts to contact the gunman with a negotiator failed, the head of Ukraine's Interior Ministry, Ihor Klymenko, said in a statement on social media. The attacker was killed while resisting arrest, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Speaking to reporters at the scene, Klymenko said that the gunman had killed four bystanders while on the street, before entering the supermarket and killing a fifth person. Mayor Vitali Klitschko said that a sixth victim, a young woman, died from her injuries in the hospital. An Associated Press reporter on the scene saw the bodies of the victims in the street covered by emergency blankets before they were taken away. Police officers are seen at the site where a gunman killed at least six people in the streets before being shot dead by police, in Kyiv, Ukraine, Saturday, April 18, 2026. / Credit: Dan Bashakov / AP Klymenko said the shooter was born in 1968 but gave no further details as to his identity. Police negotiators spoke with the attacker for roughly 40 minutes before storming the building, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Before the gunman was shot, a female police negotiator, wearing body armor and standing behind an armored vehicle, used a loudspeaker to call out to the assailant, urging him: "the people are not to blame for this. Please, let them go and we will talk with you." "We tried to persuade him, knowing that there was likely a wounded person inside. We even offered to bring in tourniquets to stop the bleeding, but he did not respond," Klymenko said. "Consequently, the order was given to neutralize him." Klymenko, who wore body armor, said the man was carrying a carbine. The short-barrel assault rifle was legally registered, he added. Last December, the assailant "approached the licensing authorities to have the weapon test-fired as the permit was expiring. He provided a medical certificate. He had also submitted an application to renew his permit for the weapon. That is all we can say for now," Klymenko said. A police officer inspects the site where a gunman killed at least six people in the streets before being shot dead by police, in Kyiv, Ukraine, Saturday, April 18, 2026. / Credit: Dan Bashakov / AP He added that the investigation will determine which medical institution issued the certificate. Advertisement Advertisement The shooting took place in Kyiv's Holosiivskyi district, the mayor said. Televised footage of the scene showed police taking cover in the shopping mall that housed the supermarket while shots were fired. Bystanders were escorted away from the scene. Shooting comes as Russia and Ukraine trade strikes Also on Saturday, a civilian was killed in Donetsk and dozens more were wounded in overnight attacks by Russia. Local officials reported at least 26 people had been hurt in attacks across northern and eastern Ukraine, including a strike on port infrastructure in the city of Odesa. Elsewhere, a Ukrainian drone strike targeted industrial areas in Novokuibyshevsk and Syzran in Russia's Samara region, Gov. Vyacheslav Fedorishchev said Saturday. He did not give further details, but the General Staff of Ukraine's Armed Forces said in a statement that it had hit major oil refineries in both cities. It also said that its attacks had sparked fires at the Vystosk oil terminal in Russia's northwestern Leningrad region and an oil refinery in the southern Krasnodar region, with the blazes later confirmed by Russian officials. Russia's Ministry of Defense said that its forces destroyed 258 Ukrainian drones overnight over 16 Russian regions, as well as over the annexed Ukrainian peninsula of Crimea and the Black and Azov seas. The suspect accused of attempting to murder OpenAI CEO Sam Altman expressed interest in Luigiing technology leaders in an online chat late last year, referring to Luigi Mangione, the man accused of killing UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. A team member of the podcast The Last Invention first made contact with the suspect, Daniel Moreno-Gama, on Discord last December, when Moreno-Gama asked about violence on the server of an anti-AI group, according to chat screenshots obtained by The Hill. When asked what he meant by violence, Moreno-Gama responded Luiging some tech CEOs, and the two made arrangements to record an interview, the screenshots showed. Advertisement Advertisement Moreno-Gama was arrested and charged with attempted murder and attempted arson after allegedly throwing a Molotov cocktail at Altmans San Francisco house on Friday. During the January recording with podcast host Andy Mils, Moreno-Gama said the comment shouldnt be taken too literally, according to a recording shared with The Hill. People kind of say that all the time. I didnt really mean that as a threat or anything, Moreno-Gama said. When Mills suggested Moreno-Gama was being provocative, he responded, Yes, thats kind of my idea. Id rather be provocative with my statements than actually promote something like that. Advertisement Advertisement Mills responded, So you dont really think it would be wise for someone to say lets kill Sam Altman? to which Moreno-Gama said no and later that its not worth it. Mills said in a piece published in The Free Press on Wednesday that Moreno-Gama told him he did not agree with the murder of Thompson, but, I think we saw with Mangione is a lot of people were able to excuse it. I think thats interesting. Stop AI, a grassroots movement opposing AI, confirmed Moreno-Gama originally posted on their Discord server, asking whether speaking about violence will get him banned. Media startup Longview released an edited form of the podcast Wednesday in the wake of last weeks attack. Mills said the interview was intended to be part of a series documenting debates around the attempt to create artificial general intelligence. Advertisement Advertisement In our series, weve been attempting to cover all sides and all the beliefs shaping our worlds view of this fascinating, bewildering technological moment, Mills wrote. When reached for comment about the podcast, Moreno-Gamas defense team said his statements from the recording appear to reinforce what weve been learning and saying about Daniel. He is a deeply intelligent and peaceful young man who was suffering from a mental crisis during the incident, the team said in a statement. The snippets we have been shown from this podcast indicate that he is committed to remaining peaceful and firmly believes that violence is not a viable option. The attack on Altman, combined with an incident where shots were fired at the home of an Indianapolis city council member over data centers, has prompted new fears over whether the debate around the technology has turned dangerous. Advertisement Advertisement Altman, in a blog post following the attack, said he underestimated the power of words and narratives and pointed to a recent incendiary article about him published days earlier. He did not list the article, though several online users speculated it was a New Yorker investigative piece on Altman released days earlier. A lot of the criticism of our industry comes from sincere concern about the incredibly high stakes of this technology. This is quite valid, and we welcome good-faith criticism and debate. I empathize with anti-technology sentiments and clearly technology isnt always good for everyone, Altman said. While we have that debate, we should de-escalate the rhetoric and tactics and try to have fewer explosions in fewer homes, figuratively and literally. The Wall Street Journal first reported the podcast recording. Updated at 3:54 p.m. EDT Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor has been invited by councillors to relinquish his inherited Freedom of the City of London. The disgraced former prince received the honour in 2012 "by virtue of patrimony", due to his father Prince Philip having been a Freeman. Despite calls for the title to be removed, the City of London Corporation (CLC) previously said the honour, which historically allowed its recipients to walk sheep over London Bridge with no tariff, cannot be taken back. Advertisement Advertisement A CLC spokesperson said: "Elected members have today agreed to write to Mr Mountbatten-Windsor, inviting him to formally relinquish the Freedom." The CLC said it "will consider the response received, if any, at a future meeting and determine what action may be taken". "Applications via patrimony are not considered or endorsed by our elected members, and there is no effective legal mechanism to remove this type of Freedom," the spokesperson added. Advertisement Advertisement One of the City of London's ancient traditions, the freedom is believed to have begun in 1237 and enabled recipients to carry out their trade. Now, the honour is awarded to people nominated by councillors. Sir Lenny Henry and Cate Blanchett are among those to have received the honour. All of Andrew's siblings including the King also have freedom of the city of London. The former prince was stripped of his royal titles, styles and honours by King Charles last year after further details of his relationship with the convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein came to light. In February Andrew was arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office after correspondence in the Epstein Files suggested he may have passed on sensitive trade information, and was released under investigation after spending 11 hours in custody. Advertisement Advertisement He has denied any wrongdoing. The announcement by the corporation comes after Sarah Ferguson lost her freedom of the city of York title in March, after councillors voted unanimously to remove the honour over her links to Epstein. She and Andrew were given the honour as a wedding present from York in 1987 during a visit to the city. Councillors removed Andrew's freedom of the city of York in 2022 and the meeting at the time heard that he was the first person ever to have it taken away. 'Further isolation' The request to voluntarily relinquish the Freedom of the City of London is a further public embarrassment for the former prince. Advertisement Advertisement The removal of his official titles in October last year was designed to be the ultimate public sanction. But since then there has been a drip feed of further humiliation. His name, which had been widely used on buildings, military memorials and schools across the UK and Commonwealth, had in many cases been removed or renamed. Perhaps the most personally painful for him will the removal of his name from four plaques on the Falklands Islands - from where he returned triumphantly as a Royal Navy helicopter pilot after the Falklands War in 1982. There is unlikely to be any public response to this latest request to relinquish the Freedom of the City of London. Advertisement Advertisement It all adds to the further isolation of a man stripped of his home, titles and status. MountbattenWindsor has stayed out of the public eye since moving from Royal Lodge in Windsor in February. He is now living on the Sandringham estate in Norfolk and is privately funded by his elder brother, the King. However, he remains eighth in the line of succession to the throne. Removing him would require an Act of Parliament in the UK and the agreement of all 15 Commonwealth realms where the King is head of state. So far, Canada, Australia and New Zealand have all supported his removal. Listen to the best of BBC Radio London on Sounds and follow BBC London on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to hello.bbclondon@bbc.co.uk Related internet links AI will reshape 50-55% of U.S. jobs in next 3 years, analysis finds 03:25 As the rise of artificial intelligence stirs anxiety over the technology taking people's jobs, AI is also opening pathways to new careers, according to LinkedIn. The fastest-growing job title for young workers on the networking platform is "AI engineer," a recent report from the company found. LinkedIn analyzed millions of member profiles to determine the number of entry-level workers hired over the last three years and the roles they were hired to fill. "It's measuring momentum for these job titles," said Kory Kantenga, the head of economics, Americas, at LinkedIn. "Companies are just gorging on AI talent." Between 2023 and 2025, LinkedIn added 639,000 AI-related job postings in the U.S., 75,000 of which were AI engineer roles. What is an AI engineer? AI engineer is the fastest-growing job title for young people for the second year in a row, according to LinkedIn. The job responsibilities are broad, but generally involve building and running AI products, including AI agents and Large Language Models (LLMs), and integrating them into a business's workflow. "Ultimately, it comes down to building models, meaning that they're building something that can make a decision or make some inference or identify some patterns, and then they need to be able to evaluate those models and update them accordingly," Kantenga explained, The tech industry hires the most AI engineers, followed by financial services, according to Kantenga. A LinkedIn search for entry-level AI engineers also reveals job listings from defense contractors, universities and consulting firms. Employers hiring for the role bill it as a chance to "solve business challenges," "improve efficiency" and "eliminate repetitive, manual work," according to job descriptions on LinkedIn. Young Americans can use help finding a job. The unemployment rate for people ages 20 to 24 was 6.4% in March, well above the overall U.S. rate of 4.3%, according to government data. Although the jobless rate is typically higher for entry-level workers, some evidence suggests that some employers could be opting to plug in AI rather than hire younger, less experienced employees. After ChatGPT launched in 2022, jobs involving structured and repetitive tasks fell by 13%, according to a recent study from Harvard Business School. Young people today often report applying for hundreds of jobs before they successfully land a role. Between December 2025 and February 2026, hiring for entry-level roles in the U.S. sank 6% compared with the same period the previous year, LinkedIn found. "Getting started and breaking into the labor market right now probably does require a certain amount of AI aptitude, or AI literacy, to get ahead," Kantenga said, "because companies are increasingly looking for folks who can bring that skill into their company, help them actually scale up and figure out what they want to do and what the best use cases for AI are." Two more employees have filed a lawsuit against the Michigan Department of State, alleging they were subject to unfair treatment and a hostile environment for Black workers. Jaqueline Griffin and Cherylann Sankar, who work at Metro Detroit branch offices, sued the department, as well as Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson and other officials in Wayne County Circuit Court on Friday, April 17. Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson speaks to reporters during a press conference after election polls close in Michigan at Cadillac Place in Detroit on Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2022. A complaint alleges the employees were subject to discrimination and retaliation at work. Griffin and Sankar are represented by attorney Leonard Mungo, who is representing four other current and former MDOS employees who sued the department on similar grounds of alleged discriminatory practices in January. That lawsuit remains pending in Wayne County Circuit Court. Advertisement Advertisement The newly filed lawsuit states Griffin and Sankar, who are both veteran workers in the department, were subject to unfair demotions and denied promotion opportunities they were qualified for. Additionally, the complaint alleges officials in the department did not take claims of racial discrimination from customers and other employees seriously when they were reported. The plaintiffs seek monetary damages of $10 million for emotional distress, plus lost wages due to demotions. More: Fox 2 Detroit anchor Taryn Asher was fired, according to her attorney "Defendants' discrimination and retaliation against its African American employees who complain of unlawful discrimination is widespread and well-known throughout MDOS," the lawsuit states. "Defendants have no effective system in place to track, correct, or prevent said unlawful discriminatory conduct. Defendants have been repeatedly notified of these unlawful racially discriminatory employment practices through complaints, grievances, and internal surveys, yet have knowingly failed to take corrective action." Advertisement Advertisement A spokesperson for MDOS denied the allegations in the lawsuit. "While the plaintiffs have not yet officially served MDOS the lawsuit, we unequivocally refute these false allegations," Chief Communications Officer Angela Benander said over email. "The secretary and department leadership hold themselves and every employee to the highest legal and ethical standards across the board. We do not tolerate any discrimination, harassment, or retaliation and we are prepared to fight this case in court." The case has been assigned to Circuit Judge Patricia Perez Fresard, according to online court records. A status conference is scheduled for July. Advertisement Advertisement Benson, a Democrat, is currently running for governor. Two affidavits from former MDOS employees Heaster Wheeler and Angela Harness are attached to the lawsuit, in which both allege a hostile work environment for Black employees. Wheeler was Assistant Secretary of State and later served as an adviser. Harness was Customer Service Director and reached a $775,500 settlement with MDOS after suing the department over similar racial discrimination claims. State attorneys representing the department in the Harness lawsuit said the settlement was reached to avoid litigation costs. The same affidavits were also included in the lawsuit filed in January. More: Lawsuit alleges discrimination against Black employees by Benson, MDOS You can reach Arpan Lobo at alobo@freepress.com This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Another MDOS lawsuit alleges discrimination against Black workers HARPERSFIELD High school juniors and seniors heard from a variety of speakers at Fridays Inspire Teen Driving Safety event, encouraging them to be sober and pay attention while behind the wheel. A number of speakers shared their stories at the event, hosted by Ashtabula County Safe Communities. Tina Yanssens spoke to students about the death of her father, who was struck and killed by a distracted driver in 2010. Advertisement Advertisement I dont cry myself to sleep every night, but I do cry every time I talk about my dad, because he was the most important person in my life, she said, fighting back tears. When a life is taken in crash, it is not just that person who is impacted, Yanssens said. Its the lives of the family, the friends, the first responders, and everybody that is left picking up the pieces, she said. It changes every holiday, it changes every birthday, and honestly, every normal moment for the rest of my life is going to be effected by that one minute. Yanssens father walked to and from work every day, nine miles each direction. One morning in 2010, he was hit by a person who was texting while driving, she said. Advertisement Advertisement I remember getting a phone call telling me I needed to get to the hospital right away, there had been an accident, Yanssens said. My family waited in the emergency room waiting area for three hours. Three agonizing hours. About two weeks after the accident, Yanssens received a letter from a person who was nearby and helped her father while waiting for EMTs. The ripples of the event never stop, she said. Yanssens lobbied for a distracted driving law in Ohio, but her siblings turned to alcohol and drugs to cope, she said. I buried my brother six years ago from a fentanyl overdose, Yanssens said. That one text message stole not only my dad, but also my brother. Advertisement Advertisement Ohio Director of Public Safety Andy Wilson encouraged students to be leaders. Every one of you has the opportunity, has the potential to influence those around you for the better, he said. And if you think about it, thats what leadership is. Its just influencing the people to our right and to our left to be either the best version of themselves, to accomplish a goal, to make good decisions, to change the culture of dynamic of an organization. Leadership opportunities will present themselves, and students have to seize that moment, Wilson said. Its never more important than when you have the opportunity to say something to help keep somebody safe, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Students will often be in positions to stop their friends from making a mistake, but dont necessarily say anything out of fear, Wilson said. Brian Rosenberg, who was sentenced to seven years in prison after getting into a fatal crash while driving drunk in 2014, also spoke at the event. Ashtabula County Safe Communities Coordinator Sandy Pulsifer, who organized the event, said it is very important. Talking about their experiences is difficult for the speakers, which is why the organization hosts a single event for all the county schools, she said. The speakers were phenomenal, Pulsifer said. There was also a paramedic from Howland who spoke about his experiences responding to a crash where seven teens were in a vehicle, six of whom died, she said. Advertisement Advertisement That crash almost made him reconsider his choice of career, Pulsifer said. The event made an impact on students who attended, she said. She said she would have liked to see more involvement from county schools. We had schools from as far away as Brookfield and Southington that came, Pulsifer said. The response from law enforcement from the event was amazing, she said. Ashtabula County Safe Communities is planning to host the event again next year, she said. The Artemis II crew described in detail what the intense reentry and textbook splashdown were like in an interview with ABC's "World News Tonight" anchor David Muir, nearly a week after returning home from their historic 10-day journey to the moon and back. "What people might not know is that reentry is at least 10 times wilder of an experience than any rocket launch," Christina Koch, one of the flight's mission specialists, told Muir during an interview Thursday alongside her three fellow Artemis II crew members from NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston, home of the Mission Control Center. "It is the most phenomenal part, the grand finale of any space flight. Coming back to a planet is no joke. It's not like landing a plane," she said. ABC News - PHOTO: NASA's Artemis II mission astronauts commander Reid Wiseman, pilot Victor Glover, mission specialist Christina Koch, and Canadian Space Agency's Jeremy Hansen sit for an interview with ABC News' David Muir, on April 16, 2026. The friction and compression of the Earth's atmosphere as the Orion fell created a plasma bubble that engulfed the spacecraft, not allowing radio signals in or out for a 6-minute communications blackout during the reentry. The capsule also faced heat up to 5,000 degrees Fahrenheit. Advertisement Advertisement "When that plasma comes it's like nothing you can believe," Koch said, describing looking out the window and seeing its flash. "The fireball that we were in got so bright that it was like an arc welder. You almost couldn't even look at it." ABC News - PHOTO: NASA's Artemis II mission astronauts commander Reid Wiseman, pilot Victor Glover, mission specialist Christina Koch, and Canadian Space Agency's Jeremy Hansen are interviewed by ABC News' David Muir, on April 16, 2026. 'We came back as best friends': Artemis II crew reflects on historic moon mission She said that as they fell through the atmosphere there was a "rumbling" that was not something they could have ever practiced on Earth. Reid Wiseman, who served as the Artemis II commander, sought to reassure the crew, telling them, "Everything's nominal," or operating normally, she recalled. Advertisement Advertisement "I thought to myself, he has no idea if this is nominal, but I'm glad he just said that, because I feel better now," she said. ABC News - PHOTO: NASA's Artemis II mission astronauts commander Reid Wiseman, pilot Victor Glover, mission specialist Christina Koch, and Canadian Space Agency's Jeremy Hansen sit for an interview with ABC News' David Muir, on April 16, 2026. Wiseman commended the pilot for the mission, Victor Glover, for his composure during the reentry. "I want to tell you, this man is the real deal," Wiseman said. "We're under four Gs for about 13 minutes, and the entire time he had a cadence of altitudes and speeds, and he never missed a beat. It was the most impressive operational experience I have been through watching him go through entry." For his part, Glover said the heat was "literally and figuratively intense," but described how vital it was to keep that cadence. Advertisement Advertisement "In that blackout, not only do we lose the ability to communicate, we lose the ability for Mission Control to command to the vehicle," he said. "And so if something were to go wrong, one of the reasons that cadence was so important is we know when things should happen, and if they don't happen automatically, we have to get involved and make sure that the forward bay cover comes off the drogue and pilot and mains come out. So we just had to be on it." Artemis II's moon mission is the 1st in more than 50 years. Why did it take the US so long to return? Glover called Friday's dramatic splashdown a "spiritual moment." "I don't remember exactly, I think I just said, 'Welcome back to Earth.' It was such a good moment," he said. Advertisement Advertisement Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen, another mission specialist, expressed gratitude for the Orion capsule upon seeing it after the successful mission. "I just had, like, this immense feeling of gratitude for that ship, because it went through a lot and it kept four humans alive," he said. Crew reflects on emotional moment The crew also reflected on an emotional moment during the journey captured on NASA's livestream, when Hansen said they wanted to propose naming one of the craters on the moon after Wiseman's late wife, Carroll. "It's the pinnacle of my entire life to be able to do something like that on this crew, to honor a woman who was so amazing, and the mother of my two daughters," Wiseman told Muir. "It's etched in my mind forever," the commander continued. "I know for my two daughters, who had to watch their dad hurl himself around the moon with three of his best friends, that was a gift that can never be repaid." Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear (D) said Vice President Vance has forgotten that worship of false idols and support of individuals who tell lies is a breach of Catholic law. I think what JD Vance is forgetting is the commandment that thou shalt not worship false idols, Beshear told MS NOWs Jen Psaki on Wednesday. Thankfully, hes a better apologist than he is a peace negotiator, and all hes doing is defending Donald Trump at all costs. This is a president who has attacked the pope multiple times, who is just trying to live out and speak the New Testament, Beshear, who has garnered attention in recent weeks as a potential contender for the 2028 Democratic presidential nomination, said. Hes apologizing for a guy who is picturing himself as Jesus and then claiming, No, I thought it was a doctor, therefore violating thou shalt not lie. Advertisement Advertisement Beshears comments come as senior White House officials and Pope Leo XIV have traded criticism on each others approach to religion amid the war in Iran. The U.S., which first launched joint strikes with Israel on Tehran in February, is approaching the end of a two-week ceasefire deal with Iran. On Wednesday, Senate Republicans again blocked a resolution to limit the presidents war authority in Iran in accordance with the War Powers Act. Vance, a Catholic, has backed Trumps criticism of the pope in recent weeks, including comments where the president accused the pope of being weak on crime. Vance argued it wasnt newsworthy. Advertisement Advertisement He also defended a controversial AI-generated image that depicted Trump as a Jesus-like figure, calling it a joke. Trump later took the image down after facing backlash from some of his political supporters and told CBS News he thought the post portrayed him as a doctor. Vance claimed he took it down because he realized that a lot of people werent understanding his humor. On Tuesday, Vance addressed the popes opposition to the conflict in Iran directly, warning him to be careful when speaking about theology. God does not bless any conflict, the pope posted on the social platform X last Friday. Anyone who is a disciple of Christ, the Prince of Peace, is never on the side of those who once wielded the sword and today drop bombs. Woe to those who manipulate religion and the very name of God for their own military, economic, and political gain, dragging that which is sacred into darkness and filth, the pope posted to X on Thursday. Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. Republicans are breathing a little easier this weekend, cautiously optimistic that President Donald Trump has found an off-ramp to end the war in Iran. With oil dropping below $90 a barrel, the stock market making new all-time highs, and gas down 8 cents a gallon this week, some feel the slightest bit of wind at their back for the first time since the war began in late February. Everyone knows the historical trends. But at least lower gas prices, putting the war actively behind us, can restore some of the momentum from post-State of the Union, said Matt Gorman, a GOP communications strategist at Targeted Victory. Republicans are dying for the ability to get back on offense. Advertisement Advertisement Whether Trump and Iran afford them that chance remains to be seen. Iranian military officials said Saturday that they have once again taken "strict control"of the Strait of Hormuz because of the ongoing U.S. blockade, a mark of just how fragile and possibly fleeting progress may be. The move came as Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps gunboats fired on a tanker attempting to pass through the strait. While it may seem early to pop the champagne Iran, for example, also denied that it agreed to move its enriched uranium to the U.S. as Trump claimed the solace is in proportion to just how miserable things had looked only a few days ago. The trick now, Republicans say, is keeping the distractions to a minimum no small task when the leader of the party is one social media post away from a new controversy. Success also rests on the administrations theory of a quick economic rebound proving accurate and voters feeling the relief. Short term, certainly relieved, but its the mini political hand grenades that continue to be challenging, said one GOP donor, granted anonymity to speak candidly. Rather than be able [to] solely focus on tax refunds this week, members got questions about the pope and the ballroom. The frayed nerves underscore just how deleterious the last few weeks have been for the GOPs supporters and strategists. The war with Iran was never popular, fractured the MAGA base and raised questions about the presidents position on a core movement principle. Polls show the House is likely lost and the Senate could be in play. And the spike in gas prices could negate one of the presidents signature achievements a massive tax cut that was supposed to line voters pockets and stimulate the economy. Along the way, a feud with the pope, a setback in the war and Viktor Orbans loss in Hungary gave the impression of an administration at the mercy of events rather than in control of them. Advertisement Advertisement The Iran issue remains a contributing factor to a broader set of fundamental concerns that voters have about the economy and global stability, said Kevin Madden, a longtime GOP communications strategist and partner at Penta, a Washington-based consulting firm. It's good that tensions are easing. The main consideration though, in the context of 2026 midterms, is how durable today's posture is. The permanence of the duel ceasefires in Iran and Lebanon is uncertain, at best, but Tehrans decision earlier this week to allow passage of ships through the Strait of Hormuz, coupled with European leaders pledge to help secure it gives hope to the Republicans who believe their fate is tied to the price at the pump. "Big sigh of relief from congressional Republicans today, said former Rep. Carlos Curbelo, a Republican from Florida. It seems they will be able to put the Iran conflict in the rear view mirror; still with plenty of time to refocus the electorate on tax relief and other issues. It will be a steep uphill climb, but now theyll have a chance." The good news on Friday proved the presidents argument that economic disruptions from the war would be brief, said White House spokesperson Taylor Rogers. Advertisement Advertisement Time and time again, the panicans are proven wrong by President Trump who consistently delivers on his promises to the American people. The President remains laser focused on keeping the American people safe, lowering costs for working families, and making our country greater than ever before, Rogers said. The President was always clear that these were short-term, temporary disruptions that would be resolved through the unprecedented successes of Operation Epic Fury and subsequent ongoing peace talks. Trump, too, was in a celebratory mood. On Friday in Arizona, the second and last stop on a southwest tour through battleground states to promote his tax cuts, Trump told reporters it was a big day. Well see how it all turns out but it should be good, had some very good discussions, Trump said. The talks are going on, it will go on over the weekend and a lot of good things are happening. Trump, speaking at a Turning Point USA event, appeared to be in an upbeat mood, touting a lower trade deficit, the end of DEI, and tax cuts among other items he believes are highlights of the second term, and he explicitly tied those successes to the need to win the midterms. Advertisement Advertisement "You must go out and vote Republican, we need that," Trump said, before basking in the day's good news. "Did you see oil is down today? Did you see prices are down today?" Still, not everyone shared Trumps enthusiasm, with some Republicans wary that a Trump-sized shoe was about to drop. I would say Im cautiously optimistic, not a full-blown believer that this will hold, said a GOP operative working in a swing state. And for all the elation, some Republicans, especially those less enthralled with Trumps leadership, still see the spate of good news as doing little to stop the blue wave heading toward them. "An end to the war with Iran that results in Iran giving up its highly enriched uranium and shutting down its military nuclear program would increase the chances of Republicans only losing the House by a 15-20 vote margin, deadpanned former Rep. Ken Buck, a Colorado Republican. Blue Origin's mammoth New Glenn rocket is due to get off the ground this weekend for the third time ever from Florida. Towering more than 300 feet high, the rocket is among the largest of its kind in the world. It's also central to Jeff Bezos' ambitions for his Blue Origin spaceflight company to compete with fellow billionaire Elon Musk and SpaceX in the commercial rocket market. Ahead, New Glenn will be the rocket to launch Bezos' growing Amazon LEO broadband satellite network a direct challenge to SpaceX's Starlink satellite business and could even later in 2026 propel Blue Origin's lunar lander to the moon. Blue Origin is also in talks with the U.S. Space Force to expand New Glenn operations to the Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. Advertisement Advertisement For now, though, the New Glenn rocket is next due to be the launch service provider for a broadband company's satellites. Ready for liftoff? As usual, Blue Origin will provide a livestream of the mission. The Artemis II mission launches April 1 from the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida. The four-person crew aboard the Orion spacecraft hitched a ride to orbit atop NASA's giant 322-foot Space Launch System rocket. Launching atop 8.8 million pounds of thrust, the SLS is the most powerful rocket NASA ever launched, about 17% more powerful than the iconic Saturn V rocket used during the Apollo era. Artemis II Commander Reid Wiseman of NASA took this stunning photograph of Earth from the Orion spacecraft's window on April 2. The image is reminiscent of the iconic "blue marble" image captured during the Apollo 17 mission in 1972. NASA astronaut Christina Koch, a mission specialist on Artemis II, gazes out the windows of the Orion vehicle back at Earth as she and the crew head toward the moon. Koch, who already holds several NASA records from her first spaceflight in 2019 to the International Space Station, became the first woman to fly on a lunar mission. Before going to sleep April 5, the Artemis II crew snapped one more photo of the moon, as it drew close in the window of the Orion spacecraft. Shortly after, the astronauts entered the lunar sphere of influence, where the pull of the moon's gravity became stronger than Earth's. The crew of Artemis II captured a breathtaking image of a celestial event known as an "Earthset," in which the Earth dropped below the lunar horizon. The image is reminiscent of the iconic "Earthrise" photo that NASA astronaut Bill Anders captured in 1968 during the Apollo 8 mission that showed our planet rising on the lunar horizon. Of the impact craters, ancient lava flows and other lunar features the Artemis II astronauts observed during an April 6 flyby, a crater known as the Orientale basin was perhaps the most prominent. Spanning nearly 600 miles, the 3.8 billion year old crater (seen in the upper center of this photo) had never been seen with the naked eye prior to the mission. The Orion spacecraft the Artemis II astronauts were aboard is captured in the same frame as both the moon and Earth in this photo captured about four hours into the historic April 6 flyby. This image shows the moon fully eclipsing the sun from the vantage of the Orion spacecraft, not unlike what millions of people witnessed in April 2024 from Earth. From the crews perspective, the moon appeared large enough to completely block the sun, creating nearly 54 minutes of totality and revealing our star's elusive outermost layer, known as the corona. The crew members of Artemis II embrace following the historic lunar flyby April 6, during which the astronauts flew farther from Earth than anyone in human history while seeing sights of the moon's far side never seen in person. The Artemis II crew captured this breathtaking photo of our galaxy, the Milky Way. Spanning more than 100,000 light-years, Earth is located along one of the galaxys spiral arms, about halfway from the center. 10 days, 10 photos. Here are the most stunning images from Artemis II 1 of 10 The Artemis II mission launches April 1 from the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida. The four-person crew aboard the Orion spacecraft hitched a ride to orbit atop NASA's giant 322-foot Space Launch System rocket. Launching atop 8.8 million pounds of thrust, the SLS is the most powerful rocket NASA ever launched, about 17% more powerful than the iconic Saturn V rocket used during the Apollo era. Here's how to watch Blue Origin's livestream of the New Glenn rocket launch. When is Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket launch? Blue Origin's third New Glenn rocket sits on Launch Complex 36 at dusk Tuesday, April 14, at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. Blue Origin announced it is targeting Sunday, April 19, for the next launch of its towering New Glenn rocket. The launch window is set to be open from 6:45 to 8:45 a.m. ET at Launch Complex 36, Blue Origin's site at the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. How to watch Blue Origin livestream of New Glenn launch Blue Origin will provide live coverage of the mission beginning about 30 minutes before launch on its website and on social media platform X. Launch comes after New Glenn hot fire test Blue Origin committed to the launch time after New Glenn aced a critical preflight test known as a hot fire. The test is a critical step before a launch that entails igniting and running the rocket's engines while the spacecraft is vertical on a launch pad to ensure they are working properly not unlike revving a car while it's in park. What is the New Glenn rocket? How big is it? Named in honor of NASA astronaut John Glenn, the first American to orbit Earth, New Glenn is a powerful two-stage rocket manufactured by Blue Origin classified as a heavy-lift launch vehicle. Advertisement Advertisement The New Glenn rocket stands at about 320 feet tall, making it one of the largest rockets in the world. What is Bluebird 7? Here's what Blue Origin plans for NG-3 Because the next launch will be New Glenn's third-ever spaceflight after its January 2025 debut, Blue Origin refers to the mission as NG-3. This time, the rocket is due to help deliver to orbit broadband network satellites for AST SpaceMobile, a cellular broadband service provider. The BlueBird 7 satellite, with communication arrays as large as 2,400 square feet, would be the largest satellites ever commercially deployed in low-Earth orbit, AST SpaceMobile said in a press release. In a major milestone for Blue Origin, the company plans to reuse the 188-foot-tall first stage booster used on the previous launch in November, named "Never Tell Me the Odds." Launching the booster, which provides the initial burst of thrust at liftoff, for a second time would be a pivotal step toward allowing New Glenn to launch more frequently. Advertisement Advertisement The capability to recover and reuse boosters is one competitor SpaceX has also long perfected with its 230-foot Falcon 9 the most active rocket in the world. Eric Lagatta is the Space Connect reporter for the USA TODAY Network. Reach him at elagatta@usatodayco.com This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: When is the New Glenn launch? Watch Blue Origin coverage of rocket A British bride has battled depression and has been unable to work in the nearly two years since she was drenched in black paint by her spiteful sister-in-law. The attack occurred moments before she was slated to walk down the aisle to wed her childhood sweetheart the climax of a revenge attack amid an ongoing feud. Gemma Monk, 35, a mother of two, was looking forward to marrying her now-husband, Ken Monk, in May 2024. She was walking with her father on a cream-colored carpet at the venue in Maidstone, England, when someone called out her name. Seconds later, she was splashed with black paint, she told Kent Online in an article published Friday. Realizing the attacker was her sister-in-law, Antonia Eastwood, who is married to Gemmas older brother, Ashley, Gemma grabbed her by the hair, but Eastwood managed to get away. The bride was left distraught and in tears. Advertisement Advertisement Jealous Ex-boyfriend Accused Of Vicious Acid Attack That Left College Student Severely Burned: Da Gemma Monk was splashed with black paint moments before her May 2024 wedding in England by her sister-in-law amid an ongoing feud. Antonia Eastwood was handed a 10-month jail sentence by a judge, with 12 months suspended, meaning she will be released on parole. (Fox News) "This has had a dramatic impact on my life," Monk told Kent Online on Wednesday, after Eastwood was sentenced by a British court for two offenses of criminal damage. "Even while I was providing this statement at the police station, I got extremely emotional and started crying while talking about the incident. "Since the incident, if it wasnt for my children or my family, I dont think I would even get out of bed to care for myself," she added. "I have lost all my dignity and good habits in life. I have lost who I used to be. This has turned the most special day of my life into the worst memory one I will never forget, and neither will my family." Read On The Fox News App Advertisement Advertisement The attack occurred after Monk had lost significant weight during a cancer scare. Though she has since been given a clean bill of health, Monk said her sister-in-law knew about the medical struggle at the time but "still decided to ruin the most important day of my life and put me at risk." Eastwood, 49, had been banned from the wedding following a feud that stemmed from her own nuptials, during which Monk was accused of "trying to trip up" Eastwood. Michigan Woman Arrested For Allegedly Starving, Torturing Disabled Sister-in-law She Locked In Basement Antonia Eastwood splashed black paint all over Gemma Monk on her wedding day in a revenge attack. This week she appeared in court over the May 2024 incident. In court, Eastwood was handed a 10-month prison sentence, suspended for 12 months. She was also ordered to perform 160 hours of community service. Advertisement Advertisement "This was meant to be a special day for Gemma Monk and her family. Courtesy of your conduct, it turned into a nightmare," Judge Oliver Saxby told Eastwood before imposing the sentence. Eastwood's husband, Ashley, was once Ken Monk's best friend and actually introduced him to Gemma when she was only 14. Despite the attack, Gemma scrubbed the paint from her face and body in the changing room and borrowed a dress fetched by an usher so she could marry her partner of more than 20 years. "We had waited for that day for so long. Nothing was going to stop me," she said. "I did not think twice; I would have walked down the aisle in my knickers and with black paint over my face if I had to." The bride, who's a mental health worker, has since suffered from depression and has been unable to work. However, Monk, a mental health worker, has since suffered from depression and has been unable to work. In a statement to the court, she said the incident changed her outlook on life and "made me question whether I had done something really bad, whether I had done something wrong." Advertisement Advertisement The couple also called off a planned honeymoon to the Maldives because Gemma "wasn't up to it." Click Here To Download The Fox News App "I had a gut feelinga bad feeling that something was wrongwhen I got out of the car with my dad," Monk said. "But he said it must be nerves." "I will never accept her apology," she added. "I thought the sentence was too light. She should have received at least 23 months for the wait we have had to get this to court." Original article source: Brides sister-in-law douses her in black paint moments before ceremony in horrifying revenge attack A thick column of black smoke rising over one of Chinas biggest electric vehicle hubs is the kind of image that spreads fast and sticks. Thats exactly what happened in Shenzhen when a fire broke out at BYDs industrial park, turning a routine morning into something far more dramatic. For a moment, it looked like another headline tied to electric vehicles and safety concerns. But that assumption didnt last long. Heres where things shift. The fire, which started Tuesday morning, was contained relatively quickly, and no one was hurt. That alone matters. In an industrial setting packed with vehicles and equipment, things can spiral fast. They didnt. Emergency crews showed up, did their job, and kept it from turning into something much worse. Advertisement Advertisement The location of the fire is worth paying attention to. It happened inside a parking garage area at BYDs industrial park in Shenzhens Pingshan district, where the companys global headquarters sits. This wasnt a random off-site incident. This was right at the heart of BYDs operations. The garage itself was being used to store test vehicles and scrapped units, not customer cars rolling off the lot. Footage from the scene showed flames pushing through a large section of the multi-level structure. Fire trucks lined up, crews moving quickly, police locking things down. It looked serious because it was serious. Fires in enclosed structures are unpredictable, especially when vehicles are involved. Thats the kind of situation where rumors start before facts have time to catch up. And thats where it gets complicated. Because almost immediately, the conversation started heading in a familiar direction. Electric vehicles. Batteries. Safety concerns. Its a pattern weve seen before. A fire happens, and people assume the worst before anyone even knows what actually caused it. Advertisement Advertisement But this time, investigators didnt take long to shut that down. Authorities, working alongside BYD, made it clear early on that the fire had nothing to do with vehicle batteries. No thermal runaway, no spontaneous ignition, no defect tied to mass-produced EVs. Instead, the initial findings pointed somewhere else entirely. The cause was traced back to improper external construction activity. That detail changes everything. Instead of being a product issue or a technology failure, this becomes an operational mistake. Human error. A breakdown in how work was being handled around the facility. And thats a very different story than what the smoke initially suggested. Advertisement Advertisement BYD didnt waste time addressing that distinction. The company emphasized that this was an isolated incident and made it clear that customer vehicles were not involved. No widespread safety risk, no recall-level concern, no hidden flaw waiting to show up somewhere else. Still, context matters here. This isnt the first time BYD has been connected to fire-related headlines. There have been previous incidents over the years, including a Qin Pro model fire in Beijing back in 2021 and earlier reports from cities like Shenzhen, Yantai, and Yuncheng in 2020. More recently, in September 2023, a BYD ATTO 3 in Thailand emitted smoke while charging. That situation ended up being linked to a damaged wire connected to the 12-volt battery, which caused heat buildup and refrigerant leakage. Not exactly a battery failure, but still enough to raise eyebrows. So when smoke fills the sky over a BYD facility, people remember those moments. Even if the details dont match, the association is already there. Advertisement Advertisement Thats why this latest incident needed clarity, and quickly. From whats been reported so far, the fire did not spread beyond the immediate area, and it didnt impact production or broader operations in any meaningful way. BYD itself has indicated that the situation is unlikely to disrupt its business. That might sound like standard corporate reassurance, but in this case, the facts seem to back it up. No injuries. No customer vehicles involved. No battery-related cause. Its hard to argue with that combination. But heres the part that actually matters beyond this one fire. Incidents like this show how quickly narratives can form, especially in the EV space. A single image of flames near electric vehicles can trigger a wave of assumptions, whether theyre accurate or not. Advertisement Advertisement And when the real cause turns out to be something like construction activity, it forces a reset. Because at the end of the day, not every fire near an electric vehicle is about the vehicle itself. Sometimes its about whats happening around it. The environment, the work being done nearby, the decisions made on-site. Those factors dont get the same attention, but they can be just as critical. This situation could have easily gone the other way. If the fire had spread further, if it had involved active vehicles, if someone had been hurt, the headlines would look very different right now. They dont, and thats not an accident. Its the result of a contained incident and a cause that, while serious, doesnt point to a systemic problem with the cars. Still, its a reminder. Advertisement Advertisement Industrial sites are complex environments, and even small mistakes can create big problems fast. Whether its construction oversight or something else, the margin for error is thin. And when something does go wrong, the spotlight hits immediately, especially for a company as visible as BYD. So yes, the fire looked dramatic. It grabbed attention for all the right and wrong reasons. But once the smoke cleared, the story turned out to be far less about electric vehicles and far more about what was happening around them. And thats a distinction worth paying attention to. Join our Newsletter, follow our Instagram page, and connect with us on Facebook. We traveled into the Strait of Hormuz. Here's what we saw. 02:00 It took weeks of planning to find a way into the Strait of Hormuz. We studied maps. Talked through scenarios. How we would get in. How we would get out. Who we could call if something went wrong. And what would happen if we ran into trouble along the way. Our plan was to reach one of the strait's narrowest points. Close enough to see, for ourselves, the oil tankers and cargo ships that had been backing up there for weeks. Advertisement Advertisement When a ceasefire between the United States, Israel, and Iran, brokered by Pakistan, came into effect, we made the call. The first round of talks in Islamabad had failed. But the truce was largely holding, and for a moment, the risk felt manageable. We crossed from one Gulf country into another and eventually found ourselves on a coastal road that felt almost too beautiful for the tensions that lay just offshore. On one side were jagged mountains rising straight out of the earth, completely bare of vegetation. On the other, clear blue water stretched out into the Gulf. And then, as the road curved, we saw the ships. Not one or two, but dozens. Sitting still. Waiting. Two ships near the Strait of Hormuz. / Credit: CBS News Accessing the Strait of Hormuz Advertisement Advertisement It is easy to forget, looking at that stretch of water, that roughly 20% of the world's oil passes through it. The strait became a pressure point in the war between the U.S. and Iran, turning into a choke point for the global economy. Since the violence escalated, access to the waterway has been tightly controlled. Journalists are not meant to be on these waters. So we tried another way. At a small port, posing as tourists, we asked around. Quietly. That is where we met Sharif. His real name is not being used. Sharif is from Egypt and has spent decades working along this coastline. In normal times, he told us, tourists would be lining up for him to take them on trips out to sea. Now, there was almost no one. An empty tour boat. / Credit: CBS News After some negotiating, he agreed to take us. We paid $120 for two hours. Advertisement Advertisement His boat was a traditional dhow: wooden, worn, painted brown. The kind that has been used in these waters for generations. Inside, embroidered cushions lined the seats. We climbed aboard. A friendly encounter Out on the water, the first thing that strikes you is how calm it all feels. The sea is flat. The coastline dramatic but still. For a moment, it is hard to reconcile what you are seeing with everything you know about what is happening here. Then the dolphins appeared. They came up alongside the boat and stayed with us, weaving through the wake, rising and dipping in the sunlight. Imtiaz Tyab aboard a boat in the Strait of Hormuz. / Credit: CBS News And then, beyond them, the ships. We did not have to go far to see them. Within minutes, they appeared: Tankers, cargo vessels, all sitting idle. Advertisement Advertisement We didn't dare get to close to them. A police vessel was clearly visible in the distance. But, at one point, a crewman on a what looked like a cargo ship raised his hand. We waved back. He flashed a peace sign. A crew member waves. / Credit: CBS News Iran and the U.S. fight for control The calm on the strait's surface does not reflect the reality underneath. In recent weeks, Iran has moved to assert control over who can pass through the waterway and has reportedly mined part of it. At the same time, the United States has imposed a naval blockade targeting ships entering or leaving Iranian ports, part of a broader effort to pressure Tehran's own energy exports after negotiations broke down. Advertisement Advertisement The result is not a simple closure. It is something more complicated. Some ships are moving. Others are waiting. Many are hedging, delaying, or turning back altogether. For the global economy, even that level of disruption matters. A narrow waterway, carrying a fifth of the world's oil, does not need to fully shut down to send shockwaves through markets. A waiting ship. / Credit: CBS News New agreements don't necessarily mean stability When our time on the dhow was up, we turned back toward shore. We thanked Sharif. Paid him. Watched as he prepared to head out again if another customer appeared. On the drive back, our phones started lighting up. Advertisement Advertisement Iran's foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, announced that the strait would be fully reopened to commercial shipping during a ceasefire linked to fighting in Lebanon. That agreement, a 10-day pause between Israel and Lebanon, is part of a broader attempt to stop the conflict from spreading further. At the same time, President Trump signaled that U.S. pressure on Iran, including the naval blockade, would remain in place unless a wider deal is reached. Some ships have already started moving again. But here, movement does not necessarily mean stability or a return to normal. The strait may be open, at least for now. But passage is still controlled. The risks have not disappeared. And the ceasefires that are holding things together are temporary. Advertisement Advertisement If a broader agreement comes together, this moment may mark the peak of one of the most volatile periods for global energy in years. If it does not, what we saw out on the water may become the new normal: Ships waiting. Others moving carefully. Everyone adjusting in real time. In the Strait of Hormuz, even the calmest water can sit atop something far more fragile. Scott joins a growing list of individuals who are speaking out following several deaths involving Black women and their partners. Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott has had enough. In the wake of the death of Dr. Cerina Wanzer Fairfax at the hands of her husband, former Virginia Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax, the mayor took to Threads on Friday and made a decree, calling out what he felt was sucka ass coward behavior. Advertisement Advertisement RIP Dr. Fairfax. Fellas we have to be better, Scott began. Too many folks trying to make excuses. There are none. Sucka ass coward behavior will always be that and we have to call it what it is. Too many dudes surrounded by other dudes who dont check their homeboys for stuff that leads to stuff like this. He concluded, So much more to it I know but now a woman is gone and her kids are orphans. Wanzer Fairfax, a noted dentist and valued member of the Virginia Commonwealth University community, was shot and killed by her estranged husband on Thursday (Apr. 16) before he turned the gun on himself. In the aftermath of her death, several figures who had either been in Justin Fairfaxs orbit or had been a fraternity brother or colleague to him began writing tributes in his honor. Most of them were met with swift backlash, as a few were Wanzer Fairfax or the couples children. Several posts were eventually taken down. Political commentator Roland Martin caught flak for his post offering condolences to the family, which he later removed, saying he was informed it violated fraternity rules. Advertisement Advertisement In Virginia, Wanzer Fairfax is being remembered as a pillar of the community. Her loss is deeply felt by many who knew her. As a clinician and alumna, Dr. Fairfax embodied the ideals of our professiondedication to her patients, commitment to growth, and a deep sense of purpose in her work each day. I know she was a mentor, role model, and friend to many in our school, VCU interim dean Dr. Jeffrey Johnson wrote in a statement. He added, At times like this, we are reminded of our communitys strength and the enduring bonds that connect us across time and place. On behalf of our school, we extend our heartfelt condolences to Dr. Fairfaxs family, friends, colleagues, and all who were fortunate to know her. Please keep her children and loved ones in your thoughts during the days ahead. In recent days, femicide has become a growing topic among Black Americans following the deaths of Wanzer Fairfax, Barbara Deer, Nancy Metayer, Ashley Jenae and Davonta Curtis. Another woman, Ashanti Allen, was discovered deceased earlier this week and the man she was last seen with is currently on the run, charged with her murder. Allen was eight months pregnant at the time of her death. More must-reads: (Bloomberg) -- Theres no stopping the artificial intelligence financing boom, with a record deal involving Google-backed data centers and an add-on sale by cloud infrastructure firm CoreWeave Inc. raising a combined $6.7 billion in new junk debt. The Google-linked deal a $5.7 billion offering led by Morgan Stanley priced on Thursday after receiving $19 billion of investor orders, according to people with knowledge of the matter. The transaction will fund the construction of two data centers on a campus in Sullivan County, Indiana, that will be leased to cloud-computer startup Fluidstack Ltd. and backstopped by Alphabet Inc.s Google, the people said, asking not to be named because theyre not authorized to speak publicly. Meanwhile, cloud infrastructure firm CoreWeave sold an additional $1 billion of 2031 bonds only a week after the original offering seizing on strong investor demand thats largely held up for AI deals as the Middle East war derailed borrowing plans by other companies. CoreWeave Taps US Junk-Debt Market Again With Bond Reopening (1) The rapid expansion of AI has created an unprecedented shortage of data-center space, graphics-processing unit chips and quick access to electricity to power it all. To fund all of that, companies are tapping every corner of the debt markets from junk bonds to project finance. Wall Street successfully secured tens of billions of dollars in funding in recent weeks, even as the war led some borrowers to pause debt sales. As optimism about a longer-term peace deal rises, borrowing costs have eased broadly for companies of all types bringing with it a revival in issuance. A joint venture known as Meridian Arc HoldCo LLC, created by entities owned by Next Frontier LLC and Fluidstack, sold the new five-year notes for the Indiana data centers. The $5.7 billion bond is the largest US dollar high-yield bond sale tied to AI as well as the biggest to be led by just one Wall Street institution, according to Bloomberg-compiled data. It wrapped up just one day after official marketing began. It priced at par to yield 6.25%, at the tight end of price talk, one of the people said. The size beat Morgan Stanleys own record for the biggest ever sole-led high-yield bond offering, which it nabbed last year for cryptocurrency miner TeraWulf Inc.s $3.2 billion bond sale. That deal that was also backstopped by Google. A representative for Morgan Stanley declined to comment on the deal, while Google and Fluidstack didnt respond to requests for comment. Click here for Bloombergs AI Infrastructure Debt Monitor Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson warned of a potential "teen trend" event on the citys South Side, avoiding the term "takeover" as the mob scenes have caused mayhem in the Windy City and other communities across the country recently. On Wednesday, Johnson urged parents to keep close tabs on their children amid ongoing concerns about gatherings that have previously turned chaotic. "Chicago, there are credible reports of a teen trend forming in Hyde Park later today," Johnson wrote on social media Wednesday. "Parents, be aware of where your children are going this evening. DO NOT allow your children to attend one of these gatherings; they are dangerous and can often turn violent." Advertisement Advertisement "Together we can keep our youth and our communities safe," he added. Images circulating on social media appear to show an earlier version of the mayors post referring to the gathering as a "takeover" before it was changed to "trend," though Fox News Digital has not independently verified the authenticity of those images. Fox News Digital reached out to Johnson for comment. Read On The Fox News App Chicagos Brandon Johnson Blasts 'Assaults Against Immigrants' As Slain Sheridan Gorman Is Laid To Rest The warning follows a series of similar incidents that have unfolded in recent weeks, including a March 30 gathering in Hyde Park that drew hundreds of teenagers and stretched late into the night. Advertisement Advertisement Video previously obtained by Fox News from ChitownCrimeChasers showed large crowds filling streets and sidewalks, with some individuals climbing on cars, dancing at intersections and engaging in brief altercations. Residents reported dozens of vehicles damaged, with one local estimating roughly $1,000 in dents and destruction to his car. Residents Alarmed After Teen Violence Erupts In Washington, Dc Neighborhood Police said at least three curfew violations were issued, and a 16-year-old girl was charged with unlawful possession of a weapon and disorderly conduct in connection with that incident. City officials have described the takeovers, often organized via social media, as part of a growing trend. Johnson himself has referred to them as "teen trends," warning in a recent public message that authorities were tracking multiple such events across the city. Advertisement Advertisement "Theyre unsafe, and they can turn deadly," the mayor said, urging parents to prevent their children from attending and noting police would enforce the citys 10 p.m. curfew. Teen Takeover Spirals Into Chaosgunfire Reported As Police Rush In Day After Leaders Call For Calm Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson said "assaults against immigrants" have to end as Sheridan Gorman was laid to rest. (Reuters) The renewed concerns come amid heightened scrutiny of Johnsons leadership on crime following the high-profile killing of 18-year-old Loyola University Chicago student Sheridan Gorman. Authorities allege Jose Medina-Medina, a Venezuelan national in the country illegally, shot Gorman on March 19. Federal officials have said the suspect was released into the U.S. in 2023, fueling criticism from Republican leaders and others who argue current immigration and public safety policies are failing to deter crime. Advertisement Advertisement Got A Tip? Republican leaders have also criticized the handling of the case, pointing to what they describe as failed leadership and policies that allowed the suspect, who was released into the U.S. in 2023, to remain in the country. Johnson has faced backlash for remarks made around the time of Gormans funeral, when he emphasized that "assaults against immigrants" must end and defended longstanding city policies limiting cooperation with federal immigration enforcement. Follow Us On X When asked whether he would apologize to Gormans family, the mayor pointed to policies predating his administration and offered condolences, saying no words could "properly console a family that lost their baby." Advertisement Advertisement Gormans family has called for accountability and change, saying her death should not be dismissed as a "senseless tragedy." Get Breaking News By Email Chicago police officials said they were aware of Wednesday's planned gathering and deployed additional resources to the Hyde Park area in advance. In a statement, Chicago Police Superintendent Larry Snelling said officers were assigned to monitor what he described as a "teen trend" that had been widely promoted on social media. Snelling noted that similar gatherings in the past have led to "violence and criminal activity," but said the response this time included parents and community members stepping in. Advertisement Advertisement "The difference with last night is that parents in the community took a stand against the disorderly conduct seen at previous teen trends and organized their own takeover," Snelling said, adding that families, school staff and officers worked together to encourage "safe and responsible conduct." He also emphasized that public safety efforts cannot fall solely on law enforcement, saying "every Chicagoan has a responsibility" to help keep young people safe. Click Here For More Us News The warning comes as similar "teen takeover" incidents have been reported in cities across the country, including a chaotic gathering in downtown Detroit over the weekend. Advertisement Advertisement In that case, police said large crowds of teens flooded the area after organizing on social media, prompting a significant law enforcement response. Authorities said a gun was fired during the incident, though no injuries were reported, and multiple teens were detained as officers worked to clear the scene. The incident unfolded just one day after Detroit Mayor Mary Sheffield stood alongside community leaders and teen organizers to call for more safe spaces for youth, saying "enforcement alone is not the answer." Chicago officials have similarly described the gatherings as part of a growing trend, with Johnson previously warning that multiple "teen trends" were being tracked across the city and could "turn deadly." Click Here To Download The Fox News App Advertisement Advertisement Police say they are monitoring social media for planned events and will enforce curfew laws as needed, while city leaders continue urging parents to keep track of their childrens whereabouts. Fox News Digital's Sarah Rumpf-Whitten and Adam Sabes contributed to this report. Original article source: Chicago mayor warns of teen trend after takeover chaos, violence concerns grow Erotic chatbots, video-synced and voice-activated devices mesmerised visitors at a sex toy expo in Shanghai this weekend, as China's adult product firms join the global AI craze. China is the world's largest producer of sex toys, and the country's entrepreneurs have fully embraced AI tools in other sectors. Though some businesses at the trade show said they were wary of legal risks posed by machine-generated sexual content, others were keen to advertise their enhanced wares when AFP visited on Friday. Advertisement Advertisement Banners scattered across the large exhibition hall advertised a Guangzhou-based company's "AI character dating" Luvmazer app, which turns conversations with virtual partners into vibrator pulses. "One sentence can make you shiver," the banners promised. A life-size, cyberpunk-inspired silicon doll with metal joints lay in a large vitrine at the Cydoll booth, which factory manager Zhou Yuanqing said was a prototype designed to display "natural" emotions and speech. "People nowadays don't go out to drink or meet their friends, and they might prefer to play games on their phones or computers on their own... but they still need companionship," Zhou told AFP. Advertisement Advertisement Multiple sex toy companies showed off apps that use machine learning to interpret adult videos and translate them into pressure, speed and pulse pattern changes -- features that were rare novelties just a few years ago. "Everyone has the video syncing feature now," an employee at teledildonics firm Amorlink told AFP at the company's stand, which showcased vacuum cups equipped with powerful computing chips. A two-in-one suction vibrator exhibited by domestic condom giant Jissbon meanwhile featured long-distance remote control capabilities, a roster of virtual "boyfriend" personas and the ability to match frequency and intensity to environmental noise levels. - Regulatory risks - Advertisement Advertisement Multiple businesses offered AI agents for marketing and operating offline adult stores, while others touted tech solutions for brands trying to make their own "smart" toys. A poster for Hong Kong-based metaXsire, which did not have a booth at the expo, boasted an "adult image and video generator" and dirty talk in more than 80 languages. The company's website says its app can swap the faces of celebrities or personal acquaintances onto pornographic videos which are then synced to its toys. The terms and conditions of the app forbid customers to use it to shame or harass others, but did not detail how the company would ensure consent for the faceswap feature. Advertisement Advertisement But multiple exhibitors present on Friday said they were cautious about mixing AI and adult video content, due to legal and privacy concerns. Pornography is technically illegal in mainland China, and most adult video sites are blocked by the country's Great Firewall and cannot be accessed without specialised VPN software. Sam Xie, the founder of Shanghai-based adult toy maker Magic Motion, said his products were compatible with AI agents but he had to be selective when choosing software developers to partner with. "We have to be very careful, or there could be all sorts of problems, and we could get reported by consumers," Xie told AFP. tjx/reb/ane Reported rabies cases have reached double digits in Cleveland County this year, and the increase has many pet owners wondering what it means for their own yards, neighborhood walks and everyday routines. The 11th rabies case was identified this week, according to the Cleveland County Health Department. On April 15, the health department was notified of a skunk that tested positive for rabies, according to a news release. The animal was found on Wes Cook Road in Casar. Out of the 11 reported cases this year, 10 have been skunks and one was a fox, which had attacked a Lattimore woman in her front yard. Advertisement Advertisement So far, reported cases in the first three and a half months of the year have exceeded all of last year's. According to Cleveland County Animal Services, there was a total of nine cases in 2025. Cleveland County health officials stress that rabies is deadly but preventable, and they are urging residents to keep pets vaccinated, watch for unusual wildlife behavior and seek help quickly after any possible exposure. SHARING HER STORY: Cleveland County woman attacked by rabid fox Here are key things Cleveland County pet owners should know: 1. Rabies isnt limited to rural areas A skunk found on Ivywood Drive in Shelby tested positive for rabies on April 9, marking the countys 10th confirmed rabies case, according to the Cleveland County Health Department. Recent alerts have also detailed rabid skunks and other animals found in communities such as Casar and Shelby. Advertisement Advertisement Health officials say those cases highlight that rabies is not confined to rural areas and can turn up in residential neighborhoods across the county. 2. How rabies spread Rabies is most commonly transmitted through the bite of an infected animal or when infectious saliva enters open wounds or mucous membranes, such as the eyes or mouth. Health officials advise pet owners to take any bite or suspicious scratch seriously, especially when it involves wildlife such as skunks, foxes, raccoons or bats, and to report possible exposures promptly to a healthcare provider or county health officials. 3. Watch for unusual wildlife behavior Residents are urged to leave wildlife alone. Raccoons, skunks and other wild animals serve as the primary reservoir for rabies in North Carolina. Anyone who sees an animal exhibiting unusual behavior such as aggression, disorientation or activity at odd hours should contact Cleveland County Animal Services at 7044819884, officials said. 4. Keep pets vaccinated Under North Carolina law, all dogs, cats and ferrets must be kept currently vaccinated against rabies and must wear a rabies tag. If a pet is exposed to rabies and is current on vaccination, it should receive a booster dose. If a pet is not vaccinated at the time of exposure, state law requires the animal to be euthanized or quarantined for six months. 5. What to do after a bite or scratch Anyone bitten or exposed to potentially infectious saliva should contact a healthcare provider or the local health department immediately for a rabies risk assessment. Cleveland County residents can contact the Cleveland County Health Department at 9804845169 or 9804845100. 6. Report suspicious animals to Animal Services County officials urge residents not to approach stray or feral animals and to report animals showing unusual behavior to Cleveland County Animal Services, which can respond and arrange rabies testing when necessary. Officials say limiting contact with stray animals, keeping pets leashed where required and reporting concerns quickly all help reduce the risk that rabies will spread through local wildlife and pet populations. This article originally appeared on The Gaston Gazette: Rabies cases in Cleveland County. What pet owners need to know LEBANON AFFAIRS: Lebanese refugees support Israels efforts to defeat Hezbollah, fearing the return of the Iranian proxy if Israel withdraws before the job is done. Their plea: Finish the fight. The Lebanese understand the necessity of land operations to rid the country of Hezbollah, but are fearful Israel will withdraw before freeing them of the Iranian proxy, two exiled descendants of Southern Lebanon Army members told The Jerusalem Post. Maryam Younnes was only five years old when she fled her home in Dibil in southern Lebanon, leaving behind her grandmother and cousins, unable to legally see or speak to them again. Advertisement Advertisement Maryams father, Elias, was a commander in the South Lebanon Army (SLA). He defended the countrys sovereignty against the Palestinian Liberation Organization, which used the territory to launch attacks against Israel and brutalize local populations. We were in no mans land. No one helped us. No one looked after us, just like whats going on right now. There was no army. The PLO were brutal with us as well, fighting with Israel against our will; they were slaughtering us, she recalled. They were kidnapping people from the south. They were trying to take over land. Elias was among those who called on Israel to help fight against the PLO terrorists and who took up arms alongside Israel. He fought for his countrys stability until 2000, when Israel withdrew, and Hezbollah labeled him a traitor, Maryam said. When then-Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah went on national television and promised to slaughter anyone who worked alongside Israel, the family packed up and fled. MARYAM YOUNNES in her home village of Dibil before being forced to flee (left), and now. (credit: Courtesy Maryam Younnes) 'We were forced to leave our country' Despite being so young then, Maryam remembers details of her village, including studying in French and the close relationships she had with her grandmother, uncles, aunts, and cousins. Advertisement Advertisement We were forced to leave our country. We fought for 20 years for our country, and then in one night we were supposed to just leave everything and run away, she said. And it left an impact, and something inside of every one of us.... We are a strong community. Mentally, we are very flexible. But still, not being able to talk to our family back in Lebanon like me, growing up, remembering my grandma and how beautiful a connection we had, but never able to talk to her again or see her its very hard. Maryam thought she would be gone for only two weeks. Twenty-six years later, she is a member of Israels Lebanese Maronite community. Around 7,000 SLA members escaped to Israel and built lives there, unable to return to their homeland. As an Israeli citizen, Maryam completed her National Service and is now starting a business that helps Arab brands enter the Israeli market. Elias was among the last members of Israels Lebanese community permitted to be buried in his home village. While this means his daughters have not been able to visit his grave, Maryam said she knows there was nowhere else he would have wanted to be laid to rest. The reach of Hezbollahs violence Dibil, like many Christian and Druze villages in southern Lebanon, has not been spared Hezbollahs violence. The Iran-backed group circulated rumors last month that IDF soldiers were hiding in the local church, which led to the building being attacked with shelling and rocket fire. Advertisement Advertisement The rumor, Maryam said, was part of a broader campaign to target communities outside Hezbollahs Shia base. Hezbollah rockets have fallen short of their intended targets in Israel, landing instead on Lebanese villages, and Hezbollah fighters have also been known to position themselves near these areas in the hope that Israel will strike them, allowing the group to benefit from civilian casualties, she said. Theyre using a very dirty game, and we are very worried. From what Ive heard, Israel can clear the area around the Christians, so its less problematic than it was before, but we are still afraid of them coming back, or trying to do something even bigger, especially in Beirut, Maryam said. While many Lebanese understand the reason for the war because its very obvious and its very clear, Maryam said, Israels withdrawals in 2000 and 2006 have left people unwilling to trust that the Jewish state will follow through. As a result, many are hesitant to risk supporting efforts to rid Lebanon of the Iranian proxy. The Lebanese people are terrified that this might happen again, and that an agreement with Iran might affect the situation in Lebanon, which will affect the Lebanese people themselves, because Hezbollah will turn its weapons on them, she explained. Its not for the love of Israel, but the majority agree on the necessity of eliminating Hezbollah in order to have a prosperous Lebanon, a peaceful Lebanon. Advertisement Advertisement Hezbollah is the cancer of the country, and I think right now, the majority of the Lebanese people are really hoping that Israel will finish the job, she said, adding that the USs and Israels inability to fully conclude wars on other fronts has not gone unnoticed. Asked how she felt, watching Israel launch yet another land operation into Lebanon, Maryam said it hurt her to see land being taken, but Israel is doing the job that the Lebanese people were supposed to do, and I know that this is the only way we can actually eliminate Hezbollah and hopefully create a clean Lebanon, where people actually can have the ability to dream finally and to build a proper future. As hard as it is, I am very hopeful that this operation will end up with, again, a peace agreement, and we will see solutions. And I hope that we will be part of this agreement or solution, because we are the first ones who fought against Hezbollah, and we were the ones who were kicked out of their land because of Israels wrong decisions, she said. The Lebanese have paid a high price for Hezbollahs decision to drag the country into another round of conflict, and it is widely understood that these battles are not being fought for the benefit of the people, she said. Despite the toll, many Lebanese understand why Israel is fighting and support efforts to rid the country of the group. Advertisement Advertisement The UN Human Rights Office estimated that as much as one-fifth of the population of Lebanon has been displaced, and thousands of civilian casualties have been reported since October 8, 2023. I dont see how a person can treat cancer without hurting the whole body, Maryam said, addressing the tragedy of civilian casualties alongside what she sees as the necessity of the action. If we had another way to do it, I would be the first one to advocate for it, but we dont. Its a terrorist organization that understands only power, so you need to crush it to the ground and take its weapons. Maryam said she is deeply aware of and sympathetic to those who have been displaced or are mourning, describing herself as an example of collateral damage. The only thing that could justify such suffering, she said, is the assurance that this will be the last war Lebanon fights, and that the international community will ensure Hezbollah is finally gone. Memories of Lebanons deadly 15-year civil war, which ended only in 1990, are still in living memory, and the trauma is still informing decisions now. Estimates suggest 150,000 were killed, tens of thousands wounded, and hundreds of thousands displaced. The government, she said, is trying to work smartly to weed out Hezbollahs infiltration without risking the group turning its weapons on the people, igniting a similar battle. Advertisement Advertisement Iran can tell Hezbollah, Okay, turn your weapon on the Lebanese people. This is your last breath; do whatever it takes to stay alive and to keep your weapon. Fight the Lebanese people, she theorized, noting only days ago there were reports that Hezbollah was plotting to overthrow the government. If Israel can successfully cleanse Lebanon of Hezbollah, Maryam said she would look forward to returning to her village and hopes there can be an agreement that would allow her to split her time between her two homes. Collateral damage Children of South Lebanon Army members recount how Hezbollah forced them to flee their homeland Lebaese analyst Jonathan Elkhoury spoke to the Post from Ramat Gan, though, like Maryam, he was born in southern Lebanon and was forced by Hezbollah to flee as a child. The first violence he remembers, though, is PLO terrorists stealing the familys car, storming into homes and executing his neighbors. Advertisement Advertisement One of the first things that my mom said, speaking with her friend on the phone after October 7, was that the same thing that happened to the communities in southern Israel was what happened to us in Lebanon back in the 70s, when the Palestinian terrorists came into the village and just shot kids and women and elderly, he shared. Jonathans father spent 18 years in the SLA, achieving the rank of officer, fighting against the foreign forces brutalizing Lebanon. Despite fighting under the Lebanese flag, he was painted as a traitor by an armed group that swore their allegiance would be to a foreign power, the ayatollah of Iran. As a member of a minority in the Middle East, half Catholic and half Greek Orthodox, Jonathan said that Israel was the only country willing to fight alongside his father and defend him. In May 2000, after Israels withdrawal, Jonathans father fled to Israel, and a year later, the rest of the family joined him when Hezbollah began occupying their villages. Advertisement Advertisement Hezbollah occupied our territory. They started entering homes and behaving as if they were the new sheriff in town; this is basically what they said. They stole a couple of our cars. They would go into homes and beat women and children of South Lebanon Army soldiers, Jonathan recalled. Some of [the SLA soldiers] were executed. Some of them sat in prison for a really long time and got tortured for being allied with Israel and wanting to have peace with Israel. Seeing the state of Hezbollahs control over Lebanon 25 years after he fled, Jonathan said it was devastating to see that Lebanese people are continuing to suffer on behalf of a cause that has nothing to do with any Lebanese cause. When Hezbollah dragged Lebanon into a war by attacking Israel on October 8, 2023, a day after Hamass devastating invasion of southern Israel, many who were silently opposed began to speak out against the terrorist group, he said. They were against involving Lebanon in wars that have nothing to do with any Lebanese cause. Israel wasnt engaging in Lebanon. Israel wasnt attacking Lebanon. Theres no issues going on, except some points on the border that could be fixed by negotiations. Theres no need to go to war in order to fix these issues, once they sit and talk with Israelis. So a lot of Lebanese started to question, what is Hezbollahs role in Lebanon? he noted. Advertisement Advertisement It didnt happen in a vacuum; it was boiling among the Lebanese for the last two decades at least, questioning Hezbollahs role and why are they still holding weapons, why are they still occupying territories and deciding on behalf of the Lebanese government, without asking it whether they should go to war or not. Now that Hezbollah has again dragged Lebanon into a war unrelated to its national interests, in what Hezbollah admits is in response to the targeted killing of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the situation has reached a boiling point, he claimed. Hezbollah did not respond to the ceasefire violations it alleged Israel was carrying out, Jonathan said, so claims of protecting Lebanons sovereignty are nonsensical. Referencing a Gallup poll from July last year, Jonathan noted that the overwhelming majority (79%) of Lebanese supported disarming Hezbollah, including more than a quarter of the Shia population, and 86% of the population opposed military conflict with Israel. Apart from the wars initiated by Hezbollah, Jonathan said, many recall early speeches delivered by Nasrallah insisting that the diverse country become a Shia Islamic extension of Iran. While Nasrallah may have changed his rhetoric, aware that the majority of Lebanese are not Shia and so would reject such plans, Jonathan said the terrorist group has steadily maintained his vision, changing the status of villages from nonreligious or sectarian to Shia. Part of the reason many villages in southern Lebanon refused to evacuate is the fear that Hezbollah will seize control in their absence, he commented. About 100,000 people stayed in their villages in the south of Lebanon, from the Christian villages, from the Druze villages, and also from the Sunni villages, because for decades, they were able to prevent Hezbollah from embedding themselves in these villages and in their communities. They refused to let Hezbollah use them to attack Israel, like weve seen in the Shia villages, he said. Speaking of a recent announcement by the IDFs Arabic-language spokesperson, confirming that Hezbollahs leaders and commanders have left Dahiyeh in Beirut and its territories in southern Lebanon to embed themselves within the cities so far untouched by war, Jonathan repeated Maryams accusation that the group was trying to gain support through civilian casualties. Hezbollah is trying to use the Christian villages that stayed there to tell the Lebanese public, No, this is Israel hurting everyone, not just us. So theyre deliberately going to Christian villages or Sunni villages or Shia villages to try and make Israel respond in these territories, to win in the public opinion or the public eye inside of Lebanon, he claimed. Addressing the recent direct talks between Beirut and Jerusalem, the first high-level meeting since 1993, Jonathan said that his two home countries had come close to normalizing relations on multiple occasions. He said Lebanon once again has the historic opportunity it lost with the collapse of the May 17 Agreement of 1983. The ABC7 I-Team has been poring over the video showing the moments surrounding the deadly shooting of Chicago Police Officer Krystal Rivera. The Civilian Office of Police Accountability releasing video Friday showing the moment Officer Krystal Rivera was fatally shot by her partner Carlos Baker last June. The video is difficult to watch. It shows CPD partners Krystal Rivera and Carlos Baker chasing a man into an apartment building in the Chatham neighborhood last summer, through what former law enforcement described as a "fatal funnel." Police stated at the time they believed that man was armed. The video shows Baker firing one shot that struck and killed Rivera unintentionally, according to police. Attorneys for Rivera's family say the video raises serious questions. The body-worn camera video from Officer Baker shows he and Officer Rivera approaching an apartment building around 9:50 p.m. in the 8200-block of South Drexel Avenue in Chicago's Chatham neighborhood the night of June 5, 2025. Advertisement Advertisement Both officers asked a man to show them his hands before entering and chased that man, who entered an apartment. Rivera was directly behind Baker in the narrow hallway. Baker kicked down the door as the suspect flipped over the couch. Then another man is seen, in surveillance video released by COPA, exiting a room with a long gun in hand Baker appeared to react, turning and firing one shot. Rivera then fell to the ground. Baker is seen going up the stairs, calling in "shots fired" and asking for an ambulance. About two minutes later, Baker can be seen going to check on his partner before additional units arrived to transport her. Advertisement Advertisement ABC7 Police Affairs Consultant Bill Kushner told the I-Team, "We call that a fatal funnel. Those buildings are literal, just kill zones. Every, every, every staircase is a kill zone, and there's no good way to get into any apartment or chase anyone in there." Kushner was once a tactical officer in the 6th Police District where Baker and Rivera worked. He said it appears they acted in accordance with CPD policy. "I mean, if they saw the individual, they had a good description, they were in direct pursuit of the individual, then you don't want to wait, because you don't know who else you're putting in jeopardy in that building," Kushner told the I-Team. The video was released four months after Krystal Rivera's family filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Baker and CPD, citing a volatile history between the two who had been romantically involved. Rivera had requested a new partner after they broke up. Advertisement Advertisement Baker has been at the center of multiple investigations by the Chicago Police Department and has been relieved of police powers. The I-Team previously reported Baker also faced three suspensions and two reprimands in just four years with the department. There were 11 seconds between Baker and Rivera entering the building before she was shot. Since June, police have said Officer Baker unintentionally shot Officer Rivera. However, attorneys for Rivera's family said in a statement, "this is NOT all of the body-worn video footage from the event. What has been released is a curated narrative meant to invent a false truth." They said they will conduct a full forensic video audit and analysis to investigate. COPA is not commenting on the allegations, but sources are telling the I-Team Officer Rivera's body-worn camera was cut off to maintain dignity in her final moments. Advertisement Advertisement An attorney for Officer Baker did not respond to the I-Team's request for comment. When announcing their lawsuit, the lawyer for the Rivera family claimed that Officer Baker didn't do enough to help Officer Rivera after she was shot. On Friday, John Catanzara, the head of the Chicago Fraternal Order of Police, defended Officer Baker's actions. FOP President Catanzara also encouraged Officer Baker to consider filing a lawsuit against the law firm representing the Rivera family. A highly contagious illness that can cause severe and even deadly vomiting and diarrhea is spreading at an alarmingly high rate across the United States, health experts warned. Rotavirus, known for causing severe vomiting and diarrhea, is an illness that usually sees an increase in cases during the typical cold and flu season. The recent surge, which is continuing on an upward trajectory, has been enough to grab the attention of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). "The increase in rotavirus infections that we have seen over the past 4-6 months is unusual, compared to previous seasons over the past 2 decades when rotavirus vaccines have been available," Dr. Andi L. Shane, chief of the division of pediatric infectious disease at Childrens Healthcare of Atlanta and professor of pediatrics at Emory University School of Medicine, told USA TODAY. "The trend in the increasing rates of rotavirus infections is concerning, as well as the corresponding decrease in rotavirus immunization rates." Advertisement Advertisement WasteWaterSCAN, a Stanford University-led tool for tracking the spread of disease by testing wastewater samples, categorized rotavirus activity as "high" as of April 12, noting a 40% increase in concentrations since February. Data from the CDC's National Respiratory and Enteric Virus Surveillance System (NREVSS) shows a steep incline in rotavirus cases beginning in January, with the latest data from April 4 representing the highest rate of infection since August 2025. Of the 2,329 tests administered the week ending April 4, 7.30% were positive. At a low point in January, only 1.66% of 2,950 tests returned positive. "There has been nationwide observation and discussion regarding increases in the numbers of children with rotavirus infections seeking medical attention for vomiting, diarrhea, and dehydration," said Shane. "Families ... have been asking questions about which vaccines are needed, and because rotavirus immunization has been so successful over the past two decades in reducing rotavirus disease, many parents are not aware of rotavirus and the dehydration that it can cause." Advertisement Advertisement Here's what to know about rotavirus and how to protect yourself against it. What is rotavirus? How does it spread? Rotavirus is a contagious virus that causes vomiting, watery diarrhea, fever, and could lead to dehydration, according to the CDC. People infected with rotavirus pass the virus in their stool, which is how it gets into the environment and can infect others. The disease can become serious for some people, resulting in severe dehydration, hospitalization and sometimes death, Dr. Rochelle Walensky, Advisor for Medical Affairs at the Vaccine Integrity Project and former Director of the CDC, told USA TODAY. Rotavirus is spread when virus particles enter the mouth. Usually, this means touching a contaminated surface or stool directly and putting unwashed hands into or near the mouth, or eating contaminated food. Advertisement Advertisement Anyone can get rotavirus, but infections are more common and more likely to become serious in infants and young children, older adults and people with weakened immune systems. "(Children) are more likely to experience dehydration, as they have higher fluid needs relative to their body weight, limited fluid reserves, and are unable to tolerate rapid fluid losses from the vomiting and diarrhea that result from rotavirus infection," Shane said. Because of its fecal-oral transmission, rotavirus commonly spreads among families and in hospitals and childcare centers, according to the CDC. Children are most likely to get rotavirus from January through June. There is no treatment for rotavirus beyond supportive care, which includes staying hydrated. Before widespread vaccination, rotavirus hospitalized up to 70,000 U.S. children a year. Rotavirus symptoms People infected by rotavirus typically start showing symptoms two days after exposure, according to the CDC. The most common symptoms include: Advertisement Advertisement Severe watery diarrhea Vomiting Fever Stomach pain Vomiting and watery diarrhea can last three to eight days. Since the virus causes excessive diarrhea and vomiting, dehydration is also a common concern, especially in infants and young children. Symptoms to look out for include: Decreased urination Dry mouth and throat Feeling dizzy when standing up Crying with few or no tears Unusual sleepiness or fussiness Rotavirus prevention and vaccines Vaccination is the most effective form of protection against rotavirus, according to Shane, Walensky and the CDC. It is given by mouth as liquid drops to infants in either a two- or three-dose series between two and six months of age, said Shane. It is highly effective, preventing severe rotavirus infections in 9 out of 10 immunizations and preventing any infection at all in 7 out of 10. Advertisement Advertisement Before the vaccine, rotavirus annually sent more than 400,000 children to doctors' offices and 200,000 to emergency rooms. About 70,000 children were hospitalized, and 20 to 60 deaths occurred each year, according to the National Foundation of Infectious Diseases. Widespread vaccination has prevented about 60,000 hospitalizations from rotavirus each year, said Walensky. "It's important to remember that our baseline expectation for the number of cases has decreased significantly since the introduction of the rotavirus vaccine," she said. "So even high activity now is less in terms of duration and magnitude than we used to see." Walensky also noted that the current rate of infection isn't entirely unusual for what we see during a seasonal surge. And, she said we don't currently have evidence to link the spike directly to decreased vaccine uptake. Advertisement Advertisement "That said, federal vaccine policy chaos and the unfounded doubt that federal leaders have sown in vaccine safety and effectiveness cannot be good for uptake," she said. Shane, on the other hand, said she has seen more cases than usual. "While there is likely not a single contributing factor, decreasing uptake of rotavirus immunization is likely one contributing factor to the increase in rotavirus infections that we are seeing," said Shane. Besides immunization, the best ways to prevent the spread include handwashing, good hygiene, and isolating sick people. It's important to remember that alcohol-based hand hygiene, such as hand sanitizer, is not good at preventing rotavirus disease, said Walensky, and that hand-washing with soap is necessary. A nurse administers the rotavirus vaccine to a baby during a vaccination program against rotavirus. Latest status on rotavirus vaccinations The vaccination protecting against rotavirus is one of four that were removed from the CDC's childhood schedule by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., with President Donald Trump's backing. Kennedy said cutting the number of vaccinations aligns the United States with other developed nations. Advertisement Advertisement These changes, among others, drew the ire of medical institutions like the American Academy of Pediatrics, which went as far as to release its own schedule in August 2025, saying the federal process was no longer credible. In a response posted to social media, Kennedy hit back at the pediatrics academy's criticism, implying the organization's views were influenced by corporate pharmaceutical funders. Some of the modifications to federal recommendations were paused in March when a federal judge sided with the APA and its allies, deeming HHS's overhaul unlawful. HHS vowed to appeal the decisions. As of April 21, a notice atop the CDC vaccine schedule webpage for children 18 and under noted that the stay implemented by the ruling means recommendations have reverted to those from July 2, 2025, which includes rotavirus vaccination at two, three and six months. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Vomiting and diarrhea virus dangerous to children is surging in the US Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard sent at least one criminal referral to the Justice Department seeking investigations of a whistleblower complaint and its handling by the intelligence community watchdog that led to the 2019 impeachment of President Donald Trump, a spokesperson for Gabbards office confirmed Wednesday. To bolster the referral, Gabbard this week released documents that she said exposed a conspiracy used by Congress to impeach President Trump. Gabbards office said the released documents show the then intelligence community inspector general Michael Atkinson did not follow policy in the handling of the whistleblower complaint. Advertisement Advertisement The documents include transcripts of Atkinsons testimony before the House Intelligence Committee in 2019 and notes from interviews with the whistleblower. CNN has requested comment from Atkinson. The referral was first reported by Fox News. Atkinson spent 15 years at the Justice Department before serving as inspector general of the intelligence community from 2018 to 2020. Atkinsons reputation as a straight shooter prompted some lawmakers who were otherwise skeptical of the whistleblower complaint to take the document seriously, CNN previously reported. Trump fired Atkinson in April 2020, raising concerns that the president was meddling in the work of what are supposed to be independent watchdogs. Advertisement Advertisement Gabbard has used her tenure leading the intelligence community to push political claims by Trump that he was the victim of false allegations tying him and his campaign to Russia. In recent months, Gabbard and CIA Director John Ratcliffe have released documents seeking to undermine the 2017 intelligence assessment that concluded the Russia interfered in the 2016 US election and sought to aid Trump. Ratcliffe also made a criminal referral targeting John Brennan, the former CIA director. It is rare for a whistleblower, and an inspector general, to be the subject of a criminal referral. Government transparency advocates have long warned that such a move could have a chilling effect on future whistleblowing. Advertisement Advertisement A ODNI spokesman confirmed the criminal referral to the Justice Department related to one or more former employees of the intelligence community and their role in the 2019 impeachment of President Trump. Asked on News Nation what laws she believes may have been broken, Gabbard on Wednesday said, Im leaving it up to the lawyers and the Department of Justice to take a look at this and to determine the specific legal parameters. But it was important for us to refer this along with all of the information that we have, so that the Department of Justice can do exactly that and investigate it. Rep. Jim Himes, the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, denounced Gabbards efforts. This apparent criminal referral will amount to nothing because no misconduct occurred, but what it will do is chill future whistleblowers from coming forward to Congress with confidence that the law will protect them, he said in a statement. I suspect that is precisely the point. Advertisement Advertisement In recent months, Gabbard has been the subject of a whistleblower complaint of her own. The current intelligence community inspector general last year notified Congress that it had received the complaint alleging that a highly classified intelligence report had been restricted for political purposes. Gabbard has the denied the claims. This story has been updated with additional information. CNNs Aleena Fayaz contributed to this report. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com FIRST ON FOX: A Mexican national illegal alien accused of randomly setting a New York City apartment building on fire that killed four people and injured seven others, could be released back onto the streets as Department of Homeland Security (DHS) officials say the city is refusing a request to turn him over to immigration authorities. Roman Ceron Amatitla, 38, of Maspeth, is charged with eight counts of second-degree murder and first-degree arson after allegedly lighting a three-story Flushing building on fire March 16, which he had selected at random. Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz said that on the day of the blaze, Amatitla entered and exited the Avery Avenue building multiple times, urinated in front of the apartments, and then went to a nearby gas station where he bought a beer, stole a second one and took a pack of matches after refusing to pay for a lighter. Advertisement Advertisement Authorities allege he then entered the apartment building for a fourth and final time, lighting a piece of paper on fire and tossing it onto trash near a stairwell. A large response was seen near the March 16 fire in New York City. (Fox News) Illegal Immigrant Accused Of Killing Loyola Student Released Under Biden, Dhs Says As smoke engulfed the street, Katz said he stayed in the immediate area to watch people burn and jump from the windows while sipping his beer, in what she described as an "act of mass murder." Read On The Fox News App On Tuesday, U.S. Customs and Immigration Enforcement (ICE) requested the New York City Department of Corrections (NYCDOC) not release Amatitla from jail. Advertisement Advertisement However, because of New Yorks sanctuary policies, the NYCDOC told ICE that it will refuse to cooperate. "This monster set fire to a building and watched as innocent people, including a three-year-old, burned to death. New York City sanctuary politicians REFUSE to cooperate with ICE and are choosing to RELEASE this MURDERER onto New York streets," DHS acting assistant secretary Lauren Bis told Fox News Digital. Roman Ceron Amatitla is charged in connection with a deadly New York City arson. Child Among 4 Dead As Accused Arsonist Allegedly Drank Beer During Chaos "New Yorks sanctuary politicians must stop putting politics above public safety," she continued. "Releasing this monster from jail is insanity and will allow him to commit more crimes and create more innocent victims. We are calling on Governor Hochul and Mayor Mamdani to not release this public safety threat." Advertisement Advertisement DHS claims New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani's executive order shields criminal illegal immigrants and "allows them to reoffend and create more innocent victims." At least four people died in the New York City fire, which was allegedly intentionally set last month. Mamdanis action came after Democrat Gov. Kathy Hochuls legislative proposal to bar local police departments from partnering and cooperating with ICE enforcement. DHS said New Yorks failure to honor ICE detainers has resulted in the release of 6,947 illegal immigrants from Jan. 20 to Dec. 1. They are accused of crimes including: 29 homicides, 2,509 assaults, 199 burglaries, 305 robberies, 392 dangerous drugs offenses, 300 weapons offenses and 207 sexual predatory offenses. Roman Amatitla was seen being transported in handcuffs. In addition, DHS said 7,113 illegal immigrants in the custody of a New York jurisdiction had an active detainer during that time period for crimes including: 148 homicides, 717 assaults, 134 burglaries, 106 robberies, 235 dangerous drugs offenses, 152 weapons offenses and 260 sexual predatory offenses. Advertisement Advertisement Click Here To Download The Fox News App DHS officials confirmed Amatitla is an illegal immigrant, though it is unclear where and when he entered the country. Original article source: EXCLUSIVE: NYC officials refuse ICE hold for illegal alien accused in arson that killed 4 and injured 7: DHS The FBI has received DNA evidence recovered from the Tucson, Arizona, home of Nancy Guthrie, including test results from a hair sample, sources familiar with the investigation told Fox News Digital. A source with knowledge of the investigation confirmed that investigators had collected DNA, including hair, from Guthrie's home and shared it with the FBI. It was expected to undergo more advanced testing. CeCe Moore, a leading investigative genetic genealogist at Parabon Nanolabs, said a hair sample is unlikely to be part of the mixed DNA sample investigators were having trouble with. "Not after it is cleaned for contamination," she said. "They have that process in good shape, but it can take some time." Left: This image released by the FBI shows an armed individual appearing to have tampered with the camera at Nancy Guthrie's front door the morning of her disappearance in Tucson, Arizona, Sunday, February 1, 2026. Right: An undated photo of Nancy Guthrie provided by NBC in response to the disappearance of the 84-year-old mother of Today Show host Savannah Guthrie. (Fox News) Click Here To Download The Fox News App Advertisement Advertisement A Pima County Sheriff's Department (PCSD) spokesperson said that they've been "sharing a lot of things" with the FBI lab since the beginning of the Guthrie investigation. "PCSD has worked with the FBI since the beginning of the Guthrie investigation. This is not new information," the department wrote on X. "The private lab we utilize in Florida continues to share information with the FBI lab & other partner labs across the country. DNA analysis remains ongoing." Read On The Fox News App Fox News Digital reached out to the FBI. Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos speaks to the media in Catalina, Arizona, on Feb. 3, while answering questions about the search for Nancy Guthrie. Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos previously said DNA recovered from the scene had not yet led police to a suspect in the Feb. 1 kidnapping of the 84-year-old mother of "Today" co-host Savannah Guthrie . Advertisement Advertisement Earlier in the investigation, the sheriff's department sent a sample to the FBI to check against its CODIS database. That came back without a hit, and authorities later ruled out a connection to the case. There was also another mixed, partial sample that was not strong enough to develop a profile suitable for CODIS. More than 11 weeks after her disappearance, it remains unclear what answers that sample may be able to provide. Based on how long its taken, experts believe it is a complex mixture containing DNA from three or more people. "I would assume it would be Nancy plus two or more unknowns," said Moore. At least one of the contributions came from a male, authorities said previously. Advertisement Advertisement Other DNA has already been processed. Blood on the front porch traced back to Guthrie. The lab also tested a suspicious glove recovered about two miles from her home, which authorities said appeared similar to those worn by a masked suspect on Guthries Nest doorbell camera. The glove provided no answers after it did not match any known criminals in the FBIs CODIS database and did not match any other samples recovered inside the home. Follow The Fox True Crime Team On X Members of the press work outside the home of Nancy Guthrie, the missing mother of "Today" show host Savannah Guthrie, Thursday, Feb. 5, 2026, in Tucson, Ariz. Like What You're Reading? Find More On The True Crime Hub Investigators and the Guthrie family have repeatedly appealed to the public for help. There is a combined reward of more than $1.2 million in connection with the case a million of it from the Guthrie family for their mother's recovery. The family has asked anyone with information to call 1-800-CALL-FBI. Sign Up To Get True Crime Newsletter Original article source: FBI receives DNA data from hair sample in Nancy Guthrie case: sources A Missouri woman who was added to the FBIs Top 10 Most Wanted Fugitive list in connection with a nearly 6-year-old slaying has been captured in northern Florida, law enforcement said. KaShawn Nicola Roper, 50, of Kansas City. Missouri, faces felony charges, including murder, in the shooting of Jazmyn Henrion, a 23-year-old mother of three, on Aug. 23, 2020. The High Springs Police Department reported officers arrested Roper during a traffic stop within city limits just before 10:30 a.m. local time April 15. The city is in Alachua County in the state's northern region, about 20 miles northwest of Gainesville. Advertisement Advertisement At the time of Roper's capture, the FBI's Kansas City Division had been offering a $1 million reward for information leading to her arrest and prosecution. She had been named one of two women on the federal agencies' Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list. Alachua County Sheriff's Office records show Roper remained jailed in Florida on April 16 on a charge of being an out-of-state fugitive. Court records reviewed by USA TODAY show that she was being held without bond and that a judge appointed a public defender from that county to represent her on the charge in Florida. The public defender's office could not immediately be reached for comment. The High Springs Police Department on April 15, 2026, captured KaShawn Nicola Roper, who was on the FBI's Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list in connection to a fatal shooting in Kansas City Missouri. Police said they arrested Roper during a traffic stop without incident. Authorities wrote in a news release that tips led them to High Springs, where police arrested Roper without incident. Advertisement Advertisement In a statement, Kansas City Missouri Police Chief Stacey Graves said Roper's arrest "is a testament to the strength and connectivity of American law enforcement." KaShawn Nicola Roper, accused in the fatal shooting of 23-year-old Jazmyn Henrion in August 2020, was arrested by police in North Florida on April 15, 2026. The arrest came one day after the FBI held a news conference asking the public for help in locating Roper. Tragedy in Virginia: Ex VA Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax and wife found dead What is KaShawn Roper accused of? In a news release, the FBI said that during an altercation, Roper fired multiple shots at a car in Kansas City and struck two women, including Henrion. On Sept. 10, 2020, Roper was charged with second-degree murder, armed criminal action and unlawful use of a weapon in the 16th Judicial Circuit in Jackson County, Missouri, and a warrant was issued for her arrest. Advertisement Advertisement The following year, on July 1, 2021, a federal arrest warrant was issued for Roper in the U.S. District Court, Western District of Missouri in Kansas City after she was charged with unlawful flight to avoid prosecution. "I'm proud of the collaboration that made this arrest possible," FBI Jacksonville Special Agent in Charge Jason Carley said in a statement. "From the moment we received information that Roper may be in our area, we surged into action, working in lockstep with our law enforcement partners to quickly track, locate, and apprehend her. ... Given the serious and dangerous nature of her alleged crimes, her presence in the community posed an ongoing threat that we could not ignore." This story has been updated to add new information. Natalie Neysa Alund is a senior reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at nalund@usatoday.com and follow her on X @nataliealund. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Woman on FBI's Top 10 Most Wanted list captured in Florida Ryan Roslansky gave grades to traditional career moves. He favors job-hopping over cover letters. The LinkedIn CEO said applicants should emphasize skills over traditional credentials in hiring. Executives are prioritizing AI capabilities and adaptability amid a cooling job market. Ryan Roslansky doesn't think much of cover letters. In a video interview with influencer Hanna Goefft, the LinkedIn CEO graded common career advice. Cover letters got a D, while job-hopping for more money earned an A. "I think we're beyond like a couple of paragraphs that say 'I'm a good collaborator,'" he said. "It's more about actually showing your work." His rankings point to a broader shift in hiring: Employers are placing less weight on traditional signals like credentials and elite college degrees. Instead, they're prioritizing demonstrated skills, adaptability, and visibility especially as AI reshapes how people work and apply for jobs. Other executives are also signaling that shift. McKinsey Global Managing Partner Bob Sternfels has said his firm has expanded its searches based on resiliency traits, while former Citadel CTO Umesh Subramanian told Business Insider that he personally calls applicants to test their curiosity. Their advice comes as the job market cools: Hiring in February fell to levels not seen since the Covid lockdowns. Roslansky's advice for job seekers reflects that shift. He said applicants must display their AI capabilities and remain transparent. "You have to be able to show that you can actually use AI to create or build something," he said. Roslansky's other grades also had some surprises. He gave editing resumes with AI an A, getting an MBA a C, and taking a class in AI a C. His harshest grade went to 'following your passion.' He pointed to a recent conversation with NYU professor Scott Galloway. "He told me, 'People who tell you to follow your passion are already rich,'" Roslansky said. "If you can find an intersection of your passion and your skill what you're good at that's the spot to be." Meanwhile, he was most bullish on building a personal brand, saying many people get hired by sharing their knowledge publicly not just listing skills on a resume. Roslansky and LinkedIn didn't respond to a request for comment from Business Insider. Read the original article on Business Insider The US Congress has voted to temporarily extend an expiring law that governs how intelligence agencies can gather information from US telecoms companies. While the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (Fisa) went decades without controversy, the 1978 law in recent years has angered lawmakers of both parties over how it handles digital communications. A part of the law known as Section 702 gives the National Security Agency (NSA) authority to spy on foreigners using data drawn from US digital infrastructure. Critics say the section allows the NSA and agencies it works with, such as the FBI, to mine massive amounts of individuals' information without a warrant. Advertisement Advertisement The US House of Representatives and Senate each voted on Friday to extend the law for 10 days, after failing to secure a long-term authorisation - or "clean extension" - that President Donald Trump has demanded. [AFP via Getty Images] What is Fisa? The Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 (Fisa) regulates certain types of foreign intelligence collection and compels the assistance of US telecommunications companies. The Fisa Court established by Congress reviews applications by the US government for approval of electronic surveillance, physical searches and other investigative actions that fall under the law. It ensures the NSA adheres to requirements of both the Fisa law and the US constitution, whose Fourth Amendment protects individuals from unreasonable searches and seizures. Once it receives authorisations to acquire foreign intelligence information, the NSA often works with law enforcement agencies such as the FBI "to connect the dots between foreign-based actors and their activities in the US", according to to the NSA. What does the Fisa bill do? Attempts to re-authorise the law for five years have recently failed in the US House of Representatives. Advertisement Advertisement Section 702, which was added to the law in 2008, allows the government to collect the communications of noncitizens located outside the US without a search warrant, as well as sweep up data of Americans who are in contact with targeted foreigners, according to CBS News, the BBC's US media partner. "The US government engages in mass, warrantless surveillance of Americans' and foreigners' phone calls, text messages, emails and other electronic communications," the American Civil Liberties Union has said. "Information collected under the law without a warrant can be used to prosecute and imprison people, even for crimes that have nothing to do with national security." National security officials say that Section 702 is vital in the disruption of terrorist plots, foreign espionage, international drug trafficking and cyber intrusion. Advertisement Advertisement Having to go to judges for warrants would slow down their operations and make them less efficient, they have said. They also contend that they often run queries to identify potential victims or to prevent crimes - both of which may not be covered by warrants. The act was due to expire on Monday, but the lower chamber unanimously voted on Friday to extend it through to 30 April and the Senate voted unanimously to pass the the short-term extension hours later - making way for more negotiations. Those who want to reform the law come from both sides of the aisle and are keen to forbid the "backdoor search" loophole - the ability to draw data from US intercepts without a warrant. Senate Majority Leader John Thune has signalled the possibility of reforming the bill but stopped short of making any guarantees. What does Trump want? The Trump administration has pressured Republicans to accept an 18-month re-authorisation of the law without any changes, but lawmakers on both sides of the aisle oppose it because, they say, it amounts to warrantless surveillance of Americans. Advertisement Advertisement Trump has contended that he was "a victim of the worst and most illegal abuse of Fisa" in US history during his 2016 presidential campaign against former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and during his 2020 campaign against President Joe Biden. However, he has softened his stance this week and called for the bill to be extended without reforms, writing on social media on Tuesday that the US military desperately needed Section 702 to succeed on the battlefield, particularly in the wake of US operations in Venezuela and Iran. He posted on Wednesday: "I am willing to risk the giving up of my Rights and Privileges as a Citizen for our Great Military and Country!" Leon County, Florida, wants to address "historical harms" like many other local municipalities, cities and states, but was warned against it. The Leon County Board of Commissioners voted Tuesday in Tallahassee to revive a measure that would address historical harms by conducting a study of the past and providing some sort of compensation. However, county leaders must also comply with the new incoming state law, SB 1134, banning Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives across public institutions and local governments. The Florida House in March approved legislation to ban local governments from funding, promoting, or taking official actions related to Dei initiatives. Advertisement Advertisement Commissioners changed the language of the county's initiative to avoid any state or federal law violations by slashing all references to slavery, DEI and reparations. Chicago Suburb Locals Hope Reparations Addresses 'Affordability Pressures' As Black Population Dwindles Leon County, Florida wants to address "historical harms" like many other local municipalities, cities, and states, but was warned against it. (Getty Images) According to the Tallahassee Democrat , Leon County government staff asked commissioners to avoid the measure as they risk losing $16.8 million in grant money and potentially being removed from the board. Read On The Fox News App "SB 1134, in part, prohibits the County from funding, promoting, or taking any official action related to DEI and creates a cause of action that may be brought by a resident against a county that violates the bill," staff reportedly wrote in the agenda. Advertisement Advertisement "The bill also provides that a member of a county commission acting in his or her official capacity who violates the prohibitions commits misfeasance or malfeasance in office and is subject to removal." Beyond Florida, reparations have been a growing trend by lawmakers at the local to state level. Similar to Leon County, local municipalities and states have adopted or are considering adopting task forces to study historical harms of slavery, Jim Crow, and redlining policies that led to housing discrimination. A Chicago suburb, Evanston, Illinois, went as far as paying $25,000 in cash to Black residents to address past racial housing discrimination. The city of Evanston and San Francisco were hit with lawsuits over alleged racial discrimination. Lawmakers in Florida would face an uphill battle if they pursue reparations now that SB 1134, a bill likely to pass given the Sunshine State's Republican dominance, threatens it. Advertisement Advertisement What The First Federal Challenge To A Local Reparations Program Means For Other Cities According to the Tallahassee Democrat, Leon County government staff asked county commissioners to avoid a measure to address "historical harms" as they risk losing $16.8 million in grant money and potentially getting kicked off the commission. To dodge legal troubles, Leon County wants to frame the measure more neutrally. Dr. Bruce Strouble, who originally proposed the idea, reportedly thought of a loophole around the anti-DEI law by hinging the measure on data. Other commissioners raised concerns about the ramifications of violating state law if the measure proceeds, citing potential losses of millions of dollars in federal and state funding. "And so, while Im concerned about some past wrongs, I believe strongly that we as a county are addressing those wrongs without setting ourselves out as a target for our state funding and our county funding to be affected," Leon County Commissioner Carolyn Cummings said, according to WCTV. Advertisement Advertisement Commissioner Nick Maddox insisted that the measure is not about DEI, WCTV reported. "This is about historic harms and public policy," Maddox said. He continued, "Its about legislation that harmed anyone regardless of race." Maddox doubled down on his stance. "And I want the public, the general public, to understand what Im voting on. Im going to say it one more time, so Im clear. I am not voting on a race- or gender-based program. I am not voting on DEI," Maddox said. Commissioner Bill Proctor was reportedly unswayed by the possibility of being removed from office over proceeding with the effort, saying if he is removed by the governor, "so be it." Advertisement Advertisement Illinois City Denied Motion To Dismiss Lawsuit Against Reparations Program Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and Republicans in the state have pushed back against DEI policies. "I want a progressive ongoing struggle to make us better," Proctor said. The measure, initially presented as the "Proposed Charter Amendment on Persistent Disparities Resulting from Historic Public Policies," spearheaded by Strouble, was struck down in February at a Leon County Charter Review Committee meeting and later revived in March. Strouble proposed the measure to address historical inequities through a "community restoration fund" without direct individual cash payments, distinguishing itself from typical reparations efforts in other parts of the country. Advertisement Advertisement "We are simply suggesting a structure that requires the audit, creates a fund and looks at plans for remediation of said consequences of those historic policies. So I think if we stay focused there, this is something that can work, and we should support it," Strouble said in February. Leon County attorney Chasity H. OSteen reportedly said in February that if the measure proceeds, there would be "severe limitations." Leon County commissioners did not respond to a request for comment. Original article source: Florida officials warned to avoid reparations-style effort as state gears up to restrict DEI even further Former Virginia Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax, a once-rising star in the Democratic Party whose tenure was marred by sexual assault allegations, shot and killed his wife, Cerina Fairfax, inside their home and then killed himself, police said. The couples two teenage children were inside the home when the shootings occurred, Fairfax County Police Chief Kevin Davis said, noting their son had placed the 911 call. Fairfax County police responded to the home in Annandale, Virginia, shortly after midnight Thursday, where they found a man and woman dead inside, police said earlier. Advertisement Advertisement The shooting stemmed from an ongoing domestic dispute surrounding what seems to be a complicated or messy divorce, Davis said. It happened just over two weeks after Cerina Fairfax was granted primary physical custody of the couples children, according to court records. Cerina Fairfax filed for divorce on July 18, 2025, and the case status is pending, according to Fairfax County Circuit Court records. A show cause order issued April 10 directed Justin Fairfax to appear in court on April 21, the records show. Detectives have reviewed the incident using a lot of cameras, which were set up inside the home as part of the couples ongoing divorce proceedings, Davis said. Cerina Fairfax leaves an immeasurable void in the lives of all who knew and loved her, said attorney Amy Spain, who previously worked with Cerina to file her divorce paperwork. Advertisement Advertisement It is an absolute tragedy that Cerina was taken from her children and family, she said in a statement, describing Cerina Fairfax as a loving and devoted mother. How the shooting unfolded Fairfax appeared to have shot his wife several times in the basement of the home before running upstairs to the primary bedroom, where he shot and killed himself, Davis said. The couple had been living together in separate bedrooms while separated, he said. The same firearm appears to have been used in both shootings, Davis said. Dispatch audio recorded on Broadcastify captures the moments after the incident, as the couples son placed the 911 call. Advertisement Advertisement Caller stating that his dad might have stabbed his mom, a dispatcher can be heard saying on the audio. The dispatcher adds that the caller said she was lying on the ground bleeding with holes in her shirt. Officers can then be heard on the audio searching for a suspect, eventually finding a male matching the description with a self-inflicted gunshot wound. I think this is going to be our subject. Hes got a firearm with a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head, one officer can be heard saying. Two bodies could be seen being removed from the home in body bags on stretchers around 10 a.m. Thursday. The Virginia Department of Healths Office of the Chief Medical Examiner is investigating the deaths, they said in a statement to CNN. Advertisement Advertisement So tragic for the children to lose both parents, extra tragic for them to actually be in the home when it occurred, Davis said Thursday morning. Certainly a fall from grace for a relatively high-profile family that seemingly had a lot of things going in their favor. The children are being cared for by grandparents and other family members, with support from the Fairfax County Police Departments victim services division, Davis said. Half of America probably goes through divorce proceedings at some point in time and very, very rarely, thankfully, does it ever end up like this, Davis said. So, very sad for this community a lot of people who know the Fairfax family everybodys shocked. Were shocked. Davis also noted that a call to police by Justin Fairfax in January, alleging assault by his wife, was not corroborated. Struggles with alcohol and emotional and psychological issues As part of the ongoing divorce proceedings, a Virginia judge wrote in a legal order last month that Fairfax had repeated problems with alcohol use and had cloistered himself in his home since leaving state government in 2022. Advertisement Advertisement Together, these facts paint a vivid picture of Father as a talented man who struggles with undefined emotional and psychological issues, Fairfax County Circuit Court Judge Timothy J. McEvoy wrote. On March 30, 2026, McEvoy issued a custody and visitation order that detailed some of Justin Fairfaxs struggles dating back over a decade. (T)he evidence established that fathers mental and emotional health has suffered materially and substantially from the impact of at least two personal setbacks, McEvoy wrote, citing his 2013 electoral loss and the 2019 sexual assault allegations. A police officer places cordon tape on a hydrant outside the home of former Virginia Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax in Annandale, Virginia, on April 16, 2026. - Nathan Howard/Reuters At the time of the allegations, Fairfax was an ascendant political figure who was eyeing a run for governor, the judge wrote. The Assault Allegations deeply affected Father and appear to have put an end to those plans. Advertisement Advertisement Fairfax subsequently used alcohol heavily and withdrew from the family, the judge wrote. When he left his position in state government in 2022, the same behaviors reemerged more profoundly and have not abated to this day, the judge wrote. The former lieutenant governor cloistered himself in his office and home and has lost focus on his family and domestic life, the judge wrote. He allowed the mortgage to go into default multiple times and ignored other bills and obligations, and his wife testified that heavy daily alcohol consumption by Father has become the norm, the judge wrote. Justin Fairfax did not seriously contest these claims, the order states. Fairfax was twice sued in recent years in warrant in debt cases tied to thousands of dollars in unpaid debts, with both cases resulting in default judgments in favor of the banks, Virginia court records show. Justin Fairfax bought a handgun in 2022, the judge wrote. That year, he left home with the gun and clothes in a suitcase, spurring a frantic search before he was found in the woods of a public park near the familys home, the judge wrote. It is clear that Father was experiencing some kind of adverse psychological event, McEvoy wrote. Advertisement Advertisement The judge ordered Justin Fairfax to leave the home by April 30 and find his own residence. He was also ordered to test for alcohol an hour before visits with the children. Cerina and Justin Fairfax were married in June 2006 and have two children, ages 16 and 14, according to the divorce filing. The two separated on June 1, 2024, while still living in the same house, and entered a post-nuptial agreement on December 14, 2024, according to the filing. There is no expectation or hope of reconciliation between the parties, Cerina Fairfaxs divorce filing states. She alleged Justin has not complied with the post-nuptial agreement in any form since its execution and does not make any financial contributions to support the Wife and their children, the filing states. Advertisement Advertisement She had asked the court to award joint legal custody, with the children primarily residing with Cerina Fairfax while Justin Fairfax would have a visitation schedule, according to the filing. Fairfaxs political rise and fall Cerina and Justin Fairfax are seen at a 2018 event in Washington, DC. - Justin Fairfax/Facebook Fairfax served as lieutenant governor under Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam from 2018 to 2022. He also ran for governor of Virginia in 2021. He returned to practice law after serving as lieutenant governor, while his wife worked as a dentist, according to Davis. Fairfax worked to pass gun violence prevention legislation during his time as lieutenant governor and repeatedly described gun violence as a national health crisis emergency. We need a new, innovative #HeadHandHeart approach to deliver universal and compassionate mental healthcare access and services, to keep weapons of war out of the hands of those at risk of harming others and themselves, and to address the internal damage and brokenness that drives people to cruelty and to want to destroy other people, families and communities, Fairfax wrote in a 2023 Facebook post after leaving office. Advertisement Advertisement Sexual assault allegations against Fairfax in 2019 came during a tumultuous time for Virginia politics, shortly after Northam was accused of appearing in blackface in a decades-old photo. As the Northam scandal played out, two women accused Fairfax of sexual assault the first becoming public on a conservative website that covers Virginia politics and the second in a Washington Post story. Fairfax repeatedly denied the allegations and called for investigations into the accusations, saying he was confident it would clear his name. Neighbors and politicians express shock Neighbors of the Fairfax family were shocked by the news Thursday morning. Erin Baylongo says shes lived next door to the family for about five years, and while she didnt know Cerina Fairfax well, what she observed painted a portrait of a very devoted mother. Just seeing her interactions with her kids, the time spent in the backyard, all the time doing stuff, Baylongo said, adding Cerina was a total DIY person when it came to building things and setting up activities for her two children in the backyard. Another neighbor, Peter DeMeo, expressed concern for the children. I think a lot about the children. Both parents are gone now, said DeMeo, who has lived in the neighborhood for 32 years. What does that do for them and their futures? Northam said he was devastated over this heartbreaking news, and added he and his wife are praying for the family. Other Virginia Democrats also spoke out following the news Thursday morning. I am deeply saddened by the tragedy that occurred last night, Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger said in a statement Thursday. This tragedy reminds us that domestic violence can occur in any family and in any place. Sen. Mark Warner told reporters, Its awful news. Ive worked with Justin for over a decade, and obviously, the idea that even his teenage kids were in the house, its a its a huge tragedy. Fairfax chaired one of Warners reelection campaigns in the years before he was accused of sexual assault. Im still just processing this, you know, Im sure therell be an investigation, but lets let it run its course, Warner said. Sen. Tim Kaine said he and Warner are very heartbroken about this. This story has been updated with additional information. CNNs Sara Smart, Dianne Gallagher, Morgan Rimmer, Manu Raju, Casey Riddle, Alison Main and Taylor Romine contributed to this report. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com A University of Arkansas student is facing multiple charges after allegedly strangling and raping a woman at a fraternity house along the edge of campus. Crew Kvern, 19, was arrested on charges of rape, aggravated assault and third-degree battery in Washington County on April 12, according to jail records obtained by Fox News Digital. An affidavit revealed that on March 17, Kvern and the unidentified victim allegedly met for the first time near Kverns workplace on Dickson Street, 5 News reported . Advertisement Advertisement Alleged Hazing Death Tied To Secretive Rush Night Ignites Arrests And Frat Reckoning LISTEN: CRIME & JUSTICE PODCAST ON SWALWELL SEX PROBE The pair then reportedly moved to the University of Arkansas Kappa Sigma fraternity house, where Kvern lived at the time, authorities said. Read On The Fox News App Upon arriving at the home, authorities reportedly allege Kvern demanded sex from the victim. When the victim refused to consent, Kvern allegedly slapped and punched her before raping her, according to the outlet. Extreme Hazing Allegations Force Fraternity Suspension, Investigation At Major Us University Advertisement Advertisement The victim reportedly told authorities that during the incident, Kvern allegedly put his hands around her neck repeatedly and made it difficult for her to breathe. The unidentified woman also alleged that she was afraid to deny Kverns advances after he punched a door and told her "it would be easy for him to throw her to the floor and break her rib cage," the outlet reported. Upon being interviewed by the schools police department on March 20, Kvern reportedly told authorities the interaction was "totally consensual." Got A Tip? Students talk behind the Old Main building on the University of Arkansas campus in Fayetteville, Ark. (Getty Images) An affidavit revealed six people who were interviewed as part of the investigation corroborated the victims statements, according to 5 News. Advertisement Advertisement Follow Us On X A crime log also reportedly indicated additional accusations, including terroristic threatening and false imprisonment. Get Breaking News By Email The incident is only the latest in a string of reported rapes allegedly committed at campus residences during the ongoing academic year, according to 5 News. Click Here For More Us News Kvern was reportedly released on a $100,000 bond one day after his arrest. He is expected to appear in court on May 6. Click Here To Download The Fox News App The University of Arkansas, Kappa Sigmas national chapter and Kverns attorney did not immediately respond to Fox News Digitals request for comment. Original article source: Frat house turns into crime scene after member allegedly sexually assaults woman, police say A French peacekeeper has been killed and three others wounded after a UN patrol came under fire in southern Lebanon, in what officials described as a deliberate attack. The soldier was serving with the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (Unifil), which confirmed that one peacekeeper had died and three others were injured, two of them seriously, when their patrol came under small-arms fire. French President Emmanuel Macron blamed the attack on Hezbollah. The Iran-backed armed group denied "any connection" to the incident. Advertisement Advertisement It comes amid heightened tensions in southern Lebanon, where peacekeepers have faced growing risks since renewed fighting between Hezbollah and Israel erupted on 2 March. On Sunday, Unifil confirmed the French peacekeeper's body would be repatriated to Paris. Two severely injured peacekeepers were still receiving treatment in Beirut, while a third peacekeeper was being treated for "moderate injuries" in southern Lebanon, it added. A 10-day ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon came into effect on 16 April. The US, which announced the deal, urged Hezbollah to abide by its terms. "Everything suggests that responsibility for this attack lies with Hezbollah," Macron said. Advertisement Advertisement "France demands that the Lebanese authorities immediately arrest the perpetrators and take their responsibilities alongside Unifil." France's Armed Forces Minister Catherine Vautrin said the peacekeeper had been part of a mission to reopen access to a Unifil position that had been cut off by the recent fighting when it had been "ambushed by an armed group at very close range". Vautrin added that he was "hit immediately by a direct shot from a small arms weapon" and was pulled away by fellow soldiers, who were unable to revive him. A spokesperson for UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres condemned the attack, adding that an initial assessment from Unifil suggested that the team came under fire from "non-state actors", which they presumed to be Hezbollah. Advertisement Advertisement The spokesperson urges all parties to "respect the cessation of hostilities and to cease fire". Unifil said the patrol had been clearing explosive ordnance along a road in the village of Ghanduriyah to reconnect isolated positions. The Lebanese Armed Forces said the incident followed exchanges of fire with armed individuals, adding that it was co-ordinating closely with Unifil during what it described as a sensitive phase in southern Lebanon. Advertisement Advertisement Lebanon's President Joseph Aoun condemned the attack and told Macron during a phone call that those responsible would be brought to justice. Prime Minister Nawaf Salam has also ordered an investigation. Hezbollah issued a statement on Saturday denying it was responsible, describing them as "rushed" and "baseless accusations". It called for "caution in making judgements and assigning blame regarding the incident, pending the Lebanese army's investigation to determine the full circumstances". The group urged both Unifil and the Lebanese army to continue co-ordinating with locals on manouevres "under these delicate circumstances". Advertisement Advertisement In late March, three Indonesian peacekeepers were killed in separate incidents - an explosion that destroyed a Unifil vehicle and a projectile strike a day earlier. Unifil warned that under international law "all actors" were obliged to ensure the "safety and security" of UN personnel, adding that "deliberate attacks" on peacekeepers were "grave violations" of international humanitarian law and could amount to war crimes. The peacekeeping force was first established in 1978 by the UN Security Council following Israel's invasion of southern Lebanon, with a mandate to confirm Israeli withdrawal, restore peace and assist the Lebanese government in regaining authority in the south. Its role was expanded after the 2006 war between Israel and Hezbollah, when Security Council Resolution 1701 strengthened its responsibilities in monitoring the ceasefire along the Blue Line - the de facto border between Lebanon and Israel - in co-ordination with the Lebanese army. More than 330 peacekeepers have been killed since the mission was established. "Everything suggests that responsibility for this attack lies with Hezbollah," said French President Emmanuel Macron on X/Twitter. A French UNIFIL soldier was killed, and three others were wounded during an attack in southern Lebanon, French President Emmanuel Macron announced in a post on X/Twitter Saturday. Everything suggests that responsibility for this attack lies with Hezbollah, Macron wrote. France demands that the Lebanese authorities immediately arrest the perpetrators and take their responsibilities alongside UNIFIL. Macron identified the soldier as Sgt. First Class Florian Montorio of the 17th Parachute Engineer Regiment from Montauban, France. Advertisement Advertisement Three other UNIFIL soldiers were wounded in the attack, Macron added, and all of them have been evacuated to a nearby hospital. UNIFIL acknowledged the attack in an X post on Saturday, saying that the attack was perpetrated by non-state actors. A French contingent of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) patrols the area as displaced residents waving Hezbollah flags make their way back to their homes on a makeshift road on April 18, 2026. (credit: Mahmoud ZAYYAT / AFP via Getty Images) This morning [Saturday], a UNIFIL patrol clearing explosive ordnance along a road in the village of Ghanduriyah to re-establish links with isolated UNIFIL positions came under small-arms fire from non-state-actors, said UNIFIL. Additionally, in a separate X post, UNIFIL called on the Lebanese government to swiftly investigate the incident and hold the perpetrators accountable for the crimes committed against UNIFIL peacekeepers. Lebanese Prime Minister condemns attack Lebanons Prime Minister Nawaf Salam condemned the attack in an X post on Saturday, saying such attacks cause great harm to Lebanon. Advertisement Advertisement I condemn the assault today on elements of the French battalion in UNIFIL, said Salam. I have issued my strict instructions to conduct an immediate investigation to uncover the circumstances of this assault and to hold the perpetrators accountable. German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt said the Iran war has so far not led to increased migration to Europe. "We are not currently seeing increased migration pressure," Dobrindt told the Rheinische Post newspaper in an interview published on Saturday. He said authorities were keeping a close eye on migration movements in countries such as Iran and Lebanon. "At present, we are seeing high levels of internal migration in both countries, but we are not yet detecting pressure on the Turkish border. That would be the first indicator of a further migration movement towards Europe," Dobrindt said. Advertisement Advertisement He added that precautionary measures were nevertheless being prepared at the European level. Dobrindt also left open the possibility of extending internal border controls beyond September. "The question of extending border controls does not depend exclusively on the situation in Germany," the minister said. A reform of the Common European Asylum System (CEAS) is due to take effect across Europe on June 12. "CEAS must be functional, and the international situation and its possible effects also play a major role," Dobrindt said. Dobrindt said the coming weeks would show how the situation develops, especially in the Middle East, and what migration movements may follow. Students at a Washington high school were exposed to nude images during a slideshow during class, the school's president said in a letter to parents. Students at Glacier Peak High School in Snohomish, Washington were exposed to images of nude breasts during a teacher's presentation, school principal Alicia Mitchell wrote to parents in a letter obtained by Fox News Digital. "Families, We want to make you aware of an incident in a classroom where inappropriate images were inadvertently shared with the students. It is our understanding that these images have since been viewed by many others beyond the classroom and want to give you an opportunity to process with your student if you choose to do so," Mitchell wrote. Advertisement Advertisement While the Snohomish school district is investigating, according to Seattle Red's Jason Rantz, Mitchell's letter to parents offered no details about the teacher. Seattle Times Editorial Board Warns Washington State Prioritizes Accused Teachers Over Child Safety "Specifically, the content included images of nude breasts and were briefly visible during a teachers PowerPoint presentation. This does not reflect our expectations for classroom materials, and we take this matter very seriously. School administrators have already started taking steps to address this and are actively reviewing to assess this situation and appropriately address it moving forward." Read On The Fox News App Advertisement Advertisement Rantz viewed the slide that allegedly showed the nude breasts, saying it contained "four photos of the breasts in small boxes, as if theyre previews of photos from a folder." Washington Parents Demand Action, Answers After Teacher Allegedly Raped Student On School Grounds Mitchell's letter continued: "As this is a personnel matter currently under investigation, were unable to provide additional details or comment further. We take this matter seriously and are following established processes to review the situation and determine next steps." FILE - Students at a Washington high school were briefly shown images of nude breasts during a teachers classroom slideshow, prompting concern from parents. (Getty Images) While the school has yet to put out a public statement, members of the public expressed their concern for a lack of action taken so far. FILE - The district is investigating the incident but has not released details about the teacher or potential disciplinary action. Click Here To Download The Fox News App Advertisement Advertisement "Whoever it was should be arrested for showing porn to children," X user Lou Pacheco wrote. "So Im sure that teacher has been fired or at least suspended, right?" another user named Julie Skinner asked. Original article source: High school students shown inappropriate images in teacher's slideshow presentation Before-and-after images of homes on Black Lake near Onaway provide perspectives on how the community was affected by April flooding. Snowmelt and rain have stressed dams and caused lakes to flood in northern Michigan. The Cheboygan County Sheriff's Office shared on social media photos and videos that the agency captured of Cheboygan County floods on Friday, April 17 from both the ground and air. Advertisement Advertisement Deputies "observed a level of destruction that simply cannot be understood from ground level," the sheriff's office said in the post. Google Maps images taken from two locations on Black Lake in 2024, compared with the Friday images, show how the floodwater has changed the landscape. On North Black River Road and Taylor Road, the water has overflowed to North Black River Road. From top: North Black Lake Road and Taylor in 2024 and Friday, April 17, 2026. (Provided by Google Maps, Cheboygan County Sheriff's Office) In the 400 block of South Black River Road, water has also flooded homes and lakeside property. From top: The 400 block of South Black Lake Road in 2024 and Friday, April 17, 2026. (Provided by Google Maps, Cheboygan County Sheriff's Office) "Black Lake, Black River, Cheboygan River, Burt Lake, Mullet Lake, the Sturgeon River and nearly every waterway in the county have overflowed beyond their banks, swallowing docks, roads, yards, and in far too many cases, homes," the sheriff's office post said. "What should be familiar shorelines are now unrecognizable expanses of water." Advertisement Advertisement "Our hearts are with every family affected by this flooding," Cheboygan County Sheriff Todd Ross said in the post. "We know many of you are facing significant damage to your homes and property, and the emotional toll that comes with it. Please know you are not alone. We are working around the clock with our partners to ensure safety, provide support, and begin the process of recovery. Stay strong, stay connected, and dont hesitate to reach out for help, we will get through this together. Nearby, the UAW Black Lake Conference Center shared images on social media of floodwater threatening its Old Lodge. The conference center is located at 2000 Maxon Road in Waverly Township. The Cheboygan County Road Commission and the Cheboygan County Office of Emergency Management closed the bridge at Five Mile Point Road on Saturday, April 18 due to significant road washout in the area of South Black River Road and Red Bridge Road. The sheriff's office had encouraged residents in parts of the area to evacuate earlier in the week and said Saturday it had completed evacuation efforts on the west side of the lake. This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Before-and-after images show severity of Black Lake flooding Iran still has thousands of missiles and drones in its arsenal, according to new US intelligence. The assessment comes after weeks of heavy bombing by American and Israeli forces. Iran's arsenal could pose a threat to US and partner forces in the Middle East. The Iranian military still has thousands of missiles and drones in its arsenal despite weeks of heavy US and Israeli airstrikes, according to a new intelligence assessment. Marine Corps Lt. Gen. James Adams, director of the Defense Intelligence Agency, told lawmakers that Iran "retains thousands" of missiles and one-way attack drones, which pose a threat to US and partner forces in the Middle East. Advertisement Advertisement During testimony before the House Armed Services Committee on Thursday, Adams said that Iran had managed to preserve the munitions "despite degradations to its capabilities from both attrition and expenditure." US and Israeli forces carried out thousands of airstrikes against Iran amid Operation Epic Fury before a tenuous, two-week ceasefire took effect earlier this month. Air Force Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said on April 8 that the US military struck more than 450 Iranian ballistic missile storage facilities and 800 one-way attack drone storage facilities. "All of these systems are gone," he added. Airstrikes heavily targeted Iran's industrial base, too. US officials have said that Tehran no longer has the infrastructure to build missiles, launchers, or drones. Advertisement Advertisement Iran was believed to possess thousands of short- and medium-range ballistic missiles, as well as cruise missiles and one-way attack drones, before the conflict began, and it fired many of these weapons at US bases, Israel, and Gulf states amid the fighting. Iran launched missiles and drones across the Middle East in retaliation for the bombing campaign. AP Photo/Ohad Zwigenberg The US and its Gulf partners intercepted about 1,700 Iranian ballistic missiles and one-way attack drones, Caine said this month. It is unclear exactly how many missiles and attack drones Iran retains, but Adams' testimony this week suggests its arsenal is still largely intact. Much of the weaponry could be underground. Pentagon leaders have said Iran has hidden and buried many capabilities over decades. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said on Thursday that Iran is digging out its remaining missiles and launchers. Satellite imagery has shown Tehran carrying out excavation work at bases struck earlier in the war. Advertisement Advertisement Should the war again go hot if ongoing negotiations fail, Iran's remaining missiles and drones could pose a threat to US forces involved in a maritime blockade of Iranian ports and mine-clearing operations in the Strait of Hormuz, two missions the Pentagon announced amid the ceasefire. More than a dozen US warships are involved in the blockade, which threatens critical oil revenue that Iran depends on and further pressures its economy. Several merchant vessels have turned around to avoid interdiction during the first few days of the operation. Read the original article on Business Insider The resistance is measurable, the anxiety is realand neither will slow down whats coming. A new global survey of 3,750 executives and employees across 14 countries finds more than 54% of workers bypassed their companys AI tools in the past 30 days and completed the work manually instead. Another 33% havent used AI at all. Combined, roughly eight in 10 enterprise workers are either avoiding or actively rejecting the technology their employers are spending record sums to deploy. And yet 50% of Americans told Plaid researchers this week managing money without AI will soon feel outdatedand 52% already expect their fintech apps to use it. Both numbers come from the same moment in time. That is the paradox of the AI moment in 2026: The backlash and the inevitability are not competing stories. They are the same story, told from different points on the adoption curve. By the numbers It tastes like a Twinkie Veteran tech journalist Kara Swisher thinks the resistance is more durable than the hype suggests. On a recent episode of her podcast, On With Kara Swisher, she argued AI may be hitting a ceilingnot because of technical limits, but because of human ones. Human beings dont like it, she said flatly. Ultimately, AI feels like a Twinkie. It tastes like a Twinkie. And I dont know if they can ever make it taste like an apple. The numbers back her up, at least partially. A Walton Family Foundation survey found nearly one-third of Gen Z says the tech makes them angry. The American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) puts overall AI platform satisfaction at 73 out of 100below airlines, social media, and mortgage lenders. Consumers spent the last decade learning to distrust how social media platforms handle their data, and AIs privacy scores suggest theyre carrying that skepticism forward, said Forrest Morgeson of Michigan State University and the ACSI. The window to get ahead of that trust deficit is right now. Why Gen Z is the most conflicted generation The generational data doesnt resolve cleanly. Gen Z posts the lowest AI satisfaction score of any generation69 on the ACSI scalewhile simultaneously being the cohort most likely to say AI will open financial doors they dont have today. Sixty-two percent of Gen Z and millennials told Plaid/Harris Poll researchers AI will unlock financial opportunities they dont currently possess, and 54% say AI can predict their financial habits better than they can. They are souring on AI culturally while leaning on it financiallya split that says less about the technology than about how, and by whom, its being deployed. The Italian diaspora continued the fight against the governments restrictions on citizenship by descent this week, as three cases were scrutinized by Italys supreme court. On Tuesday, the Corte di Cassazione, Italys highest court, met to evaluate citizenship restrictions for descendants of Italian citizens born abroad that were imposed by the government in October 2024. The so-called minor issue, introduced via a government circular, preceded the controversial March 2025 law change which cut citizenship by descent to two generations and effectively banned dual citizenship for Italians abroad. Advertisement Advertisement It stipulated that if a parent of an Italian child born abroad naturalized while their children were still underage, that would cut the line of descent unless it would otherwise render the child stateless. The rule immediately disqualified Italo-descendants in countries such as the US, that grant citizenship to those born in the national territory. The sudden implementation, with no provision made for those whose citizenship requests were already in progress, led to complex situations for those who had already moved to Italy. Now, the United Sections civil panel of the Corte di Cassazione, has begun an evaluation of whether the governments policy change was legal. While the hearing was unrelated to the sweeping restrictions, lawyers hope a ruling on the minor issue could open the door for challenges to the 2025 law. Americans in court The Cassazione judges examined three cases of citizenship by descent which had been rejected at initial trial and subsequent appeal. Advertisement Advertisement These involved two American families who traced their ancestry back three and four generations respectively. The third case was a Venezuelan whose Italian mother had naturalized when he was 10 years old. The Venezuelan plaintiffs brother had already been granted citizenship by descent before the minor issue hit, leading to a discrepancy in the legal status between siblings. The Procuratore Generale a post which advises the Cassazione judges also gave her legal interpretation, which was in favor of the plaintiffs, against the government restrictions. Although the cases heard preceded the 2025 law change, lawyers for the plaintiffs were hopeful that the Procuratore Generales legal evaluation which emphasized that citizenship cannot be lost involuntarily could bode well for future challenges to the March 2025 law, which stripped millions of the right to recognition. It was important that she said that citizenship can only be lost by a voluntary act, said Monica Restanio, attorney for the Venezuelan family. Advertisement Advertisement The attorney for the American plaintiffs, Marco Mellone, explicitly asked the court to rule on whether citizenship is a permanent right acquired at birth, in their judgment. Should they do so, that would give an avenue for the lower courts to disregard the 2025 citizenship restrictions. Speaking after the hearing, Mellone said he was absolutely confident that the court would rule the minor issue illegal, based on previous case law. The Cassazione has intervened in citizenship law just twice in the 21st century, he added. Each time, it retroactively re-established citizenship for those who had lost it involuntarily. The Corte di Cassazione, Italy's supreme court, is considering 2024 changes to citizenship law. - Antonio Masiello/Getty Images A legal minefield If the Cassazione rules in favor of the plaintiffs on the grounds that citizenship is acquired at birth, it could open the door for a judicial dismantling of Italys controversial citizenship law, which was introduced by emergency decree on March 28, 2025. Advertisement Advertisement Regional judges have already referred Law 74/2025, as it is known, to the Constitutional Court, which rules on perceived infringements of the Italian Constitution. In the first of four hearings, held in March, the court ruled in favor of the government, though it has yet to issue the legal reasoning for doing so. The next three challenges will be heard on June 9. Mellone said he is not so confident about that hearing. If the two top courts issue conflicting rulings, those seeking citizenship could be forced to sue the government for recognition rather than going the traditional route of applying through consulates. Holding our breath Meanwhile, those in the diaspora who hope to regain the right to citizenship were on tenterhooks for the verdict. Were holding our breath, said Jacqueline Matwick, whose family moved to Italy and was in the process of requesting citizenship when the minor issue disqualified them. I am really hoping the interpretation gets reversed both for people with pending applications and for people like us who made irreversible life changes based on the old legal interpretation. Karen Bonadio, a third-generation Italian-American, flew from San Diego to Rome to attend the hearing, sporting a photo of her as a child with her great-grandfather, who had moved to New York State from Basilicata in southern Italy. Bonadio had planned to move to Italy once she had her citizenship recognized, but is now barred by the new legislation. I came because it means so much to me, she said. Karen Bonadio, a third-generation Italian-American who had planned to move to Italy before the new rules cut her right to citizenship, flew from San Diego to attend the Rome hearing. - Gregorio Borgia/AP At the same time, as the government slammed the door on the diaspora, Italys birth rate in 2025 dropped to a new low, according to figures released on March 31 by ISTAT, the national statistics institute. The average number of children per woman in Italy is now 1.14, down from 1.18 in 2024, while in Sardinia, the fertility rate has remained below one child per woman for the last six years. The country now has the lowest number of young people in the European Union and the highest number of over-65s, according to ISTAT, which cited Italys long-standing decline in fertility. One in eight 2025 births were to foreign nationals. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com A progressive Democrat is headed to Congress. Analilia Mejia won a special election in New Jersey's 11th Congressional District on April 16, beating moderate Republican Joe Hathaway 59.5% to 40%, respectively, according to the Associated Press and CNN. The special election was called to fill a House seat opened by Democrat Mikie Sherrill, now the New Jersey governor, who resigned in November 2025 to run in the gubernatorial election. Mejia will head to Congress right away, adding a progressive voice to the U.S. House of Representatives at a time the GOP manages a narrow majority in the chamber. Her victory in the Democratic stronghold isn't shocking, but it does signal a progressive ticket can be winning, according to Amy Funck, postdoctoral fellow in philosophy, politics and economics at the University of Pennsylvania. Advertisement Advertisement "Progressives have demonstrated effectiveness in mobilizing primary voters," Funck says. However, the party attempting to curb President Donald Trump's power in 2026 elections will need to work to tune its message going forward, she says. "More broadly, Democrats have advantages due to the economy and backlash to actions associated with the Trump administration, but internal divisions remain a vulnerability," she says. "If Democrats want to take the House this fall, they need to first get their own house in order." Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA) speaks during the House Intelligence Committee hearing on alleged Russian interference in the 2016 election on Mar. 20, 2017. Swalwell was first elected to Congress in 2012, representing a northern California district in the San Francisco Bay Area after working as a prosecutor in Alameda County. (L-R) House Oversight and Government Reform ranking member Elijah Cummings (D-MD), Senate Foreign Relations ranking member Ben Cardin (D-MD), Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA) and Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) hold a news conference to call for an independent, bipartisan commission to investigate foreign interference in the 2016 presidential election at the U.S. Capitol Jan. 9, 2017 in Washington, DC. Accusations of Russian computer hacks of Democratic National Committee servers and emails have lead to calls for an investigation. Rep. Eliot Engel (D-NY), left, and Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA) hold a news conference discussing new legislation on U.S. policy toward Russia April 5, 2017 on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC. House Intelligence Committee member Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA) (C) speaks a news conference about the Trump-Putin Helsinki summit in the U.S. Capitol Visitors Center July 17, 2018 in Washington, DC. Past and present members of the committee were very critical of U.S. President Donald Trump's remarks about Russia's work to interfere with the 2016 presidential election. Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA) holds his daughter Kathryn as the U.S. House of Representatives meets for the start of the 116th Congress inside the House Chamber on Capitol Hill in Washington on Jan. 3, 2019. Congressman Eric Swalwell (D-CA) bids on a pie during desert auction at the Monroe County Democrats spaghetti supper at the First Christian Church on Feb. 17, 2019 in Albia, Iowa. U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), and former Maryland congressman John Delaney, who are vying for the 2020 Democratic nomination for president, also attended the event. A informational flier for U.S. Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., sits on a chair at a house party hosted by the "Potluck Insurgency" group, Sunday, April 28, 2019, at a home in North Liberty, Iowa. U.S. Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., speaks to a group at a house party hosted by the "Potluck Insurgency" group, Sunday, April 28, 2019, at a home in North Liberty, Iowa. Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-CA, sits down for an interview at Chrome Restaurant and Catering on Monday, April 1, 2019, in Algona. Swalwell was born in Iowa and has made several trips to the state while eyeing a run for president. Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA), who announced that he is running for president in 2020, speaks during town hall on gun violence at the BB&T Center on April 9, 2019 in Sunrise, Florida. Rep. Swalwell held the town hall not far from Marjory Stoneman Douglas high school, which was the site of a mass shooting in 2018. Democratic presidential candidate Eric Swalwell speaks during the 2019 California Democratic Party State Convention at Moscone Center in San Francisco, Calif. on June 1, 2019. Democratic presidential candidates Sen. Michael Bennet (D-CO) looks on as Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA) speaks during the second night of the first Democratic presidential debate on June 27, 2019 in Miami, Florida. A field of 20 Democratic presidential candidates was split into two groups of 10 for the first debate of the 2020 election, taking place over two nights at Knight Concert Hall of the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami-Dade County, hosted by NBC News, MSNBC, and Telemundo. Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA) is trailed by reporters as he walks to a closed-door deposition on Capitol Hill, Oct. 29, 2019 in Washington, DC. Army Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman, Director for European Affairs at the National Security Council, Is being deposed as part of the impeachment inquiry against President Trump, led by the House Intelligence, House Foreign Affairs and House Oversight and Reform Committees. Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA) speaks during a House Judiciary Committee hearing considering reforms to national policing practices June 17, 2020 in Washington, DC. The Democrat-led panel is pushing sweeping proposals that would ban chokeholds and no-knock warrants, and make prosecuting officers easier by limiting immunity and establishing a national database of police misconduct. Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD) (R) and Assistant Speaker Katherine Clark (D-MA) (L), alongside House Impeachment Managers (from L) Representatives Joe Neguse (D-CO) and Eric Swalwell (D-CA), look on as Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) prepares to sign the article of impeachment during an engrossment ceremony after the US House of Representatives voted to impeach the US President Donald Trump at the US Capitol, Jan. 13, 2021, in Washington, DC. Donald Trump on January 13 became the first US president to be impeached for a second time, when a bipartisan majority in the House of Representatives voted to charge him with inciting last week's attack on the US Capitol. In this screenshot taken from a congress.gov webcast, Impeachment Manager Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA) speaks on the second day of former President Donald Trump's second impeachment trial at the U.S. Capitol on February 10, 2021 in Washington, DC. House impeachment managers will make the case that Trump was Osingularly responsibleO for the January 6th attack at the U.S. Capitol and he should be convicted and barred from ever holding public office again. Representative Eric Swalwell, a Democrat from California, speaks during a House Intelligence Committee hearing about worldwide threats, on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, April 15, 2021. Rep. David N. Cicilline (D-RI) speaks with Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA) during a House Judiciary Committee mark up hearing in the Rayburn House Office Building on June 02, 2022 in Washington, DC. House members of the committee held the emergency hearing to mark up H.R. 7910, the "Protecting Our Kids Act" a legislative package of gun violence prevention measures, in response to a string of mass shootings in cities across the United States including in Buffalo, Uvalde and most recently in Tulsa. Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA) questions Attorney General Merrick Garland as he testifies before the House Judiciary Committee in the Rayburn House Office Building on Sept. 20, 2023 in Washington, DC. The committee is holding an oversight hearing on the U.S. Department of Justice. Committee Ranking Member Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD) speaks during a press conference with other Democratic members of the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability, and House Judiciary Committee during a break in the closed-door deposition of Hunter Biden, son of U.S. President Joe Biden, in the O'Neill House Office Building on Feb. 28, 2024 in Washington, DC. The meeting is part of the Republicans' impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden. Washington, D.C., U.S. - Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.) displays a counter referring to committee chairman Rep. Jim JordanOs subpoena during a House Judiciary Committee hearing entitled OOversight of the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ)," to examine how the DOJ has become politicized and weaponized, on Tuesday, June 4, 2024. Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA) reacts to a committee's tweet utilizing A.I. generated imagery of Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump during a House Judiciary Committee hearing on the Southern U.S. Border on September 10, 2024 on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC. The hearing is to examine the effects of the Biden-Harris Administration's open borders policies on American families and communities. Representative Eric Swalwell (CA-23) poses on a go-kart at the Paid Leave for All event in conjunction with the Dads Caucus at the Race the District at Union Market on Sept.19, 2024 in Washington, DC. Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.) speaks during FBI Director Kash PatelOs testimony in front of the House Judiciary Committee in Washington, D.C., on Sept.17, 2025. Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA) departs the U.S. Capitol Building after a series of votes on March 05, 2026 in Washington, DC. The House held a series of votes including a vote on funding for the Homeland Security department and a War Powers resolution on Iran. See Eric Swalwell, Democrat from California, and his career in Congress 1 of 25 Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA) speaks during the House Intelligence Committee hearing on alleged Russian interference in the 2016 election on Mar. 20, 2017. Swalwell was first elected to Congress in 2012, representing a northern California district in the San Francisco Bay Area after working as a prosecutor in Alameda County. What does this mean for Democrats? The heavily Democratic district wasn't likely to elect a Republican, William Galston, senior fellow in governance studies at the Brookings Institution, previously told USA TODAY. Which Democrat would win in the blue district was the questions. Advertisement Advertisement Mejia emerged as the nominee in the February primary after the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) poured more than $2 million into opposing her chief competitor, moderate Democratic former Rep. Tom Malinowski. Mejia's campaign led the race in fundraising and was endorsed by a broad coalition of Democrats, including Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren and New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, as well as Independent Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders. Mejia earned 77,620 votes while Hathaway had 52,122, according to Associated Press and CNN. A third candidate, Independent Alan Bond, scored 0.5% of the vote, or 595 votes. Mejia's victory in this special election foreshadows new challenges as factions of Trump's opposing party organize how to counter Republican control of Washington, Funck says. "This race is more about who lost than who won," Funck says. "Progressives may frame a Mejia victory as evidence of growing national support, but Malinowskis primary loss appears more tied to strategic missteps." This race isn't over Mejia celebrated with supporters at a watch party at Montclair Art Museum on April 16, saying, "It is not radical to say that in the wealthiest nation in the world that we should do more to protect the health of its people." Advertisement Advertisement She later lumped Hathaway with Trump, Elon Musk and Amazon founder Jeff Bezos as the true radicals who subvert the Constitution and act with impunity. These candidates could meet again soon. In his election night remarks, Hathaway said he was proud of the campaign he ran, and indicated it won't be his last bid for the U.S. House seat. "While the result tonight is not what we hoped for, our work is only just beginning," the Republican said. Mejia will serve the next eight months of Sherrill's term but then must run for a full term. She'll face another primary election in June to be on the fall ballot, which also gives Republicans another opportunity to fight for the seat. Advertisement Advertisement "In June, turnout will likely be higher than usual for New Jersey primaries, driven by economic concerns and dissatisfaction with ongoing conflicts abroad," Funck says. "Anger tends to increase voter engagement." In the meantime, Mejia will be a full-time member of Congress, representing the 11th District constituents. She told NorthJersey.com, part of the USA TODAY Network, that her first priority will be "to use every tool Congress has to hold this administration accountable and stop the democratic backslide." She brings a unique combination of political experience and an activist background, Funck says. "Mejia differs [from other progressives] in that she has held leadership positions across both government and private organizations and brings an established network," she says. "That suggests she is more likely to work within institutional channels rather than position herself in opposition to party leadership. Shell likely be viewed as an effective, pragmatic, and accessible colleague." This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NJ election results: Latest data from Analilia Mejia's District 11 win A rare rebuke by Jackson during a lecture at Yale Law School illuminates a minority voice choosing to exercise her power outside of the institution of the nations highest court. When Ketanji Brown Jackson first entered the U.S. Supreme Court in 2022 as the most junior liberal justice and the first Black woman, she undoubtedly knew she would often find herself in the dissenting minority on any given issue before the 6-3 conservative majority. However, after nearly four years on the bench and under a new presidency, it appears Jackson has grown frustrated and is reclaiming some sense of agency and power. As previously reported by theGrio, Jackson delivered a rare rebuke of her conservative colleagues during a lecture at Yale Law School this past week. The newest justice called out what she sees as a problematic shift in the Supreme Courts use of emergency shadow dockets, which has allowed President Donald Trump to implement many of his controversial policies, including mass firings of federal workers, canceled federal grants, and aggressive immigration enforcement. Advertisement Advertisement Justice Jackson, a Harvard Law graduate and former federal District judge, explained that emergency relief is intended to maintain a status quo bias and to minimize harm to those impacted. Instead, she bemoaned, the court has prioritized the stated harm to President Trump over the impact of his policies on real people. The president of the United States, although he may be in this hypothetical that you posed, harmed in an abstract way by not doing what he wants to do, he certainly isnt harmed if what he wants to do is illegal, right? He doesnt have the ability to do something unlawful. And the point of the merits proceeding is to determine whether the thing he wants to do is unlawful, said Jackson. She continued, Are we going to allow him to do this thing, this thing that is being challenged in the interim, while we are evaluating whether or not that thing is lawful? The only way to make that determination without having it just completely collapse into forecasting the merits is to focus on what is going to happen if he does this thing concretely in the real world, versus not. Robert Weiner, an attorney at the Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, tells theGrio, Supreme Court justices dont typically give speeches where they self-criticize their colleagues. He said the move reflects, I think, a strong depth of feeling on the issue. WASHINGTON, DC OCTOBER 07: United States Supreme Court (front row L-R) Associate Justice Sonia Sotomayor, Associate Justice Clarence Thomas, Chief Justice of the United States John Roberts, Associate Justice Samuel Alito, and Associate Justice Elena Kagan, (back row L-R) Associate Justice Amy Coney Barrett, Associate Justice Neil Gorsuch, Associate Justice Brett Kavanaugh and Associate Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson pose for their official portrait at the East Conference Room of the Supreme Court building on October 7, 2022 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images) Among the 29 emergency orders Trump requested, the Supreme Court has denied only five, according to an analysis of data compiled by Ballotpedia. Advertisement Advertisement The consequences have been felt, from federal employees not being able to work and critical services, including medical research, being defunded, to Black and brown immigrants with legal status being deported. Weiner said the Courts latest rulings of shadow dockets, which are generally rendered without there being full briefing and oral argument, have resulted in the court stepping in far more than a court is supposed to do. He explains the court has bypassed judicial processes that are fundamentally supposed to be long and deliberate and slow. Justice Jacksons calling out the courts perceived inability to weigh the real-life consequences of these emergency orders follows her many judicial dissents and questioning at the bench, which have been lauded by legal experts. When the Supreme Court struck down race-based affirmative action in college admissions in 2023, it was Jacksons line of questioning during oral arguments in the case that led the court to narrow its ruling, allowing applicants to still highlight their disadvantaged backgrounds. Still, Jackson described the ruling as a five-alarm fire, famously writing, deeming race irrelevant in law does not make it so in life. Advertisement Advertisement Jackson was notably the sole justice to dissent from consequential cases, including the ending of universal injunctions, which she characterized as an existential threat to the rule of law, warning against executive lawlessness, and lifting of a ban on conversion therapy, which Jackson said would usher in unsafe medical care for LGBTQ+ youth. She does not shy away from asking the tough questions and making her voice heard. And I think that is something she is good at doing, and she serves a very useful function in doing that, Weiner tells theGrio. Justice Jackson has spoken up from the very beginning and has been a really innovative and forceful advocate for her views. Tiffany Royster, Esq., associate counsel at the National Council of Negro Women, tells theGrio that Justice Jacksons very public rebuke is notable given that she is the courts newest justice and its lone Black woman. FILE Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson, who is a U.S. Circuit Judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, poses for a portrait, Feb., 18, 2022, at the court in Washington. Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson is working on a memoir. Jackson, the first Black woman appointed to the court, is calling the book Lovely One. Mine has been an unlikely journey, Jackson said in a statement released Thursday, Jan. 5, 2023, by Random House. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin, File) I think shes in a really interesting, but honestly not uncommon position as a Black womana lot of times, Black women are admitted to spaces of power, whether its a board room or the government, or, in her case, the judiciary, just to find out that their voices are just completely silenced once theyre inside, explains Royster. Advertisement Advertisement Jackson, taking her judicial stance from the pages of the Supreme Courts dense written rulings to the halls of Yale Law School, knowing it would be disseminated to national media, also shows forethought, says Royster. Shes talking very future forwardshes talking to the future scholars, the future lawyers, the public that will hopefully shape policy in a way that, if you vote for someone, they get to decide who sits on the Supreme Court, she tells theGrio. Shes not letting her role in the minority stop her from speaking out and advocating for equal justice under the law, which is really what the shadow docket kind of takes away from people. These are important legal issues that have serious implications for millions of people and communities, and most of them are vulnerable individuals and vulnerable communities, said Royster of Jackson, who is the first former federal public defender to ever serve on the Supreme Court. She continued, I think Justice Jackson has a particular kind of perspective as the only Black woman on the court, the only Black woman to ever be on the court, and her background and where she comes from, and the things that shes done in her life. She has a very different perspective than everyone else on the court. Advertisement Advertisement By applying pressure and building consensus outside the institution, Justice Jackson is taking her power back, says Royster, almost to kind of say, this is not okay, and Im not going to be silenced, even though I cant change things. More must-reads: Incumbent Democratic Rep. Greg Landsman will face challenger Damon Lynch IV in the May primary for Ohio's 1st District. Landsman won reelection in 2024, defeating Republican Orlando Sonza with 56% of the vote. Ohio lawmakers redrew the congressional districts in October 2025. Ohio's 1st District now includes Clinton County, Warren County and parts of Hamilton County. It leans slightly Republican, according to composite data from Dave's Redistricting. Here's what to know about the candidates. Who is Greg Landsman? Cincinnati Democratic Rep. Greg Landsman lives in Mount Washington. He registered to vote in Hamilton County in 2009 as a Democrat and has voted consistently since 2021 with the exception of two primaries. The Hamilton County Board of Elections' list of registered voters includes voting history from 2021 to the present. Advertisement Advertisement Landsman studied economics and political science at Ohio University. He also has a master's degree in theology from Harvard, according to his campaign website. Priot to Congress, he worked as a public high school teacher, as the director of faith-based and community initiatives for former Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland, at the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center and as executive director of StrivePartnership, a nonprofit organization that works on improving education in Cincinnati. Landsman was elected to Cincinnati City Council in 2017 and served until he was elected to Congress in 2022. As a councilmember, he created the Office of Ethics and Good Government to serve as a point of contact for city officials and employees with ethical dilemmas after three city councilmembers were arrested for bribery and wire services fraud. He was one of the so-called "Gang of 5," members who secretly conducted city business via text messages. He was never charged with any crime, and apologized. In Congress, Landsman has faced criticism from some party members after he was one of four Democrats to vote against a war powers resolution to stop military action in Iran without congressional approval. He then voted for a subsequent war powers resolution on April 16 and said "it's time to be done in Iran." Who is Damon Lynch IV? Damon Lynch IV is the son and grandson of two civil rights activists and pastors in Cincinnati. He told The Enquirer he doesn't "remember a time when it wasn't political" in his household. Advertisement Advertisement Lynch studied political science and government at Central State University, a historically Black university in Wilberforce, Ohio. An East Price Hill resident, he's created businesses aimed at connecting Black therapists to Black people. He was charged with possession of a controlled substance in 2004 and disorderly conduct in 2007 in Xenia Municipal Court. He told The Enquirer the first was a "misdiagnosed charge" and said he has "no idea" what the circumstances of the disorderly conduct were. Lynch also had a default judgment in Hamilton County in 2024 in which the judge ruled in favor of Discover Bank and found that Lynch owed over $12,000 with interest. "I'm just a poor working man in America trying to make it," Lynch said when asked about the judgment. Advertisement Advertisement Lynch faced some criticism on social media after it came to light that he voted for President Donald Trump in the 2016 Republican primary and gave the invocation at a Trump rally in West Chester. He told The Enquirer it was a "protest vote" because he felt a vote for Bernie Sanders, his preferred candidate in the Democratic primary, wouldn't have mattered. Lynch registered to vote in Hamilton County in 2002. He voted with an unaffiliated ballot in the 2025 general election and otherwise has not voted since at least 2021. How to vote The primary election is May 5. Early voting started on April 7. To check your voter registration or find your polling location, visit VoteOhio.gov. Regional politics reporter Erin Glynn can be reached at eglynn@enquirer.com, @ee_glynn on X and @eringlynn on Bluesky. This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: What to know about Greg Landsman, Damon Lynch IV before Ohio election Iran reversed its decision to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and fired on a tanker attempting to pass the waterway on Saturday. It also warned that it would continue to block transit through the strait as long as the U.S. blockade of Iranian ports remained in effect. Confusion over the critical chokepoint threatened to deepen the energy crisis roiling the global economy and push the two countries toward renewed conflict, even as mediators expressed confidence a new deal was within reach. Irans joint military command said on Saturday that control of the Strait of Hormuz has returned to its previous state ... under strict management and control of the armed forces. Advertisement Advertisement Two gunboats from Irans Revolutionary Guard opened fire on a tanker transiting the Strait of Hormuz, the British militarys United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center said. It reported the tanker and crew as safe, without identifying the vessel or its destination. TankerTrackers.com reported vessels were forced to turn around in the strait, including an Indian-flagged supertanker, after they were fired on by Iran. Saturday's developments came after U.S. President Donald Trump said the blockade will remain in full force until Tehran reaches a deal with the U.S. that includes its nuclear program. Tehran had reopened the strait Friday to commercial vessels. Roughly one-fifth of the worlds oil passes through the strait and further limits would squeeze already constrained supply, driving prices higher once again. Irans Friday announcement about the opening of the crucial body of water, through which 20% of the worlds oil is shipped, came as a 10-day truce between Israel and the Iranian-backed Hezbollah militant group in Lebanon appeared to hold. Despite the escalation, Pakistani officials say the United States and Iran are still moving closer to a deal ahead of the April 22 ceasefire deadline. Advertisement Advertisement The fighting has killed at least 3,000 people in Iran, nearly 2,300 in Lebanon, 23 in Israel and more than a dozen in Gulf Arab states. Thirteen U.S. service members have also been killed. Here is the latest: Another Israeli soldier dies in combat Israels military says another soldier died in combat in southern Lebanon, the second death announced in under twelve hours. It brought the total number of soldiers killed in Lebanon to 15, and was the second soldier killed in combat since the ceasefire. The military said another soldier was badly wounded in the same incident, along with four moderately wounded and four lightly injured. It was the second soldier to die since the ceasefire. The first died because of wounds sustained during combat, the military said. UN chief condemns attack in Lebanon that killed French peacekeeper Stephane Dujarric, the spokesman for U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, says Guterres has strongly condemned the killing of a French peacekeeper and the wounding of three others in an attack in southern Lebanon. Advertisement Advertisement The U.N. peacekeeping force in southern Lebanon came under attack with small-arms fire Saturday morning. Two of the injured were hurt seriously, Frances president and the force known as UNIFIL said. Both President Emmanuel Macron and the UNIFIL force blamed Hezbollah, but the Lebanese militant group denied involvement. Iran declares the Strait of Hormuz fully closed, state media reports The navy of Irans Revolutionary Guard Corps said it extended the closure to the corridor it had earlier designated for the safe passage of vessels through the strategic waterway and declared the strait fully closed until the U.S. blockade on Iranian ports and ships is lifted. On Friday, Iran said vessels could move through the strait in coordination with it and against the payment of a toll. Advertisement Advertisement But in a statement late Saturday carried by Irans state media, the navy warned that any violating vessel would be targeted. Iran considers the U.S. blockade a violation of the ceasefire between the two countries. Two vessels were attacked earlier on Saturday in the Strait of Hormuz and off Omans coast, at least one of them by Iranian gunboats. Israel says one of its soldiers has been killed in Lebanon The military said the soldier, an officer, was killed in south Lebanon on Friday, the day after the start of a U.S.-brokered ceasefire that has otherwise largely held. It said two other soldiers were injured in the incident, but didnt release any more details. Advertisement Advertisement This brings to 14 the number of Israeli soldiers killed in the latest war in Lebanon. Hezbollah leader dismisses ceasefire paper published by US Naim Kassem, head of the Iran-backed Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, in a statement read on the groups al-Manar TV said a paper published by the U.S. State Department that it described as the text of a ceasefire agreement between Lebanon and Israel means nothing at the practical level, but it is an insult to our country. Everyone knows that the government of Lebanon has not met or approved this statement, he said. The text published by the U.S. described the 10-day truce as a gesture by Israel to enable good-faith negotiations toward a permanent peace agreement with Lebanon. The text gives Israel the right to take all necessary measures in self-defense, at any time, against planned, imminent, or ongoing attacks. It does not mention any similar right for Lebanon or Hezbollah. Advertisement Advertisement Kassem said the truce should entail a complete cessation of all hostilities and that Hezbollah will respond to enemy violations. Israels military kills two UNICEF-contracted truck drivers in northern Gaza The Israeli military killed two UNICEF-contracted truck drivers at a water point in northern Gaza Strip, forcing the UN agency to suspend its operations in the area, UNICEF said. Two other people were also injured in the attack that occurred Friday at the Mansoura water filling point in Gaza City, UNICEF said in a statement. The firing took place during routine, water trucking operations, with no changes in movement or procedures, it said. The Israeli military claimed that troops opened fire on suspected militants in the area of the so-called Yellow Line, which separates Israeli-controlled areas from the rest of Gaza. It said the incident was being investigated. Advertisement Advertisement UNICEF said the point is being used multiple times a day to keep providing hundreds of thousands of people in Gaza City with clean water from the Mekorot water supply line. The agency said it suspended on-site activities until security conditions in the area are restored. India summons Irans ambassador after Indian-flagged tankers shot at near Strait of Hormuz India on Saturday summoned Irans ambassador in New Delhi after two Indian vessels were forced to reverse course in the Strait of Hormuz following reports of gunfire from Irans Revolutionary Guard. Indias foreign secretary conveyed New Delhis deep concern at the shooting incident at two Indian-flagged ships in the Strait of Hormuz to the Iranian ambassador, a statement by Indias External Affairs Ministry said. Advertisement Advertisement The foreign secretary told the Iranian envoy that Tehran had earlier facilitated the safe passage of several ships bound for India. The statement said the Indian official urged the Iranian ambassador to convey Indias views to the authorities in Iran and resume at the earliest the process of facilitating India-bound ships across the Strait. Macron says a French soldier was killed and 3 were wounded in attack on peacekeepers in Lebanon A U.N. peacekeeping force in southern Lebanon came under attack with small-arms fire Saturday morning leaving one French peacekeeper dead and three wounded, two of them seriously, Frances president and the force known as UNIFIL said. The attack near the southern Lebanese village of Ghandouriyeh came after a 10-day ceasefire went into effect at midnight Thursday between Israel and Lebanons militant Hezbollah group. Read more Pakistan prime minister returns home after regional visits ahead of expected US-Iran talks Pakistans Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif returned home Saturday after visiting Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Turkey ahead of an expected second round of talks between the United States and Iran. Advertisement Advertisement Sharifs office said in a statement that he was received by Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi upon arrival in the eastern city of Lahore. It said Naqvi, who visited Iran earlier this week along with army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir and other officials, later met Sharif and briefed him on their talks with the Iranian leadership. Hezbollah denies links to attack that left one French peacekeeper dead in south Lebanon The Iran-backed group in a statement called for caution when assigning blame and judgment, until the Lebanese army completes its investigation of the incident. Hezbollah said the peacekeeping forces should coordinate with the Lebanese army in their operations. Hezbollah expressed surprise at the hasty accusations leveled against it, especially given the silence of these same parties when the Israeli enemy attacks UNIFIL forces. Iran says it is reviewing new US proposals Irans Supreme National Security Council said in a statement that Pakistans army chief, serving as an intermediary, presented the proposals to Iran when he recently visited Tehran, and they were still under review. It was not revealed what was in the proposals. The council said Iran has yet to respond, but further talks would require the U.S. to abandon excessive demands and adjust its requests to the realities on the ground. It also said that Iran will maintain full control over traffic through the Strait of Hormuz until the war fully ends and lasting peace is achieved in the region, adding that it would collect detailed information on passing vessels, issue transit certificates and impose tolls. The council added that it considered the U.S. naval blockade a violation of the ceasefire, and there would be no reopening of the Strait of Hormuz until that was lifted. Trump says Iran got a little cute, but there are good conversations happening President Donald Trump says that U.S. talks with Iran are going well and that he expects to have more information by the end of the day. Trump made the comments Saturday morning during a White House event where he signed an executive order directing the Food and Drug Administration to expedite review of certain psychedelic drugs designed as breakthrough therapy for mental illness. Trump declined to take reporters questions about Iran but said, We have very good conversations going on. He says Iran got a little cute, later adding, They wanted to close up the strait again, referring to the Strait of Hormuz. They cant blackmail us, Trump said. Pope Leo XIV says not in my interest at all to debate Trump but will keep preaching peace Pope Leo XIV said Saturday that it was not in my interest at all to debate U.S. President Donald Trump about the Iran war, but that he would continue preaching the Gospel message of peace. Leo spoke to reporters aboard the papal plane flying from Cameroon to Angola. He addressed the spiraling back-and-forth saga of Trumps critiques of his peace message, which have dominated news headlines this week. But the American pope also sought to set the record straight, insisting that his preaching isnt directed at Trump, but reflects the broader Gospel message of peace. Theres been a certain narrative that has not been accurate in all of its aspects, but because of the political situation created when, on the first day of the trip, the president of the United States made some comments about myself, he said. Read more Turkish Vice President says US-Iran negotiations will take time to conclude Cevdet Yilmaz, whose country has been supporting Pakistans efforts to bring the sides together, told The Associated Press there are many complex issues on the table. Yilmaz said he still believes talks between Iran and the United States would continue. We would all like these talks to end all at once, in a very short time. But we need to be realistic. These comprehensive negotiations will take some time, Yilmaz said. The vice president also said that a comprehensive settlement between Iran and the United States would be a prerequisite for free navigation through the Strait of Hormuz. What is the root cause here? The ongoing war. Therefore, the end of this war will provide the greatest guarantee, he said. US says 23 ships turned back since Iran blockade started The U.S. military says it has forced 23 ships to turn around near the Strait of Hormuz since it imposed a naval blockade of Iranian ports. In a post on X, the Central Command said U.S. forces are still enforcing the blockade against ships entering or exiting Iranian ports and coastal areas. The blockade ordered by President Donald Trump started April 13 as part of U.S. pressure on Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. In response to the continued blockade, Iran reimposed restrictions on transit through the strait. British military say container vessel attacked near the Strait of Hormuz The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center said an unknown projectile hit the vessel, 25 nautical miles (46 kilometers) northeast of Oman. Some containers on the vessel were damaged, it said. The attack is the second on Saturday, after two gunboats from Irans Revolutionary Guard opened fire on a tanker transiting the key waterway. Irans supreme leader sends defiant message Irans valiant navy is ready to inflict new bitter defeats on its enemies, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei said. Khameneis defiant remarks came as Iran swiftly reimposed restrictions on the Strait of Hormuz. In a message celebrating the anniversary of the establishment of Irans army, he hailed Irans drone strikes that targeted Israel and the U.S. interests across the region during the war. Indian ships reverse course in Hormuz strait, vessel tracker says Two Indian vessels have had to reverse course in the Strait of Hormuz following reports of gunfire from Irans Revolutionary Guard, a vessel-tracker said. TankerTrackers.com said the vessels include an Indian-flagged supertanker, carrying 2 million barrels of Iraqi oil. Iranian gunboats fire on tanker, British military says The British military says two gunboats from Irans Revolutionary Guard opened fire on a tanker transiting the Strait of Hormuz after Iran said it had reimposed restrictions on the vital waterway. The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations Centre said the tanker and crew were reported safe, without identifying the vessel or its destination. Iran said earlier it was reimposing restrictions on the strait in response to a U.S. blockade on Iranian shipping and ports. Iran has prevented vessels from crossing throughout the seven-week-long war, except for ones it authorizes. Iran says it wont hand over enriched uranium to US Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Saeed Khatibzadeh dismissed claims from U.S. President Donald Trump over the uranium and sounded a note of caution with regard to future talks between the two countries. Speaking to the Associated Press in the Turkish city of Antalya, Khatibzadeh said the Iranians were not ready for a new round of face-to-face talks with the U.S. because the Americans have not abandoned their maximalist position. On Friday, Trump said the U.S. will go into Iran and get all the nuclear dust, referring to the 970 pounds (440 kilograms) of enriched uranium believed to be buried under nuclear sites badly damaged by U.S. military strikes last year. Lebanese leaders discuss future talks with Israel The meeting between President Joseph Aoun and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam came during a 10-day ceasefire between Israel and Lebanons Iran-backed Hezbollah group. According to a statement from Aouns office, the pair discussed Lebanons readiness for negotiations with Israel. Lebanon and Israel have been in a state of war since 1948. Earlier this week, the two countries ambassadors to the U.S. held a meeting, in the first direct talks in decades. U.S. President Donald Trump has invited Aoun and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to the White House, although no date has been set yet. Aoun has said he is ready to go anywhere to liberate my country, protect my people and save my nation. Iran reimposes restrictions in Strait of Hormuz Iran has reversed course on reopening the Strait of Hormuz, reimposing restrictions on the critical waterway after the U.S. said the move would not end its blockade. The countrys joint military command said control of the Strait of Hormuz has returned to its previous state ... under strict management and control of the armed forces. It warned that it would continue to block transit through the strait as long as the U.S. blockade of Iranian ports remained in effect. The announcement came the morning after U.S. President Donald Trump said the U.S. blockade will remain in full force until Tehran reaches a deal with the U.S., including on its nuclear program. Pakistani leader heads home from Turkey ahead of U.S.-Iran talks Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has left for home after visiting Turkey, where he attended a diplomacy forum in Antalya. Whiie there, he met Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani ahead of the second round of U.S.-Iran talks in Islamabad. While at the forum, Sharif discussed recent regional developments and ongoing diplomatic efforts between Tehran and Washington with Erdogan and the Qatari emir. Pakistan is expected to host the second round of talks between Iran and the United States early next week Iran announces partial reopening of its airspace Iran has announced a partial reopening of its airspace after a seven-week hiatus because of the war, state media reported. The Civil Aviation Organization said air routes over eastern Iran were reopened at 7 a.m. (0330 GMT), according to the state-owned IRAN newspaper. It said flights at the countrys airports would gradually resume but did not give a timeframe. Irans airspace had been closed since the U.S. and Israel began striking Iran on Feb. 28. The partial reopening has come more than a week into a ceasefire between Iran and the U.S. Iranian lawmaker clarifies conditions for transit through Hormuz A senior Iranian lawmaker said only commercial vessels authorized by the Revolutionary Guard are allowed to transit through the Strait of Hormuz. Ebrahim Azizi, head of Irans parliamentary National Security Commission, said in a social media post late Friday that commercial vessels must pay required tolls before transiting the strait, using a route set by Iran last month. The time has come to comply with the new Maritime Regime of the Strait of Hormuz, he said. These regulations are determined by Iran, not by social media posts! He warned that the mechanism could change if the U.S. attempts to create any disturbance for Iranian ships. Strait of Hormuz only open during ceasefire, Iranian military official says Irans Defense Ministry spokesperson said the Strait of Hormuz is only open during a ceasefire and conditionally, two Iranian semiofficial news agencies reported. Brig. Gen. Reza Talaei-Nik said military vessels and those linked to hostile forces have no right of transit, according to the ISNA and Mehr news agencies. Tehran threatened on Saturday to shut the Strait of Hormuz once more if the United States continues its blockade of Iranian ports, hours after Iran announced it had reopened the strategic waterway in the wake of a ceasefire in Lebanon. The potential for the resumption of transit had lifted stock markets on Friday and prompted optimism from Washington, with President Donald Trump telling AFP a broader US-Iran peace deal was "very close" and saying Tehran had agreed to hand over its enriched uranium -- a key sticking point in negotiations. "We're going to get it by going in with Iran, with lots of excavators," Trump said at an event in Arizona. Advertisement Advertisement Iran, however, pushed back on the claim, saying its stockpile of enriched uranium was not going anywhere. It also warned that if US warships intercepted vessels coming from Iranian ports, the Strait of Hormuz -- a key global trade artery through which about a fifth of global crude oil and liquefied natural gas typically passes -- could be closed again. "With the continuation of the blockade, the Strait of Hormuz will not remain open," parliamentary speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf wrote on X, adding that passage through the waterway would require authorization from Iran. "What they call a naval blockade will definitely be met with an appropriate response from Iran," said Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei, calling the naval blockade "a violation of the ceasefire" it struck with Washington for a fortnight to enable talks. Advertisement Advertisement US forces have so far directed 21 ships to turn around since the blockade began this week, the US Central Command posted on X overnight, accompanied by an image of an American guided-missile destroyer patrolling the Arabian Sea. The sour notes came on a day that Trump had hailed as "GREAT AND BRILLIANT," with a series of social media posts praising talks mediator Pakistan and Gulf allies. Despite the discord over the status of the strategic waterway, Pakistani leaders whose mediation led to historic face-to-face talks between Washington and Tehran envoys in Islamabad last week, pushed for the warring sides to finalize an agreement to end the war. In his phone interview with AFP, Trump added: "Looks like it's going to be very good for everybody. And we're very close to having a deal," adding that there were "no sticking points at all" left with Tehran. Advertisement Advertisement That echoed the US president's earlier comments he would consider flying to Pakistan to sign any deal struck, raising hopes of another meeting in Islamabad after US Vice President JD Vance left last weekend after 21 hours of talks he said ultimately could not strike a permanent deal. But casting a shadow of doubt, Trump reiterated on Saturday that he planned to maintain the US naval blockade if a peace deal with Iran were not reached, though he signalled he was open to extending the ceasefire with Iran after it expires on Wednesday. "Maybe I won't extend it, but the blockade is going to remain," Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One. - Fragile gains - Advertisement Advertisement Oil prices had already fallen on hopes of a negotiated end to the conflict, and the drop accelerated on Friday, with stocks heading upwards as traders soaked up the optimism. Late Friday, the US issued another waiver allowing the sale of Russian oil and petroleum products already at sea, a move likely to further soften oil prices by boosting supply on global markets. The start of a 10-day ceasefire in Lebanon on Friday and the reopening of the strait marked progress in Washington's push for a broader deal to end its war with Iran, after Tehran insisted that halting the fighting between Israeli forces and Iran-backed Lebanese group Hezbollah must be part of any larger agreement to end the regional conflict. In Lebanon, displaced families began returning to their homes in bomb-damaged south Beirut and the country's war-ravaged southern towns. Advertisement Advertisement "Our feelings are indescribable, pride and victory," 37-year-old Amani Atrash told AFP, adding that she hoped the ceasefire would be extended. The fighting in Lebanon began on March 2, when Hezbollah fired rockets at Israel days after the wider Middle East war began and in retaliation for the killing of Iran's supreme leader Ali Khamenei. Trump said Israel had been "prohibited" by Washington from carrying out further strikes and that the United States would work with Lebanon "and deal with the Hezbollah situation in an appropriate manner." Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned that the campaign against Hezbollah was not over. Advertisement Advertisement "We have not yet finished the job," he said, adding that a key objective was the "dismantling of Hezbollah". Hezbollah, meanwhile, warned it remained ready to respond to any Israeli violations. burs-ft/md/hg/ceg/ane April 18 (Reuters) - A French soldier was killed and three others wounded while clearing a road in southern Lebanon in an attack that UNIFIL peacekeepers and French officials said on Saturday was likely carried out by Iran-backed Hezbollah. In calls with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, French President Emmanuel Macron condemned the "unacceptable attack", Macron's office said in a statement. Three other members of the United Nations' UNIFIL peacekeeping mission were injured, UNIFIL said, two of them seriously. Advertisement Advertisement UNIFIL said initial assessments indicated the fire came from non-state actors, allegedly Hezbollah, and that an investigation had been launched into what it called "a deliberate attack." Macron also said the evidence so far pointed to the Iran-backed armed group and urged Lebanese authorities to act against those responsible. United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres also condemned the attack in Lebanon and urged all parties to "respect the cessation of hostilities and the ceasefire." Hezbollah denied any involvement in the attack, expressing its "surprise at positions that rushed to make baseless accusations" against the group. Advertisement Advertisement French armed forces minister Catherine Vautrin said the patrol was ambushed while on a mission to open a route to a UNIFIL post that had been isolated by fighting in the area. The soldier was killed by direct small-arms fire, she said. UNIFIL said the attack occurred in the southern Lebanese village of Ghandouriyeh. Lebanon's army condemned the shooting and said it had opened an investigation. President Aoun offered condolences and ordered an immediate probe, while Prime Minister Salam also condemned the attack. UNIFIL was first deployed in 1978 and has remained through successive conflicts, including a 2024 war during which its positions came under repeated fire. Advertisement Advertisement ISRAELI MILITARY KILLS MILITANTS IN THE SOUTH Separately, the Israeli military said on Saturday it had killed members of a "terrorist cell" that violated a U.S.-brokered ceasefire and approached its soldiers in southern Lebanon. It said it was authorised to take necessary self-defence measures against "threats," adding that such actions are not restricted by the ceasefire. The Israeli military later said a soldier who was wounded in southern Lebanon on Friday had died of his wounds. It gave no details of the incident, which it did not describe as a violation of the ceasefire. Israel's Army Radio military correspondent reported that an initial inquiry found he had been wounded by an explosive device that was likely to have been planted before the ceasefire. Advertisement Advertisement Israel and Lebanon agreed a "cessation of hostilities" on April 16 at 2100 GMT for an initial period of 10 days to enable peace negotiations between the two countries, according to a text of the deal released by the U.S. State Department. The deal does not require Israel to withdraw from southern Lebanon, where Israeli troops have been destroying villages and infrastructure after ordering residents south of the Litani River to flee. The area makes up about 8% of Lebanese territory. (Reporting by Enas Alashray, Menna Alaa El-Din and Ahmed Tolba in Cairo, Tassilo Hummel in Paris and Olivia Le Poidevin in Geneva, and Maayan Lubell; Editing by Emelia Sithole-Matarise and Mark Potter) It's been a siege of severe weather this week, and another rash of storms fired up Friday in some of the same areas hit earlier. Our latest forecast shows where tornadoes, hail and flooding rain could happen again. (07:18 p.m. EDT) Watch: Clouds Explode Over Midwest (07:04 p.m. EDT) 'Busy Evening As Expected' (06:42 p.m. EDT) Tornado Safety Tips From content writer Toby Adeyemi The National Weather Service has these following safety tips during a tornado. Before The Storm: Know where to take shelter at home, work, school, and in your car before a tornado strikes. Advertisement Advertisement Plan, prepare, and practice your tornado response flying debris causes most deaths and injuries. Avoid windows at all costs exploding glass can injure or kill. At Home: Go to the interior part of a basement, away from windows and exterior walls. If no basement, go to an inside room without windows on the lowest floor center hallway, bathroom, or closet. Get under something sturdy like a heavy table or workbench for added protection. Cover your body with a blanket, sleeping bag, or mattress and protect your head with your hands. Avoid sheltering under heavy objects like pianos or refrigerators that could fall through the floor. Mobile Homes: Never stay in a mobile home manufactured before 1976 during a tornado, they're extremely vulnerable. Advertisement Advertisement Go to a nearby building with a basement if possible. If no shelter is available, lie flat in the nearest ditch, ravine, or culvert and shield your head with your hands. Remember: There's no completely safe place during a tornado, but some locations are much safer than others. (06:07 p.m. EDT) Increasing Tornado Threat For Milwaukee From senior meteorologist Jonathan Belles: A couple of solitary supercells are marching through northern Illinois and southern Wisconsin and conditions suggest an increasing tornado and very large hail threat from Milwaukee to Waukegan, Illinois, over the next couple of hours. These storms ahead of the squall line are the most likely storms to produce a strong tornado or two today if they can remain isolated from other storms and ahead of the squall line. (05:45 p.m. EDT) DHS Flood Safety Tips From content writer Toby Adeyemi Advertisement Advertisement The Wisconsin Department of Health Services has shared some flood safety tips everyone needs to see. If Water Is Rising: Get out immediately and move to higher ground don't wait. Lock doors, turn off utilities at main switches before evacuating. Disconnect appliances, but never touch electrical equipment while wet or standing in water. Don't walk through moving water even a few inches can knock you down. Listen to public safety officials and follow evacuation orders. After The Flood: Only return home when authorities confirm it's safe. Avoid driving or walking through flooded areas roads may be eroded or damaged. Never wade, swim, or bathe in floodwater it contains bacteria, chemicals, and debris. Advertisement Advertisement Use extreme caution entering buildings check for hidden structural damage first. Food Safety: When in doubt, throw it out don't rely on appearance, taste, or smell. Toss perishable food after four hours without power or refrigeration. Refreeze thawed food only if it still has ice crystals or is at 40F or below. Throw out any food touched by floodwater, even in sealed containers. (05:40 p.m. EDT) WATCH: Severe Weather Crossing The Midwest From Space An incredible satellite imaging of the storms crossing the midwest today. Check out what CIRA posted on X, showing storms crossing southern Wisconsin and northern Illinois from 1:45 PM ET to 3:09 PM ET this afternoon: (05:15 p.m. EDT) Some Weather Words To Know Today From senior meteorologist Jonathan Belles: Advertisement Advertisement Tornado Watch: The atmosphere is primed to produce tornadoes, damaging winds and large hail. If in one of these watches, you should be ready to move to your storm shelter with your family. This watch is issued by the Storm Prediction Center Quasi-Linear Convective System (or QLCS): This is a fancy name for squall lines, but they can be producers of tornadoes alongside damaging winds. Meteorologists look for little kinks on these lines for tornadoes on radar. Moderate Risk: This is the threat level that exists today in parts of Oklahoma, Kansas and Missouri. This is the second-highest threat level issued by the Storm Prediction Center and is issued a handful of times each year around the country. This risk area can be issued for damaging winds, hail or tornadoes, or a combination of the three. Today, it was issued for the combination of damaging winds and hail. You should have your weather plan in mind throughout your day in case damaging weather comes your way. Severe thunderstorm: A storm that is producing a tornado, wind gusts of at least 60 mph or hail of at least one inch in diameter. Advertisement Advertisement Particularly Dangerous Situation (or PDS): This tag is affixed on watches or warnings issued by the National Weather Service when there is a distinct threat to life or property that is higher than a regular watch or warning might suggest. These storms often have confirmed threats like tornadoes or very strong winds. (04:55 p.m. EDT) Tornado With A Particularly Dangerous Situation Tag On The Ground In Wisconsin From meteorologist Sara Tonks and meteorologist Jennifer Gray: A confirmed tornado with a particularly dangerous situation (PDS) tag is on the ground in Wisconsin, according to the La Crosse National Weather Service office. The tornado is large and extremely dangerous, and the damage threat is considerable. The PDS tag is used in warnings for radar-confirmed or spotter-confirmed tornadoes that are likely to be strong. These particular warnings are rare and an elevated version of a tornado warning that is meant to suggest an unusually high threat of damage and loss of life exists for a particular storm. Advertisement Advertisement (MORE: All Tornado Warnings Should Be Taken Seriously, But They Aren't All The Same. Here Are The Different Types) (04:43 p.m. EDT) Todays Biggest Threat Isnt Tornadoes From senior meteorologist Jonathan Belles: You may already know that todays severe thunderstorm threat is toward the upper end of the scale a 4 out of 5 risk, or a moderate risk per the Storm Prediction Center but it is for damaging winds and very large hail in the Central Plains rather than for tornadoes. A well-developed line of thunderstorms is now sweeping eastward through the countrys mid-section. Some wind gusts in eastern Kansas or western Missouri could reach 85 mph through mid to late evening. The threat for tornadoes is located over eastern Iowa, northern Illinois and southern Wisconsin through mid-evening. (04:39 p.m. EDT) Tornado Watch In Illinois And Missouri The National Weather Service has issued a tornado watch in Illinois and Missouri thru 11pm CDT. That includes Chicago, St. Louis, Columbia and Springfield. The Big Bang on the Bay has fizzled out. It's canceled. The California Coastal Commission has denied the permit for the July 3 fireworks show over Alamitos Bay in Long Beach. The commission cited environmental reasons for denying the permit. Restaurateur John Morris has organized the fireworks show since 2011. The California Coastal Commission warned him that last year's show would be the last if he didn't switch to drones. Morris claims that drones are more expensive than fireworks. Advertisement Advertisement "I know for sure that 95%, 97% of this community want the fireworks," Morris said. "All over the internet, drones are good for the environment from the environment group. I said, 'OK, you organize it and raise the money, and I'll watch it.'" Off camera, some Alamitos Bay Area residents told ABC7 that they won't miss the loud fireworks show because it scared their pets. The July 3 show was a fundraiser for local Long Beach charities. It has raised around $2 million over the years. For others, there's disappointment that the annual celebration over Alamitos Bay won't happen. Drones, as some put it, are not the same as the loud booms of the fireworks. Advertisement Advertisement "Nah, that's not as cool. I think we should stay the old way because that's not traditional. That may be the future, but not now," King Sconchor of Long Beach said. Patrick McKenna of Long Beach said he was disappointed, adding, "I'm totally shocked. It's a Long Beach tradition, especially for the 250th anniversary of this beautiful country. But I understand about the pollution of the oceans." Since the Big Bang show over the bay is canceled, what's the alternative? On its website, the Queen Mary invites visitors to its Fourth of July festivities. "Explore the ship's historic decks transformed into themed parties honoring what makes America iconic, each packed with live performances, interactive activities, and excitement for all ages," the website says. "The night builds to a spectacular grand finale as a dazzling 15minute fireworks show lights up the Long Beach skyline, marking a once in a generation celebration of freedom, history, and summer magic." A French soldier serving with the UN mission UNIFIL in Lebanon was killed and three others injured and evacuated, with the Iran-backed Hezbollah militia likely responsible, French President Emmanuel Macron confirmed on X on Saturday. "Everything suggests that responsibility for this attack lies with Hezbollah," Macron wrote on X in English. He demanded that the Lebanese government immediately arrest those responsible. The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) also said that according to an initial assessment, Hezbollah fighters were responsible for the attack. Advertisement Advertisement Later in the day, Hezbollah rejected responsibility for the incident. In a statement, it urged caution in assigning blame and said it was awaiting the Lebanese army's investigation into the circumstances UNIFIL said its soldiers had been clearing explosive devices from a road in the south in the morning, when they came under attack. Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam condemned the attack in the strongest terms, saying it harmed Lebanon and its relations with friendly countries worldwide. France remains traditionally closely linked to Lebanon as a former mandate power. Lebanon's President Joseph Aoun also spoke to Macron by phone after the attack. Advertisement Advertisement The country's foreign ministry condemned the attack and said Lebanese authorities will conduct an investiation and punish the perpetrators. It condemned repeated violations and attacks against UNIFIL by both the Israeli army and "Hezbollah elements." UNIFIL's blue helmets have been monitoring the border area between Israel and Lebanon since 1978. There have repeatedly been dead and wounded in their ranks. A few weeks ago, two Indonesian soldiers serving with the UNIFIL mission were killed in an explosion. Photo Courtesy: Autorepublika. Russelsheim am Main has been Opels home since 1862, when Adam Opel founded the company there and began building sewing machines before the brand ever became a carmaker. For much of the General Motors era, that site was more than a headquarters. It was one of the companys major engineering centers in Europe, and German media now say the development workforce there once stood at roughly 7,000 people. That world began to change in 2017, when GM sold Opel and Vauxhall to PSA. In 2021, PSA merged with Fiat Chrysler Automobiles to create Stellantis. Since then, Opel has been pulled much deeper into a shared group structure. Now Stellantis is shrinking Russelsheim again, while presenting the site as a leaner and more focused tech center for the future. From A Full Engineering Base To A Smaller Tech Center Photo Courtesy: Autorepublika. Stellantis has confirmed that 650 engineering roles are being cut at the Russelsheim Tech Center. That would take the site from about 1,650 engineers today to around 1,000 once the restructuring is complete. According to Stellantis, the remaining center will concentrate on vehicle development for Opel and Vauxhall while also handling selected technologies that can be used across the wider group. The company says negotiations with labor representatives are under way and expects the transformation to be completed by the end of 2027. This is not the first big reset at Russelsheim. In 2018, Opel transferred part of its development center to Segula Technologies, a move tied to roughly 2,000 research jobs at the time, which already showed how much the old engineering structure was being dismantled under the new ownership model. The New grEEn Campus Photo Courtesy: Autorepublika. At the same time, Stellantis is building a new headquarters complex in Russelsheim called the grEEn campus. The official groundbreaking ceremony took place in September 2025, and the company describes it as the future global Opel headquarters as well as the headquarters for Stellantis Germany. The project covers about 100,000 square meters and includes an office building, a research and development building with a design center, and major parking facilities. Stellantis and development partner VGP say the goal is to create a modern campus for work, research, and innovation on the historic Opel site. The message is clear. Russelsheim is not being abandoned, but it is being remade into a smaller, greener, and more flexible operation built around hybrid work, renewable energy, and a tighter mission than the one Opel once had under GM. What Opel Still Keeps In Germany Photo Courtesy: Autorepublika. Stellantis insists the cuts do not mean the end of Russelsheims technical importance. Company statements say the site will stay anchored in the groups global development network and remain a key German tech center. The News Prominent MAGA commentator Steve Bannon on Thursday offered a rosy view of the populist rights influence and of Republicans fortunes, predicting they would keep the US House this fall. I feel better than ever, Bannon told Semafor World Economy in Washington, DC. He touted the success of conservative Senate candidate Ken Paxton in Texas and polls showing that less than a majority of South Carolina voters approve of GOP Sen. Lindsey Graham, whose hawkishness has made him a frequent political punching bag for Bannon. Bannon acknowledged that, while populist- and nationalist-leaning conservatives such as himself were ascendant in the early months of President Donald Trumps second term, recent months have seen his wings interest maybe not totally aligned with the rest of the party. Advertisement Advertisement Among the issues on which his camp has split from the White House are the war with Iran Bannon declared that weve got to get out of the Middle East and mass deportations, which Trumps aides have urged the party to downplay heading into the midterm elections after a remarkably aggressive start to immigration enforcement. But Bannon, a longtime Trump ally, vowed that we will be ascendant again, predicting that Republicans are going to hold the House majority. (The majority of polls this spring show that Democrats, not Republicans, are on track to claim control of the chamber next year.) One Republican Bannon was less bullish on: Vice President JD Vance. Asked if Vance was the heir apparent to Trumps base for 2028, Bannon said that he continues to advocate for Trump to seek a third term in office despite the Constitutions prohibition on such a move. Know More Bannon also underscored his sharp criticism of out-of-control artificial intelligence companies, saying that the AI startup Anthropic had it right in its feud with Trumps Pentagon over the use of its technology in autonomous weapons systems and the surveillance of Americans. Advertisement Advertisement For populist conservatives, Bannon said, AI is right next to immigration, our top issue. People are galvanized by this. He called for some modicum of regulatory control over technology that he warned would hurt children and take away jobs. And he warned that congressional Republicans would keep trying to pursue legislation that would effectively nullify state-level attempts to regulate AI, despite having failed to do so in the past. Progressive U.S. Senate candidate Graham Platner apologized on Wednesday for using the R-word during a recent interview regarding his tattoo controversy. Speaking with the Maine Monitor last week, Platner described his reaction to learning he had been accused of having a Nazi tattoo after it was revealed he had a skull-and-crossbones tattoo resembling the Totenkopf used by Hitlers SS paramilitary forces. "I was like, Well, thats the f---ing most r------- s--- Ive ever heard in my life," Platner said. "No, I dont have a White supremacist tattoo, and I never thought about it again. And then it came up later on, and I was like, God f---ing damn it." Advertisement Advertisement Graham Platner Blames Nazi Tattoo On Military Culture, Draws Backlash From Gop Veterans Graham Platner, a Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate in Maine, used the R-word to describe his reaction to his tattoo controversy. Platner faced backlash from disability advocacy organizations that condemned the Maine Democrat for using language that "diminishes dignity." "For decades, people with disabilities and their allies have fought to eliminate the use of the R-word an ableist term rooted in discrimination and exclusion," Kim Moody, CEO of Disability Rights Maine, said in a statement. "This language is not harmless; it reinforces stigma, diminishes dignity, and undermines the value and contributions of disabled individuals in our communities." Read On The Fox News App Advertisement Advertisement In an interview with Wmtv 8 Abc, Platner apologized for his comments and said that he was "endeavoring to improve" his language. Democratic Maine Senate Candidate Graham Platner Confronted By Ms Now Host About Tattoo Controversy Graham Platner apologized for his comments and said that he is "endeavoring" to improve. "I am sorry. I'm sorry that I said it. I am endeavoring to improve every single day. I am not a perfect person, and I continue to try to be better," Platner said. "I will say that my politics is one of inclusivity and one of showing up for everybody, and I will continue every day to represent that in our policies and in our campaign." Fox News Digital reached out to the Platner campaign and Disability Rights Maine for comment but did not immediately receive responses. Advertisement Advertisement Platner's apology followed a series of controversies surrounding the candidate since he launched his campaign in the fall. Graham Platner Claims Voters Concerned Over Trans Athletes Are 'Manipulated By Billionaires' Platner has also apologized for controversial Reddit posts. Along with the controversy surrounding his tattoo, Platner faced backlash for old Reddit posts where he made several inflammatory and offensive comments. In his posts, he referred to himself as a communist, praised Hamas' military tactics and suggested people concerned about rape should not "get so f---ed up they wind up having sex with someone they dont mean to." Click Here To Download The Fox News App Advertisement Advertisement Platner has apologized for his comments and cited his combat deployments and struggles in the aftermath of his service for influencing him at the time. Original article source: Maine Democrat Graham Platner apologizes for using 'R-word' in interview on tattoo scandal New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdanis (D) plan to open a city-owned grocery store in East Harlem is drawing pushback from critics who question its feasibility and warn of its economic impact on local businesses. At a rally Sunday marking his first 100 days as mayor, the democratic socialist announced the location of the first of five city-owned grocery stores one in each of New York Citys boroughs that he plans to open in the next couple years. Mamdani identified La Marqueta, a marketplace in East Harlem, as the site for Manhattans store, which he said he hopes to open by 2029. The sites for the other four stores have not yet been announced, but Mamdani said he hopes to open the first city-owned store in late 2027, with all five operating by the end of his first term. Advertisement Advertisement In making the announcement, Mamdani took an early step toward fulfilling a key campaign promise aimed at addressing the citys affordability crisis by offering lower-cost groceries. When corporations control every part of the food supply chain, prices go up, basic necessities become luxuries and workers and customers both lose, Mamdani said. A public option allows us to intervene where the market has failed. This is about ensuring that every New Yorker, regardless of income or ZIP code, has access to fresh, healthy food at a price they can afford, he added. But concerns have emerged about whether Mamdanis plan could put local bodegas and grocers at a disadvantage, as they face high operating costs and already run on slim profit margins. Advertisement Advertisement How does the mayor know what this will really cost? Does he understand the slim margins under which small grocers function? Hank Sheinkopf, a veteran Democratic political strategist, told The Hill. This is charisma in action paid for by others, he added. Mamdanis plan, which still needs to be approved by the City Council, would cost roughly $70 million $30 million of which would be designated for the 9,000-square-foot store on 115th Street and Park Avenue in Manhattan. New York City Council Speaker Julie Menin did not say whether she plans to back Mamdanis proposal, but her spokesperson said she looks forward to reviewing the plan and assessing its potential impacts on consumers and local small businesses, including bodegas. Advertisement Advertisement As our city confronts ongoing fiscal and affordability crises, the City Council is identifying responsible solutions to lower costs and address food insecurity, spokesperson Jack Lobel said in a statement . Mamdani said the city-run stores would offer lower prices on staples like eggs and bread by avoiding paying rent or property taxes, allowing those savings to be passed on to consumers. But the mayor did not provide specific pricing details, and City Hall has not explained how those costs would be calculated. I cant give you an exact example of the cost of a cucumber in our essential basket. But what I can tell you is that when New Yorkers come to city-run grocery stores, they will see a clear price differential when it comes to those essentials, Mamdani said at a press conference on Tuesday. Many grocers and bodega owners in New York say the plan would give city-owned stores an unfair advantage, allowing them to avoid costs that private businesses must absorb. Advertisement Advertisement The president of the National Supermarket Association, Antonio Pena, described Mamdanis plan as a slap in the face to the 450 independent stores that the trade association represents in New York City. He noted that those stores pay taxes and have to compete against national chains without the same advantage. To have the city decide to open a store in the same neighborhood in which our members are operating at already low margins because running a store in the city is very expensive, extremely expensive we feel that its a big slap in the face to us, Pena said in a statement to Gothamist. United Bodegas of America spokesperson Fernando Mateo said he expects the city-owned stores to get jam packed, noting five stores are planning to serve more than 8 million New York City residents. Advertisement Advertisement What do you expect is going to happen? Mateo said. Youre going to have people rushing to these stores early in the morning to late at night, waiting on long lines. You know, its going to be more turmoil than anything else. Its a great punch line for him and for the socialist movement, he continued. But New York is not a socialist city. John Catsimatidis a Republican talk radio show host and owner of major grocery store chains, including Gristedes and DAgostino Supermarkets has also strongly pushed back on the proposal, describing it as a delusional notion in the name of radical socialism that would destroy everything weve built, in a Wall Street Journal op-ed last summer. The GOP supermarket mogul threatened to close and relocate his New York City stores if Mamdani won the election, predicting that the mayors plan for city-owned stores would collapse our food supply, kill private industry, and drag us down a path toward the bread lines of the old Soviet Union. Advertisement Advertisement New York-based GOP political consultant Bill OReilly said hes concerned if Mamdanis rent-free grocery store succeeds, the political left will push to build more public stores. Thats the problem, OReilly told The Hill. Government stores will put every nearby free-market bodega out of business. The left will cheer, while mom and pop move to Jersey. Stephen Zagor, an adjunct associate professor at Columbia Business School who focuses on food businesses, acknowledged the appeal of a city-run grocery store, in light of the affordability crisis in New York City, but he questioned the viability of the supermarkets. I think hes overwhelmed by the motivation to do good, Zagor told WABC, referring to Mamdani. Advertisement Advertisement But, he added, I think theyre going to be shocked by how challenging its going to be, because there will be subsidies and there will be losses, and its going to become a real political nightmare at the end of the day. Mamdani, however, has pushed forward with his plan, which is part of his broader push to bring down prices for New Yorkers struggling to pay their monthly bills. Now, some will insist that city-owned businesses do not work, the government cannot keep up with corporations, Mamdani said about the plan. My answer to them is simple. I look forward to the competition. 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. NEW YORK Mayor Zohran Mamdani on Friday backed Lindsey Boylan, the first woman to accuse ex-Gov. Andrew Cuomo of sexual harassment, in her bid for City Council. The election for the open council seat on Manhattans West Side has emerged as a proxy battle between City Council Speaker Julie Menin and Mamdani as he vies for more influence over the Council, Menin has already endorsed another candidate in the race, Carl Wilson. In a statement, Mamdani cited Boylans fearless leadership and willingness to challenge entrenched power. Advertisement Advertisement As we work to usher in a new era in our citys politics, and advance our affordability agenda, I need partners in the work like Lindsey and thats why I am proud to endorse her campaign for City Council, Mamdani said. Boylan has frequently spoken out against Cuomo, her former boss in Albany, and appeared numerous times alongside Mamdani during the mayoral race in which he defeated the former governor. Mamdani, for his part, has remained critical as mayor of the ex-governor, who denies the sexual harassment allegations from Boylan as well as a dozen other accusers. Boylan is running in a special election to fill the seat recently vacated by now-State Sen. Erik Bottcher. Shes up against Wilson, Bottchers former chief of staff, with Leslie Boghosian Murphy, the chair of Community Board 4 and Layla Law-Gisiko, a community activist, also in the race. Early voting begins on Saturday for the election, with Election Day falling on Tuesday, April 28. Advertisement Advertisement Mamdani, a democratic socialist, and Menin, a moderate democrat, have developed an antagonistic relationship in their first months of leadership. As the city determines how to balance its budget, the two have traded jabs at each other although the speaker extended an olive branch of sorts earlier this week with the Council approval of Mamdanis pick for the citys top investigative watchdog. The backing is also a test of Mamdanis political weight in the district, which he won in November by double digits. A spokesperson for the speaker did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Previously, Boylan mounted unsuccessful campaigns for Manhattan borough president in 2021 and Congress in 2020. _____ Republican strategists and lawmakers are hoping that when voters head to the polls in November to elect the next U.S. Senator of Minnesota, theyll be forced to choose between either a Republican candidate or Minnesota Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan. In a Democratic primary that has yet to play out, House Majority Whip Tom Emmer, R-Minn., believes Flanagan would give Republicans better odds than her opponent, Rep. Angie Craig, D-Minn. "You've got the radical Left that is really upending the party. It's that crazy Marxist anarchist group that is in Minneapolis, especially with a primary," Emmer said in an interview with local media. Advertisement Advertisement "Think about this. You've got Angie Craig, who will have all the money. But she knows that her numbers are in the tank against this radical, wild, wild-eyed Peggy Flanagan, the current lieutenant governor. So, guess who shows up [to the primary]? All the crazies from Minneapolis." Ex-nfl Reporter Launches Gop Senate Bid, Reveals How She Will Flip Script On State's 'Crisis Of Leadership'' Minnesota Lt. Gov. and candidate for U.S. Senate Peggy Flanagan, left, pictured alongside her Democratic challenger Rep. Angie Craig, D-Minn., right. "Peggy Flanagan is likely going to be their candidate, and that is good for us," Emmer said. Read On The Fox News App The assessment isnt unique to Emmer. The Democratic race began in February of last year when Sen. Tina Smith, D-Minn., sparked a four-way Democratic primary with news that she would not pursue reelection in 2026. Advertisement Advertisement In addition to Craig and Flanagan, Billy Nord, an anti-establishment activist, and Melisa Lopez Franzen, a former minority leader of the Minnesota Senate, announced bids for the seat. But it didnt take long for Craig and Flanagan to emerge as the clear-cut frontrunners. Craig, a former journalist, businesswoman and a current four-term U.S. congresswoman, has $4.8 million in cash on hand, according to FEC records. Flanagan, Minnesotas lieutenant governor for the past seven years, has $1.1 million cash on hand. Nord has not reported contributions with the FEC and Lopez dropped out of the race in May of last year. Advertisement Advertisement Democrat In Key Senate Primary Says She Regrets Vote On Laken Riley Act, Draws Gop Backlash Minnesota DFL (Democratic-Farmer-Laborer Party) Lieutenant Governor-elect Peggy Flanagan and Governor-elect Tim Walz arrived at their transition offices in the State Capitol Thursday morning, November 8, 2018, in St. Paul, Minn. While Republican onlookers believe both frontrunners can be described as "far-left," many have pointed out Flanagan shares platform similarities with more polarizing, high-profile Democrats such as New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani and has shared the same platform as Gov. Tim Walz, whom she has called an "incredible partner." Walz was hammered during his failed 2024 vice presidential bid for all of his far-left proposals. In the view of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, that makes for a Republican advantage. "She, too, supports Medicare for All, wants to 're-imagine' policing and attended anti-ICE protests where she called on people to "put their bodies on the line" to defend illegal immigrants from ICE," the NRSC said in a press release. Advertisement Advertisement More notably, Republicans believe Flanagans greatest liability is a tenure that overlaps with recent revelations of up to $9 billion in fraud through government benefit programs. Through scores of schemes, fraudsters in Minnesota allegedly siphoned funding from government programs like daycare centers and health clinics while returning no benefits, greatly exaggerating their services and pocketing government funding. The fraud revelations made national news last year, raising questions about how state leadership could have missed the sheer size of the losses. DFL party Chair Mike Erlandson told the Minnesota Star Tribune he believes fraud will remain front-and-center in the minds of voters. Advertisement Advertisement "I dont think theres any way that this issue isnt still being talked about in November. And anybody that was a party to it, whether youre a legislator or Lt. Gov. Flanagan, if shes the nominee, is going to have to answer questions around it," Erlandson said. NRSC Chairman Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., echoed that sentiment. "From allowing billions of dollars in fraud to vilifying law enforcement, the Walz-Flanagan administration has failed Minnesotans," Scott wrote in a post to X. For her own part, Flanagan's campaign told Fox News Digital she likes her chances to win in a general election, pointing to Minnesota's solidly-blue track record of sending Democrats to the U.S. Senate. Advertisement Advertisement "Minnesota hasn't voted for a Republican statewide in over 20 years with Trump in the White House and the chaos ICE inflicted on Minnesotans, this is not going to be Craig's or the GOP's year," Alexandra Fetissoff, a Flanagan campaign spokeswoman, said. "Peggy Flanagan is the only candidate in this race who has won statewide, the only candidate not taking corporate money and the only candidate that hasn't enabled Trump's ICE. Minnesotans know Peggy and trust her leadership, and that's why she'll be the next Senator from Minnesota." Michele Tafoya Says Minnesota Needs Political Outsider 'With A Spine' In Republican Senate Bid Minnesota DFL (Democratic-Farmer-Laborer Party) Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan speaks during a press conference Saturday, June 25, 2022, in St. Paul, Minn. Click Here To Download The Fox News App Advertisement Advertisement When asked if he stood by his comments on the Minnesota primary, Emmer said he believes Republicans will run a competitive race, regardless of the Democratic nominee. "Minnesotans will reject both of these far-left, fraud-enabling radicals who would only dig our state into an even deeper hole than it's already in. Good luck to Flanagan and Craig as they continue fighting tooth and nail to win over the cop hating, open-border extremist base while alienating commonsense Minnesotans," Emmer said. Craig and Flanagan will face off in the primary on Aug. 11. Fox News Digital reached out to Craig for comment. Original article source: Minnesota Republicans reveal which far-left candidate they want to challenge in open Senate race MS NOW reporter Ken Dilanian said President Donald Trump has probably been more hurtful to Americas image than the viral artificial intelligence-generated videos Iran has created to mock Trump and his administration, calling them very clever on Friday. The justice and intelligence correspondent appeared on Katy Tur Reports to discuss the viral propaganda videos, which have parodied Trump, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and other officials, noting that America invented the internet and artificial intelligence. Politics: Rep. Who Replaced Marjorie Taylor Greene Makes All Kinds Of Mistakes In Hotel AC Rant And yet this murderous, theocratic regime is using those technologies to win the propaganda war with these very clever, very compelling videos that go right to the heart of some of the weaknesses of the arguments being made by the Trump administration, he said. Advertisement Advertisement They make fun of Donald Trump for the Jesus post, for some of the wild things that he said, they use British rap lyrics, its in English. Dilanian continued. Theyre very clever. By one count, they racked up more than a billion views on X alone. The videos are Lego-themed, far from subtle, and laser-focused on the flaws of Trumps America. One shows Trump confronted by documents labeled Epstein Files as a voice raps, The secrets are leaking, the pressure is rising. Another shows George Floyd under the boot of a cop, with a rap stating Iran is here for everyone your system ever wronged. Politics: Trump Says He Brought 'Justice' To Iran. His War Boosts Fears The U.S. Has Gone Rogue. Perhaps the most viral video of all was aimed exclusively at Hegseth and his alleged alcohol problem, showing a drunken Lego version of the accused ****** abuser lying on the floor with a bottle in his hand as the rap lyrics call him a punk-***, rapist *****. Advertisement Advertisement And look, a lot of the extreme things that Donald Trump has said are probably more hurtful to Americas image than anything in these videos, Dilanian said Friday about the presidents litany of staggering posts and comments. But this has become a cultural phenomenon. Like this article? Keep independent journalism alive. Support HuffPost. The BBC recently interviewed a representative for Explosive Media, one of the Iran-based groups that make these videos. He reportedly asked to be called Mr. Explosive and said he was totally independent before admitting the Iranian regime is a customer. The propaganda war is certainly not one-sided, as the White House has frequently released videos celebrating U.S. airstrikes combining artificial intelligence-generated imagery with real footage of Iranian targets being killed which Trump himself has shared. Politics: CNN's Clarissa Ward Rips White House Over Iran War Memes: 'Staggering Lack Of Humility' Dilanian appeared to suggest, however, that the content from Iran is far more effective. Advertisement Advertisement Its just really remarkable. And the U.S. has no answer because, in part, the State Department disbanded some of the organizations that were designed to flag and counter foreign propaganda, he said. The Guardian reported Thursday that the Trump administration has shuttered a hub known as the Counter Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference, noting that it was the State Departments last bulwark against foreign disinformation campaigns. Related... Read the original on HuffPost The owner of a Passaic County pharmacy was sentenced to two years in prison after pleading guilty in the fall to healthcare fraud that netted him over $2.5 million, federal prosecutors said. Authorities said Nestor E. Jaime, 37, of Pine Brook, collected the money after filing for reimbursements on an expensive medication he never purchased or dispensed and spent the money on luxury vehicles and personal expenses. Between December 2019 and December 2021, Jaime submitted hundreds of false claims to Medicare for an expensive medication called Dificid worth over $4,000 per prescription, officials said. Advertisement Advertisement Jaime submitted the claims through his pharmacy in Paterson on behalf of dozens of Medicare beneficiaries that were never prescribed Dificid, officials said. To make the claims appear legitimate, Jaime used unique provider numbers on the bogus claims, officials said. Medicare paid Jaime at least $2.5 million in fraudulent reimbursements for Dificid, money that Jaime spent on luxury cars and personal expenses, officials said. Jaime must also serve two years of supervised release and pay over $2.5 million in restitution, officials said. Nestor [Jaime] has accepted responsibility for his actions and has closed this chapter in his life, his attorney Anthony J. Iacullo said. With the support of his family and friends, Nestor will move on from this and get through the sentence imposed. Read the original article on NJ.com. Add NJ.com as a Preferred Source by clicking here. The International Space Station is increasingly becoming a place where not only government astronauts affiliated with space agencies like NASA are welcome. Private astronauts selected by commercial spaceflight companies are due to begin venturing to the orbital laboratory more and more often in the years ahead. Such ventures aren't exactly new territory for NASA, which has already partnered with Texas-based Axiom Space on four previous private astronaut missions. But the U.S. space agency continues to prioritize missions with non-government spacefarers as it looks to expand commercial partnerships under the leadership of NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman. Advertisement Advertisement And recently, NASA reached an agreement with a third space technology company, Voyager Technologies, to send a crew of commercial astronauts to the ISS. The focus on these types of partnerships comes as NASA prepares to retire the iconic albeit aging 25-year-old space station to make way for commercially-built orbital outposts. Private astronaut missions are accelerating the growth of new ideas, industries, and technologies that strengthen Americas presence in low-Earth orbit and pave the way for what comes next, Isaacman said in an April 15 statement. With three providers now selected for private missions, NASA is doing everything we can to send more astronauts to space and ignite the orbital economy." Here's everything to know about the upcoming private astronaut missions to the International Space Station. What is the International Space Station? The International Space Station has been stationed in low-Earth orbit for more than 25 years, typically about 260 miles high, where it has been home to astronauts from all over the world. Throughout its lifespan, the station has served as a test bed for scientific research in microgravity and has in years past opened itself up to private commercial missions. Advertisement Advertisement The orbital laboratory is operated through a global partnership of space agencies, including NASA, Roscosmos, the European Space Agency, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency and the Canadian Space Agency. More than 290 spacefarers from 26 countries have visited the International Space Station, including 170 from the United States alone, according to NASA. NASA partners with 3rd aerospace company on private astronaut mission Under Voyager Technologies' agreement with NASA, four private astronauts are due to fly as early as 2028 to the International Space Station for up to two weeks. The April announcement comes about two months after NASA revealed that it has also partnered with California-based aerospace company Vast on a similar mission planned for summer 2027. Those two upcoming missions would resemble the ventures that Axiom Space has already conducted four times between 2022 and 2025. Advertisement Advertisement Voyager and the other companies NASA selects for the missions are able to nominate four astronauts to form a crew, who NASA and its international partners must approve for the spaceflight. The private astronauts then train with NASA ahead of the launch. But lest you think private astronauts are unqualified for such missions, retired NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson has been back to the space station twice with Axiom. SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, Dragon capsule to transport private astronauts to ISS Unlike NASA's commercial crew program that contracts SpaceX as a launch service provider, private astronauts heading to the space station on the missions will not be government astronauts. Billionaire Elon Musk's SpaceX will still provide launch services for the private missions, which will get off the ground from Florida. Why? Because SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon crew capsule combo is the only U.S. spacecraft capable of launching and transporting astronauts to and from the ISS following liftoff at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral. What is Voyager? What to know about space technology company Voyager Technologies is a defense and space technology company based in Denver, Colorado. Advertisement Advertisement Along with Vast and Axiom Space, it's also among the aerospace companies working to develop and launch commercial space stations that would one day replace the International Space Station in low-Earth orbit. Voyager's Starlab space station, awarded $217.5 million by NASA, is central to its ambition to see low-Earth orbit operations to transition to the private sector. Voyager is also invested in developing lunar habitat technology that could be used in concert with NASA's Artemis moon program. In a statement, Voyager CEO Dyland Taylor said the NASA partnership "validates our belief that the infrastructure being built in low-Earth orbit today is the launchpad for humanitys future in deep space." "Voyager is committed to making American human spaceflight stronger, more capable, and more sustainable at every step of the journey," Taylor continued. Voyager mission would follow Axiom 5, Vast ventures to ISS Voyager's mission will ultimately be the seventh private astronaut spaceflight to the ISS. Advertisement Advertisement Axiom Space, which has so far conducted the first four ventures, is next due to launch its fifth private astronaut mission in January 2027 after signing another agreement with NASA. Vast would then launch the sixth private astronaut mission in 2027, according to NASA. What astronauts are on the International Space Station? Seven astronauts who are part of Expedition 74 are now living and working about the International Space Station, including three Americans. The most recent arrivals were spacefarers who are part of a mission known as Crew-12. A joint venture between NASA and SpaceX, Crew-12 including NASA astronauts Jessica Meir and Jack Hathaway, the European Space Agency's Sophie Adenot and Russian cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev arrived Feb. 14 at the ISS for a nine-month stay. NASA astronaut Chris Williams and Russians Sergey Mikaev and Sergey Kud-Sverchkov, who arrived at the end of November on a Soyuz MS-28 spacecraft, are also at the orbital laboratory. Advertisement Advertisement Eric Lagatta is the Space Connect reporter for the USA TODAY Network. Reach him at elagatta@usatodayco.com. Subscribe to the free Florida TODAY newsletter. This article originally appeared on Florida Today: More private astronauts will head to ISS before NASA retires it On the same day, at the same time, three of Americas biggest conservative influencers all had the same thing to say about Kentucky U.S. Senate candidate Nate Morris immigration stance. Morris was showing the bold leadership America needs with his call for an immigration moratorium, Juanita Broaddrick posted on X at 3:28 p.m. on Jan. 9. Morris is leading the charge on the issue, Ryan Fournier wrote the next minute. Advertisement Advertisement Morris was dropping truth bombs, Gunther Eagleman said, also at 3:29 p.m. All three were boosting a post from Morris campaign consultant Andrew Surabian touting the candidates position on immigration. All three called on other Republican candidates to back the idea. And all three took a dig at Morris well-funded GOP opponent, Rep. Andy Barr, in the process. A screenshot of influencers posting to X about Kentucky U.S. Senate candidate Nate Morris with similar talking points around the same time. Over the last 10 months since Morris launched his campaign in June 2025 the trio of accounts has posted near-simultaneously timed messages of praise about him 20 times. In the first three months of 2026, at least one of the three accounts reposted 56% of Morris posts. About 30% of the time, all three accounts reposted Morris, sharing his posts to their collective 4.8 million followers. In a statement, Morris campaign denied any relationship with the accounts. Advertisement Advertisement None of the accounts have apparent ties to Kentucky, nor are the people behind them registered to vote in the state. Broaddrick is from Arkansas, and Fournier calls North Carolina his home state. Gunther Eagleman, who by one count has the third-highest engagement of any account on X, is a pseudonym for David Freeman, a former Texas police officer. The accounts have a long, varied pattern of seeming coordination in their posts on X. The Herald-Leader identified 111 different posts on topics, including Morris, local data center projects and state legislation, that were either posted around the same time or feature highly similar language. That record has led other users, people who have interacted with the accounts and some experts who study social media and politics to conclude their efforts are definitely coordinated and possibly a pay to post scheme linked to Morris campaign vendor X Strategies. Fournier has direct ties to X Strategies, which has received at least $150,000 from Morris and a supporting group during his campaign, according to Federal Elections Commission reports; the other users have a long history of praising one of X Strategies founders. X Strategies is a West Palm Beach, Florida-based company founded by Derek Utley and Alex Bruesewitz, the ascendant young strategist credited with successful political maneuvers from Trumps team like embracing podcasts and bringing the rapper Nicki Minaj into the MAGA fold. Advertisement Advertisement Short of having the contract between the influencers and the firm, this is about as good of proof as you ever get of there being a coordinated campaign, said Samuel Woolley, a communications professor at the University of Pittsburgh who has worked closely with political influencers in his studies and reviewed the Herald-Leaders evidence. This has all the hallmarks of a top-down astroturf campaign, he added. An astroturf campaign refers to a coordinated effort that mimics organic social media behavior to make a message appear more broadly supported than it is. Though traditional paid advertisements are subject to strict disclosure laws, and product endorsements must be disclosed, political social media posts like these fall into what experts describe as a legal loophole. Advertisement Advertisement Morris is running in the May 19 GOP primary against Barr and former Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron in the race to replace Mitch McConnell in the U.S. Senate. Barr, a Kentucky political veteran and member of the House Financial Services Committee, has proven a strong fundraiser and has led in some recent polls. Cameron, polling in second or first in recent surveys, has high name ID across Kentucky as the only candidate who has run statewide before. Morris, 45, a Lexington tech entrepreneur, is a first-time candidate. He began his race for statewide office with little name ID; his own pollster pegged him with 5% support two months after launching. Morris claims Vice President JD Vance as a close personal friend, has been spoken of approvingly by Donald Trump, Jr., and a political action committee supporting him got a $10 million boost from Elon Musk, the worlds richest man. Advertisement Advertisement All three X accounts Broaddrick, Fournier and Eagleman have faced previous accusations they were paid to promote certain messages and later deleted the posts. In a statement to the Herald-Leader, Bruesewitz did not directly address his firms relationship to the accounts, but called the line of questioning fake news. This is fake news that an anti-Trump consultant working for one of Nates opponents likely fed to you, Bruesewitz wrote to the Herald-Leader. But I am used to anti-Trump losers and fake news journalists spreading lies about me, I suppose it comes with the territory. I am proud to be on Team Morris because Nate is a good man who built an incredible business and loves our country. Conor McGuinness, a spokesperson for the Morris campaign, praised Bruesewitz in a statement and wrote the campaign had no relationship with the three influencers. Advertisement Advertisement Alex Bruesewitz, the CEO of X Strategies, was one of the top political advisors on President Trumps campaign in 2024 and is one of the most sought-after political strategists in the Republican Party today, McGuinness wrote. He is well known for only working with strong pro-Trump candidates and were proud to have him as an adviser on Team Morris. We have no relationship with any of the other people mentioned in this inquiry. None of the people running the X accounts responded to Herald-Leader attempts to reach them over social media, phone or text as of Thursday night. Prominent supporters of President Donald Trump, the accounts regularly charge that whatever candidate or cause theyre championing is truly MAGA. Morris campaign paid X Strategies $90,000 in 2025, and a political action committee, Fight for Kentucky PAC, supporting but not directly affiliated with the campaign paid another $15,000, according to FEC filings. The campaign paid X Strategies another $45,000 in the first three months of 2026. Advertisement Advertisement The face of X Strategies, Bruesewitz star is rising fast in GOP circles. A recent profile in POLITICO dubbed him the White Houses unofficial ambassador to pop culture. Posts about Nate Morris campaign At a February campaign town hall in Oldham County, an older attendee asked Morris what his plans were to reach the younger voters. Morris responded that he was running the campaign of the future, today. If you look at the way were running our campaign, the great online influencers that are helping us, Morris began, highlighting his endorsement from Benny Johnson, a popular right-wing influencer and commentator. He contrasted his approach with that of Barr, who is running a more traditional campaign featuring dozens of local elected official endorsements. Advertisement Advertisement You take my opponent, Andy Barr: You could have run that campaign in 1960. He has no reach into the internet, no reach into the X sphere, if you will, Morris said. As Morris was speaking, Broaddrick, Eagleman and Fournier all posted strikingly similar messages online, quoting the same Morris post within three minutes of each other. At 6:17 p.m., Fournier praised the candidates stance on ending the zombie filibuster, and contrasted it with Barr in an X post. Broaddrick and Eagleman wrote similarly at 6:19 and 6:20 p.m. Morris has had the backing of Eagleman and Broaddrick from day one of his campaign. Eagleman and Broaddrick posted similar messages about Morris launch ad within a half-hour of each other. Fournier posted favorably not long thereafter. All the evidence paints an extremely suspicious picture, and it bears explanation. If theyre saying, Were not being paid, theres no coordination going on here, my response would be that youre asking people to basically not believe what their eyes and ears are telling them, Woolley said. Theres too much pointing in the direction of, Something is happening here. Advertisement Advertisement Joshua A. Cohen is a popular left-of-center X and Substack user working under the name Ettingermentum. Hes deeply familiar with the influencer ecosystem. Cohen told the Herald-Leader that these tweets make it look like theres pretty clear coordination going on, and the behavior runs counter to what made the influencers grow their audiences in the first place. I think its best understood as one of countless examples of how quickly and eagerly these guys transition straight to the most flagrantly fake DC-style messaging as soon as they get close to power, Cohen said. I find it to represent a remarkable lack of understanding about where their appeal came from. X Strategies Bruesewitz himself was exhibit A in a recent story from the Wall Street Journal about the growing ecosystem of pay-to-post influencers in Republican politics. The story highlighted Bruesewitzs post advocating for the reclassification of marijuana as a less dangerous drug without disclosing that X Strategies was paid $300,000 by a group funded by corporate marijuana interests. Hed stated previously he had no personal stake in the matter. Bruesewitz also has posted in favor of Morris 10 times without disclosing his companys financial relationship with the campaign or a political action committee supporting Morris. All three accounts have a connection to X Strategies. Fournier worked as a vice president of political media for X Strategies for more than six years, according to his LinkedIn profile. Eagleman and Broaddrick have posted approvingly of Bruesewitz more than a hundred times, often replying to his posts and congratulating him on his successes. Morris and the marijuana industry are far from the only beneficiary of simultaneous posting from these accounts. They have posted in unison to benefit the development of data centers that fuel artificial intelligence, big tobacco companies, players in the cryptocurrency industry, energy companies and more. Their involvement in these campaigns both political, like Morris, and in business, like crypto regulation raises questions about the legitimacy of the democratic system, Woolley, the social media influencer expert, said. Influencers, much more so than traditional celebrities, traffic in trust and in authenticity, and the kind of behavior were seeing from these accounts is anything but trustworthy and authentic, Woolley said. Even if they say that theyre not being paid, the fact that theyre copying each others content so closely and so closely coordinating about political content suggests that theres some kind of manipulation effort going on here. I think the people that follow them have a right to know whether or not those kinds of political machinations are going on. Other candidates The accounts backing of political causes and candidates extends to other X Strategies clients. Take Republican U.S. Sen. Tom Cotton, of Arkansas. America One, a PAC supporting Cotton, started paying X Strategies $10,000 per month in August 2025. Fournier had never tagged Cottons X account before that, but has done so 12 times since Aug. 1, 2025, reposting ad material and celebrating Cottons work. Broaddrick and Eagleman were openly oppositional to Cotton calling him a traitor, disappointing, pathetic, and even cursing at him in the first half of 2025. We see you and will do everything we can to ensure a TRUE Republican replaces you, Eagleman wrote on July 28. The first check from America One went to X Strategies on Aug. 7. Since then, Eagleman has been exclusively positive about Cotton, ramping up in the lead-up to his March primary. Writing in the style of political ad copy, Eagleman posted Feb. 24 a photo of Cotton from his time as an infantry officer. He brings that experience to the Senate every day, fighting to keep our military strong and our enemies on notice. Arkansas is lucky to have a leader like that. Get out on March 3 and vote for @SenTomCotton, Eagleman wrote. While most politicians talk about national security, Tom Cotton lived it with nearly five years on active duty as an infantry officer, including combat tours in Iraq with the legendary 101st Airborne. He brings that experience to the Senate every day, fighting to keep our pic.twitter.com/Hm0YCcwDKY Gunther Eagleman (@GuntherEagleman) February 24, 2026 On Jan. 8, Broaddrick made a post praising Cottons DATA Act, lessening regulation on AI data centers. On Jan. 12, Eagleman posted the same exact message, copied word-for-word. The accounts have also boosted the other candidates and PACs that pay X Strategies, according to reports with the Federal Elections Commission. All the accounts have frequently reposted or replied to accounts tied to Rep. Lance Gooden, of Texas, Sen. Jim Banks, of Indiana, and Tennessee Sen. Marsha Blackburn the three federal candidates, all Republicans, most regularly paying X Strategies. State-level clients like Florida GOP gubernatorial frontrunner Byron Donalds have been the subject of several positive posts from Broaddrick, Fournier, Eagleman and Bruesewitz. Donalds campaign and a PAC supporting him paid X Strategies $6,250 each per month throughout most of 2025, according to Florida Department of State records. The efficacy of these kinds of posts is disputed. Morris follower count has shot up since launching his run, but University of Kentucky political science professor Stephen Voss said that may be overrated in a general election setting. In a primary, it could be more effective. X is the social media network, these days, that tilts most rightward. So, youre going to get a disproportionate share of the sorts of people who would be politically active and watching a Republican primary, Voss said. Lobbying Jonathan Franks, a consultant and president of the Sand Key HOA in Clearwater, Florida, was surprised to see who weighed in on an intensely local matter. The controversy centered on whether the City of Clearwater should sever its relationship with Duke Energy and purchase the utilitys infrastructure to provide city-run electric service. Broaddrick, Eagleman and Fournier took to X on the same day to bash Clearwaters proposal, posting the same link to a Tampa Bay Times article, tagging the citys mayor and making the same points about how the move was against conservative principles. My thought was Please dont make this any harder by politicizing it, Franks, who is neutral on the idea, said. A lot of my neighbors in my association are older people on fixed incomes. This is a very important decision, and it should not be influenced by out-of-state influencers. At the time, he was already familiar with Eagleman and left a reply littered with colorful language berating the influencer. When presented with the groups X posts on other issues, Franks whose career is in corporate public relations and communications consulting said his takeaway was clear. This is what I do in my profit-making life: work for companies like Duke to come up with ways to achieve goals, Franks said. This, to me, sounds like somebodys got a scheme, somebodys trying to get paid. Because I just cant think of a friend that these people would have here that would get them into this fight. A screenshot of influencers posting to X on a topic with similar talking points around the same time. Broaddrick, Eagleman and Fourniers similar messaging extends to a grab-bag of topics, many of them obscure. They posted about drug policy, data center projects, niche aspects of the One Big Beautiful Bill, cryptocurrency regulation and more. Sometimes they contradict their own messaging when advocating for, or against, certain measures. In Feb. 2025, Broaddrick posted in support of a Tennessee ban on the sale of vape products not approved by the FDA, warning that China isnt just stealing your data they may even be poisoning your vape pen. The bill favored vapes from larger multinational companies that have pivoted from tobacco toward nicotine products like vapes such as Altria and Philip Morris. Smaller manufacturers with less ability to navigate the FDAs system were hurt. Three months later, Broaddrick was making the opposite argument. She opposed a Texas bill targeting vapes with components manufactured in China, including a flagship vape from Philip Morris and many top-selling brands. The bill targets China-made vapes, effectively banning nearly all vaping products since most are manufactured there. Critics say this protects Big Tobacco by blocking safer alternatives, mimicking New York AG Letitia James tactics, Broaddrick wrote. Eagleman and Fournier both penned similar posts the same week, tagging the same elected officials. Another example is a Tennessee bill that would prohibit pharmacies from owning pharmacy benefit managers, or PBMs, which negotiate drug reimbursement rates between insurers and pharmacies. In May 2025, Fournier endorsed that very idea. (PBMs) are a huge problem, and it should be illegal for companies like CVS to operate retail pharmacies, while also being able to run a PBM to set prices on drugs they sell, he posted. Fast-forward nine months and Fournier, Eagleman and Broaddrick all posted messages raging against the Tennessee bill that would do just that, aligning with the only company affected: pharmacy behemoth CVS, which has carpeted the state of Tennessee with $1.3 million worth of ads protesting the bill. Reposting an ad from a dark money group funding its own ad campaign against the bill, Fournier wrote that if the sponsor refuses to back down on SB 2040, he will be standing in the way of TrumpRXs plan to lower drug prices. The accounts have also aligned on data centers. On Feb. 21, all three accounts, within the same 17-minute window, put pressure on the 5,000-person city of Fort Meade, Florida, to accept a proposal for a nearby AI data center. A screenshot of influencers posting to X about a data center project with similar talking points around the same time. Broaddrick tagged the citys X account and wrote this is common sense! If Florida wanted politicians who block jobs and tax cuts, they would have voted for Democrats, she added. Fifteen minutes earlier, Eagleman tagged the same account and posted the same link, which referenced a poll from a Florida pro-development group claiming Floridians would welcome data centers if they led to lower taxes, local jobs and warded off foreign adversaries. Floridians want data centers if it means jobs and tax relief, Eagleman wrote. More than 100 accounts commented on Eaglemans post, nearly all of them disagreeing. The top comment: This is bulls--t. Floridians DO NOT want Datacenters. Stay in Texas and leave Florida out of it. The projected $2.6 billion facility, which is expected to be powered by Duke Energy, was unanimously approved by Fort Meade city commissioners this week. The New Jersey Lottery offers multiple draw games for people looking to strike it rich. Here's a look at April 17, 2026, results for each game: Pick-3 Midday: 2-6-4, Fireball: 1 Evening: 6-2-9, Fireball: 2 Check Pick-3 payouts and previous drawings here. 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This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: NJ Lottery Pick-3, Pick-4, Cash 5, Millionaire for Life winning numbers for Friday, April 17 By Wen-Yee Lee TAIPEI, April 17 (Reuters) - Tesla is seeking semiconductor engineers in Taiwan for its Terafab artificial intelligence chip complex, according to job postings on its website. Taiwan is home to the worlds largest contract chipmaker, TSMC, and has a highly specialised workforce with experience in leading-edge semiconductor manufacturing. Tesla has posted nine engineering roles in Taiwan for its Terafab project, seeking candidates with more than five years of experience in advanced chipmaking processes. The roles describe Terafab as a vertically integrated semiconductor factory combining logic, memory, packaging, test and lithography mask production under one roof. Tesla CEO Elon Musk last month unveiled the Terafab project to build a massive artificial intelligence chip fab to power his robotics and data center ambitions. Several roles require experience in advanced chip manufacturing nodes below 7 nanometres and reference 2-nanometre-class technologies, where Taiwans semiconductor industry has extensive expertise. One of the roles also requires familiarity with advanced packaging flows such as CoWoS and SoIC, technologies that were developed by TSMC. The engineering positions span several core front-end fabrication steps, including lithography, etching, thin films and chemical mechanical planarization, as well as yield engineering and process integration. The factory is expected to support chip families including edge-inference processors, space-hardened chips for orbital satellites and high-bandwidth memory, according to the job postings. Tesla did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The hiring push comes as demand for AI drives companies to secure more advanced chipmaking capacity, amid constraints at TSMC. When asked about Terafab, TSMC said on Thursday it would not underestimate competitors, but added there are no shortcuts in the industry, as it takes two to three years to build a new fabrication plant. (Reporting by Wen-Yee Lee; Editing by Thomas Derpinghaus) No date has been set for the next round of IranUS peace talks brokered by Pakistan following the failure of an initial round, Iran's deputy foreign minister said on Saturday. "Until we agree on the framework, we cannot set a date," Saeed Khatibzadeh told journalists on the sidelines of an annual diplomatic forum in Turkey's southern Antalya province. "We hope that as soon as we can finalise that, then we can move on to the next step". Advertisement Advertisement Khatibzadeh said both sides were currently focused on finalising a framework of understanding before proceeding with further negotiations. "We do not want to enter into any negotiation or meeting that is destined to fail and could serve as a pretext for another round of escalation," he said. "I can assure you that Iran is very much committed to diplomacy". Pakistan's powerful military chief and prime minister concluded separate visits aimed at ending the Iran war, with Field Marshal Asim Munir leaving Tehran and premier Shehbaz Sharif headed home from Turkey. Munir met Iran's top leadership and peace negotiators during a three-day visit to Tehran, a Pakistani military statement said. Advertisement Advertisement Egypt and Pakistan were working "very hard" as mediators to bring about "a final agreement between the United States and Iran", Egypt's foreign minister told journalists at the Antalya Diplomacy Forum. Egypt and Turkey has joined diplomatic efforts with Pakistan to help secure a ceasefire in the conflict. "We hope to do so (reach an agreement) in the coming days," Badr Abdelatty said, noting that "not only us in the region, but the whole world is suffering from the continuation of this war". "We are pushing very hard in order to move forward," he said. Advertisement Advertisement - Trump 'tweets a lot'- Iran dismissed US threats of fresh military action, with the senior Iranian official saying that Washington's statements were inconsistent. "The American side tweets a lot, talks a lot. Sometimes confusing, sometimes, you know, contradictory," Khatibzadeh said, referring to US President Donald Trump and his frequent social media posts. "It is up to the American people to decide whether these statements are consistent and in accordance with international law," he added. Khatibzadeh said Iran's position was clear and vowed resistance to pressure from Washington. Advertisement Advertisement "What we are going to do is quite clear. We will defend heroically and patriotically (our country) ... as the oldest civilisation on earth," he said. The deputy minister also rejected US accusations that Iran was threatening freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, a critical route for global oil shipments, after Iran's military again declared the waterway closed. "Americans cannot impose their will to do a siege over Iran while Iran, with good intention, is trying to facilitate safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz," Khatibzadeh said. He said Iran had announced safe passage for commercial vessels for the duration of Israel-Lebanon ceasefire, provided there was prior coordination with Iranian maritime authorities. Advertisement Advertisement However, Khatibzadeh accused Washington of attempting to "sabotage" those efforts. "If ceasefire terms are violated and Americans do not honour their commitments, there will be repercussions for them," he said. fo/rmb (NewsNation) A North Carolina fisherman found himself at the center of a shark feeding frenzy on Monday, while chasing blackfin tuna and red drum off the coast of Cape Point. Brett Barley, a professional surfer, posted a video to his Instagram account that shows his personal watercraft surrounded by hundreds of sharks eating what appear to be baitfish. In the videos, the sharks can be seen thrashing about in the water, with some launching into the air to snap up the fish, just a few yards away from Barley. Live updates: Iran says Strait of Hormuz open during ceasefire Advertisement Advertisement The things you see in Cape Hatteras never cease to amaze me! Also, 10/10 would not recommend being in the middle of a ball of Spinner Sharks, though, Barley wrote. Im very fortunate one didnt sky right into me or all my gear. Local news station WRAL says Barley was fishing from his personal watercraft when he accidentally caught a shark. According to the outlet, the shark was able to chew through the line and break free, with Barley later returning to the area and encountering the shark feeding frenzy. Trump says more to come on missing scientists amid emerging possible 11th case Spinner sharks are a close relative of the Blacktip shark and are known for their habit of making spinning leaps out of the water, according to the North Carolina Sea Grant. They can grow up to roughly 10 feet in length and tend to have a longer snout. Advertisement Advertisement The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration notes fishermen must immediately release all prohibited shark species that are caught. Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to NewsNation. NEW YORK The New York City Democratic Socialists of America, along with a coalition of organizations that form Mayor Zohran Mamdanis core political base, are pressuring him to veto a bill that would create security perimeters for protests at schools, calling the legislation a radical overreach. The groups, including DRUM Beats NYC, Jews For Racial & Economic Justice and unions CIR-SEIU, Teamsters Local 804 and United Auto Workers, were fundamental to Mamdanis successful mayoral campaign. Their advocacy for a veto, in a letter to the mayor, comes as Mamdani has just a week to decide on whether to turn back the bill. We want to show the mayor that theres a pretty broad coalition of community groups, political and advocacy groups like DSA and also unions, for a wide variety of reasons that think this bill is really dangerous, NYC DSA co-Chair Grace Mausser told The New York Daily News. And we want to show him that if he does this, hell have a big backing. Advertisement Advertisement The bill, which passed with another similar piece of legislation aimed at limiting protests around houses of worship, has drawn concerns about stifling free speech rights, especially for pro-Palestine protests. The schools bill passed with a 30-19 margin the first piece of legislation that the Council has passed with fewer than 26 votes from Democrats since 1994, according to Mausser meaning Mamdani can shut it down from becoming law. The houses of worship bill, which Speaker Julie Menin strongly advocated for, passed with a veto-proof majority, so pursuing a veto would likely be futile. Councilmembers have voiced worries about the limitations of free speech, especially on college campuses. The organizations wrote in the letter, obtained by the Daily News, also raised the concerns that this could, per the bills language, apply to anywhere educational programming takes place including libraries, childcare centers, including in home settings and OSHA trainings. Advertisement Advertisement The groups also raised concerns about racially profiling students and the fact it doesnt include a carve-out for labor organizing. At a time where people, especially Black and brown students, immigrants, and workers are increasingly fearful of police interactions due to overpolicing, profiling, and discrimination, our elected representatives should safeguard the right to protest, not erode it, the letter reads. The mayor expressed skepticism about the legislation on Thursday, although he has not yet said what he is going to do. I will continue to consider the options that we have, Mamdani said at an unrelated news conference. Ive heard from a number of New Yorkers about their concerns about aspects of this legislation. And I will be making a decision on that shortly. The bill would require the NYPD to form a plan, to be shared with the mayor and the speaker, for how to address and limit obstruction, intimidation or physical injury. Included in that plan would be whether security perimeters are needed and if so, how big they should be. The Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigations (BCI) is on the scene of a police investigation in Middletown. A Middletown Dispatcher told our news partner, WCPO, that there was an active scene near Charles Street and Reinartz Boulevard, just before 11 p.m. on Friday. [DOWNLOAD: Free WHIO-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] TRENDING STORIES: Advertisement Advertisement A BCI unit arrived on scene shortly after midnight. WCPO crews on scene reported seeing a heavy police presence, including the Middletown Police Department and the Ohio State Highway Patrol. [SIGN UP: WHIO-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] The fight over who'll be the next Ohio governor is getting ugly with accusations about fitness for the job. And the election is still more than six months away. Republican Vivek Ramaswamy said Democrat Amy Acton has no vision for the state "other than to complain about what someone else did to her." Ramaswamy posted the remark to his X account on April 14. Acton's camp says Ramaswamy's comment is an attempt to shame her for her traumatic childhood. Advertisement Advertisement Vivek Ramaswamys recent comments attacking Amy a doctor, a mom, and a survivor for sharing her experience of being sexually abused as a child are not just disgusting. They are disqualifying," her campaign manager Philip Stein said in a written statement. Its unconscionable that Vivek Ramaswamy would do anything but stand with survivors of sexual assault." Dr. Amy Acton is running as a Democrat for Ohio governor. She is expected to face Republican Vivek Ramaswamy in the November general election. The Ramaswamy campaign said that's not what he meant at all. Ramaswamy has repeatedly spoken about rejecting victimhood, authoring "Nation of Victims" in 2022. Amy Acton is lying about what he said, just like she lied to Ohioans during Covid," said Ramaswamy campaign spokeswoman Connie Luck. "Just watch the video, or any of his other speeches over the last two years. This is a desperate attempt to distract from the fact that Amy Acton owes Ohioans answers on some serious questions about her past. She hasnt been honest, and its not looking good. This latest flap comes on the heels of news stories about a police call to Acton's home in 2019 over a domestic dispute between Acton and her husband. Republican Vivek Ramaswamy is running in a three-way GOP primary for governor. He is expected to go up against Democrat Amy Acton in November. Acton's campaign said Ramaswamy allies are using the private verbal disagreement to smear her as the race intensifies. Advertisement Advertisement No one was charged or arrested in the incident, which the police report noted was a "verbal dispute only" and showed "no evidence of any physical violence." Donald Trump Jr. wrote on X: "Leftwing psychopath @amyactonoh shouldn't be running for Governor in Ohio, she should be seeking help." Election 2026: Sign up for our Ohio politics newsletter Although Ohio is a red state, Ramaswamy could be facing headwinds created by President Donald Trump's unpopularity and decision to attack Iran. The Cook Political Report in late March shifted its rating of the race to leans Republican, instead of a likely GOP victory. Advertisement Advertisement Acton has no primary opponent. Ramaswamy is in a three-way primary for the GOP nomination. State government reporter Laura Bischoff can be reached at lbischoff@usatodayco.com and @lbischoff on X. This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Ohio governor's race between Vivek Ramaswamy, Amy Acton intensifies Old Rochester Regional High School junior Olivia Thompson recently participated in Student Government Day, an annual event that gives students a firsthand look at how state government works. Thompson, a member of the Class of 2027, traveled to the State House on April 10 with Spanish teacher Kelly Ochoa, according to a community announcement. Student Government Day, formerly known as Good Government Day, is designed to immerse students in the legislative process by allowing them to role-play as elected or appointed officials. The program aims to help students understand how laws are made and encourage them to engage with current legislation. Old Rochester Regional High School student Olivia Thompson attended Student Government Day at the State House, where she voiced her support of a bill that proposed guidelines for AI use in schools. During the event, Thompson participated in a student-led legislative session and voiced her support for House Bill H.614. The bill proposes that the Commissioner of Education develop guidelines for the use of artificial intelligence in schools. The student version of the bill was passed during the session. Advertisement Advertisement Thompson and Ochoa also met with state Rep. Mark Sylvia and Old Rochester alumnus Eddie Gonet, who gave them a tour of the State House. They also visited the office of state Sen. Mark Montigny. Gonet previously served as an intern in Montigny's office. The discussions Thompson heard during Student Government Day were directly related to topics covered in the Old Rochester curriculum. Last year, students debated a bill that would ban cell phone usage during the school day. Just two days before Thompson's visit, Massachusetts state representatives passed a similar bill. The Senate had previously approved the bill, which is now returning to the Senate for review of modifications. Student Government Day is a unique opportunity for students to gain a deeper understanding of how their government works, Superintendent Michael S. Nelson said. The hands-on nature of the event allows students to speak with representatives, voice their opinions and actively participate in the legislative process. Programs such as this one encourage young people to become active participants in democratic society. Principal Michael Devoll also expressed pride in Thompson's participation. Advertisement Advertisement We are thrilled that Olivia was elected to participate in Student Government Day, Devoll said. We wish to thank state Rep. Mark Sylvia for taking the time to meet with her. This event offers an exciting experience and provides students with new perspectives on how the government functions. We were proud to have Olivia represent Old Rochester at the State House. This story was created with the assistance of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Journalists were involved in every step of the information gathering, review, editing and publishing process. Learn more at cm.usatoday.com/ethical-conduct. This article originally appeared on Standard-Times: Old Rochester student participates in Student Government Day As a young Catholic girl, I was taught to worship Jesus and revere the pope. I never expected to see a U.S. president insult and mock them both. Unfortunately, President Trump has proven me wrong. Trumps repost of an AI-generated image that obviously showed him posing as Jesus, wearing a long white robe and a red cloak as he healed a sick man surrounded by glowing light, went beyond even my expectations of his erratic behavior. The president absurdly claimed he thought the image of him in ancient garb portrayed him as a doctor but deleted it after it generated widespread criticism. Trump also didnt back down from another post on his Truth Social site attacking Pope Leo XIV, the leader of the worlds 1.4 billion Catholics. Like other popes before him, and clergy of many religions, Leo has called for disputes to be settled peacefully, rather than through war. Advertisement Advertisement Trump, clearly bothered by the allusion to his and Israels war of choice in Iran, called Leo WEAK on crime and terrible for Foreign Policy. The president also wrote that Leo should be thankful to him because If I wasnt in the White House, Leo wouldnt be in the Vatican, I dont want a Pope who criticizes the President of the United States because Im doing exactly what I was elected, IN A LANDSLIDE, to do, Trump wrote , as if the popes moral judgments and religious teachings were determined by election returns. In response, Leo said he doesnt want to get in a debate with Trump but has no fear of the Trump administration, or speaking out loudly of the message of the Gospel, which is what I believe I am here to do. Born Robert Prevost 70 years ago on the south side of Chicago, with family roots in my beloved New Orleans, Pope Leo does not bow down to Trump the way so many cowardly Republican politicians and business leaders do. Unlike the president, the pope speaks and acts with moral clarity, honesty, consistency and courage. Advertisement Advertisement The president seems to believe the pope has a duty to support his policies and heap praise on him, as if Leo were a sycophantic member of his Cabinet. Im no theologian, but as someone who goes to Catholic Mass almost every weekend and prays every day including for the welfare of the president, no matter who is in the White House I have never read in the Bible or been told by a priest that it is a sin to criticize Trump. Trump criticizes many of his predecessors but clearly believes he should be exempt from criticism. Perhaps I need to buy a Trump Bible , originally sold for $59.99 or $99.99 for editions endorsed by Trump to enlighten me. Just think always looking to make a buck, Trump made $1.3 million in 2024 for endorsing the edition of the Bible. The image of Trump as Jesus reminded me of another AI image posted in May on the White House X account, and still there as of this writing, showing Trump dressed as the pope during the mourning period for Pope Francis, before Leo was elected as his successor. Trump claimed he had nothing to do with the posting by someone he did not know after it drew criticism from prominent Catholics and clergy. Advertisement Advertisement The Catholics loved it, Trump said, falsely. Trump also claimed in February, during Black History Month, that he was unaware that an AI-generated video posted on his Truth Social account portrayed former President Barack Obama and his wife Michelle as apes. That racist video insulting our nations first Black president and first lady was taken down. We have a right to expect our president to treat men and women of all faiths, races and other demographic characteristics with respect and dignity, and to not lob insults like a spoiled child having a temper tantrum. And the president should be smart enough to understand that religious leaders answer to an authority higher than himself. If common decency fails to motivate Trump, he should remember that he was reelected in 2024 with 55 percent of the Catholic vote, according to the Pew Research Center. When Trump won only 49 percent of the Catholic vote in 2020, he lost to Joe Biden. Advertisement Advertisement With midterm elections approaching, the last thing Republicans need is to be perceived as an anti-Catholic party. By foolishly picking a fight with the pope, Trump has increased chances that Democrats will pick up enough Catholic votes to win control of the House and possibly even the Senate in November. If that happens, it wont just be good news for Democrats. It will be good news for America. Donna Brazile is a political strategist, a contributor to ABC News and former chair of the Democratic National Committee. She is the author of Hacks: Inside the Break-ins and Breakdowns That Put Donald Trump in the White House. Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. In a mere matter of months, a Democratic rising star appears to be falling. A recent poll shows Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger (D) dropping dramatically. It could not come at a worse time, as she is also the face of a highly partisan redistricting attempt by Democrats in the state. In November , Spanberger flipped Virginias governorship from red to blue with an impressive 58 percent of the vote to Republican Winsome Earle-Searss 42 percent. That was Virginias largest gubernatorial margin since 2009. So brightly had Spanbergers star shone in her party that she was tapped to give the Democrats rebuttal to President Trumps State of the Union speech in February. Now, less than two months after her nationwide speech, this Democratic rising star is not shining so brightly. A Washington Post-Schar School poll conducted at the end of March, roughly six months after her election and less than three months after she was sworn into office , shows Spanbergers approval rating is just 47 percent, 10 percentage points below her election total. Spanbergers whopping November 15 percent-point win over her Republican opponent has been boiled down to a net plus-one approval, with her disapproval rating at 46 percent. Advertisement Advertisement The Post noted that Spanbergers approval rating is 13 percentage points lower than the average for Virginia governors in Post polling since the 1990s, and that the near-even split between approval and disapproval is a worse net approval rating than the early-term scores of her predecessors in previous Post polls. The surprise is not just how far Spanberger has fallen in this poll, but how far she has fallen from the moderate image she sought to showcase when giving the State of the Union response earlier this year. A Bloomberg piece, which called her 2025 win an affirmation of Democratic centrism and is posted on Spanbergers website, stated : A former member of the mod squad in Congress and former CIA officer, Spanberger, 46, also leaned into her bipartisan bona fides. Sixty-seven percent of the polls respondents expressed a strong opinion on Spanberger; however, those expressing strong disapproval (38 percent) easily outnumbered than those voicing strong approval (29 percent). And looking at independents, a proxy for the political center, Spanbergers approval rating with those voters was net negative at 45 percent with 46 percent disapproval a large drop from last November, when she won 59 percent of independents . Democrats, having taken power in Virginia, are now proposing more than 50 tax increases in the state legislature including taxes on dog walking, gym memberships, dry cleaning, and parcel delivery. This is doing nothing to reinforce the message of affordability that helped Spanberger and other Democrats win in 2025. Advertisement Advertisement This is also not what Spanberger highlighted in Februarys rebuttal that she was working with our state legislature to lower costs and make the Commonwealth more affordable, she said. Higher taxes make costs go up, not down. Even more tone-deaf has been Spanberger and the Democrats a ttempt to undo Virginias bipartisan redistricting plan and put in a highly partisan one. Spanberger and Democrats are seeking to put in a redistricting plan that would take Virginias House delegation from a 6-5 Democratic advantage to a 10-1 Democratic advantage. Based on Democrats 50.8 percent popular vote in Virginia in the 2024 presidential election, Virginia Democrats are seeking to implement the most highly leveraged gerrymander in America. It would take their 2024 majority threshold, which was just 1.8 percentage points over 50 percent, and turn it into a nine-seat Democratic advantage in the U.S. House. Not only does this have absolutely nothing to do with affordability, but it is also highly and embarrassingly partisan, off-message and out-of-bounds. Advertisement Advertisement To make matters worse for Spanberger, the Democratic redistricting power grab looks like it is facing an uphill fight. Polling suggests only a very narrow lead for Democrats partisan redistricting proposal in a race where low turnout is likely. The measure leads by just 52 to 47 percent, according to the latest Washington Post/Schar School poll , and the highest-propensity voters lean slightly against it. Early vote totals appear to be favoring Republicans. The Virginia Mercury reports that Republican-leaning areas generally posting higher turnout rates so far. Districts currently represented by Republicans are seeing stronger early turnout than those held by Democrats an early signal of partisan intensity. It is one thing to attempt a power grab and succeed; it would be quite another to do so and then lose. If she does, then Spanberger will come away from this fight not only looking highly partisan, but also looking like a highly partisan loser. Spanberger risks going from being a star in the Democrats national machine to becoming a spanner in the works. Virginias state motto is Sic semper tyrannis, meaning, So always unto tyrants. Spanberger may also want to remember another Latin phrase: sic transit gloria mundi, which translates, So passes the glory of the world. Advertisement Advertisement J.T. Young is the author of the recent book, Unprecedented Assault: How Big Government Unleashed Americas Socialist Left from RealClear Publishing. Follow him on Substack . 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. An Oregon coast town will bring back its fireworks show for the Fourth of July, returning to the tradition after city leaders opted for a drone show in 2025. Lincoln City's 2026 fireworks display will be held over Devils Lake instead of Siletz Bay, a decision driven by ongoing concerns about environmental impacts, wildlife, safety and fire risk. The show will close out a full day of events and celebrations across Lincoln City, including a pie-eating contest, pet parade, live music, food and more. Advertisement Advertisement Here's what to know. Lincoln City will be bringing back fireworks to the Oregon Coast this Fourth of July, returning to the tradition after the city opted for a drone show in 2025. Where will the fireworks be in Lincoln City? The fireworks display will be held over Devils Lake and will launch near Regatta Park. Due to extremely limited parking, Regatta Park will be closed to vehicles starting at 6 p.m. Visitors are encouraged to use the shuttle service, which will run between the Lincoln City Community Center and the park from 7 p.m. to 1 a.m. More details, including the exact showtime and viewing locations, are expected to be released closer to Fourth of July celebrations. Why will the fireworks show be over Devil's Lake? Prior to the 2025 drone show, Lincoln city traditionally celebrated the Fourth of July with fireworks over Siletz Bay. After growing community concerns about potential environmental and wildlife impacts at the site, which lies within 1,000 feet of the Siletz Bay National Wildlife Refuge, the city replaced the fireworks with drones. Public safety issues, fire risk and the effects on pets and military veterans were also factors in the decision. Advertisement Advertisement While the city is returning to fireworks in 2026, those concerns are still being heard, and so the display will be held over Devil's Lake instead. A beach and community cleanup is planned for July 5 to help remove trash and debris left behind from Fourth of July celebrations. Additional details will be released as the holiday approaches, according to the city. Personal fireworks will still be banned throughout Lincoln City including on beaches and in parks, as part of ongoing efforts to reduce fire risk and protect coastal wildlife. Are personal fireworks banned in Lincoln City? Personal fireworks are still banned throughout Lincoln City including on beaches and in parks, as part of ongoing efforts to reduce fire risk and protect coastal wildlife. The sale, possession, and use of fireworks are prohibited anywhere within Lincoln City, including all public and private property such as beaches, streets and parks. Anyone caught with fireworks may face fines or prosecution, according to the city. What other Fourth of July events are planned in Lincoln City? In addition to the fireworks display, Lincoln City is planning two other Fourth of July events to celebrate the nations 250th anniversary. Vets, Pets and Pies Lincoln City Parks & Recreation will host Vets, Pets and Pies at the Community Center from 10 a.m. to noon. Advertisement Advertisement Attendees are invited to enter their best pie for judging, take part in the pieeating contest, or join the pet parade. Prizes will be awarded for top pies and standout pets. Veterans will receive free admission to the Community Center all day, along with a special gift from Lincoln City Parks & Recreation. Stars, Stripes and Wildlife Explore Lincoln City will host Stars, Stripes and Wildlife in the Taft District, as a way to celebrate Independence Day and the natural beauty of Siletz Bay. The event will run from noon to 5 p.m. near the Taft Pavilion and will feature live music, food trucks, ecofocused activities, free giveaways and more. Advertisement Advertisement Parking will be available in public lots throughout Lincoln Citys Taft District, with additional event parking opening at Taft High School at 11 a.m. A shuttle will run from Taft High School to the event site until 6 p.m. The celebration will wrap up with the fireworks display over Devils Lake. Ginnie Sandoval is the Oregon Connect reporter for the Statesman Journal. Sandoval is a lifelong Oregonian who covers trending news, entertainment, food and outdoors. She can be reached at GSandoval@statesmanjournal.com or on X at @GinnieSandoval. This article originally appeared on Salem Statesman Journal: Which Oregon coast town is doing fireworks for Fourth of July? A federal jury convicted an Oregon man who was found with child sexual abuse images on his phone after he landed at Newark Liberty International Airport in 2024, authorities announced Friday. Jayson Setera, 51, of Newberg, Oregon, was found guilty of one count of possession of prepubescent child pornography and one count of transportation of child pornography, according to a statement from the U.S. Attorneys Office for the District of New Jersey. Setera returned from an international flight that landed at Newark airport on Jan. 22, 2024, where he was met by law enforcement, the office said. Advertisement Advertisement Detectives searched his cellphone and found 170 photos and eight videos depicting child sexual abuse, investigators said. They also found messages from Setera requesting child pornography, as well as records of payments he made to obtain the material. Setera is scheduled to be sentenced on Aug. 17. Read the original article on NJ.com. Add NJ.com as a Preferred Source by clicking here. Ukraine's counter-drone tech has surging interest amid Iran attacks, but exports are limited. A Ukrainian interceptor drone maker said it wants its tech proven beyond Ukraine. It worries that if it doesn't get involved soon, "someone will take our place." The Iran war could be a big opportunity for Ukraine's battle-proven counter-drone tech, but one company says it worries it will miss its window without export access. The US and its allies in the Middle East are now facing drone threats that Ukraine has fought for years, driving demand for low-cost interceptor drones. Many are built by Ukrainian firms, but exports of battlefield tech remain tightly controlled. Stanislav Hryshyn, the co-founder of Ukrainian company General Cherry, which makes drones and interceptor drones used by Ukraine's forces, said deploying his company's interceptors abroad would give it the chance to prove that its interceptors work in conflicts other than Russia's war against Ukraine. Hryshyn said the company has seen a surge in interest and inquiries since the Iran war began and Tehran started firing Shahed drones and missiles at US allies. Other firms report similar demand, especially in the Middle East and Europe. But Ukraine's export rules prevent many defense tech sales abroad. A Ukrainian interceptor drone taking flight. Nina Liashonok/Ukrinform/Future Publishing via Getty Images He said his desire to help isn't only about the business that could come with selling his gear for use in the war. It's also about gaining "this new level of expertise and experience" that Ukrainian companies have not had before. "For us to receive this new experience, expertise, new layer of using our product, that's critical," he said. "Money is very secondary to this." It's one thing to prove effective against Russia. It's another to prove it in a different war and directly support US allies. But without fast access to those markets, he warned, Ukraine's industry could lose its edge. "This window of change is closing right now," he said. "Someone will take our place." A host of companies outside of Ukraine are also making interceptor drones. Hryshyn fears delays will let foreign firms scale faster, pushing partners toward non-Ukrainian suppliers with ready stock. Interceptors are in demand The war with Iran is showing that interceptor drones are "now very critical, not just for Ukraine, but also for other countries as well," Hryshyn said. Iran and Russia's actions mean "the Pandora's box is open" to new and widespread drone threats. Mark Kelly, a Democrat, is an American citizen and the senior U.S. senator representing Arizona. He serves on the Senate's Armed Services Committee and Select Committee on Intelligence. But according to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Kelly's status as a retired Navy captain constrains what he is allowed to say in those other capacities. Hegseth thinks he has the authority to punish Kelly, a legislator whose job includes oversight of Hegseth's department, for criticizing his leadership of the Pentagon and the Trump administration's military policies. In February, U.S. District Judge Richard Leon, a George W. Bush appointee, rejected that astonishing claim, deeming it inconsistent with the First Amendment. Leon issued a preliminary injunction that barred Hegseth from "giving effect" to a letter of censure that faulted Kelly for saying things that irked Hegseth and from penalizing Kelly by reducing his retirement grade and pension. Now Hegseth is asking the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit to override that injunction, reiterating his argument that retired military officers are subject to punishment, potentially including criminal prosecution, for political speech that he unilaterally deems "prejudicial to good order and discipline in the armed forces." In an amicus brief filed on Friday, 73 former admirals, generals, and service secretaries who held positions under presidents of both major parties emphasize the alarming implications of Hegseth's argument. Hegseth has taken "the unprecedented step of punishing a U.S. Senator and retired Navy Captain for accurate statements of law and criticisms of federal policy," they note. "No retired servicemember could be lawfully sanctioned for these statements, least of all one whose public office requires that he speak on these issues." Advertisement Advertisement If Hegseth's vendetta against Kelly were allowed to proceed, the brief warns, it "would chill public participation by veterans everywhere. Diverse viewpoints are critical to a free marketplace of ideas, and silencing veteran voices would be especially harmfuldepriving the public of experienced and informed views on critical matters of national security." According to the brief, that threat already has had an intimidating impact. "Amici are aware of many fellow veterans who would participate in public debate, but are declining to do so today, fearing official reprisal," it says. "This chilling effect risks silencing dissent from those who served in uniforma critical ingredient in American self-governance dating back to those who fought for our independence." Hegseth's beef with Kelly stems mainly from a November 18 video in which he and five other Democratic members of Congress reminded military personnel of their duty to "refuse illegal orders." That obligation is legally uncontroversial. "Members of the armed forces must refuse to comply with clearly illegal orders to commit law of war violations," the Defense Department says. "Through rigorous instruction and tragic lessons from history," Pam Bondi, who served as President Donald Trump's attorney general until last month, noted in 2024, "military officers are trained not to carry out unlawful orders, and they know they may be held criminally liable if they [do] carry out such orders." The video did not give any specific examples of unlawful orders, but it was critical of the Trump administration. "This administration is pitting our uniformed military and intelligence community professionals against American citizens," Kelly et al. said. Addressing "members of the military," they noted that "you all swore an oath to protect and defend" the Constitution. But "right now," they warned, "the threats to our Constitution aren't just coming from abroad, but from right here at home. Our laws are clear. You can refuse illegal orders." Although "we know this is hard" and "it's a difficult time to be a public servant," they added, "your vigilance is critical" and "we have your back." Advertisement Advertisement Trump was apoplectic. "It's called SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL," he wrote on Truth Social. "Each one of these traitors to our Country should be ARRESTED AND PUT ON TRIAL." He added that "their words cannot be allowed to stand" because "we won't have a Country anymore!!!" Hegseth echoed that assessment. "The video made by the 'Seditious Six' was despicable, reckless, and false," Hegseth said in an X post. "Encouraging our warriors to ignore the orders of their Commanders undermines every aspect of 'good order and discipline.' Their foolish screed sows doubt and confusionwhich only puts our warriors in danger." While "five of the six individuals in that video do not fall under [military] jurisdiction," he added, Kelly "is still subject to [the Uniform Code of Military Justice]and he knows that." The letter of censure that Hegseth sent Kelly on January 5 falsely stated that Kelly had advocated "resistance to lawful orders"a mischaracterization that Assistant Attorney General Brett Shumate repeats over and over again in his D.C. Circuit brief. Hegseth also inaccurately claimed that "you identified yourself as 'a Captain in the United States Navy.'" Kelly actually said, "I was a captain in the United States Navy" (emphasis added). In addition to the video, Hegseth cited "a sustained pattern of public statements that characterized lawful military operations as illegal and counseled members of the Armed Forces to refuse orders related to those operations." Notably, he did not quote any specific statements fitting the latter description. Advertisement Advertisement Kelly had been critical of Trump's domestic military deployments. He participated in hearings on the subject and co-sponsored legislation that would have increased congressional oversight and restricted the president's use of the National Guard. He also criticized Trump's murderous military campaign against suspected cocaine smugglers. But judging from the evidence that Hegseth has been able to muster, Kelly never explicitly "counseled members of the Armed Forces to refuse orders" related to specific "operations." The closest Kelly came to that was when he was asked, during a November 30 interview on CNN, whether "a second strike to eliminate any survivors" of a U.S. attack on an alleged drug boat would constitute "a war crime"specifically, a violation of the rule against attacking shipwrecked sailors. "It seems to," Kelly said. "I have got serious concerns about anybody in that chain of command stepping over a line that they should never step over." He added that he would have refused to follow such an order. Hegseth resented Kelly's criticism of the boat strikes, which he said amounted to an accusation that Hegseth was guilty of war crimes. Hegseth complained that Kelly had defended the video, that he had described the principle it enunciated as "non-controversial," and that he had said "intimidation would not work" to silence him. Hegseth also did not like it when Kelly said he would "ALWAYS defend the Constitution." And he was mad that Kelly had faulted him for "firing admirals and generals" and surrounding himself with "yes men." This catalog of complaints is hard to square even with the position that Shumate takes on Hegseth's behalf. Shumate concedes that "retired servicemembers like Kelly undoubtedlyhave a broad right to criticize military policy, participate in public debate, and express even vehement disagreement with military leaders." Hegseth nevertheless seems to view criticism of him as inherently threatening to national security. Advertisement Advertisement As Hegseth told it, the unifying theme of Kelly's comments was his determination to interfere with military discipline. "When viewed in totality, your pattern of conduct demonstrates specific intent to counsel servicemembers to refuse lawful orders," Hegseth wrote. "This pattern demonstrates that you were not providing abstract legal education about the duty to refuse patently illegal orders. You were specifically counseling servicemembers to refuse particular operations that you have characterized as illegal." Hegseth averred that Kelly had "undermine[d] the chain of command," "counsel[ed] disobedience," "create[d] confusion of duty," brought "discredit upon the Armed Forces," and engaged in "conduct unbecoming of an officer." Those sins, he said, amply justified censure and might justify cutting Kelly's retirement pay. "If you continue to engage in conduct prejudicial to good order and discipline," he warned, "you may subject yourself to criminal prosecution or further administrative action." In defense of these actions, Hegseth cites Parker v. Levy, a 1974 case in which the Supreme Court upheld speech restrictions imposed on active-duty service members. That case involved Capt. Howard Levy, an Army physician assigned to Fort Jackson in South Carolina during the Vietnam War. Levy had publicly said that black soldiers "should refuse to go to Viet Nam and if sent should refuse to fight because they are discriminated against and denied their freedom in the United States." He also stated that "Special Forces personnel are liars and thieves and killers of peasants and murderers of women and children." As Kelly's lawyers note in their D.C. Circuit brief, that situation was starkly different from the senator's. "Far from resting on all fours with this case, Parker involved an active-duty officer directly urging soldiers at his wartime military post to refuse specific orders to deploy and fight," they say. "Senator Kelly, by contrast, is a retired officer and legislator who publicly called, alongside other Members of Congress, for adherence to settled law, not defiance of it. Nor have Defendants ever cited a single case expanding Parker's application from active-duty servicemembers to retirees like Senator Kelly." Advertisement Advertisement Leon made the same point when he issued his preliminary injunction. "Secretary Hegseth relies on the well-established doctrine that military servicemembers enjoy less vigorous First Amendment protections given the fundamental obligation for obedience and discipline in the armed forces," he wrote. "Unfortunately for Secretary Hegseth, no court has ever extended those principles to retired servicemembers, much less a retired servicemember serving in Congress and exercising oversight responsibility over the military. This Court will not be the first to do so!" The defendants "rest their entire First Amendment defense on the argument that the more limited First Amendment protection for active-duty members of the military extends to a retired naval captain," Leon noted. If they are wrong about that, as Leon concluded they were, Hegseth's retaliation against Kelly is obviously unconstitutional, since the speech that triggered it is "unquestionably protected" by the First Amendment, as Leon also held. Urging the D.C. Circuit to overturn that decision, Shumate argues that Kelly is still part of the armed forces, noting that retired officers theoretically can be called back to active duty "as a manpower source of last resort after other sources are determined not to be available" or as "a source for unique skills not otherwise obtainable." But even in that unlikely event, Kelly's lawyers note, Defense Department policy says those officers "should be deployed [only] to civilian defense jobs." Shumate nevertheless maintains that Kelly "may be recalled to active duty 'at any time'" to "command the very servicemembers whose disobedience he just urged"a claim that Kelly's lawyers call "far-fetched at best." The government "cannot justify sweeping restrictions on a retiree's speech based on the hypothetical threat of recall to active duty," says the brief from former admirals, generals, and service secretaries. "Lawful recalls are extremely rare," they note, and "recall for the clear purpose of retaliating against a retiree for their protected speech" would violate the First Amendment. "A recall like the one hypothesized by the government would be, in our understanding, without precedent," they add. "For good reason: the government's power to address legitimate staffing exigencies does not authorize a perpetual gag order over every retired military member's political speech." The post Pete Hegseth Wants the D.C. Circuit To Let Him Punish a Senator for Criticizing Him appeared first on Reason.com. A north Phoenix, Arizona, high school will move its student club event hosting Erika Kirk off campus after the plan provoked backlash from parents. Pinnacle High School President Jeremy Richards sent an email to parents April 16 saying that, because the event could potentially cause a significant disruption, "Ms. Kirk's team, in collaboration with Club America and school and district administration, recommended that the event be moved to an offsite location after the school day." The new site is outside the Paradise Valley Unified School District, Richards said. Advertisement Advertisement The shift would allow the school to prioritize school operations, "while still honoring the legal protections afforded to student-led organizations," Richards said, referring to students' legal speech rights on campus. The event remains closed to only Club America members and one invited student guest each, and no school or district funds would be used, the email from the principal said. "This event does not imply an official endorsement of the speaker by Pinnacle High School or the Paradise Valley Unified School District," Richards said. Richards' letter comes just days after the school became embroiled in controversy over the planned visit by Kirk, who took over Turning Point USA after the assassination of her husband, Charlie Kirk, in September. Advertisement Advertisement Parents told The Arizona Republic they feared for their childrens security given Kirks prominent status and the fact she withdrew from one of her own organizations events earlier in the month at the University of Georgia, citing safety issues. School had to balance parents' concerns, First Amendment rights The uproar put the district in a quandary, shuffling to balance parents' concerns and school operations against the free speech rights of the Turning Point USA-affiliated student group. First Amendment experts said the district was obligated to maintain viewpoint neutrality and not succumb to the "heckler's veto." That refers to someones speech being shut down by a vocal and typically angry or hostile opposition group. Adam Goldstein, vice president of strategic initiatives at the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, or FIRE, praised Pinnacle High School for addressing the concerns in a balanced way rather than canceling the event. Advertisement Advertisement Gregg Leslie, executive director of the First Amendment Clinic at Arizona State Universitys law school, worried that shifting the club's plans could be placating a concern that was too generalized, leading to a slippery slope where caution could be weaponized to silence controversial speakers. Taylor Seely is a First Amendment Reporting Fellow at The Arizona Republic / azcentral.com. Do you have a story about the government infringing on your First Amendment rights? Reach her at tseely@arizonarepublic.com. This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Pinnacle High School in Phoenix moves Erika Kirk event after pushback An American Airlines pilot was forced to slam on the brakes to avoid hitting a truck at Charlotte Douglas International Airport on Wednesday, according to a recording of air traffic control radio. That white-black truck, they just went right in front of us and we nearly hit them, the pilot said in the audio from ATC.com. I had to slam on the brakes. We had our taxi light on, we started moving. They need to be - someones gotta be notified right away. That was really bad. Security camera video released by the airport shows the Airbus A319 plane starting to slowly taxi away from the terminals as a line of vehicles approached. The plane jerked to a stop as two trucks passed just feet in front of its nose. Advertisement Advertisement After pausing for a few moments, Flight 1197 continued on for its scheduled departure to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. No injuries or property damage were reported, and there were no impacts to airport operations, the airport said in a statement. Emergency services were neither requested nor dispatched. Safety and security remain top priorities at CLT, and this incident is being reviewed in accordance with established safety standards. Cockpit windows are small and make it difficult to see pedestrians or other vehicles, which is why aircraft have the right of way at airports. Ground safety procedures require ground crews yield to aircraft at all times, particularly in active ramp and alleyway environments where visibility can be limited, an American Airlines spokesperson told CNN. Advertisement Advertisement In this case, two vehicles associated with Charlotte Douglas International Airport did not yield to our aircraft taxiing from an alleyway, but our vigilant and professional crew took immediate action, an airline spokesperson said. We appreciate that CLT Airport will be reviewing this. The Federal Aviation Administration told CNN the incident occurred in an area of the airport that air traffic control does not manage, but the agency is still investigating. The incident comes over a week after pilots had to suddenly stop a Frontier Airlines jet as two trucks crossed in front of them while taxing at Los Angeles International Airport. Last month, an Air Canada Express regional jet landing at New Yorks LaGuardia Airport slammed into a fire truck crossing the active runway, killing the two pilots and injuring dozens of others. The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating that incident. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party has widened its lead over the conservative bloc of Chancellor Friedrich Merz, according to a new poll released on Saturday. In the latest Sunday Trend poll conducted by the INSA Institute for the Bild newspaper, the party gained one point to reach 27%, while Merz's conservative Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and its Bavarian sister party, the Christian Social Union (CSU) alliance slipped one point to 24%. According to the newspaper, this is the largest gap ever seen in a any of the INSA polls it commissioned. Advertisement Advertisement On Friday, a poll from the German public broadcaster ZDF put the CDU/CSU bloc at 25% compared to the AfD's 26% - the first time the anti-immigrant, eurosceptic party was seen as Germany's strongest party. The INSA poll showed the centre-left Social Democratic Party (SPD) - the junior partner in the ruling coalition - was unchanged at 14%, followed by the Greens, also unchanged, at 13%. The Left Party gained one point to reach 11%. According to the research group Wahlen, in a hypothetical federal election held next Sunday, the AfD would garner 26% of the votes, beating the CDU/CSU by one point. Other research institutes also recently showed the AfD in the lead with 27%, with YouGov even reporting a gap of 4% over the conservatives. April 18 (UPI) -- Pope Leo XIV said he has no interest in debating President Donald Trump as he flew to Angola for the third leg of his 11-day trip to Africa. In Cameroon on Thursday, Leo told attendees at a prayer meeting that the world was being "ravaged by a handful of tyrants." "The masters of war pretend not to know that it takes only a moment to destroy, yet often a lifetime is not enough to rebuild," he said. Advertisement Advertisement While traveling on the papal plane from Cameroon to Angola Saturday, Leo said his words were not an attack on Trump or his actions in Iran. He told reporters that his speech was written "weeks ago, well before the president ever commented on myself, and on the message of peace I am promoting," NBC News reported. "It looked like I was trying to debate the president, which is not my interest at all." People await the arrival of Pope Leo XIV during a welcome ceremony at Quatro de Fevereiro International Airport in Luanda, Angola, Saturday. Photo by Jose Sena Goulao/EPA Last Sunday, Trump lashed out at Leo over his criticism of the war in Iran, claiming a reason the American was named pontiff was because the Catholic Church was trying to curry favor with his administration. Leo responded saying, "I have no fear of the Trump administration or of speaking out loudly about the message of the Gospel, which is what the Church works for." Advertisement Advertisement Aboard the plane Saturday, Leo vowed to "promote peace in our world," and said that his Africa trip is to "be with, to celebrate with, to encourage and accompany all of the Catholics throughout Africa." Leo landed in Luanda, Angola, around 3 p.m. WAT Saturday and was welcomed by President Joao Manuel Goncalves Lourenco. The pope met with Angola's authorities and others at the Presidential Palace in Luanda Saturday. In his speech, he acknowledged those who were affected by recent flooding in the Benguela Province, a coastal area south of Luanda. More than 30 people were killed. He said he is praying for the victims and noted the national response, that Angolans are "united in a great chain of solidarity in support of those affected." Advertisement Advertisement Leo said the country's most important resources are not material but human. "Your people possess treasures that cannot be sold or stolen. There is within them a joy that not even the most adverse circumstances have been able to extinguish," he said. The pope is scheduled to celebrate mass at Kilamba, a Luanda suburb, before travelling to the Shrine of Muxima. On Monday, he will travel to Saurimo, where he will visit the elderly and celebrate mass, before returning to Luanda. Tuesday morning, he travels to Equatorial Guinea for his final stop on the trip. Pope Leo says he was not seeking to debate Donald Trump when he criticised "tyrants" for spending billions on wars in a speech earlier this week. The pontiff said the remarks, delivered days after a high-profile spat with the US president, had been written a fortnight earlier "well before the president ever commented on myself". "And yet as it happens, it was looked at as if I was trying to debate, again, the president, which is not in my interest at all," he told reporters aboard a flight to Angola on Saturday. Advertisement Advertisement On Monday, Trump launched a scathing attack on the first American Pope who has been a vocal critic of the US-Israeli military operation in Iran as "terrible for foreign policy". The Pope, who is on a tour of Africa, said a "certain narrative that has not been accurate" had developed, citing "the political situation created" by Trump's comments. In response to the pontiff's latest remarks, US Vice-President JD Vance, who converted to Catholicism as an adult, said he was "grateful to Pope Leo for saying this". "While the media narrative constantly gins up conflict - and yes, real disagreements have happened and will happen - the reality is often much more complicated," Vance added. Advertisement Advertisement Earlier in the week - before the Pope's speech referring to "tyrants" - Vance had urged the Vatican to "stick to matters of morality". During the speech in Cameroon on Thursday, the Pope had criticised leaders who "turn a blind eye to the fact that billions of dollars are spent on killing and devastation, yet the resources needed for healing, education and restoration are nowhere to be found". "The masters of war pretend not to know that it takes only a moment to destroy, yet often a lifetime is not enough to rebuild," he said. The Pope also condemned "an endless cycle of destabilisation and death" in a "bloodstained" region of Cameroon that had been gripped by insurgency for nearly a decade. Advertisement Advertisement The remarks were interpreted by some as a reference to Trump who later told reporters: "The Pope can say what he wants, and I want him to say what he wants, but I can disagree." He had initially posted his lengthy criticism of the leader of the Catholic Church after the pontiff had voiced concern about Trump's threat that "a whole civilisation will die" if Iran did not agree to US demands to end the war and open the Strait of Hormuz. The president said he was "not a big fan" of the Pope and called him "WEAK on crime, and terrible for Foreign Policy". Trump also posted an AI-generated image of himself as a Jesus-like figure, which he later removed. The Catholic leader's Africa tour includes stops in 11 cities across four countries. It is his second major foreign visit since being elected to the papacy last year, and reflects the importance of Catholicism in Africa. Advertisement Advertisement More than a fifth of the world's Catholics some 288 million people live in Africa, according to figures from 2024. BARCELONA, Spain (AP) Progressive leaders from around the globe gathered in Barcelona on Saturday to try and galvanize their forces and defend a rules-based world order. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, an outspoken critic of U.S. President Donald Trump and the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran, hosted two overlapping events about democracy and progressive politics in Spains second-largest city. Democrats U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz were present alongside the leaders of Brazil, South Africa and high-ranking officials from other left-leaning governments. Advertisement Advertisement While no foreign leader criticized Trump by name in public, the staunchly unilateral position of the American president that breaks with decades of U.S. foreign policy, including his derision of NATO and the United Nations, hung over the meetings. We all see the attacks against the multilateral system, the repeated attempts to undermine international law and the dangerous normalization of the use of force, Sanchez said. Trump again lashed out on Saturday on social media at Sanchez, who has faced Trumps scorn for not allowing the U.S. to use jointly operated military bases in Spain for operations related to the Iran war and for refusing to raise military spending from 2% to 5% of GDP. Has anybody looked at how badly the country of Spain is doing. Their financial numbers, despite contributing almost nothing to NATO and their military defense, are absolutely horrendous. Sad to watch!!! Trump posted on Truth Social. Sanchez says the right's time is running out Spain, like the U.S. and other developed countries, is in debt, but it has one of the worlds leading economies under Sanchez. Advertisement Advertisement Sanchez told the rally of progressive politicians and party members held later on Saturday that the populist right screams and shouts not because they are winning but because they know their time is running out. They know their vision of how the world should be ordered is falling apart due to the tariffs and wars, he said. Their embrace of climate change denial, of xenophobia, or sexism is their greatest error. They have tried again and again to make us embarrassed of our beliefs. That ends now. From now on they can be the ones who feel ashamed. Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa and Colombian President Gustavo Petro, and other leaders and officials, including Cabinet members from the United Kingdom and Germany, were in attendance at the IV Meeting in Defense of Democracy that kicked off Saturday's double-header of political events at the Barcelona convention center. Advertisement Advertisement Later in the day, Sanchez, Lula and Ramaphosa stayed put to attend the inaugural Global Progressive Mobilization, where some 6,000 left-leaning elected officials, policy analysts and activists exchanged ideas. The far right is international, so we must be too, German Vice Chancellor and Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil told a crowd of activists. Democrats join rally Sen. Murphy, a Democrat from Connecticut, spoke at the progressive rally and he didnt shy away from blasting Trump while celebrating the loss of power of Trump's ally Viktor Orban in elections in Hungary last week. Donald Trump is out to end our democracy, Murphy said. We are not on the verge of a totalitarian takeover, we are in the middle of it. Advertisement Advertisement But, he said, Americans are watching what is happening across the world, and the victory in Hungary just one week ago lifted our sails. Walz, Kamala Harris' vice presidential candidate who has faced a violent U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement migration crackdown in Minnesota, threw barbs at U.S. Vice President JD Vance, who campaigned for Orban and has backed far-right parties in Europe. Unlike our current vice president, Im not here to arrogantly lecture or scold you, I am not here to pick a fight with the Pope or host a rally for any local wannabe authoritarians, Walz said. New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani, former U.S. presidential candidate Hillary Rodham Clinton and Sen. Bernie Sanders all sent video messages played at the rally. Progressives exchange ideas Among concrete proposals to come from the events, Ramaphosa said South Africa will present a draft resolution to establish an International Panel on Inequality, aiming to tackle the growing wealth gap both within and between nations, to the U.N. General Assembly in September. Advertisement Advertisement Sheinbaum plugged her idea that governments commit to spending the equivalent of 10% of their military budgets on reforestation projects. Each year, instead of planting the seeds of war, we will plant the seeds of life, she said. Sanchez argued for the importance of regulating social media to stop the spread of hate speech and disinformation. His government also said that it is working with Lula's Brazil on a tax for the ultrarich. Lula, who met with Sanchez in a bilateral summit on Friday in Barcelona, kept the focus on how to invigorate the progressive moment. He avoided naming Trump except when he called for U.N. Security Council members to fulfill their obligation and guarantee peace. Stop this madness of war because the world cannot bear any more wars, Lula said. Ohioans are concerned the name of a wildlife preserve will create an unjust tie to President Donald Trump. In March, Ohio's Division of Wildlife recommended an alternative name for the Charles O. Trump Wildlife Area south of Columbus: "Trump wildlife preserve." The name was one of more than a dozen proposed as part of a rule review required at least every five years, as reported by The Columbus Dispatch, part of the USA TODAY Network. The proposition has been met with backlash online, as some believe the name insinuates a connection to the president or downplays the importance of the man who donated the land, whom it is named after. Advertisement Advertisement "This change sends an obvious partisan message. In the current political climate, removing 'Charles O.' and elevating only 'Trump' is not a neutral administrative cleanup," a Reddit user posted in the Ohio sub-Reddit in March. "It reads as a political branding decision, whether (the Ohio Department of Natural Resources) intends that or not. Public wildlife lands should not be used to send coded partisan messages." Another Reddit user said: "I strongly oppose the proposal ... This is a partisan political act, and not a proper purpose for the use of public lands; this is not China, Russia or North Korea." President Donald Trump returned to Phoenix to speak at Turning Point USA's "Build the Red Wall" event at Dream City Church on April 17, 2026, ahead of this year's midterm elections. U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during a Turning Point USA event at Dream City Church in Phoenix, Arizona, on April 17, 2026. President Donald Trump attends a Turning Point USA event at Dream City Church in Phoenix, Arizona, on April 17, 2026. President Donald Trump speaks during a Turning Point USA event at Dream City Church in Phoenix, Arizona, on April 17, 2026. President Donald Trump speaks during a Turning Point USA event at Dream City Church in Phoenix, Arizona, on April 17, 2026. President Donald Trump speaks during a Turning Point USA event at Dream City Church in Phoenix, Arizona, on April 17, 2026. President Donald Trump speaks during a Turning Point USA event at Dream City Church in Phoenix, Arizona, on April 17, 2026. President Donald Trump speaks during a Turning Point USA event at Dream City Church in Phoenix, Arizona, on April 17, 2026. President Donald Trump attends a Turning Point USA event at Dream City Church in Phoenix, Arizona, on April 17, 2026. President Donald Trump speaks during a Turning Point USA event at Dream City Church in Phoenix, Arizona, on April 17, 2026. President Donald Trump attends a Turning Point USA event at Dream City Church in Phoenix, Arizona, on April 17, 2026. President Donald Trump attends a Turning Point USA event at Dream City Church in Phoenix, Arizona, on April 17, 2026. President Donald Trump greets the CEO of Turning Point USA, Erika Kirk, during a Turning Point USA event at Dream City Church in Phoenix, Arizona, on April 17, 2026. President Donald Trump kisses the CEO of Turning Point USA, Erika Kirk, during a Turning Point USA event at Dream City Church in Phoenix, Arizona, on April 17, 2026. President Donald Trump greets the CEO of Turning Point USA, Erika Kirk, during a Turning Point USA event at Dream City Church in Phoenix, Arizona, on April 17, 2026. Anti-Trump protesters holds signs, as President Donald Trump's motorcade passes, in Phoenix on April 17, 2026. Anti-Trump protesters holds signs, as President Donald Trump's motorcade passes, in Phoenix on April 17, 2026. President Donald Trump speaks to the press, as he arrives at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport in Phoenix on April 17, 2026. President Donald Trump salutes while disembarking Air Force One, as he arrives at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport in Phoenix, Arizona, on April 17, 2026. President Donald Trump disembarks Air Force One, as he arrives at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport in Phoenix on April 17, 2026. Air Force One arrives at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, on April 17, 2026. President Donald Trump was set to speak at Turning Point USA's "Build the Red Wall" event at Dream City Church in Phoenix. U.S. President Donald Trump boards Air Force One, as he departs Harry Reid International Airport en route to Phoenix, Arizona, in Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S., April 17, 2026. U.S. President Donald Trump waves while boarding Air Force One, as he departs Harry Reid International Airport en route to Phoenix, Arizona, in Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S., April 17, 2026. Trump speaks in Arizona for Turning Point's 'Build the Red Wall' event 1 of 23 President Donald Trump returned to Phoenix to speak at Turning Point USA's "Build the Red Wall" event at Dream City Church on April 17, 2026, ahead of this year's midterm elections. Exclusive: Trump says Strait of Hormuz fight is 'over,' calls it a 'victory' The wildlife preserve has no ties to the president The Charles O. Trump Wildlife Area, which spans 128 acres, is named after Ohio farmer and philanthropist Charles O. Trump, who donated the land in 1996, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources. Charles had no ties to the current president. A sign for the Charles O. Trump Wildlife Area is posted in the 8500 block of West State Route 56 in Ohio. The preserve has been in existence since 1996, when the late farmer Charles O. Trump donated the parcel to the state. Despite the lack of connection, this is not the first time a naming suggestion has received backlash. Advertisement Advertisement In 2020, the Ohio Department of Natural Resources website briefly listed the area as the "Trump Wildlife Habitat Hunting Preserve." The name and misspelling drew attention before a spokeswoman clarified: "Its named for the person who donated the land not president Trump." State has no plans to nix long-time name Ohio Department of Natural Resources Press Secretary Karina Cheung told The Columbus Dispatch the division has no plans to remove "Charles O." from the preserve's signage or materials. "Charles O. Trump Wildlife Area" and "Trump Wildlife Preserve," could be used interchangeably. When asked his involvement in the alternative name, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine said he didn't initiate it. "As far as Im concerned, we should keep all the original names, and I think thats whats going to happen. Theyre all going to be kept," DeWine told reporters on April 13. This kind of rule change is not something the governor would typically be involved in. Advertisement Advertisement The next step for the alternative name is for the Ohio Wildlife Council to vote on the proposal on April 29. If approved, the rule would take effect on June 30. Greta Cross is a national trending reporter at USA TODAY. Story idea? Email her at gcross@usatoday.com. Ohio state government reporter Jessie Balmert can be reached at jbalmert@usatodayco.com or @jbalmert on X. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Ohio proposal to isolate 'Trump' name at wildlife area causes stir Authorities are investigating reports of alleged abuse within a Cape May County school district following charges against a South Jersey pre-kindergarten aide accused of sexually assaulting children. Shaun Stebbins, 43, who worked at Woodbine Elementary School, is already facing charges in Atlantic County. Investigators now say they are looking into whether additional abuse may have occurred within the Woodbine School District. "It was very disturbing knowing my son was in the same class as him; it's just multiple concerns and very disgusting," one parent said. Advertisement Advertisement Earlier this month, Stebbins was arrested and charged with abusing four children in his Somers Point home for more than 10 years. Concerns among parents in the Woodbine community have grown as details of the case continue to emerge. RELATED | South Jersey pre-kindergarten aide charged with sexually assaulting kids over 10-year span A pre-kindergarten teacher's aide in South Jersey is accused of sexually assaulting multiple children over a 10-year span, according to prosecutors. "It makes me wonder, are these kids really safe? Are they doing the proper background checks? How long has this been going on? It's very scary," said Capri Legree of Woodbine. Advertisement Advertisement Stebbins had worked as an aide at the elementary school since 2022. One parent, who asked not to be identified, said her son was previously in Stebbins' class and described frustration over communication from the school. "They had a meeting about the aide, but they only invited parents of the children that were in the class for two years. My son was in there three years ago, so I didn't really get much reassurance," the parent said. Shaun Stebbins After learning of the allegations, the parent said she spoke with her son about his experience. "I asked them. They did say they weren't touched or anything, but you definitely get a vibe from him. He's very quiet and just like standoffish," she said. Advertisement Advertisement The school district sent a letter to families last week stating that families of impacted students were notified and that Stebbins had no known interactions with students outside of pre-kindergarten. Efforts to reach the school district and ESS, the company Stebbins was contracted through, were unsuccessful. Authorities are asking anyone with information to contact the Cape May County Prosecutor's Office. WASHINGTON Pursuing an economic deal. Regime change. Military operations. Nothing at all. After imposing an oil embargo on Cuba that has pushed the island to the brink of a humanitarian crisis, the Trump administration seemed poised to impose its will on Cuba. But as President Donald Trump begins to look beyond Iran, his options on what to do with Cuba appear varied and thorny and all of them fraught with political landmines. Launch a military strike and the United States could be saddled with an unpopular nation-building mission. Cut a deal with Havana and risk a revolt from Cuban American lawmakers in Trump's party who bristle at the thought of negotiating with the regime that forced their families into exile. This file photo shows a group of U.S. sailors from the battleship Connecticut and a gun they captured at Cape Haitien during the U.S. occupation of Haiti in 1915. Officers at Jacmel, Haiti, during the U.S. occupation in 1915. A group of Cuban revolutionaries with Fidel Castro are seen with artillery after routing the U.S.-backed invasion at the Bay of Pigs in 1961. Children cheer on the U.S. Marines following offensive in Vecca Monte west of Panama City, during "Operation Just Cause," the U.S. invasion to remove Manuel Noriega, which lasted from December 1989 through January 1990. A U.S. Marine corps crew takes up position on the outskirts of Santo Domingo, on May 2, 1965, during the Dominican Civil War. The U.S. Army Airborne troops drive down a street in Santo Domingo during the occupation of the Dominican Republic in 1965. U.S. troops in full combat gear run on the docks of Port-au-Prince harbor, on Sept. 19, 1994, after arriving on an assault helicopter. Thousands of U.S. soldiers arrived in Haiti on Sept. 19, 1994, as part of "Operation Uphold Democracy," to pave the way for the restoration of the elected president Jean-Bertrand Aristide. Hundreds of local residents run towards the U.S. Chinook helicopters, on Sept. 24, 1994, as a detachment of over 100 U.S. troops arrive in this small southern coastal town, 120 km south of Port-au-Prince, as part of the "Operation Uphold Democracy." From Cuba to Panama: US interventions that shaped Latin America 1 of 8 This file photo shows a group of U.S. sailors from the battleship Connecticut and a gun they captured at Cape Haitien during the U.S. occupation of Haiti in 1915. Exclusive: Inside Marco Rubios Cuba gamble as Trump pushes a friendly takeover Advertisement Advertisement In many ways, it's a lose-lose-lose situation, said Michael Bustamante of the Cuban and Cuban-American Studies at the University of Miami. "Its a domestic political issue that seems to have very little upside for anyone involved," he said, adding, "None of these options seem particularly palpable or feasible." Trump at a rally in Phoenix on April 17 said, after talking about the U.S. military and the capture of deposed Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, that "very soon this great strength" would bring about a "new dawn for Cuba, we're going to help them out with Cuba." Invoking the Cuban American exile community in the Miami area and the "brutality" their families faced on the island, Trump declared, "Now, watch what happens." Advertisement Advertisement But which path he chooses could leave lasting reverberations in Cuba and the United States. Here are some of the options on Cuba that have been hinted at by the Trump administration: I. An economic deal U.S. President Donald Trump points his finger during a Turning Point USA event at Dream City Church in Phoenix, Arizona, U.S., April 17, 2026. REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein In late February, the president said he'd dispatched Secretary of State Marco Rubio to negotiate with Cuban officials at a very high level. It was then that he said the United States could have a "friendly takeover of Cuba." Sources with knowledge of the administration's plans told USA TODAY in early March that Trump was eyeing an economic-focused agreement with Cuba. Discussions included the Castro family remaining on the island and deals on ports, energy and tourism. The U.S. government also floated dropping some sanctions. Advertisement Advertisement In a sign that the administration is still open to a deal, a senior State Department delegation traveled to Cuba on April 10 for diplomatic talks. It was the first time that a U.S. government plane had landed in Cuba since 2016. The delegation told the Cuban government that it had a small window to make economic and governance reforms before conditions worsen, a State Department official told USA TODAY. The person said that Trump is committed to pursuing a diplomatic solution, if one is possible, but will not allow the island to collapse into what he views as a major national security threat if Cubas leaders do not act. At the meeting, the United States proposed to bring Starlink's high-speed internet services to Cuba. But the officials said Havana needs to enact reforms that will make Cuba's economy more competitive and attractive to foreign investment. They also pushed for compensation of Americans and American-owned businesses that had their property confiscated, the release of political prisoners and a lifting of constraints on political freedoms. A senior State Department official had a separate meeting with Raul Castro's grandson during the visit, the person said. Axios was the first news outlet to report on the meeting. Advertisement Advertisement Given Trump's transactional tendencies, making a deal with Cuba seemed to make the most sense, said John Kavulich, president of the U.S.-Cuba Trade and Economic Council, a trade group that has been dealing with Cuba since 1994. In February, Trump seemed to take an early step toward that goal by allowing U.S. companies to sell diesel products directly to Cuban businesses. "I don't think anyone should be surprised if we eventually see Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner in Havana negotiating with the Cuban government," Kavulich said, referring to the Trump advisers who often negotiate on behalf of the president. Negotiating with power brokers in Havana who are related to Fidel and Raul Castro, the brothers who launched the 1959 revolution, may be a red line for some Cuban Americans. The longstanding U.S. economic embargo on Cuba says neither Fidel, who died a decade ago, nor Raul, who's 94, could be leading the country if sanctions are lifted. It does not exclude their relatives. Advertisement Advertisement Exclusive: Trump eyes surprise economic deal with Cuba Cuban-born Rep. Carlos Gimenez, a Florida Republican whose district includes the Miami suburbs, told USA TODAY during an April 16 interview that it would be unacceptable for anyone related to the Castros to lead the country. Instead, he said U.S. officials need to insist on constitutional and other changes that fulfill the requirements of the U.S. embargo on Cuba. Those should precede any economic agreement, he said. "All they want is time, time to survive," Gimenez said of the Cuban government. "And they're very good at it." II. Regime change Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel speaks during a ceremony to mark the 65th anniversary of the declaration of the socialist character of the Cuban Revolution in Havana, Cuba April 16, 2026. REUTERS/Norlys Perez Rubio, in comments to reporters, has stressed that any economic deal with Cuba would need to come with a wholesale change to the island's political and economic scaffolding. Advertisement Advertisement Cuban officials, from President Miguel Diaz-Canel to deputy foreign minister Josefina Vidal, have said in recent interviews that they're open to dialogue with the United States and even to economic deals so long as they're left to govern as they please. How to force Cuba into the long-lasting structural change desired by Trump officials and most Cuban Americans without sending in U.S. troops remains one of the trickier issues facing the administration. At an April 16 House hearing, Michael Kozak, a senior official in the State Department's Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs, fielded withering questions from lawmakers on both sides of the aisle, underscoring the complexity of the issue. At one point, he began describing how the State Department might be open to hearing suggestions from Cuban officials on how to reform their government. Advertisement Advertisement EXCLUSIVE: Cuba pitches US economic roadmap as Trump pressures Havana The subcommittee's chairwoman, Cuban American Rep. Maria Salazar, a Republican who represents Miami, cut him off. "We're not going to do any business with the Castros," she said. "They need to go and then we need to start all over again." The administration could still take steps, short of military action, to pressure Cuba for radical change, including cutting off remittances to the island, stopping flights and punishing countries that deliver oil to the island, Bustamante said. "But then you risk provoking a humanitarian situation," he said. "They're not too keen on that." III. Military action People hold Cuban flags and a flag supporting US President Donald Trump while participating in the "Cuba Libre" demonstration in the city of Hialeah, Florida, on March 24, 2026. (Photo by GIORGIO VIERA / AFP via Getty Images) If Cuba refuses to make significant changes, there's another option Trump could turn to: military intervention, seen by many observers as the riskiest of all. Advertisement Advertisement On April 15, sources familiar with the planning effort confirmed to USA TODAY that Pentagon planning for a possible military operation in Cuba had quietly ramped up, in case Trump chose to go that route. Two days later, an MQ-4C Triton, a U.S. Navy surveillance drone, was tracked on radar making a six-hour loop along Cuba's south coast, including a two-hour holding pattern near Santiago de Cuba and another two-hour holding pattern near Havana. The U.S. military wouldn't comment on the flight's objective. But similar drones have been used by the Pentagon for surveillance missions in combat zones like the Black Sea near the Russia-Ukraine war zone, the Persian Gulf and off the coast of Venezuela in the runup to the dramatic Jan. 3 U.S. seizure of Maduro, according to Flightradar24, an online global flight tracking service. Asked about the report on Air Force One, and whether the Pentagon is preparing for military action in Cuba, Trump told reporters on April 17, "Well, it depends on what your definition of military action is." Advertisement Advertisement A military incursion would be an easy victory for the United States, given Cuba's deteriorated military equipment and questionable allegiance of its ranks, said Brian Fonseca, director of the Jack D. Gordon Institute for Public Policy at Florida International University, who has studied Cuba's military. Flying a spy plane close to Cuba's coast helps remind Havana of Trump's military card, he said. "It keeps the prospect of military options credible," Fonseca said. Exclusive: Pentagon ramps up planning for possible military ops in Cuba On Capitol Hill, senators who lead the Armed Services and Foreign Affairs Committees were circumspect about Pentagon planning, as they prepared to return to their districts. Armed Services Chairman Roger Wicker said he had not talked to the Pentagon about military planning for Cuba or to Trump about his vision for the island nation. I have not been part of those discussions," he said. "It seems to me that weve got two wars to focus on right now," he added. The fact that there haven't been any U.S. indictments for Diaz-Canel or other Cuban leaders, as the United States previously floated and there were for Maduro in the weeks before he was captured, is a sign that the military option may not be at the top of the list, Bustamante said. And the aftermath of a military operation would be a huge challenge for the Trump administration, he said. Cuba's infrastructure and private sector are far worse off than Venezuela's, making nation-building there a much more involved mission. "Is that what Trump's base really wants?" Bustamante said. IV. Nothing at all A man collects materials to sell from the rubble of the National School of Design in Havana on March 16, 2026. Cuba scrambled on March 17, 2026, to restore power after a nationwide blackout that hit the communist-run island just as US President Donald Trump proclaimed he will "take" it over. (Photo by YAMIL LAGE / AFP via Getty Images) Another, less-discussed option would be for the Trump administration to do nothing at all. It could continue applying pressure through the oil embargo and wait to see if change erupts from within. Trumps administration currently appears in a holding pattern on Cuba while it seeks an end to the war in Iran. The president said on April 13 in response to a question from USA TODAY at the White House, "We may stop by Cuba after we're finished with this, but Cuba is a nation that has been horribly run for many years by Castro." A senior White House official told USA TODAY after Trumps remarks that Cuba is still a priority. Hes looking to resolve the conflict in Iran before deciding one way or another on Cuba, the person said. At the end of March, the president allowed a Russian oil tanker to reach Cuba's shores, offering the nation short-term relief from its fuel shortage. Russia responded by saying it would send a second ship. Mexico said it could send fuel, too. Trump told reporters he has no problem if countries send Cuba oil, despite an earlier threat to impose tariffs on nations that do. But the senior official who spoke to USA TODAY said the tariff threat still stands. Mexico and other nations know what the consequences would be, the person said. Small potatoes and a container of chicken: Catholic church sounds alarm on Cuba Allowing more ships in would buy both the United States and Cuba time for additional talks. But if it stretches on too long, the president may have to contend with a powerful Cuban American voting bloc that had pinned its hopes on a Trump-led change in the communist nation. Gimenez, the only Cuban-born member of Congress, said Trump had given the Cuban diaspora the highest level of hope theyd had in a very long time. "I think that not following through," he said, "is worse than not doing anything at all." Follow Jervis and Chambers on X: @MrRJervis and @fran_chambers. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: An economic deal? A military invasion? Trump's thorny Cuba options In the spring of 2025, United Airlines began adding Starlink to some of its regional jets in a massive partnership that will eventually see it roll out the Wi-Fi technology to its entire fleet of nearly 1,100 planes. As of April 2026, passengers planes equipped with Starlink can get access to free Wi-Fi by logging into their MileagePlus loyalty account. Those traveling on a plane that has not yet been equipped need to pay $8 as MileagePlus members and $10 if not to connect through the older Viasat-powered technology. On April 17, a number of United passengers took to Reddit to share that they could still sign on to free Wi-Fi on flights without Starlink. The news was met with much excitement and reshared by numerous airlines outlets given that United made no announcement of such a change. United Airlines confirms that free Wi-Fi on non-Starlink flights was a glitch "Hopefully this means free Internet for everyone, similar to how the other guys do it," one Reddit user wrote in reference to United's competitors like American Airlines and Delta. Other travelers reported free Wi-Fi on flights from Los Angeles to Shanghai and Washington, DC to Albuquerque, among other routes. Those on several different flights reported not seeing any such pop-up and having to pay for Wi-Fi as before. Related: Southwest Airlines to limit item other airlines allow In what will end up being a massive disappointment to those who might have hoped to connect for free on future non-Starlink flights, the free Wi-Fi was a technical glitch that United resolved by the end of Friday. Instead of the usual pop-up asking passengers for their payment information, they received the same prompt as travelers on Starlink-equipped flights. "We haven't made any changes to our current Wi-Fi policy," United confirmed to Live And Let's Fly. Airlines including United, Air France and Lufthansa are all retrofitting their fleet to offer Starlink Wi-Fi.Shutterstock These are the airlines that now offer free in-flight Wi-Fi All this comes at a time when T-Mobile suddenly dropped both United and American Airlines as carriers, where it used to sponsor limited free Wi-Fi to customers or those who watched a short ad. The telecom giant continues to sponsor Wi-Fi on airlines, including Delta and Southwest, and offered no comment on the abrupt rupture of an agreement with two major airlines. United has said only that it was not the one to initiate the cancellation. More Travel News: CORAL SPRINGS, Fla. Hundreds of friends, family members and fellow local and state government officials streamed into Church by the Glades in Coral Springs on Friday morning to celebrate the life of Coral Springs Vice Mayor Nancy Metayer. Some hugged and sobbed by her casket. Others wailed and screamed, raising their arms in the air. Many wore orange and green ribbons around their necks, Metayers favorite colors. On two screens next to the stage, a slideshow showed pictures of her. Throughout the service, a photo of Metayer was displayed on a large screen backdropping the stage with the words: She came. She saw. She conquered. A large spray of white flowers were laid across the top of her casket. Pastor Getro Dorvil read scripture focusing on Gods plans. Christian hymns were sung in English and Creole. Flags were flown at half-staff at the state Capitol building and on government buildings in Coral Springs on Friday in her honor. More than 1,400 people watched her service live-streamed online. Advertisement Advertisement On April 1, Metayer, 38, was shot and killed in her home. Her husband is charged in her death. Speakers at her service vowed that Metayer will be remembered for nothing but her life, legacy and the compassion and hard work she exemplified. At 38 years old, Metayer had by all accounts a promising and bright future in public service. She had been planning to announce a bid for Congress. Long before winning her election in Coral Springs in 2020, Metayers spirit for public service was evident during her days at Coral Springs Charter School as the vice president of her senior class, according to a biography included in her funeral program. Advertisement Advertisement Richard Brookshire read Metayers eulogy. He was her very first political opponent in high school at Coral Springs Charter School, when Metayer was already a skilled politician, passing out warm Krispy Kreme doughnuts to campaign. He lost that election, he said, receiving laughs from the crowd. But that was the beginning of their friendship. Metayer earned an academic scholarship to Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University, where she joined the Gamma Sigma Sigma National Service Sorority and led in student life and government. She held internships at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the White House during Obamas administration and the Clinton Foundation before earning her masters degree from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Commissioner Joshua Simmons said during his speech Metayer carried Coral Springs with her no matter where she served or where she went. Nancy will not be remembered for how her life ended. She will be remembered for how she lived, he said to applause from the churchgoers. For how she showed up, for how she made the city better Advertisement Advertisement Her brother Francelin Metayer thanked those in attendance for celebrating his sister. She was loved, she was kind, she was my everything, he said. Where can I describe, where can I describe what she meant to me? Theres so much to say, but so little time. Her sister, Jennifer Metayer-Smith, said while most in the room knew her as a public servant, Metayer was her big sister and her built-in best friend. She recalled a moment in their life growing up together where their mother said if anything happened to their parents, Metayer would take on the role as mother. When she heard that, she ran with it, she said, despite not being the oldest sibling. Advertisement Advertisement She showed up for them all. Metayer-Smith recalled lighthearted moments they shared as big and little sister, the transitions to FAMU they made together only a few years apart, Metayer being there for the birth of Metayer-Smiths daughter, the annual trips they took together, their phone calls each day. She taught me humility, that nothing was too big to take on, to find the joy in a challenge and how being your authentic self was the only way, Metayer-Smith said. Another title she held, said Itohan Ighodaro during her remarks, was her chief delegation officer. She could get her loved ones to do things they didnt even sign up for or agree to. And honestly knowing you, I know heaven is not the same today as it was yesterday, she said. Youre probably already in there delegating angels to re-arrange things around. And making sure everything is running with excellence like only you can. Advertisement Advertisement Santra Denis discovered later in life, after meeting Metayer when they were both fellows in New Leaders Council Broward, that their fathers grew up on the same street in Haiti and they had been junior bridesmaids in family weddings together as kids. She learned they were cousins after meeting her and asking her about her last name. Im forever grateful that we found our way back to each other because thats what happens when you have people that are meant for you, Denis said. As a first-generation Haitian-American, Metayers Haitian roots were treasured in her life in and outside of politics. Her first official role was in her parents home country, where she worked in recovery efforts after the earthquake in 2010, her biography read. Advertisement Advertisement And with her election in 2020, she became the first Black and Haitian-American woman to hold a seat on the Coral Springs City Commission. Appointed as vice mayor by her fellow commissioners in 2024, it was the position she was most proud of, her biography read. At her service, a Haitian and American flag were displayed on the stage. The Haitian Creole hymn Pi devan na we was sung. In reading her eulogy, Brookshire said she was always a Zoe at heart, an endearing Creole slang term for Haitians. State Rep. Marie Woodson, who was born in Port-de-Paix, Haiti, said, Nancy was more Haitian than I was, as the crowd laughed. Her heritage instilled a deep respect for her family, her friends, her colleagues and the residents she dedicated her career to serving. She recalled attending an event with Metayer where they were the only two Black women in the room and the only two Haitian women in the room. Metayer had joked about whether they entered the wrong address into the GPS, Woodson said. The moment inspired them both. Advertisement Advertisement From that day, we started talking. Nancy and I, the next event that we went to, we made sure that we took two young women with us and that was on purpose, Woodson said to applause. With all of the titles she held in her life, Brookshire referred to her as now an ancestor. A civilian was killed and dozens more wounded in overnight Russian attacks across Ukraine, local officials said Saturday. One person was killed in a strike on Mykolaivka in Ukraines eastern Donetsk region, local leader Vadym Filashkin said in a post on social media. Other officials reported at least 26 people had been hurt in attacks across northern and eastern Ukraine, including a strike on port infrastructure in the city of Odesa. Elsewhere, a Ukrainian drone strike targeted industrial areas in Novokuibyshevsk and Syzran in Russias Samara region, Gov. Vyacheslav Fedorishchev said Saturday. He did not give further details, but the General Staff of Ukraine's Armed Forces said in a statement that it had hit major oil refineries in both cities. It also said that its attacks had sparked fires at the Vystosk oil terminal in Russia's northwestern Leningrad region and an oil refinery in the southern Krasnodar region, with the blazes later confirmed by Russian officials. Advertisement Advertisement Russias Ministry of Defense said that its forces destroyed 258 Ukrainian drones overnight over 16 Russian regions, as well as over the annexed Ukrainian peninsula of Crimea and the Black and Azov seas. Ukraine increasingly targeting Russian oil Ukraine has repeatedly targeted Russian oil facilities in the past, but the strategy has gained more attention since the Trump administration gave Russian oil a temporary waiver from sanctions to ease supply constraints. The U.S. Treasury Department extended its pause on sanctions on Russian oil shipments on Friday, despite complaints from Kyiv officials that Russia will use the additional revenue on new weapons to hit Ukraine harder. The so-called general license means U.S. sanctions will not apply for 30 days on deliveries of Russian oil that has been loaded on tankers as of Friday. It extended a similar 30-day license issued in March for Russian oil that had been loaded by March 11. Ukraine seeks to strengthen air defenses Strengthening Ukraines air defenses has been a key priority for Kyiv since the start of Russias invasion of Ukraine more than four years ago, resurfacing again on the global stage as U.S.-led peace talks have ground to a halt. Advertisement Advertisement In the worst aerial attack in weeks, Russia hammered civilian areas across Ukraine on Thursday, killing at least 16 people and wounding more than 100 others, Ukrainian authorities said. Ukraine has developed a significant domestic arms industry, especially in the production of drones and missiles, but cannot yet match the sophistication of U.S. Patriot air defense systems. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy traveled to Germany, Norway and Italy earlier this week to discuss the issue, while Andrii Sybiha said Saturday that he had discussed steps to enhance protection with the Deputy Secretary General of NATO, Radmila Shekerinska, at the Antalya Diplomatic Forum. Amid intensified Russian air terror, our priority number one is to strengthen our air defense, he said. NEED TO KNOW Gary Freeman was leading a walking safari in South Africa when he was fatally attacked by an elephant An elephant "suddenly emerged and charged at him" as he was walking with a tour group on April 9, according to police Freeman once said he "would rather be killed by an elephant than shoot one, a social media tribute claims A charging elephant killed a longtime safari guide in South Africa who allegedly once declared that he "would rather be killed by" an elephant than shoot one. Gary Freeman was leading a walking safari at Klaserie Private Nature Reserve in the Limpopo province of South Africa on Thursday, April 9, when he died in an elephant attack, a spokesperson for the South African Police Service (SAPS) in Limpopo confirmed in a statement to the Daily Mail. Advertisement Advertisement Freeman, identified as the owner of the reserve, and the tour group had left a vehicle on foot when the attack occurred, SAPS spokesperson Brigadier Hlulani Mashaba said, according to the outlet. As the group were walking, an elephant suddenly emerged and charged at him, Mashaba said. "He tried to scare it off with the revolver he was carrying, but he was ultimately attacked by the elephant." Gary Freeman. Credit: Gary Freeman/Instagram There is no evidence that suggests the firearm was used," the police spokesperson added. The tour group took Freeman to a safe place and contacted emergency medical personnel, who pronounced him dead when they arrived, Mashaba said. Advertisement Advertisement A spokesperson for the South African Police Service in Limpopo did not immediately respond to PEOPLEs request for comment on Saturday, April 18. Freeman had led the walking safari operation since its inception in the early 1990s, according to the reserves publication, the Klaserie Chronicle. As of 2024, per another issue, he still ran the operation mainly by himself. As a result, Gary has become an integral part of the KPNR community, with guests often returning to partake in the unique experience he offers; he refers to his guests as family and forms such a deep connection with them that he even gets invited to family gatherings as big as weddings," the reserve said. After the reserve announced Freemans death on Facebook on Friday, April 10, tributes poured in including from one community member who claimed that Freeman once said he "would rather be killed by an elephant than shoot one. Klaserie Private Nature Reserve in South Africa, pictured in 2023 Credit: Shutterstock In a comment, Judy Connors said that she and her brother spent time with Freeman in February, weeks before his death, during which the reserve owner carried a fulfilled sense of Life has given me enough. Advertisement Advertisement In the past, we heard Gary speak of his deep respect and love for elephants. He said he would rather be killed by, than shoot, one, she wrote on Facebook. Perhaps this is what I want to believe, but there must have been a special bond, soul-to-soul, for this elephant to be the chosen one tasked with his deliverance. Gary, you were a brother who held masculinity beautifully, she continued. You were a guide and an elder. We bow in silence before an integral life, a courageous transition, and an everlasting presence. PEOPLE has reached out to Connors. 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. Gary Freeman. Credit: Gary Freeman/Instagram In its own post, the reserve wrote, Gary was a true gentleman and an integral part of the fabric of the Klaserie. His presence, kindness, and contribution to this landscape will be deeply missed by all who knew him. Gary will always remain part of the Klaserie, the post concluded. Read the original article on People Salina executive assistant Holly McGinnis has been named the 2026 Nancy Crain Municipal Administrative Professional of the Year. Salina executive assistant Holly McGinnis has been named the 2026 Nancy Crain Municipal Administrative Professional of the Year, the top honor from the Administrative Assistants of Kansas Cities/Counties. The award recognizes administrative professionals for exceptional service, leadership, professional development and community commitment, according to a community announcement. McGinnis was recognized for her 16 years of service to the city and a decade-long leadership role within the AAKC. Advertisement Advertisement City manager Jacob Wood, who nominated McGinnis, praised her professionalism and impact on daily city operations. Holly serves in one of the most demanding administrative roles in city government, Wood said in the announcement. Her ability to manage complex situations, coordinate communication across departments and maintain a high level of professionalism is essential to the effective operation of our city government. Outside of her work at City Hall, McGinnis has coordinated the annual Employee Appreciation Breakfast and led the citys Project Salina campaign for the local food bank. McGinnis has also made significant contributions beyond Salina. She has served two terms as AAKC vice president and is the organizations current president. She has played a key role in modernizing the groups bylaws, encouraging new membership and organizing major conferences. Advertisement Advertisement In 2024, she earned her Certified Municipal Assistant designation. Colleagues praised McGinnis for her compassion and positive influence. They said in the announcement: Holly listens without judgment, reaches out when you need it most, and never forgets to keep you in her prayers. Her kindness and attention to detail show up in everything she does, and she makes everyone around her feel valued and supported. The winner of the 2026 Nancy Crain Award was announced at the spring AAKC Conference and will be formally recognized at the Kansas League of Municipalities Fall Conference. McGinnis shares the honor with her husband, Eddie, her children, grandchildren and her entire family, whose encouragement and support have been instrumental to her achievements. Advertisement Advertisement This story was created by reporter Charles Rankin, crankin@salina.com, with the assistance of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Journalists were involved in every step of the information gathering, review, editing and publishing process. Learn more at cm.usatoday.com/ethical-conduct. This article originally appeared on Salina Journal: Salina's Holly McGinnis wins top municipal professional state award FIRST ON FOX: A conservative legal group called on the Trump administration on Friday to investigate an Alaska school district over a policy that withholds gender identity information from parents. America First Legal asked the Education and Justice departments to open inquiries into the school district, the latest to come under scrutiny for its transgender policies in the wake of a major Supreme Court ruling last month that sided with religious parents on the matter. The high courts decision applied to California but has continued to affect school districts across the country. AFL's complaint centers on a policy in Hoonah City School District, a small K-12 district in Alaska, that instructs school administrators to use a student's legal name and pronouns when communicating with parents, even if the student is going by a different name and pronouns at school. Advertisement Advertisement Virginia Mom Praises Trump For Shining 'A Light' On Daughter's School Transition Case During Sotu AFL argued that in practice, the policy "requires school staff to present one identity to parents while facilitating another at school, effectively directing them to deceive parents about their own children." "Hoonah City School Districts nonsensical 'gender identity' policies strip parents of their rights, applaud deception, and brazenly violate federal law," AFL senior counsel Ian Prior said in a statement. Read On The Fox News App The DOJ Civil Rights Division has already signaled it is open to investigating such policies after recently opening a similar probe into Los Angeles Unified School District, the nation's second-largest school district comprising more than half a million students. Advertisement Advertisement California Hit With Fresh Setback In Failed Gender Secrecy Case Costing Taxpayers Millions Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Harmeet Dhillon arrives for a news conference at the Justice Department on September 29, 2025, in Washington, D.C. (Getty Images) AFL's complaint mirrors a similar legal threat the conservative Thomas More Society made last month against the Westwood Regional School District in New Jersey. The legal group, which helped bring the California Supreme Court case, said it would initiate litigation if the school district did not rescind a policy that lets schools withhold students gender identity information from parents. The complaints and investigations come after the Supreme Court temporarily blocked California from enforcing a policy that prevents school staff from notifying parents if their child expresses a desire to engage in gender transitioning, unless the child consents to the parents finding out. The case, Mirabelli v. Bonta, was brought by parents who argued the policy encroached on their religious freedom. The California policy also required school staff to use students' preferred names and pronouns regardless of the parents wishes. Advertisement Advertisement The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit sided with the state in the case, but the high court temporarily vacated the 9th Circuit's order 6-3, saying the state policy was likely unconstitutional. The three liberal justices dissented. Supreme Court Ruling On Secretive California Gender Policy Could Reshape Parent Rights Fights Nationwide A protester carries a transgender pride flag outside the Supreme Court as it hears arguments over state laws barring transgender girls and women from playing on school athletic teams, Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2026, in Washington. "The State argues that its policies advance a compelling interest in student safety and privacy," the high court's majority had written in the unsigned opinion. "But those policies cut out the primary protectors of childrens best interests: their parents." California attorneys had argued that the state policy was designed to protect transgender children from allegedly abusive parents. Advertisement Advertisement Peter Breen, an executive vice president with the Thomas More Society, recently told Fox News Digital he had hoped the Supreme Court's decision "would end the practice of secret gender transitions, but what's becoming clear to us is this is just the beginning." Click Here To Download The Fox News App "We are already fielding requests from other parents across the country, and we anticipate sending a lot more demand letters, unfortunately," Breen said. Fox News Digital reached out to the Hoonah City School District and the Education and Justice Departments for comment. Original article source: School districts trans policy blasted for fostering 'deception under shadow of SCOTUS ruling President Donald Trump drew chortles of disbelief from fellow New York City natives when he interrupted himself to ponder the meaning of the phrase "corner store" in his own remarks during a roundtable about taxes. Speaking April 16 in Las Vegas, Trump paused over written remarks about benefits of the federal tax and spending law. The bill, the Republican president said, would slash taxes on American small businesses, including restaurants, dry cleaners and corner stores. What is a corner store? Trump said. I've never heard that term. I know what a corner store is, but I've never heard it described a corner store. Advertisement Advertisement He then added, Who the hell wrote that please? More: Trump says UFO review uncovered 'interesting' documents The 79-year-old grew up in Queens and lived most of his adult life in Manhattan. New York City's iconic corner stores, also known as bodegas or delis, are prevalent in both boroughs. Born and raised New Yorker doesnt know what a corner store is, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-New York, a 75-year-old Brooklyn native, said in an X post. A true fraud in every sense of the word. In response to emailed questions, the White House dismissed Schumer's comments. "Born and raised" New Yorker doesn't know what a corner store is. A true fraud in every sense of the word. https://t.co/0cXBfFLUXo Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) April 17, 2026 Chuck Schumer has spent his entire career hiking costs, raising taxes, and making the great state of New York worse," White House spokesperson Davis Ingle said in a statement. "There is a reason why cryin Chuck is the most hated elected politician in New York." Advertisement Advertisement The explanation for Trump's unusual unfamiliarity may stem in part from his atypical life experience. The second-generation real estate mogul, grew up in the posh, suburban Queens neighborhood of Jamaica Estates. His family lived in a a six-bedroom Tudor-style home, and later a 23-room mansion. After attending boarding school in upstate New York and later the University of Pennsylvania, he lived on the Upper East Side, an elite neighborhood in Manhattan, before settling in Midtown Manhattan. Hes now a registered Florida resident, spending time at his sprawling Mar-a-Lago estate. Trump has faced previously criticism for appearing out of touch with regular Americans. Trump in April 2025 called groceries an old-fashioned term. In December, he said affordability was a "con job" by Democrats. In an August Wall Street Journal op-ed, GOP strategist Karl Rove warned Trump could make the same mistake that former President Joe Biden made by talking about successes of the economy when people continue to struggle with costs, which is in part how Trump won in the 2024 presidential election. Advertisement Advertisement In Trumps hometown, Zohran Mamdani, a democratic socialist, won in 2025 in an upset to become mayor, largely by campaigning to lower New Yorkers cost of living. Mamdani has promised to help small businesses, including delis and bodegas, by cutting fines and fees. In April, he appointed a mom-and-pop czar to support neighborhood establishments. Since Mamdanis election, he and Trump have formed an unlikely bond, in part on addressing costs in the city. The same day as his corner store comments, Trump lashed out on social media, saying Mamdani was DESTROYING New York by backing the states proposed tax on ultra-expensive second homes. On April 17, Mamdani responded that he and the president both want the city to succeed. Eduardo Cuevas is based in New York City. Reach him by email at emcuevas1@usatoday.com or on Signal at emcuevas.01. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Why doesn't Trump know the term 'corner store?' Ahead of a nationwide celebration, at least 10 states have released commemorative license plates for America's 250th anniversary. The license plates, many of which sport red, white and blue, were released in collaboration with each state's department of motor vehicles and the America 250 organizations. Some of the plates, like Louisiana's, were released as early as 2024. Uniquely, the design for Georgia's America 250 license plate was selected through a contest held by the Georgia Department of Education, according to a Georgia Department of Revenue news release. The winning design was created by Eden Pethel, a middle school student and member of the patriotic youth organization Children of the American Revolution. Advertisement Advertisement "The red stars on the design represent the following Georgia Revolutionary War sites from north to south: Fight at Van's Creek/Hornets Nest, Battle of Kettle Creek, Sieges of Augusta, Battle of Brier Creek, Battles of Savannah, Fort Morris and the Frederica Naval Action," Pethel said in the release. Here's a look at what states are offering specialty America 250 license plates and how drivers can get their hands on one. The "Old Sacramento Waterfront" sign outside of the Old Sacramento State Historic Park, on Friday, April 3, 2026, in Sacramento, California. Vehicles park along the street of Old Sacramento State Historic Park, on Friday, April 3, 2026, in Sacramento, California. An old Sacramento Southern train car on display in Old Sacramento State Historic Park on Friday, April 3, 2026, in Sacramento, California. The Eagle Theatre, a reconstruction of the first building erected in California as a theater, inside the Old Sacramento State Historic Park, on Friday, April 3, 2026, in Sacramento, California. The Tehama Block, a reconstruction of an 1850s Greek Revival-style building, inside of the Old Sacramento State Historic Park, on Friday, April 3, 2026, in Sacramento, California. The Huntington & Hopkins Hardware store, established in 1855, inside of Old Sacramento State Historic Park, on Friday, April 3, 2026, in Sacramento, California. Luhrs & Company building, a wholesale grocery business from 1885 to 1906, in Old Sacramento State Historic Park, on Friday, April 3, 2026, in Sacramento, California. Vehicles park along the street of Old Sacramento State Historic Park, on Friday, April 3, 2026, in Sacramento, California. The Tower Bridge, linking West Sacramento and Sacramento sits next to Old Sacramento State Historic Park, on Friday, April 3, 2026, in Sacramento, California. The Tower Bridge, linking West Sacramento and Sacramento sits next to Old Sacramento State Historic Park, on Friday, April 3, 2026, in Sacramento, California. The Tower Bridge, linking West Sacramento and Sacramento sits next to Old Sacramento State Historic Park, on Friday, April 3, 2026, in Sacramento, California. See Old Sacramento capture California's past as America marks 250th 1 of 11 The "Old Sacramento Waterfront" sign outside of the Old Sacramento State Historic Park, on Friday, April 3, 2026, in Sacramento, California. America 250: Who is the best athlete in U.S. history? USA TODAY launches '250 for 250' What states have released America 250 license plates? As of April, 11 states have released America 250 license plates: Delaware Florida Georgia Idaho Indiana Louisiana Massachusetts Michigan Pennsylvania South Carolina Virginia What do the America 250 license plates look like? Here's a look at some of the America 250 license plates available ahead of this summer's celebrations: Delaware's America 250 license plate features a blue background with a red and white firework. The license plate is $50. Florida's America 250 license plate is available for the cost of a regular Florida license plate. No specialty plate fees apply. Georgia's America 250 license plate features the American flag and stars at Georgia's Revolutionary War sites. The plate was designed by Children of the American Revolution member and student Eden Pethel, according to a Georgia Department of Revenue release. Idaho's America 250 license plate features a navy blue background with stars and the American flag on the right-hand side. Advertisement Advertisement Indiana's red, white and blue America 250 license plate features an outline with the state with "250 America" in the center. Massachusetts' America 250 license plate features "250 Years of Independence" and "1776" in the middle of 13 stars. The license plate is $100. Michigan's America 250 license plate is red, white and blue, a "modern take on the original 1976 bicentennial plate," a Michigan Department of State news release states. The license plate is available for $55. Pennsylvania's America 250 license plate features the Liberty Bell. Advertisement Advertisement South Carolina's America 250 license plate features a solider carrying a flag that reads "Liberty." Virginia's America 250 license plate features "VA250" on the left-hand side. The plate is $25 annually, in addition to a registration fee. How to purchase America 250 license plates The America 250 license plates are available through each state's department of motor vehicles, or equivalent agency. How much do the America 250 license plates cost? The cost of an America 250 license plate varies per state, with some states, like Florida, offering the specialty plate at regulation registration cost. Most, however, require a specialty plate fee, with a portion of the money going back to the state's America 250 organization. How long will the America 250 license plates be available? States have various timelines for their America 250 license plates; some programs, like Michigan's, end in December. Editor's note: This story was updated to add new information and photos. Greta Cross is a national trending reporter at USA TODAY. Story idea? Email her at gcross@usatoday.com. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 10 states unveil license plates for America's 250th anniversary Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., said Friday he is prepared to stand alone within his party in support of Israel during an appearance on "The Ingraham Angle." The Pennsylvania Democrats staunch loyalty to Israel is a main point of contention between him and some of his Democratic colleagues, who are concerned with Israels military campaign against Palestine and call for stronger support of Palestinians. "As Democrats continue to abandon Israel, I'll be the last man standing if that's what's necessary," Fetterman said. Advertisement Advertisement Fetterman claimed Israel has done no wrong in its joint military efforts with the United States against Iran and more recently, Lebanon. On Thursday, Israel and Lebanon agreed to a temporary ceasefire. Fetterman Blasts Iran Strike Critics, Ayatollah's Apologists: 'Let's See Who Grieves For That Garbage' Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., is shown alongside a scene of a strike in Tehran, Iran. (Daniel Heuer/Getty Images; Contributor/Getty Images) (Getty Images) "Has Israel done anything the last several weeks that you think was a mistake in the way they approach this conflict or things maybe Netanyahu has said?" Fox News host Laura Ingraham asked. Read On The Fox News App "No, absolutely, absolutely not," Fetterman responded. "I mean, Israel's done what was necessary." Advertisement Advertisement As some Democrats denounce Israels bombing campaign in Gaza, citing mass casualties and the ongoing occupation, Fetterman signaled he is willing to break with his party on the issue. Fetterman Condemned By Carville For Supporting Iran War, Says He's Always On Wrong Side Of Issues "I'm the last Democrat, honestly, that's proud to stand with Israel," Fetterman told Fox News. "I can read polls and see how unpopular Israel is, but I'm proud to stand with Israel throughout all of this." Fetterman went on to praise President Donald Trumps Operation Epic Fury, saying he will "never understand" why fellow Democrats fail to recognize what he described as positive developments in the campaign against Iran. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., speaks during the House and Senate Democrats' joint news conference on DHS funding negotiations in the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday, Feb. 4, 2026. Schumer is flanked from left by Sen. Gary Peters, D-Mich., House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., and Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss. (Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images) "They've been the evil regime, and I think eliminating their leadership is a strong development," Fetterman said. Advertisement Advertisement "We might have disagreements on this as a party, but we should all be behind our military at this point." The senator questioned Democrats pursuit of a War Powers Resolution more than 45 days into the Iran War after Trump signaled Tuesday the conflict is "very close" to an end. A War Powers Resolution would check President Trumps power to enter the U.S. into armed conflict without congressional approval. Fetterman Breaks With Democrats, Says Trump's Military Strikes On Iran Have 'Made The World Safer' "Why would you be voting every day, every day at this point, why?... We are so close at this point to shutting this down," Fetterman said. President Donald Trump (L) greets Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as he arrives at the White House on September 29, 2025, in Washington, DC. Fetterman also urged individuals with large platforms to direct criticism towards Iran, while reaffirming his loyalty to Americas "special ally," Israel. Advertisement Advertisement Click Here To Download The Fox News App "America's not perfect, but we are the force of good as Israel is," Fetterman said. "If you have a platform and if you wanna criticize someone, criticize Iran, criticize Hamas, criticize Hezbollah." Original article source: Sen John Fetterman pledges to be 'last man standing' in the Democratic Party in support of Israel By Aida Pelaez-Fernandez and Joan Faus BARCELONA, April 18 (Reuters) - Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum and Spain's Pedro Sanchez met in Barcelona on Saturday after a summit of progressive leaders, signaling a rapprochement during the first presidential visit to the Mediterranean country in eight years. The meeting took place during Sheinbaum's visit to Barcelona to attend the fourth "In defense of democracy" summit, a gathering of global leftist leaders to mobilize advocates of these movements against the far right. Advertisement Advertisement Sheinbaum's trip marks a softening of previously strained ties and was the first visit by a Mexican president to Spain since the ruling Morena party came to power in 2018. Relations deteriorated under her predecessor and mentor, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, who in 2019 demanded an apology for abuses committed during Spain's colonial rule in Mexico, a request that was not met at the time. "There has already been a rapprochement from both the Spanish president and the king himself, which we acknowledge," Sheinbaum told reporters as she left the event, noting that she still outlined Mexico's stance on the importance of acknowledging the abuses committed during the colonization of Latin America during her meeting with Sanchez. She said she had invited Sanchez to attend the fifth edition of the summit, to be held in Mexico next year. Advertisement Advertisement GREATER TIES "I believe that President Sheinbaum's presence here is a very important and positive sign of a rapprochement between the two countries," Spain's economy minister, Carlos Cuerpo, told reporters at the summit, highlighting the importance of boosting trade and investment ties, particularly in the energy, infrastructure and financial sectors. Sheinbaum, meanwhile, thanked Sanchez for the invitation and noted that "there is no diplomatic crisis (with Spain); there never has been one." Her administration last month invited Spain's King Felipe VI to attend the World Cup opening ceremony that will take place in June, a thawing after she did not invite him to her inauguration ceremony last year. Advertisement Advertisement Felipe VI last month acknowledged abuses in his country's colonial past, softening the prior declination from the monarch to apologize for colonial-era abuses. Spain ruled one of the worlds largest empires between the 16th and 18th centuries, stretching across five continents, including much of Latin America, where colonial rule involved forced labor, land expropriation and violence against Indigenous peoples. (Reporting by Aida Pelaez-Fernandez and Joan Faus; Additional reporting by David Latona; Editing by Emelia Sithole-Matarise and Louise Heavens) Given the failure of this weekends peace talks and President Trumps blockade of Iranian ports, it seems increasingly likely that America and Iran may once again wage war in the skies above Tehran and Isfahan, on the waters of the Persian Gulf, and potentially on the ground too. But this conflict will ultimately be ended not by bullets or bombs, but by backchannel diplomacy. And as Switzerlands former ambassador to Iran where I officially represented Washingtons interests in Tehran I know what itll take for both nations to ink a peace deal. For more than 150 years, Switzerland has served as a trusted go-between for countries without diplomatic ties, often acting as a protecting power and mediating between hostile governments. We first took on this responsibility during the Franco-Prussian War of 1870 the period from which the modern institution of protecting power originates. Since then, weve carried it into some of the worlds greatest conflicts, representing as many as 35 countries during World War II. Advertisement Advertisement That depth of experience explains why Washington has consistently turned to Switzerland for diplomatic assistance. When the United States broke off relations with Cuba in 1961, Switzerland stepped in as protecting power and maintained that role until President Obama restored relations between Washington and Havana in 2015 and continues to represent Cubas interests in the U.S. to this day. Weve likewise served as the United States protecting power in Iran. After Iranian students took over the U.S. embassy in Tehran in 1979 and held Americans hostage, the United States cut diplomatic ties with Iran in April 1980 and asked Switzerland to represent its interests; Switzerland formally accepted the mandate in May 1980. Since then, Switzerland has facilitated talks and served as a diplomatic backchannel between the United States and Iran, even hosting negotiations for agreements like the 2015 JCPOA nuclear agreement. Our decades spent navigating the complex relationship between the United States and Iran have taught us a few important lessons about ending conflicts like this one. First, its essential to keep back channels like ours open even during active conflict, someone must be able to speak to both sides. Time and again, these communication channels have prevented greater escalation. Advertisement Advertisement After the United States killed Iranian General Qassem Soleimani in January 2020, for example, the Trump administration relied on a Swiss back channel to communicate with Iran and contain the situation. Having been in charge of such cases of secret communications, I can only assume, that encrypted messages were brought to the attention of the Iranian Foreign Ministry via Switzerlands embassy in Tehran. Even as Irans supreme leader publicly warned of harsh retaliation and President Trump threatened new targets, both countries must have been sending more measured messages through Swiss channels to avoid a broader conflict. Only a country with relatively independent foreign policies, one thats viewed as a widely trusted third party, can facilitate this sort of dialogue. Right now, Pakistan which serves as Irans protecting power in Washington has stepped forward to host those negotiations. Its a welcome, well-intentioned effort, even if Pakistani mediators struggled to align both parties on the precise terms of the recent ceasefire, including the scope of Israels military operations in Lebanon. But both Iran and America sometimes struggle to fully trust Pakistan, which launched retaliatory airstrikes on Iranian territory in January 2024 killing at least nine people and also provided assistance to the Afghan Taliban against American troops. Switzerland, by contrast, isnt exactly known for its bombing campaigns or support for proxy militias. Advertisement Advertisement Second, its important to remember that peace agreements only last when all parties can claim at least a partial victory. A lopsided settlement tends to trigger lasting resentment and renewed war. The Treaty of Versailles, for example, marked the end of World War I, but historians commonly cite it as a major contributor to the Nazi Partys rise and the outbreak of World War II. Of course, that doesnt mean that any eventual peace deal will perfectly balance the victors and vanquisheds demands. But the terms whatever they may be must be flexible enough that the losing party can at least save face. Iran, for instance, has demanded reparations for the damage caused by U.S. airstrikes. The White House, meanwhile, has offered to lift sanctions and unfreeze assets in return for various concessions. If the cash flows, both sides can frame it as they see fit for their domestic audiences. Advertisement Advertisement Switzerland has always prided itself on keeping doors open when others are closing them. Now, as the conflict escalates and the global economic pain compounds, Switzerland stands ready to assist the United States and Iran, just as weve done for decades. The opinions expressed in Fortune.com commentary pieces are solely the views of their authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions and beliefs of Fortune. This story was originally featured on Fortune.com This story was originally published on Retail Dive. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily Retail Dive newsletter. Its been another week with far more retail news than there is time in the day. Below, we break down some things you may have missed during the week, and what were still thinking about. From a new agentic commerce role at Ulta to clean dog zoomies, heres our closeout for the week. What you may have missed Head of agentic commerce at Ulta Ulta Beauty tapped Agustina Sartori as its head of agentic commerce, she said in a LinkedIn post earlier this week. Sartori joined Ulta over seven years ago and most recently served as the retailers head of digital innovation. Executives from the beauty retailer teased some planned AI use cases during The National Retail Federations 2026 Big Show in New York City. CEO Kecia Steelman told an audience at the event that Ulta is looking into AI to help improve and personalize its loyalty program. Additionally, Senior Vice President of E-commerce and Digital Josh Friedman in a separate event session said that Ulta is working to develop its own AI agents. Ulta did not respond to Retail Dives requests for details on the new leadership appointment. Davids Bridal, Adore Me partner Davids Bridal is partnering with Adore Me for a lingerie collection for the 2026 summer wedding season, according to a press release. The initial collection launched on Thursday, and additional products will drop through June. It features over 20 pieces including bras, panties, sleepwear and lingerie, with everything priced below $65. Reality TV star and bride-to-be Giannina Milady Gibelli is the face of the campaign. Giannina Milady Gibelli for the David's Bridal Adore Me collection. "Tradition isn't disappearing, its being personalized, and that includes whats underneath the dress, Kelly Cook, CEO of Davids Bridal, said in a statement. Partnering with Adore Me lets us serve the bride across her entire lifecycle, from morning-of loungewear to late-night lingerie. Adore Me recently ended its intimates subscription offering and converted it to a loyalty program, per parent company Victorias Secret & Co. Retail therapy Mrs. Meyers Clean Day calls out zoomies in latest campaign If theres one thing most dog owners can relate to, its the zoomies that take over after our furry friends get a bath. You know, the full-sprint, jump-off-the-furniture, throw-your-body-on-the-ground pure joy that many dogs experience after a good wash. A dog in a bathtub with a bottle of Mrs. Meyer's Clean Day pet shampoo on the ledge Mrs. Meyers Clean Day is highlighting this phenomenon through a partnership with The Westminster Kennel Club, appropriately dubbed After Bath Zoomies. The two came together to create a TikTok filter that generates a zoomies score based on a dogs speed and movement. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas lamented a breakdown in civility among younger generations with ideological differences, raising concerns during a public appearance Wednesday that it will infect the judiciary. While speaking at the University of Texas at Austin, a student asked Thomas to reflect on his past comments detailing friendships among the justices in the wake of todays increasingly polarized climate. When I said a lot of that, it was when I first went to the court, Thomas said. That was a different court. That was a court that was a World War II generation. Advertisement Advertisement He remembered the late Justice Sandra Day OConnor, who revived a tradition of the justices eating lunch together and after retiring from the bench spent her time advocating for civics education. She gets way too little credit for what she did, Thomas said. These were people who respected they were more in that tradition of a civil society and would listen to different points of view, the conservative justice added. I think this generation of kids theyre in a different world. Thomass answer came after an hourlong lecture at the school to mark the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. He commended the university for its new School of Civic Leadership and embrace of Western civilization curriculum, suggesting it should serve as an example for other universities to reform. I think that that young person should ask yourself, while youre in college, how do you all deal with differences? he told the student questioner. Advertisement Advertisement Because I joined the court that dealt with differences as friends, as we respected each other. And I dont know how that civility I dont know how you bring it back in the current environment with social media and name calling and all people accusing each other of various things and animus. I dont know how you do that, he continued. And I fear that thats going to infect the institutions such as the court and judges, etc., in the future, because these are young people who will be in these jobs. The Supreme Court returns to the bench Friday, when the justices are expected to hand down at least one opinion in a pending case. Updated at 3:37 p.m. EDT Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) In his second State of the City address, Mayor Keith Wilson gave his optimistic views about Portlands future. Were heading into a tough budget year. A tough budget year is no excuse. Every Portlander deserves a clean, green, safe, affordable and economically-activated city that reflects their values and their priorities, Wilson said during the address at City Club of Portland Friday night. Its time for a new era of shared prosperity that champions new workers. New workers, new careers and opportunities for every Portlander. The mayor went to say that growth is the heart of his Portlands promise agenda, which he said hell release shortly. Advertisement Advertisement ICE defends use of force in letter to OR lawmakers Right after his speech, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and writer Nicholas Kristof asked Mayor Wilson some questions for a discussion. That included addressing Portlands homicide rates last year, which have gone down. Real progress, but there is still a public safety problem downtown. It is still impeding business development and progress here, no? Nicholas Kristof said. Yeah, we have hard and important work, weve been in office for a year. Every metric that I see is coming down, Wilson said. The mayor also talked about his goals of adding 24 investigators to the Portland Police Bureau, saying five were already promoted. Advertisement Advertisement As for affordable housing, he says vacancies recently peaked at 7.4%. However, he hopes to bring it down to 5.4% or lower by the end of this year. The remarks come one day after Multnomah Countys tight budget year ahead was also highlighted. Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KOIN.com. A final round of widespread dangerous severe storms headed for the central US Friday could cause more destruction and bring more rain to parts of the Great Lakes already dealing with historic flooding. These regions had a brief pause in widespread storms on Thursday after more than three dozen reports of tornadoes and over 300 reports of large hail up to the size of softballs earlier this week. Lightning is also believed to have struck and killed a man in Waukesha, Wisconsin, on Wednesday night, according to the citys police department. And heavy rain from the storms has forced water rescues and caused rivers to surge past major and record flood levels in Michigan and Wisconsin, testing flood infrastructure and forcing evacuations. Flooding worsens across the Great Lakes Multiple rounds of rain this week have worsened ongoing river flooding in parts Michigan and Wisconsin, where the ground is water-logged from one of the wettest starts to spring on record and melted snowpack. Advertisement Advertisement Rivers in the two states have already hit or are forecast to reach major or record flood levels in over 20 locations. That includes the Muskegon River, which rose above record levels Thursday morning. The swollen river forced mandatory evacuations on Thursday morning for anyone remaining in the floodplain below Croton Dam in Newaygo County, the countys emergency services said. Water rescues also took place near Evart, Michigan, as the river rose and started to impact homes, according to the Evart Fire Department. This level of flooding is unprecedented in Michigan state Rep. Cam Cavitts district, which includes several counties in northern Michigan, he told CNN. Were a hardy people, he said. This is a rural area, and we take care of our own. But this this is more than we can handle. Advertisement Advertisement Dams across Cheboygan County are at capacity, county Emergency Management Director Lt. Jeremy Runstrom told CNN on Wednesday. This includes the Alverno Dam, which crews are working to fortify. The integrity of the Alverno Dam is particularly significant, because failure would send a torrent of water downstream to the Cheboygan Lock and Dam Complex, Cavitt said. If that dam would go, it would take the Cheboygan dam with it, he said Wednesday. Residents near and north of the Cheboygan complex were told to be ready to evacuate on Thursday morning as water levels continued to rise there, reaching 4.92 inches below the top of the dam by the afternoon. An evacuation order would be triggered if water reaches 1 inch below the top of the dam, a news release from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources states. Advertisement Advertisement Crews and engineers have worked around the clock to fortify the structure, deploying pumps and sandbags, removing gates to allow water to flow more freely, and working to get a turbine running that would allow even more water to escape. We expect that we might see some topping (of the dam), but with all the fortifications in place, we dont expect it will exceed that, Michelle Crook, Senior Project Engineer at the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, said in a Tuesday briefing. A car is seen in a sinkhole in Fremont, Michigan, on April 16. Brent Baker told CNN his employer, Jerry's Towing & Recovery, Inc., responded to a call to help lift the car out of the hole after it fell in overnight. Fremont, located in Newaygo County, has recently been hit by intense flooding, causing washed-out roads and sinkholes. - Jerry's Towing & Recovery, Inc Officials lifted an earlier evacuation order in the county for residents in the Little Black River watershed Wednesday afternoon. The order was issued due to the breach of two earthen dams that flooded some homes and affected hundreds of people, Cavitt told CNN. In Antrim County, Michigan, officials have also advised all residents and businesses downstream of the Bellaire Dam to prepare for possible evacuation. Water levels were stable on Thursday morning, but had risen to within 12 inches of the top of the dam on Tuesday afternoon. An evacuation order would be triggered at an inch below the top, according to a county news release. Advertisement Advertisement A flash flood watch is in effect for the potential failure of the Hesperia Dam in west-central Michigan. Local officials have reported water is rising rapidly in the White River and may soon overtop the dam, according to the National Weather Service. The Hesperia Area Fire Department has advised residents living downstream of the dam to prepare for the possibility of evacuation. First responders rescue stranded motorists from a flooded street outside of American Family Field in Milwaukee on Wednesday, April 15. - Mark Hoffman/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel/USA Today Network/Imagn Images Residents in low-lying areas of Waupaca County, Wisconsin, have been told to evacuate as floodwaters rise, according to the Waupaca County Sheriffs Office. Around 1,800 people in New London are impacted by the notice, county Emergency Management Director Zachary Van Asten said at a Thursday morning news conference, as well as residents of Weyauwega, Clintonville, Fremont and Manawa. County dams are stressed to the max, but holding, Van Asten added. Earlier this week, water started to move around the Big Falls Dam and topped the Marion Dam, but levels at both have since dropped, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Natural gas is being shut off for around 2,200 customers in flooded areas of New London and the village of Shiocton in Outagamie County due to concerns flooding could damage infrastructure and cause uncontrolled gas flows, We Energies spokesperson Matt Cullen said at the news conference. Shiocton residents had been told to evacuate by Wednesday afternoon due to flooding. Many people have chosen to stay in their homes, a Thursday update from the village said. With that being said, the streets are now flooded and we ask residents to stay home, avoid driving on flooded streets. The storms also caused flash flooding in Milwaukee Wednesday night, stranding vehicles on flooded roadways. Some highways in the city were closed as drivers became stranded in high water, the Milwaukee County Sheriffs Office said. The citys fire department said it responded to around 50 calls for rescue from rapidly rising water on Tuesday night. Advertisement Advertisement More motorists were stuck in high water Thursday morning and tow truck drivers had joined in the rescue efforts, according to CNN affiliates CBS 58 and ABC 12. Residents should also expect delays and detours to bus service, the Milwaukee County Transit System announced. Milwaukee on Thursday morning joined Green Bay, Wisconsin, and Gaylord, Michigan, as cities that have already clinched their wettest April on record with about half a month still to go. New round of dangerous storms to flare up on Friday A new surge of jet stream energy arriving in the central US on Friday will ignite one last round of widespread and dangerous severe storms after a lower and less widespread threat on Thursday in New York state, southern Vermont and northern Arkansas. The most serious threat on Friday extends from Oklahoma to Wisconsin, where a Level 3 out of 5 risk of severe storms is in place for more than 10 million people. It includes Oklahoma City, Kansas City, Des Moines, Iowa, and La Crosse, Wisconsin. Advertisement Advertisement Storms will erupt as soon as early afternoon in the northern part of the threat zone, then expand southward from there. The first storms could spin up tornadoes possibly EF2 or stronger and unleash destructive hail. Theres a smaller corridor from eastern Iowa through central Wisconsin where a few tornadoes could become intense, meaning EF3 damage or greater is possible. Widespread damaging winds capable of uprooting trees and knocking out power will then takeover as the main threat by late afternoon and evening as the storms race east, but tornadoes could still develop in these lines of storms. This system could produce one final burst of severe storms with a threat of strong winds on Saturday in the Upper Ohio Valley. The storm-weary central US will then finally get a multi-day breather starting Sunday because a weather pattern change will usher in cooler temperatures. A trail of destruction this week A tornado moved through the Clinton, Missouri, area on Wednesday, and damaged a few homes, according to the towns fire department. No one was injured or killed, Henry County Sheriff Aaron Brown said. Advertisement Advertisement Large hail also pelted both the Kansas City and Cleveland areas on Wednesday. Hail up to the size of softballs was reported southwest of Kansas City. This weeks strongest tornado was an EF3 packing winds up to 140 mph that struck near Union Center, Wisconsin, on Tuesday. Calves huddle in a tornado-damaged machine shed in Union Center, Wisconsin, on Wednesday. - Kayla Wolf/Getty Images Snapped and fallen trees are seen in Union Center on Wednesday. - Kayla Wolf/Getty Images The twister caused significant damage to many homes, downed power lines and left some roads impassable, but no injuries or deaths were reported, Juneau County Emergency Management said. An EF2 tornado on Tuesday evening also tore a roof off a building and uprooted trees just outside of Milwaukee in the town of Lisbon, Wisconsin. Advertisement Advertisement On Monday night, a pair of EF2 tornadoes struck eastern Kansas. One of those in Miami County, Kansas, damaged about 100 structures roughly 50 to 60 of them completely destroyed or significantly damaged with much of the impact centered around Hillsdale, according to county Undersheriff Matthew Kelly. CNNs Hanna Park and Amanda Jackson contributed to this report. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com Commercial ships came under fire and threats from Iran's military as they tried to cross the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday, security monitors said, as Iran closed the crucial trade route again following a brief reopening. Iran reversed its pledge to reopen the strait to commercial traffic during a ceasefire in the Middle East war in protest at an ongoing US counter-blockade of the route, a crucial passage for commodity shipments. A UK maritime security agency said Iran's Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) fired at a tanker, while security intelligence firm Vanguard Tech reported the force threatened to "destroy" an empty cruise ship that was fleeing the Gulf after Tehran on Friday announced a brief respite. Advertisement Advertisement A handful of oil and gas tankers crossed the strait early Saturday during the brief reopening, tracking data showed, but others retreated and tracking platforms showed hardly any vessels crossing the waterway by the late afternoon. - Tanker shot at - IRGC gunboats fired on the tanker in the strait northeast of Oman, the UK Maritime Trade Operations Centre (UKMTO) said in an online statement, adding the vessel and crew were safe. Vanguard identified the tanker as the India-flagged tanker Sanmar Herald. It cited the captain as saying two IRGC patrol boats approached it with no radio contact and "shots were fired, resulting in damage to the bridge windows". Advertisement Advertisement Vanguard said separately that the Malta-flagged cruise ship Mein Schiff 4 reported a splash nearby while crossing near Oman, on the far side of the strait from Iran. "The Master confirmed VHF (radio) traffic from IRGC units stating 'we are carrying out operation, we will fire and destroy you,'" but no damage was reported, Vanguard said. In a third incident, the UKMTO said that it also received a report of a container ship in the same area "being hit by an unknown projectile which caused damage to some of the containers" but no fire. - Ships dash through - Around a fifth of the world's oil and liquefied natural gas passes through the strait in peacetime, but traffic came to a near-standstill after the war erupted on February 28 with US and Israeli strikes on Iran. Advertisement Advertisement During the reopening, at least eight oil and gas tankers crossed the strait early Saturday after the Iranian announcement on Friday afternoon, data from tracking firm Kpler indicated. Tracking platform MarineTraffic showed several other crude oil tankers approached the strait but turned back near Iran's Larak Island, a checkpoint for vessels seeking to exit the Gulf under the Iranian blockade of the passage. Four French-owned container ships bearing the name of major shipping firm CMA CGM also made U-turns in the strait on Saturday around 1000 GMT after starting to exit, the platform indicated. Besides the Mein Schiff 4, MarineTraffic indicated three other cruise ships -- reportedly empty -- had fled the strait. Advertisement Advertisement - Iran tightens control - Iran's central military command on Saturday appeared to reverse the decision to reopen the route, saying it would resume "strict management" of the strait because of the continued US naval counter-blockade. Iran's closure of the strait has trapped hundreds of ships in the Gulf and driven up the price of oil and the costs of shipping goods, with captains avoiding the region for fear of attacks or mines. The shipping industry had reacted guardedly to the reopening on Friday. "BIMCO believes shipping companies should consider avoiding the area," Jakob Larsen, chief security officer of major shipping association BIMCO, said in a statement emailed to AFP, citing the risk of sea mines. pa-rlp/sbk President Donald Trump said a Pentagon study of UFOs that he ordered has found many very interesting documents and that the first releases will begin very, very soon. Trump told a political rally hosted by Turning Point USA and Turning Point Action, the groups political arm, at Dream City Church in north Phoenix, that he saved the revelation for them because he knew people in Arizona are really into that. Im pleased to report today I thought Id save it for this crowd because youre a little bit out there, a little bit that this process is well underway and we found many very interesting documents, I must say, Trump said. And the first releases will begin very, very soon so you can go out and see if that phenomena is correct. President Donald Trump returned to Phoenix to speak at Turning Point USA's "Build the Red Wall" event at Dream City Church on April 17, 2026, ahead of this year's midterm elections. U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during a Turning Point USA event at Dream City Church in Phoenix, Arizona, on April 17, 2026. President Donald Trump attends a Turning Point USA event at Dream City Church in Phoenix, Arizona, on April 17, 2026. President Donald Trump speaks during a Turning Point USA event at Dream City Church in Phoenix, Arizona, on April 17, 2026. President Donald Trump speaks during a Turning Point USA event at Dream City Church in Phoenix, Arizona, on April 17, 2026. President Donald Trump speaks during a Turning Point USA event at Dream City Church in Phoenix, Arizona, on April 17, 2026. President Donald Trump speaks during a Turning Point USA event at Dream City Church in Phoenix, Arizona, on April 17, 2026. President Donald Trump speaks during a Turning Point USA event at Dream City Church in Phoenix, Arizona, on April 17, 2026. President Donald Trump attends a Turning Point USA event at Dream City Church in Phoenix, Arizona, on April 17, 2026. President Donald Trump speaks during a Turning Point USA event at Dream City Church in Phoenix, Arizona, on April 17, 2026. President Donald Trump attends a Turning Point USA event at Dream City Church in Phoenix, Arizona, on April 17, 2026. President Donald Trump attends a Turning Point USA event at Dream City Church in Phoenix, Arizona, on April 17, 2026. President Donald Trump greets the CEO of Turning Point USA, Erika Kirk, during a Turning Point USA event at Dream City Church in Phoenix, Arizona, on April 17, 2026. President Donald Trump kisses the CEO of Turning Point USA, Erika Kirk, during a Turning Point USA event at Dream City Church in Phoenix, Arizona, on April 17, 2026. President Donald Trump greets the CEO of Turning Point USA, Erika Kirk, during a Turning Point USA event at Dream City Church in Phoenix, Arizona, on April 17, 2026. Anti-Trump protesters holds signs, as President Donald Trump's motorcade passes, in Phoenix on April 17, 2026. Anti-Trump protesters holds signs, as President Donald Trump's motorcade passes, in Phoenix on April 17, 2026. President Donald Trump speaks to the press, as he arrives at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport in Phoenix on April 17, 2026. President Donald Trump salutes while disembarking Air Force One, as he arrives at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport in Phoenix, Arizona, on April 17, 2026. President Donald Trump disembarks Air Force One, as he arrives at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport in Phoenix on April 17, 2026. Air Force One arrives at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, on April 17, 2026. President Donald Trump was set to speak at Turning Point USA's "Build the Red Wall" event at Dream City Church in Phoenix. U.S. President Donald Trump boards Air Force One, as he departs Harry Reid International Airport en route to Phoenix, Arizona, in Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S., April 17, 2026. U.S. President Donald Trump waves while boarding Air Force One, as he departs Harry Reid International Airport en route to Phoenix, Arizona, in Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S., April 17, 2026. Trump speaks in Arizona for Turning Point's 'Build the Red Wall' event 1 of 23 President Donald Trump returned to Phoenix to speak at Turning Point USA's "Build the Red Wall" event at Dream City Church on April 17, 2026, ahead of this year's midterm elections. Trump had ordered the Defense Department and other agencies in February to release government documents related to UFOs. His directive came after former President Barack Obama told a podcast that he thought aliens exist despite never having seen them. But Obama later clarified that his belief was based on statistics and he never saw evidence during his administration. Advertisement Advertisement Trump directed agencies to release government records on "alien and extraterrestrial life, unidentified aerial phenomena (UAP), and unidentified flying objects (UFOs), and any and all other information connected to these highly complex, but extremely interesting and important, matters." President Donald Trump speaks at the Build the Red Wall rally at Dream City Church in Phoenix on April 17, 2026. Trump said he saved the announcement for Arizona because people there were so interested but he didn't know if he agreed with them. I figured this was a good crowd because I know you people, you're really into that. I don't know if I am, Trump said to laughter. You'll figure it out. Let me know, he added. But we've had a lot of a lot of questions. It's something that it really captivates the mind, there's no question about it." This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Trump announces Pentagon UFO study found 'many interesting documents' April 17 (Reuters) - Lawyers for Donald Trump and the Internal Revenue Service are in talks to settle the U.S. presidents $10 billion lawsuit against the tax collection agency for leaking his tax returns to the media in 2019 and 2020. In a Friday filing in Miami federal court, the lawyers asked a judge to put the case on hold for 90 days while the parties engage in discussions designed to resolve this matter and to avoid protracted litigation. A pause could narrow or resolve the issues efficiently, they added. News: Trump Sued For Seeking To Defy Presidential Records Act The White House declined to comment. The Department of Justice, which represents the IRS, declined to comment. Advertisement Advertisement A delay would give Justice Department lawyers more time to address conflicts of interest posed by the case, given that Trump is suing his own government. Justice Department lawyers report ultimately to the president, while the IRS and the Treasury Department, which is also a defendant, are part of the executive branch. Trumps adult sons, Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump, and the Trump Organization are also plaintiffs. Like this article? Keep independent journalism alive. Support HuffPost. President Donald Trump steps off of Air Force One upon arrival at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport in Phoenix, Arizona, on April 17, 2026. (Photo by Jim WATSON / AFP via Getty Images) JIM WATSON via Getty Images IRS contractor leaked returns The case arose from former IRS contractor Charles Littlejohns leak of Trumps tax returns to media outlets, including the New York Times and ProPublica. Advertisement Advertisement These returns showed that Trump paid little or no income taxes in many years, the Times reported in 2020. Politics: New U.S.-Iran Peace Talks Uncertain, Tsunami Warning Issued For Japan: Live Updates Trump and the other plaintiffs said the leaks caused them financial harm and public embarrassment, and tarnished their reputations and public standing. Prosecutors charged Littlejohn in 2023 with leaking tax records of Trump and thousands of other wealthy Americans to the media, saying he was motivated by a political agenda. Littlejohn later pleaded guilty to improper disclosures, and a judge sentenced him to five years in prison. Advertisement Advertisement Any payout in Trumps lawsuit would likely involve taxpayer dollars. Trump has said he would donate money collected from the case to charity. The IRS wrongly allowed a rogue, politically-motivated employee to leak private and confidential information to the Times, ProPublica and other left-wing news outlets, a spokesperson for Trumps legal team said in a statement. President Trump continues to hold those who wrong America and Americans accountable. Politics: Now Trump Reportedly Wants Nations Highest Military Honor... For Himself Trump has filed other large lawsuits Trump has filed many lawsuits in his personal capacity, often for large sums and as a result of reporting by various media, since winning a second White House term in 2024. Advertisement Advertisement He is suing the New York Times and Penguin Random House for $15 billion over articles and a book he said were intended to undermine his reelection prospects, and suing the BBC for $10 billion over its editing of its broadcast of his speech preceding the January 6, 2021, storming of the U.S. Capitol. On Monday, a judge threw out Trumps $10 billion lawsuit against the Wall Street Journal over an article discussing a lewd birthday greeting for the late *** offender Jeffrey Epstein. The judge said Trump can refile his lawsuit by April 27, and Trump said he would do so. (Reporting by Jonathan Stempel in New York; Editing by Lisa Shumaker) Political Updates Read the original on HuffPost By Trevor Hunnicutt, Ariba Shahid and Muhammad Al Gebaly WASHINGTON/ISLAMABAD, April 18 (Reuters) - Iran said it was tightening control over the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday, warning mariners the vital energy route was again closed, but President Donald Trump said Tehran could not blackmail the United States by shutting the waterway. Tehran said it was responding to a continued U.S. blockade of Iranian ports, calling it a violation of their ceasefire, while Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei said Iran's navy was ready to inflict "new bitter defeats" on its enemies. Advertisement Advertisement Shipping sources said at least two vessels reported coming under fire and being hit while trying to transit the waterway. India later said the Iranian ambassador in New Delhi had been summoned and that it had expressed deep concern to him that two Indian-flagged ships had come under fire in the strait. State media in Iran quoted the Supreme National Security Council as saying Iranian control over the strait included demanding the payment of costs related to security, safety and environmental protection services. State television also quoted the Supreme National Security Council as saying the U.S. had put forward new proposals after talks mediated by Pakistan in recent days. Tehran was considering them but had not yet responded, it said. There was no immediate sign of direct U.S.-Iran talks taking place at the weekend, despite Trump saying on Friday that negotiations would take place. Advertisement Advertisement UNCERTAINTY AROUND IRAN CONFLICT Tehrans renewed tough messaging caused fresh uncertainty around the Iran conflict, raising the risk that oil and gas shipments through the strait could remain disrupted just as Washington weighs whether to extend the fragile ceasefire. Trump said the U.S. was having "very good conversations" with Iran but that Tehran wanted to close the strait again. Iran could not blackmail the U.S., he said. Maritime security and shipping sources said some merchant vessels had received radio messages from Irans navy saying no ships were allowed through the waterway, reversing Friday's signs that traffic might resume. Advertisement Advertisement Maritime trackers had earlier shown a convoy of eight tankers transiting the narrow passage in the first major movement of ships since the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran began seven weeks ago. Hours earlier, Trump had cited "some pretty good news" about Iran, declining to elaborate. But he also said fighting might resume without a peace deal by Wednesday, when the two-week ceasefire expires. Iran had announced its temporary reopening of the Strait of Hormuz following a separate U.S.-brokered 10-day ceasefire agreement on Thursday between Israel and Lebanon. Israel invaded parts of southern Lebanon after the Iran-allied Hezbollah militant group joined the fighting in early March. But on Saturday Iran's armed forces command said transit through the strait had reverted to a state of strict Iranian military control, citing what it described as repeated U.S. violations and acts of piracy under the guise of a blockade. Advertisement Advertisement The spokesperson said Iran had earlier agreed, in good faith, to the managed passage of a limited number of oil tankers and commercial vessels following negotiations, but said continued U.S. actions had forced Tehran to restore tighter controls on shipping through the strategic chokepoint. U.S. Central Command said in a statement that American forces were enforcing a maritime blockade of Iran, but did not comment on the latest Iranian actions. NO DATE FOR DIRECT TALKS The war with Iran began on February 28 with a U.S.-Israeli attack on the Islamic Republic. It has killed thousands, spread to Israeli attacks in Lebanon and sent oil prices surging because of the de facto closure of the strait. Advertisement Advertisement Despite the initial movement of ships, Iran's deputy foreign minister, Saeed Khatibzadeh, said no date had been set for the next round of negotiations, adding that a framework of understanding must be agreed first. Pressure for a way out of the war has mounted as Trumps fellow Republicans defend narrow majorities in Congress in the November midterm elections with U.S. gasoline prices high, inflation rising and his own approval ratings down. "The main thing is that Iran will not have a nuclear weapon. You cannot let Iran have a nuclear weapon, and that supersedes everything else," Trump said on Friday. Trump also said he might end the ceasefire with Iran unless a long-term deal to end the war was agreed before it expires on Wednesday, adding that a U.S. blockade of Iranian ports would continue. Advertisement Advertisement There were no signs of preparations early on Saturday for talks in the Pakistani capital, where the highest-level U.S.-Iran negotiations since the 1979 Islamic Revolution ended without agreement last weekend. A Pakistani source aware of mediation efforts had said a meeting between Iran and the U.S. could produce an initial memorandum of understanding, followed by a comprehensive peace agreement within 60 days. Separately, a senior Iranian official said Tehran hoped a preliminary agreement could be reached in the coming days. Oil prices fell about 10% and global stocks jumped on Friday on the prospect of marine traffic resuming through the strait. Despite that, hundreds of vessels and about 20,000 seafarers remain stranded in the Gulf awaiting passage through the waterway, shipping sources said. Advertisement Advertisement At last weekend's talks, the U.S. proposed a 20-year suspension of all Iranian nuclear activity, while Iran suggested a halt of three to five years, according to people familiar with the proposals. Two Iranian sources have said there were signs of a compromise that could remove part of the stockpile. The head of Russia's state atomic energy company, Rosatom, Alexei Likhachev, said on Saturday that Rosatom was ready to help with the removal of enriched uranium from Iran, and that the company was closely following the progress of U.S.-Iran talks. (Reporting by Reuters bureaus, Writing by Raju Gopalakrishnan, William Maclean and Timothy Heritage; Editing by William Mallard and Alex Richardson) By Parisa Hafezi, Steve Holland and Nayera Abdallah DUBAI/WASHINGTON, April 17 (Reuters) - Iran temporarily reopened the Strait of Hormuz on Friday following a ceasefire agreement in Lebanon, raising optimism about peace talks, but Tehran warned that it could close the crucial waterway again if the recent U.S. Navy blockade of Iranian ports continued. Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi announced on social media that the strait, a slender chokepoint in global energy trade, was open for all commercial vessels for the remainder of the U.S.-brokered 10-day truce that was agreed on Thursday between Israel and Lebanon, which was invaded by Israel after the Iran-allied Hezbollah militant group joined the fighting. Advertisement Advertisement U.S. President Donald Trump, who with Israel launched the war on Iran on February 28 that has killed thousands of people and led to the strait's de facto closure, told supporters at a rally in Arizona that Araqchi's announcement marked "a great and brilliant day for the world." But subsequent statements and clarifications from both sides left uncertainty over how quickly shipping might return to normal, and some vessels could be observed making unsuccessful attempts cross the strait on Friday before turning back. Trump said a U.S. blockade of ships sailing to Iranian ports, announced after talks with Iran last weekend ended without agreement, would remain until "our transaction with Iran is 100% complete". Iran responded sharply, with Iran's parliament speaker and senior negotiator Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf saying in a social media post that the strait, which until recently carried about a fifth of the world's oil trade, "will not remain open" if the U.S. blockade continues. He also said Trump had made multiple false claims about the peace talks on Friday. Advertisement Advertisement Iran has said all ships must coordinate with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, which was not the case before the war. The Defense Ministry said in a statement quoted by state television that military vessels and ships linked to "hostile forces", U.S. and Israel, were still not permitted to pass. Vessel traffic data showed a group of around 20 ships, including container ships, bulk carriers, and tankers, moving through the Gulf toward the Strait of Hormuz on Friday evening, but most ended up turning back, although it was not clear why. The group included three container ships operated by French shipping group CMA CGM, which declined to comment. It was the largest group of vessels to attempt the transit since the start of the war. It also was unclear how the two sides would address Iran's nuclear program, which has been a key sticking point in peace talks so far, with Iran defending its right to what it says is a civilian nuclear energy program. Advertisement Advertisement Trump told Reuters the U.S. would remove Iran's stockpiles of enriched uranium. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei told state TV the material would not be transferred anywhere. Separately, a senior Iranian official said that Iran hoped a preliminary agreement could be reached in the coming days that could extend a ceasefire that is due to expire next week. That could buy more time for negotiations on lifting sanctions on Iran and securing compensation for war damages, the official said. OIL PRICES TUMBLE, STOCKS JUMP Oil prices fell about 10%, and global stocks jumped on the news that marine traffic might flow through the strait again. [O/R] [MKTS/GLOB] Advertisement Advertisement Shipping companies cautiously welcomed Iran's announcement but said they would require clarifications, including about the risk of mines, before vessels move through the entry point to the Gulf. The U.S. Navy warned seafarers that the mine threat in parts of the waterway was not fully understood and said they should consider avoiding the area. After a video conference on Friday, more than a dozen countries said they were willing to join an international mission to protect shipping in the strait when conditions permit, Britain said. DIPLOMACY PROGRESS Trump told Reuters there could probably be more peace talks this weekend. Some diplomats said that was unlikely given the logistics of gathering in the Pakistani capital Islamabad, where the talks are expected to take place. Advertisement Advertisement A Pakistani source involved in mediation efforts said an upcoming meeting could result in an initial memorandum of understanding, followed by a comprehensive peace agreement within 60 days. A senior Iranian official told Reuters there had been an agreement on unfreezing billions of dollars in Iranian assets as part of the accord, without giving a timeline. Later on Friday, Trump, who has repeatedly referred to a peace agreement as a "deal" or "transaction", said at his Arizona rally with supporters that "no money will exchange hands in any way, shape or form." At last weekend's talks, the U.S. proposed a 20-year suspension of all Iranian nuclear activity, while Iran suggested a halt of three to five years, according to people familiar with the proposals. Two Iranian sources have said there were signs of a compromise that could remove part of the stockpile. Advertisement Advertisement Trump told Reuters the U.S. might not act quickly. "We're going to go in with Iran, at a nice leisurely pace, and go down and start excavating with big machinery," he said in a phone interview. "We'll bring it back to the United States." He mentioned "nuclear dust", a reference to the aftermath of bombing strikes by the U.S. and Israel on Iran's nuclear installations in June last year. Despite Trump's optimism, Iranian sources told Reuters that "gaps remained to be resolved" before a preliminary agreement, while senior clerics struck a defiant tone during Friday prayers. "Our people do not negotiate while being humiliated," cleric Ahmad Khatami said. Advertisement Advertisement The U.S.-backed ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon appeared to be largely holding on Friday, despite Lebanese Army reports of some Israeli violations. Paramedics said an Israeli drone strike killed one person in southern Lebanon. The conflict was reignited on March 2 when Hezbollah opened fire on Israel in support of Iran, prompting an Israeli offensive that authorities say has killed nearly 2,300 people. (Reporting by Reuters bureaus; Writing by Andy Sullivan, Sharon Singleton, Ros Russell and Jonathan Allen; Editing by Alex Richardson, Andrew Heavens, Nia Williams and Alistair Bell) President Donald Trump signed an executive order to speed up research into psychedelic drugs to treat veterans after getting a call from podcast host Joe Rogan. Trump said Rogan pushed him to look into how the drugs could help veterans grappling with suicide and depression. "I'm pleased to announce historic reforms to dramatically accelerate access to new medical research and treatments based on psychedelic drugs," Trump told reporters as he signed the order on April 18. "These experimental drugs have shown life changing potential for those suffering from severe mental illness and depression," including veterans. Advertisement Advertisement "I got a call from a number of people, including the great Joe Rogan, and he said, we have to do something about this. And I looked into it," Trump said, flanked in the Oval Office by Rogan and other proponents of using the drugs for veterans, including Robert O'Neill, a former Navy SEAL who claimed to have killed Osama Bin Laden. President Donald Trump returned to Phoenix to speak at Turning Point USA's "Build the Red Wall" event at Dream City Church on April 17, 2026, ahead of this year's midterm elections. U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during a Turning Point USA event at Dream City Church in Phoenix, Arizona, on April 17, 2026. President Donald Trump attends a Turning Point USA event at Dream City Church in Phoenix, Arizona, on April 17, 2026. President Donald Trump speaks during a Turning Point USA event at Dream City Church in Phoenix, Arizona, on April 17, 2026. President Donald Trump speaks during a Turning Point USA event at Dream City Church in Phoenix, Arizona, on April 17, 2026. President Donald Trump speaks during a Turning Point USA event at Dream City Church in Phoenix, Arizona, on April 17, 2026. President Donald Trump speaks during a Turning Point USA event at Dream City Church in Phoenix, Arizona, on April 17, 2026. President Donald Trump speaks during a Turning Point USA event at Dream City Church in Phoenix, Arizona, on April 17, 2026. President Donald Trump attends a Turning Point USA event at Dream City Church in Phoenix, Arizona, on April 17, 2026. President Donald Trump speaks during a Turning Point USA event at Dream City Church in Phoenix, Arizona, on April 17, 2026. President Donald Trump attends a Turning Point USA event at Dream City Church in Phoenix, Arizona, on April 17, 2026. President Donald Trump attends a Turning Point USA event at Dream City Church in Phoenix, Arizona, on April 17, 2026. President Donald Trump greets the CEO of Turning Point USA, Erika Kirk, during a Turning Point USA event at Dream City Church in Phoenix, Arizona, on April 17, 2026. President Donald Trump kisses the CEO of Turning Point USA, Erika Kirk, during a Turning Point USA event at Dream City Church in Phoenix, Arizona, on April 17, 2026. President Donald Trump greets the CEO of Turning Point USA, Erika Kirk, during a Turning Point USA event at Dream City Church in Phoenix, Arizona, on April 17, 2026. Anti-Trump protesters holds signs, as President Donald Trump's motorcade passes, in Phoenix on April 17, 2026. Anti-Trump protesters holds signs, as President Donald Trump's motorcade passes, in Phoenix on April 17, 2026. President Donald Trump speaks to the press, as he arrives at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport in Phoenix on April 17, 2026. President Donald Trump salutes while disembarking Air Force One, as he arrives at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport in Phoenix, Arizona, on April 17, 2026. President Donald Trump disembarks Air Force One, as he arrives at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport in Phoenix on April 17, 2026. Air Force One arrives at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, on April 17, 2026. President Donald Trump was set to speak at Turning Point USA's "Build the Red Wall" event at Dream City Church in Phoenix. U.S. President Donald Trump boards Air Force One, as he departs Harry Reid International Airport en route to Phoenix, Arizona, in Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S., April 17, 2026. U.S. President Donald Trump waves while boarding Air Force One, as he departs Harry Reid International Airport en route to Phoenix, Arizona, in Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S., April 17, 2026. Trump speaks in Arizona for Turning Point's 'Build the Red Wall' event 1 of 23 President Donald Trump returned to Phoenix to speak at Turning Point USA's "Build the Red Wall" event at Dream City Church on April 17, 2026, ahead of this year's midterm elections. The order Trump signed sets a policy of accelerating research into the drugs and directs the Food and Drug Administration to fast track research into the drugs, including ibogaine, a plant-based hallucinogen. It also marks off $50 million for states to research the drugs. Rogan said that former Texas Gov. Rick Perry and Bryan Hubbard, who leads an organization called Americans for Ibogaine, convinced of the usefulness of psychedelics when he interviewed them on his podcast. "They told me how impactful this medicine is." In the podcast interview, "millions of people got a chance to hear their story, hear the stories of all the different people that have had life changing experiences from it." Advertisement Advertisement There is growing scientific evidence that psychedelics have a positive impact on the psychological conditions of veterans, who face a much higher suicide rate than the general population. Trump referenced a 2024 study from Stanford University that found veterans with traumatic brain injuries given ibogaine saw improvements in depression and anxiety. Both Rogan and O'Neill are also among the podcast personalities who have expressed criticism for Trump's war in Iran. After signing the order, Trump said there were "very good conversations going on" with Iran, even though Iran had hours earlier said it would not open the Strait of Hormuz, and has not publicly agreed to return to talks with the Trump administration. President Donald Trump signed an executive order fast tracking research into psychedelic drugs on April 18. Days before the appearance with Trump, Rogan said on his podcast that all of the war is "terrifying," using an expletive. "How is this still going on?" he said. O'Neill has also criticized the Iran war within the month. After Trump threatened to destroy "a whole civilization" if Iran did not open the Strait of Hormuz, O'Neill said he "didnt think it was presidential." Advertisement Advertisement "I know that its very difficult to be around President Trump and tell him something you disagree with," O'Neill said during an April 7 Piers Morgan Uncensored appearance. "I know the man, Ive had dinner at the White House with him. But someone should step up on something like this." "You really can't say you're going to wipe out an entire civilization." Trump's war in Iran has created a rift with his MAGA movement, which has advocated for "America first" anti-interventionism. Trump said during his presidential campaign that the Iraq war was a mistake and that the United States should not start new wars in the Middle East. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Trump signs executive order on psychedelics after call from Joe Rogan (NewsNation) President Trumps comments about Pope Leo arent sitting well with Catholic voters, a new poll shows. The poll, conducted late last month, found the presidents approval rating among Catholic voters has dropped to 48%, with 52% expressing disapproval. Trumps attacks on Leo began after the pope amplified criticism of war and asserted that God doesnt bless those who drop bombs. Leo also called Trumps threat to annihilate Iranian civilization truly unacceptable. The president also accused the Chicago-born pontiff of being weak on crime and a captive to the left. Advertisement Advertisement The question that prompted Pope Leos pushback on Trump, and why it matters Beyond his spat with the pope, Trump has recently drawn the ire of his supporters for posting, then taking down, an artificial intelligence-generated, Christ-like image of himself. The polls data also indicated just 40% of Catholic respondents approve of Trumps handling of the conflict, while 60% disapprove. What emerges from this convergence of data and events is not simply a decline in approval ratings, but a more profound recalibration, said Zenit.orgs Jorge Enrique Mujica. For many Catholic voters, the question is no longer confined to partisan preference. It touches on the coherence between faith and political judgment, particularly in matters of war, peace, and the moral limits of power. Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. What does it mean if a country is winning? I read an article a while back about how, basically because labor unions became too much of a pain to deal with, they were just cut out of the conversation. Everything was outsourced, and now after whining about a $25/hr job not having health insurance, theres just no more $25 an hour job and nobody to try and bargain with anymore. The chips are made in Taiwan, the clothes are made in Vietnam, the cars are made in Mexico, and you are on the phone with India. This isnt like when stuff is made in China. Those are basically American factories, just located in another country where you dont have to negotiate with American labor. Companies make money, GDP goes up, everyone wins. Except, well American people. This line of oh they get cheap stuff is hardcore cope, I cant believe those who seriously try and say Americas value is in consuming. That sounds like the mentality of Disney Adults. Your value is in production, and your value is in providing a good society for your fellow countrymen. I think people are finally starting to realize what happened. Tariffs could, in theory, fix this. It would be a painful transition, but done properly you could force companies back to the negotiation table with American labor. If you (artificially) make the cost of outsourcing high enough, you could imagine there being businesses capable of self sustaining in America. However, you give up hope of being a global leader at this point and create an insular economy. Its a loser mentality. Youre not talking to somebody who woke up a loser. And that loser attitude, that loser premise makes no sense to me. Jensen Huang Even more ridiculous is the export controls on NVIDIA. Here we have an American made product the entire world wants, and what does America do? Oh yes, export controls. Sorry, we dont want to win globally, please build an alternative. But we have to export control it. Havent you heard about AGI? These nice folks at the Center for Effective Altruism told me about this blog they read called LessWrong. They said that the blog said AI is going to destroy the world, and if the world is going to be destroyed, I dont want to live in a world where someone else destroys it better than Americans! Its interesting how America believes in these apocalyptic AI narratives while China doesnt. And I think the reason comes back to the view of people. Take the Mythos vulnerability finding thing. They didnt just point Mythos at the codebase and say go, they built a harness where they asked it about each piece of code and if it was vulnerable. They triaged and spent more time looking at things that were flagged more, until eventually they passed it up to upper management aka the Anthropic software engineers, who are quite a bit more talented than your average bug hunter. You could imagine building this exact same thing but all with humans. Educate them, get them to sit at a desk, read code, find vulns, put them in a management hierarchy. Actually, I can only really imagine that in China, have you seen the current graduates from the American universities? And here is where you get to this American AGI is coming its over, AI will take all jobs worldview. Because its hard to conceive of doing things with people in America. A human is about 20 petaflops. All of this installed compute is only about a million people. There is no magical step change for AGI. With 8 billion humans in the world, thats still 13 doublings for machines to catch up. Yes, it will happen, but not next year. When I was younger I used to think more negatively about jobs, I even called it the jobs problem in my 2019 agentic coding startup template. I have since come around, the point of a society is the flourishing of its inhabitants. I know I know, I live in Hong Kong. Maybe the society here is brainwashing me or something. Or maybe, when I looked around on my walk yesterday, I saw a society that actually works for who lives here not homeless everywhere, not isolation in cars, not blatant stagnation. I know I know, thats a socialist platitude or something, society that works. What they say right before they argue for a dumbass tax on billionaires or banning plastic straws. Dont worry I still think most socialists are degrowth morons. But what does it even mean to root for America anymore? Do these coming changes help the average American? Does Google getting ten million more TPUs help Americans? Or am I missing the point? Ahh oh is it weapons? America will get AI weapons. Because it faces so many threats on its own isolated continent, good thing it has AI weapons to stay safe. Oh, wait, America faces no real threats. It wants to use the weapons offensively? Oh sorry sorry, in a preemptive strike they obviously would have hit us if we didnt attack them first. Yes yes, defensive preemptive attack. Its just bullying. Its stupid. How can anyone root for America to win AI? In its current incarnation, it means job loss for Americans and more bullying on the world stage. I love America. I am American. And I wish it had the mandate of heaven. I wish America winning meant peace and prosperity. But when its for offensive military and the largest psychologically manipulative corporations in history, how can anyone root for this? President Trump is set to be the main speaker at Turning Point USAs event in Arizona on Friday to bolster Republican turnout for the upcoming midterms. The Build the Red Wall event that will take place at a church in Arizona comes at a time when support among young voters for Trumps performance is slipping amid the Iran war. Polls show young voters are also worried about the economy and affordability, and some see the administrations actions toward immigrants as heavy-handed. Advertisement Advertisement The church setting is also notable given Trumps controversies this week in posting repeated Jesus memes that have triggered blasphemy criticisms. While some Republican strategists said it would be an opportunity for Trump to champion his accomplishments, others worry the heaping distractions away from his domestic policy could prove problematic for Republicans in the midterms. Trump is the best messenger for his policies, its just sometimes he doesnt actually deliver the message, said Barrett Marson, a GOP consultant. He needs to be talking about affordability, and the tax cuts of the One Big Beautiful Bill [Act] and how it has saved Arizonans hundreds or even 1000s of dollars a year. And he probably needs to talk a little bit about the Iran war, but talk about it in realistic terms, which he has yet to do, he said. Young people are very much against this war. He needs to try to work to convince them that what he is doing is right and worthy, Marson continued. Advertisement Advertisement I know this is like a four-letter word for him, but focus. He needs to focus and he cant, Marson said. Turning Point USA, a conservative political group that aims to bring conservative politics to high school and college campuses, attracts young people from across the country. After its co-founder, Charlie Kirk, was killed last year while speaking on a college campus, the organization said it received tens of thousands of inquiries for new chapters. But the presidents approval rating among voters has slipped since last fall, a new Yale Youth poll found. Some 68 percent of voters aged 18-22 disapprove of Trumps job as president, along with 72 percent of those aged 23-29 in the spring poll. The fall 2025 poll found that 64 percent of those aged 18-22 disapproved of Trump, while 66 percent of those aged 23-29 disapproved. Advertisement Advertisement The poll also found that affordability is the top concern of those aged 18-34. A Pew Research Center poll from March found that 49 percent of Republican voters aged 18-29 approve of how Trump is handling the Iran conflict. Those issues among young voters have also been bubbling up in other key blocs for Trump, including among some of his conservative allies. But the White House remains steadfast that the short-term economic pain caused by the Iran war is worth the long-term benefit of Tehran not being able to produce a nuclear weapon, though no agreements have come close to a deal on the matter. When asked for comment, the White House pivoted to Trumps work on tax cuts and maintained the administration hasnt lost sight of its focus on bringing down prices. Advertisement Advertisement President Trump has always been clear about temporary disruptions as a result of Operation Epic Fury, but tens of millions of Americans benefitting this tax season from the Presidents signature provisions in the Working Families Tax Cuts no tax on tips, overtime, or Social Security reflect how the Administration hasnt lost focus on delivering on our affordability agenda at home, White House spokesperson Kush Desai said in a statement. Trumps attendance at the Turning Point event Friday comes after he received criticism from some of his Catholic and Christian supporters and critics for posting an AI-image depicting him as Jesus healing a sick person and for posting a lengthy Truth Social post attacking Pope Leo XIV for the pontiffs comments against the Iran war. It also comes on the heels of Vice President Vances Turning Point USA appearance in Georgia on Tuesday, where he was heckled by someone in the crowd unhappy with the United Statess Middle East policy. Jesus Christ does not support genocide! the attendee yelled, followed by, Youre killing children! Youre bombing children! Advertisement Advertisement The attendee also appeared to mention Israels war in Gaza. Later in his speech, Vance acknowledged that young voters do not love the policy we have in the Middle East. OK, I understand that, he said, before going on to say the administration secured the border, lowered housing prices, made America energy dominant and cut crime. Im not saying you have to agree with me on every issue, Vance said. What I am saying is dont get disengaged because you disagree with the administration on one topic. Get more involved, make your voice heard even more. That is how we ultimately take the country back. Advertisement Advertisement Still, some Republican strategists see Trumps appearance as an opportunity to tout his accomplishments. This is a state that has delivered big for President Trump, and this is an opportunity for him to come and thank voters who voted overwhelmingly in this state for him in 2024, Brady Smith, an Arizona-based National Republican political strategist, said. This is a great opportunity for President Trump to highlight his accomplishments in the first year and a few months of his administration, specifically as it relates to affordability, child tax credits, as well as broader security, he said. Its an opportunity to really hammer home on lowering costs as well as community safety and border security. 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. As news of the ceasefire spread through Israel's northern communities, sirens blared three times this evening warning of incoming rockets from Lebanon. In the sky above the northern city of Nahariya, Israel's air defence interceptors shot up to block them, triggering loud explosions. Ambulance crews said at least three people were wounded by shrapnel in the hours before the ceasefire took effect, including two seriously. On the ground here and across the country there's scepticism about why Israel's leader has signed up to the truce. Advertisement Advertisement "I feel like the government lied to us," said Gal, a student in Nahariya. "They promised that this time it would end differently, but it seems like we're once again heading toward a ceasefire agreement that solves nothing." "We gave the Lebanese government a chance and they failed to uphold the agreement; they didn't disarm Hezbollah," said Maor, a 32-year-old truck driver whose house was hit by a rocket last year. "If we don't do it, no one will. It's a shame they stopped. It seemed like there were significant achievements this time." Advertisement Advertisement Israel has five army divisions in southern Lebanon, and only yesterday its chief army spokesman said they would continue advancing. This ceasefire announcement has taken Israel by surprise reportedly even within the government's own security cabinet. A widely respected Israeli news outlet tonight described Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu convening a security cabinet meeting with just five minutes notice, shortly before the ceasefire announcement was made. Leaks from that meeting say ministers were not given a vote on the ceasefire. To many, this is another example of Netanyahu bowing to US President Donald Trump's demands to halt fighting, even when the terms or the timing are not what Israel wants. Vehicles crowded roads in Lebanon after the ceasefire came into effect as people returned to their homes [Reuters] "A ceasefire must come from a position of strength in order to service the national interests of Israel," said the former IDF Chief of staff and Yashar party chief, Gadi Eisenkot. Advertisement Advertisement "A pattern has developed in which ceasefires are imposed upon us in Gaza, in Iran, and now in Lebanon. Netanyahu does not know how to convert military achievements into diplomatic gains." Netanyahu while framing the ceasefire as "an opportunity to make a historic peace agreement with Lebanon" also made clear that he was making few concessions on the ground. He said Hezbollah had insisted on two conditions: the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Lebanon, and a principle of "quiet for quiet". "I agreed to neither the former, nor the latter," he said. "These two conditions are not being met. We are remaining in Lebanon in a thickened security zone [] We are there, and we are not leaving." [Reuters] Iran has been demanding an end to Israeli operations against its proxy group Hezbollah in Lebanon since agreeing to a two-week ceasefire with the US earlier this month. Advertisement Advertisement And after initially saying Israel's military campaign against Hezbollah in Lebanon was "a separate skirmish", Trump said this week he was trying to create what he called "a little breathing room between Israel and Lebanon", as US negotiations with Iran falter, and the end of the truce period approaches next week. Both Netanyahu and Israel's military leaders have been keen to emphasise in recent days that the ceasefire Trump agreed with Tehran did not mean a ceasefire in Lebanon. A poll by Israel's Channel 12 news network last week found that almost 80% of respondents supported continued strikes on Hezbollah. And three separate surveys suggested a majority of Israelis also opposed to two-week ceasefire Trump agreed with Iran. Advertisement Advertisement "Agreements may be signed with a tie in Washington, but the price is paid in blood and destroyed homes" in northern Israel, the head of the Mateh Asher Regional council, Moshe Davidovich, told Israeli media. "Residents of the north are not extras in an international public relations show," he added. The truce Israel has agreed to in Lebanon states clearly that Israel "preserves its right to take all necessary measures in self-defence, at any time, against planned, imminent or ongoing attacks" much as it did during the last ceasefire agreed in November 2024, when Israel continued regular strikes against targets it deemed a threat. Few Israelis see this truce as a way out of the conflict with Hezbollah. But many see it as further proof that their leader is again under pressure to align with Washington's interests and that the war goals of their key US ally are not always the same as their own. Two Americans have been sentenced to years in prison for their roles in a covert scheme that defrauded major US companies while generating $5 million for the North Korean regime, the Justice Department said Wednesday. Zhenxing Danny Wang, 39, and Kejia Tony Wang, 42, both of New Jersey, were alleged middlemen in an elaborate conspiracy that involved tricking Fortune 500 companies to hire overseas tech workers who stole the identities of various Americans. A federal court in Boston sentenced Zhenxing Wang to over seven years in prison and Kejia Wang to nine years in prison. At the heart of the scheme were laptop farms or clusters of US company-issued computers that Wang and Wang allegedly managed from their homes in the US. Those laptops gave the overseas tech workers a foothold into major American companies to draw salaries and in one case steal export-controlled data from a California-based defense contractor. Advertisement Advertisement Other companies who unwittingly paid the overseas tech workers include a semiconductor distributor in Massachusetts and a software development firm in California, according to prosecutors. North Korea is increasingly turning to such schemes to circumvent sanctions and generate revenue for its nuclear weapons program, according to US officials. In 2024, prosecutors charged an Arizona woman in a similar scheme that compromised the identities of 60 Americans and affected 300 US companies, including a premier Silicon Valley tech firm. The North Korean government has stolen billions of dollars in recent years by hacking cryptocurrency exchanges and using IT workers to infiltrate US tech firms, according to US officials and private experts. The US government has tried to crack down on the schemes while publicly and privately warning companies across the country of the evolving threat from North Korean IT workers. Advertisement Advertisement Theres still plenty of work to do: The State Department on Wednesday offered up to $5 million for information on several other people allegedly involved in generating revenue for the North Korean regime. Attorneys for Kejia Wang and Zhenxing Wang declined to comment. The pair previously pleaded guilty to charges related to the scheme. The two men allegedly set up front companies in New Jersey to falsely claim that the tech workers were authorized to work in the US. Other members of the conspiracy allegedly used background-check firms to identify US persons whose identities they wanted to steal. At least 80 US persons had their identity stolen, according to prosecutors. Once money is stolen on behalf ot the North Korean regime, its a cat-and-mouse game for US law enforcement to try to seize the money before it is laundered and eventually makes its way to Pyongyang. Advertisement Advertisement In this case, US officials were able to seize tens of thousands of dollars last year, a fraction of the stolen $5 million, according to a Justice Department official. The $5 million in revenue was laundered to Chinese accounts controlled by the conspirators, which includes North Korean nationals, the Justice Department official told CNN. Networks of North Korean tech workers increasingly rely on U.S.-based LLCs to create the appearance of legitimate employment, said Michael Barnhart, a researcher at insider threat firm DTEX Systems. Pairing a US person, a US address, and a front company the facilitators created the illusion of a legitimate domestic effort allowing the IT workers to present themselves as U.S.-based without triggering suspicion during onboarding or daily workflows, Barnhart told CNN, referring to the scheme connected to Wang and Wang. A growing number of staffing and recruiting agencies are unknowingly enabling this activity by vouching for these workers, claiming to have completed background checks and due diligence, Barnhart said. He also warned that North Korean IT workers have embedded themselves at subcontractors to reach larger targets that contract with governments around the world. This story has been updated with additional details. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com By Daniel Trotta April 16 (Reuters) - Two more Democrats, former California attorney general and cabinet secretary Xavier Becerra and San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan, cleared the polling threshold and will join next week's debate in the state's gubernatorial primary campaign after Eric Swalwell, accused of sexual assault, dropped out of the race, organizers said on Thursday. Nexstar Media Group, which will broadcast the debate on news channels in six of the state's largest markets, said recent polling put Becerra, who was secretary of health and human services under President Joe Biden, at 10%, well over the 5% threshold. Advertisement Advertisement Mahan, the mayor of California's third-largest city by population, came in right at 5%. Nexstar commissioned a new poll from Emerson College Polling to re-evaluate the field after Swalwell, 45, left the race on Sunday and resigned from the U.S. Congress after multiple women accused him of sexual assault and other forms of impropriety. Swalwell has denied the allegations but suspended his campaign, creating an opening after polling had qualified him for Wednesday's debate. Becerra and Mahan will join four others - Republicans Steve Hilton and Chad Bianco, plus Democrats Tom Steyer and Katie Porter - who previously qualified for the debate to be held at Nexstar's KRON4 studios in San Francisco. Advertisement Advertisement The inclusion of Becerra, a Latino who shot up from 3% support in the previous poll in March, adds a non-white candidate to the debate stage. He appeared to be the biggest beneficiary from Swalwell's departure. The University of Southern California canceled a planned March 25 debate following an uproar over race representation as the six candidates to qualify at that time were all white. California, a liberal state where 30% of eligible voters are Latino, has only elected white men as governor. There are 61 candidates, including 24 Democrats and 12 Republicans, who qualified for the June 2 primary ballot. In California's "jungle primary," the top two vote-getters advance to the runoff in November, even if they are from the same party. Advertisement Advertisement The Nexstar poll showed Hilton, a former Fox News host who received President Donald Trump's endorsement, leading the pack overall with 17%. Bianco, the sheriff of Riverside County, was tied at 14% with the Democrat Steyer, a hedge fund billionaire who is bankrolling his own campaign. Becerra was tied with former U.S. Representative Katie Porter at 10%, followed by Mahan at 5%. The largest segment of voters - 23% - were undecided. Emerson College Polling surveyed 1,000 likely primary voters on Monday and Tuesday. It said the poll had a margin of error of plus or minus 3%. (Reporting by Daniel Trotta in Carlsbad, California; Editing by Donna Bryson and Edmund Klamann) By Karen Freifeld NEW YORK, April 16 (Reuters) - A U.S. bill to keep more chipmaking equipment from China has been scaled back, according to the latest version seen by Reuters, but still includes a new countrywide restriction on ASML's deep ultraviolet (DUV) immersion lithography machines. Netherlands-based ASML, by far the world's dominant supplier of the critical technology, declined to comment. Advertisement Advertisement The "MATCH Act" was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives on April 2 with bipartisan support, to close gaps in restrictions on chipmaking equipment sold to China and align the U.S. and other countries, including Japan and the Netherlands. MATCH, which stands for "Multilateral Alignment of Technology Controls on Hardware Act", is aimed at maintaining leadership in artificial intelligence that could transform the balance of power between nations. INDUSTRY VIEWED EARLIER VERSION WITH ALARM Republican Rep. Michael Baumgartner, who introduced the bill, is offering the new version as a substitute for the original, according to the latest draft. Advertisement Advertisement The early April version upset the industry, both in the U.S. and abroad, as the bill became what one expert described as a "runaway train" that not only aimed to force allies to align with U.S. controls, but also imposed new countrywide and expansive company-tied restrictions. Manufacturers say restrictions reduce exports, harming sales. The U.S. Congress is trying to legislate new restrictions on chips and chipmaking equipment to China as the Trump administration has held back updating controls and loosened curbs on advanced chips. The House Foreign Affairs Committee plans to vote on the bill next Wednesday, along with more than a dozen others tied to AI, semiconductors and export controls. The vote is one step in the process towards its potentially becoming law. Many of the restrictions in the early April version of the bill have been removed, including countrywide curbs on cryogenic etch tools for chips, which are made by California-based Lam Research and Japan's Tokyo Electron. Advertisement Advertisement But the more tailored bill still prohibits foreign firms from selling to Chinese chipmakers CXMT (ChangXin Memory Technologies), YMTC (Yangtze Memory Technologies), and SMIC (Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation) for facilities barred by Washington from using American tools. It also requires licenses for servicing equipment in covered facilities, another controversial provision for foreign firms, although applications will no longer face a policy of denial. The U.S. has tried to align chipmaking equipment controls with the Dutch and Japanese since it introduced sweeping restrictions in late 2022, with some success. But U.S. equipment makers have argued the field is still not level. The MATCH Act imposes a deadline on diplomatic negotiations with allied supplier countries, then directs the U.S. to impose controls. The Chinese chipmakers did not respond to requests for comment. Asked about the bill, a spokesman for the Chinese embassy in Washington said China will closely follow developments and safeguard its rights and interests. Advertisement Advertisement "China opposes the US's overstretching the national security concept and using all sorts of pretexts to coerce other countries into joining its technological blockade against China," the spokesman, Liu Pengyu, said in a statement. (Reporting by Karen Freifeld; editing by Philippa Fletcher) April 18 (Reuters) - Ukrainian drones struck a handful of Russia's oil facilities overnight, including two oil refineries in the Samara region, an oil depot in Crimea and a Baltic Sea port that exports petroleum products, Russian local governors and a Ukrainian army official said on Saturday. Kyiv's troops have in recent weeks stepped up attacks on Russian oil depots and refineries - key sources of revenue for Moscow's war budget - sometimes targeting sites thousands of kilometres from Ukraine's borders. In the Leningrad region, which surrounds St Petersburg and borders Finland, Governor Alexander Drozdenko said a fire had been extinguished at the Vysotsk port, which houses a terminal operated by Lukoil handling exports of fuel oil, naphtha, diesel and vacuum gas oil. In a statement on the Telegram messaging app acknowledging the port attack, Ukraine's drone forces commander, Robert Brovdi, said Ukrainian forces also attacked oil refineries in the cities of Novokuibyshevsk and Syzran in the Samara region. Both sites have been repeatedly struck in the course of Russia's war in Ukraine. "Make Russian Oil Great Again," he wrote sarcastically. Advertisement Advertisement Brovdi also criticised the U.S. decision to renew a waiver allowing countries to buy sanctioned Russian oil at sea. Vyacheslav Fedorishchev, the Samara regional governor, said industrial targets came under attack. He did not name the facilities. On the Russian-occupied Crimean peninsula, the Moscow-backed governor of Sevastopol said that 22 drones had been downed, with incidents of damage across the city, including a fire at a fuel tank. Ukraine's Brovdi said Kyiv had targeted an oil depot. Ukraine's SBU security service said it also struck two Russian landing ships and a warship based on the peninsula. According to Brovdi, a series of recent strikes on Russia's oil logistics at Primorsk, Ust-Luga, Sheskharis and Tuapse reduced total daily oil shipments by about 880,000 barrels. Reuters could not immediately verify the figure. Separately, authorities in the southern Krasnodar region said on Saturday that a fire at an oil depot in Tikhoretsk, and another at an oil terminal at the Black Sea port of Tuapse, which had burned since Thursday, have been extinguished. Both fires, authorities have said, were caused by Ukrainian drone strikes. (Reporting by Reuters; Writing by Felix Light; Editing by Louise Heavens and Emelia Sithole-Matarise) For the 19th year, United Supermarkets stepped up and donated roughly 19,440 fresh apples to the High Plains Food Bank on Friday morning, April 17. According to Travis Chaney, regional vice president of The United Family, We are donating 6,480 pounds of Opal organic yellow apples through our partnership with HPFB in our Take a Bite Out of Hunger campaign. Weve done this 16 years its through a partnership with First Fruits out of Washington, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Chaney explained that when people purchase apples during a certain time frame during the year, they have displays up in United's stores that encourage people to buy them and a portion of the purchase is given back to food banks as a donation. Travis Chaney with The United Family stands with Zack Wilson and more than 6,000 pounds of organic apples, which will be distributed through 29 counties in the next week. We want to help the community as much as we can, he said. "This is just another way to do that. Zack Wilson, the food bank's executive director, said they serve about 14,000 households a month, so that translates to around 4,000 households a week that receive food. These apples wont be here very long, he said. They will go out the door as quickly as early next week, especially when our partners who we distribute food to find out that we have fresh produce." He said the fruit was a highly requested item for the food pantry. Zack Wilson, executive director of the High Plains Food Bank, explains the need for fresh produce as well as non-perishable items to feed the hungry in the 29 counties they serve. Wilson said that they distribute around 800,000 to over a million pounds of fresh produce, depending on the year. Wilson said that the current need is the highest its ever been in their history even surpassing the period of COVID and 2008 when the financial bubble caused a recession. Advertisement Advertisement We want to be able to step up and try to help fulfill, not only with non-perishable food items, but also with fresh produce, he said. We have seen a decrease in food donations and monetary donations. Wilson said that with the USDA food channel down, it wasnt the kind of curve they like to see. We have some really cool things going on, like this weekend, the Scouting for Food Drive is coming up." Along with the apple delivery this week, the food bank received half a truckload of milk donated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on Thursday, April 16 to help nourish their neighbors across the Texas Panhandle. The United Family crew showed up at High Plains Food Bank to help take a big bite out of hunger with the donation of over 6,000 pounds of organic apples Friday morning, April 17. How you can help during Scouting for Food Hundreds of young scouts will be canvassing Amarillo neighborhoods on Saturday morning, April 18 to collect donations during the annual door-to-door, Scouting for Food program. The most needed items include peanut butter, pasta/sauce, boxed dinners and canned items including soups, fruits, vegetables and meats, according to the HPFB. Advertisement Advertisement Participants can deliver food or monetary donations to the HPFB warehouse, located at 815 Ross, on weekdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Pull up to the dock for help unloading and let them know your donations are for Scouting for Food. Scouts and volunteers will accept food and funds at the HPFB warehouse dock from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday. Additionally, the need for more food goes up in the summer due to school being out. You have kids that may have had access to free or reduced breakfast or lunch, and they dont have that in summer so weve worked to grow our summer feeding program to various parks, apartment complexes and even other towns, like the City of Canyon," Wilson said. The donation this year throughout all the United stores was more than 50,000 pounds of apples, and over the past 16 years, its been 600,000 pounds United has been able to donate through the program, according to Chaney. This article originally appeared on Amarillo Globe-News: High Plains Food Bank gets nearly 19,500 apples from United Family The head of U.S. Space Command said the U.S. is "very concerned" that Russia may be developing a nuclear weapon in space to target satellites, warning such a move could disrupt global communications, GPS systems and daily life on Earth. Gen. Stephen N. Whiting, the commander of U.S. Space Command, made the remarks during an appearance on The General & The Journalist, a weekly podcast by The Times. "Russia remains a very historic and sophisticated space power. Yes, they have been hurt by economic sanctions, but they continue to invest in counter-space weapons, with the most concerning reports being that they are potentially thinking about placing on orbit a nuclear ASAT weapon," he added. "That would violate the Outer Space Treaty that they're a party to, and it would hold at risk everyone's satellites in low Earth orbit, and that would be an outcome that we just couldn't tolerate." Advertisement Advertisement Whiting noted that space is considered a global commons, with the 1967 Outer Space Treaty signed by nearly every nation, including all major space powers prohibiting claims of sovereignty. Sweden Jams Suspected Russian Drone Near French Carrier As Nato War Fears Rise Gen. Stephen N. Whiting, nominee to be general and commander of the U.S. Space Command, waits to testify during the Senate Armed Services Committee confirmation hearing on the nominations of Lt. Gen. Gregory M. Guillot, nominee to be general and commander of the U.S. Northern Command and commander of the North American Aerospace Defense Command, and on Wednesday, July 26, 2023. (Getty Images) He said that differs from earlier eras when explorers would plant flags to claim land for a king or country. Read On The Fox News App Whiting stopped short of confirming the underlying intelligence, but emphasized the seriousness of the concern. "I wont speak about our intelligence sources and methods, but obviously its a report that were very concerned about," he said. Advertisement Advertisement Putin Puts 'Nuclear Triad' On Fast Track, Zelenskyy Claims World War 3 Underway President Vladimir Putin declares Russia's nuclear triad development an "absolute priority" on Defender of the Fatherland Day, emphasizing strategic deterrence capabilities. Fox News Digital has reached out to the Pentagon for further comment on the matter. A nuclear detonation in low Earth orbit which spans roughly 100 to 1,200 miles above Earth could have devastating consequences for both military and civilian infrastructure, according to Whiting. "All of low Earth orbit would be at risk, and you know, that's over 10,000 satellites today with these new proliferated low earth orbit constellations like Starlink," he said. Russia, China Squeeze Us Arctic Defense Zone As Trump Eyes Greenland Advertisement Advertisement Such an event could cripple satellite networks that underpin GPS, communications, financial systems and global internet access. Whiting noted that most people do not realize how dependent modern life is on space-based systems. "The average citizen around the world probably doesnt think about how space enables their life every day, but if they carry a smartphone in their pocket, they are leveraging space multiple times a day," he said. Us Commander Says Russia And China's Arctic Patrols Are 'Not For Peaceful Purposes' A Russian rocket launches into space alongside an image of Russias president, as U.S. officials warn Moscow may be exploring a nuclear anti-satellite weapon capable of disrupting global satellite systems. He suggested Russia may view space-based attacks as a way to offset what it sees as U.S. and NATO advantages in conventional warfare. Advertisement Advertisement "From a Russian perspective, they look at the United States, they look at NATO and they see a conventional overmatch there of conventional arms," Whiting said. "They believe that novel ways of trying to undermine the United States and NATO, such as by neutralizing our space capabilities, helps them to level the battlefield." Whiting also pointed to ongoing Russian activity targeting satellite systems, including widespread interference in Europe. They Were Spying: Sullivan Sounds Alarm On Joint Russia-china Moves In Us Arctic Zone "Clearly across Europe, we have seen sustained satellite communication jamming and GPS jamming," he said. Advertisement Advertisement He warned that such actions are already having real-world consequences, particularly for civilian aviation. Click Here To Download The Fox News App "The real problem with that GPS jamming, for example, is its being done in a way thats affecting civil aviation in Eastern Europe and across Southern Europe," Whiting said. "When we put at risk civilian airliners full of citizens just trying to go on business or holiday, thats incredibly problematic," he added. "We do not want to see this normalization of trying to interfere with other satellites." Original article source: US general warns Russia may be developing nuclear anti-satellite weapon in orbit Both the Utah Supreme Court and Justice Diana Hagen are responding to news that a state investigation is being launched to look into allegations that Hagen had a relationship with an attorney arguing cases before the high court. Those allegations are detailed in a complaint submitted late last year to both Chief Justice Matthew Durrant and the Judicial Conduct Commission, which was obtained by KSL through a public records request. The complaint came from a Provo attorney who said Hagens ex-husband told him the justice had exchanged inappropriate text messages with one of the attorneys involved in a case about redistricting, which led to Utah getting a new congressional map. KSL first reported Thursday evening on the allegations and news that top state leaders have ordered an independent investigation into them. Neither the Utah Supreme Court nor Hagen responded to an initial request for comment on the story prior to its publication. Advertisement Advertisement After it was published, both the court and Hagen issued statements Friday defending the process and criticizing the release of the complaint against the justice. The Judicial Conduct Commission recently reviewed the matter, dismissed the complaint, and closed the case, said Hagen. I remain committed to upholding the highest standards of judicial ethics, integrity and impartiality. The inappropriate release of these materials prompted renewed questioning about allegations that were previously investigated and dismissed in accordance with the process established by the Utah Constitution, the Utah Supreme Court added. The redistricting attorney, David Reymann, has denied the allegations, calling them false. Reymann does outside legal work for KSL and as an attorney for the Utah Media Coalition, of which KSL is a member. Advertisement Advertisement Daniel Woodruff, KSL Meanwhile, a top Republican in Congress, Rep. Blake Moore, R-Utah, expressed support for an independent investigation into the allegations. The investigation was announced late Thursday by Gov. Spencer Cox, Senate President Stuart Adams, and House Speaker Mike Schultz. The three leaders said they felt the preliminary investigation by the Judicial Conduct Commission and the court left important questions unresolved. Moore said Friday that the investigation should be thorough, transparent and swift. If these allegations are true, they could represent a breach of public trust and undermine the credibility of the judicial process, Moore said in a statement. The impartiality of our courts is essential to the functioning of our democracy. Utahns must be able to trust that judges are making decisions based solely on the law, not personal relationships or outside influences. It is imperative that the public is assured that our judicial system is free from bias and conflicts of interest. Advertisement Advertisement Rep. Burgess Owens, who announced he would not seek reelection after the new map was finalized, said Hagen helped force a map on our state that handed a congressional seat to Democrats. If the allegations are true, he said, it is the theft of Utahns voice and the height of judicial tyranny. State leaders have not said when the independent investigation will begin or who will conduct it. Supreme Court and Hagen issue statements This issue centers on League of Women Voters of Utah v. Utah State Legislature, arguably the highest-profile legal case to reach the Utah Supreme Court in years, which led to Utah getting a new congressional map. Hagen was part of a unanimous ruling in July 2024 that said lawmakers overreached by changing Proposition 4, an anti-gerrymandering ballot initiative. That decision prompted anger and condemnation by some Republicans. Advertisement Advertisement In October 2024, Hagen authored a related opinion invalidating Amendment D, an effort by lawmakers to give themselves power to overturn ballot initiatives. After that, Hagen attended a gathering with her then-husband at Reymanns house on Nov. 3, 2024 less than two weeks after the Amendment D ruling, according to a statement she provided the Judicial Conduct Commission. She also said she and her then-husband sat with Reymann at the Salt Lake County Bar holiday party on Dec. 6, 2024. According to the complaint, Hagens ex-husband told another attorney that Hagen had exchanged inappropriate text messages with Reymann, and that he suspected the two began having an inappropriate relationship. The exact timeline of when those alleged text messages were sent is unclear. That attorney submitted those allegations to the Judicial Conduct Commission, which investigates complaints against judges. The commission conducted a preliminary investigation, according to documents, but the investigator wrote that there was insufficient evidence to back up the allegations and that taking further steps to investigate would be intrusive and potentially embarrassing for those involved. Advertisement Advertisement In a lengthy statement Friday, the Utah Supreme Court noted that Hagen recused herself from the case after reconnecting with a number of old friends in the spring of 2025, without mentioning her attendance at the November 2024 gathering at Reymanns home. The court also noted that Hagen informed her colleagues of the allegations made by her ex-husband later that year. Hagen herself said she never operated under a conflict of interest while performing my judicial duties. I took prompt, prudent and transparent steps in response to the allegations made by my ex-husband, including reporting them myself to the Judicial Conduct Commission and submitting a sworn statement, Hagen said. In her declaration to the commission, Hagen said she was faithful to my ex-husband for more than 30 years. I never engaged in extramarital sex with anyone prior to our separation. She said she had suggested a divorce in September 2024, and the couple separated in April 2025. Advertisement Advertisement Meanwhile, the Supreme Court defended the inquiry already conducted by the Judicial Conduct Commission. As the sole entity authorized to investigate allegations of misconduct against a judge, the Judicial Conduct Commission received the allegations in their entirety and conducted an independent investigation, the court said. The Judicial Conduct Commission completed their investigation in accordance with their constitutional and statutory authority and dismissed the complaint against Justice Hagen. The Utah State Bar added that it was concerned in a statement Friday, saying it shares the Utah Supreme Courts concerns regarding the release of confidential and statutorily protected JCC records. We appreciate the important function of the JCC and trust that they conduct their investigations and make findings with careful and thorough consideration, the statement continued. We affirm the courts statement that the JCC is the sole entity established by the Utah Constitution with the specific authority to investigate and conduct confidential hearings regarding complaints against any justice or judge. Democrats defend judiciarys independence Democrats in the Utah House and Senate issued a statement late Thursday in response to reports of the investigation, defending the independence of the judiciary and also expressing support for the Judicial Conduct Commissions previous investigation. Advertisement Advertisement Efforts by the Legislature to investigate a member of the judiciary raise significant concerns over the separation of powers, the Democratic lawmakers said. This is part of a broader pattern of overstepping judicial independence and sets an incredibly dangerous precedent. They noted that the commission was created by the Utah Constitution and designed to ensure confidentiality, neutrality, independence and insulation from political influence. We will continue to defend the independence of the judiciary and the constitutional processes that safeguard it, they said. The investigation into Hagens alleged relationship follows years of tension between the Republican-controlled Legislature and the judiciary, stemming in part from the rulings on redistricting. After the Supreme Court ruling in 2024, a lower court judge struck down the states congressional maps last year and later adopted a map submitted by the plaintiffs in the case which created a Democratic-leaning district in Salt Lake County. Advertisement Advertisement Lawmakers have proposed a series of changes to the courts in recent years, prompting an outcry over judicial independence from some attorneys. The Legislature recently approved adding an additional two justices to the high court while increasing the number of judges on the lower courts. Lawmakers also created a rotating panel of judges to hear cases challenging the constitutionality of state laws. The attorney general quickly sought to move several of the states high-profile cases to the panel, which was met with court challenges, including one from the plaintiffs in the redistricting case. The US Navy aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford has been deployed for 297 days. The Ford left Virginia last June, and it has since had its deployment extended twice. The warship has seen combat operations against Venezuela and Iran, as well as shipboard problems. The new US Navy supercarrier USS Gerald R. Ford has been deployed for 297 days, a record-long carrier deployment in the modern era extended by significant military operations. In the almost ten months since the carrier left its homeport in Virginia, it has participated in major military operations in two very different theaters while also dealing with shipboard issues. Advertisement Advertisement The warship, the Navy's newest, largest, and most advanced aircraft carrier with dozens of new technologies, has demonstrated its combat capabilities while also highlighting the stress and strain of lengthy deployments. The Ford left Naval Station Norfolk in Virginia on June 24, 2025. As of Wednesday, it was still in the Mediterranean Sea. The ship has been away from home for a record-breaking 297 days following two extensions that could see its deployment rival those of the Vietnam era, when carriers would deploy for national tasking for periods over 300 days. During the war, USS Midway deployed for 332 days. The aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln set a post-Cold War record in 2020 with a 295-day deployment. Then USS Nimitz later spent roughly 341 days at sea during the COVID-19 pandemic, marking one of the longest stretches for a US carrier in decades. The carrier was, however, only deployed for national tasking for 263 days, USNI News reported. Advertisement Advertisement The Ford now holds the record for the longest post-Vietnam carrier deployment. Major US military operations The first-in-class Ford's deployment only its second fully operational deployment took it across the Atlantic to Europe and then to the Caribbean in November as part of the Trump administration's pressure campaign against Venezuela. The Ford remained in the region for several weeks and participated in operations against sanctioned oil tankers. It stayed on station through the surprise US raid to capture Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro, known as Operation Absolute Resolve. After the raid in January, the Ford got the call in mid-February to join the growing US presence mission in the Middle East. Advertisement Advertisement The warship remained there into the start of Operation Epic Fury, the name for US military action against Iran, generating sorties of aircraft to support strikes on Iranian military targets. The Ford was pulled out of combat in Iran late last month for maintenance. US Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Tajh Payne Issues aboard the Ford cut its time in the Middle East short, forcing the carrier to pull into port in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea for maintenance. In March, the Navy reported that a fire in the ship's main laundry space injured two sailors, though the carrier remained fully operational. Soldiers were also treated for injuries related to smoke inhalation. Later reporting revealed that the fire was much more extensive, damaging berthing areas. Sailor cots and mattresses were damaged, while many sailors were left unable to clean their clothes with laundry services out of commission. The Navy had to bring in new mattresses and sweatsuits to distribute to the crew, USNI News reported in mid-March in mid-March. Advertisement Advertisement The Ford's crew of more than 4,000 embarked personnel have also faced plumbing problems during its long deployment, an issue previously raised by the US Government Accountability Office in a 2020 report. The carrier's toilet and sewage systems, similar to those on a commercial aircraft but scaled up for the size of the crew, experience frequent clogging issues, prompting the Navy to rely on acid flushing the Ford's sewage system "on a regular basis," the GAO report said. Citing Navy documents, NPR reported in January that regular breakdowns in the sewage system and clogging have been occurring since the $13 billion carrier set sail on its first fully operational deployment in 2023. A long time away from home A Navy official told The Wall Street Journal in late February that the ship had been averaging a maintenance call a day due to problems with the sewage system, though they also said that the situation was improving. Advertisement Advertisement "The sailors of USS Gerald R. Ford said goodbye to their families in Norfolk last June thinking they would be back before the holidays," Sen. Tim Kaine, a Virginia Democrat and Ranking Member of the Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Seapower, said in a statement Wednesday. "But after being ordered from the Mediterranean to the coast of Venezuela and then to the Middle East, Ford today broke the record for the longest modern carrier deployment." The Ford originally deployed to Europe before crossing the Atlantic for operations against Venezuela. US Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Brianna Barnett "While I'm grateful for how our sailors have conducted themselves during the last 10 months, this lengthy deployment has taken a serious toll on their mental health and well-being, especially after the recent fire that temporarily left 600 sailors without sleeping berths," he said. Navy leadership has acknowledged that extended deployments present a number of challenges for crew members, who often grapple with greater stress as deployments extend beyond the usual six-month period. "Long deployments are challenging," Rear Adm. Paul Lanzilotta, commander of the Ford Carrier Strike Group, said in February statement. "Fatigue accumulates and time away from home weighs on Sailors." Advertisement Advertisement The Ford's commanding officer, Capt. David Skarosi, wrote a letter to the families of the warship's crew recognizing the impact of the extensions and that plans had been upended by the move, but, as The Journal reported, he also wrote that "when our country calls, we answer." "Extended deployments demand endurance," Adm. Daryl Caudle, the chief of naval operations, said in a separate public statement. "They ask Sailors to miss births, anniversaries, and everyday moments at home. They ask families to shoulder additional responsibility. That sacrifice is real, and we do not take it lightly." Lengthy deployments also strain warships and their systems, often forcing crews to rely on at-sea fixes that keep operations going but don't fully resolve underlying problems. High-tempo operations take their toll, wearing out components and increasing the likelihood of an accident occurring. Read the original article on Business Insider Virginia voters will head to the polls on Tuesday to decide on a Democratic gerrymandering plan that could flip four Republican-held seats in the House of Representatives as the coast-to-coast redistricting war started by President Donald Trump nears the finish line with no clear winner ahead of the pivotal midterm elections. Polls and pundits believe Democrats are modestly favored to win the statewide referendum that is aimed at rejiggering district lines to transform the blue-trending states delegation from a 6-5 Democratic edge to a likely 10-1 juggernaut. Ascendant Democrats, who swept to victory in the Virginias 2025 off-year legislative and gubernatorial elections, frame the move as a necessary step to push back against Trumps unprecedented effort to rejigger maps in Texas and other red states. Advertisement Advertisement Virginias proposed new map, which would still need to be approved by the states top court, spreads out the growing advantage Democrats hold in fast-growing suburbs of Washington, D.C. and Richmond and college towns to effectively swamp GOP-leaning rural regions. The referendum is one of the last major chess moves in the state-by-state partisan fight with Florida Republicans considering grabbing anywhere from two to five seats Democratic-held seats in a special legislative session later in April. Some nervous Sunshine State Republicans are urging Gov. Ron DeSantis to stick with the current map or only implement minor changes because Democrats have dramatically overperformed expectations in recent elections, spreading fear that new maps could backfire by endangering GOP incumbents. As the final pieces fall into place, the great 2026 redistricting war appears to be heading to a virtual stalemate that wont prevent Democrats from being in the political drivers seat to flip the House in the November election. Advertisement Advertisement Trump unleashed the redistricting fight by ordering Texas Republicans to redraw the maps in the biggest red state to pick up as many as five Democratic seats. The map they jammed through now looks more likely to add just three seats because two moderate Democrats in South Texas seem likely to hang onto their seats despite the new map. Other Republican states followed Texas lead. New maps in North Carolina, Ohio and Missouri are considered likely to result in pickups of one seat for the GOP in each state. California hit back hard by reworking its districts to flip five GOP seats in the deep-blue Golden State. A statewide referendum easily rubber stamped the move, which is expected to result in a 48-4 Democratic edge in the state. Democrats are almost certain to pick up a single extra seat in deep-blue Utah, which was forced to create a heavily Democratic Salt Lake City-based district to comply with a fair-districts amendment to its state constitution. Advertisement Advertisement But other redistricting efforts fell flat in red states like Indiana and blue ones like Maryland and Illinois. Incumbent lawmakers in both parties have pushed back against abrupt shifts that could dramatically change the political landscapes within each party and potentially force incumbents into messy primaries with rivals. Meanwhile, Democrats effort to flip a Republican-held seat in New York City failed when the conservative Supreme Court stepped in and blocked an order to redraw Rep. Nicole Malliotakis Staten Island-based district to include more racial minorities. One of the biggest potential shifts in the redistricting war could soon come from the Supreme Court, but its likely too late to have much if any effect on 2026. The conservative top court is expected to rule this spring on whether to strike down much of the federal Voting Rights Act, the landmark civil rights law that opened the door to Black congressional representation in the Deep South. Advertisement Advertisement If the justices rule against voting rights, it would permit white Republican-run states to eliminate up to a dozen Democratic-held seats now represented by Black lawmakers. But the decision appears to be coming too late in the election cycle for changes to take place in time for the midterms because many of the states have already started their primary processes using the old district lines. The latest developments in the Middle East war: - Iran threatens to close Hormuz again - Iran will close the strategic Strait of Hormuz again if the United States continues its blockade of Iranian ports, parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said Saturday. "With the continuation of the blockade, the Strait of Hormuz will not remain open," Ghalibaf wrote on X, adding that passage through the waterway would depend on authorisation from Iran. Advertisement Advertisement - Trump says US will bring uranium back from Iran - President Donald Trump said Friday that the United States and Iran would jointly remove uranium from Tehran's nuclear sites with excavators under any peace deal, before the material is transferred to US territory. Trump's comment came despite Iran's foreign ministry saying earlier that the Islamic Republic's stockpile of enriched uranium would not be transferred "anywhere." - Oil prices drop, stocks soar - Wall Street topped records Friday after Iran's announcement reopening the Strait of Hormuz sent oil prices tumbling from a peak of nearly $120 a barrel to $90.38 for the Brent. Advertisement Advertisement - Lebanon-Israel 'agreements' - Lebanese President Joseph Aoun said that his country was on the verge of a "new phase" of "permanent agreements" and no longer an "arena" for anyone's wars, after a ceasefire in with Israel-Hezbollah war went into force. Aoun added that direct talks with Israel were "not a sign of weakness nor a concession... negotiations do not mean, and will never mean, giving up any right, conceding any principle, or compromising the sovereignty of this nation". - Kurds killed - Drone and rocket strikes in Iraq's northern Kurdistan region killed three Iranian Kurds, including two women fighters, an exiled opposition group said, blaming the attack on Iran. Advertisement Advertisement - Iran deal 'very close' - US President Donald Trump told AFP there were "no sticking points" left for a peace deal with Iran, adding that an agreement was "very close". "We're very close to having a deal," Trump said in a brief telephone interview. Asked what unresolved issues were left, Trump said: "No sticking points." - Boeing's war boost - The Middle East war has so far boosted Boeing's defence business and hasn't affected deliveries to airline customers confronting high jet fuel prices, the company's CEO said. Kelly Ortberg cited a recent agreement with the US military to triple production of PAC-3 seekers, which identify and strike hostile aircraft and weapons, as an example of increased demand due to the war. Advertisement Advertisement - One killed despite truce - Lebanese state media said an Israeli strike on a motorcycle in the south killed one person, despite the start of a 10-day ceasefire in the Israel-Hezbollah war. - Israel killed 2,300 in Lebanon - Israeli attacks on Lebanon have killed nearly 2,300 people since March 2, Lebanon's health ministry said, on the first day of the ceasefire in the Israel-Hezbollah war. In a statement, the ministry said that at least 2,294 have been killed, in a preliminary toll that included 274 women, 177 children and 100 health workers and rescuers. - France, UK Hormuz mission - France and the UK will lead a multinational mission to ensure freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz as "soon as conditions allow", UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said after co-chairing a meeting on the issue with French President Emmanuel Macron. burs-jgc/ksb The White House has said it has had a "productive and constructive" meeting with the head of artificial intelligence firm Anthropic, which is suing the US Department of Defense. The meeting comes a week after the firm released its Claude Mythos preview, an AI tool that the company claims can outperform humans at some hacking and cyber-security tasks. Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei spoke to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles on Friday, Axios reports. Advertisement Advertisement A representative of Anthropic did not comment on the meeting, which comes two months after the White House derided the firm as a "radical left, woke company". So far, only a few dozen companies have been given access to Mythos, which researchers have said is "strikingly capable at computer security tasks". The tool can find bugs lurking in decades-old code, according to Anthropic, and autonomously find ways to exploit them. Last week, Amodei said the company had "spoken to officials across the US government" and offered to work with them. Advertisement Advertisement Friday's meeting is a sign that Anthropic's technology may be too critical for even the US government to do without - despite the Trump administration's tough stance against the firm. "We discussed opportunities for collaboration, as well as shared approaches and protocols to address the challenges associated with scaling this technology," the White House said. The statement added that the meeting had "explored the balance between advancing innovation and ensuring safety". In March, Anthropic took legal action against the defence department and other federal agencies after the firm was labelled a "supply chain risk". Advertisement Advertisement It was the first time a US company had been publicly given the label, which means a technology is not secure enough for government use. Anthropic has been used in high-level government and military work since 2024. It argued in court that the label was simple retaliation by Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, because Amodei had refused to grant the Pentagon unfettered use of its AI tools over fears of Anthropic being used for mass domestic surveillance and fully autonomous weapons. While a federal court in California has largely agreed, a federal appeals court has denied the firm's request to temporarily block the supply chain risk designation. Advertisement Advertisement Nevertheless, Anthropic's tools are still in use at many of the government agencies that had been using them before the designation, according to court records. Until Friday, the White House had said little positive about Anthropic. When US President Donald Trump directed all government agencies to stop using Anthropic, he wrote on social media that the company was run by "left wing nut jobs", who were attempting to "strong arm" defence. "We don't need it, we don't want it, and will not do business with them again!" he said. As Trump arrived for an event in Phoenix, Arizona on Friday, he was asked by reporters about the Anthropic CEO's visit to the White House. The president said he had "no idea" about the meeting. Russell Vought, director of the White House Office of Management and Budget, declined to give senators an estimate of the cost of the military operations against Iran when pressed on the issue during a hearing Thursday. Vought said the White House is working on a request for additional defense funding but declined to offer an estimate of how much the war has cost taxpayers so far, telling lawmakers that the costs fluctuate day to day. Asked by Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) if the administration has already spent $50 billion on the conflict, as some media reports have indicated, Vought said: I wouldnt [want] to make a characterization of that at this point. Advertisement Advertisement That answer didnt sit well with the senior Democrat, who told Vought, I would expect you to have pretty good numbers on that so Im a little disappointed in that answer. Vought also declined to confirm reports that the administration is planning to submit a request for $80 billion to $100 billion to fund military operations against Iran. If you were to be on the inside of the Department of War, these costs would fluctuate given the day. So I think its hard to give you an average cost, Vought said. Senators believe the war is costing the administration roughly $10 billion a week, but that number has yet to be officially confirmed by the White House or Pentagon. Advertisement Advertisement Merkley later accused Vought of trying to hide the cost of the war at a time when the federal debt is more than $38 trillion. He doesnt want a number to be out there because its a big number and its very disturbing to Americans that were spending 1 to 2 billion dollars a day on the conflict, he told The Hill. The White House requested $1.5 trillion in defense spending in its budget proposal for fiscal 2027, but that amount does not include the supplemental funding it wants Congress to approve soon for the military conflict with Iran. Vought told senators that the White House is working on a request for supplemental defense funding to cover the costs of the military operations against Iran. Advertisement Advertisement We are working on a supplemental for Congress for additional needs. Were working through that review process. Part of it is the length of the war part of it is the extent to which some items might be fiscal year 26 or 27, he said. Merkley and Vought also sparred at Thursdays hearing over the White Houses decision not to include a deficit projection for fiscal 2027 in its annual budget proposal. I noted that you did not include deficit numbers in your budget even though those are required by law, Merkley said. Vought argued that the White House proposal is a discretionary budget and its important not to confuse the country when Congress is still working on budget reconciliation efforts that could impact those deficit numbers. Advertisement Advertisement He said the White House would release a midyear projection of the federal deficit. We will comply with the law at the midsession point about how we are doing, Vought said. Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. Thunder Over Louisville is back to kick off the Kentucky Derby season. The popular event returns to the Waterfront Park for its 37th year on April 18 with the theme Thunder in the U.S.A. Recognized as one of the nations top fireworks displays and air shows, its making a comeback after being canceled in 2025 due to historic flooding. Heres what happened last year and why the event was called off. Why was Thunder Over Louisville canceled in 2025? How many times has the event been canceled? Thunder Over Louisville was canceled in 2025 due to historic flooding across the commonwealth. Advertisement Advertisement In Louisville, the Ohio River crested near downtown at 36.63 feet, marking the highest river level since the March 1997 flood and ranking as the eighth-highest crest on record for the location. A total of seven flood-related deaths were recorded across Kentucky, including a 9-year-old boy in Franklin County, a 74-year-old woman in Nelson County, a 65-year-old man in Trigg County, a 27-year-old man in McCracken County, a 67-year-old man in Carroll County, a 50-year-old man in Bullitt County and a person in Pendleton County. Thunder Over Louisville was also previously canceled in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Reach Marina Johnson at Marina.Johnson@courier-journal.com. This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Thunder Over Louisville was it canceled in 2025? About historic flooding The husband of an American woman who disappeared during a boat trip in the Bahamas earlier this month has returned to the U.S. after his release from police custody on Monday evening. Brian Hooker, 59, has maintained that his wife Lynette Hooker, 55, fell into the ocean during what was meant to be a short ride in the Abaco Islands of the Bahamas. He was arrested on April 8 in connection with her disappearance and held for five days. The U.S. Coast Guard has also reportedly opened a criminal investigation into the case. "Mr. Hooker categorically and unequivocally denies any wrongdoing, his lawyer, Terrel Butler, said in a statement following his arrest. Advertisement Advertisement The Royal Bahamas Police Force made the decision to release him after government prosecutors recommended against filing any charges at this time, according to a statement issued on Monday. Butler emphasized that Lynette Hooker has still not been found. So far, there is no evidence that she is dead, she said. That is an important element that they would have to prove in any charge of murder. In a brief interview with CBS News on Tuesday, Brian Hooker said he is maintaining hope that his wife is still alive and won't be able to stop looking for her. On Wednesday, Butler said that Brian Hooker had left the Bahamas to be with his mother, who she said was very ill. Advertisement Advertisement In addition to the trauma of his wife of 25 years being missing, Mr. Hooker has received urgent word of his mothers grave illness, Butler said in a statement. He has traveled to [the] United States of America to be at her bedside during this critical time. Heres what we know about Lynette Hookers disappearance and the developments that led her husband to be treated as a suspect. How Lynette Hookers disappearance unfolded Michigan natives Brian and Lynette Hooker, avid sailors who chronicled their travels on social media, departed from the small village of Hope Town at around 7:30 p.m. local time on April 4 in an 8-foot dinghy, according to Bahamian police. Brian Hooker told authorities that his wife fell overboard along with the boats keys, which caused the boats engine to turn off. Strong currents subsequently carried her away, and he lost sight of her, authorities initially reported the following day. Advertisement Advertisement Brian Hooker told authorities he then paddled the dinghy for several hours before arriving at a boat yard on a separate island, where he reported Lynette Hookers disappearance. Local authorities mounted a widespread search and rescue effort. After days of searching without finding her, the effort shifted from an active search to a recovery mission. In a message posted to Facebook last week, Brian Hooker wrote that he was heartbroken over his wifes disappearance. Despite desperate attempts to reach her, the winds and currents drove us further apart, he wrote. We continue to search for her and that is my sole focus. The Royal Bahamas Police Force initially said that Brian Hooker was being questioned in connection with the incident, but a police official later confirmed to Reuters that he is considered a suspect. Daughter says mom was an experienced mariner who wouldnt just fall into the water Police havent discussed any potential evidence that led them to consider Brian Hooker as a suspect, but two members of Lynettes family have publicly expressed doubts about his account of the incident. Advertisement Advertisement Lynette Hookers daughter, Karli Aylesworth, told NBC News three days after her disappearance that it was unlikely for her mother, an experienced mariner, to just fall into the water. She said that the couple had a history of not getting along, especially when they drink. In an interview with a local NBC affiliate, Aylesworth said her mother and stepfather had been married for 25 years, but described their relationship as rocky at best. Lynette Hooker was reportedly taken into custody in 2015 on suspicion of assault and battery following an incident in which she and her husband accused each other of assault. Neither of them was charged with a crime. Aylesworth also said that Brian Hooker sounded monotone and relaxed during a voicemail that he left her on Sunday, in which he told her that authorities had located a floatation device he had thrown to Lynette before her disappearance. Advertisement Advertisement In the statement following Brian Hookers arrest, his lawyer specifically denied the allegations recently made by Karli Aylesworth and said Brian has been cooperating with the relevant authorities as part of an ongoing investigation. Lynette Hookers mother, Darlene Hamlett, told the Associated Press last week that she was glad to hear about Brian Hookers arrest, but declined to comment any further on the case. Hamlett echoed Aylesworths comments about her mothers experience on the sea. Our family grew up on water and so Lynette her whole life has been near lakes, on boats, sailing and swimming, she said. It would be a miracle if [shes rescued], but Im still counting on one. Support Local News Reporting in the Yakima Valley To support timely fact-based Yakima Herald-Republic reporting like the piece above, you can use one of the convenient options below. Donations through this system are tax deductible. Pope Leo XIV says not in my interest at all to debate Trump but will keep preaching peace Pope Leo XIV says it is not in my interest at all to debate U.S. President Donald Trump about the war in Iran but that he will continue preaching the Gospel message of peace A doctor said he's seeing a growing number of patients under age 45 with colorectal cancers. He recently treated a 22-year-old with stomach pain. She had a tumor so big it nearly blocked her colon. Symptoms of colon cancer can be subtle, so it's crucial to know the right screening options. The patient was 22 years old and a recent college graduate, suffering from inexplicable stomach pain. She'd had the pain off and on for about a year and assumed it was stress-related. She finished her studies and spent a busy summer working at an animal shelter, preparing to apply to veterinary school. When she saw a doctor, she was told to wait and see if the pain resolved on its own. But when it became so severe, she went to the emergency room. Scans found a tumor large enough to cause a near blockage of her colon. She had no family history of the disease. Advertisement Advertisement It was colon cancer: a growing concern for younger patients, according to Dr. Marc Greenwald, who ultimately treated the patient and wrote a case study on her care. Dr. Marc Greenwald, of North Shore University Hospital in New York, said he has been seeing more and more young patients with colorectal cancer. Courtesy of Northwell Health Greenwald, the chief of colorectal clinical services and surgeon-in-chief at North Shore University Hospital in New York, told Business Insider that while colon cancer cases are decreasing in older adults, they're on the rise in people under 45 as a growing number of young cancer patients are showing up at his hospital. "There's no doubt that we're seeing more people," he said. "The problem is that a lot of the symptoms are somewhat subtle. If there are new symptoms for somebody, regardless of age, they should seek medical attention." Here's what Greenwald said everyone should know about the symptoms and your options for cancer screening that could catch the disease in time for effective treatment. Colon cancer symptoms that everyone should know Decades ago, colon cancer cases in young people were rare. Advertisement Advertisement Stomach pain and indigestion in 20- or 30-something patients would often be attributed to irritable bowel syndrome or dismissed as a minor ailment. Today, colon cancer is the top cause of cancer-related death in people under 50, prompting doctors and patients alike to be on high alert for possible symptoms. Common symptoms of colon cancer include: Abdominal pain, even if it isn't severe Bloating Fatigue Changes to bathroom habits Rectal bleeding (blood in the toilet, mixed with stool, or on the toilet paper after wiping) Most concerning is that in early-onset colon cancers, symptoms may be subtle or may not appear at all until the cancer has advanced. Greenwald said his 22-year-old patient likely developed the tumor in her colon as a teenager, and it may have continued to grow unnoticed for years. Advertisement Advertisement "The most dangerous misconception is that I have no symptoms, so I must be fine," he said. "That is really the wrong attitude because if colorectal cancer is caught before symptoms occur, your chance of a cure is much higher than if you wait for symptoms." How to get tested for colon cancer Early onset cases of colon cancer include patients in their 40s, 30s, and as young as their 20s. That's a problem because there are currently no screening guidelines for people under 45. Colonoscopies, recommended starting at age 45, help detect cancer and also prevent it by removing any existing polyps or abnormal growths that can develop into tumors. If you're too young for a regular colonoscopy, it's even more crucial to monitor any changes in your health and seek early screening if necessary. Advertisement Advertisement Greenwald said patients can sometimes postpone or avoid a colonoscopy because they're anxious about the procedure or colonoscopy prep (although a Business Insider health reporter previously shared that it's easier than you might think). Samples to screen for colon cancer can be taken in the privacy of your own home, then set to a lab for analysis. Business Wire/AP There are also less-invasive alternatives to colonoscopies, such as stool tests that can be collected at home and mailed to a lab. Blood tests for cancer are currently under development, too, although their reliability can be mixed. If you have symptoms, even minor ones like a change in bowel habits or digestion, it's important to talk to your doctor as soon as possible and find a testing option to rule out cancer. "If you're not going to do a colonoscopy, do something to get screened," Greenwald said. Advertisement Advertisement This article is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your qualified physician or healthcare provider. Read the original article on Business Insider A highly contagious virus that health officials say is more common in infants and young children was recently detected at high concentrations in parts of California. Rotavirus causes diarrhea, vomiting and particularly dangerous for young children and infants a loss of appetite and dehydration, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health said it has observed an increase in rotavirus concentrations in wastewater in recent weeks, which suggests increased community transmission. Advertisement Advertisement Despite that, concentrations of rotavirus overall are far smaller than what they observed at its peak last June, the department said in an email to the USA TODAY Network. According to the department, its challenging to estimate the prevalence of rotavirus in the county. Also key: The virus circulates in the community year-round, the department said. Prior to a rotavirus vaccine becoming available in 2006, the disease resulted in hundreds of thousands of hospital and emergency room visits annually, according to the California Department of Public Health. With the advent of a vaccine, however, the number of children getting sick with rotavirus fell dramatically. The virus, though, remains highly contagious, health officials said, adding that low vaccination rates can lead to outbreaks. Advertisement Advertisement In recent weeks, the percent of positive rotavirus tests at the national level has increased, according to data from the National Respiratory and Enteric Virus Surveillance System. Earlier April, San Francisco Bay Area cities like San Jose and Palo Alto were among several areas where high concentrations of rotavirus was detected, according to the Desert Sun, which is part of the USA TODAY Network. However, the symptoms of rotavirus may look similar to something else the very contagious norovirus sometimes referred to as the stomach flu, said the CDC. Rotavirus vs. norovirus: Whats the difference? The L.A. County public health department said that both the norovirus and the rotavirus present with very similar symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhea and fever. Advertisement Advertisement Clinically it may be difficult to tell the difference between the two viruses since the symptoms overlap, the department said. However, rotavirus tends to have a disproportionate effect on young children. According to the CDC, while rotavirus is most common in infants and young children, older children and adults can get sick from it as well. Is norovirus spreading in LA County? Like rotavirus, norovirus circulates in the community year-round, according to the department. In 2026, wastewater concentrations of norovirus peaked around March and are declining in recent measurements, the department said. What are rotavirus symptoms? People infected by rotavirus will typically start to show symptoms two days after being exposed, the CDC said. Advertisement Advertisement The CDC said the most common symptoms of rotavirus include: Severe watery diarrhea Vomiting Fever Stomach pain Vomiting and watery diarrhea can last between three to eight days, according to the CDC. One major symptom to monitor, especially with children, is dehydration, according to Dr. Jeffrey D. Klausner, a professor of medicine and public health at USC Keck School of Medicine. Signs of dehydration could be tiredness, Klausner said. It could be excessive sleeping, could be just not playing or interacting. Other signs of dehydration according to the CDC are: Decreased urination Dry mouth and throat Feeling dizzy when standing up Crying with few or no tears Unusual sleepiness or fussiness If there are any signs of dehydration in children, its reason enough to bring them to a pediatricians office, urgent care, or even emergency room if necessary, according to Klausner. What to know about norovirus symptoms Vomiting, diarrhea, nausea and stomach cramps are the common symptoms someone will have, according to the CDPH. Advertisement Advertisement Other symptoms can include fever, headache and body aches. How does rotavirus spread? People infected with rotavirus pass the virus in their stool, then the virus can enter the environment and infect others, according to the CDC. You can get infected with the virus if it enters your mouth by: Putting your unwashed hands that are contaminated into your mouth Touching contaminated objects or surfaces and then putting your fingers in your mouth Eating contaminated food It is common for the virus to spread in childcare settings, where it's just passed from child to child through sharing toys, touching each other or contaminated surfaces, Klausner said. How does norovirus spread? When a person with norovirus vomits, the virus can spray into the air and land on nearby surfaces and objects, said the CDPH. It can also spread if their feces get onto surfaces. Advertisement Advertisement Among the many ways you can get norovirus include by touching something contaminated with norovirus and then touching your mouth or your food, by sharing the toilet or bathroom with someone who is sick with norovirus and by sharing food with someone who is sick norovirus, said the CDPH. Paris Barraza is a reporter covering Los Angeles and Southern California for the USA TODAY Network. Reach her at pbarraza@usatodayco.com. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: What is rotavirus? Los Angeles County sees an increase in levels Subscribe to The Podcast by KevinMD. Watch on YouTube. Catch up on old episodes! What happens when you ask clinicians to hit dozens of quality metrics but never explain why those metrics matter or how to manage them? Kenneth Botelho, founding program director of the Doctor of Medical Science program at the College of St. Scholastica, joins to discuss his KevinMD article, Value-based care workforce: Bridging the gap in clinical education, and why medical education still trains you to treat one patient at a time in a world that demands population health thinking. He breaks down the disconnect between fee-for-service training and value-based care realities, from dashboard management and HCC coding to compensation tied to screening rates you were never taught to influence. You will hear why this knowledge gap fuels burnout and early career attrition, what PA and NP programs are starting to do about it, and how postgraduate training could give clinicians the framework they need to regain control over their day-to-day work. If you have ever felt graded on a system no one explained to you, this episode will change how you see your role in it. Partner with me on the KevinMD platform. With over three million monthly readers and half a million social media followers, I give you direct access to the doctors and patients who matter most. Whether you need a sponsored article, email campaign, video interview, or a spot right here on the podcast, I offer the trusted space your brand deserves to be heard. Lets work together to tell your story. PARTNER WITH KEVINMD https://kevinmd.com/influencer SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST https://www.kevinmd.com/podcast RECOMMENDED BY KEVINMD https://www.kevinmd.com/recommended Transcript Kevin Pho: Hi, and welcome to the show. Subscribe at KevinMD.com/podcast. Today we welcome back Kenneth Botelho. He is the founding program director of the Doctor of Medical Science program at the College of St. Scholastica. Todays KevinMD article is Value-based care workforce: bridging the gap in medical education. Kenneth, welcome to the show. Kenneth Botelho: Thank you so much for having me back, Kevin. I am happy to be back. Kevin Pho: All right, so what led you to write this article and share it on KevinMD? Talk about the article itself for those who didnt get a chance to read it. Kenneth Botelho: Absolutely. A quick background because it jumps right into why I wrote the article: my background is in primary care as a PA. Like many clinicians, I have seen and felt the shift towards value-based care that is happening around us, but without anybody really explaining how to function within the system. In addition to clinical practice, as you had said, I am the founding director here at the Doctor of Medical Science program, and we are focusing on workforce development. I am seeing it from an academic perspective, and then you are also seeing it from a direct clinical perspective, realizing that there is a gap in our knowledge base from both the academic and clinical sides. We are asked as clinicians to impact quality, cost, and population health, but none of us were really trained directly on how to think that way from an operational, day-to-day workflow perspective. That disconnect is what led me to write this piece. The article comes from the frustration that I have seen amongst clinicians in all those spaces, and it is a common theme. That is what prompted the article itself. Kevin Pho: Now value-based care can mean a lot of things. Give us your definition of value-based care and how that contrasts with the fee-for-service paradigm. Kenneth Botelho: Yes, you are absolutely right. There are so many nuances to value-based care in terms of different plans, different measures, or what have you. Lets talk somewhat generically. Per your mention of fee for service, that is more about volume over perhaps quality, simply because if we are seeing more patients, the amount of time and effort spent with each patient is going to be inherently less. Value-based care rewards outcomes and quality more than numbers of patient visits. So we can take care of the same number of patients, but it may not have the same level of burden in the clinic. And I dont mean burden from a negative perspective, but just a time burden. The understanding of value-based care is inherent to the outcome portion that we are already being somewhat graded on in terms of metrics. It requires needing to understand what we are being evaluated on, whether it is breast cancer screening, cervical cancer screenings, or HCC coding in terms of how much weight there is for folks that are more ill or at a higher risk than those that are healthy and younger. In medical education, we talk about patient care. There is some population health as well, but there is not as much focus on measures and how to manage large patient panels and affect those changes that we are being reimbursed for. Having that type of education is important. Kevin Pho: You talk a little bit about the burden and some of the out-of-the-exam-room work that needs to be done when switching to a majority value-based care system. Give us a scenario or example of what additional work needs to be done in order to be an efficient value-based care practitioner. Kenneth Botelho: There is a lot that needs to be done. I know that is very generic, but lets go into more specific depth. I just mentioned value-based care dashboards. The dashboards for value-based care track not only the percentage of your patient panel that is getting their mammograms, cervical cancer screenings, or colonoscopies, but much more. Much of what we are taught as clinicians is how to take care of an individual patient in front of us presenting with a problem. Now we are being asked to ensure that the overall population health of an entire panel is navigated appropriately. We are not only being given metrics on that, but some of our compensation is based on that now. It is a different type of learning structure that a lot of us arent necessarily privy to until we go out into the field and we are told what we basically have to be graded on. Bridging that is really important. There is no specific or definitive way that has been proven across the United States for how we deliver it and how clinicians learn, but it is clear there is a gap between the way we have structured the workforce and the way we are now going to structure the workforce. Closing that knowledge gap is important for us as clinicians to deliver the care and to have positive changes in our own careers so that we can manage that panel effectively. Kevin Pho: As you know, in primary care, there is more onus not necessarily on the clinician themselves, but on their staff to really have these dashboards up to date because, like you said, there are bonuses. The amount of money the institution receives from Medicare and insurance companies is dependent on whether these metrics are met. It could be a percentage of patients under a certain A1C, or a percentage of patients that have their blood pressure controlled. There are literally dozens and dozens of metrics that clinicians have to monitor in their patient panel. You obviously are the program director at a clinician institution. How much training typically do these future clinicians get when it comes to these value-based care metrics? Kenneth Botelho: I will be very transparent: very little. Very little, to the point where even in the workforce, we are being asked to deliver these numbers within our panels, but as most clinicians are trained to do, they are not exactly sure why. Really understanding the why as a clinician helps empower us to not only improve the health care delivery for our panel but perhaps even have more professional satisfaction from that. But if we dont fully understand the system that we are working in, if we are not taught that, or if we are not really given a pathway for growth within it, then it becomes more of a documentation burden rather than being seen as leading to better outcomes for our patients. This is really a bit of a PR change if you think about it. We are trying to do the right thing, and we need to make sure we bridge the gap in clinician understanding of the system that we are moving into, or that we are already in in some ways. Kevin Pho: Specifically, what kind of skills are needed for a clinician to function in a predominantly value-based care system? Kenneth Botelho: Great. First off, we need to understand what we are being measured on. To your point, Kevin, you had mentioned A1C management and colonoscopies, and ensuring that those are performed appropriately and the patient panel is aware. Folks that get these types of screenings done have better outcomes. They reduce their risk of hospitalization because we are trying to provide preventative care. In terms of how that translates, it can actually translate into our day-to-day explanations to patients about why these types of measures are so important for their health. But if we, as clinicians, dont even fully understand the system that we are trying to work within, then that type of communication directly in exam rooms may not happen, or it might be dismissed, even though it is important both to the patient and to the system we work in. While I am not going to tell you a specific A1C measure that you can improve across the board for your patient panel, something as simple as how you communicate to patients about the importance of getting certain things accomplished is, in itself, critical. Kevin Pho: In normal circumstances, a lot of these clinicians have to learn a lot of this stuff just on the fly and through mistakes, errors, and feedback from the administration. Tell us your ideal world. If we were to implement this during training, what would that look like? Kenneth Botelho: Great question. I would say the way medical education is structured right now, it doesnt need a complete overhaul. We should continue to teach clinicians how to go about patient care in the same way, but we need to expand upon the systems thought process as to how to manage larger populations. A lot of what we are taught in school is essentially to manage a patient at a time, and that is appropriate, but the world we are moving into is more about population health. We need an understanding of why these certain tests or recommendations are givenbecause they benefit not just the clinician and the health system they work for, but they benefit the patient themselves. Where to put that education, at least from my perspective, is important. First off, I know there are some residency programs for medical education, for MDs and DOs, where this is present and put into the residency program itself. I think that is an appropriate timeframe to do that. For PAs and nurse practitioners, it looks different because a lot of what they are being taught is in a shorter timeframe than that of a physician, and I understand that completely. In an ideal world, a PA and NP would come out of their school, start within a health care system, and have ongoing training and development on how best to navigate using the skills they have already learned in school. So you are taking value-based care and the concepts that are introduced and adding that on, likely after they have been in practice for a bit of time so that they can get their feet wet practicing directly. Then, once those measures become more visible in their day-to-day practice, having a better understanding of the why and how to develop professionally is really important. Whether that is an onboarding program or some type of PA or NP fellowship, having that in the postgraduate spaces is highly valuable now. Kevin Pho: One of the things that you mentioned in your article is that aligning some of these real-world realities with what they learn academically can help prevent burnout and early career attrition, right? Kenneth Botelho: That is absolutely right, because at the end of the day, a lot of us are asked to do more and more in our day-to-day. When you ask us to do more without telling us why it is so important, it adds to burnout and moral injury. But if it becomes part of our professional identity, where we inhabit the panel of patients we are responsible for, and we can see that there is a direct impact between meeting these measures and the quality of the patient care we deliver, as well as the quality of our own professional trajectory, that can coexist cohesively. We just havent quite gotten there yet. Kevin Pho: So what is happening in other PA and NP programs across the country? Are they taking initiatives, as you are, to hopefully integrate some of these value-based care skills into graduating clinicians? Kenneth Botelho: There is an absolute appetite for it, to the point where my colleague has been doing a number of different value-based care discussions with clinical-year PAs. For those that are listening who arent sure what I mean, that is the second year of PA school, so to speak, where these folks are more clinically grounded but maybe dont fully understand what it is to code, how to code, or why it is important. The problem is that it is likely too little informationjust enough for them to understand some of what the terminology is, but not what their day-to-day would look like. That is where the gap comes into play. There is a recognition that the gap exists. I think there is a lack of understanding about exactly what to do about it. Kevin Pho: We are talking to Kenneth Botelho. He is the founding program director of the Doctor of Medical Science program at the College of St. Scholastica. Todays KevinMD article is Value-based care workforce: bridging the gap in medical education. Kenneth, as always, we will end with some take-home messages that you want to leave with the KevinMD audience. Kenneth Botelho: Yeah, absolutely. I appreciate it. At the end of the day, clinicians are struggling not because they are incapable; they are struggling because we havent quite given them a full or complete framework to understand fully the system that they are working in. When you give clinicians that framework, something important will happen: they will regain a sense of control over their day-to-day to a degree. When that happens, the system doesnt just function better. The clinician starts to shape the system that they are working within, and that is really where true advocacy comes from. It is not just for clinicians, but it is also for patients. If we want a value-based care system to fully succeed, we cant just change how we measure care. We have to change how we prepare the people that are delivering the care. Kevin Pho: Kenneth, as always, thank you so much for sharing your perspective and insight. Thanks again for coming back on the show. Kenneth Botelho: Greatly appreciated. Thank you so much, Kevin. Artificial intelligence has already entered the exam room. You may or may not have noticed. In my own practice, I sometimes use an ambient scribe during patient visits. Not for every encounter, but for some. When they work well, they can be incredibly helpful. The system listens to the conversation and generates a draft of the clinical note while the visit is still fresh. It allows me to focus on my patient rather than typing on my computer. On a busy day, that can make a real difference. Like many physicians, I have spent years finishing notes long after the last patient has left. Documentation has slowly taken over more and more of the day, especially with the introduction of EMRs. When AI works as intended, it can take some of that burden off our shoulders and allow us to focus more fully on the patient sitting in front of us. So I do see the benefits. But using these tools has also taught me something important. AI can produce polished documentation very quickly, and sometimes it is impressively accurate. Other times, it introduces small details that were never actually said in the room, almost as if it is trying to fill empty space. And when the clinic is moving quickly, those subtle differences can be easy to miss. This is where I begin to feel uneasy. The moment a physician signs a chart that contains AI-generated content, the responsibility for everything in that note belongs to the physician. As these tools become more common in everyday practice, it is worth pausing to think carefully about what that means. The real promise of AI in the clinic Much of the excitement around artificial intelligence in health care is understandable. Our system is strained, and this technology offers hope. Many of the most useful applications are not about replacing physicians or making diagnoses. Instead, they focus on the parts of medicine that have become most exhausting for clinicians: documentation, coding, inbox management, and record review. AI tools can now draft notes, summarize long message threads from patient portals, and help organize complex medical records. For physicians buried under administrative work, that promise can feel like a lifeline. In my experience, shorter AI summaries are safer. Brief drafts are easier to review and edit before they become part of the permanent record, while longer automated notes can hide subtle errors. Like any clinical tool, artificial intelligence works best when physicians understand how to use it thoughtfully and recognize its limitations. I have even participated in early beta testing of AI documentation tools for physicians and helped develop pediatric templates for one of these systems. Working on the templates made it clear just how helpful these tools can be, but also how important it is to use them carefully. But even when used carefully, these systems introduce a new type of problem that many physicians have not yet been trained to recognize. When the medical record gets something wrong A patients mother recently shared a story that made me pause. During a visit with her physician, the doctor had begun using an ambient scribe. Later, when she needed to see a specialist, she requested a copy of her medical records. While reviewing the documentation, she noticed something that immediately caught her attention. Her medical history listed a diagnosis of breast cancer. The problem was that she had never had breast cancer. Somehow the diagnosis had appeared in the note generated during the visit. When she raised the issue with her physician, it became clear that the information had not been intentionally added, but it had also not been caught before the chart was finalized. Now it existed in her medical record. At first glance, this might seem like a small documentation error, but medical records travel. They are sent to specialists, referenced in future visits, and used to guide clinical decisions. An incorrect diagnosis, once written into the chart, can follow a patient for years if it is missed. Situations like this highlight an important reality about AI documentation tools. They can generate language quickly and often convincingly. But they can also introduce details that were never actually part of the conversation. In the world of artificial intelligence, these kinds of errors are sometimes called hallucinations. The system generates information that sounds plausible but is not actually true. And while artificial intelligence can generate language that sounds convincing, it cannot verify clinical truth. The phrase physicians should pay attention to Many companies that develop AI tools for health care describe their systems as operating with a physician in the loop. At first glance, that phrase sounds reassuring. It suggests that physicians remain central to the process. But it also quietly defines where responsibility lies. An AI system may draft the documentation or summarize the encounter. The physician reviews the note, signs it, and places it into the medical record. From a legal and professional standpoint, that means the physician ultimately owns the output. The technology may help produce the documentation, but the responsibility for its accuracy still belongs to the clinician who signs the chart. Why physicians need to be part of the governance conversation Artificial intelligence is moving into medicine quickly, often faster than physicians have been trained to evaluate it. Hospitals and health systems are adopting AI-driven tools that promise efficiency and workflow improvements. Many of these tools may help physicians practice more effectively, but thoughtful adoption requires oversight. Physicians should feel comfortable asking important questions about the technologies they are being asked to use: What data trained this system? How often does it make mistakes? Is it summarizing existing information or generating new content? How is patient data protected? And ultimately, who is responsible when something incorrect enters the medical record and goes unnoticed? These are not simply technical questions. They are questions of clinical governance. Physicians have always played a role in evaluating new technologies before they become standard tools in patient care. Artificial intelligence should be no different. In fact, these tools should be designed with physicians, not simply evaluated by us. Our perspective matters because we understand the realities of clinical practice in ways that technology developers and administrators often do not. A future worth guiding Artificial intelligence may become one of the most powerful technologies introduced into medicine in our lifetime. If used thoughtfully, it has the potential to reduce documentation burden, streamline communication, and give physicians something many of us feel we have slowly lost over the years: time and attention for the patient sitting in front of us. But tools this powerful require thoughtful use. AI can draft a note. It can summarize a chart. It can organize information faster than any of us could on our own. What it cannot do is take responsibility for the care of a patient. That responsibility still belongs to the physician. Which is why physicians cannot afford to ignore the governance conversation around these tools. We need to understand how they work, where they fail, and how they should be used safely in clinical practice. It also raises an important question for the future of AI in medicine. If physicians remain responsible for the final chart, should technology developers share some responsibility when these systems introduce errors? Thoughtful governance may require shared accountability, not to discourage innovation, but to encourage the development of safer and more reliable tools. Artificial intelligence will continue to enter the exam room whether we participate in shaping it or not. The question is whether physicians will simply use these tools, or whether we will help guide how they are built, implemented, and held accountable. Because at the end of the day, when the chart is signed and the patient walks out the door, the responsibility does not belong to the algorithm. It belongs to us. Elizabeth Vainder is a pediatrician. Chief Executive (CE) Sam Hou Fai intends to use his first major overseas trip since taking office to assert that Macau, a former Portuguese colony, will act as a global bridgehead for China and intensify economic and political outreach across Europe, Latin America, and Asia. Speaking at a press conference on Friday before leaving for a 10-day tour of Portugal, Spain, Switzerland, and Belgium, the CE said the visit is designed to show to the international community the successful implementation of One Country, Two Systems while also promoting development opportunities in Macau and Hengqin. In his one year and five months in office, Sam hopes to fully leverage Macaus unique advantages of being backed by the motherland and connected to the world. He said that the visit will act as a starting point to continue to deepen practical cooperation with European countries across various fields, including economics, trade, tourism, culture, and science and technology. Sam noted that the itinerary for his European trip includes high-level meetings with heads of state, presidents, prime ministers, and senior ministers, covering the full spectrum of executive, legislative, and judicial leadership in host countries. In Spain, the SAR government said it will hold tourism promotion events and economic cooperation forums aimed at diversifying Macaus visitor markets and facilitating business matching with European partners. Sam added that activities will also be held to expand Macaus role as a platform for cooperation with Spanish-speaking countries. In Brussels, Sam said he will meet economic officials and senior representatives from EU departments to further strengthen our dialogue and cooperation. In Geneva, he plans to meet the deputy director-general of the World Trade Organization to reinforce Macaus ties with the multilateral trade body. On future expansion, the CE indicated that similar delegations could soon be sent farther afield. Next, I will look into whether we can arrange a plan in the second half of this year to start visiting Southeast Asia, Northeast Asia, and South Korea, he said. We can also make contact with Southeast Asian and other countries in this regard, so we are considering a coordinated approach. Sam also mentioned that Macau will plan for the future with countries such as Brazil and Mexico, adding, not only will I lead a delegation of Macau entrepreneurs, but we will also use this opportunity to adopt this new model, combining the approaches of Hengqin and the Chinese mainland to plan our expansion together. Third Five-Year Plan progressing smoothly When asked by the media about the progress of the Macau SARs Third Five-Year Plan and the timetable for public consultation, the CE emphasized that the formulation of the plan is an important task for the current government and is progressing smoothly. However, he added that, to ensure the quality of the plan, the consultation work is expected to be postponed until May. Sam also said he has communicated with Legislative Assembly President Andre Cheong and that the basic goal is to maintain the policy of holding three sessions a year. This year, however, the schedule will be adjusted. The consensus, he said, is that the administration can review its policies once every six months by responding to questions from members of the Legislative Assembly, so that the public can be informed about the administrations performance every six months. He confirmed that this years session, traditionally held in April, will be postponed to mid-to-late June, though the overall policy of three annual meetings will remain. The adjustment, the CE said, is part of an effort to improve the system and allow the administration to review its work every six months, ensuring better alignment with fast-shifting domestic and international conditions. He added that the goal is to keep lines of communication open between the executive and legislators while maintaining the principle of executive-led governance. Govt to start successor selection process: CE Chief Executive Sam Hou Fai confirmed that Secretary for Economy and Finance Anton Tai has resigned for personal reasons, pledging to begin the process of selecting a successor in due course. Sam said Tai, who served for one year and five months, had performed his duties diligently and earned full recognition from the government. He added that he had held in-depth discussions with Tai, supports his decision to step down, and will respect his request for privacy by not disclosing further details. The Chief Executive said the government will launch the search for a suitable candidate, with an appointment to be submitted to the Central Government in accordance with the Basic Law and relevant procedures before being announced publicly. Like this: Like Loading... China powers global AI expansion with reliable supply Xinhua) 09:51, April 18, 2026 Staff members work at the customs data center of the Haikou Customs in Haikou, south China's Hainan Province, Nov. 27, 2025. (Xinhua/Guo Cheng) JINAN, April 18 (Xinhua) -- China's impressive export performance in the first quarter (Q1) reveals a telling detail: amid the rapid global expansion of AI, the country is emerging as a primary and stable supplier in the digital infrastructure supply chain. While its overall exports climbed 11.9 percent in Q1, electromechanical products stood out with a 21.4 percent year on year surge. Among the robust sectors were data center-related goods -- power generation equipment, power grid gear, and energy storage systems -- which together saw double-digit export growth. China has become the world's largest exporter of AI-related goods, accounting for roughly 19 percent of the world's total exports in 2025, and these exports remained resilient in Q1, growing by 14.7 percent year on year, according to a research report released by Standard Chartered this week. This influence on the global AI supply chain is evident across the country's factory floors, many of which are operating at full tilt. At its production bases, Weichai Power is ramping up production of large diesel generator sets to meet soaring demand from global data centers. The flagship 5-megawatt high-speed diesel generators of the leading engine manufacturer in eastern China, designed for hyperscale data centers, industrial backup and emergency grid support, have set a global benchmark for power density. From its base in Shandong Province, a major hub for electromechanical equipment, Weichai is capturing global markets with its innovative products. Exports of diesel motors there in 2025 showed robust growth, led by strong demand in ASEAN countries and the Middle East, with fresh penetration this year in the EU and the Republic of Korea markets, said Cai Long, director of Weifang Customs. In February, at a "lights-out factory" in the coastal city of Weihai in Shandong, intelligent production lines hummed around the clock, manufacturing critical engine components. Robotic arms perform precision crankshaft machining, polishing and inspection in the fully automated facility. "Exploding demand for on-site power generation from North American data centers has created massive new opportunities for large engine core components," said Xu Chengfei, president of Tianrun Industry Technology. Orders from global majors, including Cummins and Caterpillar, are already booked through 2028, cementing the company's position as a critical supplier in the booming backup power sector, Xu added. Safewell Group, a security equipment manufacturer in the eastern Chinese city of Ningbo, has repurposed its existing production capacity to launch liquid cooling products for computing servers, with orders now booked through June. A staff member demonstrates a smart inspection device for large-scale transformer at the venue of the World Smart Industry Expo 2025 in southwest China's Chongqing, Sept. 5, 2025. (Xinhua/Huang Wei) At Eaglerise, headquartered in south China's Foshan city, new energy transformers and data center-specific units roll off the production line awaiting final inspection before overseas shipment. The transformer maker has also established capacity in Thailand and Mexico. "China has become the world's largest transformer manufacturer, with capacity accounting for approximately 60 percent of the world's total," said Cai Yiqing, secretary-general of the Electric Power Equipment Branch of the China Electricity Council. Computing power is highly dependent on a stable electricity supply, as training networks with tens of thousands of AI accelerators can suffer catastrophic data loss from even millisecond power interruptions. This creates critical dependence on highly reliable transformers and energy storage systems. China's strength in AI trade reflects its "dominance in key raw materials, scale advantages, cost competitiveness and well-integrated manufacturing ecosystems," making it "well positioned to leverage its comprehensive and cost-effective supply chain to serve the global AI market," according to the Standard Chartered report. Notably, the country's rapid growth extends beyond AI-supportive infrastructure to the components that directly power AI computation. Combined exports of memory and processor components surged 39.1 percent in the first three months, as shown by data from the General Administration of Customs (GAC). Zhongji InnoLight, a leading Chinese high-speed optical module manufacturer, reported in its 2025 annual statement that net profit surged over 108 percent year on year, fueled by robust expansion in computing power infrastructure, and its Q1 results showed an even steeper increase of approximately 265 percent. This echoed the GAC data showing that China's exports of optical transceivers for AI chips jumped nearly 60 percent last year. "Amid geopolitical disruptions, China has rapidly scaled up production across legacy chips, memory semiconductors, and AI-supporting components, and this expansion has not only filled global supply gaps but also has delivered efficient, stable, and cost-competitive supply," Liu Yiming, an associate professor at Shandong University's School of Economics, told Xinhua. A drone photo taken on Dec. 16, 2025 shows constructors working on a power transmission line in east China's Anhui Province. (Photo by Zheng Xianlie/Xinhua) In late February, Goldman Sachs Research introduced the concept of HALO (Heavy Assets, Low Obsolescence) to describe energy systems, supply chains, infrastructure, and national security capabilities that are strategic, scarce, and increasingly valued. These assets are believed to be increasingly vital because they are difficult to replicate and retain their industrial importance across waves of AI advancement. Against this backdrop, China's manufacturing sector has taken on heightened global significance. "This growth reflects not short-term volatility, but rather the testament to China's industrial chain resilience and competitiveness," added Liu. In Q1, China's value-added output in equipment manufacturing increased by 8.9 percent year on year, while high-tech manufacturing grew by 12.5 percent -- surpassing overall industrial growth by 2.8 and 6.4 percentage points, respectively. "China remains committed to open integration with the global system, opposing decoupling and unilateral monopolies," said Liu. "Through reliable supply, it serves as a dependable stabilizer, providing solid ballast that enables the global AI industry to navigate risks and sustain innovation." (Web editor: Zhao Tong, Wu Chaolan) Mumbai Police, along with the BMC and other civic agencies, have intensified their crackdown on drug peddlers, going beyond registering cases to systematically dismantling the illegal wealth amassed through the narcotics trade. Over the past few weeks, authorities have demolished four unauthorised structures linked to drug peddlers. Police said the strategy now focuses on identifying and destroying assets built using drug money. The moment we establish that properties have been constructed using proceeds from drug trafficking, we immediately alert civic agencies to initiate demolition, an officer said. In a recent operation, Vikhroli police coordinated with MHADA to demolish the house and gym of notorious drug peddler Mohammad Tasvar Yasin Kureshi, alias Tassu. Tassu has been externed for 18 months and is involved in several serious offences. Following our communication, his house and gym were demolished, said Suryakant Naikwadi, Senior PI, Vikroli. In another case, the BMC cleared an illegal structure linked to local peddlers following the daylight attack on Maulana Mohammad Ashraf, a religious clerk known for spreading awareness against drug abuse. Police said that on April 12, Ashraf was attacked by Majid Lala Pathan and his associates, who were known to operate near Dawoodbhai Faisal High School. We have arrested the accused. The illegal encroachment from which they operated has also been removed, said Gonduram Bangar, Senior PI, Dongri. In yet another instance, on April 10, civic authorities demolished the residence and illegal paan tapri of an accused linked to the Santosh Nagar riots after drugs were recovered from the premises. We informed the BMC about the accused running a drug operation from the location. Swift action was taken, and both the house and the shop were demolished, a senior official said. Reiterating the administrations stance, a senior police officer said, This is not just about arrests anymore. If drug peddlers use illegal earnings to build assets, those assets will be destroyed. Even as the state prepares to enforce the Marathi language rule for auto and taxi drivers from May 1, the Mira Bhayandar RTOs ongoing verification drive has revealed telling trends. So far, more than 2,700 auto-rickshaw and taxi drivers have been examined to assess their ability to communicate in Marathi. Of these, 137 were found unable to do so, officials said. The fate of these drivers remains uncertain, with the government yet to make a final decision on whether to suspend their licences and permits. The RTO is conducting the exercise on a large scale, calling in drivers and sending messages. To accelerate the process, authorities are planning to introduce AI-based calls to contact a larger pool of drivers. By the end of this month, we expect to verify at least 10,000 drivers, an official said. Govt firm on deadline A detailed report on the drive will soon be submitted to Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik, who will take a final call after reviewing the findings. Our drive is ongoing. Once I receive the detailed report, I will discuss it with officials and make a further decision. However, it is confirmed that the Marathi rule will be implemented from May 1 as per the law, Sarnaik said. The move comes amid growing political and social pressure over the Marathi language issue. Sarnaik said multiple requests have been received from activists, political parties and individuals seeking a delay in implementation. The government, however, has not considered these appeals so far. Basic communication needed, not fluency Clarifying the governments position, the minister said the requirement is limited to basic communication, not fluency. We are not expecting auto and taxi drivers to speak fluent Marathi, but they should at least understand the basics to communicate with passengers. There have been several complaints where drivers fail to understand the language, leading to heated arguments, he said. Sarnaik added that Marathi-speaking citizens migrating from rural parts of the state often face difficulties in Mumbai due to language barriers. A lot of people from rural Maharashtra come to Mumbai and struggle to communicate. What we are doing should have been done long ago, he said. Drawing comparisons with other states, particularly in the south, he said local languages are given priority elsewhere. You go to other states and see how the local language is respected. Then why cant Maharashtra do the same? One should know basic Marathi to communicate, he added. With the May 1 deadline approaching, the verification drive is expected to intensify, even as attention remains on the governments final decision regarding action against non-compliant drivers. On the night of April 11, a group of MBA students from a reputed South Mumbai college attended a techno concert at NESCO in Goregaon. By the following afternoon, two of them, a 24-year-old woman and a 28-year-old man, were dead. A third remains in hospital. The suspected cause: MDMA, a synthetic drug that is unforgiving when taken in too high a dose, in a hot and crowded room, without water, without medical support, and without anyone around who knew what to do. Six people have been arrested. The opposition has demanded the Chief Ministers resignation. And India has done what it always does: performed denial, drama and distraction. But when the drama dies down, nothing changes. After Sushant Singh Rajput died in 2020, we did not have a serious conversation about mental health we had a circus about drugs. After Aryan Khan was arrested in 2021, we did not ask why young people use substances or what support exists for them we had weeks of primetime humiliation of a 23-year-old who had done nothing. Here is the honest truth that nobody wants to say out loud: young people in this country take drugs. They have always taken drugs. They will continue to take drugs. Refusing to reckon with that reality and build policy around it is as absurd as refusing to teach sex education in schools and then expressing shock when you have an STD crisis and a wave of unwanted pregnancies. Wilful ignorance is not a policy. It is a choice to let young people die. The data makes this impossible to ignore. Mumbai Police have seized narcotics worth over Rs 6,738 crore in the past four years cocaine, heroin, cannabis, charas, codeine cough syrups. And yet, drugs continue to reach young users without interruption. According to NCRB data, 12 people died every week from drug overdoses in India in 2023. A report tabled in Parliament estimated 21 lakh opioid users in Maharashtra alone. Our weapon of choice against this onslaught is the NDPS Act a law pushed onto us by the United States. India had resisted American pressure to criminalise drug use for nearly 25 years before the Rajiv Gandhi government capitulated to the Reagan-era war on drugs. Today, possession of small quantities carries imprisonment of up to ten years, with bail conditions so harsh that critics have compared them to terror legislation. The consequence is predictable: out of fear of arrest, users hide, dont seek treatment, dont tell their friends what theyve taken. Heroin and opium consumption has increased steadily since the Act came into force. Criminalisation has not reduced drug use. It has driven it underground and made it lethal. I know there is another way because I have seen it. When I was a student in New York, college orientation included training on how to respond if a friend overdosed. The first aid clinic carried Naloxone. What stayed with me was not the information itself but the absence of shame in how it was delivered: a system that treated young people as people, not problems, and treated risk as something to be managed rather than punished. Portugal understood this at a national scale. Facing a devastating heroin crisis, it decriminalised personal drug use in 2001 and invested in treatment and harm reduction. Overdose deaths fell by 93% over two decades. Drug checking services at music festivals across the UK, Australia and New Zealand have been shown to result in users discarding drugs or reducing their intake. These services do not encourage drug use. They give people information. Information that saves lives. Here, then, is what needs to change. Naloxone must be available over the counter at pharmacies. First aid teams at events must be trained in overdose response. Section 64A of the NDPS Act, which makes it harder to seek treatment, must be reformed. Mental health services need to be ramped up to treat drug addiction as a serious, but curable, condition. Calling for the arrest of an event organiser is easy. Calling for a harm-reduction approach requires the honesty to say: we see you, we know what youre doing, and we want you to come home alive. Anish Gawande is a writer and translator Jamestown, CA The CHP Sonora Unit has a new commander, and he is a familiar face in the community. Lieutenant Randy Matyshock has returned to the unit to oversee it. Lieutenant Matyshock was a former sergeant for the Sonora Area from January 2016 until April 2025, when he received a promotion to lieutenant at CHP Headquarters in Sacramento, noted CHP spokesperson Officer Steve Machado. Lt. Matyshock replaces Lt. Commander Destiny Tafoya, who also left in January after a promotion to captain with the Bakersfield CHP Unit, as reported here. She made history as the first woman to oversee the unit and held the post for seven years, beginning April 1, 2019. We reported at the time here that Lt. Commander Tafoya replaced Lt. Commander Shane Ferreira, who left the job after just two years when he was promoted to captain and took over command of the Modesto unit. The unit covers around 2,229 square miles and roughly 55,000 residents in Tuolumne County. Machado added, Lieutenant Matyshock is well known in the community and is looking forward to leading the Sonora Area into the future. Sonora, CA Senator Marie Alvarado-Gil (R-Jackson) is calling on Governor Gavin Newsom to stop attacking rural cities in the Central Valley over housing issues. The state senator is blasting Newsom for what she calls retaliatory threats against cities in her District 4 that have failed to adopt a certified housing element. As we earlier reported here, it is a long-term plan that shows how a city will meet residents housing needs at all income levels. In a letter to Governor Gavin Newsom regarding threats of legal action against the cities of Patterson, Oakdale, and Turlock in Stanislaus County, Alvarado-Gil criticized, Issuing bullyish ultimatums and leveraging media to publicly shame and slander Central Valley cities fails to acknowledge the financial disparities between rural California and the bloated resources allotted to urban centers. These cities recently received final warnings and notices of violation from the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) regarding their 6th Cycle Housing Elements, giving them 30 days to respond. Alvarado-Gil says that the cycle covers the planning period from 2023 to 2031, explaining that jurisdictions must identify land for new housing, remove development barriers, and adopt programs to encourage construction. Failure to comply within 60 days results in a referral to the California Attorney General for a potential lawsuit. Senator Alvarado-Gil argues the states heavy-handed approach ignores skyrocketing construction and labor costs, severe water and sewer shortages, excessive state fees, and CEQA delays. In the letter, she states, These communities are vital to Californias agriculture and manufacturing economy, yet face unfunded mandates. Governor, its not too late to choose leadership over litigation. Choose to immediately withdraw these frivolous threats of litigation and step up for the people of California. Senator Alvarado-Gil offered to convene a working group of local leaders to remove real barriers and provide targeted incentives and streamlined permitting for communities actively seeking compliance. Senator Alvarado-Gil shared that Turlock submitted its draft in 2025 and is currently addressing feedback; Patterson and Oakdale are advancing their plans to meet their targets; and Merced County has submitted revised drafts. She emphasized, Residents in Senate District 4 and neighboring Central Valley areas want practical, locally driven solutions that support working families and the middle class, not unrealistic top-down mandates. Click here for the senators entire letter. Relatives of a jail inmate whom investigators determined died after a Kansas sheriffs deputy shoved his knee into the cuffed mans back for one minute and 26 seconds have filed a federal lawsuit. Attorneys for the family of Charles Adair renewed their demand Friday that video of what happened be released publicly in announcing the wrongful death lawsuit. Filed earlier this month, the lawsuit names the Wyandotte County sheriff, the unified government for the county and Kansas City, Kansas, and Richard Fatherley, who was charged last year with second-degree murder in Adairs death. The public has a right to transparency when someone dies in custody in this manner, Ben Crump, an attorney who is representing the family, said in a news release. Crump and another civil rights attorney, Harry Daniels, were allowed to view video of what happened. The sheriffs office has declined a records request from The Associated Press seeking the video. Adair was arrested last July on misdemeanor warrants for failure to appear on multiple traffic violations. At the time, Adairs leg needed to be amputated and was so badly infected that he was taken straight to the hospital, a Kansas Bureau of Investigation agent wrote in the affidavit. Before Adair was cleared to return to the jail, he was diagnosed with a type of bone infection that sometimes develops in people with diabetes. A medical screening also found he was schizophrenic, the affidavit said. The lawsuit said he was incoherent and that deputies believed Adairs medical condition was affecting his brain. After having his leg rewrapped the following evening, he got into an argument with the deputy who was wheeling him back his cell. Adair ultimately threw himself out of the wheelchair, the affidavit said. Once he was back in his cell, he was placed on his stomach on the bottom bunk, with his legs and knees on the ground. He repeatedly yelled Help! the lawsuit and court records said. The lawsuit noted that Adair was complying with commands but that Fatherley pressed his body weight onto Mr. Adairs back. Other deputies then removed Adairs handcuffs while Fatherley shifted his weight forward. The lawsuit said none of the other law enforcement officers who were present intervened and that the deputies failed to modify their tactics to account for Adairs apparent mental health impairment. The lawsuit also said that Fatherley, who is on administrative leave and free on bond, wasnt cut off from his sheriffs office email after he was charged, allowing him to communicate with other members of the sheriffs office and employees that he knew were witnesses. Wyandotte County Sheriffs Capt. Michael Kroening said Fatherleys email was deactivated on April 13 after the litigation was filed. He declined to comment further because the litigation is pending. A county spokesperson didnt immediately return an email seeking comment. A status conference in the criminal case against Fatherley is set for next month. His attorney, James Spies, has said that Adairs death was a tragic accident but it was not a result of Fatherleys actions. A phone message left at Spies law firm Friday wasnt immediately returned. By HEATHER HOLLINGSWORTH Associated Press The Airports Authority of India manages 137 airports, which includes 24 International Airports and also provides Air Traffic Management Services (ATMS) over entire the Indian Air Space. One of its key regions is the Northern Region. Ajay Kumar Kapur, Regional Executive Director (Northern Region), Airports Authority of India says the northern region accounts for a significant share of India's aviation traffic, contributing over a quarter of aircraft movements and nearly one-third of passenger traffic. "I think the northern region is contributing more than 25 per cent of the air traffic. As of now... in terms of aircraft movements, it's maybe around 26 per cent. But if you go with the passenger traffic, it will be around 30 per cent," Kapur told ANI, highlighting the region's growing role in the country's aviation ecosystem. He noted that Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport remains the busiest hub in the region, handling a major share of this traffic. Talking about the key challenges for the northern region, Kapur said winter fog continues to be the biggest operational hurdle, especially in the early morning hours. "I think the most affected are the early mornings when there is more fog. That time most of the delays happen," he said, adding that low visibility often leads to flight delays, cancellations, and congestion at terminals. To manage disruptions, he said several measures are in place. "There are low visibility procedures... instrument landing systems... ASMGCS, which monitors the ground movement," he said. "If the visibility almost comes to zero... then technology also doesn't help... so that time it becomes difficult to allow the landings." He added that authorities also take steps to ease passenger inconvenience during such periods. "If somebody is stuck for several hours, we provide them some sort of comfort... at least some relief in the form of sandwich, samosas." On infrastructure expansion, Kapur said multiple airport projects are underway across northern India. "Jodhpur is almost ready... Udaipur, we plan to complete by July... Leh will also be ready by July... Varanasi... may see completion by December or early January," he said. He also confirmed a greenfield airport at Kota is under development, while a new terminal in Agra is targeted for completion by 2028. Highlighting future international connectivity, he said Varanasi is being developed as a key hub. "We plan to operate the existing terminal building completely as an international terminal," he said, adding that more cities could be added gradually as demand grows. On regional connectivity, Kapur pointed to challenges in the UDAN scheme due to limited aircraft availability. "The only problem is that we are having scarcity of small aircrafts... once those aircrafts are available... this will take off in a big way," he said. He added that some routes had been impacted after operational issues with an airline, but could resume soon. Kapur also underlined long-term environmental goals, saying AAI aims to become carbon neutral by 2030. "We are using solar power at more than 64 airports... generating 58 megawatts of electricity," he said, adding that most new terminals are designed as green buildings. On passenger experience, he said initiatives like Digi Yatra, free Wi-Fi, and low-cost food outlets are being expanded. "We are trying to provide... smooth movement of passengers... and comfort at airports," he said. (ANI) More than 17.25 lakh 5 kg free trade LPG (FTL) cylinders have been sold across the country since March 23, 2026, the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas said on Saturday, highlighting measures to ensure availability of cooking fuel amid the current situation. "Since 23rd March 2026, more than 17.25 Lakh - 5 Kg FTL cylinders have been sold," the ministry said in an official release. The ministry said the increased uptake of smaller cylinders is part of targeted efforts to support vulnerable sections, especially migrant labourers. It noted that "supply of 5 Kg FTL to migrant labour is also doubled based on avg. daily supply on 2nd and 3rd March 2026." Highlighting overall supply status, the ministry said, "Despite the ongoing geopolitical situation, the Government has ensured that 100% supply is being made to Domestic LPG, Domestic PNG and CNG (Transport)." The government has also taken steps to manage demand and streamline distribution. "The Government has already implemented several rationalisation measures on both the supply and demand side, including enhancing refinery production... and prioritising sectors for supply," the release said. On-ground outreach has also been scaled up to promote access to smaller cylinders. "Since 3rd April 2026, PSU OMCs have organised more than 6450 awareness camps... wherein more than 90,000 - 5Kg FTL cylinders were also sold," the ministry said. Meanwhile, enforcement action has been intensified to curb misuse and ensure fair distribution. "On 17.04.2026, more than 2500 raids were conducted, where more than 750 cylinders were seized across the country," the ministry added. Separately, the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways said maritime operations remain unaffected, stating, "Port operations across India remain normal with no congestion reported." It also said, "All Indian seafarers in the region are safe, and no incident involving Indian-flagged vessels has been reported in the past 24 hours." The government said it continues to monitor the situation closely and is coordinating across ministries and states to ensure uninterrupted supply of essential fuels. (ANI) In a decision offering substantial relief to farmers, the Centre has formally approved the procurement of potatoes in Uttar Pradesh, alongside chana procurement operations in Andhra Pradesh, and an important extension of the tur (pigeon pea) procurement timeframe in Karnataka. These decisions, approved by Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, are designed to guarantee that farmers receive fair and remunerative prices for their hard-earned produce, a release said. It said the decisions effectively shield producers from the hardships of distress sales in volatile markets and contribute to overall stability and predictability in the agricultural marketplace, fostering a more secure environment for cultivation and trade. Chouhan reaffirmed that under guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Central Government remains steadfastly committed to protecting and advancing the interests of every farmer across the nation. He elaborated that a core objective of the government is to ensure that no farmer is compelled to offload their crops at undervalued rates due to market pressures or any unforeseen circumstances. Chouhan highlighted the ministry's proactive approach, emphasising continuous and close coordination with state governments to deliver prompt, empathetic, and highly effective interventions tailored to farmers' needs. "In line with this, the approvals were issued today following a productive virtual meeting convened by Shivraj Singh Chouhan with the agriculture ministers and senior officials from the concerned states, underscoring the government's responsive mechanism," the release said. The release said that Agriculture Ministry has accorded full approval to the Uttar Pradesh government's detailed proposal for procuring potatoes under the Market Intervention Scheme (MIS) specifically for the 2025-26 agricultural year. Pursuant to this sanction, a substantial volume of 20 LMT -- or 20 lakh metric tonnes -- of potatoes will be purchased across the state at a predetermined Market Intervention Price fixed at Rs. 6,500.9 per metric tonne. The Centre's projected financial contribution towards this initiative stands at Rs. 203.15 crore, reflecting strong central support. "This timely measure will empower potato-growing farmers in Uttar Pradesh by securing them profitable returns on their investment and produce, while preventing forced sales at suboptimal prices amid market fluctuations," the release said. It said that the Agriculture Minister endorsed the Andhra Pradesh government's request under the Price Support Scheme (PSS), initially approving the procurement of 94,500 metric tonnes of chana, also known as Bengal gram. Building on this, and in direct response to the state government's further appeal, the minister has elevated the maximum allowable procurement quota for Bengal gram under PSS during the Rabi Marketing Season 2025-26 to an enhanced limit of 1,13,250 metric tonnes. Chouhan also approved a 30-day extension for the ongoing procurement of tur (pigeon pea), commonly referred to as arhar, at the Minimum Support Price (MSP) through the Price Support Scheme (PSS) for the Kharif 2025-26 season in Karnataka. With this extension, procurement activities will now persist right up to May 15, 2026, granting producers much-needed additional flexibility. (ANI) Actor Alec Baldwin will face a civil trial in October after a judge ruled that a lawsuit alleging negligence in the fatal 2021 Rust shooting can proceed. The decision comes nearly two years after his manslaughter case was dismissed. On Friday, Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Maurice Leiter allowed claims filed by gaffer Serge Svetnoy to move forward, rejecting arguments from Baldwin and Rust Movie Productions that they were not legally responsible for on-set safety, reported Variety. The case stems from the October 2021 shooting in Santa Fe, New Mexico, which resulted in the death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins. While Baldwin's criminal manslaughter case was dismissed in July 2024 after a judge found prosecutors had withheld evidence, he continues to face multiple civil lawsuits related to the incident. According to Variety, Svetnoy alleges he suffered emotional distress due to negligence, stating he felt a "whoosh" from the gunshot and heard a loud bang, though he was not physically injured. Baldwin has maintained he "had no idea the gun was loaded with a live round" and has also said he did not pull the trigger. In his ruling, Judge Leiter wrote, "A reasonable jury could find that Mr. Baldwin recklessly disregarded the probability that pointing a gun in the direction of someone, with the finger on the trigger, would cause emotional distress," as quoted by Variety. The court dismissed Svetnoy's assault claim, citing no evidence that Baldwin intended harm. However, it allowed claims for negligence, intentional infliction of emotional distress, and punitive damages to proceed. As per Variety, at Friday's hearing, Svetnoy's attorney John Upton argued, "Mr. Baldwin is the last line of defense. Guns generally do not shoot themselves." Outside the court, he added, "We're pleased with the court's decision. And we'll see where it goes from here," as quoted by Variety. The trial, originally scheduled for May, has been pushed to October 12 to allow further discovery and possible settlement discussions. Expressing concern over delays, Judge Leiter said, "I'm a little concerned about this case going on and on and on when it should be coming to a resolution," as quoted by Variety. (ANI) On Saturday, Rashid took to Instagram and shared the good news with his fans. "Alhamdulillah Welcome to the world my little prince Keep us in your prayer," he captioned the post, sharing a glimpse of the new born. Rashid and his wife have named their son 'Azlan'. Meanwhile, on the work front, Rashid is currently busy playing for Gujarat Titans in the ongoing edition of the Indian Premier League. In five innings for Gujarat Titans (GT) in the IPL season so far, he has taken six wickets at an average of 25.66, with best figures of 3/17. GT is at the fourth spot in the points table, beating three-time champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) by five wickets on Friday. GT will next play five-time champions Mumbai Indians (MI) at Ahmedabad on April 20. (ANI) Union Minister Pralhad Joshi on Friday took potshots at Congress over the defeat of the Constitution Amendment Bill and said people will teach the opposition party a lesson. The Constitution Amendment Bill for the implementation of Women's Reservation from the 2029 general elections was defeated in the Lok Sabha on Friday, with the opposition parties voting against it. Speaking with the media outside the Parliament, Joshi said, "Today the entire country saw who is in favour of women's reservation and who is against women's reservation... The country lost a historic opportunity because of the Congress Party... People will teach the Congress party a lesson." Meanwhile, BJP MP Tejasvi Surya said that the Congress "betrayed the women," recognising it as a missed opportunity for creating history. "This is a very sad day for the democracy of the country. We had the opportunity to create history by giving women their rights in policy making, but the Congress party has once again betrayed the women of the country...," he said. BJP MP Jagdambika Pal said, "Today the face of the opposition has been exposed... The Modi government is bringing women's reservation in 2029 instead of 2034, so what is the protest about?... They never wanted to give a reservation to women. This is an insult to half the population of the country...," he said. Earlier, Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi launched a scathing attack on the government, moments after the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026 failed to pass in the Lok Sabha, framing the bill's defeat as a successful defence against an "unconstitutional trick." Taking to social media and addressing reporters shortly after the House adjourned, Gandhi claimed that the legislation was never intended to empower women immediately but was instead a calculated move to push through the controversial Delimitation Bill. He hailed INDIA's block unity in defeating the bill in the Lok Sabha. On X, Gandhi wrote," The amendment bill has fallen. They used an unconstitutional trick in the name of women to break the Constitution. India has seen it. INDIA has stopped it. Hail the Constitution." The opposition's primary grievance centred on the government's decision to link the implementation of the 33% women's quota to the 2029 general elections and the completion of a fresh census and delimitation exercise. The defeat marks a rare moment of effective parliamentary resistance for the INDIA bloc, which managed to deny the government the required two-thirds majority. The final tally--298 in favour and 230 against--fell significantly short of the threshold needed for a constitutional amendment. By defeating the 131st Amendment, the opposition has effectively stalled the related Delimitation Bill, which they feared would penalise southern states for their successful population control measures. Despite the bill's defeat, the 2023 Women's Reservation Act remains on the books, though its implementation continues to be tied to the future census. (ANI) Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday slammed the opposition parties over their stance on the bills including the Delimitation Bill brought by the government for early implementation of women's reservation and said they will face anger of women not just in the 2029 Lok Sabha elections, but at every level, in every election, and at every place. Replying to the two-day debate in Lok Sabha on the Delimitation Bill, 2026; the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026 and the Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2026, he said the objective is to implement the principle of "one person, one vote, one value," which was laid down by the Constituent Assembly as the foundation of India's democracy. He said the Constitution provides for delimitation from time to time, and it is through this process that the number of seats for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes increases. Shah stated that those opposing delimitation are, in effect, opposing the increase in seats for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. He said that the Constitution has entrusted a government with the responsibility of creating a balanced, inclusive, and practical democratic framework, and at present, this responsibility rests with the government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Shah said that maintaining federal balance, ensuring representation in the Lok Sabha in proportion to population, and balancing the powers of the states are also key objectives of delimitation. He said delimitation also takes into account new geographical realities, administrative changes, urbanization, enhanced connectivity through roads and railways, and the creation of new districts. Shah noted that all these principles are enshrined in Articles 81, 82, and 170 of the Constitution, and to implement them, the government has brought this constitutional amendment. He said that these Bills have been introduced to fulfill the responsibility of promoting women's empowerment, ensuring equal representation, and building a balanced federal structure. Union Home Minister said that the Nari Shakti Vandan Act stipulates that reservation for women will be ensured in the delimitation exercise to be carried out after the Census conducted post-2026. He added that the number of seats has remained frozen since 1971, and today there are 127 constituencies with more than 2 million voters each. Shah said that in 1972, the then Prime Minister first brought a Delimitation Bill, increasing the number of seats from 525 to 545, and then froze them. He stated that in 1976, during the Emergency, the 42nd Amendment was brought which halted delimitation in order to retain power. "At that time too, the principal opposition party had deprived the people of the country of delimitation, and even today, it is the same party that is depriving the nation of it," he said. He said that in 2001, the 84th Amendment was enacted, which froze the number of seats until 2026. From 1976 to 2026--a period of 50 years--the people of the country did not receive representation in proportion to the population. Shah noted that this limit ends in 2026, but even if delimitation is undertaken then, the process cannot be completed before 2029, as the Delimitation Commission is required to conduct public hearings in every constituency. Union Home Minister said that in 1976, the country's population was 54.79 crore whereas today it is 140 crore. He stated that it is the government's responsibility that as the number of members in the House increases, the number of working days of the House should also be increased. He said that the government wants to increase the number of seats in every state by 50 per cent so that no state's pro rata share is affected. Noting that some members had questioned why the Census was not conducted on time, Shah explained that the Census was scheduled for 2021, but it was not held due to COVID-19. He added that even after the pandemic subsided, it took considerable time for the country to recover. Shah further said that when the Census process began in 2024, some parties raised a legitimate demand for a caste-based Census. After discussions with all stakeholders, it was decided that a caste Census would be conducted. He stated that the ongoing Census will include caste enumeration. He asserted that southern states have as much right over this House as the northern states. Taking a dig at opposition members, he said those who have taken an oath on the Constitution are now trying to create a divide between North and South, which will not be allowed. He said that no one can attain power by dividing the country. The Union Minister said that at present, the total number of Lok Sabha seats in Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, and Kerala is 129, which constitutes 23.76 per cent of the total 543 Lok Sabha seats in the country. He said that if these seats are increased by 50 per cent and allocated among the five states, the number would rise from 129 to 195. He further said that after delimitation, when the total number of Lok Sabha seats in the country increases to 816, the share of seats allocated to the southern states would be 23.87 per cent. He alleged that Congress has been the biggest opponent of Other Backward Classes (OBCs) in the country, noting that in 1957, the recommendations of the Kaka Kalelkar Commission, which had suggested reservation for OBCs, were received, but the then government led by Congress shelved the report. He said that when the Mandal Commission report was submitted, the then Congress government also put it in cold storage. It was only when VP Singh's government came to power in 1990 that the Mandal Commission recommendations were implemented. He added that at that time, the senior-most leader of the party delivered the longest speech of his career opposing the Mandal Commission. Shah alleged that Congress had also opposed caste-based Census in both 1951 and 1971. Shah said that for the opposition, winning elections is paramount, but for the government, the nation and its people come first. He stated that ensuring representation and participation of the people of the nation is of utmost importance. He said, the people of the entire country are aware of the opposition's superficial concern, and women of the country will also know that their rights have been taken away by the opposition parties. Shah said that in 1992, the government led by P. V. Narasimha Rao brought the 72ndand 73rdConstitutional Amendments and did the commendable work of providing 33 percent reservation for women in Panchayats. He said that from 2008 to 2014, Manmohan Singh brought the 108thConstitutional Amendment Bill and introduced it in the Rajya Sabha. The Bill was passed in the Rajya Sabha, but it never reached the Lok Sabha. When the new Parliament building was inaugurated, the Nari Shakti Vandan Act was the first Bill to be passed unanimously, and it was also passed in the Rajya Sabha, he said . He stated that 22 women were elected to the first Lok Sabha; 19 in the sixth; 44 in the eighth; 51 in the fourteenth; a record 78 in the seventeenth; and 75 women members have been elected to the eighteenth Lok Sabha. He said that these figures reflect the growing enthusiasm of women in the country to participate in politics. Noting that the government has followed the principle of "women-led development" in both letter and spirit while pursuing women's reservation, he said around 1.4 million women have so far served as elected representatives in Panchayats across the country. He added that no matter what opposition they may face, they will continue to strive to empower women and ensure their participation in legislative institutions. Shah said Congress opposes all measures of the government He said wherever opposition leaders go during elections, they will have to face the anger of the women of the country. The Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026 was later defeated in the House and the government decided not to pursue the Delimitation Bill, 2026 and the Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2026 stating that the three were interlinked. The three bills were taken up together for discussion. (ANI) Telangan Chief Minister Revanth Reddy on Friday lauded Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and INC President Mallikarjun Kharge for their leadership in averting "national disaster" after the opposition defeated the Constitution Amendment Bill in the Lok Sabha. In a post on X, Reddy recognised it as a historic event, calling it "a Red-letter Day." He appreciated Congress' top brass for uniting all opposition parties for the landmark verdict. "Today will be remembered forever as a Red-letter Day in Indian History, when under the leadership of Shri @RahulGandhi Ji, Leader of Opposition, Lok Sabha, and Shri Mallikarjun @kharge Ji, united all democratic forces and opposition leaders in adverting a national disaster," he wrote. Furthermore, he hailed the allied parties of the INDIA bloc and their leaders for their opposition to the "black bills." "I thank leaders of various allied parties who united and stood steadfast under fire to defeat these black bills, including Thiru MK Stalin garu, Ms Mamata Banerjee Ji, Shri Akhilesh Yadav ji, Shri Sharad Pawar ji, Shri Uddhav Thackeray Ji , Shri Lalu Prasad Yadav ji, Shri Hemant Soren ji, Shri Farooq Abdullah Ji, Shri Naveen Patnaik ji, Shri Arvind Kejriwal ji, and the leaders of the Communist parties, among others," he added. https://x.com/revanth_anumula/status/2045149728036593743?s=48 Meanwhile, Congress MP K Suresh expressed pride in the unity of the Opposition parties in defeating the Constitution Amendment Bill. Condemning the Centre over the Delimitation Bill, Suresh said that it would have brought disparity within the states and affirmed stern criticism against it. "Entire opposition united and defeated the women's reservation Bill 2026. The stand of the opposition was that the women's reservation Bill we passed in 2023 should be implemented within the existing Lok Sabha strength... The government was against this and wanted to bring in delimitation... Everyone wants to defeat this Bill because it is bringing in disparity within the states of the North and South and therefore we will tell the people about it...," he told ANI. On the other hand, BJP National President Nitin Nabin said that they will now take the issue to the streets and women will stand up against Congress and its "anti-women" alliance. Speaking to reporters after the session, Nabin said if the Women's Reservation Amendment Bill was passed today, the day would be a "day celebrated in golden letters", maintaining that Prime Minister Narendra Modi made a successful effort. "The Congress party's anti-women alliance, the way Rahul Gandhi and his team have betrayed half the country's population, has been a disgrace. I believe that today, which could have been a day to ensure a major right and participation for half the population, has been robbed of their rightful participation by the Congress and its allies. I also believe that this entire episode has completely exposed the Congress party's anti-women alliance," he said. Asserting that the women will protest over the decision, he slammed the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, over his conduct in the parliament. This comes as the Constitution Amendment Bill for the implementation of Women's Reservation from the 2029 general elections was defeated in the Lok Sabha, earlier, with the opposition parties voting against it. In the division that took place following the debate on the three bills, 298 members supported the bill while 230 voted against it. Despite the bill's defeat, the 2023 Women's Reservation Act remains on the books, though its implementation continues to be tied to the future census. (ANI) Telangana BJP President N Ramchander Rao on Saturday criticised Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra over her remarks on the Women's Reservation Amendment Bill, alleging that her stand amounts to blocking greater representation for women in Parliament. Speaking to ANI, Rao termed Priyanka Gandhi's statement "disgusting" and said that, despite being a woman parliamentarian, she has taken a position that prevents common women from entering Parliament. "Priyanka Gandhi's statement is very disgusting. She, being a woman and that too a woman parliamentarian, has today blocked the entry of the common woman into the Parliament. She has stated that it is a victory for democracy, but it is a black day for democracy," Rao said. He further alleged that the Congress leadership is not serious about increasing women's participation in politics and accused it of having a narrow, family-centric outlook. "I think that Priyanka Gandhi may be enjoying because it has blocked the common woman from coming into the Parliament. A day will come when this family will be ousted, and common women will enter the Parliament," he added. Earlier on Friday, Priyanka Gandhi had defended the Opposition's stand after the Women's Reservation Amendment Bill failed to pass in the Lok Sabha. She said the issue was linked to democracy and delimitation rather than women's reservation alone. While addressing the media after the session, Priyanka Gandhi had said, "This was not about women's reservation but democracy. We can never agree to linking delimitation with women's reservation. It was not possible that this bill would pass. This is a big win for democracy in our country." Rao also attacked the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, over his remarks on the Bill's defeat, calling his conduct in Parliament "disgusting" and alleging a lack of respect for women. "It is very unfortunate to say, being a Leader of the Opposition, his performance today in Parliament was very disgusting. He has no respect for women. He has a feudal mentality and wants family rule to remain. What has happened in Parliament is a shameful act by these people," he said. Earlier, Rahul Gandhi said the Opposition had "defeated this attack on the Constitution" after the Women's Reservation Amendment Bill failed to secure passage in the Lok Sabha. Gandhi said the Bill was not, in his view, a genuine step toward women's reservation but "a way to change India's political structure." Speaking to reporters, he said, "We have defeated this attack on the Constitution. We have clearly said that this is not a women's reservation bill, but it is a way to change India's political structure." He also said the Opposition would support a genuine Women's Reservation Bill if brought in its earlier form, stating that they would extend "100 per cent support" to such legislation. "I want to say to Prime Minister Narendra Modi that if you want the Women's Reservation Bill, bring the 2023 Women's Reservation Bill and implement it today. We will give 100 per cent support," he added. Meanwhile, the Constitution Amendment Bill for the implementation of Women's Reservation from the 2029 general elections was defeated in the Lok Sabha, with the opposition parties voting against it. In the division that took place following the debate on the three bills, 298 members supported the bill while 230 voted against it. A Constitution Amendment Bill is passed if it gets the support of not less than two-thirds of the members present and voting. Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla announced the results of the division, stating, "The Constitution (131st Amendment) Amendment Bill did not pass as it did not achieve a 2/3 majority during voting in the House." Opposition parties strongly objected to the Delimitation Bill and said the government should implement women's reservation immediately in the existing strength of the Lok Sabha. They expressed their full support for women's reservation. (ANI) The arrested include Rishikesh Tiwari (32) from Ghaziabad, Prashant Kheval (28) from Uttar Pradesh, and Prakash Jai (54) from Faridabad, Haryana. The arrests were made under the direction of Kannur City Police Commissioner Nidhinraj P. IPS, with a team led by SI Mithun SV, along with CPOs Sunil K and Dijin Raj PK. The action followed a complaint by the student's teacher, whose phone number was listed as a reference in the loan app. After the student failed to repay the loan, the accused allegedly made repeated threatening calls and messages, harassing the teacher continuously. Even after blocking numbers, the harassment continued from multiple other numbers. Through investigation, police traced an active number to Noida and identified the operation. Despite challenges in locating the accused in a large city, the team successfully identified their office, which functioned like an IT setup with around 40 employees handling loan promotions, disbursement, and recovery. With the assistance of Noida Police, a raid revealed that the accused used SIM boxes instead of phones, capable of operating up to 30 SIM cards simultaneously for mass calling. The police seized the SIM boxes and multiple SIM cards from the premises. The accused have been booked under relevant law at Chakkarakkal Police Station, invoking provisions of the Kerala Money Lenders Act, Kerala Prohibition of Charging Exorbitant Interest Act (2012), and Section 308 of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. Further investigation is underway. (ANI) Telangana BJP President N. Ramchander Rao on Saturday was placed under house arrest by police in Hyderabad after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) called for a protest outside the residence of Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy over the Congress party's stand on the Women's Reservation Bill in Parliament. According to sources, the protest was planned to oppose the alleged lack of support by the Indian National Congress for the Women's Reservation Bill during proceedings in Parliament. Condemning the police action, Ramchander Rao criticised his house arrest and termed it an attempt to prevent a democratic protest. Earlier, Leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM), the youth wing of the BJP, also staged a protest in Hyderabad on Friday evening, where they burned an effigy of Rahul Gandhi and targeted the Congress party over its stance on the Women's Reservation Bill in Parliament. This comes after the BJP and its National Democratic Alliance (NDA) partners on Friday announced a massive, nationwide protest campaign targeting the opposition. According to top party sources, the BJP directed its state units to organise coordinated demonstrations at all district headquarters across India. The campaign aims to "expose" the opposition's role in stalling a historic leap for gender equality. The protests aim to mobilise public opinion in favour of the bill and underscore the government's commitment to increasing women's participation in legislative bodies. The NDA has decided to launch a countrywide protest against the opposition parties starting today. All member parties have been instructed to campaign via social media, street protests, and any other means they deem fit. This move comes after the BJP-led government attempts to pass the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026, failed to secure the required two-thirds majority in the Lok Sabha. The bill received 298 votes in favour and 230 against, falling short of the constitutional threshold, as announced by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla. The proposed legislation was part of a broader package of three bills, including the Delimitation Bill and the Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill, aimed at operationalising the Women's Reservation framework from the 2029 general elections. However, opposition parties opposed linking reservation with delimitation and census exercises, arguing that the women's quota should be implemented immediately. (ANI) Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav on Saturday took a dig at the West Bengal's Trinamool Congress (TMC) government, stating that the state's progress was hindered by its prevailing political environment. He further asserted that people in the state now want a change in governance and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is necessary for the progress of Bengal. "The political environment of West Bengal is hindering its development and the people here want Bengal to move forward along with the country. Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, when the nation and every state, including Madhya Pradesh, are progressing, Bengal is lagging behind. Even though it was once among the leading states of the country. Now, a sentiment is emerging among the people that they want freedom from 'jungle raj' and wish to move towards development. The public wants to bring a BJP government to power with an overwhelming majority," CM Yadav told ANI. CM Yadav expressed hope that in the coming time, a BJP government would be formed in West Bengal in alignment with the Centre, which would pave the way for a new phase of development in the state. He further stated, "People in Bengal are troubled and development is obstructed. In such a situation, it is very important to choose the BJP for development." Addressing concerns around the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, Yadav said the process has been conducted across the country, including Madhya Pradesh, and that genuine voters have been duly considered. "SIR process has taken place everywhere and in Madhya Pradesh as well. In the SIR process, due consideration has been given to genuine voters. Therefore, it is wrong to say that voting is being affected because of SIR. It is also true that to stop Bangladeshi infiltrators, it is necessary for all of us to ensure that the strength of the nation remains with patriots. Therefore, BJP is necessary for the progress of Bengal," CM Yadav added. Polling for West Bengal Assembly elections, which will take place in two phases on April 23 and 29, with the results set for May 4. The upcoming elections follow the 2021 battle, where the TMC secured a landslide 213 seats. Nonetheless, the BJP's growth from a minor player to 77 seats in the last cycle, with zero seats for Congress and Left parties, has set the stage for the current high-stakes confrontation. (ANI) The Opposition has reiterated its demand to separate the issue of women's reservation from delimitation, with Congress MP Shashi Tharoor stating that the quota for women should be implemented immediately without being linked to other constitutional and electoral exercises, after the Constitution (One Hundred and Thirty-First Amendment) Bill, 2026, failed to pass in the Lok Sabha, while the BJP launched a sharp attack on the Congress accusing it of delaying the reform. Speaking to ANI, Tharoor clarified that the Opposition was not against women's representation in legislatures and reiterated that the issue of delimitation required separate and detailed deliberation. "We are not against women. We are ready to support women's reservation even today. But we have opposed this. Why are you entangling the delimitation in this? Delimitation is a different matter and involves very serious questions that deserve a serious discussion," he said. Urging the government to proceed independently, Tharoor said women's reservation could be implemented without waiting for delimitation. "Implement women's reservation immediately, separate it, do it in the current Parliament session, and the delimitation issue will be discussed after serious discussion," he said. Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said the Opposition supported women's reservation in principle but would not accept the bill in its current form, alleging that the government should bring back a version with broader consensus. "We have celebrated protecting the Constitution of India. We have defeated their conspiracy of bringing delimitation. The opposition is saying they should bring back the old Women's Reservation Bill. As far as the women's reservation bill is concerned, we are always with them but the way they have brought it, we will not support it," Vadra told ANI. Samajwadi Party MP Dimple Yadav also slammed the central government, saying they have always created divisions, distrust and fear in society and termed the bill "anti-Dalit, anti-OBC". "This is anti-Dalit, anti-OBC. When the Samajwadi Party demanded reservations for OBC women because it was a question of half the population, but these are the people who create divisions even among the other half. These are divisive people. They have always created divisions, distrust and fear in society, and with this weapon, they have remained in power. Now people have understood this," Yadav told ANI. AAP MP Malvinder Singh Kang further termed the amendment "unconstitutional", saying it was put forward under the pretext of the Women's Reservation Bill. "The Amendment was unconstitutional from the very first, which was put forward under the pretext of the Women's Reservation Bill, which we have always supported. We want the Women's Reservation Bill to be implemented, but we are against Delimitation, and the opposition has voted against it," said Kang. Meanwhile, Union Minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh criticised the Congress, alleging that it had "struck down" Prime Minister Narendra Modi's efforts for women's empowerment. "Saying that the bill not being passed is a historic, what the Congress is trying to say is that they have struck down the PM's efforts for women's empowerment... this is the character of the Congress," said Singh. BJP leaders launched a strong counterattack against the Opposition over the bill's failure. BJP MP Sanjay Jaiswal expressed confidence that women across the country would pressure opposition MPs into passing the bill within the next three months. "We will take to the streets and explain to women how opposition parties have blocked their rights in the Lok Sabha. We are fully confident that the women of the country will pressure the opposition MPs so much that within the next 3 months, getting this bill passed will become their compulsion," Jaiswal told ANI. BJP MP Ashok Chavan told ANI that the proposal to grant women's reservation was entirely valid and slammed the Opposition for obstructing the move out of arrogance. "The Home Minister clarified every issue yesterday. The proposal to grant women's reservation is entirely valid and was presented in the proper manner; moreover, that initiative and the process of delimitation were two entirely distinct matters. Driven by arrogance, the Opposition attempted to obstruct this move... this will trigger a strong reaction in the entire country," Chavan said. Speaking to ANI, Rajasthan Deputy Chief Minister Diya Kumari also slammed the Opposition, saying their reaction to the bill reflected their mindset. "This was a historic occasion. A bill was about to be passed to further empower women... The opposition's reaction to this bill reflects their mindset," said Kumari. Union Minister Annapurna Devi further criticised the Congress and alleged that they don't want half the population to get their rights. "Congress has always been against the Women's Reservation Bill. They don't want half the population to get their rights... These are people who break the nation... Congress will definitely have to pay the price for this," she told ANI. Criticising the Congress party, BJP MP Basavaraj S Bommai also said it is really a "black day" on the part of Congress and its allies as they have denied the rights of the women of the country. "It has been proved once again that the Congress party is not sincere in giving women reservations. It is just a political stunt they have been doing all this time; they have continued to do it. They have denied the rights of the women of the country. It is really a black day on the part of Congress and its allies, who have denied the rights to women," said Bommai. These remarks come amid an intensifying political standoff between the ruling BJP-led government and opposition parties over the failed legislation, which was linked to the implementation of women's reservation through a delimitation exercise. The bill could not secure the required two-thirds majority in the Lok Sabha, with 298 members voting in favour and 230 opposing it. Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla announced that the Constitution Amendment Bill had not been passed. Following the outcome, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said the government would not proceed with the remaining two interlinked bills. The BJP has accused opposition parties of blocking a historic reform aimed at ensuring 33 per cent reservation for women in Parliament and state assemblies. Union Home Minister Amit Shah alleged that parties like Congress, TMC, and others prevented the passage of the bill and warned of political consequences. However, the opposition has maintained that it supports women's reservation in principle but opposes linking it with delimitation and census processes. Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, described the bill as an attempt to alter India's electoral structure, while several Congress leaders termed the vote a defence of democratic values. (ANI) Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) MP P Wilson on Saturday stated that Rajya Sabha Chairman C P Radhakrishnan did not permit a discussion on his Private Member's Bill seeking immediate implementation of women's reservation, following the failure of the Constitution (One Hundred and Thirty-First Amendment) Bill, 2026, in the Lok Sabha. Speaking to ANI, Wilson said he had introduced a Private Member's Bill to provide 33 per cent reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and State Legislative Assemblies without linking it to delimitation or census exercises. He claimed that his attempt to initiate a discussion on the matter was not allowed. "The Chairman refused to allow me to move the notice under Rule 267 as well as the bill which I wanted to be taken up and discussed, especially after the rejection of the three bills yesterday," he said. Wilson further accused the Centre of lacking genuine intent to implement women's reservation, stating that linking the provision with delimitation and census would delay its rollout. "The government doesn't have any intention really, to give the reservation for the woman. Their approach clearly shows that they want to postpone it by linking it with delimitation and census. Even their bill talks about reservation only after delimitation is completed," he said. He further argued that the process outlined by the Centre, the formation of a Delimitation Commission followed by an exercise based on a fresh census, would significantly delay the implementation of 33 per cent reservation for women. "Therefore, again they wanted to postpone the women's reservation," Wilson said, adding that such conditional provisions could lead to prolonged legal and political disputes. Wilson revealed that, acting on the instructions of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin, he introduced a Private Member's Constitution Amendment Bill seeking immediate implementation of women's reservation without linking it to delimitation or census. "I had moved a private member bill asking for immediate commencement of reservation for women both in Lok Sabha and also the State Legislative Assemblies... without waiting for delimitation and without going for a census on the existing number of seats," he said. The proposed bill suggests implementing reservations within the current strength of 543 seats in the Lok Sabha and extending similar provisions to State Assemblies, the National Capital Territory of Delhi, and Union Territories such as Puducherry and Jammu and Kashmir. Wilson emphasised that the reservation under his proposal would be permanent and not contingent on future exercises. He also stated that he had submitted a notice under Rule 267 in the Rajya Sabha seeking suspension of business to discuss the matter urgently. However, he alleged that the Chairman did not allow the motion to be taken up following the rejection of the three bills in the Lok Sabha. The controversy follows the BJP-led government's failure to pass the Constitution Amendment Bill, which received 298 votes in favour and 230 against, falling short of the required two-thirds majority. Reacting to the development, BJP MP Laxmi Verma accused Congress of opposing women's empowerment. "Based on the remarks made by Congress members in the House yesterday, it was abundantly clear that they are opposed to the Women's Reservation Bill, which essentially means they are anti-women," she said. On the other hand, Samajwadi Party MP Dimple Yadav termed the proposal "anti-Dalit, anti-OBC," alleging, "This is anti-Dalit, anti-OBC. When the Samajwadi Party demanded reservations for OBC women because it was a question of half the population, but these are the people who create divisions even among the other half. These are divisive people. They have always created divisions, distrust and fear in society, and with this weapon, they have remained in power. Now people have understood this.' Congress MP Mallu Ravi claimed the government deliberately linked the bill with delimitation to ensure its defeat, stating, "The BJP, with a strategy of not accepting the bill, has put the women's reservation bill along with the delimitation bill... They knew that it would be defeated... BJP intended to defeat the bill; they do not want reservations because they are Manuvadi people. They are not a constitutionally working party. Any time the BJP puts this bill separately, only for reservation, the Congress and other INDIA alliance parties are enormously ready to pass the bill immediately." BJP leaders continued their counterattack, with MP Kangana Ranaut expressing confidence that the bill would eventually pass. "All the women have become demotivated. However, we must place our trust in the Prime Minister. This bill is bound to be passed, if not today, then sooner or later," she said. Meanwhile, MP Rekha Sharma accused Congress of historical inaction on women's reservation, stating, "Their intentions have always been bad. If Congress had good intentions, this bill would have been passed thirty years ago... They say they support women, but they only support the women in their family... I would say Rahul Gandhi should be ashamed of himself for talking so big and yet being nothing; he is hollow inside. His speech yesterday also showed that he is brainless... He should first learn how to behave in Parliament." According to the source, during the meeting, detailed deliberations were held on the opposition's move to block the passage of the Women's Reservation Bill in Parliament. The party expressed strong concern over what it termed as an obstruction to a landmark reform aimed at enhancing women's representation in legislative bodies. The BJP leadership has directed Chief Ministers to convene a one-day special session of their respective State Legislative Assemblies. In these sessions, the party has recommended the passage of a "condemnation resolution" against the opposition's stance on the Bill. The move is aimed at taking the issue to the people and reaffirming the party's commitment to women's empowerment and political participation. On Friday, the BJP-led government failed to secure the required two-thirds majority to pass the amendment bill. In the Lok Sabha voting, 298 members supported the bill while 230 opposed it. The One Hundred and Sixth Constitutional Amendment Act, 2023 (Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam), passed in 2023 by Parliament, provides for 33% (one-third) reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and state legislative assemblies. Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla confirmed that the bill did not pass. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said the Centre would not proceed with the remaining interlinked legislations. While Union Home Minister Amit Shah accused the opposition of blocking women's reservation, opposition leaders, including Rahul Gandhi, maintained that they support the quota but oppose its linkage with delimitation. Meanwhile, the BJP and its allies are continuing their street protest against the Congress and the INDIA bloc, alleging that the alliance was anti-women and did not want to see the women of the country go forward. (ANI) The All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) on Saturday filed a complaint with the Election Commission of India (ECI) against Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, accusing him of making "communally charged, inciteful and divisive" remarks against West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee during an election rally in the state. In a letter submitted on behalf of the party, TMC leader Derek O'Brien alleged that Sarma, while campaigning in Cooch Behar on April 16, made statements that were not only inflammatory but also defamatory in nature against West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. The complaint further stated that the remarks were aimed at polarising voters along religious lines ahead of the West Bengal Assembly Elections 2026. According to the letter, Sarma allegedly suggested that Mamata Banerjee fears a BJP government in the state because it may impose a ban on beef. He also purportedly linked beef consumption to specific communities and made claims regarding activities such as smuggling and the establishment of beef shops in certain areas. The TMC termed these remarks as "baseless, vexatious and motivated." The party contended that such statements go beyond the ambit of political criticism and amount to promoting religious hatred and encouraging communal disharmony. "These remarks deliberately create suspicion and hostility against an entire religious community, portraying them as a threat to public order," the complaint stated, warning that such narratives could disrupt the peaceful conduct of elections and lead to law and order issues. The TMC also accused Sarma of criminal intimidation and making unverified allegations against Mamata Banerjee, arguing that these constitute defamation and violate provisions of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC). The letter cited multiple legal provisions, including sections related to promoting enmity between groups, outraging religious feelings, and undue influence in elections under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Representation of the People Act. Seeking immediate intervention, the party urged the ECI to issue a show-cause notice to Sarma and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), initiate strict action, and direct law enforcement authorities to register an FIR against him. It also demanded preventive measures to ensure that no such statements are made during the ongoing election campaign. Polling in West Bengal will be held in two phases on April 23 and April 29, with the results of the Assembly elections scheduled to be announced on May 4. (ANI) An unusual scene unfolded at Delhi University's Gargi College when a group of students gathered in large numbers and chased away Delhi University Students' Union (DUSU) president Aryaman, accusing him and his associates of hooliganism and harassment on campus. Students raised slogans and recorded the incident as Aryaman, accompanied by several others, was forced to leave the campus amid mounting pressure. Security personnel were present to prevent any escalation. Aryaman did not respond to calls from ANI seeking his reaction to the allegations and the incident. A student present during the protest alleged that the situation escalated in the backdrop of student council elections at the college. "A candidate who had been disqualified reportedly had the support of ABVP. Aryaman arrived on campus with around 50-60 people. Despite police presence, they entered the premises and moved around, creating a ruckus and engaging in hooliganism. Students then came together and forced them to leave," the student alleged. Meanwhile, the Students' Federation of India (SFI), Delhi University, issued a statement condemning the incident and accused the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) of attempting to disrupt the election process. In its statement, the Students' Federation of India (SFI) alleged that "goons affiliated with ABVP forcibly entered the campus and resorted to intimidation, harassment, and hooliganism." It further claimed that Aryaman, along with others, engaged in aggressive behaviour, allegedly attempting to heckle students and faculty members. SFI also raised concerns over the role of the police, stating that the incident occurred in their presence and questioning their effectiveness in ensuring campus security. "The students of Gargi College responded with courage and unity, resisting the disruption and asserting their right to a safe and democratic campus," the statement read, while demanding strict action against those responsible and a thorough inquiry into the matter. There has been no official response from the ABVP regarding the allegations so far. (ANI) Speaking to ANI, reacting to the development, Meghwal said, "They (the opposition) did not want to respect women's power... Their intentions were not pure. For PM Modi ji to get the credit, as their thoughts were 'clouded with suspicion'...They therefore committed a sin..The public is not going to forgive them". The Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, widely seen as a step towards strengthening women's participation in governance, failed to garner the required support in the Lower House, triggering sharp reactions across the political spectrum. The ruling party has blamed the Opposition for blocking the bill, while Opposition leaders have countered the allegations, leading to a fresh political face-off over the issue. The remarks come a day after the BJP-led government failed to secure the required two-thirds majority to pass the amendment bill. In the Lok Sabha voting, 298 members supported the bill while 230 opposed it. Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla confirmed that the bill did not pass. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said the Centre would not proceed with the remaining interlinked legislations. While Union Home Minister Amit Shah accused the opposition of blocking women's reservation, opposition leaders, including Rahul Gandhi, maintained that they support the quota but oppose its linkage with delimitation. (ANI) The National Health Authority (NHA) successfully concluded the two-day Chintan Shivir on Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY) and Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) in Pune, bringing together senior officials from the Centre and States/UTs to deliberate on strengthening healthcare delivery through innovation, technology, and collaborative governance. According to an official release issued by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, building upon the discussions of Day 1, the second day commenced with a presentation on Karnataka's online referral system for PM-JAY beneficiaries. The initiative has enabled optimal resource utilisation and strengthened reliance on public healthcare institutions through data-driven decision-making. A presentation by Rajeev Topno, Additional Chief Secretary, Government of Gujarat, highlighted the State's experience in strengthening clinical governance under AB PM-JAY. Gujarat has implemented robust gatekeeping mechanisms, including digital verification systems such as Online Tumor Board Certification, alongside data-driven monitoring. These measures have led to improved clinical appropriateness, reduced unnecessary procedures, and significant cost efficiencies. Jharkhand showcased a best practice from Sadar Hospital, Ranchi, demonstrating effective utilisation of PM-JAY incentives to upgrade infrastructure and onboard specialist services. This has enhanced service delivery capacity and reinforced the hospital's role as a dependable public health institution. A live demonstration of an NHCX-enabled Hospital Management Information System (HMIS) illustrated how interoperable and standardised digital systems can streamline claims processing, reduce fragmentation, and enable faster, more efficient transactions among stakeholders. States were also briefed by the World Bank team on the ABDM State Adoption Index--a standardised, data-driven framework designed to benchmark performance across key domains such as core registries, adoption and usage, and budget utilisation. By tracking indicators including ABHA, Health Facility Registry (HFR), Health Professional Registry (HPR), Scan & Share, and health record linkage, the Index enables identification of performance gaps, supports targeted interventions, and promotes cross-learning. With the 2024-25 rankings forthcoming, States were encouraged to transition from infrastructure creation to sustained digital usage. Highlighting a significant regulatory advancement, Raghav Langer, Secretary, National Medical Commission (NMC), informed that integration of hospital HMIS with ABDM platforms will now be a mandatory requirement. Service delivery in medical college-associated hospitals will be assessed based on ABHA-linked patient data, marking a paradigm shift where digital adoption becomes integral to regulatory evaluation, thereby enhancing transparency and accountability. The Health Data Analytics and AI Unit presented insights on leveraging advanced analytics to address implementation challenges under PM-JAY. States were encouraged to utilise ABHA-linked data to analyse OPD and IPD trends and design targeted interventions. A dedicated session on new features of the NextGen platform also addressed operational challenges and facilitated smoother adoption of enhanced digital functionalities. Deliberations on convergence emphasised integration of multiple schemes onto the PM-JAY IT platform, including an overview of PM RAHAT. States were encouraged to leverage the NHA's digital infrastructure to create a unified, citizen-centric healthcare ecosystem. The Chintan Shivir also recognised excellence among States and Union Territories through awards under AB PM-JAY and ABDM. Under AB PM-JAY, a total of 18 awards were conferred across various performance parameters to recognise excellence among States and Union Territories. Uttarakhand (Large State), Goa (Small State), and Jammu & Kashmir (UT) were awarded for best performance in Pre-authorisation Approval TAT (Overall), while Odisha (Large State), Nagaland (Small State), and Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu (UT) were recognised for Pre-authorisation Approval TAT under Portability. Gujarat (Large State), Mizoram (Small State), and Ladakh (UT) received awards for achieving the highest percentage of bio-authentication. Kerala (Large State), Meghalaya (Small State), and Puducherry (UT) were honoured for completion of mandatory courses. Chhattisgarh (Large State), Tripura (Small State), and Jammu & Kashmir (UT) were recognised for timely processing of suspicious claims (TAT). Additionally, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, and Madhya Pradesh were jointly awarded for best performance among large States in high trigger efficacy. Under ABDM, five awards were presented to recognise achievements in digital health adoption. Ladakh was awarded for maximum Scan & Share and health record linkages in model facilities, while Uttar Pradesh was recognised for having the highest number of PM-JAY empanelled hospitals with ABDM-enabled HMIS and record linkages. AIIMS Bhopal received the award for best government facility under the Scan and Pay category. Rajasthan was honoured for maximum registration of private healthcare professionals and facilities, and Tripura was recognised as the top-performing State in IEC and capacity-building activities. In his concluding remarks, Sunil Kumar Barnwal, CEO, NHA, stated that the Chintan Shivir has emerged as a vital platform for collective deliberation, enabling the Centre and States to learn from each other and chart the way forward. He emphasised that a one-size-fits-all approach is not feasible, particularly for ABDM implementation, given varying levels of digital maturity across States. He encouraged States to continue sharing innovations and best practices to strengthen the healthcare ecosystem collectively. The Shivir concluded with a post-event discussion on the System Integrator Model, organised in collaboration with the Government of Maharashtra's IT Department and ABDM-enabled HMIS stakeholders. The session highlighted pathways for scalable, standardised digital health integration across the country. The deliberations reaffirmed the Government's commitment to strengthening healthcare delivery through technology, data-driven governance, and cooperative federalism, ensuring accessible, affordable, and quality healthcare for all citizens. (ANI) US President Donald Trump has said that Iran has "agreed to everything" in ongoing talks with the United States, outlining a potential agreement that includes jointly removing enriched uranium from Iran and transporting it to the US, CNN reported. Speaking in a phone interview with CBS, Trump ruled out the deployment of American troops on the ground. "No. No troops," he said when asked if such an operation would require a military presence, as reported by CNN. According to CNN, he added, "We'll go down and get it with them, and then we'll take it. We'll be getting it together because by that time, we'll have an agreement, and there's no need for fighting when there's an agreement. Nice right? That's better." The US president indicated that the uranium material would ultimately be transported to the United States as part of the deal. "We would have done it the other way if we had to," he said, as per CNN. On the timeline of the negotiations, Trump said both sides are expected to meet over the weekend and that the US will continue its blockade of Iranian ports "until we get it done", CNN reported. Trump also claimed that Iran had agreed to stop backing what he described as terrorist groups, including Hezbollah and Hamas, as reported by CNN. Throughout the day, the US president expressed confidence that an agreement was imminent, stating that a deal could be reached "in the next day or two" and that peace talks will "likely" take place this weekend, CNN reported. In a separate interaction with AFP in Las Vegas, Trump, who has been fielding calls from reporters throughout the day and issuing multiple statements and social media posts, told AFP that there are no "sticking points" remaining in efforts to reach a deal with Iran, in remarks that appeared to reference the Lebanon ceasefire and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, Al Jazeera reported. "We're very close. Looks like it's going to be very good for everybody. And we're very close to having a deal," he said, Al Jazeera reported. However, Iranian officials have not confirmed the claims made by the US president regarding the progress or scope of the proposed agreement, according to Al Jazeera. Earlier, in a telephonic interview, Trump responded "Yes" when asked if Iran had consented to stop enrichment, adding, "Are you surprised? I'm not surprised by anything." Any such move would mark a major shift from Iran's long-held stance that its nuclear programme is a sovereign right. According to reports, US and Iranian representatives are expected to meet over the weekend to finalise an agreement. Trump also said the ongoing US naval blockade targeting Iran would remain in "full force" until a deal is reached, even as Iran has allowed commercial vessels to pass through the Strait of Hormuz during a temporary ceasefire period. The developments come amid global concern over Iran's nuclear stockpile. The International Atomic Energy Agency estimates that Iran possesses over 440 kilograms of uranium enriched to 60 per cent purity, close to weapons-grade levels, though Tehran maintains its programme is for peaceful purposes. (ANI) The Trump administration on Friday announced sanctions against seven commanders of Iranian-aligned militias in Iraq, accusing them of being "responsible for planning, directing, and executing attacks against US personnel, facilities, and interests", CNN reported. The measures target individuals associated with Kataib Hezbollah, Harakat al-Nujaba, Kata'ib Sayyid al-Shuhada, and Asaib Ahl Al-Haq, groups linked to Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). All four militias are designated as Specially Designated Global Terrorists and Foreign Terrorist Organizations, as reported by CNN. "Today's action sends a clear message: Those who enable or support these militias' violence will face consequences. We call on Iraqi authorities to take immediate steps to dismantle these groups and prevent them from using Iraqi territory to conduct terrorist activities that destabilize the region," State Department deputy spokesperson Tommy Pigott said in a statement Friday, according to CNN. The sanctions are not tied to any single attack but come amid a surge in strikes by Iran-backed militias targeting US facilities in Iraq since the escalation of the US conflict with Iran, as per CNN. According to Al Jazeera, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent reiterated the US position, stating, "We will not allow Iraq's terrorist militias, backed by Iran, to threaten American lives or interests." He added, "Those who enable these militias' violence will be held accountable." Iran-backed Iraqi groups joined the conflict last month and have since carried out rocket and drone attacks on US interests across the region, Al Jazeera reported. (ANI) Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Friday (local time) welcomed the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and cautioned that prolonged conflict in the region could have serious consequences for the global economy and energy markets. In a post on X, Albanese said he participated in a virtual Leaders' Summit on the Strait of Hormuz co-hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, where discussions focused on stabilising the key maritime corridor. https://x.com/AlboMP/status/2045265967413113040 "Overnight, I joined a virtual Leaders' Summit on the Strait of Hormuz co-hosted by President Macron and Prime Minister Starmer. Australia has consistently called for an end to this conflict. The longer the war goes on, the more significant the impact on the global economy will be, and the greater the human cost." He highlighted that Australians were already feeling the effects of regional instability. "Australians are feeling the impact on fuel supply and prices and we are working to shield families from the worst of it," he said. Albanese also expressed support for diplomatic efforts aimed at restoring stability in the region. "Australia stands ready to support efforts to restore stability and security in the Strait of Hormuz and I welcome the announcement overnight of the Strait's reopening. We want to see this hold." The remarks come after Iran announced that commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz would remain "completely open" during a 10-day ceasefire period. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi had said, "In line with the ceasefire in Lebanon, the passage for all commercial vessels through the Strait of Hormuz is declared completely open for the remaining period of the ceasefire, on the coordinated route as already announced by Ports and Maritime Organisation of the Islamic Republic of Iran." US President Donald Trump also confirmed the reopening, saying the waterway was "fully open" and "ready for full passage," though he maintained that the US naval blockade on Iran would remain until a final agreement is reached. The Strait of Hormuz, a vital global energy chokepoint handling around 20 per cent of the world's oil and gas shipments, has remained central to geopolitical tensions following recent regional escalations. (ANI) US President Donald Trump on Friday (local time) indicated that he may not extend the ongoing ceasefire with Iran, raising the prospect of renewed military action in the region if a deal is not reached with the Islamic Republic in order to achieve a complete halt to the hostilities in West Asia. Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One during a press gaggle, Trump said the decision would depend on whether an agreement is reached before the ceasefire deadline. He further noted that even if a ceasefire deal is not reached, the US naval blockade of the ports of Iran will continue. "Maybe I won't extend it. But the blockade is going to remain, but maybe I won't extend it. So, you have a blockade, and unfortunately, we'll have to start dropping bombs again," the US President said. Trump was responding to a question on whether the ceasefire would be extended if no deal were reached by Wednesday, April 22, when the current two-week truce is set to expire. The remarks suggest a hardening stance by the United States, with Trump making clear that while the blockade would continue, the pause in hostilities may not. Meanwhile, a fresh round of talks between Iranian and American negotiators is expected to take place in Islamabad on Monday to reach a deal, CNN reported, citing Iranian officials familiar with the discussions. According to CNN, the delegations are likely to arrive in the Pakistani capital on Sunday. The visit aims to prepare the ground for a possible solution between the two sides after earlier discussions ended in a stalemate. The Islamabad Peace Talks, held from April 11 to April 12, marked a historic but inconclusive diplomatic attempt to end the over-month-long hostilities between the United States and Iran. Mediated by Pakistan, the talks were the first high-level, face-to-face negotiations between the two nations since the 1979 Islamic Revolution. (ANI) With the claim of US President Donald Trump that he played a key role in resolving multiple global conflicts, Trump, on his social media platform Truth Social, shared a post by the "Trump War Room" of a digital poster featuringTrump to be "The Peace President." In a post on Truth Social on Friday, the "Trump War Room" handle said, "Trust Trump. Not Panicans." The post featured a digital poster claiming the US President to be "The Peace President". Earlier, US President Donald Trump on Friday (local time) claimed that he played a key role in resolving multiple global conflicts, including the India-Pakistan situation, asserting that his interventions helped prevent large-scale loss of life. While speaking on international conflicts at the Turning Point USA event in Phoenix, Arizona, Trump said, "I am the peacemaker. I am the one who settled eight wars. I settled a war that would have killed 30 to 50 million people, India-Pakistan." He further expanded on his claim, saying, "I ended eight wars, but if we add Iran and Lebanon, that will be 10 wars ended and many, many millions of lives saved. Think of how many lives we've saved." On the Lebanon ceasefire, Trump said the US had helped secure a major breakthrough, claiming, "Yesterday, we achieved what everyone said was impossible, an unprecedented ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon. That hasn't taken place in 78 years...we will make Lebanon great again..." In talks with Iran, Trump said negotiations were continuing and expressed optimism, adding, "Talks are going on, and we'll go on over the weekend," and said the US blockade would end once an "agreement is signed." Meanwhile, a fresh round of US-Iran talks is expected to take place in Islamabad on Monday, with delegations likely to arrive in Pakistan on Sunday, Iranian officials said, according to CNN. President Trump also said that any agreement with Iran would not take effect until it is fully finalised, while claiming major developments in West Asia, including Lebanon and the Strait of Hormuz. Speaking at a Turning Point USA event in Phoenix, Arizona, Trump said, "This will be a great and brilliant day for the world because Iran has just announced that the Strait of Hormuz is fully open and ready for business and full passage. But the naval blockade with the greatest navy in the world, from the greatest military the world has ever seen, we built it. During my first term, we built it...We'll remain in full force and effect as it pertains to Iran until such time as our transaction with Iran is 100 % complete and fully signed." Meanwhile, Iran has asserted that maritime movement through the Strait of Hormuz will be strictly controlled by Tehran, stating that passage will be allowed only through designated routes and under Iranian approval, amid escalating tensions with the United States over regional security and negotiations. Speaker of the Islamic Republic of Iran's Parliament, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, said, "4- Passage through the Strait of Hormuz will be conducted based on the 'designated route' and with 'Iranian authorisation.' 5- Whether the Strait is open or closed and the regulations governing it will be determined by the field, not by social media."(ANI) Indian Air Force Chief Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh undertook a familiarisation flight in a Boeing F-15EX Eagle II fighter aircraft during his visit to Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada on April 9. Singh flew alongside US Air Force Major Matthew Benson, a pilot with the 85th Test and Evaluation Squadron. The sortie gave the Indian Air Chief a close look at one of the most advanced fighter platforms in the US inventory, which plays a key role in maintaining air superiority and supporting operations in the Indo-Pacific region. The F-15EX Eagle II is latest iteration of the US's premium air superiority fighter that it hails as "one of the platforms essential to the collaborative defense of the Indo-Pacific. ". The flight formed part of Air Chief Marshal Singh's broader visit to Nellis Air Force Base, a key centre for advanced combat training and operational testing for the US Air Force. US officials said the experience allowed the Indian Air Chief to better understand the aircraft's capabilities and its role in modern air warfare. During the visit, Singh also held discussions with senior US Air Force officials, including Brigadier General David C Epperson, commander of the US Air Force Warfare Center. Air Commodore Yeshpal Singh Negi was also part of the IAF delegation. Talks focused on expanding joint exercise opportunities and aligning modernisation efforts between the two air forces. The discussions also emphasised the need to build stronger interoperability between India and the United States. This likely includes improving coordination in joint operations, sharing best practices, and enhancing mutual understanding of advanced technologies and combat systems with a focus on collaboration in the Indo-Pacific theatre. The F-15EX Eagle II, the latest iteration of the older F15s, is an advanced multirole fighter developed by Boeing, building on a long legacy of air dominance. The aircraft flies with a top speed of Mach 2.5 and a service ceiling of 50,000 feet. It can carry a payload of up to 29,500 pounds (13,381 kilograms) and has a service life exceeding 20,000 hours. According to Boeing, the F-15EX features digital fly-by-wire controls, an all-glass cockpit, advanced mission systems and open architecture software, along with Active Electronically scanned Array (AESA) radar and the Eagle Passive Active Warning Survivability System ( EPAWSS) electronic warfare suite, enabling operations in contested airspace. The aircraft can carry up to 12 AMRAAMs and support hypersonic weapons, while its high payload and long range allow flexible missions, including massed missile strikes and precision standoff attacks. On April 10, U.S. Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Ken Wilsbach also hosted Air Chief Marshal Singh at the Pentagon. The two leaders met to discuss mutual aid and plans for a productive future for both countries. As part of the visit, Air Chief Marshal Singh received a full honors arrival at Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling and attended office calls with Secretary of the Air Force Troy Meink and Wilsbach at the Pentagon. During the office calls, Department of the Air Force senior leaders emphasized the priority the U.S. places on its defense partnership with India, highlighting its central role in ensuring a free, open, peaceful and prosperous Indo-Pacific region. General Wilsbach praised India's leadership and participation in multilateral exercises with like-minded partners and stressed how continuing to prioritize and expand such cooperation is key to enhancing regional deterrence. He also welcomed India's procurement of MQ-9B Sky Guardian aircraft and emphasized the U.S. Air Force commitment to ensuring the Indian Armed Forces can seamlessly and effectively employ the platform upon delivery. General Wilsbach underscored the U.S. Air Force's readiness to further support Indian Air Force modernization efforts, noting the mutual benefits of pursuing these goals through defense industrial collaboration. (ANI) Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Saturday called for de-escalation in West Asia and the reopening of the critical Strait of Hormuz, stressing the need to keep the route free from tolls and privatisation amid the ongoing conflict. In a post on X, following his participation in a virtual Leaders' Summit on the Strait of Hormuz co-hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Albanese said 49 countries had come together with a "consistent approach" focused on ensuring freedom of navigation. https://x.com/AlboMP/status/2045325986062094609 He said, "Last night, I joined the Strait of Hormuz freedom of navigation summit. There were 49 countries participated. There was a consistent approach. We want to see de-escalation." He added that the aim was to see the Strait of Hormuz "opened" and to see "no privatisation and no tolls." He said, "We want to see the Strait of Hormuz opened and we want to see no privatisation and no tolls." Shifting his focus towards the Australians, he said, "Our focus, of course, has also been on doing what we can to shield Australians from the worst of the impacts that are occurring right around the globe. We're not immune. What we are doing, though, is making every effort that we can, leaving no stone unturned, to make sure that we defend Australia's national interests. That's what my government will continue to do." Meanwhile, Australia is taking emergency steps to manage its domestic fuel situation. According to Al Jazeera, the Australian Energy Minister Chris Bowen announced an extension of the relaxed fuel-quality standard until September, following the impact of the Iran conflict on Australia's fuel supply. "I've decided to extend the period of higher sulphur for petrol in Australia," Bowen said on Friday. The measure allows fuel to contain up to 50 parts per million (ppm) of sulphur, five times higher than the usual 10 ppm limit, aimed at easing supply constraints caused by the crisis. The decision, initially introduced in March, is to be implemented as Australia faces localised fuel shortages triggered by disruptions in West Asian supply routes. As reported by Al Jazeera, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has visited three Asian countries this week in a bid to secure additional fuel for his country. Earlier, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Friday (local time) welcomed the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and cautioned that prolonged conflict in the region could have serious consequences for the global economy and energy markets. He said, "Overnight, I joined a virtual Leaders' Summit on the Strait of Hormuz co-hosted by President Macron and Prime Minister Starmer. Australia has consistently called for an end to this conflict. The longer the war goes on, the more significant the impact on the global economy will be, and the greater the human cost." (ANI) In a dim, windowless cell inside a detention facility in Iran's southeastern city of Kerman, 29-year-old Borna Naimi clings to fragments of normalcy--his young daughter's drawings taped to a wall, small reminders of a life interrupted. A karate athlete, a father, and a member of Iran's Baha'i community, Naimi has become the latest emblem of what rights groups describe as a deepening and systematic campaign of persecution by Iranian authorities against the country's largest non-Muslim religious minority. Arrested on March 1 by masked officers linked to Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), Naimi's detention quickly descended into a pattern of abuse that mirrors longstanding allegations against the Islamic Republic's security apparatus against the community, which is driven by beatings, psychological coercion, and torture aimed at extracting confessions. According to accounts compiled by the Baha'i International Community (BIC), Naimi has endured at least two mock executions, repeated electric shocks that left burns on his legs and feet, and sustained physical assault targeting his ribs, back, and torso. In the early days of his detention, he was reportedly held in what detainees refer to as the "death suite," a section reserved for prisoners awaiting execution--an environment designed to induce extreme psychological distress. "It is impossible not to feel immense heartache for the plight of this family, who have suffered such cruelty solely for their faith," said Simin Fahandej, the Baha'i International Community's Representative to the United Nations in Geneva. "History will remember not only the merciless crimes of the Islamic Republic of Iran, but also the courage and bravery of youth who... have stood firm in the face of a government that has stopped at nothing in its attempt to crush them." But it is the threats against his family that appear to have inflicted the deepest wounds. Interrogators allegedly warned Naimi that his three-year-old daughter could be taken into state custody if he refused to cooperate. Under mounting pressure, he ultimately signed a "false confession" implicating himself and his cousin, Peyvand Naimi, in the killing of Basij personnel, a paramilitary force under the IRGC, during January protests--charges that, by available timelines, appear demonstrably false. "The treatment of Borna and Peyvand is a stark indication of the Islamic Republic's relentless efforts to fabricate accusations," Fahandej added, "and falsely present them as responsible for crimes they did not commit." No trial has been held. No verifiable evidence has been presented. Instead, what emerges is a portrait of a system where confession precedes investigation. Naimi's case is not isolated. His cousin Peyvand, arrested earlier on January 8, reportedly endured similar treatment, including mock hangings and forced televised confessions broadcast in February. In both cases, rights advocates argue that the objective is not justice, but narrative control--constructing a version of events that aligns with state priorities amid mounting domestic unrest. "This is not merely a security case," noted Nobel Peace Prize laureate Shirin Ebadi in a public statement on Telegram. "It is a clear instance of torture, violation of fair trial rights, forced confession, and denial of medical care." BIC also points to the case of Romina Khazali, an artist and her husband Behzad Yazdani a translator who remain in legal limbo in a prison in Shiraz. The BIC says that as of April 6 the couple were in custody at Adelabad Prison more than a week after their arrest with no official information available regarding the nature of any charges against them or their legal status. The timing is critical. Iran continues to grapple with the aftershocks of nationwide protests, which started due to rising living costs, with authorities imposing internet restrictions. Meanwhile, the Islamic Republic is also undergoing a volatile security environment, as it is currently in a state of stalemate with a superpower like the United States and its coalition partner Israel, following a month-long period of hostilities in the region. In such moments, minority communities have historically been positioned as convenient scapegoats. Despite being the largest non-Muslim community in the country, the Baha'is have long been denied recognition under Iran's constitution and have frequently borne the brunt of this discriminatory strategy. Officials and state-aligned media have, in recent months, intensified efforts to link Baha'i individuals to unrest, espionage, and foreign interference. According to the BIC, since 2023, social media in Iran--particularly government-controlled platforms and websites--has emerged as the main channel for spreading anti-Baha'i sentiment, with around 163,726 posts containing hate speech recorded. The allegations often lack substantiation but are amplified through coordinated messaging campaigns. For detainees like Naimi, the consequences are immediate and severe. Inside prison, Naimi's identity has been reduced to that of a suspect in a case built on coercion. Yet among fellow inmates, he is known differently: as the father who keeps his child's belongings close, a quiet assertion of humanity within a system designed to erode it. Outside, the impact reverberates through his family. "The brutal psychological pressures surrounding his child have been intended to break Borna mentally", the Baha'i International Community noted, adding that his daughter now believes her father has abandoned her. The psychological dimension of Naimi's treatment--threats against loved ones, sensory deprivation, and simulated executions--aligns with documented interrogation practices aimed at breaking detainees without leaving easily traceable physical evidence. In his case, however, the physical scars are also evident. Naimi's ordeal unfolds against a backdrop of intensifying pressure on Baha'is across Iran. Data compiled between mid-2023 and early 2025 indicates a marked escalation in arrests, particularly targeting women, who now constitute a significant proportion of detained Baha'is. Mass trials, lengthy prison sentences, and coordinated home raids have become more frequent. In several cities, authorities have carried out early morning arrests without warrants, often accompanied by property seizures and prolonged interrogations. Women, including mothers of young children and elderly individuals, have faced disproportionate targeting. Reports describe cases of medical neglect, physical abuse, and forced separation from families--tactics that extend the reach of punishment beyond the individual detainee. Among the most prominent cases is that of Mahvash Sabet, a 71-year-old prisoner of conscience who, after more than 13 years behind bars, was forced to return to prison following open-heart surgery to complete an additional 10-year sentence. Her case has drawn widespread concern over medical neglect and the continued detention of elderly prisoners on faith-based charges. In Isfahan, 10 Baha'i women--most in their twenties and thirties--were handed a combined 90-year prison sentence in October 2024, following arrests that rights groups say were conducted without due process. A broader sweep that same month saw 26 Baha'is, including 16 women, sentenced to a cumulative 126 years in prison, underscoring what observers describe as a deliberate focus on women within the community. "The scale and targeting reflect a calculated strategy," the Baha'i International Community noted in its assessment, pointing to "a significant increase in arrests and summonses, with dozens of women facing baseless criminal charges and prison sentences." The crackdown has also extended to violent home raids, often carried out without warrants and disproportionately affecting vulnerable individuals. In multiple cities--including Shiraz, Yazd, Isfahan, Hamedan, and Karaj--elderly women have reportedly suffered severe health consequences during such operations. In one instance, an elderly woman was rushed to a heart clinic following the shock of a raid, while another suffered a stroke requiring emergency intervention. Beyond arrests and imprisonment, the state's approach has expanded into systemic social and economic exclusion. Baha'is continue to be barred from higher education unless they renounce their faith. In 2023, applicants were reportedly required to sign declarations disassociating themselves from the Baha'i community as a condition for university admission--an act widely condemned as a violation of freedom of conscience. Those seeking alternative education through the Baha'i Institute for Higher Education (BIHE) have also faced harassment. In one case, the home of a woman hosting an exam was raided by intelligence agents, who confiscated materials and physically assaulted her son when he protested. Cultural exclusion has similarly intensified. Baha'i musicians have been barred from public performances at the last minute despite holding official permits, with authorities explicitly citing their religious identity as the basis for exclusion. Meanwhile, burial rights--long a sensitive issue--have come under renewed pressure. In Tehran, dozens of graves belonging to Baha'is were reportedly bulldozed in 2024, while families have been denied access to cemeteries or prevented from conducting funerals in accordance with their religious practices. "Such actions not only endanger innocent lives but further entrench a pattern of systematic persecution," said Simin Fahandej. "They seek to isolate, dehumanise, and ultimately silence an entire minority community." Digital surveillance and coordinated hate campaigns have further deepened social isolation, with hundreds of thousands of posts circulating on state-linked platforms portraying Baha'is as enemies of the state. Taken together, these cases and measures reflect a widening campaign--one that extends beyond detention cells into nearly every aspect of life for Iran's Baha'i community, reinforcing the sense that Borna Naimi's suffering is not an exception but part of an entrenched and expanding system. Observers warn that periods of national instability--whether driven by protest movements, economic strain, or external conflict--often coincide with intensified crackdowns on marginalised groups in Iran. Recent developments suggest this pattern is repeating. "In the midst of war, instead of protecting its citizens, the Islamic Republic puts religious minorities under even greater pressure," Ebadi said. "And once again, the Baha'is are among the first victims." As authorities seek to reassert control and redirect public attention, the targeting of Baha'is appears to be accelerating. The allegations against Naimi and his cousin--linking them to protest-related violence despite contradictory timelines--fit within a broader strategy of attributing unrest to internal "others". In the absence of formal proceedings, Naimi's story is being written through fragments: testimony from advocacy groups, brief phone calls to family, and the visible marks of abuse. It is also being written in quieter ways--in a child's drawings preserved on a prison wall, in the persistence of identity under pressure, and in the growing documentation of a pattern that extends far beyond a single case. For Iran's Baha'i community, his experience is not an anomaly. It is a continuation. And as the country navigates another period of crisis, the question confronting observers is no longer whether the pressure is increasing but how far it will go. (ANI) As Kashmir marks the first anniversary of the Pahalgam terror attack, prominent Kashmiri human rights activist and Chairperson of the Association of Terror Victims in Kashmir (ATVK), Tasleema Akhter, described the tragedy as not just a memory but an "unhealed wound" that continues to haunt the region. In an exclusive interview with ANI, on the first anniversary of the Pahalgam carnage, Akhter described the attack as more than an act of violence. "Bullets did not merely attack Pahalgam; it was attacked by hatred," she said, stressing that such incidents strike at the core of humanity, peace, and the future of Kashmir's younger generations. She added that the victims were individuals with families, dreams, and identities, not just statistics. The attack on 22 April 2025 at the Baisaran Valley in Pahalgam was carried out by armed terrorists, in which 26 civilians were killed. The attackers, armed with M4 carbines and AK-47s, targeted Hindu tourists, though a Christian tourist and a local Muslim pony ride operator were also killed. The incident is considered the deadliest attack on civilians in India since the 2008 Mumbai attacks. Akhter strongly condemned what she termed Pakistan-backed terrorism, stating that such attacks have damaged Kashmir's global image and caused long-term suffering to its people. According to her, repeated attempts to destabilise the region reflect a pattern aimed at disrupting peace and development in Jammu and Kashmir. "We will not allow Kashmir to be held hostage by fear," she asserted, adding that justice for victims remains non-negotiable. Having represented victims' voices at international platforms, including the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva, Akhter called for stronger global action. She urged the international community to move beyond rhetoric and hold Pakistan accountable for supporting terror networks in the region. "The world needs to see the reality behind the propaganda," she stated. On preventing future attacks, she called for a multi-pronged strategy, including sustained diplomatic pressure, stronger international cooperation against terrorism, and continued vigilance within India. Recalling incidents such as the 2008 Mumbai attacks and the recent Delhi blast, she said the threat is neither new nor isolated. Akhter concluded with a message of resilience, stating that Kashmir stands for peace but will continue to fight for justice for the Pahalgam victim families. (ANI) Foreign Affairs Expert Robinder Sachdev said that the demand for a powerful visual "win" is at the heart of the current US-Iran standoff, suggesting that Washington's position is being shaped as much by optics as by strategy. He said US President Donald Trump is seeking a symbolic moment that can be projected globally as a decisive achievement. In an interview with ANI, Sachdev said, "The prize that President Trump now wants is a photograph of drums of Iranian enriched uranium on the tarmac of the Tehran airport and an American military plane sitting there, these drums being loaded and taken away. That is the prize that Donald Trump wants now. He can then claim, 'I have taken out the uranium from Iran." He added that such imagery would create "a very visual representation of the surrender of a country," something Iran, according to him, is unlikely to accept, leaving negotiations at an impasse. On the economic front, he noted that the US waiver on sanctioned Russian oil could provide immediate relief to India amid ongoing supply disruptions. "This waiver on sanctions on Russian oil will definitely help India in the sense that there is quite some Russian oil at sea, short distance away, and hopefully, the market dynamics are such that we can get it at good rates. Especially given the current crisis, even if production ramps up, you know, in the Gulf, it will take months and months for the supplies to be resumed. So, therefore, Russian oil being available almost instant in that sense, will be extremely helpful to the Indian economy in terms of crude oil," he said, pointing out that restoring Gulf production could take "months and months". Assessing the prospects of fresh talks, Sachdev maintained cautious optimism. "If the participants do turn up physically, whosoever be the participants, especially the American participants, the higher the better. If they turn up then definitely yes, the probability increases. I still remain at my probability which I had earlier speculated at 51 per cent. There is definitely a chance of a deal," he said, while cautioning that any agreement may not be a "grand bargain" and could leave the region facing continued instability. On tensions involving the Strait of Hormuz, he stressed that reopening the route would be central to any resolution. " The Strait of Hormuz has to be open. Now, the question is whether Iran would be okay with it. Yeah, sure, but Iran will ask a price," he said, indicating that negotiations could revolve around sanctions relief, frozen funds and financial compensation. He added, "The only question would be that would there be any tolls? I think maybe tolls may not be tolls, but at the same time then financial compensation for Iran, money sitting in Qatar, money in in the United States, lifting of sanctions. So, I think there'll be a there'll be a triangle of these economic issues: sanctions, money sitting outside, and tolls. So, within this triangle, Iran will negotiate to you know, obtain financial compensations for the war." Commenting on transatlantic ties, Sachdev said Trump's sharp criticism of NATO reflects deeper structural tensions with Europe. " The US is unhappy with NATO for many reasons, several of them very clear and valid which Trump and his administration have articulated. But a more fundamental reason that President Trump and his team are unhappy with NATO is because they're unhappy with Europe. They're unhappy with the with the policies of Europe. Not only defense policies, they're unhappy with the policies on environment with Europe. They're unhappy with the extra regulations, " he said. He added that ideological difference also plays a role, noting that sections within the US leadership view Europe as overly focused on "human rights and kindness," alongside concerns that European countries have not contributed equally to defence spending. (ANI) Observer Research Foundation (ORF), in partnership with Research and Information System for Developing Countries (RIS), hosted the inaugural convening of the BRICS Academic Forum on April 17 and April 18 in the national capital. India assumed the BRICS Chairship on January 1, 2026, under the theme "Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability", with the Academic Forum forming a key component of its broader engagement process during the Presidency year. According to an official release, the inaugural event commenced with a welcome address by Samir Saran, President of ORF and Chair of the BRICS Think Tanks Council, India. He noted that at a time when the world is beset by conflict, persistent food security concerns, and disruptions to global supply chains, there has rarely been a more important moment for BRICS countries to collaborate, consult one another, and build pathways for the future. He also outlined the roadmap for the BRICS Academic Forum in the year ahead. Over the coming months, the Forum will host 13 international speakers and multiple convenings across India and abroad, fostering the exchange of ideas while showcasing India's diversity and warmth. Sudhakar Dalela, Secretary (ER) in the Ministry of External Affairs and India's BRICS Sherpa, highlighted that 2026 marks two decades since the establishment of BRICS--an important milestone and an opportunity to reflect on its transformative journey. He noted that what began as an academic concept has evolved into a living framework and a major platform for cooperation among emerging economies. He underlined that India's Chairship reflects a people-centric, humanity-first approach aimed at delivering tangible benefits to citizens across member countries and reaffirmed India's commitment to working closely with BRICS members and partner countries to advance stability, sustainability, and inclusive growth. Referring to the BRICS Academic Forum, Dalela described it as an important Track II platform that brings together scholars, academics, and policy thinkers to generate ideas and recommendations for leaders ahead of the Summit. He noted that discussions over the two-day convening would be organised around the four pillars of India's Chairship, with recommendations feeding into preparations for the 18th BRICS Summit. The inaugural convening brought together policymakers, academics, and representatives from leading research institutions across BRICS countries. Discussions focused on the evolving role of BRICS in shaping the international order, strengthening economic cooperation, and addressing shared global challenges. As part of the broader BRICS process, the Academic Forum aims to serve as an important platform for intellectual exchange and policy input. During India's Presidency, the Forum will contribute to shaping policy recommendations through commissioned research papers and expert commentaries on strategic issues, which will be submitted to national Sherpas for consideration within the wider BRICS agenda. (ANI) The World Uyghur Congress has condemned the detention and deportation of Uyghur activist Abdulhakim Idris from Malaysia, describing it as part of an expanding pattern of transnational repression. In a press release issued on April 16, the organiSation stated that Idris, who serves as Executive Director of the Center for Uyghur Studies, was detained for nearly 21 hours upon arrival in Kuala Lumpur and denied entry without a clear explanation. According to an interview published by Freedom House, Idris was subsequently deported to the United States, preventing him from carrying out scheduled academic and advocacy engagements in Malaysia, including the launch of a Malay-language edition of his book. He had reportedly been involved in advocacy work in the country since 2022. The World Uyghur Congress alleged that the deportation was carried out under pressure from Chinese authorities and reflects a broader strategy aimed at silencing Uyghur voices globally. The organisation said such actions form part of a pattern that includes arbitrary detention, deportation, surveillance, and intimidation, often extending beyond China's borders and affecting diaspora communities. It further highlighted the personal toll on activists, noting that Abdulhakim Idris has lost contact with more than 20 family members and has faced ongoing psychological pressure linked to his advocacy. A recent report by Freedom House has also identified China as a leading perpetrator of transnational repression, documenting new cases in 2025. The incident follows earlier cases involving Uyghur activists, including Dolkun Isa, who has faced detention and deportation in multiple countries, and Idris Hassan, who was detained in Morocco. The World Uyghur Congress has called on Malaysian authorities to provide transparency regarding the incident and clarify the legal grounds for the detention and deportation. It has also urged governments worldwide to take coordinated steps to counter transnational repression and ensure protection for human rights defenders. (ANI) Marking his first Army Day since ascending to the leadership, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyyed Mojtaba Khamenei issued a high-stakes message on Saturday, commending the Islamic Republic of Iran Army for its "courageous defence" during the recent 40-day war against the US-Israeli coalition. In a statement marking Farvardin 29, the Leader characterised the military's performance as a pivotal victory over "disbelief and arrogance," claiming the conflict exposed the "weakness and humiliation" of Iran's adversaries. In a series of posts shared on the account purportedly attributed to Mojtaba Khamenei, the Supreme Leader hailed Iran's army for courageously defending the country from aggressors. The message carried deep personal and historical weight, coinciding with the birth anniversary of his father and predecessor, Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, who was killed during the initial strikes of the recent conflict in February. He said, "necessary measures for realising the line of progress in the various capabilities of the Islamic Republic of Iran's Army will be issued." https://x.com/Rahbarenghelab_/status/2045452574543982820?s=20 As per Press TV, Mojtaba Khamenei stressed that the army's progress must be pursued with intensified effort. Mojtaba Khamenei described the 1979 Revolution as the moment the army left the "tyrannical Pahlavi orbit" to find its place in the "embrace of the people." In his post, he added, "After the victory of the Islamic Revolution, the army stood in its proper place and, instead of belonging to the tyrannical and corrupt Pahlavi regime, was embraced in the warm bosom of the nation." https://x.com/Rahbarenghelab_/status/2045460235582841018?s=20 He credited his late father with preserving the army against early calls for its dissolution, vowing to double the efforts to enhance its strategic capabilities. Referring to the Army as the "child of the nation", he underlined how it has continued to bravely defend the water and soil in the current as well as previous wars. https://x.com/Rahbarenghelab_/status/2045463847050645813?s=20 The Supreme Leader specifically highlighted the technological and naval advancements that defined the recent 40-day engagement. "Just as Iranian army drones strike like lightning against American and Zionist criminals, its brave naval force stands ready to make enemies taste the bitterness of new defeats." https://x.com/Rahbarenghelab_/status/2045466945013903743?s=20 According to Press TV, Mojtaba Khamenei, in a sombre moment, paid tribute to generations of commanders who shaped the military over five decades. He specifically honoured the "recent martyrs" of the 40-day war. He noted that their sacrifices, alongside the seamless synergy with the Revolutionary Guard, allowed the armed forces to "inflict heavy blows" despite the scale of the aggression faced. Among those he mentioned were commanders Qarani, Fallahi, Namjou, Fakouri, Babaei, Setari, Ardestani, Sayyad Shirazi, as well as the ones recently killed in the US-Israel and Iran conflict, such as Seyyed Abdolrahim Mousavi and Aziz Nasirzadeh. The 40-day war, which concluded with a ceasefire on April 8, saw the Iranian army and the IRGC coordinate a massive series of retaliatory strikes against coalition installations across the region after the initial US-Israeli campaign, Operation Epic Fury/Roaring Lion, targeted Iranian leadership and infrastructure. Looking toward the future, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei signalled that the "orbit of weakness" is permanently closed. He announced that a new set of measures for the further advancement of the army's domains--likely focusing on drone proliferation and maritime blockade capabilities--would be issued in the "near future." Meanwhile, Speaker of Iran's Parliament Mohhamed Baqer Qalibaf also praised the Army, calling it a symbol of Iran's "power and security" as per Press TV. Iran's Judiciary Chief Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Eje'i also congratulated army personnel and the people of Iran on the occasion of the Army Day. As per Press TV, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi praised the role of the armed forces and said that the peace, security, and prosperity of the country are the direct result of the sacrifices of Iran's army. In a post on X, the spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Esmaeil Baqaei, paid tributes to the personnel of the Navy's Dena Destroyer and those killed in defending the country. (ANI) Pope Leo XIV has dismissed suggestions that his recent remarks were aimed at US President Donald Trump, asserting that he has "no interest at all" in engaging in a political debate with the American leader. Speaking to journalists aboard the papal flight to Angola, the Pontiff pushed back against what he described as an inaccurate media portrayal of his comments. "There has been a certain narrative that has not been accurate in all its aspects," he said. The Pope indicated that the controversy stemmed from the political context created after remarks by the US President early in his trip. "Because of the political situation created when on the first day of the trip the President of the United States made some comments about myself, much of what has been written since then has been more commentary on commentary trying to interpret what has been said," he added. Clarifying the timing of his earlier statements, Pope Leo XIV stressed that his address at a recent prayer meeting for peace had been prepared well in advance. "Just one little example: the talk that I gave at the prayer meeting for peace a couple of days ago was prepared two weeks ago, well before the president ever commented on myself and on the message of peace that I am promoting. And yet as it happens, it was looked at as if I was trying to debate again the president, which is not in my interest at all," he said. His remarks come amid an ongoing war of words with President Trump over Iran and nuclear policy. Trump recently asserted that Iran must not be allowed to acquire nuclear weapons and said he had the right to disagree with the Pope's stance. "I say Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon," Trump stated, warning that such a development would put "the whole world" will be at jeopardy. Trump had earlier escalated his criticism in a post, stating, "Will someone please tell Pope Leo that Iran has killed at least 42,000 innocent, completely unarmed, protesters in the last two months, and that for Iran to have a Nuclear Bomb is absolutely unacceptable. Thank you for your attention to this matter." He also refused to apologise to the Pontiff, saying, "I won't apologise to Pope Leo. I think he's very weak on crime and other things," and added that the Pope would be "unhappy with the result" of his administration's policies. Earlier, responding to the criticism, Pope Leo XIV had made clear his stance, stating, "I think that the people who read will be able to draw their own conclusions: I am not a politician, I have no intention of entering into a debate with Donald Trump." He further emphasised his focus on peace, saying, "Rather, let us always seek peace and put an end to wars. I am not afraid of the Trump administration." The Pope has also cautioned against the misuse of religion for political or military ends. Speaking at a prayer meeting for peace in Bamenda, he said, "Woe to those who manipulate religion and the very name of God for their own military, economic, and political gain, dragging that which is sacred into darkness and filth." The Pontiff has maintained that his message remains rooted in faith and peace, rather than political confrontation. (ANI) TOKYO, Apr 18 (News On Japan) - SoftBank said on April 17 that it will exclusively sell in Japan an AI-equipped smartphone developed for the Japanese market by U.S. startup Brain Technologies. The device features a side button that activates an AI agent capable of understanding content on social media platforms such as LINE and Instagram. Based on that information, the system can suggest next actions, including entering events into a calendar app or making restaurant reservations. SoftBank plans to release the smartphone next week. The company also said it is considering development of successor models in the future. Source: BIZ HYOGO, Apr 18 (News On Japan) - An entrance ceremony was held on April 18 at the Takarazuka Music School in Hyogo Prefecture, where 40 new students took their first step toward becoming members of the famed Takarazuka Revue. The ceremony welcomed the school's 114th class, consisting of 40 entrants. Although this year's competition ratio of 10.55 applicants per place was the lowest since 2000, admission remained highly competitive. The aspiring performers, dressed in the school's traditional gray uniforms, attended the ceremony with visible determination. After each student was called by name, representative entrant Hisa Nishimae delivered the oath on behalf of the class. 'Under the teaching of being pure, honest and beautiful, we pledge to devote ourselves endlessly to the pursuit of artistry so that we may become accomplished performers on the stage,' Nishimae said. Over the next two years, the students will undergo rigorous training in singing, dance and other disciplines as they pursue their dream of joining the Takarazuka Revue. Source: YOMIURI TOKYO, Apr 18 (News On Japan) - Australia has formally decided to jointly develop its next-generation frigate with Japan, marking a major step forward in defense cooperation between the two countries. Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi, who is visiting Australia, announced the agreement after signing a contract with Australian Defense Minister Richard Marles. 'The adoption of a Japanese vessel by Australia marks the beginning of a major step that will elevate defense cooperation between our two nations to a new level,' Koizumi said. Under Australia's new frigate procurement program, the two governments will jointly develop an upgraded version of the Maritime Self-Defense Force's Mogami-class destroyer escort. The agreement represents Japan's largest-ever export of defense equipment. The Mogami-class vessel is known for its high level of automation, allowing it to operate with a crew of around 90 people, roughly half that of conventional ships of similar size. The first three ships are expected to be built in Japan, with deliveries scheduled to begin as early as 2029. Source: TBS TOKYO, Apr 19 (News On Japan) - Typhoon No. 4, Sinlaku, moved northeast on April 19 while accelerating over waters near Minamitorishima, east of the Ogasawara Islands, according to weather officials. Although the storm is rapidly moving away from Japan, rough seas are expected to persist, prompting continued caution across the island chain. Satellite imagery showed the typhoon still maintaining a broad cloud structure, underscoring its large size. At the same time, the eye near the center had become less distinct, indicating the system was gradually weakening. As of the latest observation, the storm was moving at roughly 20 kilometers per hour. While the Ogasawara Islands lay just outside the area of storm-force winds, strong gusts and elevated waves continued in surrounding waters. Forecasters said Sinlaku is expected to come under the influence of upper-level winds, including the jet stream, steering it farther east while disrupting its circulation. The system is forecast to lose tropical cyclone strength and transition into an extratropical low by April 20. Conditions around the Ogasawara Islands are expected to improve gradually as the storm moves farther away. Areas of high waves and swell are forecast to shift eastward, reducing the impact of wind and surf over time. Even so, northeasterly winds are expected to remain strong through the night, and unstable atmospheric conditions could bring sudden rainfall. Warnings for high waves remain in place around the Ogasawara Islands, with authorities urging residents to remain alert for dangerous surf, swells and strong winds. Source: SHIGA, Apr 18 (News On Japan) - The family of a man granted a retrial over a robbery-murder case in Shiga Prefecture has called for revisions to Japan's retrial system, saying he was wrongfully arrested despite having an alibi. 'My father was arrested even though he had an alibi,' said Koji Sakakibara. 'He should not have died, and he should never have been arrested.' His father, Hiroshi Sakakibara, was sentenced to life imprisonment in connection with a robbery-murder case in Hino, Shiga Prefecture. He continued to maintain his innocence but died of illness while serving his sentence. During a retrial petition filed by the family, developments emerged suggesting police evidence may have been fabricated. A retrial was approved in February this year. However, it took about eight years from the time the Otsu District Court first approved a retrial, due to prosecutors filing objections twice. 'Prosecutors should refrain from appealing and open the retrial as soon as possible, then argue the guilty verdict there,' Koji Sakakibara said. As debate continues over reform of the retrial law, the Justice Ministry wants to retain prosecutors' right to object to retrial decisions. But some lawmakers within the ruling Liberal Democratic Party have strongly opposed the move, leaving discussions in disarray. Source: KTV NEWS Climate negotiators from across Africa gathered on April 16 in Nairobi for a two-day consultation aimed at forging a unified continental position on financing the green transition under global climate frameworks. The meeting, led by the African Group of Negotiators Experts Support, was chaired by Nana Antwi-Boasiako Amoah (Ghanas climate diplomat), who said discussions would prioritize agriculture, food security, gender equality and climate finance. He stressed that as negotiations progress under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, there is growing urgency to strengthen implementation of climate action, particularly in agriculture and food systems, which remain central to Africas economic and social stability. Amoah noted that agriculture continues to play a pivotal role in Africas development, contributing significantly to GDP, employment, and food security, positioning the continent at the forefront of global agricultural negotiations. Rose Mwebaza of the United Nations Environment Programme said Africa requires sustained climate financing and robust early warning systems to enhance resilience against climate shocks. Participants also called for stronger coordination and coherence among institutions managing climate finance mechanisms under multilateral environmental agreements, as African states seek to consolidate their negotiating leverage ahead of future global climate summits. Moroccos CasablancaSettat region has become the first regional authority in the country to tap the capital markets, issuing 1 billion dirhams (92 million) local-currency bond with cornerstone support from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD). The EBRD said it invested MAD 400 million (36.8 million) in the issuance, helping to ensure the bonds successful placement and marking a milestone for Moroccos municipal and regional debt market. It is only the second time a sub-sovereign bond has been issued in Morocco and the first by a region. Proceeds from the bond will finance priority projects under Casablanca-Settats 20222027 Regional Development Plan, as the region seeks to diversify its funding sources beyond traditional budgetary transfers and bank borrowing by accessing domestic capital markets. The EBRDs investment will also trigger Casablanca-Settats entry into EBRD Green Cities, the banks flagship program supporting cities and regions in addressing climate and environmental challenges. As part of the program, the region will develop a Green City Action Plan and launch a pilot mobility planning initiative aimed at promoting greener, smarter and more inclusive transport. As governments look to diversify their energy mix by expanding renewable energy capacity, many are turning to solar and wind power. Meanwhile, hydropower is often overlooked by countries that do not have a tradition of hydropower production. With the ongoing conflict between the United States, Israel, and Iran, the price of fossil fuels is being pushed ever higher due to severe shortages of oil and gas. This is encouraging governments worldwide to assess their energy security and consider developing various energy sources to support greater diversification and decrease the vulnerabilities of a reliance on any one energy source. Hydropower has long played a major role in global energy production, with several countries around the globe relying on the power of water to provide vast amounts of clean energy. The first hydropower projects were developed in the 1800s, and hydro is now the worlds third-largest power generation source after coal and natural gas, contributing around 4,500 terawatt-hours of electricity, or 14 percent of the global total. This equates to around the same electricity production as solar and wind power combined. China is home to around 29 percent of the worlds installed hydroelectric capacity, followed by Brazil, the United States, and Canada. However, some countries rely much more heavily on hydropower, with Norway, Paraguay, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Albania depending on hydro for a large proportion of their electricity generation. However, the IEAs Executive Director, Fatih Birol, has suggested that hydropower is often overlooked, describing it asthe forgotten giant of electricity. Birol says that it is often not included in international energy discussions, when it should be, especially with the global electricity demand set to rise at a faster pace than the overall energy demand. In 2021, the IEA published a major report on hydropower, identifying the significant potential of expanding the hydro market. Around 60 percent of the hydro resources in emerging and developing economies are untapped. Investing in the sector could help boost energy access and power industrialisation, thereby spurring economic growth. Unlike solar and wind power, hydropower is highly flexible, as plants are developed to rapidly adjust their generation up and down as needed, and can be stopped and restarted with relative ease. This makes them highly efficient in adapting to changes in the power demand, typically at a low cost. For this reason, hydropower could be key to clean energy diversification, filling the gap when the sun is not shining and the wind is not blowing. Hydro resources can also be used for energy storage. Pumped-storage hydro (PSH) plants can act as giant batteries, using water instead of chemicals. At present, they are the largest form of electricity storage worldwide, with the capacity to hold 30 times more power than batteries. In addition, new technologies can make hydro plants much more efficient, meaning that investing in refurbishing and upgrading ageing plants could help boost electricity output and improve storage capacity. There is close to 200 GW of PSH capacity worldwide, contributing around 90 percent of long-duration energy storage globally. A further 570 GW of PSH is set to be developed worldwide in the coming years. Conventional hydropower, such as the Three Gorges Dam in China, stores energy by holding water in a reservoir before releasing it to power turbines. However, PSH has the reputation as a water battery, as it uses excess energy, mainly from renewables, to pump water from a lower reservoir to a higher one, before allowing gravity to send the water back down pipes to boost power during low-production hours. Despite often being overlooked, hydropower has garnered greater attention in the United States in recent months, due to President Trumps crackdown on clean energy. A submersible hydroelectric technology is being used in the Great Lakes, one of the worlds largest freshwater bodies, which border several large North American cities, such as Chicago, Toronto, Montreal, and Detroit. None of the five Great Lakes has substantial tides or currents to fuel hydropower, but some of the surrounding waterways do. In February, the Ocean Renewable Power Company (ORPC) announced its first urban project on the St Lawrence River in Montreal. ORPC plans to begin operating two hydroelectricity devices later this year, with 60-90 MW of resource potential in the area. The devices use carbon fibre turbines, which are turned by the flow of water. This technology has become increasingly popular in recent years, with similar projects being developed in Korea and the United Kingdom. Despite long being used as an energy source, the potential for hydropower as part of energy diversification efforts has been greatly overlooked. As governments worldwide look for ways to strengthen their energy security and reduce reliance on volatile energy sources such as oil and gas hydropower could offer a major clean alternative power source, as well as provide enhanced stability through the use of hydro plants as giant batteries. By Felicity Bradstock for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com The U.S. launched a nuclear reactor into orbit in 1965, but space-based nuclear programs were abandoned after radioactive releases. NASA has since spent billions on space nuclear projects that went nowhere the White House says this time is different. Nuclear power is considered the only viable energy source for a permanent lunar presence solar, wind, and hydropower are all ruled out by the moon's environment, including 14-Earth-day-long lunar nights. The White House issued a directive on April 14 ordering NASA, the Pentagon, and the Department of Energy to develop a nuclear fission reactor capable of orbiting the moon, with a launch-ready target of 2028. The Trump administration has grand plans for ENSURING AMERICAN SPACE SUPERIORITY. When NASA sent humans to the moon for the first time this century earlier this month, the organization made it clear that this is just the opening act for a new and revitalized era of space exploration. Under the Trump administration, NASA has enormous ambitions, going as far as to plan a permanent base on the moon, which will need never-before-seen energy innovations to maintain a secure source of power. This week, the federal government laid out its plans to achieve it. The plan is to send a nuclear reactor into space. Last year, Trump issued a plan to install a nuclear reactor on the surface of the moon, but new orders describe a brand new vision. The April 14 plan lays out a mandate for NASA, the Pentagon and the Department of Energy to develop a nuclear system capable of orbiting the moon, and to have it launch-ready as soon as 2028. To achieve this vision, NASA will partner with various agencies to fast-track mid-power fission reactor designs and surface power variants, which will compete to achieve near-term demonstration of viable models. The White Houses overall strategy is to conduct parallel and mutually-reinforcing NASA and Department of War (DOW) design competitions to enable near-term demonstration and use of low- to mid-power space reactors in orbit and on the lunar surface, and prepare to deploy high-power reactors in the 2030s, Interesting Engineering reported this week. Solving the riddle of generating power in space would be revolutionary for space exploration and expansion, and all of the political and economic power that comes along with it. With great power competition rising, the ocean floor, Arctic, and lunar surface are becoming the front lines of global security and economic progress but they remain energy deserts, says Tyler Bernstein, Chief Executive Officer of a venture-backed nuclear battery startup called Zeno Power. Set OilPrice.com as a preferred source in Google here Nuclear is widely seen as the only feasible solution to bringing energy into space. Lunar days are extremely long, and each lunar night lasts 14 Earth days, meaning solar power is out of the question. There is no wind on the surface of the moon, so wind power is out as well. Nor is there flowing water for hydropower. Fossil fuels are not available on the moon, and bringing them into orbit would be a ludicrous waste of resources. By comparison, nuclear fission powered with high-assay, low-enriched uranium is far and away the best option. Based on these facts, it should not be surprising that the idea of bringing nuclear power to space is a very old one that has been tried many times before. In fact, the United States launched a nuclear reactor into orbit way back in 1965, and the Soviet Union launched similar projects. However, both the United States and the USSR released radioactive materials into the atmosphere and on Earth as a part of these efforts, and this track of nuclear development was soon abandoned due to growing pushback and a wave of anti-nuclear sentiment. Of course, nuclear fission technology has changed and advanced considerably since those ill-fated ventures. But NASA has continued to explore space-based nuclear power in the past decades, spending billions on nuclear power projects that havent gone anywhere according to a recent report from Scientific American. But a new nuclear era is upon us. Public support for nuclear power is on the rebound, and space-age ambitions have likewise come roaring back in the Oval Office as well as the private sector. And U.S. leadership is outwardly confident that this time around, it will work. Nuclear power in space will give us the sustained electricity, heating, and propulsion essential to a permanent robotic and eventually human presence on the moon, on Mars, and beyond, Michael Kratsios, the director of the White Houses science and technology policy office, recently said at the Space Symposium. By Haley Zaremba for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com The Strait of Hormuz is once again at the center of escalating geopolitical tensions, with Iran moving to restrict vessel traffic amid an ongoing U.S. naval blockade. According to multiple reports, Iran has turned back at least 20 vessels attempting to transit the strait, while U.S. enforcement actions have redirected additional ships, bringing total disruptions to more than 20 tankers. Merchant vessels reportedly received direct radio warnings from Iranian naval forces declaring the waterway closed to all traffic following what Tehran described as a failure by Washington to uphold ceasefire commitments. The developments mark a sharp reversal from earlier optimism. Just days ago, Iran had signaled that navigation through Hormuz was completely open following a temporary ceasefire agreement tied to de-escalation in Lebanon. That arrangement now appears to be unraveling, with both sides maintaining overlapping restrictionseffectively choking off maritime access. Security risks are also rising. A U.S. defense official said Irans Revolutionary Guard Corps has carried out multiple attacks on commercial vessels in recent days, while shipowners reported gunfire incidents in the strait. India is reportedly preparing a diplomatic response after two Indian-flagged vessels, including a Very-Large-Crude-Carrier (VLCC) laden with 2 million barrels of Iraqi crude, were attacked near the Strait of Hormuz. Despite ongoing diplomatic messaging from Washington suggesting progress in talks, the situation on the water tells a different story. Shipowners remain hesitant to return, with many vessels already redeployed outside the region and tanker availability in the Middle East sharply reduced. With the Strait still under Iranian control and access limited to vessels cleared by its authorities, the risk of a prolonged disruption to global oil flows is increasingleaving markets bracing for further volatility and potential supply shocks, especially after Fridays sharp selloff, which may prove short-lived if physical constraints persist and traders are forced to reprice the severity of the disruption. By Tom Kool for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com By Oregon Campaign Watch, CNN notes that there has been a drop of support for President Trump among younger voters, but at the same time, the older voter category (65+) has changed by only 2%. This appears to be a strong base for the President. By Taxpayers Association of Oregon OregonWatchdog.com Oregon Independent journalist Andy Ngo reports on a Portland sticker encouraging people to steal something from work. Read below and then follow Andy Ngo here and donate here. The extremist Antifa collective CrimethInc is promoting April 15 as Steal Something from Work Day. They reference a recent California warehouse arson attack that caused over $600 million in damages, framing embezzlement from your employer as the moderate option for revenge pic.twitter.com/Os2qxe3rbL Andy Ngo (@MrAndyNgo) April 16, 2026 Flex to invest another $1 billion USD in AI artificial intelligence centres across Mexico Mexico City, Mexico The Ministry of Economy has announced a two year investment of $1 billion USD by Flex. The company says they are investing the money in artificial intelligence data centres across Mexico. The centres are slated for Guadalajara, Jalisco, Aguascalientes, Aguascalientes and Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua where at least 5,000 jobs will be created. During the Presidential press conference Friday, Mexicos Secretary of Economy Marcelo Ebrard announced the $1 billion USD investment by Flex. He says the additional investment will strengthen advanced manufacturing, data centers and AI infrastructure. Ebrard says the investment will be made between 2026 and 2028 by the company Flex for the development of Artificial Intelligence Data Centers. This is projected to generate more than 5,000 direct jobs, adding to the more than 40,000 that the company already generates in the country. Ebrard highlighted that this investment generates a very broad supply network, making Mexico a strategic location for the development of technology and data centers. Guillermo del Rio, Flexs Director of Business Development and Government Affairs, explained that this investment aims to replace imports. He said the money will be implemented mainly in Guadalajara, Jalisco, Aguascalientes, Aguascalientes and Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua. Mexicos Secretary of Economy Marcelo Ebrard April 17, 2026. He acknowledged President Sheinbaums leadership in always seeking innovation, economic development and advanced manufacturing in Mexico. He also thanked the Mexican government for its support in making this investment a reality, which adds to the $2.3 billion USD they have already invested in the country. Reaffirming our commitment to Mexico and recognizing that its support has been invaluable to us, he said during the Friday announcement. Heineken Mexico starts campaign to hire Mexicans repatriated from the U.S. Mexico City, Mexico Heineken company Tecate has started a campaign to hire Mexicans repatriated from the U.S. The company is hoping to integrate them into the local labor market starting with 100 hires. On Friday, Tecate brewery launched Welcome Back, Paisano, a website to hire Mexicans repatriated from the United States in a scheme that also promotes the opening of new stores to sustain the job offer. According to the companys statement, the plan includes opening new stores to expand job offers and entrepreneurial opportunities. The company framed the initiative within the context of the return of more than 160,000 Mexicans from the United States last year alone. Heineken Mexico is creating jobs through its Tecate brand to employ those who return from the U.S. According to data from Mexicos Ministry of the Interior, more than 203,000 Mexicans were repatriated from the United States between January 20, 2025 and April 16, 2026. The Heineken announcement is part of the federal Mexico Embraces You strategy presented by the government last year to assist repatriated Mexicans with social programs and employment for their return. What made us reflect was a number that is really not just a number. It represents more than 160,000 people who were repatriated to Mexico in 2025. This is a large number, but beyond the number, there are many stories behind it, said Esteban Velasco, Director of Tecate Mexico. During the Friday presentation, the company said the program is driven by Heineken through the Tecate brand and SIX-brand convenience stores in alliance with Fundes, an NGO focused on economic and social inclusion. The employability program includes several phases, the first of which started in early 2026 with the opening of five SIX convienence stores. Those new stores were opened in the border cities of Tijuana, Baja California and Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua. Currently, the initiative is moving toward a second stage with an objective employ at least 130 people and open 10 more SIX convenience stores in the next 24 months. According to Inti Perez, the Director of Corporate Sustainability at Heineken Mexico, these new stores will be located in the northern region of Mexico, an area considered strategic due to the high concentration of repatriated people. Across the country there are approximately 17,000 SIX convenience stores that belong to Heineken Mexico. Bryan Vander Dussen spent years as a dairy farmer before shifting to selling farm-raised beef. In the past year, he and his wife have been making another transition: Cooking up recipes in their kitchen that turn organ fat from his animals into tallow balm that buyers are eager to slather on their skin. One tricky bit: Coming up with formulas that dont smell like pot roast. You see it everywhere, so we were like, Why dont we do this? he said. Some of the feedback is, We dont want to smell like beef, so we add things like lavender and wild orange to kind of counter that potential beef smell. Advertisement Advertisement From moisturizers made with beef tallow to salmon sperm facials, consumers have become more interested in animal-based skin care products in recent years. Promoted as natural alternatives to synthetics, they're gaining popularity across social media and high-end spas as well as at farmers markets and in home kitchens. Some experts connect the products' rise to an increased focus on the health impact of chemicals, as well as pro-meat messaging from the Make America Healthy Again movement. Theres been a movement in the last couple of years to embrace animal-based foods, said Norah MacKendrick, an associate professor of sociology at Rutgers University who has studied why consumers are worried about chemicals in their personal care products. I think some of that is probably spilling over into the cosmetic world. Natalee Keenan, 31, said she was looking for natural skin care products when she decided to give tallow a try. The first product she purchased felt beefy and heavy on her skin, but the western Pennsylvania woman said she recently found a whipped tallow balm scented with coconut that feels much lighter. Advertisement Advertisement I use it sparingly, she said, adding a tiny bit has been enough to keep her skin feeling smooth. Heres what experts have to say about animal-based skin care, including cautions about a lack of medical evidence for their effectiveness. Chemists, farmers say animal byproducts can be a way to use industry waste The cosmetics industry moved away from many animal-derived ingredients decades ago amid concerns about animal testing and disease outbreaks like mad cow, said Perry Romanowski, an independent cosmetic chemist who studies how skin care ingredients are formulated. For years, those concerns, along with the rise of vegan beauty products, pushed many brands to avoid animal-based ingredients altogether. But recently, some of those materials have started to reappear in skin care products and are often marketed as natural alternatives. Advertisement Advertisement Jamie Moody, founder of Sonoma Mountain Beef in Northern California, said she started making tallow products in an effort to reduce waste. Since the trend toward clean products remains strong, I believe the market will continue to grow, she said. Vander Dussen, the California rancher, said he and his wife are just kind of jumping onto the fad thats already there. He added: In todays world, its very important not only what you are putting on your face but where it comes from. Kelly Pratt, who owns a spa in Tampa, Florida, said demand for treatments like salmon sperm DNA facials have surged because clients report improvements over time. Cassandra Hutchison, an aesthetician who gives the treatments at the spa, said the ingredient is intended to repair skin and keep inflammation down. She said it helps in hydration, making skin look healthier and repairing damage to the outer layer of skin that keeps moisture in and irritants out. Prices vary, but a tub of tallow balm at Target costs about $15 more than a tub of petroleum jelly. And while there are some salmon sperm products like masks you can apply at home, many have to be applied at a spa, which comes with its own costs. Still, that hasn't deterred some consumers, whose searches for terms like beef tallow for skin have jumped in recent years and remained higher than ever before, according to Google Trends. Experts say these may not be best choices Turning waste from an animal product into something people use is certainly an example of sustainability, experts said. Advertisement Advertisement But neither beef tallow nor salmon sperm have robust medical data to support their effectiveness, said Dr. Angelo Landriscina, a New York City dermatologist who has taken to social media to debunk what he sees as skin care misinformation. Dr. Heather Rogers, a Seattle dermatologist, agreed theres no medical evidence that tallow on your skin is helpful. She said it can be rancid and hard to use, and additives to make it smell more pleasant can be irritants. Romanowski, the cosmetic chemist, said consumers should keep their expectations realistic. He said only a few skin care ingredients, including retinol, a vitamin A-derived ingredient commonly used to reduce fine lines and wrinkles, and niacinamide, a form of vitamin B3 that helps with redness and strengthens the skin, have strong evidence behind them. Others, he said, may offer only modest benefits that are difficult for consumers to notice. How the politics of meat and chemicals weigh in Corrin Dial, 32, owns Lowcountry Family Farms with her husband in South Carolina. Neither of them grew up farming, she said, but decided to try it after he got out of the Marine Corps. Advertisement Advertisement Dial said she was looking for a natural balm for her baby about two years ago and decided to try whipping tallow. She said she thinks many people are coming to it to avoid chemical products, citing one customer who had cancer and was told by her doctor to be careful of anything she puts on her skin. A lot of people are moving away from the chemical stuff, theyre trying to get into healthy eating and using more products where they know exactly where it came from, she said. MacKendrick, the sociologist from Rutgers, speculated that mothers, who as a demographic have become increasingly aware of how chemical substances affect children, are driving some of the move toward animal-based cosmetic products. We find that mothers are making these decisions for the household, MacKendrick said. Buying cosmetics for children or personal care products for children is considered high-stakes work. Landriscina pointed out that ingredients like salmon-based skin care getting touted as the hottest new thing can be rooted in an idea that other cultures, especially in places like Korea, are somehow ahead of the curve or have more innovation in their skin care. That's a bit different than the back to basics mentality that can draw people to ingredients like beef tallow. But he said whether people are interested in something old or something new, their skin care choices should be rooted in evidence. Advertisement Advertisement Romanowski said the beauty industry is under pressure to constantly introduce something new. You should think of the cosmetic industry more like the fashion industry because you can only do so much with the shirt, right? said Romanowski. You can change the color, you can do some aesthetics thing, but its still a shirt and its the same thing with cosmetics. ___ Diab reported from Tampa, Fla., Taxin reported from Santa Ana, Calif. and Walling reported from Chicago. ___ Follow Melina Walling on X @MelinaWalling and Bluesky @melinawalling.bsky.social. ___ The Associated Press climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find APs standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org. Dear Prudence is Slates advice column. Submit questions here. Dear Prudence, My dad was in a miserable marriage for 20 years before he met my mother and decided to put his nightmare behind him. That was over 50 years ago, and my dad is now 82. Yesterday, we learned through our social grapevine that his ex died three months ago. Now he has made a request Im not sure I can (or should) honor: He wants me to drive him to the city where the ex is buried so he can piss on her grave. My mom is now legally blind and cant do it herself, but she says she cant blame him and is on his side. Dad says this is at the top of his bucket list and is adamant about doing it. Is this the sort of thing that is permissible to indulge? A Pissing, Er, Pressing Question Dear Pressing Question, This feels potentially illegal. The sort of illegal behavior that is probably not likely to actually lead to consequences for him, but gives you a solid reason to decline using I dont want to be an accessory to a public urination charge as your reason. If your dad has any friends who still drive (and are as hateful as he is), now is the time for him to call on them. If theyre unavailable, certainly he could do something symbolic, such as burning (or yes, even pissing on) a photo or something that represents his ex. Your mom sounds like shes on the same page as him, but its still worth advising him that a nice thing to do would be to pretend to be a bit more over his last relationship. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Get advicesubmit a question! Please keep questions short (<150 words), and dont submit the same question to multiple columns. We are unable to edit or remove questions after publication. Use pseudonyms to maintain anonymity. Your submission may be used in other Slate advice columns and may be edited for publication. Thanks! Your question has been submitted. Dear Prudence, * Your letter signoff Your pronouns Your email (optional and confidentialplease include if you're open to Dear Prudence following up) Submit Dear Prudence, At the big ol age of 50, I finally got treatment for the, in retrospect, virulent mental health issues that have plagued me since I was a teenager. Its a little embarrassing to have to admit that I waited so long, which is probably why Im here instead of talking to people. Well, that, and if I liked talking about my problems, someone would have probably suggested medicating myself before now. Advertisement Anyway, its going great. Minimal side-effects and good uptake with everything. The thing is, I have no idea how to navigate a life where youre A: hopeful about the future (at least, personally. I can see the world), and B: dont have the out of the final sign-off as a treat to buoy you through hard times. I mean, I know most people find the idea of being so depressed you check out early as being scary. I spent so long in the pit Id decorated it to suite. It was comfortable. Maybe I had no faith in things going well, ever, but at least I knew that if worst came to worst, I could just die. Now I well, I still CAN. I just dont want to. Its daunting. I want to take risks and enjoy life, but if something happens, I might have to live with the consequences. Advertisement Advertisement And I know I should probably talk to my doctor, but it feels like whining. I already complained to them once, now Im complaining about the fix? It also kind of feels more existential than actionable? Keep on Keepin On Dear Keepin On, Whining would be The pharmacy always tells me my medication will be available in 10 minutes and then it takes 12. I am having trouble coping with lifes hardships now that suicide is not an option Im considering, and I would like some advice is a very reasonable thing to raise with a professional. Its a better topic for a therapist or psychiatrist than a doctor. But whatever you do, dont keep the way youre feeling to yourself. Youll be doing yourself a huge disservice if you dont take this next step in your recovery. Working though this will get you closer to enjoying the life youve fought so hard and waited so long for. Advertisement Advertisement Dear Prudence, Im 32, and I want to be married and have a family more than anything. For just over a year, Ive been dating Cady who is 28 and wants the same thing. For our one-year anniversary, we agreed to tell each other anything that might hold us back from getting more serious. My biggest problems were that Im in therapy for anxiety, which she already knew, and I was arrested (but not charged) for smoking pot once in college. But Cady had something bigger. Advertisement Advertisement Id known she had a barely one-year starter marriage just out of college, with her college boyfriend. I hadnt pressed her about exactly how it ended. It turns out her husband had fathered a child with another woman while they were still casually dating. Hed secretly been paying child support, which explained some financial shortcomings. The woman was not a student but lived near their school and had several other children by different fathers. She had just been arrested with the likelihood of prison time, and CPS was looking to place the child, by then a toddler, with him. He wanted Cady not only to care for the child while working full-time from home, but also agree to shared custody even after the mother was free. Advertisement They had been doing the thing where youre not trying not to get pregnant. Cady had missed a period but not yet confirmed anything. When she took a pregnancy test and it was positive, she immediately went to the doctor and was given the abortion pills she requested. She then moved out, leaving her ex to figure out his kid situation alone, and filed for divorce. She said she still loved her ex at the time and could have forgiven him, but felt she owed her future children better than a father with a previous child and an inescapable connection with an unstable household. Advertisement At first, I was completely sympathetic. I grew up in a messy blended family and couldnt blame her for only wanting kids in a situation with both parents undivided attention and resources. But then I talked it over with my therapist. She said that Cady was given a test to see what kind of mother shed be, and failed. She said any woman who would turn her back on a child in that situation, and abort her own child to get out of it, was heartless and would probably be abusive to any child she had. Advertisement The notion that Cady would be anything but a wonderful mother to our child is ludicrous to me. My instinct is to stand by her and find a new therapist. But I havent told her about my misgivings. I feel like I need a second opinion, but I dont want to share her secret with any of my friends or family. So? Angsting Dear Angsting, Please navigate to the section of your insurance companys website that allows you to search for therapists who participate with your plan. And find a new one, immediately. Your sessions should be focused on you and your feelings. Naturally your partner will come up, but it was inappropriate to make such a harsh judgment and baseless prediction about Cady. Instead, she should have been encouraging you to explore your own experience and listen to your instincts. Luckily, you seem to already have that down, and those instincts are telling you that someone in your life has poor character and cant give you what you want. Except that person isnt your girlfriendits the one charging $200 an hour to say anything that comes to their mind. Dont listen. Catch up on this weeks Prudie. More Advice From Slate I live in a huge apartment complex with about 500 tenants. I happen to live on the back side of the complex, with a window facing the dumpster in the alleyway. Many of the maintenance workers hang out in that alley when theyre not working. Ive been working from home for six months now, meaning I spend way more time overhearing their conversations than I used to. Sign up for the Surge, the newsletter that covers the most important political nonsense of the week, delivered to your inbox every Saturday. Welcome to this weeks edition of the Surge, a politics newsletter that was posting memes of itself as Jesus long before that was cool. Weve got two big threads this week: creeps in the House of Representatives and blasphemy. Plus, we check in on the premier Democratic primary of the year and goons showing up at the Federal Reserve construction site. First, lets zoom in on a career that just ended. 1. Eric Swalwell A coddled career. The downfall of former California Rep. Eric Swalwell has had the Surge thinking even more than usual about psychopathy. According to the many allegations released against him over the past weeka week that began with him both employed in Congress and in a decent position to become the next California governorhe has, at the very least, been catting around for a decade. The more explosive allegations accuse him of regular harassment, drugging of women, and sexual assault, including among staffers. (Swalwell has admitted to mistakes in judgment but denied the assault allegations.) What kind of person, then, thinks they will run for a promotion as substantial as governor of California and keep these secrets contained? Perhaps someone whos spent the formative years of his political career being coddled. Despite negligible legislative talent andas we can say pretty definitively nowlimited intelligence, Swalwell did unusually well for himself in the House. It wasnt just how he made himself politics-famous as a regular presence on cable news. He had good committees. He had a plum seat on the Intelligence Committee and was a co-chair of the Steering Committee, which decides committee assignments for the caucus. He was appointed to be an impeachment manager in one of Donald Trumps trials. He got these gigs because he had ingratiated himself with former Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi, who took care of her fellow Bay Area members. There were always intracaucus grumblings about her favoritism to him, and how he didnt deserve any of it. But it didnt seem to bother him, and he got quite used to coasting through politics. It worked until it didnt. Advertisement 2. Anna Paulina Luna and Teresa Leger Fernandez Taking out the trash, one (bipartisan pair) at a time. Before Swalwells resignation, the allegations against him initially added him to a long list of high-profile cases sitting before the House Ethics Committee, where proceedings do not move at an expeditious pace. Democratic leaders, while calling for him to end his gubernatorial campaign, didnt opine publicly about whether Swalwell should resign from the House. They were facing a similar dilemma that Republican leaders have been managing in the case of Texas Rep. Tony Gonzales, who had an affair with a staffer who later died by suicide: Yeah, theyve got to go, but with the House so evenly divided between the two parties, every single vote matters to the balance of power. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It fell to Reps. Anna Paulina Luna and Teresa Leger Fernandeza Republican and a Democrat, respectivelyto push the two out as a pair. The two coordinated to threaten both men with forced expulsion votes if they didnt resign by 2 p.m. on Tuesday. Once it became clear that both of those expulsion votes would likely succeed, the two men resigned in quick succession. A justice system in which individual members wield the axe against fellow members with the threat of forced expulsion votes is not ideal. But exceptions were invented for moments like this. This worked really well! Advertisement 3. Pope Leo XIV Surge Sunday school, Part 1. Weve been through quite a bit with this president of ours. Yet has a social media rant of his ever featured such a catching first line as Pope Leo is WEAK on Crime? That cant be taught. Anyway: Trump finally addressed the Vicar of Christs recent criticism of the administration over some measly imperialism and nativism. He posted that he didnt want a Pope who thinks its OK for Iran to have a Nuclear Weapon, thinks its terrible that America attacked Venezuela, and criticizes the President of the United States because Im doing exactly what I was elected, IN A LANDSLIDE, to do. He said: Leo should get his act together as Pope. Actually, that might be the best line. The pope mostly ignored this, because the pope does not get into shouting matches. But for Catholic bishops, even conservative Catholic bishops, the pope is their ride-or-die, and a wave of them spoke out this week against the presidents comments. But this is one of those moments when its worth looking beyond the reaction from immediate stakeholders. Say you dont pay much attention to the nitty-gritty of politics and think theyre all a bunch of clowns. Wouldnt a headline such as President Trump Attacks the Pope catch you, still, as some genuinely abnormal and alarming behavior? Trump gets away with so much when gas is $2.50. But gas is not $2.50, and hes attacking the pope. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 4. (Doctor?) Jesus Surge Sunday school, Part 2. Heres another headline that, again, might strike the passive consumer of news as unusual: Trump Portrays Himself as Jesus. Such was an A.I.-generated image that the president shared on social media shortly after attacking the pope. So would anyone on the Christian right express public outrage at this episode of cut-and-dried blasphemy? As it happens, yes, and the pushback culminated in a rare instance of Trump deleting the post. Trumps explanation was well, it was this: I viewed that as a picture of me being a doctor in fixingyou had the Red Cross right there, you had, you know, medical people surrounding me, he said. And I was like the doctor, you know, as a little fun playing the doctor and making people better. So thats what it was viewed as. Thats what most people thought. No one viewed it as that, and no one thought that. That was Christ, bro. But hey, were just humble out-of-practice Christians over here at the Surgewhat do we know? Nepo evangelist Franklin Graham wrote that he really believes that Trump thought it was an image of a doctor. Who are we to doubt such a man of faith? Advertisement 5. Jeanine Pirro How the race to be the next attorney general is complicating the confirmation of the next Fed chair. On Tuesday, a couple of prosecutors from U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirros office showed up at the Federal Reserve, hoping for a tour and to check on progress of the buildings renovation. They were turned away, as the Feds outside counsel, Robert Hur (remember him??), reminded them that their offices subpoenas against the Fed had been tossed in court. In other words, it was yet another showy provocation against the Fed from Pirros office, a week before Trumps nominee to chair the Fed, Kevin Warsh, has his Senate hearing to replace Jerome Powell. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sen. Thom Tillis, a key member of the Senate Banking Committee, has said hell block Warshs nomination until the Justice Department ends the probe into Powell. So why wont the DOJ just drop this stupid thing and get on with its new era of MAGA monetary policy? Perhaps because Pirro, whos overseeing the Fed probe, wants to be attorney general and is showing her eagerness to do the countrys businessrunning criminal investigations into people the president doesnt likeeven when the chips are low. Advertisement 6. Graham Platner Is it time to call the Maine Democratic Senate primary? The race between Graham Platner and Janet Mills was billed as the showdown of the Democratic primary season: Oysterman vs. governor. Outsider vs. establishment. Young vs. old. Raw vs. seasoned. Man with a Nazi tattoo vs. woman without a Nazi tattoo. So hows it all going since we last checked in a while ago? We dont know what else to say: It appears to be somewhat sorta kinda over. Platner is dusting Mills by lopsided margins in polling averages. Were having trouble seeing how this would change ahead of the June 9 primary. Platners dirty laundrythe Nazi tattoo, his lengthy history of gross comments on social mediahas been aired extensively for months and months, so more attack ads from the Mills camp highlighting those controversies might have marginal returns. She cant expect a sudden polling Surge the more people get to know her, since everyone in the state already knows her well. And attacking Platner as too risky to put up against Sen. Susan Collins in November is a tough sell when Platner regularly outperforms Mills in polls against Collins. The ever-nervous Democratic voter brain almost always defers to the safe pick in Senate races: a well-credentialed candidate personally recruited by Chuck Schumer and financially backed by the Democratic Senate Campaign Committee. A major breach from that pattern may be a month and a half away. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 7. Ayanna Pressley Yet another successful discharge petition. Lets end with another metric of how Republican leaders have lost control of the Houseand no, were not even talking about the failed efforts this week to extend a warrantless surveillance program for the long term. Once again, yet another bill was passed through the House via use of a discharge petition, in which 218 signatories to a petition can force a floor vote on a bill. Prior to the previous Congress, there hadnt been a successful discharge petition since 2015. There have been nearly 10 over the past couple of Congresses, including on bills to release the Epstein files and extend enhanced Affordable Care Act subsidies. The discharge petition in this case was filed by Massachusetts Rep. Ayanna Pressley, on a bill to extend temporary protected status for Haitian refugees for three years. Trump, who campaigned on a hoax about how Haitian immigrants in Ohio eat cats and dogs, has obviously tried to terminate Haitians protected status. (The question is currently before the courts.) So while the bills passage through the House was a significant feat, its unlikely to go anywhere. Alabama Sen. Katie Brittwho feels oh so terrible about poor detained immigrant childrencalled the bill dead on arrival in the Senate, and the White House, similarly, said, This terrible bill is going nowhere and there has been a veto threat issued. That 10 House Republicans would defy their speaker and the White House to support such a bill, though, illustrates how the politics of immigration have changed since the peak hawkishness that surrounded Trumps 2024 election. Azerbaijans Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov and Pakistans Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar held a brief meeting on the sidelines of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum, AzerNEWS reports. According to a post shared by Pakistans Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the social media platform X, the ministers discussed the regional situation as well as ways to further strengthen PakistanAzerbaijan relations. Both sides agreed to remain in close contact, the statement said. Sign up for the Slatest to get the most insightful analysis, criticism, and advice out there, delivered to your inbox daily. In April 2024, I had a minor surgical procedure to deal with patches of inflammation on the inside of my bladder. Calling it a surgical procedure is almost overkill. According to the doctor, the whole thing took about 15 minutes. But because it involved cauterizing lesions, I was put under general anesthesia to spare me the horrors of experiencing it. In most cases, general anesthesia means getting intubated (your breathing rate decreases when sedative drugs are used), which means waking up with a sore throat and some hoarseness. Not that my throat really bothered me initially. For the first couple of days, the pain in my pelvis was far, far worse. It felt as if a boxer had used my bladder as a punching bag. Thankfully, the pain quickly improved, and my presurgery symptoms disappeared. What didnt get better was my throat. At first it was only a slight increase in the hoarseness, as if Id been sick with a head cold. But by the end of the week, my voice sounded terrible. Thin and breathy, and the wrong pitch. My sore throat was gone, but speaking for more than 10 seconds made me lightheaded, as if I were trying to blow up a balloon simply by talking. Maybe the tube just irritated something, I thought. Itll probably get better within a few weeks. It did not. At the end of May, I had my first appointment with an ENT. He threaded a tiny camera on a thin wire through my nose and down my throat. Numbing spray dripped onto the back of my tongue, its bitter flavor making me want to gag. Once the camera was in place, the doctor had me make several sounds while he watched my vocal cords. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After the ENT retracted the camera, he looked puzzled. Something is wrong, but Im not sure what, he said. My vocal cords were mostly moving as they should be, ruling out vocal cord paralysis or other pathologies. He suggested I try doing voice therapy. I went to a second ENT a week later. This one performed the same series of tests: A camera went into my nostril. I repeated a few sounds. At the end, he announced I had muscle tension dysphonia. The muscles around my vocal cords were behaving improperly, squeezing too hard instead of relaxing when they should. Again: Some voice therapy and Id be as good as new. But from the very first session with the voice therapist, she had a suspicion that something else was wrong. I shared her doubts, having done a bit of internet sleuthing. The symptoms of muscle tension dysphonia tend to carry over into laughing, singing, and changing the pitch of ones voice. That wasnt the case with me. My singing was entirely unaffected, as was my laughter. If I talked like Mickey Mouse, the thin breathiness that plagued my voice went away. After the voice therapist had me do a handful of exercisesthings like blowing bubbles into water through a straw and singing different notesshe suggested looking into spasmodic dysphonia, a neurological disorder that affects the movement of the vocal cords. Advertisement The more I read, the more horrified I felt. My symptoms matched all the descriptions for the rarer form of the disorder, called abductor spasmodic dysphonia. I had more trouble with voiceless consonants than voiced onesone of the sample sentences for this type of SD reduced my voice to a whisper on nearly every syllable. (Potato soup tastes fine with crackers, if youre wondering.) I was relieved to have the possibility of an answer but overwhelmed by what that answer might mean. The disorder was incurable. Advertisement The third doctor I saw, a laryngologist, confirmed the diagnosis. Once again, a camera went down my throat, but this time she had me speak full sentences and put the video of the inside of my throat on a monitor so I could watch. Whenever I tried to pronounce certain words, my vocal cords spasmed apart. This was why Id been feeling so lightheaded, and it was the cause of my hoarseness. Turns out I had been squeezing the muscles of my throat too hard, because if I didnt, my voice became half-whisper. Advertisement The only treatment was Botox injections in the throat to target the muscles that spasmed. The trouble with this was that the abductor muscles are the ones that open the trachea, allowing airflow to the lungs. Too much Botox and Id have trouble breathing. Advertisement Advertisement Despite the risks, I opted to try the injections. They turned out to be one of the most miserable medical treatments Ive ever experienced (and Ive had a lot: steroid injections in my wrist, hip, knees, and spine, as well as nine different surgeries). The numbing lidocaine was injected first and sprayed down my windpipe, making me feel as if I were drowning. Then came the Botox, several shots in different muscles of my throat. Those ached more than stung and left me completely voiceless for the following 24 hours. It took three separate injections, spread out over three months, before we found a dose that had any effect. But that amount of Botox left me breathless when climbing stairs, and the smoothing-out of my voice lasted for only a couple of weeks. Advertisement It wasnt worth it, I decided. Id learn to live with my new voice. This was easier said than done. A co-worker had asked me to co-host a podcast with her; now that was on hold. In the past, I had been invited to give speeches and presentations for various groups, but I worried that no one would want me anymore. And what felt worst was that I was working on a book about my other chronic illnesses. I didnt want to add a new diagnosis in the middle of the story, in part because I hadnt yet figured out how I felt about the whole thing. More than that, I worried what would happen when it came out. Id be doing readings and other promotional events on a regular basis. But who would want to listen to me with this new voice? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Youve probably actually heard of spasmodic dysphonia before this, even if you didnt quite realize it. The current head of the Department of Health and Human Services, the one destroying decades of progress in public health and endangering the lives of children, has this disorder too. Yes, Im talking about Robert F. Kennedy Jr. And yes, multiple peopleincluding health professionalstold me my voice sounded like his. Because at the exact moment I was getting diagnosed, he was running for president in the 2024 elections. It made me want to scream. I did not want to be in any way affiliated with an anti-vax conspiracist. We also have opposite forms of the disorder. While my vocal cords spasm apart, his spasm together; while my voice gets soft and whispery, his voice is tight and gravelly. But because our voices are both uneven and unusual, we got lumped together. And all his rhetoric was deplorable: He, without any credible evidence, blames the flu vaccine for potentially triggering his SD. SD is so rare its estimated that only 50,000 people in North America have it, and doctors dont really know what causes it; there might be a genetic component, theres probably an environmental component, and stress could be involved. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Every time I Googled anything about the disorder, RFK Jr.s name popped up. I felt haunted by him, terrified at what he might do if he were elected or in any way involved in the government. (Surprise, surprise: Those worries and more have now come true.) I was also working hard to make peace with what had happened: recording voice memos on my phone to get used to speaking and hearing myself, continuing my voice therapy exercises, and letting myself be sad or angry or have any other feelings about it. And here was this politician who, it seemed, couldnt accept our rare disorder as a freak thing that just happens to some peoplewho was pointing a finger at a vaccine, and who was now effectively taking that vaccine away from others. Advertisement Still, reading his interviews while on the campaign trail struck a painful sympathetic chord in me. Kennedys voice had changed when he was teaching at law school in his 40s. (The disorder usually appears in midlife; always an overachiever, I came to it early.) He told a reporter for the Los Angeles Times, I feel sorry for the people who have to listen to me. In another interview, with NBC News, he said, I cant stand my voice. And speaking to CNN, Kennedy noted, I cannot listen to myself on TV. He too spent years getting Botox injections, and even traveled to Japan for an experimental surgery to have a metal rod inserted between his vocal cords. Advertisement Advertisement Its a weird thing to listen to a recording of yourself speaking, even when your voice is healthy. After years of recording and transcribing calls for my work as a journalist, I had gotten used to it. But the first time I transcribed an interview Id conducted with my breathy, inconsistent voice, I felt like one giant cringe. And it was more than personal embarrassment. People regularly asked what was wrong with me, if I was sick or sad or close to tears. I started avoiding large gatherings or loud settings, because people simply couldnt hear me speak. (Writing conferences were a particular nightmare.) When meeting a person for the first time, even now, I usually assure them that Im not sick and that, no, it doesnt hurt to talk. Although I no longer get breathless when talking, thanks to voice therapy, I lose my voice completely if I speak for too long. Advertisement What RFK Jr. and I have is a neurological disorder that causes abnormal contractions of different muscles. Our disorder is categorized as a kind of laryngeal dystonia, but there are many kinds of dystonia. Someone might have blepharospasms, a dystonia affecting the muscles around the eyes, which results in uncontrollable twitching and blinking. Cervical dystonia is the most common form affecting a single region of the body. It triggers involuntary muscle contractions around the neck that make the head shake. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Because all dystonias originate in the brain, treatments are challenging. They aim for symptom control rather than a cure. RFK Jr. and I will almost certainly have our strange voices for the rest of our lives. For some reason, dystonia often occurs to the body part that a person uses most frequently in their profession. There are theories that it could be related to autoimmunity, or repeated trauma to that area, or genetic mutationsbut no one knows for sure. Focal hand dystonia, for example, may strike writers, making it difficult to hold a pen. Musicians can develop a dystonia that affects their ability to form their mouths around brass or wind instruments. And for people who use their voices frequently, theres laryngeal dystoniaan affliction also suffered by radio host Diane Rehm. Advertisement Im not in radio, nor am I a famous politicianslashconspiracy theorist regularly doing interviews with the press. If anything, I considered myself to be a soft-spoken person. I link the onset of my SD to my intubation rather than my profession, but honestly, I cant be sure if thats what caused it. My voice therapist thought it couldve been the combination of intubation and having an enlarged thyroid due to my autoimmune disease. With the pressure inside my throat from the tube and the pressure outside the windpipe from my thyroid, maybe there was some damage to the nerves. But she was the only medical professional willing to speculate with me. All the other doctors told me the disorder is just too poorly understood. When it first happened, I worried that it would fundamentally change who I am. Voices are such an intimate expression of identity, and Id lived with mine for more than three decades. The nature of the disorder means I still hear my old voice, but its constantly dropping to a whisper against my will. I had to accept that its an unusual voice to listen to, and that it is categorically harder to make myself heard. But friends and family who love me say they dont mind. Theyre happy I have an answer, and happy for me to manage it in whatever way feels best. That in itself is a huge confidence boost. It reminds me that the people who want to listen will. That book that I was working on as I came to terms with the disorder is out this month. So far, Ive managed to do some prepublication interviews without too much trouble, and Im planning to use a microphone anytime I speak to a crowd. I remind myself that my voice has become part of the broader story Im trying to tell, one about the ways we learn to live with disabled bodies, amid environmental destruction and climate change, under a regime actively worsening the lives of disabled people. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When I hear RFK Jr. talknot the sound of his voice but the content of his wordsI hear someone who has retreated into fear, mixed with hubris. Someone who is certain that the experts are wrong. Certain that there is a direct cause and effect to be found between vaccines and the ills of the world, and that only he and his cronies can be trusted to root it out. He might not be sure that the flu vaccine caused his voice disorder, but hes willing to list it as a culprit. Hes willing to jeopardize the health of Americans so he can tell himself a particular story. I wish he had never come to this position of power, never gone careering into conspiracy theories. But the tiniest silver lining of the path hes taken means I have one more thing to help navigate accepting my voice: an example of what happens when someone retreats into fear and shame. An example of what I dont want to become. Rocket Man Hill worked out a perfect pocket trip after getting a perfect steer from driver Braxten Boyd to take the Friday, April 17 feature at The Meadowlands, a $20,833 high-end conditioned trot. Sent to the gate as the 28-1 sixth choice in the field of eight, the Amanda Fine-trained Rocket Man Hill blasted off from post two, out-sprinting Maximum Exposure (Anibal Borjas) as well as a pair of big-name, back-class masters, 7-5 second choice Rattle My Cage (Tim Tetrick) and 6-5 favourite Chapercraz (Joe Bongiorno), who aborted his speed mission out of the first turn. Rocket Man Hill had the lead at the quarter in :27.1 before Rattle My Cage surged up quickly from first-over to take over the top and hit the half in :56.4. The way it played out, I ended up being able to get him in the two-hole behind the horse that looked like the horse to beat, said Boyd of the tactic that worked to perfection. Rattle My Cage shook and rolled past the half in :56.4 and three-quarters in 1:25.3 as Maximum Exposure applied token pressure to the far turn, and when the field straightened up at the head of the stretch, it looked like Rattle My Cage had things under control. But it didnt work out for the Annie Stoebe trainee, who was making just his second start since early December of 2023. Boyd found just enough space along the inside late, and Rocket Man Hill, showing crisp late trot, propelled past Rattle My Cage by a neck in 1:53.2. Goo For Broke (Todd McCarthy) was third with Maximum Exposure fourth. Chapercraz advanced along the inside down the backstretch from a tough early spot but had no racing room through the stretch and had to settle for a fifth-place cheque. My horse loves being on the rail in the last turn, said Boyd. He does struggle when you have him in the two-path, but he goes through the last turn perfectly on the rail. When we straightened up and he still had a good hold of me, I thought, man, we got a shot here, and Timmys horse [Rattle My Cage] drifted a little and he shot through there like he knows how to do it. [He left the gate] in 27 seconds like it was nothing. He was very good tonight. A five-year-old gelded son of Muscle Hill-Drinking Class, Rocket Man Hill returned $58.20 to his backers after winning for the 10th time in 57 career starts. His earnings now stand at $166,325. The winner is owned by Rose Colangelo of Jupiter, Florida. Boyd finished with four winners on the night to lead the drivers. Mark Ford topped the trainers with a pair of walks down victory lane. Patick OMalley wagered $60 to win on Sweet Sandy in the 12th race, and when the 5-1 shot scored and paid $13.80, it catapulted The Big M regular to the top of the leaderboard before going on to win leg four of the Meadowlands $1,000 USD Monthly Handicapping Contest. OMalley turned his $100 bankroll into $554 at nights end to also take away the competitions $500 USD first prize. Stefan Ferrara, who ended the card with $380, finished second for the $250 USD prize. By finishing 1-2, OMalley and Ferrara have now qualified for the Saturday, Dec. 12 invitation-only contest, which will have $10,000 USD in prize money up for grabs. After finishing second in leg one on Jan. 10, Ferrara will now have two entries for the big-money finale. The fifth leg of the monthly test takes place on Saturday, May 23. The $1 Pick 8 and 20-cent Pick 6 both failed to yield winning tickets, setting up carryovers of $56,244 and $5,320, respectively, for Saturdays card. All-source wagering on the 14-race program totalled $2,159,370 USD. Racing resumes on Saturday at 6:35 p.m. (With files from Meadowlands Racetrack) Stash The Cookies, Alberta's reigning Champion Aged Mare, stepped back into the spotlight on Friday, April 17 at Century Downs, winning the $14,500 Fillies & Mares Preferred Pace. Stash The Cookies went right to the front from the inside post for driver Mike Hennessy and led the five-horse field in post position order through panels of :28.3 and :58.2 before being confronted by last week's upset winner, Senga Nightmare (Ryan Grundy), as they raced by three-quarters head-to-head in 1:26.1. Stash The Cookies rebuffed that rival turning for home but had to contend with another, as 17-1 longshot Sandras Mystery (Brandon Campbell) snuck up the passing lane. Holding on by a neck, Stash The Cookies prevailed in 1:54.4 over the "good" track. Finishing over a length behind, Senga Nightmare held third just ahead of a late-charging Poker Queen (Phil Giesbrecht), while Baby Limbo (Kelly Hoerdt) completed the lineup. After finishing second by less than a length last week in her return from a two-month winter break, Stash The Cookies delivered on her 4-5 pari-mutuel promise in the Friday feature and paid $3.60 to win. Chris Lancaster is currently handling the training duties for the Gilbert family. The Sunfire Blue Chip-Saucy B mare is owned by Fred and Alice Gilbert of Brandon, Man. She has opened her 10-year-old campaign with two wins and two seconds from five starts and now boasts 49 career victories. The lion's share of the purse put her lifetime earnings over the $500,000 mark. To view Friday's harness racing results, click the following link: Friday Results - Century Downs. (Standardbred Canada) Quantum computers cant break Bitcoins cryptography today, but new advances in the field suggest the gap is closing faster than expected. Progress toward fault-tolerant quantum systems raises the stakes for Q-Day, the moment when a sufficiently powerful machine could crack older Bitcoin addresses and expose more than $711 billion in vulnerable wallets. Long seen as a distant threat on the horizon, Q-Day snapped into sharp focus in March 2026, with multiple research papers suggesting that quantum computers could break cryptographic systems sooner than expected. Advertisement Advertisement Watch Out Bitcoin: Cryptography-Breaking Quantum Computers May Be Closer Than Expected, Says Caltech Upgrading Bitcoin to a post-quantum state will take years, which means the work has to begin long before the threat arrives. The challenge, experts say, is that no one knows when that will be, and the community has struggled to agree on how best to move forward with a plan. This uncertainty has led to a lingering dread that a quantum computer that can attack Bitcoin may come online before the network is ready. In this article, we will look at the quantum threat to Bitcoin and what needs to change to make the number one blockchain ready. How a quantum attack would work A successful attack would not look dramatic. A quantum-enabled thief would start by scanning the blockchain for any address that has ever revealed a public key. Old wallets, reused addresses, early miner outputs, and many dormant accounts fall into that category. Advertisement Advertisement The attacker copies a public key and runs it through a quantum computer using Shors algorithm. Developed in 1994 by mathematician Peter Shor, the algorithm gives a quantum machine the ability to factor large numbers and solve the discrete logarithm problem far more efficiently than any classical computer. Bitcoins elliptic-curve signatures rely on the difficulty of those problems. With enough error-corrected qubits, a quantum computer could use Shors method to calculate the private key tied to the exposed public key. Quantum Threat to Bitcoin: How Panic Could Break Crypto Before Physics Does As Justin Thaler, research partner at Andreessen Horowitz and associate professor at Georgetown University, told Decrypt, once the private key is recovered, the attacker can move the coins. What a quantum computer could do, and this is whats relevant to Bitcoin, is forge the digital signatures Bitcoin uses today, Thaler said. Someone with a quantum computer could authorize a transaction taking all the Bitcoin out of your accounts, or however you want to think of it, when you did not authorize it. Thats the worry. Advertisement Advertisement The forged signature would look real to the Bitcoin network. Nodes would accept it, miners would include it in a block, and nothing on-chain would mark the transaction as suspicious. If an attacker hit a large group of exposed addresses at once, then billions of dollars could move within minutes. Markets would start reacting before anyone ever confirmed that a quantum attack was happening. Google Quantum Paper Boosts Odds of Bitcoin Q-Day by 2032, Researchers Warn In March 2026, research papers by Caltech and Google suggested that future quantum computers could break elliptic curve cryptography using fewer qubits and computational steps than previously expected. The papers sparked consternation among the crypto community, with Bitcoin security researcher Justin Drake tweeting that "there's at least a 10% chance that by 2032 a quantum computer recovers a secp256k1 ECDSA private key from an exposed public key" by that date. Where quantum computing stands in 2026 From 2025, quantum computing finally started to feel less theoretical and more practical. Advertisement Advertisement November 2025: IBM announced new chips and software aimed at quantum advantage in 2026 and fault-tolerant systems by 2029. January 2025: Googles 105-qubit Willow chip showed steep error reduction and a benchmark beyond classical supercomputers. February 2025: Microsoft rolled out its Majorana 1 platform and reported record logical-qubit entanglement with Atom Computing. April 2025: NIST extended superconducting qubit coherence to 0.6 milliseconds. June 2025: IBM set targets of 200 logical qubits by 2029 and more than 1,000 in the early 2030s. September 2025: Caltech unveiled a neutral-atom quantum computer operating 6,100 qubits at 99.98% accuracy. October 2025: IBM entangled 120 qubits; Google confirmed a verified quantum speed-up. March 2026: Research papers from Caltech and Google suggest that quantum computers could threaten Bitcoin's cryptography sooner than expected, with Bitcoin security researchers putting a 10% chance on a quantum computer recovering a Bitcoin private key by 2032. April 2026: The BIP-361 proposal aims to address the risk of quantum attacks through freezing quantum-vulnerable coins, sparking a split in the Bitcoin community. Why Bitcoin has become vulnerable Bitcoins signatures use elliptic-curve cryptography. Spending from an address reveals the public key behind it, and that exposure is permanent. In Bitcoins early pay-to-public-key format, many addresses published their public keys on-chain even before the first spend. Later pay-to-public-key-hash formats kept the key hidden until the first use. Because their public keys were never hidden, these oldest coins, including roughly 1 million Satoshi-era Bitcoin, are exposed to future quantum attacks. Switching to post-quantum digital signatures, Thaler said, takes active involvement. For Satoshi to protect their coins, theyd have to move them into new post-quantum-secure wallets, he said. The biggest concern is abandoned coins, about $180 billion worth, including roughly $100 billion believed to be Satoshis. Those are huge sums, but theyre abandoned, and thats the real risk. Quantum Threat to Bitcoin Grows as Google Reveals Latest Breakthrough Advertisement Advertisement Adding to the risk are coins tied to lost private keys. Many have sat untouched for more than a decade, and without those keys, they can never be moved into quantum-resistant wallets, making them viable targets for a future quantum computer. No one can freeze Bitcoin directly on-chain. Practical defenses against future quantum threats focus on migrating vulnerable funds, adopting post-quantum addresses, or managing existing risks. However, Thaler noted that post-quantum encryption and digital signature schemes come with steep performance costs, since theyre far larger and more resource-intensive than todays lightweight 64-byte signatures. Todays digital signatures are about 64 bytes. Post-quantum versions can be 10 to 100 times larger, he said. In a blockchain, that size increase is a much bigger issue because every node must store those signatures forever. Managing that cost, the literal size of the data, is far harder here than in other systems. Paths to protection Developers have floated several Bitcoin Improvement Proposals to prepare for future quantum attacks. They take different paths, from light optional protections to full network migrations. Advertisement Advertisement BIP-360 (P2QRH): Creates new bc1r addresses that combine todays elliptic-curve signatures with post-quantum schemes like ML-DSA or SLH-DSA. It offers hybrid security without a hard fork, but the bigger signatures mean higher fees. Quantum-Safe Taproot : Adds a hidden post-quantum branch to Taproot. If quantum attacks become realistic, miners could soft-fork to require the post-quantum branch, while users operate normally until then. QuantumResistant Address Migration Protocol (QRAMP): A mandatory migration plan that moves vulnerable UTXOs to quantum-safe addresses, likely through a hard fork. Pay to Taproot Hash (P2TRH): Replaces visible Taproot keys with double-hashed versions, limiting the exposure window without new cryptography or breaking compatibility. Non-Interactive Transaction Compression (NTC) via STARKs : Uses zero-knowledge proofs to compress large post-quantum signatures into a single proof per block, lowering storage and fee costs. Commit-Reveal Schemes : Rely on hashed commitments published before any quantum threat. Helper UTXOs attach small post-quantum outputs to protect spends. Poison pill transactions let users pre-publish recovery paths. Fawkescoin-style variants stay dormant until a real quantum computer is demonstrated. BIP-361 : The "Post Quantum Migration and Legacy Signature Sunset" proposal would phase out the networks existing signature schemes, implementing a protocol-enforced freeze on quantum-vulnerable legacy coins. Canary Fund : Proposed by BitMEX Research as an alternative to BIP-361, this would generate a quantum-vulnerable canary address whose public key would be published; a valid spend from the address would activate a soft fork banning quantum-vulnerable spends. QSB: Proposed by StarkWare researcher Avihu Mordechai Levy, the Quantum-Safe Bitcoin transaction scheme would see elliptic-curve signatures replaced with hash-based cryptography and Lamport signatures, an early signature scheme considered resistant to quantum attacks. Taken together, these proposals sketch a step-by-step path to quantum safety: quick, low-impact fixes like P2TRH now, and heavier upgrades like BIP-360 or STARK-based compression as the risk grows. All of them would need broad coordination, and many of the post-quantum address formats and signature schemes are still early in discussion. New Bitcoin Proposal Would Freeze Coins to Counter Quantum Threat Comminuty alignment One key issue facing efforts to implement quantum resistance on Bitcoin is aligning the community around a single solution. Thaler noted that Bitcoins decentralizationits greatest strengthalso makes major upgrades slow and difficult, since any new signature scheme would need broad agreement across miners, developers, and users. Advertisement Advertisement 'Existential Crisis': Bitcoin Quantum Computing Threat Is Fast Approaching, Experts Say Two major issues stand out for Bitcoin. First, upgrades take a long time, if they happen at all. Second, there are the abandoned coins. Any migration to post-quantum signatures has to be active, and owners of those old wallets are gone, Thaler said. The community must decide what happens to them: either agree to remove them from circulation or do nothing and let quantum-equipped attackers take them. That second path would be legally gray, and the ones seizing the coins likely wouldnt care. That was thrown into sharp relief following the BIP-361 proposal, with its mandatory freeze on quantum-vulnerable coins proving contentious among the Bitcoin community. Bitcoin OG Adam Back called for an alternative approach involving optional upgrades, while Cardano founder Charles Hoskinson argued that some 1.7 million BTC would remain vulnerable under the proposal. What do I need to do? Most Bitcoin holders dont need to do anything right away. A few habits go a long way in reducing long-term risk, including avoiding reusing addresses so your public key stays hidden until you spend, and sticking with modern wallet formats. Advertisement Advertisement Todays quantum computers arent close to breaking Bitcoin, and predictions of when they will vary wildly. Some researchers see a threat within the next five years, others push it into the 2030s, but continued investments could speed up the timeline. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan will host a Balkan Peace Platform meeting on the sidelines of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum (ADF) in Antalya, southern Turkiye on Saturday, according to diplomatic sources, AzerNEWS reports, citing Anadolu Agency. Representatives from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Kosovo, North Macedonia, and Serbia are expected to attend the meeting, the sources said. Participants are expected to review decisions taken at previous meetings, including strengthening coordination on EU matters such as connectivity and membership processes, enhancing cooperation in disaster response, and advancing joint projects in youth and technology. Consultations on recent developments in the Balkans are also planned. Discussions are also expected to cover additional opportunities to deepen and diversify regional cooperation, the latest developments in the Russia-Ukraine war and their regional implications, and an exchange of views on developments in the Mideast, including Turkiye's efforts to help end the war. The Balkan Peace Platform, established under Turkiye's leadership, held its first meeting on July 26, 2025, and its second on Jan. 23 in Istanbul. The platform was launched to complement Turkiye's multilateral engagement in the region and promote direct, result-oriented dialogue based on regional ownership. Turkiye's multilateral cooperation in Balkans Turkiye actively contributes to the South-East European Cooperation Process, the only platform bringing together 13 Balkan countries. The Turkiye-Bosnia and Herzegovina-Croatia and Turkiye-Bosnia and Herzegovina-Serbia trilateral consultation mechanisms, established under Turkiye's leadership, reflect Ankara's emphasis on dialogue, reconciliation, and confidence-building in the Balkans. Turkiye also continues to contribute to regional security and stability through participation in military missions such as NATO's Kosovo Force (KFOR) and EUFOR Althea in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Turkiye last October took command of KFOR from Italy for a one-year term. Spring break season is nearing its end, but before students across the country trade their flip flops for books again, a southern spring break staple is about to kick off. Orange Crush is returning to Savannah, Georgia this weekend, and students from Historically Black Colleges and Universities will descend on Tybee Island for three days of music, parties and sun. Students from the major HBCUs in Atlanta could be headed down to the Georgia coast to participate, joining college students from Savannah State University and others in the southeast. Now an officially sanctioned event, there are a few rules Orange Crush "Crush Reloaded" guests will need to follow. Advertisement Advertisement Heading to Savannah today? Here's what you need to know. Tybee Police issue warnings ahead of new 'Orange Crush' Orange Crush, now called "Crush Reloaded" has become an officially permitted event and is now in its second year. It is still expected to draw just as big of a crowd as the past events, so Tybee Island Police said it will be "all hands on deck," and warned those trying to come to the festival that things will be working differently. First, police said to expect heavy traffic going out to the island. The left lanes of Highway 80 and Butler Avenue will be completely blocked off to be reserved for emergency vehicles, meaning getting on and off the island could take much longer than normal. There will be a multi-agency road safety checkpoint this week ahead of the event, where police from multiple agencies could stop your vehicle and speak with you. Advertisement Advertisement The 14th and 15th street parking lots will also be closed this weekend, leaving only the 16th through 18th street lots available with a pass. These passes are limited for the employees of local businesses. Police also said license plate readers will be deployed on the island during the event, likely to address reports of street racing from previous years. When did "Orange Crush" become "Crush Reloaded" Orange Crush first started in 1988 with students from Savannah State University. It was sponsored by the student body, and earned its name from the orange school colors, combined with the popular soda. Orange Crush, the brand owned by Dr. Pepper, has never sponsored the event. In 1991, the event led to dozens of arrests, a stabbing and a drowning and it was officially disconnected from SSU as a school event. The tradition has carried on, however, as an unsanctioned event on the beach for decades, and has primarily been marketed to HBCU students in the southeast. Advertisement Advertisement Orange Crush was rebranded after multiple years of unrest during the event, and it now has an official permit under the new name, "Crush Reloaded" where officials and police can better prepare to handle the influx of students and have worked with promoters to organize activities. What can you bring on the beach at Tybee Island? If you're planning to spend time on the beach this weekend, the city of Tybee Island has shared their beach rules. Guests are required to stay out of the sand dunes and only fish and surf in designated areas. You must swim within 50 yards of the shoreline and are required to follow the rules of life guards. Beachgoers may not climb on the rocks, jetties or lifeguard stands along the beach, and all litter must be contained and removed from the beach. Smoking is prohibited on the beach, as well as glass, pets, fires, motorized vehicles and overnight sleeping. Those who exhibit disorderly conduct may be removed from the beach and possibly arrested. Advertisement Advertisement Feel free to bring chairs, towels, coolers and umbrellas. Alcohol is also permitted on the beach of Tybee Island, but it cannot be in glass containers or kegs. Tybee Island has an open container ordinance, so drinks can be taken out onto the beach in to-go cups, but public intoxication laws will also be enforced. Beware of rip currents, swim safely The city also asks beachgoers to be aware of the rip current flag guide to determine whether it is safe to swim. Two red flags mean the water is closed to the public. One red flag means there is a high hazard, and swimming is not recommended. A yellow flag means there is a medium hazard and only strong swimmers should enter the water. A green flag means there is a low hazard of a rip current and swimming is safe. A purple flag means there is potentially dangerous marine life in the ocean, and swimmers should get out of the water until it is safe to reenter. What events will take place at "Crush Reloaded" and how to get tickets While the official event day is April 18, Crush Reloaded will start on Friday, April 17 with a welcome party to kick off the weekend. It will start at 1 p.m. on Friday. Advertisement Advertisement Saturday the event will run from 10 a.m. to sundown and include live music and an after party. Sunday will include a "Crush the Block" car and bike show, a brunch and fashion show and more. Tickets are available exclusively on Posh. An all access pass to all of the weekend's events starts at $136.59. Irene Wright is 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: HBCU students make journey to Savannah for Orange Crush weekend In Mexico, we say this is the time of women, and this is particularly true for both the Mexi Chinese military denounces transiting of Taiwan Strait by Japanese destroyer Xinhua) 09:52, April 18, 2026 BEIJING, April 17 (Xinhua) -- China's Ministry of National Defense said on Friday that China has lodged a strong protest with Japan after the Japanese destroyer JS Ikazuchi transited the Taiwan Strait, calling the move "a deliberate provocation." Responding to a media query, Zhang Xiaogang, the ministry's spokesperson, said the Japanese vessel's passage sent a wrong signal to secessionist forces in Taiwan, and would only provoke stronger opposition from the Chinese people and reinforce the country's resolve to counter provocations. "We urge the Japanese side to return to the right path, strictly abide by the one-China principle and the spirit of the four political documents between China and Japan," Zhang said. He added that the Chinese military remains on high alert and will take firm measures to counter any external interference. The Eastern Theater Command of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) earlier the same day also denounced the transit of the Japanese destroyer. The PLA Eastern Theater Command deployed naval and air assets to track and monitor the vessel throughout the process, ensuring effective control of the situation, said Xu Chenghua, spokesperson for the command, in a press release. The command's forces will remain on high alert at all times, and resolutely safeguard the country's sovereignty and security, as well as regional peace and stability, Xu noted. (Web editor: Zhao Tong, Wu Chaolan) The United States has authorized the delivery of Russian oil and petroleum products loaded onto vessels until April 17. According to foreign media reports cited by Trend, the relevant license was issued by the U.S. Department of the Treasurys Office of Foreign Assets Control (Office of Foreign Assets Control). The authorization will remain in effect until May 16. Previously, a similar license permitting the transportation of Russian oil loaded onto tankers had been valid from March 12 to April 11. The move comes as Washington has eased sanctions on Russian oil amid a sharp rise in global energy prices. Oil and gas prices surged following the outbreak of war involving the United States and Israel against Iran. One of the key factors behind the spike has been the disruption of energy shipments through the Strait of Hormuz, which Iran had temporarily closed to maritime traffic. Han Thuc Festival in the Year of the Horse 2026, which falls on the third day of the third lunar month, will be observed on Sunday, April 19. Banh troi and banh chay are the two traditional dishes most closely associated with this occasion. The meaning of banh troi and banh chay Many families make banh troi and banh chay at home during the Cold Food Festival to express their respect for ancestors. Photo: Thu Huong Vu According to feng shui expert Nguyen Song Ha, the term Han Thuc originates from Chinese characters, where han means cold and thuc means food, together referring to cold food. While influenced by long-standing cultural exchanges with China, the festival in Vietnam has developed its own distinct meaning and identity. In Vietnam, Han Thuc Festival is associated with remembering ancestors and honoring those who have passed away. On this day, banh troi and banh chay become symbolic offerings. Though shaped by cultural interaction, these dishes have been localized and are now an integral part of Vietnamese tradition. Made primarily from glutinous rice flour, the cakes have a light sweetness and are eaten cold, making them suitable for the early summer weather. Their ingredients - mainly rice and mung beans - reflect the staples of wet-rice agriculture, carrying wishes for favorable weather and abundant harvests. In some regions, people also prepare banh nhot, which is made similarly to banh chay but shaped like the nhot fruit, creating a distinctive appearance. Notes on preparing banh troi and banh chay Although these cakes are now widely available for purchase, many Vietnamese families still maintain the tradition of making them at home during Han Thuc Festival as a way to express sincerity toward their ancestors. According to culinary artisan Pham Anh Tuyet in Hanoi, the dough should be made from high-quality glutinous rice such as nep cai hoa vang, known for its fragrance and elasticity. The recommended ratio is nine parts glutinous rice flour mixed with one part regular rice flour, or close to a two-to-one ratio. The filling for banh troi is made from solid brown sugar, with varieties from Duong Lieu or Cat Que considered the best - firm, richly colored and aromatic. After shaping, the balls are dropped into boiling water. When they sink and then float to the surface, they are removed and placed in cooled boiled water to firm up, then arranged on a plate and topped with roasted sesame seeds. Banh chay is also made from glutinous rice dough but filled with mung bean paste that has been steamed, mashed and sweetened. The cooking process is similar to that of banh troi. When serving, cooks typically press a small indentation into the center of each cake before adding a light syrup made from sugar mixed with arrowroot or tapioca starch, often infused with pomelo blossom fragrance. Khoi Vy For more than a year of long-distance love, there were moments when Thuy found herself questioning the relationship she shared with her American boyfriend. It was only when he appeared in person at the airport and wrapped her in his arms that all doubts finally faded. Thuy and Bryan were in a long-distance relationship for over a year before meeting in person for the first time. A recently shared video capturing the emotional airport reunion between an American man and a Vietnamese woman has taken social media by storm, drawing more than 10 million views. Thu Thuy, 34, who lives and works in Ho Chi Minh City, said she herself could hardly believe that her boyfriend would travel over 15,000km to find her. When he sent me his flight ticket and visa, I still couldnt believe it was real. Afraid of being scammed, I even brought two friends with me to the airport, Thuy recalled, adding that she was surprised by how widely the short clip resonated online. Thuy and her boyfriend, Bryan Nix, 39, currently living and working in the US, met through a dating app in August 2024. At the time, she had just come out of a seven-year relationship that left her emotionally scarred. In the beginning, I found Bryan quite dull when we texted. But months later, he was still there, quietly following and waiting for updates from me. By November 2024, we decided to officially get to know each other, she said. Bryan won over his girlfriends family with his gentle nature and sincerity. Bryan proposed to Thuy on February 14. The journey was far from easy. Thuys limited English and Bryans shy personality meant they rarely made video calls. At times, she even feared he might not be real and that the entire relationship could be a scam. After months of conversation, however, the couple gradually opened up. Living in opposite time zones and both busy with work - Bryan as a technology engineer and Thuy as a store manager - they made a daily effort to stay connected. Each day began with messages when the other woke up, and they agreed to maintain a weekly video call every Saturday. During these sessions, Bryan would teach her English, while she helped him learn basic Vietnamese. He wanted to be able to speak to her family when they eventually met. Bryan shared that he was drawn to Thuys intelligence, humor, and strong work ethic. I truly believe that when we get married, well be a great team, both in work and in life, he said. After more than a year together, Bryan decided to fly to Vietnam during the Lunar New Year to reunite with her. Even though by then I loved him and was thinking about a long-term future, I still had lingering fears because of so many stories about scams. I was afraid of being hurt. Only when he actually appeared at the airport did my emotions burst open, Thuy said. During his visit, Bryan accompanied Thuy to meet her family and formally asked for permission to continue their relationship. His family in the US also joined via video call to greet her parents. American boyfriend spends Tet holiday traveling with his girlfriends family. Photo: Provided by the character Bryan quickly won over her family with his gentle demeanor, warm smile, and approachable nature. He joined them in visiting temples for good fortune, preparing traditional offerings, and enjoying Tet holiday dishes. He also showed great enthusiasm in learning Vietnamese. On February 14, Bryan surprised Thuy with a romantic proposal. I still dont know how he managed to organize such a proposal without any friends to help him, she said. He came into my life like a dream, healing the wounds I carried. Were planning to hold our wedding in Ho Chi Minh City this August. In the US, he has already looked for a house in an area with a large Vietnamese community so I can adapt more easily, Thuy shared. She added that Bryan continues to surprise her with thoughtful gestures. He takes the time to learn about Vietnamese holidays and even figures out how to arrange delivery services to send her gifts. I still have my worries about marrying someone far away. But now, I trust his love and believe that we can overcome everything and build a happy life together, she said. Linh Trang How will Vietnams new leadership team influence the development of relations between Vietnam and France? French Ambassador to Vietnam Olivier Brochet. Photo: The Son Ambassador Olivier Brochet: French President Emmanuel Macron and Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu have extended their warmest congratulations to Vietnams key leaders, wishing them success in their responsibilities. France has reaffirmed its full support for Vietnam within the framework of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, aiming to assist the countrys development. France particularly welcomes the orientations set out at the 14th Party Congress, which outline an ambitious roadmap for Vietnams development in the coming decades. France stands ready to support Vietnam in this new era of development, especially in advancing economic transformation, energy transition and technological modernization. In an increasingly uncertain international context, peace and stability are more essential than ever for the success of such an ambitious agenda. France and Vietnam share a common vision grounded in respect for international law, multilateralism and collective solutions to global challenges. The relationship between France and Vietnam is rooted in a long history, built on trust and mutual respect. As early as 1977, Prime Minister Pham Van Dongs visit to France and the signing of initial cooperation agreements laid the foundation for a lasting partnership that has continued to strengthen over the decades. Since then, France has stood alongside Vietnam during key stages of its development and international integration, particularly following the Doi Moi reforms. Party General Secretary and State President To Lam, together with French President Emmanuel Macron, visit the Ho Chi Minh Presidential Relic Site at the Presidential Palace during the latters visit to Vietnam in May 2025. Photo: Pham Hai President Mitterrands state visit in 1993 - the first by a Western head of state - carried special significance at a time when Vietnam faced considerable challenges and was still under the impact of embargoes. France has consistently supported Vietnam in integrating into multilateral frameworks and strengthening ties with the European Union, a reliable and essential partner for the future. This strong historical foundation remains a visible and stabilizing factor in todays bilateral relations. Vietnams new leadership will build on this foundation while pursuing ambitious goals for 2030 and 2045, linking economic growth with green transition and digital and technological transformation. This momentum will further enhance Vietnams role regionally and globally. France will continue to accompany Vietnam in its pursuit of greater strategic autonomy. High-level political dialogue, the quality of exchanges and shared core principles all provide strong advantages for deepening the partnership. In which areas is France ready to support Vietnam in achieving its development goals and strengthening its international role? Ambassador Olivier Brochet with women from Phuc Tan ward at a playground beneath Long Bien Bridge in Hanoi. Once a dumpsite, the area has been transformed into a forest-themed community park. The project received partial funding from the joint cultural development fund of the French and German embassies. Photo: Pham Hai For many years, France has supported Vietnams development through a practical approach based on sharing expertise, financing key projects and maintaining long-term cooperation. This collaboration is built on clear complementarity: Vietnam has ambitious development needs, while France offers internationally recognized expertise and skills, ready to be deployed in support of the partnership. Education, research and innovation are now priority areas. In line with Resolution 57 of the Politburo and following President Emmanuel Macrons address to Vietnamese youth at the University of Science and Technology of Hanoi in May 2025, France is working closely with Vietnamese universities, research centers and businesses to strengthen capacity, foster innovation and expand sustainable scientific cooperation. Energy transition is another key area. Within the Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP), France is actively contributing, particularly through the French Development Agency (AFD), to financing and implementing projects related to energy infrastructure and power grids. This was further demonstrated at the Global Gateway Forum organized by the European Union in Hanoi in March 2026. Transport infrastructure also offers significant potential, building on achievements such as Hanois Metro Line 3 project. France, a leader in technological innovation, is keen to support Vietnam in developing major projects including railways, urban metro systems and civil aviation - all essential for growth and regional integration. Cooperation can also expand into high-value strategic sectors. France has solutions to offer in security, defense and space, helping Vietnam enhance its strategic autonomy. France appreciates Vietnams efforts toward sustainable development and responsible management of natural resources, creating long-term value for the country. The Nhon - Hanoi Station elevated railway line, a flagship project of Vietnam - France cooperation. Photo: Hoang Ha Healthcare remains a historic pillar of cooperation, now enriched by comprehensive approaches such as One Health, addressing the interconnected challenges of human, animal and environmental health. From basic research to vaccine production - including partnerships such as VNVC-Sanofi - cooperation contributes to the well-being of the Vietnamese people. Finally, in a volatile global context, France and Vietnam share responsibility in promoting peace, stability and effective global governance. France aims to strengthen exchanges with Vietnam in multilateral forums and support its growing role in advancing shared global interests. Across all these areas, France intends to continue supporting Vietnams sustainable development through a trusted, long-term partnership capable of withstanding challenges and looking firmly toward the future. Tran Thuong Vietnams real estate market is entering a period of volatility, presenting significant challenges for the newly appointed Minister of Construction. The pressures extend beyond rising prices, pointing instead to long-standing structural imbalances in supply, capital flows, and investment behavior. A shortage of affordable housing for the majority When homeownership becomes out of reach for the majority, it is no longer just a market issue, but a sign of a structure in need of adjustment. Photo: Hong Khanh According to Nguyen Vu Cao, Chairman of Khang Land, the current market structure is heavily skewed toward high-end developments. At the same time, persistent bottlenecks in capital and legal procedures remain unresolved, while affordable housing for the majority is in short supply. These issues do not exist in isolation but reinforce one another, pushing the market further away from real demand and driving prices to elevated levels. Recent data from the Ministry of Construction highlights a trend unlikely to reverse in the short term. In the first quarter of 2026, property prices in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang, Khanh Hoa, and Dong Nai continued to edge up by 1-2%. While the increases are no longer as sharp, prices remain anchored at high levels after years of steady growth. This pattern is particularly evident in the apartment segment. In 2025, primary prices in Hanoi averaged around VND100 million per square meter (US$4,100), marking a 40% increase year-on-year. In Ho Chi Minh City, the average reached VND111 million per square meter (US$4,550), up 23%. Beyond pricing, supply composition has become a persistent bottleneck. Data from the Vietnam Association of Realtors Institute for Real Estate Market Research (VARS IRE) shows that roughly 85% of newly launched apartments in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City are priced above VND80 million per square meter (US$3,300), concentrated in mid- to high-end segments. Notably, the share of apartments priced above VND100 million per square meter has surged. In 2025, about 25% of new supply - equivalent to more than 20,000 units - fell into this category, nearly ten times higher than the previous year. Even social housing prices have continued to climb, establishing new benchmarks. In Hanoi, the highest level now exceeds VND32 million per square meter (US$1,300). From a market perspective, Cao argues that rising costs alone cannot explain the surge. Many developers acquired land decades ago at very low prices, yet still raise prices in line with market trends. There is also a tendency to withhold supply, anchor prices, or even create artificial scarcity to push prices higher, he said. When real estate becomes dominated by expectations of price appreciation and asset hoarding, he added, it inevitably drifts away from intrinsic value. From a legal and structural standpoint, lawyer Truong Anh Tu, Chairman of TAT Law Firm, believes the issue goes beyond pricing metrics. Instead, it reflects a deeper imbalance in how the market develops. The market is operating on a build what can be sold basis, rather than build what society needs, he said. We are not lacking products, but we are lacking the right products. In his view, real estate has evolved beyond a purely economic sector into a broader social issue, directly affecting peoples ability to settle down, build livelihoods, and shape long-term urban development. Returning the market to real value Economist Vu Dinh Anh, former Deputy Director of the Institute for Market and Price Research under the Ministry of Finance, argues that the root of the problem lies in how real estate is perceived within the economy. Real estate, he noted, is not only an investment channel but also a production sector. Over the past decade, it has transformed significantly, with projects expanding into large-scale developments spanning thousands of hectares and requiring investments worth tens of trillions of VND. If we fail to recognize this role correctly, policies will only address surface issues without tackling the root causes, he said. From this perspective, Vietnams real estate market now faces the need for comprehensive restructuring in the new government term. The focus should not simply be on increasing supply, but on rebalancing product segments to better serve genuine housing demand. One key direction is the development of reasonably priced commercial housing - targeting middle-income buyers who do not qualify for social housing but cannot afford high-end properties. This segment is seen as a critical missing piece in restoring market balance. However, its development will require strong policy support, including incentives related to land, credit, and streamlined legal procedures. Without such measures, developers may lack motivation to participate due to lower profit margins compared to high-end projects. Legal reform remains another central pillar. Simplifying approval processes and resolving overlapping regulations could help unlock supply and ease price pressures. A promising initiative is the development of a national real estate identification system. By assigning each property a unique ID, information on legal status, transactions, and taxation can be made transparent. This would not only reduce fraud but also help the market operate based on real value rather than speculation. From a business standpoint, Cao believes the market is already forcing developers to adapt. Instead of chasing short-term profits, they must shift toward meeting real housing demand, optimizing costs, and improving product quality. Data from VARS IRE also reveals a notable trend: while genuine housing demand remains significant, investment demand continues to dominate. In 2025, more than 75% of transactions were driven by buyers purchasing second homes or more, with around 10% using short-term financial leverage. According to Truong Anh Tu, the central question is how to ensure the market develops in a healthy, sustainable way that serves the broader population. When real estate is overly driven by wealth accumulation, it becomes prone to instability and struggles to achieve long-term balance. In this context, the regulatory role of the government, particularly the Ministry of Construction, becomes more critical than ever. The challenge is not only to sustain growth, but to guide the market toward stability, sustainability, and accessibility for the majority. Hong Khanh A solemn incense offering ceremony was held on April 17 (the first day of the third lunar month of 2026) at the Hung Kings Temple historical relic site in Hy Cuong commune, Phu Tho province, marking the opening of the Hung Kings Commemoration Festival and the Ancestral Land Culture and Tourism Week 2026. The Hung Kings Temple complex, located atop Nghia Linh mountain in Hy Cuong commune, is the sacred centre dedicated to the Hung Kings the legendary founders of the Vietnamese nation. At Kinh Thien Palace on the mountains summit, delegates respectfully offered incense, flowers and ritual offerings in a solemn atmosphere to express deep gratitude for the Hung Kings contributions to the founding of the nation. Before the ancestral spirits, leaders of Hy Cuong commune reported on key socio-economic achievements the locality has attained in recent years. Upholding the traditions of the ancestral land, the Party organisation, authorities and people of Hy Cuong commune have remained united and made concerted efforts to overcome difficulties, achieving notable results across multiple sectors. Most socio-economic targets have been met or surpassed, while infrastructure has continued to be upgraded in a synchronised manner. The urban landscape has gradually transformed towards a more civilised and modern outlook. Positive progress has been recorded in education, health care, culture and sports. Social welfare policies have been implemented effectively, while political security and social order have been maintained. As a result, both the material and spiritual lives of local residents have steadily improved. Party building and consolidation of the political system have also been prioritised, helping strengthen public consensus and trust. Before the sacred spirits of the Hung Kings, the Party organisation, authorities and people of Hy Cuong commune pledged to continue preserving and promoting the values of the Hung Kings Temple historical relic site, while building the locality into a prosperous and civilised land worthy of being the ancestral land of the Vietnamese nation. After the incense offering ceremony at Thuong Temple, delegates also offered incense at the Hung Kings Mausoleum, laid flowers at the bas-relief depicting President Ho Chi Minh speaking with soldiers of the Vanguard Division, and paid tribute at the Lac Long Quan Temple./.VNA A number of videos capturing the happy images of the wedding received 1 million views and 128,000 likes, peaking at the moment when the two main characters received blessings from their parents during the ancestral ceremony. The wedding, held in a romantic space, was the beautiful ending to a 15-year relationship between Kha Ngan (born 1998) and Kim Duyen (born 1996), who live and work in HCMC. Duyen said she recognized her sexual orientation from a young age as she only had special feelings for people of the same sex. As an adult, she has a gender-neutral beauty, pursuing a personally strong style. Ngan also recognized herself early on. She did not come out to her family but instead quietly worked to build their trust. In love, Ngan said she remained firm in her feelings, regardless of external gossip. Duyen and Ngan met in 2011 when they were high school students. Duyen was the one who made friends and talked to Ngan. However, because Duyen had a distinct appearance and a strong personality at that time, Ngan did not initially have feelings for her. Over time, thanks to Duyens persistence, Ngan reconsidered her feelings. Sharing common interests, they gradually connected, supporting each other in all aspects of life. The two women came to see each other as family. School-time love is gentle but deeply etched in our memories. Im a quiet and reserved person, so when my mother saw me cheerful and open with Duyen, she was very happy. From the moment she knew about our relationship, she never objected or expressed disapproval, Ngan shared. Duyens family also supported their relationship. The couple remains grateful for the understanding and acceptance from both families. The romantic wedding Despite many challenges during their journey into adulthood, they never let go of each other. They see one another as an irreplaceable part of their lives, helping each other grow every day. In April 2025, Duyen asked both families for permission to propose to Ngan. She even received support from Ngans family to create a surprising proposal. On a sunny day, with the help of our families, I proposed to her on the occasion of our 14th anniversary. Im happy that we finally reached this moment, Ngan said. The couples wedding was held in March. The ancestral ceremony took place at both families homes, while the main wedding ceremony was held at a beautifully decorated event center in HCMC. We organized the wedding following traditional customs, with all the steps such as the proposal ceremony, engagement, ancestral rites, and wedding ceremony. We wanted our partner to understand how much we cherish each other, Ngan said. The wedding was attended by relatives, neighbors, friends, and colleagues. The families prepared more than 40 banquet tables to welcome guests and celebrate with their daughters. During the ancestral ceremony, Ngans mother shared: Seeing you happy and finding a suitable life partner makes me very joyful and reassured. Duyens mother said she had long considered Ngan as her own daughter. She expressed happiness that the two had found each other, grown together, and built a stable life. Duyens father could not hide his emotions: Im very happy to see you both grow up and know how to love and care for each other. Ngan believes that their maturity and stability over time have been the most sincere proof, giving both families confidence to support their relationship. The parents tolerance and unconditional love made the wedding possible. We chose each other in our innocent school years, throughout 15 years of youth, and will continue choosing each other for the rest of our lives. I hope that in the years ahead, we will keep this sincere love, Ngan said. Thanh Minh Hanois roadmap to implement low-emission zones (LEZ) from July is providing a strong boost to the electric two-wheeler market, as consumers increasingly shift toward greener mobility amid fuel price pressures and tightening restrictions on petrol-powered vehicles. With less than three months before the city begins piloting LEZ measures under Resolution 57/2025 of the municipal Peoples Council, the market for electric motorbikes is already showing clear signs of acceleration. From July 1, Hanoi will introduce time-based or area-based restrictions on petrol-powered motorcycles within Ring Road 1, with plans to expand coverage across the entire zone by 2028 and extend to areas within Ring Road 3 by 2030. The policy is expected to reshape travel habits for millions of urban residents. According to industry analyst The Dat, electrification is an inevitable global trend, and Vietnam is no exception. Rising fuel prices linked to geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, combined with domestic policy shifts, are expected to further drive demand for electric vehicles. Market data reflects this momentum. In 2025, Vietnam recorded approximately 700,000 electric motorbike sales, with more than 209,000 units sold in the first half alone, nearly doubling year-on-year. The country currently ranks third globally in electric two-wheeler market size, behind China and India. Sales are projected to reach 1.21.3 million units in 2026, representing growth of around 150%. Leading manufacturers have reported significant gains. VinFast maintained its dominant position with over 406,000 units sold in 2025, marking a nearly fivefold increase compared to the previous year. Other brands, including Yadea, Pega, Dat Bike and Selex Motor, have also posted strong growth. From a consumer perspective, affordability remains a key driver. Mid-range models priced between 2030 million VND (760-1,140 USD) are particularly popular, aligning with the purchasing power of most households. At the same time, buying behaviour is becoming more rational, with consumers increasingly evaluating total cost of ownership rather than upfront price alone. Retailers report a surge in showroom visits and test rides in recent weeks, as customers compare long-term costs between petrol and electric vehicles, including fuel, maintenance and battery expenses. Some high-performance models offering ranges exceeding 200 kilometres per charge have faced temporary shortages due to rising demand. However, infrastructure constraints remain a critical bottleneck. Limited charging facilities, particularly in apartment complexes, continue to pose challenges for widespread adoption. Many residential buildings lack adequate charging points or impose restrictions on electric vehicle parking, slowing the transition. City authorities are stepping up efforts to address these gaps. Hanoi has identified more than 100 potential sites for charging stations and is developing support mechanisms related to land use, financing and investment procedures to attract private sector participation. Experts emphasise that sustained market growth will depend on a comprehensive policy framework, including incentives such as registration fee reductions, parking preferences and expanded charging infrastructure. Accelerating the deployment of public charging and battery-swapping networks will be essential to ensure convenience and safety for users. With a clear policy trajectory, active business engagement and evolving consumer preferences, Hanois electric motorbike market is poised for rapid expansion. Ensuring synchronised progress in infrastructure and regulatory support will be key to translating this policy momentum into a long-term, sustainable green mobility ecosystem./.VNA Politburo Resolution No. 79-NQ/TW, dated January 6, 2026, on developing the state economic sector not only reaffirms its leading role but also calls for strong reforms in governance, efficiency and competitiveness of state-owned enterprises (SOEs). Experts say its core is a shift from administrative control to modern corporate governance, creating new momentum for growth in the next development phase. From administrative control to modern governance Dr Pham Si An, deputy head of the Finance and Scientific Management Department at the Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences, said the target of having all state economic groups and corporations adopt governance standards aligned with the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) by 2030 represents a foundational step to enhance efficiency and strengthen the economys competitiveness. According to the expert, the key issue does not lie in technical provisions but a requirement for a shift in management mindset. For years, governance has relied heavily on input control, procedures and administrative processes, limiting proactiveness and adaptability. Meanwhile, rapidly changing domestic and global conditions require enterprises to be more flexible and accountable for results. To address these bottlenecks, it is essential to clearly separate the States ownership role from its regulatory function. Overlapping roles risk administrative interference, impacting operational efficiency. A clearer division would allow enterprises to operate under market principles while maintaining macro-level monitoring. At the same time, boards of directors need to be granted substantive authority, particularly in executive appointments and investment strategy. When authority is matched with accountability, governance bodies can play a genuine leadership role rather than merely executing administrative directives. Transparency is another crucial element. Applying international financial reporting standards, alongside disclosure of non-financial information, would improve governance quality and strengthen trust among investors and partners. Wage mechanisms also need greater flexibility. Rigid administrative pay frameworks make it difficult for SOEs to attract high-quality talent. Allowing market-based recruitment and performance-linked evaluation would help boost productivity and management quality. In governance methods, shifting from input control to management by objectives is seen as a fundamental change. With clearly defined targets set by the State, enterprises should be given autonomy in implementation and held accountable for outcomes, thereby fostering innovation and creativity. Enterprises take proactive steps From a business perspective, Doan Dac Truong, Deputy Director of Tien Bo Printing Company Limited, said Resolution 79 provides clear direction for adaptation in a more competitive environment, particularly as traditional printing demand declines. As a wholly Party-owned enterprise, the company has streamlined its structure, reduced indirect labour, strengthened decentralisation and cut unnecessary procedures to improve efficiency. It has also accelerated the application of technology in management and production, while gradually modernising its equipment. These efforts delivered positive results in 2025, with revenue rising 16% to 147 billion VND and profit up 8% to 27 billion VND (1.02 million USD). Budget contributions exceeded 50 billion VND, and average monthly income reached about 13 million VND per worker. From its experience, the company highlighted the importance of linking technological modernisation with transparency and adoption of market-based governance thinking. It also stressed the need to clearly separate management from production to allow greater operational autonomy. Truong noted that allowing enterprises to retain part of their profits for reinvestment, as stipulated in Resolution 79, is a critical factor in enabling technological upgrades. Provisions on medium- and long-term investment strategies also help reduce dependence on project-by-project approvals, shortening implementation time and improving investment efficiency. Going forward, the company will focus on modernising production, upgrading governance, expanding IT use and improving workforce quality. Effective implementation of Resolution 79 is expected to help SOEs enhance performance, improve employee incomes and contribute more sustainably to economic growth./. VNA That very goal contributed to helping the male student conquer Stanford University, a world-leading institution. Phung Quang Thang, a 12th-grade student majoring in Computer Science at Le Hong Phong High School for the Gifted in HCMC received the news of his admission to Stanford University on the morning of March 28. When fireworks appear on computer screen, I still couldn't believe my eyes; I had to log out and back in several times to be sure I had passed, Thang recounted. Stanford University is the 3rd ranked school in the world according to the QS 2026 rankings and is ranked 2nd globally in Computer Science. In addition to Stanford, Thang was admitted to several universities in the US and Australia, including University of Rochester, University of Texas at Austin, Texas A&M University, University of Florida, Purdue University, Northeastern University, University of Melbourne and University of Sydney. He received a scholarship of up to $200,000 for four years from the University of Rochester. Thang said he had long been aware of Stanfords strength in STEM fields and its location in Silicon Valley, offering opportunities for research, startups, and exposure to leading global tech companies. He aims to study Computer Science to apply technology to real-world problems. With a clear goal early on, he began preparing his application in grade 10. Alongside maintaining a GPA of 9.5, achieving IELTS 8.0, SAT 1550 (800/800 in Math), and perfect 5/5 scores in AP Computer Science, he also demonstrated strong performance in Math and Informatics through awards such as a Gold Medal at HKICO, First Prize in HCMC Young Informatics, and a Silver Medal at the April 30 Olympiad. However, he considered his academic scores to be average among applicants, so he focused heavily on extracurricular activities and essays to highlight his long-term goals. Earlier this school year, Thang conducted a research project titled Predicting deforestation in Vietnam using deep learning on satellite imagery, addressing a root cause of flooding. The project won First Prize at the city-level Science and Engineering Competition. He also developed an AI model to predict breast cancer risk based on genetic variations among Vietnamese women, helping him shape his ambition to combine computer science with medicine. With a strong and consistent interest in technology projects for disaster prevention, Thang said his biggest motivation came from the times he witnessed storms and floods affect people in his hometown of Khanh Hoa. He hopes to use technology to create practical solutions for communities. In grade 10, he began working directly on projects, from ideation and sensor design to disaster warning software programming. In his personal essay, he shared the story of his hometown and the development of two disaster-prevention products: a flood barrier and a flood warning system. I think the biggest highlight in the essay was that I talked about the first product not working as expected because I had not accounted for mud and leaves in real-world conditions. That very failure forced me to try again many times and perfect the product. Thanks to that, the admissions committee saw that I not only have a passion for technology but am also persistent, possess a problem-solving spirit, and have a long-term concern for environmental and community issues, Thang said. In the supplemental essay, the male student chose to write about his passion for keyboards as well as how his friends call him an Avid Keyboard Modifier. I really love keyboards. Occasionally, you might see me at 2:00 AM still tinkering with them, Thang wrote in the essay. This detail also helped Thang express his passion for computer science from an early age. In the supplemental essay, Thang wrote about his passion for keyboards, noting that friends call him an Avid Keyboard Modifier. I love keyboards. Sometimes youll find me at 2 a.m. still tinkering with them, he wrote, highlighting his early interest in computer science. Reflecting on his application journey, Thang said the most important factor is having a clear goal and pursuing it consistently over time. Preparation is a long process and should start as early as possible. Currently, he continues studying additional AP subjects such as Calculus BC and Statistics, while developing technology projects for disaster prevention. He hopes to study in the US, gain experience, and eventually return to contribute to the community in his hometown. Thuy Nga The Vietnamese leader acknowledged and highly valued Tezolmezs active contributions to the friendship and cooperation between Vietnam and Turkiye, particularly in Istanbul - an important economic, commercial, and international exchange hub. He expressed his gratitude for the Honorary Consuls support to the Vietnamese community living, studying, and working in the area, as well as his efforts in connecting businesses and promoting investment, trade, and tourism links between the two countries. These, he noted, are practical contributions that help further deepen bilateral ties, especially as the two countries aim to elevate their relationship in the time to come. Chairman of the National Assembly (NA) Tran Thanh Man (right) presents a souvenir to Vietnams Honorary Consul in Istanbul Ali Tezolmez. (Photo: VNA) Chairman Man reaffirmed that Vietnam always treasures its relations with Turkiye, one of its leading trade and investment partners in the region. He noted that during this visit, he had held meetings with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Speaker of the Grand National Assembly Numan Kurtulmus, and engaged with businesses at a policy seminar on enhancing Vietnam Turkiye cooperation. At these events, leaders of the two countries set a target of raising bilateral trade turnover to 4 billion USD in the coming years. To help realise this goal, the NA leader hoped that in his capacity as Honorary Consul, Tezolmez will continue leveraging his role and credibility to advance bilateral cooperation priorities, including promoting negotiations on and the signing of a Vietnam Turkiye free trade agreement, advocating Turkiyes early recognition of Vietnam as a full market economy, reducing trade barriers, and facilitating Vietnamese goods access to Turkiyes distribution and retail systems. Chairman Man called on the Honorary Consul in Istanbul to continue supporting trade promotion; popularising Vietnams image, people, and attractive investment and business climate, connecting businesses and encouraging Turkish firms to seek new investment opportunities in Vietnam, while setting up partnership ties between localities in the two countries, including Istanbul and a major city of Vietnam. The top legislator expressed his hope that the Honorary Consul will continue supporting the Vietnamese community in Turkiye in general and in Istanbul in particular, helping them settle their lives and integrate well into the host society. Tezolmez said Chairman Mans working visit to Turkiye will provide fresh momentum for bilateral cooperation in the fields of economy, trade, investment and culture. He noted that Vietnam and Turkiye share many similarities as both nations had undergone struggles for national independence, preserved long-standing cultural traditions, and attached importance to family values. Emphasising the strong progress in the bilateral relations across multiple sectors, the Honorary Consul said cooperation could be broadened into new areas where both sides hold advantages, alongside enhancing people-to-people exchanges and links between localities. Tezolmez also affirmed his continued commitment to supporting bilateral cooperation and development, contributing to the further deepening of the traditional friendship between Vietnam and Turkiye./. VNA The top Vietnamese legislator expressed his admiration for Turkiyes cultural identity and its friendly, hospitable people, while highly valuing the European countrys growing role and position at multilateral forums and in regional mediation efforts. He affirmed that Vietnam attaches importance to strengthening ties with Turkiye. He conveyed regards from Party General Secretary and State President To Lam and Prime Minister Le Minh Hung to President of Turkiye Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Speaker Kurtulmus, and other Turkish leaders. For his part, Kurtulmus congratulated Vietnams leaders on their recent election to key positions, affirming that Vietnam is an important partner of Turkiye in Southeast Asia. He expressed his desire to elevate bilateral ties between the two countries and thanked Chairman Man for attending IPU-152, praising Vietnams active and responsible contributions to international issues at the event. NA Chairman Tran Thanh Man (left) presents a book on 80 years of the Vietnamese NA to Speaker of the Grand National Assembly of Turkiye Numan Kurtulmus at their meeting in Istanbul on April 17. (Photo: VNA) Highlighting economic cooperation as a bright spot in the bilateral relations, Chairman Man shared positive outcomes from his meeting with Turkish President Erdogan, and a Vietnam Turkey business forum. He proposed the two sides further open their markets and consider the early signing of a sustainable and balanced free trade agreement (FTA), facilitating market access for each countrys key export products while reducing trade barriers. Agreeing with these proposals, Speaker Kurtulmus suggested expanding cooperation in areas of mutual strength and potential such as defence industry, logistics, and air and maritime connectivity. The two leaders agreed to enhance parliamentary cooperation through promoting all-level delegation exchanges, closer engagement between friendship parliamentary groups, and sharing of legislative and supervision experiencs to create a favourable legal framework for bilateral collaboration, thus further deepening the friendship and multi-faceted cooperation between Vietnam and Turkiye. They also pledged to coordinate closely at parliamentary forums and other multilateral forums and organisations, step up the exchange of views, and support each others candidacies, particularly at the United Nations and related organisations. Chairman Man took this occasion to invite Speaker Kurtulmus to visit Vietnam in the time to come. The Turkish leader accepted the invitation with pleasure, saying he will arrange the visit at an appropriate time./. Chairman Man made the suggestion in his meeting with IPU Secretary-General Martin Chungong on April 17 morning (local time) on the sidelines of the 152nd IPU Assembly (IPU-152) in Istanbul, Turkiye. The top Vietnamese legislator spoke highly of the IPUs role and Chungongs contributions to enhancing cooperation among parliaments worldwide, thereby strengthening ties between the IPU and the Vietnamese NA. He also expressed his appreciation for the support and goodwill the Secretary General has extended to Vietnam over the past three tenures. Sharing the IPU Secretary-Generals views on global and regional issues, Chairman Man noted that the world is facing fast-evolving and complex challenges, including rising conflicts, non-traditional security challenges, natural disasters, and worsening climate change. He said in that context, Vietnam remains committed to multilateralism and to the indispensable role of international institutions, including the United Nations and the IPU, in promoting peace, stability, and sustainable development. He took this occasion to inform Chungong of Vietnams successful election of deputies to the 16th NA for the 20262031 term, with the highest voter turnout ever recorded, creating fresh momentum for implementing the countrys development orientations in the time to come. Regarding orientations to strengthen cooperation between the Vietnamese NA and the IPU in the future, Chairman Man underscored the need to foster parliamentary cooperation in science and technology, innovation, digital transformation, green transition, and sustainable development. He stressed Vietnams interest in closer engagement with IPU platforms and capacity-building initiatives, particularly in improving legislative quality and supervisory effectiveness. Secretary-General Chungong, for his part, welcomed Vietnams strong commitment to the IPU and its high-level participation at IPU-152. He noted that, amid global uncertainties, the presence and active contributions of the key Vietnamese leader, especially his substantive remarks addressing shared international concerns, are of important significance. The Secretary-General praised Vietnams foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, self-strengthening, and diversification and multilateralisation, as well as the Vietnamese NAs proactive and responsible engagement in inter-parliamentary cooperation, including within the IPU. He acknowledged Vietnams initiatives and contributions, which have left a positive mark on multilateral parliamentary forums. As he approaches the end of his tenure, Chungong expressed gratitude for the support and partnership of Vietnams legislature and voiced his hope to continue working with Vietnamese legislators and partners in the future. Chairman Man, in turn, thanked the IPU Secretary-General for his goodwill towards Vietnams NA and people, wishing him continued success, and expressing his hope that Chungong will remain a close and trusted partner of Vietnam./. Under the Vietnam Research Excellence Fellowship Program (VREF), around 100 candidates will be selected annually, with maximum funding of up to VND3 billion over three years. This marks an unprecedented level of investment in doctoral training support in Vietnam. From doctoral training to excellent research investment The fundamental shift in the program lies not in the funding size, but in its approach. For the first time, PhD candidates are defined as core research forces who directly produce scientific outputs, rather than merely learners. The program is designed toward a strong shift from training support to investment in excellent research, focusing on tasks capable of creating core technologies and strategic technological products. This reflects a major change in policy thinking: instead of expanding in quantity, the State is beginning to choose investing in depth, placing expectations on individuals who can create breakthroughs. In reality, although the number of PhD candidates in Vietnam has increased in recent years, output quality still lags behind international standards. The core cause lies in the lack of resources: many PhD candidates do not have enough conditions to participate in in-depth research activities, make international publications, or carry out academic cooperation. VREF is expected to address this bottleneck by providing sufficient resources for full-time research, still a luxury in the domestic scientific environment. Linking research with core technology and the market One of the most notable features of the program is its requirement to tie research to concrete outputs. PhD candidates are expected not only to publish but also to pursue intellectual property registration, technology transfer, and commercialization. This is a step toward moving research out of the ivory tower into the real-world innovation ecosystem. The program also encourages early participation from businesses through co-funding, joint implementation, and application of results. This helps form a close linkage between the State, academia, and enterprises, often described as the golden triangle of innovation. Priority will be given to projects related to core technologies and strategic tech products, signaling Vietnams shift from technology application to technology mastery amid intensifying global competition. Conditional investment mechanism Beyond strong financial support, VREF comes with strict a management mechanism. PhD candidates will be evaluated against milestones and output targets, with continued funding tied directly to performance. Projects that fail to meet requirements may be adjusted, suspended, or terminated. This reflects a key shift from granting to conditional investment, where the State not only funds but also demands clear accountability for results. At the same time, the program introduces a notable new element: acceptance of risk in scientific research. Projects with strong potential but objective risks may still receive flexible consideration if they comply with regulations. This is critical, as breakthrough research inherently involves risk - something traditional management frameworks dont accept. The bigger question: can it build an excellent science ecosystem? Despite its innovative design, a larger question remains: can a single program, even with strong funding, create a generation of world-class scientists? In reality, research quality depends not only on funding but also on academic environments, institutional autonomy, and the ability to attract and retain talent. VREF may serve as an initial catalyst, but building an excellent scientific ecosystem will require deeper reforms, from recruitment and evaluation systems to the development of strong research groups and international collaboration networks. Still, Vietnams willingness to invest up to VND1 billion per year in a single PhD candidate sends a strong signal. It reflects a shift in how science is perceived, from cost to investment, from support to strategic bet. If effectively implemented, the program could not only produce better-trained PhDs but also lay the foundation for a new generation of scientists capable of leading Vietnams strategic technology sectors in the coming decade. Thai Khang Within the framework of the 2026 Spring Meetings of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund, Vietnam has been honored as one of the five countries with the most outstanding achievements in human capital development. Nguyen Quoc Dung, Vietnams Ambassador to the United States, receives the award from Mamta Murthi, Vice President for Human Development of the World Bank Group. Photo: Vu Khue At the award ceremony recognizing top-performing countries under the expanded Human Capital Index (HCI+) 2026, held on April 16 at the World Bank headquarters in Washington, D.C., Nguyen Quoc Dung, Vietnams Ambassador to the United States, received the distinction on behalf of the country for its leading performance among nations with similar income levels. The recognition acknowledges Vietnams sustained efforts to optimize its human assets in service of long-term, sustainable economic growth. Vietnams inclusion in the top five stands as clear evidence of its growing competitiveness and the positive transformation of its labor market in a new development era. This achievement reflects the concerted efforts of the Government, the Ministry of Finance, and various ministries, sectors and localities in implementing Resolution 72-NQ/TW of the Politburo on breakthrough measures to strengthen healthcare, as well as Resolution 71-NQ/TW focusing on advancing education and training high-quality human resources through 2030. From the perspective of international economic experts, Vietnams performance in the HCI+ 2026 is not solely the result of progress in education and healthcare, but also bears the imprint of effective public financial management in converting investment resources into tangible outcomes. Vietnam has been assessed as one of the countries most capable of transforming state budget investments in education and health into real economic growth, outperforming the global average. Sustainable public spending, combined with strong educational outcomes, underscores the effectiveness of fiscal policies that prioritize investment in knowledge. At the same time, the World Bank also noted significant improvements in wage employment in Vietnam, reflecting success in aligning financial resources for training with the actual demands of a high-productivity labor market. Compared to countries in the same region and income group, Vietnam demonstrates higher efficiency in converting skills into employment opportunities and real income. Being recognized in the HCI+ 2026 once again affirms the soundness of a development strategy centered on people, while also highlighting the effectiveness of allocating and utilizing national financial resources - a critical factor in enhancing competitiveness in the new era. This achievement is not only a mark of international recognition but also a driving force for Vietnam to continue pursuing strong fiscal reforms, prioritizing the attraction and efficient management of resources, including ODA and concessional loans, to further improve human resource quality in the 2026-2030 period. Nguyen Le Luong The Vinh Primary School in Ben Cat ward, Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: T.T Authorities in Ben Cat Ward confirmed on April 16 that the teacher, identified as L.T.M., 36, homeroom teacher of class 3.6 at Luong The Vinh Primary School, had been temporarily removed from teaching duties pending further investigation. The incident first came to light on April 15, when posts circulated on social media from parents claiming that students who violated classroom rules were punished by being told to use a syringe to prick their own hands. One parent said her third-grade child returned home on April 13 appearing tired and upset. Initially, she assumed it was a typical disciplinary matter. However, the following day, she learned that several students in the class had been punished with a syringe. After further questioning, her child admitted being subjected to the same punishment for forgetting to wear a scarf to class. According to the schools findings, five students were involved. During a meeting with parents and school administrators, the teacher acknowledged that she had brought unused syringes to class, originally purchased for her sick child. She placed them on the table and told students that anyone who misbehaved should use the syringe on themselves, insisting she would not do it for them. The school described the act as a serious violation of professional ethics, infringing upon the physical integrity and rights of children. A formal report has been filed as the basis for disciplinary action. Following the incident, the school coordinated with parents and medical staff to take the affected students to a hospital for blood tests, screening for risks such as HIV and hepatitis B. All related medical costs are being covered by the teacher. Local authorities have directed relevant departments to clarify the nature and extent of the violation and ensure appropriate disciplinary measures are taken in accordance with regulations. Beyond the immediate case, the incident has sparked broader debate about discipline in schools and the boundaries that must never be crossed. Education experts stress that such actions are not only unacceptable but also reveal deeper issues in how discipline and authority are perceived. Nguyen Hong Thuy, a primary school teacher in Hanoi, said the case highlights a gap in teaching children about personal safety and boundaries. At the primary level, children are taught to obey and respect teachers, which is important for building discipline. But it can also lead to blind trust, where students follow instructions without questioning them, even when those instructions are harmful, she said. This mindset, she noted, can make children vulnerable to dangerous situations, as they may feel compelled to comply simply because the request comes from a teacher. Experts argue that alongside teaching obedience, children must also learn that there are limits, especially when it comes to their own safety. Any request that causes pain, fear, or harm should be refused, regardless of who makes it. They need to be empowered to say no clearly and seek help from trusted adults, Thuy said. Le Thi Thu Ha, Director of the Center for Children and Development under the Vietnam Association for Protection of Child Rights, added that childrens silence in such situations is common, largely due to fear and a lack of safe spaces to express themselves. If families and schools do not create an environment where children feel safe to speak up, they will remain silent even when facing harm, she said. Psychology expert Nguyen Tung Lam emphasized that while teaching children to recognize and respond to unsafe situations is important, responsibility cannot be placed solely on them. The core issue lies with adults, he said. Punishments that involve physical harm or psychological distress go against the most basic principles of education. These are boundaries that teachers must never cross. He added that any form of punishment already prohibited in schools cannot be justified under any circumstances, as it not only causes physical harm but may also leave lasting psychological effects. Instead of instilling fear, educators must guide students to understand their mistakes and adjust their behavior in a supportive and respectful manner. The incident, while isolated, has become a stark reminder that safeguarding children requires vigilance from both schools and families, as well as a firm commitment to ethical standards in education. Xuan An - Thuy Nga Minh Ngo, Citi country officer and banking head for Vietnam (centre) and Catherine Simmons, head of Government Affairs for Japan, Asia North/South, and Australia at Citi (right) As part of the three-day programme, the Citi delegation joined a series of meetings with senior leaders across Vietnams newly formed government, reflecting the strength of the Vietnam economic relationship and the US business community continued commitment to supporting Vietnams next phase of growth. During the mission, the delegation had an official meeting with Prime Minister Le Minh Hung and engaged with a broad range of high-level officials, including leaders from the National Assembly, a range of ministries, the State Bank of Vietnam, and other key government bodies. Vietnams economic progress and reform agenda creates opportunities for deeper public-private dialogue. We value the opportunity to engage with senior government leaders and to share Citis global perspectives and regional experience as Vietnam advances its agenda for growth, competitiveness and greater integration with the global economy, said Catherine Simmons, head of Government Affairs for Japan, Asia North/South, and Australia at Citi. Citis participation in the annual mission underscores the banks long-standing commitment to Vietnam and its role in supporting corporate clients through the countrys continued economic transformation, international integration, policy development, and regulatory modernisation. Through its extensive global network and deep local presence, Citi continues to work closely with multinational corporations, financial institutions, public sector stakeholders and leading Vietnamese companies to help facilitate cross-border trade, investment and capital flows. Vietnam remains one of the most dynamic and strategically important markets in Southeast Asia, said Minh Ngo, Citi country officer and banking head for Vietnam. We were honoured to join the ASEAN Business Council delegation and engage with senior leaders across the new government. Through these discussions, we clearly demonstrated both our readiness and our ability to support the countrys ambitions for faster growth and deeper global connectivity. The mission provided an important platform for dialogue on Vietnams economic outlook, investment climate, infrastructure development, financial sector modernisation, energy transition, healthcare, digital transformation, and broader trade priorities. It also highlighted the important role of international business in supporting Vietnams development goals and deepening commercial ties between Vietnam, the US and the wider region. Citi has been present in Vietnam for more than three decades and remains focused on helping corporate clients navigate a rapidly evolving business environment through its network, insights, and full suite of banking products and solutions. Citi report finds global trade transformed by tariffs and AI Citi has released the latest edition of its Global Perspectives & Solutions report, examining how global trade is being reshaped by tariff volatility, AI, and the continued shift towards regionalised supply chains. Citi economists project robust Vietnam economic growth in 2026 Vietnams economy looks to maintain strong growth momentum in 2026, with robust domestic demand playing a central role in offsetting cyclical export headwinds, according to the latest Vietnam Economics Outlook report by Citi Research on February 12. FOCUS Wales Film Festival has announced the launch of its first feature film competition, marking an expansion of the BAFTA Cymru-qualifying event. The festival, taking place in Wrexham next month, said the new competition aims to support Welsh filmmaking and provide a platform for films to reach wider audiences. Two Welsh productions, Effi o Blaenau and Madfabulous (pictured), are already emerging as standout titles of 2026 and will screen as part of the inaugural competition. Effi o Blaenau has received major critical acclaim, including a four-star review from The Guardian, while Madfabulousfollows its world premiere at BFI Flare, where it has generated strong early buzz. Together, the films point to a broader shift across UK and Irish cinema, with stories told in minority languages increasingly reaching global audiences. Festival Producer Robert Corcoran said: When films like Effi o Blaenau and Madfabulous begin to break through, it demonstrates that Welsh stories can resonate far beyond their place of origin. Our ambition with FOCUS Wales is to build an international festival where those films dont just screen they launch, connect and travel. A platform that truly brings the world to Wales and Wales to the world. Director Celyn Jones added: Its an honour and a privilege to screen Madfabulous at the brilliant FOCUS Wales Film Festival. Our film is set in North Wales, made in North Wales, and Im from North Wales. It brings great joy to celebrate its beginnings with its community, ahead of its general release before we share Henry Paget, the dancing marquess, with the wider world. Alongside the new feature competition, the festival will present 90 short films at the historic Grove Park Theatre. Highlights will include Flock, a 70,000 Welsh short by Mac Nixon backed by Film4s Future Takes programme, as well as new work supported by BFI Doc Society and The Uncertain Kingdom. The FOCUS Wales Film Festival is supported by a number of partners, including Ffilm Cymru Wales. The festival runs 7-9 May in Wrexham city centre, alongside its music programme and industry conference. More information and tickets are available on the FOCUS Wales website. Spotted something? Got a story? email us at Got a story? email us at news@wrexham.com A childrens hospice nurse from North Wales is set to take on an epic mountain trek in Morocco to raise funds for the charity. 45-year old Gemma Jones, from Glan Conwy, will be hiking the 4,000ft Mt Toubkal in Moroccos Atlas Mountains this May as part of the charitys Morocco Trek 2026. Gemma, who has worked at Ty Gobaith in the Conwy Valley for 10 years, said she hopes to raise as much money as possible for the organisation and to change the perception of the hospices work. Some days at work, I hold a childs hand. Some days I sit with a mum or dad at 3am when the world feels impossibly cruel, explained Gemma. Some days I help make a birthday special because we dont know if therell be another one. Sometimes Christmas is brought forward as time is so precious. Gemma continued: It is not a sad place. I want people to understand that. It is one of the most alive places I have ever been. Full of love, laughter, and fierce determination to make every single moment count for these children and their families. But it takes an extraordinary team, specialist equipment, and consistent funding to keep those doors open and that care flowing. Thats why Im going to Morocco. Gemma admits that she is not a natural athlete and has even recently joined a gym and has started hiking in the local area. When my legs ache on that mountain, every blister and every steep incline, Ill think of the children I care for who face challenges that make a steep climb look easy, she explained. When I want to stop, Ill remember the parents who never get to stop who keep going every single day with a strength that humbles me, she said. Ty Gobaith, along with sister hospice Hope House in Oswestry, provides respite care, nursing care, physiotherapy, hydrotherapy and activity-centred play for over 700 children and families living with a life-threatening condition. Their mission is to reach and support as many families as possible across North and Mid Wales, Cheshire and Shropshire with free high-quality professional care. As a charity, they are only partially funded by statutory sources and must raise 10m per year to fund their services. Gemma said: Every penny will go directly to the children and families of Ty Gobaith and Hope House. So please, if you can support my journey by sponsoring me, Id be so grateful. Every person that donates 10 or more on Gemmas JustGiving page and leaves the comment Raffle/Cottage will be entered into a draw to win a two-night stay at a beautiful cottage in Dwyran, Anglesey, near the world famous Newborough beach. You can donate to Gemmas effort at https://www.justgiving.com/page/gemmajones9 Spotted something? Got a story? email us at Got a story? email us at news@wrexham.com The Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer, Mel Stride, avoided answering a direct question on HS2 funding during a visit to Llandudno on Thursday, instead blaming Welsh Government spending despite the UK Government funding the scheme. The Local Democracy Reporting service asked the Conservative MP why High Speed 2 is still classed as an England and Wales project even though the train services route doesnt include Wales. In the construction phase, HS2 is a major high-speed rail project designed to reduce travel times and increase passenger capacity, connecting London and the Midlands with a high-speed track. But critics argue, because the HS2 doesnt serve Wales directly, it should be treated as an English-only project, freeing up additional funding for Wales as dictated by the Barnett formula. Plaid Cymru even estimated the loss to be in the region of 4 billion. But the UK Government has claimed HS2 funding forms part of a wider UK-wide investment approach, with the scheme being progressed under both Tory and Labour leaderships during its many different stages. When visiting Llandudno, Mel Stride was asked about the controversial HS2 funding and blamed the Labour Welsh Government. For too long the Welsh Labour Government has wasted hundreds of millions of taxpayers cash on wholly trivial schemes. If Labour has been able to splash 120 million on creating more politicians, tens of millions on a 20mph default speed limit, millions on embassies all over the world, then they certainly have the money, but it is about priorities. If the people of Wales want real change, the only way that can happen is by voting Welsh Conservative in May. He added: The last UK Conservative Government also ensured that for every 1 spent on a devolved area in England 1.20 was sent to the Welsh Government. The MP was also asked about the rise of Reform UK in Wales ahead of the upcoming Senedd elections. He said: Every vote for the Welsh Conservatives is a vote for a strong team with a credible plan to get Wales working. Under the new electoral system, every vote for the Welsh Conservatives will help elect a Welsh Conservative, no matter where you live in Wales. Reforms promises are never backed up with a credible plan. If you want real change for our schools, hospitals, and local economies, you must vote Welsh Conservative. On Llandudnos economy, Mr Stride added: Hospitality is a key pillar of the Welsh economy, and especially so in beautiful places like Llandudno. History shows us that imposing more taxes does not lead to growth. The Welsh Labour Governments tourism tax will destroy confidence and jobs. If the Welsh Conservatives are elected, we will scrap the disastrous tourism tax. A spokesman for Reform Wales said: The Conservatives are finished in Wales. The Welsh Government was contacted for a comment but declined to comment due to the pre-election period. By Richard Evans BBC Local Democracy Reporter Spotted something? Got a story? email us at Got a story? email us at news@wrexham.com More than 40 million of Welsh Government investment has been approved to deliver the first phase of Wrexham Councils 52.6m school modernisation programme. But the Senedd has asked the council to resubmit outline plans to modernise 10 additional schools at a cost of just over 57m which include provisional Sustainable Communities for Learning grant support of around 38.6m. Lead Member for Educaton Cllr Phil Wynn confirmed to Wrexham County Borough Councils Executive Board this week that central funding for works to replace St Marys Church in Wales School in Brymbo, St Marys Roman Catholic Primary School in the city centre, St Christophers School in Hightown for children with complex needs and transition of Haulfan Pupil Referral Unit in Rhosddu to an upgraded home in Johnstown has been approved. Through the Sustainable Communities for Learning programme the Welsh Government will provide grant funding totalling 41,010,000 for the four projects. Were committing over 50 million to new school builds over the next few years and that has to be celebrated, said Cllr Wynn. The four projects were originally identified in the former 21st Century Schools programme. The Sustainable Communities for Learning Programme has superseded that and these four projects transitioned into phase one of that scheme. Last year, we applied to Welsh Government for four business cases for those projects. We were successful in securing agreements in principle on all four. For the remainder of this year officers will be working on the revised strategic outline plan which will take on board changes that have taken place in the last three years. The outline plan that was submitted previously isnt set in stone. There will be schemes there that may not proceed. There will be schemes in phase two and three that will be brought forward and there will be new schemes that we are likely to bring forward to recognise the change in pupil numbers going forward. Of the phase one projects that are moving forward the two new build faith school projects will cost 7.8 million each and be 85% funded by Welsh Government. St Marys in Brymbo will receive 1.7m from the Wrexham Parochial Educational Foundation to make up its funding while St Marys in Wrexham will receive the same amount from the Diocese of Wrexham. The other two schools will be funded by the council, with the 35m construction of the new St Christophers project receiving 8.75m from the authority while the 2m upgrade to Haulfan PRU will receive 500,000. Work on Haulfans new home on the former Ysgol Yr Hafod site is already underway, with the PRU due to open in September this year. The other three projects will now require planning permission before work can begin, with the two St Marys expected to be open in September 2028 and St Christophers anticipated to be open by September 2029. Rossett Cllr Hugh Jones highlighted that St Peters Church in Wales Primary School had not been included in the original modernisation programme despite being 77-years-old. Cllr Wynn pledged officers would reconsider the school for inclusion in the revised plan. In addition to noting the progress of the scheme so far, the Executive Board also supported an amendment from deputy leader Cllr Dave Bithell to include a strategic condition survey report of all school buildings in Wrexham County Borough by January 2027 to give councillors a full picture of the physical state of all the authoritys school sites. By Alec Doyle BBC Local Democracy Reporter Spotted something? Got a story? email us at Got a story? email us at news@wrexham.com The Reno Aces dedicated Friday night's game to organ, eye, and tissue donation in collaboration with Nevada Donor Network to encourage more people to become registered donors. Together, they honored two families that had members recently become donors. Officials say events like these serve as a good reminder for people of all the great things that can happen when donating. Caitlyn Ottomann, who was a part of one of the honored families and is also a Nevada Donor Network volunteer, said, "None of it is actually as scary as the rumors seem, and it is one of the most beautiful things. I am so glad that our family's been able to be held by Donor Network and held by their compassion and outreach, and the community that it builds, and just the process of donation itself is not nearly as scary as everybody wants it to seem." At The Reno Aces Donate Life Night, attendees told us that being a donor is a simple choice for them. They say the main reason to be a donor is that your parts won't be of any value to you after passing, but can add more years to another person's life, and to not let misconceptions about donating keep you from saving lives. Harvey Cole, a registered donor, told us, "My stepdaughter actually passed away, and we donated her organs to the Nevada Donor Network, and they actually contacted us about who her eyes went to, her lungs, and what have you, and it was kind of cool to see that even in her death she was bringing life to others." Officials told us that researching what donating actually represents and does for people is helpful for anyone on the fence about it. They say advocating for the cause is an all-year battle, but it's important to have extra help in the month of April. Brooke Goodnight, a Strategic Partnership and Event Liaison for Nevada Donor Network, said, "It is so important. Every single day, there's somebody waiting for that second chance at life. So even though April is Donate Life Month and it's a huge month for advocacy, we want to bring awareness all year long. And that's why we're so grateful for our community partners like the Reno Aces." Officials say over 100,000 people are on the donor wait list, and about 700 are Nevadans. CAIRO (AP) The standoff over the Strait of Hormuz escalated again Saturday as Iran reversed its reopening of the crucial waterway and fired on ships attempting to pass, in retaliation after the United States pressed ahead with its blockade of Iranian ports. The strait is closed until the U.S. blockade is lifted, Iran's Revolutionary Guard navy said Saturday night, warning that no vessel should make any movement from its anchorage in the Persian Gulf and the Sea of Oman, and approaching the Strait of Hormuz will be considered as cooperation with the enemy and be targeted. New attacks on the strait, through which roughly one-fifth of the worlds oil normally passes, threatened to deepen the global energy crisis and push the countries into renewed conflict as the war entered its eighth week. A fragile ceasefire is due to run out by Wednesday. Iran said it had received new proposals from the United States, and Pakistani mediators were working to arrange another round of direct negotiations. Irans joint military command earlier said control of the Strait of Hormuz has returned to its previous state ... under strict management and control of the armed forces. Revolutionary Guard gunboats opened fire on a tanker and an unknown projectile hit a container vessel, damaging some containers, the British militarys United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center said. India's foreign ministry said it summoned Iran's ambassador over the serious incident of firing on two India-flagged merchant ships, especially after Iran earlier let several India-bound ships through. For Iran, the strait's closure imposed after the U.S. and Israel launched the war on Feb. 28 during talks over Tehran's nuclear program is perhaps its most powerful weapon, threatening the world economy and inflicting political pain on President Donald Trump. For the United States, the blockade keeps up pressure and could strangle Iran's already weakened economy. Irans new supreme leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, issued defiant remarks on Saturday, saying the navy stands ready to inflict bitter defeats on its enemies. He has not been seen in public since being elevated to the post following his father's death in Israels opening barrage. A turnaround a day after Iran said the strait was open On Friday, Iran announced the strait's reopening to commercial vessels after a 10-day truce was announced between Israel and the Iranian-backed Hezbollah militant group in Lebanon. The reopening caused oil prices to fall. Trump, however, said the U.S. blockade of Iran's ports will remain in full force until Tehran reaches a deal with the United States. Trump had imposed the blockade after a round of historic face-to-face talks in Pakistan between the countries ended without an agreement. U.S. forces have sent 23 ships back to Iran since the blockade began on Monday, U.S. Central Command said Saturday. Trump's comments triggered an outcry. Americans are risking the international community, risking the global economy through these, I can say, miscalculations, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Saeed Khatibzadeh told The Associated Press, adding that the U.S. is risking the whole ceasefire package. Irans Supreme National Security Council issued a statement calling the blockade a violation of the ceasefire and said Iran would prevent any conditional and limited reopening of the strait. The council has recently acted as Irans de facto top decision-making body. Since most supplies to U.S. military bases in the Gulf region come through the strait, Iran is determined to maintain oversight and control over traffic through the strait until the war fully ends, the council said. That means Iran-designated routes, payment of fees and issuance of transit certificates. The Revolutionary Guard navy statement later indicated that no vessel should attempt a transit at all. Pakistan pushes for progress toward a new deal The renewed standoff over the strait came hours after Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said his country was working to bridge differences between the U.S. and Iran. Pakistan is expected to host a second round of negotiations early next week. Irans Supreme National Security Council said new proposals from the U.S. had been put forward during a visit to Iran by Pakistans army chief and were being reviewed. But Khatibzadeh said the Iranians were not ready for a new round of face-to-face talks because the Americans have not abandoned their maximalist position. He also said Iran will not hand over its stock of 970 pounds (440 kilograms) of enriched uranium to the United States, calling the idea a nonstarter. Khatibzadeh did not address other proposals for the enriched uranium, saying only that we are ready to address any concerns. Trump said Saturday that Iran got a little cute but that very good conversations were happening, and more information would come by day's end. They cant blackmail us, he added. On Friday, Trump said the U.S. will go into Iran and get all the nuclear dust, referring to the enriched uranium, which is believed to be buried under nuclear sites badly damaged by U.S. military strikes last year. French peacekeeper is killed in Lebanon French President Emmanuel Macron said a French soldier was killed and three others were wounded Saturday during an attack on U.N. peacekeepers in southern Lebanon. Everything suggests that responsibility for this attack lies with Hezbollah, Macron wrote on social media. The UNIFIL peacekeeping force also blamed Hezbollah. Hezbollah denied involvement. Pakistan's foreign minister said fighting between Israel and Hezbollah had been a key sticking point in U.S.-Iran talks, and the declaration of a ceasefire in Lebanon was seen as a boost to efforts for an Iran agreement. It was unclear to what extent Hezbollah would abide by a truce it didn't play a role in negotiating, especially with Israeli troops still occupying a stretch of southern Lebanon. In Beirut, displaced families began moving toward southern Lebanon and the capital's southern suburbs despite warnings by officials not to return home until it was clear whether the ceasefire would hold. The Iran war has killed at least 3,000 people in Iran, more than 2,290 in Lebanon, 23 in Israel and more than a dozen in Gulf Arab states. Thirteen U.S. service members have been killed. __ Metz reported from Ramallah, West Bank. Associated Press writers Munir Ahmed in Islamabad and Suzan Frazer and Andrew Wilks in Antalya, Turkey, contributed to this report. Critics rave (94%) for this found-footage crime thriller. A filmmaker investigates her brother's disappearance in a suspenseful hybrid of horror and true crime. AceShowbiz - Hunting Matthew Nichols has firmly established itself as a standout film in the crime drama genre, earning an impressive 94% critics score on Rotten Tomatoes. This remarkable rating highlights the films strong reception among professional reviewers, setting it apart from many contemporary releases. The films fresh status on the platform reflects widespread critical endorsement, even as audience reactions remain more divided, with a 50% audience score. The films critical success is a testament to its compelling narrative and effective execution. Centered on Tara Nichols, a documentary filmmaker determined to uncover the truth behind her missing brothers mysterious disappearance two decades earlier, the story blends suspenseful found-footage horror with true crime documentary elements. Critics have praised this hybrid approach, noting that it offers a fresh take within the often saturated found-footage subgenre. The reaction from industry observers affirms the films quality, with reviewers highlighting its suspenseful atmosphere and strong character study. While some view it as an homage to earlier works like The Blair Witch Project, Hunting Matthew Nichols succeeds in carving out its own identity by focusing on emotional depth and investigative tension. The films ability to maintain a chilling tone without relying solely on genre cliches has been a key factor in its critical acclaim. The audience response, however, has been notably mixed. While some viewers appreciate the films suspense and storytelling, others find it derivative or less engaging compared to its predecessors. This disparity between critical praise and audience reception underscores the films niche appeal, resonating especially with devotees of the found-footage horror and true crime styles. This critical recognition places Hunting Matthew Nichols in a competitive landscape of recent thrillers and horror films that experiment with documentary-style storytelling. Although specific award nominations tied to this film have yet to be disclosed, such a high Rotten Tomatoes score often positions films favorably during awards season. The films innovative blending of genres and strong critical support could well translate into further accolades and industry recognition. In a year featuring a diverse slate of thriller and horror nominees, Hunting Matthew Nichols stands out for its unique narrative approach and technical proficiency. Its a reminder that fresh perspectives on familiar genres continue to captivate critics and can spark meaningful conversations about storytelling innovation in modern cinema. Hip-hop pioneer Afrika Bambaataa dies at 68. The cultural icon, who helped shape the genre's foundations, passed from prostate cancer. AceShowbiz - Afrika Bambaataa, the pioneering hip-hop artist and cultural icon, has died at the age of 68. According to TMZ, the rapper, DJ, and producer (born Lance Taylor) passed away on Thursday, April 9, in Pennsylvania. His lawyer later confirmed to the Associated Press that the cause of death was prostate cancer. Kurtis Blow, serving as the executive director of the Hip Hop Alliance, released a statement acknowledging Afrika Bambaataa's influential role in the development of hip-hop culture. He said, Today, we acknowledge the transition of a foundational architect of Hip Hop culture, Afrika Bambaataa, highlighting how Bambaataa helped shape hip-hops early identity as a global movement rooted in peace, unity, love, and fun. Kurtis Blow also noted that Afrika Bambaataa transformed the Bronx into the cultural birthplace of hip-hop, which now influences communities worldwide. However, he recognized that Bambaataa's legacy is complicated and has sparked serious discussions within the hip-hop community. Born in the South Bronx, New York, Afrika Bambaataa initially gained recognition as a member of the Black Spades street gang before becoming a popular local DJ. In the 1970s, he founded the Universal Zulu Nation, an art collective that played a key role in defining hip-hops four foundational elements: DJing, graffiti, breakdancing, and MCing. As a recording artist, Afrika Bambaataa is best remembered for the groundbreaking 1982 track Planet Rock with the Soulsonic Force. The song reached the top 50 of the Billboard Hot 100 and sparked a wave of electro-rap and dance-pop music due to its innovative use of Kraftwerk samples and futuristic sound. Alongside other hip-hop pioneers like DJ Kool Herc and Grandmaster Flash, Afrika Bambaataa is widely regarded as one of the founding fathers of hip-hop, helping to establish the genre as a dominant cultural movement over the past five decades. Despite his contributions, Afrika Bambaataa leaves behind a legacy shadowed by serious sexual abuse allegations. In 2016, Ronald Savage accused him of sexually abusing him during the 1980s when Savage was a young teenager. Afrika Bambaataa denied these claims, and Savage later retracted his allegations. In a 2024 interview with AllHipHop, Savage stated, Bambaataa is not a pedophile and, in my eyes, he was doing something that was consensual with someone that he thought was of age. Following Savages initial accusations, several other men also came forward with claims that Afrika Bambaataa sexually abused them during their teenage years. In 2021, an anonymous man filed a lawsuit alleging that Afrika Bambaataa sexually abused and trafficked him for four years beginning in 1991, when the victim was 12 years old and Bambaataa was in his 30s. Afrika Bambaataa did not respond to the lawsuit and failed to appear in court, resulting in a default judgment against him in 2025. The court awarded the alleged victim damages due to the absence of a defense. Afrika Bambaataas passing marks the end of a significant yet controversial chapter in hip-hop history, reflecting both his foundational influence and the serious allegations that complicated his reputation in recent years. Marvel's Kevin Feige clarifies Magneto's role in Avengers: Doomsday and teases the ambitious future of the MCU, including Secret Wars. AceShowbiz - Kevin Feige, the president of Marvel Studios, recently addressed fan questions about the upcoming Avengers: Doomsday, clarifying the role of Magneto in the film and hinting at future Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) storylines. Fans have been curious whether Magneto will cause massive destruction in New Jersey during the films events. Feige confirmed that while Magnetos presence is significant, the destruction of New Jersey will not be part of the storyline in Avengers: Doomsday. This clarification helps set expectations for the films scale and the scope of Magnetos actions. Beyond this, Feige teased that Marvels upcoming Secret Wars project will be especially ambitious. While he did not reveal specific plot details, the tease suggests a large-scale, possibly universe-spanning narrative that could redefine the MCUs future phases. This aligns with Marvels tradition of building towards major crossover events that unite multiple characters and story arcs. As excitement builds for both Avengers: Doomsday and Secret Wars, Kevin Feige continues to provide glimpses into Marvels evolving plans. Fans can anticipate high stakes and expansive storytelling as these projects develop, reinforcing Marvel Studios commitment to delivering dynamic and interconnected narratives. With Feige at the helm, the MCUs future remains highly anticipated, promising epic confrontations and groundbreaking cinematic moments. BTS's j-hope shares emotional news of his grandmother's passing with ARMY at Tokyo concert, revealing how his bandmates helped him cope. AceShowbiz - At a recent concert in Tokyo, j-hope of BTS shared a heartfelt and somber message with his fans, known as ARMY. The performer revealed that his maternal grandmother, who played a significant role in raising him, had passed away shortly after the group arrived in Japan. Speaking to thousands of fans at the Tokyo Dome on April 17, j-hope candidly expressed his emotions about the loss. Translated from Korean, he began by acknowledging the weight of his announcement: "Honestly, this might be a bit of a heavy thing to share, but I really wanted to express how I'm feeling today." He then shared the news of his grandmothers passing, highlighting her importance in his life since childhood. Despite the initial shock and uncertainty of how to process his feelings, j-hope described how being surrounded by his bandmates helped him cope. He mentioned that sharing meals and fully dedicating himself to rehearsals provided unexpected comfort during a difficult time. j-hope also spoke about his grandmothers pride in him and the other BTS members. He said she admired their achievements deeply and believed their work was remarkable. Reflecting on this, he expressed hope that she would have enjoyed watching their performance from above. The artist concluded his message by thanking the audience for their support in making his first show since his grandmothers passing a meaningful experience. BTS is currently touring in support of their album ARIRANG, which has maintained the No. 1 spot on the Billboard 200 chart for three weeks. The group kicked off the tour with three shows in Goyang, South Korea, and is now performing two concerts at the Tokyo Dome. Following their Japan dates, the septet will continue their tour with performances across North America, Latin America, Europe, Australia, and other parts of Asia, concluding in March of next year. On the same day as their first Tokyo show, j-hope appeared in an exclusive interview with Rolling Stone, where he discussed his role within BTS. He described his leadership as something that comes naturally rather than a formal responsibility, stating, "I think that's my role on the team. It just comes naturally ... It feels weird to call it a 'role.' But all I can do is take it in stride and do what I can for the other members." This candid moment during the tour highlights j-hope's emotional resilience and dedication to both his family and fans amid personal challenges. The ongoing global tour continues to showcase BTSs tremendous impact on the music industry and their devoted fanbase. CinemaCon's highs & lows: Avengers trailer wows, DC falters. See the stars & stories shaping the future of blockbuster cinema. AceShowbiz - The recent CinemaCon event in Las Vegas delivered a mixed bag of triumphs and setbacks, spotlighting the contrasting fortunes of two major cinematic universes. From the thunderous response to the new Avengers: Doomsday trailer to the underwhelming reception of DC Studios offerings, the convention highlighted both the excitement and the frustrations felt by exhibitors and fans alike. Alongside marquee stars like Zendaya, Robert Downey Jr., David Ellison, and Milly Alcock, the event showcased the evolving landscape of blockbuster cinema heading into the next wave of releases. DC Studios presentation struggled to generate the buzz expected at such a major industry gathering. There was no new information revealed about highly anticipated projects like The Batman Part Two or the upcoming Superman sequel. Instead, attendees were met with a modest teaser for the Clayface character that only mildly piqued interest. A clip from the new Supergirl series, featuring Kara navigating a space-bus under attack by pirates with a vibe akin to Guardians of the Galaxy, was noted by some influencers as a highlight, but it failed to ignite widespread enthusiasm. The studios biggest news came from outside the main convention floor: the casting of Adria Arjona in a yet-to-be-disclosed role in Man of Tomorrow. Speculation is rife that Arjona could be portraying Wonder Woman, a move that would be welcomed given the characters iconic status and the studios recent emphasis on lesser-known heroes. Despite the talent of writer James Gunn, known for elevating obscure comic book figures, exhibitors expressed a desire to see DCs most famous heroesBatman, Wonder Woman, and Supermantake center stage. Yet, the messaging from the convention seemed to suggest a lack of clear focus, with Batman barely mentioned, Supermans cast offering vague promises, and Wonder Womans involvement shrouded in mystery. In stark contrast, Marvels presentation was a showstopper. The studio leaned heavily into nostalgia and star power, bringing back nearly every major character, including those previously thought to have exited the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The excitement peaked with the debut of the first official trailer for Avengers: Firehose of Spandex Down Your Gullet, a film that carries the weight of expectations following recent titles like Captain America: Brave New World. The trailer, which featured Robert Downey Jr. in an unrecognizable Dr. Doom mask and using a distinct accent, captivated the audience and was screened twice due to overwhelming positive reactions. Social media buzz mirrored this enthusiasm, with many attendees describing the response as the most electrifying they had ever witnessed at CinemaCon. Disney also introduced a new initiative called Infinity Vision. Although it was presented as a premium certification for theaters meeting high standards tailored for screening Avengers: Doomsday, it was widely interpreted as a marketing tactic to compete with rivals like Dune, which had secured exclusive Imax runs. The Infinity Vision branding aims to encourage audiences to pay premium ticket prices for optimal viewing experiences, though skepticism remains about its longevity and impact beyond the films release window. The Star Wars segment at CinemaCon offered an unusual mix of anticipation and subdued excitement. Disney showcased the first 20 minutes of the first Star Wars film in seven years, yet the focus quickly shifted once the Avengers trailer played. Director Jon Favreaus new movie, centered on The Mandalorian and Grogu, leaned heavily on practical sets but still included some scenes with noticeable Volume wall effects, leading some critics to liken parts of the films visuals to a Zoom meeting backdrop. The film also features opening creditsa first for a Star Wars moviewhich some took as a modest sign of progress. While fans of The Mandalorian are expected to enjoy the film, there remains a question of whether it will resonate beyond the existing fan base. CinemaCon also saw a strong showing of prestigious trailers that left attendees impressed. Footage from Denis Villeneuves Dune: Part Three was described as a high-octane spectacle comparable to "Saving Private Ryan with lasers," while Christopher Nolans The Odyssey trailer was hailed as a monumental cinematic event. Nolan himself emphasized the films significance, though he jokingly declined to bring the entire cast onstage, citing the massive weight of extraordinary talent. Another standout was Aaron Sorkins The Social Reckoning, featuring Jeremy Strongs compelling portrayal of Mark Zuckerberg, which garnered anticipation for the films release. In the Spider-Man franchise, a new scene from Spider-Man: Brand New Day was well received, though the presentation was oddly devoid of its star, Tom Holland, who instead appeared via holograma move that left some questioning the necessity of such technology when actors can be physically present. Meanwhile, Zendaya was notably absent from the Spider-Man segment but made a surprise appearance during the Dune presentation, adding a layer of intrigue to her involvement in multiple high-profile projects. Tom Cruise was among the most talked-about figures at CinemaCon, particularly for his dramatic transformation in the trailer for Alejandro Inarritus dark comedy Digger. Cruise stunned audiences by portraying a character visibly aged with gray hair, a belly, and wrinklesa departure from his usual youthful action-hero image. His presence also featured prominently in a video announcing a new era at Paramount, alongside other major players like Steven Spielberg, Jason Momoa, Johnny Depp, as well as studio executives David Ellison, Dana Goldberg, and Josh Greenstein. This initiative aims to ramp up Paramounts output to 15 movies annually, bolstered by talent such as Timothee Chalamet, Will Smith, and James Cameron. Steven Spielberg made his first-ever appearance on the CinemaCon stage, receiving a standing ovation. He teased footage from his upcoming film Disclosure Day and revealed that he successfully convinced Universal to withhold the movies entire third act from trailersa decision aimed at preserving suspense and viewer experience. This approach, he suggested, should become standard practice in film marketing. Jason Momoa was another prominent figure at the event, heavily involved in promoting multiple projects including Supergirl, Street Fighter, and Dune: Part Three. His extensive presence underlined his rising status as a versatile action star and franchise staple. While David Ellison made a notable appearance, his speech was marked by a tone of earnestness that some attendees found off-topic or less engaging compared to the high-energy presentations around him. Nonetheless, the overall atmosphere at CinemaCon reflected a vibrant, if uneven, glimpse into the future of Hollywoods blockbuster landscape. In summary, CinemaCon 2024 was a showcase of contrasts: Marvels confident display of star-studded returns and compelling footage stood out as the events highlight, while DC Studios left many wanting more clarity and excitement from their slate. The event also reinforced the continued significance of prestige projects from auteurs like Villeneuve and Nolan, the ongoing evolution of the Star Wars franchise, and the enduring appeal of major stars like Tom Cruise and Jason Momoa. As studios continue to navigate changing audience demands and industry challenges, CinemaCon provided a valuable snapshot of where Hollywood is headed in the coming years. Iron Maiden prioritizes fans, skipping the 2026 Rock Hall induction due to tour commitments in Australia. The show must go on. AceShowbiz - Iron Maiden have confirmed they will not attend the 2026 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony due to their ongoing tour commitments, emphasizing their dedication to fans above all else. The band's manager, Rod Smallwood, announced that Iron Maiden will be performing live in Australia this November, coinciding directly with the November 14 induction event in Los Angeles. Smallwood stated, "As the most observant have already noticed, the band will be on tour in Australia around the November date of the Induction ceremony for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Los Angeles." He reinforced the band's philosophy that fans always come first, and that the scheduled concerts will continue as planned. The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame ceremony is set precisely between Iron Maiden's shows in Sydney and Melbourne. The band has been eligible for induction since 2005, making this year's recognition a significant milestone. Despite their absence, there is speculation that some former members might attend the event. Drummer Nicko McBrain, who joined Iron Maiden in 1982 but retired from touring in 2024, could potentially be present. Additionally, guitarist Dennis Stratton, a member during the band's 1980 debut album, and former vocalist Blaze Bayley, who fronted the band during the mid-1990s, appear to have open schedules that might allow attendance. Attempts to confirm McBrain's attendance through Iron Maiden's representatives were unsuccessful at the time of reporting, and neither Stratton nor Bayley's camps responded to inquiries about their plans. Upon the announcement of the induction, Dennis Stratton expressed pride and gratitude on his website, saying, "I feel very proud and honoured to be part of this fantastic band. I just hope I get something to hang on the wall to remind me of this great achievement." While Iron Maiden have historically shown a dismissive attitude toward the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, Smallwood issued a gracious statement following the news of their induction. He thanked the institution for recognizing both the current and former members who contributed to the band's journey. According to Smallwood, "Iron Maiden have always been about our relationship with our fans above anything else, including awards and industry accolades." He did acknowledge, however, that being honored within the music industry is a welcome recognition. This development highlights Iron Maiden's unwavering commitment to their live performances and their fans, choosing to continue touring rather than attend the formal induction event. The bands decision underscores the value they place on maintaining an active connection with their audience, which has been a hallmark of their career and a core reason for their enduring legacy in rock music. Shannon Elizabeth launches an OnlyFans to reclaim her narrative, share an unseen side, and connect directly with fans after years in Hollywood. AceShowbiz - Shannon Elizabeth is stepping into a new phase of her career by launching an OnlyFans account, aiming to take charge of how her story is told after years in Hollywood. The actress, known for her iconic roles in films like American Pie and Scary Movie, revealed to People that her decision to join OnlyFans is about reclaiming control over her image and the direction of her career. She explained that throughout her time in Hollywood, other people dictated the narrative and outcomes surrounding her work. Elizabeth stated, "I've spent my entire career working in Hollywood, where other people controlled the narrative and the outcome of my career. This new chapter is about changing that, showing off a more sexy side no one has seen, and being closer to my fans." Choosing OnlyFans, a platform widely known for adult content, allows her to connect directly with her audience and create content on her own terms. She believes this approach represents the future of personal branding and creative freedom. Reflecting on her past, Elizabeth acknowledged the doors that her breakout role in American Pie opened for her. However, she also pointed out the misconceptions that arose from playing Nadia, the seductive Eastern European exchange student who caught the eye of Jim Levenstein, portrayed by Jason Biggs. She told Entertainment Tonight, "For me, it was a role, it was playing a character. But even in my real life, I'm just not the girl who likes to be naked, ever. ... That was never me, but because that was kind of my coming out, everyone assumed I was that girl." Elizabeth reprised her role as Nadia in both American Pie 2 (2001) and American Reunion (2012), cementing her place in the franchises legacy. Despite the lasting association with her character's sexualized image, she is now embracing a new way to express herself more authentically. With this new venture, Shannon Elizabeth is determined to redefine her public persona and strengthen her connection with fans on her own terms. The Phantom, the 1936 superhero who predates Superman & Batman, is returning to TV. A new action-adventure series is in development from producer Reginald Hu... AceShowbiz - One of the earliest superheroes ever created is preparing to return to television. The Phantom, a character who first appeared in 1936, predates icons such as Superman, Batman, and Captain America. Despite his long history, this legendary figure remains active in comic book form, and now King Features Syndicate is moving forward with plans to produce a new TV series featuring him. Reports confirm that The Phantom, the protagonist of a long-running comic strip bearing his name, will be adapted into an action-adventure television show. The project will be directed and produced by Reginald Hudlin, who has an extensive background in film and comics. His directing credits include films like House Party, Boomerang, Serving Sara, and Candy Cane Lane. As a producer, he contributed to Django Unchained. Hudlin also brings valuable experience with superheroes, having written a significant run of Black Panther comics for Marvel and assisting in the relaunch of DC Comics Milestone imprint. This partnership with King Features Syndicate, the division of Hearst Publishing that owns The Phantom and other legacy characters, aims to bring the character to life on the small screen once more. Created by the late Lee Falk in 1936, The Phantom is the alter ego of a long line of heroes defending the fictional African country of Bangalla. Known as the Ghost Who Walks, the current Phantom is Kit Walker. Unlike many superheroes, he does not possess supernatural powers but relies on his physical prowess, intelligence, and his signature twin pistols. A distinctive feature of The Phantom is his skull ring, which leaves a lasting mark on his enemies, becoming his trademark symbol. The character also introduced several elements that have since become staples of the superhero genre, including a skintight costume and white, pupil-less eyes. The Phantom has had prior adaptations beyond the comics. The most notable was the 1996 film The Phantom, starring Billy Zane in the lead role. Set in 1936, that movie featured the Phantom battling the sinister industrialist Xander Drax, played by Treat Williams, and the femme fatale Sala, portrayed by Catherine Zeta-Jones. Additionally, the character was part of the animated series Defenders of the Earth, joining forces with other King Features heroes like Flash Gordon, Mandrake the Magician, and Lothar. A futuristic take on the character appeared in Phantom 2040. Once among the most widely read comic strips globally, The Phantom remains especially popular internationally, with strong fan bases in countries such as Australia and those in Scandinavia. Recently, writer Alex Segura revived Phantom 2040 as a dystopian webcomic, and new The Phantom comics continue to be published by Mad Cave Studios. The upcoming TV series promises to introduce the character to a new generation of viewers and fans. This revival of The Phantom is still in development, but it is poised to be a significant return for one of the first costumed heroes in popular culture. Stay tuned for updates as this exciting project develops, bringing the Ghost Who Walks back into the spotlight with fresh stories and adventures. Explosion in Toronto tied to Drake's 'Iceman' album stunt. Was it a planned pyrotechnic effect or a mysterious marketing ploy? AceShowbiz - Last night, a significant explosion shook Toronto, drawing attention to the enigmatic project surrounding Drakes highly anticipated album, Iceman. The rapper shared a puzzling Instagram story late Thursday night that resembled footage from a disaster zone, showing a large plume of smoke over the Toronto skyline. The blast occurred at Downsview Park, a location known for hosting the EDM festival Veld and situated opposite the temporary Rogers Stadium. On April 13, Downsview Parks official website issued a public advisory warning residents and visitors about "planned pyrotechnic effects" occurring during that week. The statement noted, "During the week of April 13th, in the evening, residents and visitors may notice loud noises, flashes of light, and/or smoke in the area for short periods of time." The notice reassured the public that these phenomena were part of a controlled activity conducted by licensed professionals in collaboration with Toronto Police and Fire Services, emphasizing there was no risk to public safety. Local residents and businesses were also informed via a filming notification about a project titled "project bot," with preparation scheduled for April 15 and filming wrapping up on April 17. Ashley Visser, the media relations officer for the Toronto Police Service, confirmed to Rolling Stone that the event was related to a movie shoot rather than a music video. She described the situation as "a controlled incident." Although no official confirmation has linked Drake directly to the filming, social media posts strongly hint that the shoot is connected to Iceman. This aligns with the rappers history of cryptic teasers about the album. Last summer, Drake revealed the official album title during live streams on YouTube, launching an episodic Iceman series where each installment debuted a new single. The series kicked off with "What Did I Miss?," which notably became the last hip-hop single to enter the Top 10 charts. Following that, he released "Which One," featuring British rapper Central Cee. In September, before his third live stream, Drake appeared on Bobbi Althoffs podcast Not This Again, where he offered little detail besides confirming the album was forthcoming. The third episode of the Iceman series previewed additional tracks, including "Dog House" featuring Yeat and Julia Wolf, along with "Somebody Loves Me Pt. 2," which was officially released soon after. After a brief period of activity involving Stake gambling streams, Drake went quiet for the remainder of last year. He resurfaced in March with an Instagram carousel post featuring a "Warning Iceman" poster. Later that month, during a video tribute to Nelly Furtado at the Juno Awards, he closed by announcing, "Iceman coming soon." More recently, just before the Toronto explosion, his courtside seats at a Raptors game were transformed into an icy-themed promotional display, serving as another overt teaser for the album. The combination of these cryptic hints, the pyrotechnic display, and the controlled explosion in Toronto has fueled speculation that Iceman is entering a new phase of promotion or production, possibly involving a movie or cinematic project related to the album. Fans and observers will likely keep a close eye on Drakes next moves as anticipation builds for the release of Iceman. Reggae legend Buju Banton returns to VP Records & releases new single "Butterflies." A major career milestone for the iconic artist. AceShowbiz - Buju Banton has officially launched a fresh chapter in his career with two major announcements on April 17. The Jamaican reggae and dancehall legend revealed his return to the iconic indie Caribbean label VP Records, alongside the release of his latest single, "Butterflies." Buju Banton expressed his long-standing relationship with VP Records, stating, "I have been working with VP Records for over 30 years, and I will say it again ... they get it." This renewed partnership marks a significant milestone for the artist, whose previous releases with the label include the acclaimed 2003 album Friends for Life. VP Records CEO Christopher Chin highlighted the importance of this reunion, saying, "Buju has always been a defining voice in reggae, and his return to VP Records reinforces our shared commitment to continue inspiring our culture that resonates across the globe." The new single "Butterflies," produced by Supa Dups, serves as the lead track from Banton's upcoming album scheduled for release in summer 2026. This project will be his first full-length album released through VP Records since 2006. The artist described the music as something that "touches the soul to a point where it's constantly playing in your head ... and you just wanna spread your wings and be a butterfly." Buju Banton's most recent album, Born for Greatness (2023), brought him his eighth Grammy nomination. The record features collaborations with notable artists such as Victoria Monet and Snoop Dogg. It was also his second release under Roc Nation, following the 2020 album Upside Down 2020, which reached No. 2 on the Reggae Albums chart and was his first project after his release from prison in December 2018. This summer, Banton will embark on a U.S. tour alongside nine-time Grammy-winning reggae artist Stephen Marley. The joint Roots and Rhymes Tour kicks off on June 17 at Marymoor Park in Redmond, Washington, and will visit major cities including New York, Chicago, and Boston. The tour will conclude on July 25 at the Lakewood Amphitheatre in Atlanta. Special guests on select dates will include Grammy winner Gramps Morgan, while DJ Splackavelli will provide energetic sets throughout the tour. Fans can secure tickets through the official websites of both Buju Banton and Stephen Marley. Two years ago, Banton made a celebrated return to live performances in the U.S., marking his first shows in the country in over 13 years. Speaking to Billboard before his sold-out headlining appearances at New York's UBS Arena, he shared his excitement about reconnecting with audiences, saying, "After not being here for quite some time, I look forward to reigniting that passion and euphoria." In 2025, Banton earned the Caribbean Music Award for reggae collaboration of the year alongside Damian Marley and Bugle for the track "Thank You Lord." Throughout his career, Buju Banton has placed 12 projects in the top 10 of the Reggae Albums chart, with four also charting on the all-genre Billboard 200. Among his crossover successes is the hit "Champion," which spent nine weeks on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles Sales chart in 1995, peaking at No. 52. Fans eager to catch Banton live and hear his latest sounds can check out the full tour schedule and listen to "Butterflies" via his official channels. Kanye West's Poland concert canceled after government backlash over antisemitic remarks. Major setback for his troubled European tour. AceShowbiz - Kanye West faces another major obstacle in his European tour as his scheduled concert in Poland has been canceled amid widespread backlash against his antisemitic remarks and Nazi endorsements. The planned performance at the Silesian Stadium in Chorzow on June 19 was officially called off on Friday, with organizers citing "formal and legal reasons" after mounting pressure from the Polish government and public outrage. This cancellation follows closely on the heels of Wests postponed show in France, marking a significant setback to his efforts to return to the European music scene. Polands culture minister, Marta Cienkowska, denounced the booking as "unacceptable," emphasizing the countrys zero tolerance for any promotion of hatred or Nazi ideology. Her strong condemnation swiftly led to the concert's termination. The controversy surrounding Kanye West is well-documented. In February 2025, he ignited outrage by selling s####### T-shirts on his website, prompting Shopify to shut down his online store. Later that year, he released a song titled "Heil Hitler," in which he controversially linked his personal struggles, including a child custody dispute and frozen assets, to embracing Nazism. Under Polish law, the promotion of Nazi symbols is a criminal offense punishable by up to three years in prison, according to the BBC. This legal context adds weight to the decision to block Wests concert. Earlier in January, prior to announcing his European tour and releasing his album Bully, West published a full-page apology in the Wall Street Journal. He stated, "I am not a Nazi or an antisemite. I love Jewish people." He also attributed his conduct to untreated bipolar disorder, admitting he had "lost touch with reality." Despite this apology, opposition to his performances in Europe has continued unabated. Polands historical trauma deeply informs its response. During World War II, Nazi Germany systematically murdered over three million of Polands 3.2 million Jewish citizens. The Auschwitz concentration camp, located in Nazi-occupied Poland, was responsible for the deaths of more than 1.1 million people, most of them Jewish. Marta Cienkowska highlighted the gravity of these events in her statement: "We are talking about an artist who has publicly expressed antisemitic views, downplayed crimes, and profited from selling s####### T-shirts. This is a deliberate crossing of boundaries and the normalization of hatred. Culture cannot be a space for those who exploit it to spread hatred." The cancellations of Kanye Wests shows continue to accumulate. The UK government denied him a visa weeks ago, resulting in the Wireless Festival dropping him and eventually canceling the event entirely. His Marseille concert in France has also been postponed indefinitely. While West has managed to perform in the United States and Mexico City earlier this year, European venues are increasingly closing their doors to him. Adam Strzyzewski, director of the Silesian Stadium, confirmed the Poland cancellation on Facebook, pointing to the formal and legal challenges that made the concert impossible to proceed with. Ice Spice in a physical altercation at a Los Angeles McDonald's. Details on the street brawl that started inside the restaurant, with video footage. AceShowbiz - Ice Spice, the 26-year-old rapper, was involved in a physical altercation with a woman at a Los Angeles McDonald's on April 15, which escalated from inside the restaurant to a street brawl outside. The incident began when a woman, later identified as Vayah, approached Ice Spice and her friend uninvited, attempting to squeeze into their booth. When Ice Spice and her companion asked the woman to leave, tensions quickly rose. According to reports and video footage obtained by TMZ, the woman threw the first slap inside the McDonald's, connecting with Ice Spice. The fight then spilled outside onto the pavement, where both women continued to engage physically. During this outdoor confrontation, the aggressor landed a second punch, leading to both women falling to the ground as the scuffle intensified. The altercation drew significant attention from bystanders in the area, and the entire confrontation was captured on camera, providing clear evidence of the events as they unfolded. Ice Spice's legal representative, Bradford Cohen, promptly addressed the situation by describing the attack as "unprovoked." Cohen confirmed that the incident has been reported to the LAPD and stressed that they are actively pursuing all available legal avenues. He stated, "We will be pursuing any and all avenues to hold the perpetrators responsible for their actions, including criminally and civilly. We are also exploring holding the location responsible for their lack of appropriate security." This statement highlights that Ice Spice's team is taking the situation very seriously and intends to ensure accountability not only for the individuals involved but also potentially for the establishment's security measures. Meanwhile, Vayah has offered a conflicting version of the events. She claims that Ice Spice was the one who acted rudely first, alleging that the rapper called her a "b####" when she attempted to show support. Vayah also accused Ice Spice of grabbing her phone and throwing it out of the restaurant prior to the fight, which she suggests contributed to the escalation. As of now, the Los Angeles Police Department has not made any arrests related to this incident. The situation remains under investigation. Public reaction on social media has largely criticized the aggressors, with many branding them as attention seekers or "clout chasing" individuals. Comments from users highlighted surprise at the unexpected nature of the fight, with some pointing out that Ice Spice appeared prepared to defend herself despite the chaotic circumstances. One user tweeted, "Ice Spice got slapped in McDonald's, but she was really ready to bang out; she surfed across them tables lol." Another added, "Fighting Ice Spice is weird asf." These responses indicate a mix of disbelief and support for Ice Spice's handling of the situation. Other comments emphasized the perceived pettiness of the attack. One social media user wrote, "Not even a fan of Ice Spice but she held her own ngl, and that weird ass 'fan' girl gtf out my face and let me eat my nuggets in peace." Another noted the jealousy factor, calling it a "disease" behind the aggressor's actions. Despite the conflicting stories and public scrutiny, the core facts remain that an uninvited woman initiated physical contact, leading to a full-scale fight in and outside a McDonald's in Los Angeles. Ice Spice and her team are taking legal steps to ensure the matter is addressed appropriately. This incident serves as a reminder of the challenges public figures face when encountering unwanted attention and highlights the potential consequences of security lapses in public venues. Explore the origin of an icon. Noah Centineo stars as John Rambo in the prequel, with David Harbour as Major Trautman. The legend begins. AceShowbiz - The highly anticipated prequel to the iconic John Rambo film series is slowly revealing exciting details as production progresses. Titled simply John Rambo, this new movie explores the origin story of the legendary character first introduced in 1982's First Blood. The film stars Noah Centineo stepping into the titular role originally made famous by Sylvester Stallone, alongside a supporting cast including Tayme Thapthimthong, Jefferson White, Quincy Isaiah, Jason Tobin, and Yao. Filming began in January and recently wrapped, but the latest and most thrilling update comes with the confirmation that a well-known Marvel favorite has joined the cast in a pivotal role. According to The Hollywood Reporter, David Harbour, known for his work in Stranger Things and Thunderbolts, will portray Major Trautman, a key figure in the Rambo franchise. Major Trautman, originally played by the late Richard Crenna, serves as Rambos commanding officer and paternal figure who is uniquely able to reach and calm him in the first film. This character's relationship with Rambo has been a cornerstone of the franchise, making Harbours casting a significant move for the new film. While fans may be eager to see how the prequel will establish this dynamic, there is some disappointment as Stallone will not be reprising any acting role in the project. Instead, Stallone is involved behind the scenes as an executive producer, helping guide the films development and ensuring the legacy of his iconic character is respected. In a social media post, Stallone expressed his enthusiasm for the project, stating, "I will serve as an executive producer on this origin story. I couldn't be more excited, and the action is coming your way." This involvement signals Stallones ongoing commitment to the franchise, even as new talent takes center stage. For Harbour, the role of Major Trautman is one of several major upcoming projects. Currently starring in the series DTF St. Louis, he is also set to return as Alexei Shostakov, also known as Red Guardian, in the upcoming Avengers: Doomsday. Additionally, he will reprise his role as Nicomund the Red/Santa Claus in Violent Night 2, and is featured in the upcoming film Evil Genius. This casting choice offers a fresh take on a beloved character, bringing a new energy to the Rambo franchises backstory. Fans and industry watchers alike are eager to see how Harbours interpretation of Major Trautman will influence the narrative and deepen the understanding of Rambos early experiences. As the release date for John Rambo remains unannounced, anticipation is building for a fresh perspective on one of action cinemas most enduring heroes. With a blend of new talent and legacy involvement, the film looks poised to both honor and expand upon the mythology of John Rambo. What are your thoughts on David Harbour stepping into the role of Major Trautman? Join the conversation and share your views on this exciting casting update in the ComicBook Forum. Mark Gatiss's hit cozy crime drama returns. Season 2 of Bookish promises an even more ambitious mystery in post-war London. Don't miss its summer premiere. AceShowbiz - Bookish is set to make a strong return this summer with its eagerly awaited second season, promising an even more ambitious storyline than before. Created by and starring Mark Gatiss, the British crime drama quickly became a fan favorite after its successful debut last summer on U&alibi, drawing an impressive 1.5 million viewers for its premiere episode. This achievement positioned it as the channels second-highest performing debut ever. Mark Gatiss is no stranger to captivating audiences, having contributed to iconic series such as Doctor Who and co-creating The League of Gentlemen. His talents have shone through once again in Bookish, a cozy crime series set in post-war London that blends intriguing mysteries with rich character development. Following its U.K. success, the show also premiered on PBS in the United States earlier this year, further expanding its international reach. The upcoming second season will consist of six episodes, continuing to follow Gatiss character, Gabriel Book, as he tackles three new complex cases. The narrative promises to dive deeper into his investigative prowess amidst the atmospheric backdrop of post-war London. Gatiss has informed Collider that this season will be "more ambitious," hinting at heightened stakes and intricate storytelling that should satisfy returning fans and newcomers alike. A new trailer has just been released, offering the first full glimpse of Bookish back in action. The preview highlights not only Gatiss Gabriel Book but also several beloved returning characters, including Polly Walker as Trottie Book, Connor Finch as Jack Blunt, Elliot Levey as Inspector Bliss, Blake Harrison as Sergeant Morris, and Buket Komur as Nora. Their presence ensures the continuity and emotional depth that viewers appreciated in the first season. Season 2 also boasts an impressive lineup of guest stars set to enrich the series tapestry. Jason Watkins will appear as Harold Sneed, Miranda Richardson as Duchess Alberta, Simon Callow as a mysterious figure known only as 'E', Claire Skinner as Mrs. Calthrop, and Youssef Kerkour as Yusuf. These additions are expected to bring fresh energy and complexity to the unfolding mysteries. After its initial success on U&alibi, Bookish has recently been acquired by HBO Max in Australia, further amplifying its global accessibility. Fans worldwide can look forward to seeing the shows second season as it becomes available on multiple platforms. Mark Gatiss continues to solidify his reputation as one of Britains most inventive television creators, bringing a unique blend of wit, suspense, and authenticity to Bookish. The series setting, combined with Gatiss nuanced writing and compelling performances, makes for an engaging viewing experience that stands out in the crowded crime drama genre. As the second season approaches, anticipation builds around the new cases Gabriel Book will confront and the evolving dynamics among the ensemble cast. The trailer sets the tone for an intense and layered narrative, reaffirming the shows place as a must-watch for fans of British crime dramas and mystery series. With six episodes planned, the upcoming season promises to expand on the intricate storytelling and strong character work that defined the first. Viewers can expect to be drawn into a richly detailed world where post-war challenges intersect with complex criminal investigations. In summary, Bookish Season 2 aims to build on a remarkable debut, delivering fresh mysteries, returning favorites, and notable guest appearances. The series not only appeals to dedicated fans of Bookish but also to anyone seeking a well-crafted British crime drama filled with atmosphere and intrigue. Kanye West's Netherlands concerts proceed despite calls for a ban over antisemitic remarks. Mayor cites no legal basis to stop the shows. AceShowbiz - Following the cancellation and postponement of several concerts across Europe, Kanye West remains scheduled to perform in the Netherlands despite mounting calls for a ban over his antisemitic remarks. Arnhem Mayor Ahmed Marcouch has determined there is no legal basis to prevent Ye from entering the country or holding his concerts at Gelredome Stadium on June 6 and June 8. Pressure has intensified from Dutch members of parliament and the wider public urging authorities to block the controversial rapper from performing due to his history of antisemitic rhetoric. However, Mayor Marcouch has emphasized that such decisions must adhere strictly to the law and current regulations, which do not support banning Ye at this time. Speaking to Dutch media outlet NRC, Marcouch acknowledged he personally found Ye's past antisemitic comments disgusting, but stressed that legal authority lies with parliament. He stated, Members of Parliament have the power to make laws, so instead of constantly posting all kinds of messages on X, they can also limit behavior they deem undesirable by law. The mayor clarified the ongoing process of reviewing the permits for Ye's concerts, which, as of April 17, were still under consideration. He explained that his role does not include judging the content of cultural activities, as freedom of expression protects artistic performances. Instead, his focus is on safety and public order related to the events. Within the framework of the law, the mayor should not pass judgment on the content of a cultural activity. That concerns freedom of expression, he said. What I can look at are the permit applications for the two concerts. They are currently being processed as we speak. This concerns, among other things, safety and public order. If the organization meets the requirements of the permit, then we simply have to grant that permit. Earlier in April, Dutch minister Van den Brink also stated there is no legal basis to prohibit Ye from entering the Netherlands for his performances, despite his controversial past statements. According to RTL News, the minister indicated that based on the information currently available, no entry ban applies. Mayor Marcouch agreed with the ministers assessment, noting that the law punishes racist and antisemitic statements only if made recently. Making racist and antisemitic statements is already a punishable offense. But he has to make them first. Now it concerns someone who did something in the past and, for that reason, would not be allowed to come to the Netherlands, the mayor explained. Regarding that, the Minister rightly said, There is no legal basis for that. The mayor pointed out that nothing will change unless legislation is revised or if Ye repeats offensive behavior. I observe that Members of Parliament want something and call upon the Minister to do something, while the Minister says, I have no legal basis to deny that man entry. If the Minister comes to that conclusion after all the indignation and calls from the House, then you shouldnt start shouting again that someone is not allowed to come, he said. Then you have to create a legal basis so that the Minister can do those kinds of things. Marcouch also expressed satisfaction that in the Netherlands' constitutional system, citizens are protected against arbitrary decisions by officials. I am also pleased that in our constitutional state, as a citizen, you are not dependent on the arbitrariness of a mayor or any other authority. That the law prevails, he concluded. Ye recently faced visa denial from the U.K. government, which led to the cancellation of his Wireless Festival appearance. In France, mounting backlash from authorities prompted him to postpone his June concert at Marseilles Stade Velodrome. On April 17, a representative for Silesian Stadium in Chorzow, Poland, confirmed that Ye's scheduled June 19 concert there will not take place. Despite these cancellations, according to the Yeezy website, Ye still has performances lined up later this year in New Delhi, Istanbul, the Netherlands, Italy, Madrid, and Portugal. Ye continues to grapple with the consequences of his antisemitic and hateful statements over recent years, which included selling a swastika T-shirt and releasing a song titled Heil Hitler. Seeking to repair his public image, he issued an apology in The Wall Street Journal in January, addressing both Jewish and Black communities. Additionally, he met with a rabbi in November 2025 in an apparent effort to reconcile. Musically, Ye released his album Bully on March 28, which debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 chart. He also returned to performing live in the U.S. with two shows at SoFi Stadium on April 1 and April 3. As it stands, the debate over Ye's ability to perform in the Netherlands underscores the tension between freedom of expression and public demand for accountability regarding past hateful conduct. With no current legal restrictions in place, his Dutch concerts are expected to proceed as planned, pending the final permit approvals. Taylor Frankie Paul is the new Bachelorette. Get her thoughts on joining Bachelor Nation and the latest on the postponed season 22 premiere date. AceShowbiz - The Bachelorette has announced its lead for season 22 as Taylor Frankie Paul, known from The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives. However, fans remain uncertain about the new seasons release date after Disney, ABCs parent company, postponed the premiere. Taylor Frankie Paul shared her thoughts about joining the Bachelor Nation in an interview with Us Weekly. She described the experience as stepping out of her "comfort zone" and expressed excitement about meeting new people and learning different perspectives. "What I'm most looking forward to is meeting a handful of people that are outside my bubble and even if there's a couple in there, that's OK but I'm just excited to get to know different perspectives and new parts about myself too," she said. She also admitted that the experience is "scary" because it is outside her usual environment. The reality star briefly addressed her past incidents, including a "soft swinging" scandal involving her and ex-husband Tate Paul, as well as her arrest in 2023. She acknowledged these experiences as important learning moments. "I've had a lot of learning lessons, for better or worse," she explained. In 2023, Taylor was arrested and charged with aggravated assault, two counts of domestic violence in the presence of a child, child abuse with injury, and criminal mischief. These charges stemmed from an altercation with her ex-boyfriend Dakota Mortensen. By August of that year, she pleaded guilty to aggravated assault, while the other charges were dismissed with prejudice following a plea agreement. Reflecting on her legal troubles, Taylor told the outlet, "I think [that makes you] more wise and aware or at least self-aware. I can't say that I'll never make mistakes again. We're human. We always will. But it's learning, growing and then having the tools to navigate the next one." Regarding the much-anticipated season 22 of The Bachelorette, it was originally set to premiere on Sunday, March 22, 2026. However, just days before this date, ABC removed the show from its schedule without providing an official explanation. Fans and insiders have speculated about the reasons behind this delay. Disney has remained silent on the matter, but former season 21 star Jenn Tran shared her thoughts in February 2025 with People. She suggested that the shift might be strategic, noting that The Bachelorette typically airs during the summer when viewership can be lower due to travel, and that it historically does not perform as well as The Bachelor. "Maybe it'll give a chance for the next Bachelorette to air at a time where there's more visibility. That would be nice," Tran said. As for the men competing for Taylor Frankies heart in season 22, a diverse group of contestants from across the United States has been revealed. Their names and hometowns are as follows: Aaron Kahng, 32, Bellevue, Washington Brad Ledford, 29, Asheville, North Carolina Brandon Perce, 28, West Allis, Wisconsin Casey Hux, 30, Midlothian, Virginia Chris Braden, 34, Goleta, California Christopher Wood, 35, Rowlett, Texas Clayton Johnson, 36, Nashville, Tennessee Conrad Ukropina, 32, Pasadena, California Dave Pigott, 44, Thornton, Colorado Doug Mason, 28, Hailey, Idaho Joe Ceraulo, 27, Syosset, New York Johnnie LaRossa, 30, Massapequa, New York Josh Harward, 28, Provo, Utah Kevin Montero, 32, Miami, Florida Lew Evans, 32, Salt Lake City, Utah Malik Evans, 30, Brooklyn, New York Marcus Richardson, 28, Elmont, New York Matt Carroll, 43, Carmel, Indiana Michael Baba, 37, Lake Forest, California Mike Turitto, 36, Lavallette, New Jersey Richard Van De Water, 35, Charleston, South Carolina Rod Strozier, 35, Apple Valley, Minnesota Ronn Perez, 28, San Francisco, California Shane Parton, 28, Roswell, Georgia Spencer Clegg, 35, Vineyard, Utah Trenten Merrill, 35, Laguna Niguel, California The status of season 22 remains uncertain as fans await official updates from ABC and Disney on whether the show will move forward and when it might air. The controversy surrounding Taylor Frankie Paul has undoubtedly complicated the production's schedule and public reception. Hollywood Life will continue monitoring the situation and provide the latest news on The Bachelorette season 22 as it becomes available. Ella Langley on her No. 1 hit "Choosin' Texas," co-written with Miranda Lambert, and the song's unexpected journey to Billboard chart history. AceShowbiz - Ella Langley, recipient of the Billboard Woman In Music Powerhouse Award, recently spoke about the remarkable journey of her song Choosin Texas, which is currently enjoying its sixth consecutive week at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. The songs overwhelming success has been a surreal experience for Langley, who reflects on the meaningful impact it holds as part of a rising wave of talented female artists in the music industry. During an interview, Ella Langley shared the creative process behind the track, which she co-wrote with Miranda Lambert, Luke Dick, and Joy Beth Taylor. She revealed she always believed Choosin Texas would be a standout on her album Dandelion, even expecting it to be the lead single. However, she never anticipated the songs extraordinary achievements or the diverse audience it would attract. Every day I wake up and its doing something that I didnt even know was a goal that I could have had, Langley said, expressing amazement at the deep connection fans have developed with the song. She highlighted how exciting it has been to see such varied demographics embrace the track, making its rise even more special. The inspiration for the song came during a writers retreat with Miranda Lambert, marking their first time writing together. While working with Lambert and two other collaborators, they had just finished one song when Lambert shared a unique story from her past. Langley learned that Lambert once had a pet kangaroo, and she was intrigued by the tale. Lambert recounted an incident when she was pulled over by the police with the kangaroo in the passenger seat and a dog in the back. Remarkably, the kangaroo played a role in getting her out of a ticket, and Lambert mentioned she also had Texas license plates. This vivid image sparked Langleys creativity instantly. I went, Well, shes from Texas. I can tell, Langley recalled. From there, the melody and lyrics flowed quickly, leading to the opening line: Shes from Texas, I can tell by the way hes two-stepping round the room. Within 45 minutes, the team had completed the song, capturing the spirit of the story and the energy of Texas culture. Langley also discussed how Miranda Lambert is closely involved in her upcoming work, serving as the executive producer for her next album. This ongoing collaboration has been an invaluable learning experience for Langley, deepening her understanding of the creative process and the music business. As Ella Langley celebrates the massive success of Choosin Texas and anticipates the release of her new album Dandelion, she remains enthusiastic about the future of women in music. She believes this moment signals a powerful shift in the industry, with talented female artists poised to make an even greater impact. Fans can expect more exciting developments from Langley as her career continues to soar, fueled by authentic storytelling and meaningful collaborations. Nicole Kidman stars as forensic pathologist Kay Scarpetta in the hit Amazon series. Discover the show based on Patricia Cornwell's bestselling crime novels. AceShowbiz - Nicole Kidman stars as the titular forensic pathologist Kay Scarpetta in the gripping season one finale of the TV adaptation Scarpetta, a series that has captivated audiences on Amazon Prime Video. Originally created by Patricia Cornwell, the Scarpetta character first appeared in the 1990 novel Postmortem. The story follows Kay Scarpetta, a forensic pathologist inspired by real-life medical examiner Marcella Farinelli Fierro, as she investigates suspicious deaths in Virginia. Cornwells groundbreaking work, influenced by her time as a crime reporter and at the Virginia medical examiner's office, revolutionized the crime thriller genre by focusing on forensic science. Since the debut of Postmortem, Cornwell has authored 28 additional Scarpetta novels, selling over 120 million copies worldwide. Despite the books popularity, bringing Scarpetta to the screen proved challenging, with multiple failed attempts over the years. Notably, Demi Moore was attached to the role in the 1990s during an option for the novel Cruel and Unusual, and Angelina Jolie was slated to lead a film series starting in 2009. The breakthrough for a TV adaptation came in early 2021 when Jamie Lee Curtis reached out to Cornwell. Having known Cornwell socially, Curtis was curious about what had become of Scarpetta. After learning that Cornwell had regained the rights to her novels, Curtis connected with producer Jason Blum to secure television rights, officially acquiring them in June 2021. The following year, Curtis met Nicole Kidman for the first time at the 2022 Academy Awards. Curtis was honoring Betty White, while Kidman was nominated for her role as Lucille Ball in Being the Ricardos. Curtis then discovered from Kidmans producing partner Per Saari that Kidman had long desired to portray Scarpetta, motivated by her sister Antonia and late mother Janelles fondness for the novels. However, there was initial confusion about Curtiss involvement in the series. "I was not intending on being in the show," Curtis admitted to The Hollywood Reporter. When Kidman signed on, Curtis, as a producer, was assumed to also appear on-screen. She cheerfully agreed but quickly called Cornwell and showrunner Liz Sarnoff to clarify the role. Sarnoff suggested Curtis play Dorothy, Kays flighty sister, and with Kidman and Curtis onboard as leads and executive producers, Amazon Prime Video ordered two eight-episode seasons of Scarpetta in September 2024. The series ambitiously unfolds across two timelines. It follows Kay Scarpetta returning to Virginia to resume her position as Chief Medical Examiner. Drawing from Cornwells novels Postmortem and Autopsy, the first season features a new serial killer targeting women. As Kay hunts a copycat murderer, she wrestles with the guilt of a long-concealed lie from an earlier investigation decades prior. Actress Rosy McEwen portrays the younger Kay in the late 1990s timeline. Since its release, Scarpetta has ranked as the No. 1 series on Prime Video. Nicole Kidman explained to THR that Kays inner conflict makes her an enthralling character. "She's so measured and controlled. She wants to be right, but she's been wrong and had to keep a terrible lie," Kidman said. She praised Sarnoffs storytelling approach, weaving the dual timelines to explore both the crime procedural and Kays personal journey. "When you come back to a job, you want to see whats changed. Has anything changed? Thats fascinating and central to this show." Despite some fans expressing disappointment that Kidman does not physically match the books descriptions of Kay Scarpetta, showrunner Liz Sarnoff insisted Kidman perfectly embodies the characters essence. Cornwell herself approved Kidmans casting and even appears in a scene swearing Kidman in as the new medical chief in the pilot episode. "We knew she could do it because she's a shapeshifter. The emotion and depth she brings is real," Sarnoff said. She emphasized how the show balances emotional storytelling in the present with a more traditional procedural focus in the past, with Kays cerebral nature aligning with Kidmans talents. After agreeing to portray sisters on the show, Kidman and Curtis recruited some of their former co-stars to enrich the intricate family dynamic at the series core. Kidman invited Simon Baker, her longtime friend and former co-star from Apple TVs anthology Roar, to play Kays FBI profiler husband Benton Wesley. Baker praised their established rapport, calling it a creative comfort and trust that effortlessly translates onscreen. Jamie Lee Curtis tapped Ariana DeBose, whom Kidman had previously worked with on Ryan Murphys The Prom, for the role of Lucy, Dorothys tech-savvy daughter. Lucy copes with the loss of her wife Janet by preserving her consciousness as an AI bot. Curtis had also defended DeBose amidst controversy following the 2023 BAFTA Awards, highlighting her support for the actress. Additionally, Curtis reached out to Kidmans former Nine Perfect Strangers co-star Bobby Cannavale with a simple message inviting him to play Dorothys husband, detective Pete Marino. Cannavale recalled the straightforward pitch: "Hello, sir. Would it interest you in playing my husband?" intrigued by Curtiss directness, he agreed. Both Baker and Cannavale bring extensive experience portraying law enforcement roles. Baker is well-known for his seven-season run as a consultant profiler on CBSs The Mentalist. However, both actors expressed that the dual timeline format allowed them to explore not just crime investigation but its emotional consequences over time. "You still have the genre elements, but its about the ramifications of this work on the characters lives," Baker said. He noted the contrast between Kays forensic focus on how murders happen and Bentons profiling work to understand why they occur. Their relationship as husband and wife adds another layer to this exploration. Kidman concluded by emphasizing the series depth beyond traditional procedural storytelling. "What I love about this show is youre dealing with complex characters who carry emotional weight and personal histories into their work and relationships." She praised the nuanced writing and cast collaboration that bring this richly layered adaptation of Cornwells novels to life. With Nicole Kidman and Jamie Lee Curtis leading a talented ensemble, the upcoming seasons of Scarpetta promise to blend suspenseful crime drama with profound character study, honoring the legacy of Patricia Cornwells groundbreaking work while captivating new audiences worldwide. Twin filmmakers navigate Hollywood chaos in Codependent. A quirky indie pilot about career setbacks, broken promises, and a uniquely codependent solution. AceShowbiz - Codependent is an indie TV pilot that dives into the chaotic lives of LA-based twins struggling to find their place in the film industry. Created and showrun by Weston McElhaney and Wade McElhaney, and directed by Caitlyn Phu, the pilot offers a quirky yet relatable story about navigating career setbacks in Hollywood. The story centers on twins Tristan and Max, who both lose their jobs on the same day. Tristan lashes out at a TV writer, while Max unintentionally leaks his bosss blockbuster script. Feeling defeated, they lean on their friend Jane, who works in corporate film despite hating it. The twins scramble to apply for new roles, vowing not to compete for the same jobsonly to break that promise immediately. Eventually, only Max lands a role, leading them to a unique decision: to pursue the position as a single entity, staying true to the shows title, Codependent. The pilot premiered on March 14, 2026, as part of the Independent TV Pilot Competition at SXSW, presented by Deadline Studio and Redbreast Irish Whiskey. Panelists included the creators alongside Caitlyn Phu and Riley Sigler, who discussed the show's themes and creative process. According to Wade McElhaney, much of the series was inspired by the brothers personal experiences. "I think a lot of the show started, the idea of it, when my brother and I had to move back to our parents' house, because financially things just weren't working out for us," he explained. "That's how we were coping. We were like, 'We're going to turn this situation that I view deep down as kind of eugh, into oh it's funny, we're making art out of it." Codependent captures the frustration and humor of trying to survive in a tough industry while highlighting the close bond between the twins. It reflects a growing trend of indie creators turning personal challenges into innovative storytelling, offering a fresh voice in TV comedy-drama. Netflix's binge model is evolving. Discover why hit shows like Stranger Things now split seasons and how it's reshaping TV releases. AceShowbiz - Netflix transformed how audiences consume television by pioneering the binge-release model, debuting entire seasons of their original shows all at once instead of following the traditional weekly episode rollout. While some critics argued that spreading episodes over weeks helps keep a show in the cultural spotlight longer, Netflix remained committed to its binge strategy for years. However, this shifted with Season 4 of Stranger Things, which premiered in two separate parts over a month apart in 2022. This change introduced a new trend of split seasons for major Netflix series. The approach was partly a response to production delays caused by the pandemic and ongoing Hollywood strikes, enabling the platform to deliver fresh episodes to viewers more quickly despite challenges. The use of split seasons gained significant momentum in 2023 and 2024 as a way to adapt to these disruptions while maintaining audience engagement. Despite this, the strategy underscored an emerging issue: the lengthening intervals between season releases. While splitting seasons can help mitigate long waits within a season, the overall gaps between full seasons remain substantial, affecting viewer anticipation and conversation. In summary, Netflixs split season model reached its peak recently, reflecting a balance between rapid episode delivery and the realities of production delays, but the challenge of extended waits between seasons continues to impact the streaming experience. Sean Bean returns to fantasy in a gritty Robin Hood series. A fresh take on the legend, exploring rebellion and justice after the Norman conquest. AceShowbiz - Robin Hood marks a powerful return for Sean Bean in the fantasy genre, reaffirming his status as a staple in epic storytelling. Known for his memorable roles in monumental franchises like Lord of the Rings and Game of Thrones, Bean continues to captivate audiences with his gritty presence and compelling performances. Despite often portraying characters with grim fates, his impact on fantasy narratives remains profound and enduring. The latest adaptation, a ten-episode retelling of the classic British folklore, premiered on MGM+ to critical and popular acclaim. This series, led by Jack Patten as Rob and Lauren McQueen as Marian, explores the aftermath of the Norman conquest through a fresh lens. The story follows Rob, a Saxon outlaw, and Marian, a Norman noblewoman, as they join forces to challenge corruption and injustice. While Rob commands a rebellious group from the shadows, Marian works within the corrupt Norman court, both striving for peace and justice. This fresh take on Robin Hood quickly rose to prominence on MGM+s streaming charts, maintaining a top position for nearly two months. The show garnered a solid 77% critic approval rating and an 81% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes, underscoring its success and reception. The series blend of drama, adventure, and romance speaks to a broad audience eager for high-quality historical fantasy. Following its strong debut, MGM+ announced the renewal of Robin Hood for a second season, with production slated to begin in the summer. Fans can expect a time jump between the first and second seasons, a development confirmed by co-creator John Glenn during an interview with Collider. Glenn also teased significant character evolution, promising deeper and more complex arcs in the upcoming episodes. Critics and viewers alike have praised the series for its richly woven narrative and the powerful performances of its cast. Colliders Maggie Lovitt described Robin Hood as a "sprawling epic adventure series" with the potential to become MGM+s next major hit. She highlighted how the first seven episodes set the stage for what could be the new watercooler conversation piece among historical drama enthusiasts. The resurgence of interest in Robin Hood is evident as it climbs back up the MGM+ streaming charts, partly fueled by the second season announcement. This momentum suggests a growing fanbase discovering the show's layered storytelling and strong character dynamics. The series is heralded as a worthy addition to the modern fantasy genre, blending folklore with contemporary streaming appeal. Subscribers to Colliders newsletter can access in-depth analyses, production insights, and thoughtful commentary that situate Robin Hood within the broader context of fantasy television. This coverage aims to enhance viewer understanding and appreciation of the series thematic depth and creative ambitions. For those keen to watch, Robin Hood is currently available on MGM+. With its compelling narrative and strong performances, it stands as a testament to Sean Beans enduring influence in fantasy storytelling and the genres ongoing evolution on streaming platforms. The creative team behind Robin Hood includes showrunner John Glenn, directors Jonathan English, Orsi Nagypal, and Peter Webber, with writing credits to Kenny Ryan. The collaboration of these talents has brought to life a series that balances historical intrigue with engaging drama and adventure, appealing to a diverse audience. As production gears up for the second season, anticipation grows for how the story will expand and develop, especially given the promise of a temporal leap and character growth. Fans and newcomers alike will be watching closely to see how this modern retelling of a beloved legend continues to evolve on the streaming stage. The chilling follow-up to 'Keep Sweet.' Explore the rise of a new FLDS prophet through an undercover couple's eyes. Premieres April 8 on Netflix. AceShowbiz - Netflix has released the trailer for its new documentary series Trust Me: The False Prophet, which serves as a follow-up to the critically acclaimed 2022 series Keep Sweet: Pray and Obey. Directed by Rachel Dretzin, the upcoming four-episode series will premiere on April 8, with each episode running approximately 45 minutes. Trust Me: The False Prophet explores the rise of Samuel Bateman, who claims to be the successor to Warren Jeffs, the notorious leader of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (FLDS). The story is told through the perspective of a couple who infiltrated Batemans inner circle to expose the disturbing realities within the community. The documentary focuses on Christine Marie, a cult expert, and her husband, videographer Tolga Katas. They moved to Short Creek, Utah, a community deeply affected by the FLDS, to support its members who are vulnerable to Batemans influence. As they embed themselves within the group, they uncover evidence of serious and troubling abuses, prompting them to take action. Warren Jeffs, the former FLDS leader, is currently serving a life sentence following two convictions related to child sexual assault. Samuel Bateman has also been sentenced to 50 years in prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy charges involving the transportation of a minor for criminal sexual activity and kidnapping. Additionally, eleven of Batemans adult followers have been convicted for their roles in the child sexual abuse conspiracy. Rachel Dretzin had expressed interest in continuing the story beyond the original Keep Sweet: Pray and Obey series, co-directed by Grace McNally. Trust Me: The False Prophet is essentially that continuation, delving deeper into the ongoing consequences and new leadership within the FLDS. The project is executive produced by Dretzin alongside Jeff Skoll, Courtney Sexton, Miura Kite, Dorin Razam, Zachary Herrmann, and Tolga Katas. It is produced by Jamila Ephron and brought to audiences by Participant and Ark Media. Viewers interested in true crime and cult documentaries can watch the trailer now on Netflix, anticipating the series debut in early April. From TikTok to TV fame: Follow Mormon housewives turned authors, Broadway stars, and reality TV leads as their exploding careers challenge a hit documentary ... AceShowbiz - The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives initially began as a documentary-style look at a group of Mormon housewives turned TikTok sensations in Utah, but it has rapidly evolved into a complex production juggling the expanding careers of its stars. These women have blossomed into authors, Broadway performers, front-runners on "Dancing With the Stars," and even a lead on the reality dating show "The Bachelorette." Executive Producer Jeff Jenkins, whose company Jeff Jenkins Productions co-produces The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives alongside Select, is no stranger to handling productions with high-profile reality stars. Drawing from his experience producing "Keeping Up with the Kardashians" since its inception, Jenkins understands that as cast members careers grow, so do the challenges of scheduling and capturing their lives on camera. "Honestly, I think, with a ... successful [unscripted] show in the modern world, to some degree, this always happens," Jenkins shared. He compared the production process to a game of Jenga, where the availability of cast members to film becomes increasingly limited as their professional opportunities expand. Yet, Jenkins expressed enthusiasm and support for the casts growth, emphasizing, "I never want to hold anybody back." For example, the production team expanded filming locations to accommodate the casts burgeoning ventures. Jen Affleck and Whitney Leavitts participation in "Dancing With the Stars" required shoots in Los Angeles, while Leavitts Broadway commitments led to filming in New York. However, the most significant challenge came when series star Taylor Frankie Paul was cast as the lead on "The Bachelorette," a show notoriously protective of behind-the-scenes information. Due to the strict confidentiality protocols of "The Bachelorette," Jenkins and his team had to adapt quickly. "As producers, we have to roll with it ... and part of rolling with that particular experience is doing our part to maintain the confidentiality," Jenkins explained. He noted that only a "very, very, very tiny circle" has access to the behind-the-scenes details of the dating series, adding, "I don't want to know anything." To navigate this, the producers designed Season 4 and Season 5 of The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives as "bookends" around Taylor Frankie Pauls stint on "The Bachelorette." Season 4 captures her life in the weeks leading up to filming, while Season 5 is planned to chronicle her return from the show, providing viewers with a unique, in-depth narrative of her journey before and after the dating series. This interview took place before production on Season 5 was paused due to a domestic violence incident involving Paul and her ex-boyfriend Dakota Mortensen, an event that has brought additional scrutiny to the series and its star. Jenkins expressed hope that editorially the story will unfold as intended, allowing fans to see a "very rich, thorough journey" with Paul surrounding her experience on "The Bachelorette." He emphasized that this approach is unprecedented in reality TV storytelling. Meanwhile, the cast known as MomTok continues to grow their public profiles, and Jenkins assured that the production team will keep finding ways to share their lives as long as the cast remains willing. He cited the example of Kim Kardashian, who still has cameras following her globe-trotting lifestyle. "Projects like this only end when the cast has had enough, when they're tired of sharing ... and you see that in episodes when content becomes thin because casts are pulling back," Jenkins said. Fortunately, that fatigue has not yet affected The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, as the cast members remain open books about their lives, suggesting the series can continue indefinitely. One notable absence from Season 4 was Demi Engemann, who stepped away from the main cast following ongoing disagreements with the group, particularly surrounding an incident involving "Vanderpump Villa" star Marciano Brunette. Jenkins expressed regret about losing cast members, saying, "I'm always sad when cast members remove themselves from a project." He hopes that conflicts can be resolved on camera, strengthening relationships through shared challenges. However, he also respects personal choices to step back, acknowledging that opening ones personal life to the public can be more intense and draining than anticipated. Engemann was also not part of the recent elevation of several MomTok membersincluding Paul, Affleck, Leavitt, Jessi Draper, Miranda Hope, Mikayla Matthews, Mayci Neeley, and Layla Taylorto executive producer credits. Jenkins stated these credits are "appropriate" and "deserved," reflecting the casts openness over multiple seasons and signaling respect and partnership from the network. "I would say it's almost industry standard," Jenkins remarked. "The sharing really is ... the most important part of producing a show like this." He views the executive producer credit as recognition for cast members who have proven their commitment to transparency and collaboration. Season 4 also gave an unusual amount of screen time to DadTok, the group comprised of the husbands and former partners of the MomTok cast. Jenkins explained that this was intentional to highlight the shifting gender roles within these families, where the men have taken on stay-at-home dad duties, handing over breadwinner responsibilities to their wives. "They're a microcosm of a greater dynamic that ... in my observation, is playing out across America and maybe across the world," Jenkins said. Over the course of the series, viewers have witnessed these men gradually relinquishing traditional male roles, focusing primarily on childcare and domestic responsibilities while their wives become the dominant decision-makers. Despite this focus on DadTok, Jenkins emphasized that the primary narrative remains centered on the women. The men are considered supporting cast members, and the show is fundamentally about the lives and experiences of the women. "DadTok is not the primary reason why we document this group," he stated. "This is about women .... they are the mere flip side of the equation - our men." For fans eager to watch, Seasons 1 through 4 of The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives are currently streaming on Hulu. Bluey, the global phenomenon, was 2025's most-streamed show. Discover new Disney+ content, including the Bluey's Big Play stage show special. AceShowbiz - If you have children, chances are youre familiar with Bluey, the Emmy-winning Australian animated series beloved worldwide. Even those without kids recognize its massive appeal as a global phenomenon. In fact, in 2025, Bluey was the most-streamed show in the U.S. for the second consecutive year, amassing an impressive 45.2 billion minutes viewed, according to a Disney+ press release. Building on this success, Disney+ has expanded its Bluey offerings by introducing new content starting March 16, with more releases planned throughout the summer. This expansion aims to bring fans even more ways to enjoy the show from the comfort of home. One notable addition is Blueys Big Play - The Stage Show, a televised special presenting the popular touring theatrical production. This special adapts the live show for streaming, allowing viewers to experience the magic of the stage without needing tickets or travel. Produced by BBC Studios Kids and Family Productions alongside Ludo Studiothe animation company behind Blueythis adaptation features beloved characters woven into the theatrical narrative. Disney+ will also debut Bluey Minisodes on May 20. These are bite-sized episodes lasting one to three minutes, previously exclusive to Australian audiences. Now, fans worldwide can watch these fun, short adventures for the first time on the platform. To access both the minisodes and the stage show special, viewers need a Disney+ subscription. The platform offers two subscription tiers: a standard plan with ads at $11.99 per month and a premium ad-free option at $18.99 monthly. Both plans provide 4K UHD and HDR streaming quality and support simultaneous streaming on multiple devices, making it easy to watch Bluey anywhere, whether on a TV or mobile device. Subscribers also gain access to Disney+s extensive library, which includes older episodes of Bluey, offering a comprehensive viewing experience for fans new and old. This streaming expansion comes ahead of even bigger things for the franchise, notably the announcement of a Bluey movie scheduled for theatrical release in 2027. Although its still a year away, anticipation is already building among fans. Meanwhile, the shows music continues to impress, with three albums reaching No. 1 on Billboards Kid Albums chart: Bluey: The Album (2021), Bluey: Dance Mode! (2023), and Bluey: Rug Island (2024). All three albums also charted on Billboards Soundtracks list. Collectively, these albums have achieved 764,000 equivalent album units in the U.S. as of the week ending August 28, according to Luminate. The musical genius behind Bluey is composer Joff Bush, whose score blends playful themes with orchestral elements that perfectly complement the shows charm and emotional depth. For families and fans eager to dive deeper into Bluey, Disney+ offers an expanding universe of content that celebrates the shows creativity and heart. With the new stage show special, minisodes, and a feature film on the horizon, theres never been a better time to explore or revisit this beloved series. Rege-Jean Page dodges questions about a Bridgerton return. Get the details on the actor's evasive responses to fan speculation and recasting rumors. AceShowbiz - Bridgerton star Rege-Jean Page found himself in an uncomfortable position as he dodged questions about his potential return to the hit Netflix series during a recent public appearance. The actor, known for his role as Simon Basset, the Duke of Hastings, was asked multiple times about reprising his role following ongoing speculation and recasting rumors. On Saturday, March 14, Page attended Essences Black Women in Hollywood event where red carpet host Leah Henry pressed him about fans desires to see his character again on Bridgerton. When Henry asked, "Is there a chance you would ever return?" Page responded with a lighthearted, "You know, it's funny you say that, because I'm not on the internet," subtly sidestepping the question. Henry persisted, emphasizing the fans eagerness to have him back on the show. Page replied, "I'm gonna have to take your word for it," maintaining his evasive stance. The actor declined to provide a definitive answer even after a third attempt to get clarity on whether audiences might see him again. After this final inquiry, Page courteously thanked the reporter and quickly moved on to the next journalist on the red carpet, leaving the question of his return unresolved. This awkward moment follows public discussions about the possibility of recasting his character amid the show's continued production. Earlier in February, Bridgerton showrunner Jess Brownell addressed the speculation, stating unequivocally that the creative team has no interest in recasting Simon or other key characters. Brownell told Variety on February 26, "I think it would feel like a disservice to everything Rege and Phoebe [Dynevor] set up in season 1, and all the beautiful work they put into those characters." While Brownell ruled out recasting, she did leave open the idea of bringing back Simon and Daphne on screen in the future, provided the storylines are substantial enough. "We would love to potentially have them back at some point," she explained, but cautioned that appearances that serve only as brief cameossuch as a line at a funeral in season 4would feel unsatisfactory for the characters legacies. Brownell elaborated, "So I think in my mind, the camera doesn't capture everything. They're hypothetically there [this season]it's television. But we would love to find a time to bring everyone back at some point in the future." This statement suggests the characters presence might be acknowledged without full scenes or story arcs. When asked if she had spoken directly with Rege-Jean Page about a possible return, Brownell told People earlier that month, "I haven't spoken to Rege about [returning]. The conversations haven't happened, but the ideas are there." She expressed a strong interest in eventually reuniting the original leads, especially looking ahead to the storylines involving other Bridgerton family members like Hyacinth and Gregory. Bridgerton continues to be a popular Netflix series based on Julia Quinns novels, following the romantic and social lives of a wealthy London family in the 19th century. The dramas first season centered on Daphne Bridgerton, played by Phoebe Dynevor, and her romance with Simon Basset, which captivated viewers upon its December 2020 debut. Despite the success and fan enthusiasm, Netflix announced in April 2021 that Rege-Jean Page would not be returning as the Duke of Hastings for subsequent seasons, signaling a creative decision to move the narrative forward without him. While his character was not recast, the series continued focusing on other family members and their stories. Fans expressed disappointment over losing Rege-Jean Page and the unresolved story of Simon and Daphne. Although Daphnes character appeared in season 2, Dynevor later confirmed her own departure from the series, which reportedly was not her choice. The show is currently streaming on Netflix, with season 5 confirmed but cast details still unfolding. The chemistry between Page and Dynevor remains a highlight for many viewers, making the question of the original leads possible reunion all the more significant. However, both the actor and showrunner seem to be approaching the prospect with caution, emphasizing the importance of meaningful storytelling rather than brief or superficial returns. As of now, Rege-Jean Page maintains his distance from internet speculation and avoids committing to any future involvement with Bridgerton. Meanwhile, the shows creative team continues to explore ways to honor the original characters legacies while expanding the narrative universe with new stories and characters. In summary, although fans remain hopeful, the current stance from both Rege-Jean Page and the showrunners suggests that any potential return to Bridgerton will require the right timing and substantial roles rather than a quick cameo or recast. The evolving landscape of the series leaves open the possibility for future appearances but with no concrete plans announced at this time. Rapper Tory Lanez sues California prison system for $100M after a brutal 2025 stabbing by a violent inmate left him with life-threatening injuries. AceShowbiz - Tory Lanez is pursuing a $100 million lawsuit against the California prison system following a severe stabbing incident that occurred in May 2025. The rapper alleges that the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, along with prison officials at Tehachapi State Prison, were negligent in placing him in the same unit as a violent inmate. This decision, according to the lawsuit, directly led to a brutal attack that left Tory Lanez with life-threatening injuries. On May 12, 2025, Tory Lanez was stabbed 16 times by fellow inmate Santino Casio using a homemade shank. The wounds affected his back, torso, head, and face, causing severe trauma including a collapsed lung. Emergency responders had to airlift Tory Lanez to a hospital for urgent medical care. The filing highlights Casios violent criminal record, which includes a life sentence for second-degree murder and first-degree attempted murder, as well as past convictions for assault with a deadly weapon and manufacturing a weapon while incarcerated. The lawsuit argues that prison officials either knew or should have known that housing these two inmates together created a dangerous environment. Furthermore, the suit criticizes the correctional officers for their delayed response during the attack, alleging that they failed to utilize standard emergency tactics such as flash grenades or smoke bombs to stop the assault promptly. In addition to the physical injuries, Tory Lanez claims that officials unlawfully confiscated his songbooks containing unpublished lyrics with significant commercial value, refusing to return them despite requests. Following the stabbing, Tory Lanez was transferred to California Men's Colony in San Luis Obispo County. The lawsuit also emphasizes that his celebrity status made him a clear target for violence within the prison system. Currently, Tory Lanez is serving a 10-year sentence for his 2022 conviction related to a 2020 shooting incident involving Megan Thee Stallion. His legal team contends that the prisons negligence not only caused serious physical harm but also inflicted emotional trauma. A spokesperson for the Department of Corrections, Ike Dodson, declined to comment on the case, citing the ongoing litigation. Meanwhile, there is no public record of Casio facing charges related to the stabbing incident. Paul Feig praises Blake Lively's resilience amid legal battle, highlighting her focus on motherhood and strong marriage to Ryan Reynolds. AceShowbiz - Blake Lively's close friend and collaborator, Paul Feig, recently spoke about her resilience as the legal battle between her and Justin Baldoni moves closer to trial. During the 2026 Oscars red carpet event on Sunday, March 15, Feig, 63, told Extra that Lively is "great" and "soldiering on" despite the challenges she faces. He emphasized the importance of her role as a mother, sharing that it remains the central focus of her life. "She's such a great mom and that's such the biggest part of her life that she just continues to be wonderful and their kids are great," he said. Lively, 38, and her husband, actor Ryan Reynolds, have four children: James, 11, Inez, 9, Betty, 6, and Olin, 3. The couple maintains a private environment to shield their children from the public eye and the glare of red carpet events. Feig also noted the strength of Lively's marriage, adding, "She has a happy marriage, and I love her." Beyond their personal friendship, Feig and Lively have a professional history together. They first collaborated on the 2018 thriller A Simple Favor and reunited for its sequel, Another Simple Favor, which released in 2025. In an earlier interview with Esquire U.K. in April 2025, Feig addressed misconceptions about filmmaking and praised Lively as an amazing collaborator. He expressed frustration at the notion that stars simply show up and recite lines, emphasizing that every actor he has worked with, including Lively, is deeply involved in the creative process. The current legal dispute involves Justin Baldoni, who previously worked with Lively as her co-star and director on the film It Ends With Us. In late 2024, Lively filed a lawsuit against Baldoni, accusing him of sexual harassment and orchestrating a smear campaign against her. Baldoni has denied all allegations and filed a countersuit against Lively. However, his countersuit was dismissed by a judge in June 2025. The trial was initially scheduled to begin in March 2026 but has been postponed to May at the request of Judge Lewis J. Liman, who cited other pressing criminal trials taking precedence. The judge stated, "As important as this case is ... criminal trials take precedent." Amid the legal turmoil surrounding Lively, Feig remained focused on celebrating the film industrys achievements at the 2026 Oscars held at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood. He expressed excitement about a special moment during the ceremony: the onstage reunion of the Bridesmaids cast. Feig shared with Extra that it had been years since he saw the cast together, mentioning they had only gathered briefly for the movies premiere and a few parties. He anticipated the reunion on stage would be a memorable occasion. For the Oscars, Feig wore a Tom Ford suit and posed for photos with his wife, Laurie Feig. He also posted on Instagram before the event, writing, "Heading to the Oscars to see the Bridesmaids cast present. Hard to believe it's been 15 years." The 2026 Oscars ceremony marked an end to awards season with a star-studded, glamorous evening, where Hollywoods top talents gathered to celebrate the best in cinema. The event provided a brief respite from the heavier news dominating headlines worldwide. Paul Feigs update on Blake Lively offers a glimpse into her life amid ongoing legal challenges, highlighting her strength as a mother and friend. As the trial date approaches, many will be watching closely to see how the case unfolds. Discover Lioness, Taylor Sheridan's star-packed spy thriller starring Zoe Saldana. Find out why it's surging on Paramount+ after his new series, The Madison. AceShowbiz - Lioness, the espionage thriller created by Taylor Sheridan, has seen a notable resurgence on the Paramount+ streaming platform following the recent debut of Sheridans new series, The Madison. Although The Madison premiered to solid viewership despite receiving somewhat mixed reviews, it has sparked renewed interest in Sheridans earlier work, particularly this overlooked two-season spy drama. The show originally launched with an eight-episode first season in 2023, followed by an equally sized second season in 2024. It features one of the most star-studded casts assembled by Taylor Sheridan, headlined by Zoe Saldana, alongside acclaimed actors Nicole Kidman and Morgan Freeman. The series also includes key performances from Michael Kelly and recurring members of Sheridans creative troupe such as Dawn Olivieri, LaMonica Garrett, and Jennifer Ehle. Both seasons of Lioness have received a mixed-to-positive reception from critics. On Rotten Tomatoes, the show holds an overall approval rating of 72%. The first season, however, scored a modest 54%, while the second season saw a significant improvement, earning a 90% rating. This contrast in critical response highlights the shows developmental arc and growing audience appreciation over time. Despite its talented ensemble and intriguing spy thriller premise, Lioness has flown somewhat under the radar compared to Sheridans other popular franchises like Yellowstone, Mayor of Kingstown, and Tulsa King. Nevertheless, recent data from FlixPatrol reveals that Lioness ranked among the most-watched shows on the domestic Paramount+ chart last week. It trailed only behind the newly launched The Madison and the CBS series Marshals, which Sheridan also executive-produced. Colliders Michael John Petty reviewed the second season of Lioness, comparing it to Prime Videos The Terminal List. Petty noted that while Lioness doesnt maintain the same steady escalation of tension that fully captivates viewers in The Terminal List, it nonetheless offers compelling moments and performances that have helped it gain a dedicated following. Looking ahead, Lioness is poised to return for a third season, with anticipation building partly due to Zoe Saldanas recent Oscar win, which has elevated her profile significantly since the shows initial release. Meanwhile, co-star Nicole Kidman maintains her presence on the streaming charts with her lead role in the crime thriller series Scarpetta, currently dominating Prime Video viewership. While Taylor Sheridan has recently severed ties with Paramount amid leadership changes and is set to join NBCUniversal in the coming years, his existing shows continue to hold strong on streaming platforms. This includes not only Lioness but also his other prolific projects, which together underscore Sheridans significant impact on contemporary television drama. As Sheridans latest ventures gain momentum, the renewed interest in Lioness reflects the enduring appeal of well-crafted spy dramas bolstered by high-profile casts and complex storytelling. Fans and newcomers alike are encouraged to catch up with the first two seasons on Paramount+ as they await the upcoming third installment. Stay tuned to Collider for further updates on Taylor Sheridans evolving slate of projects and the shifting dynamics of streaming viewership charts. Green Lantern's live-action curse: from infamous flop to HBO's grounded new series. Can Lanterns finally crack the hero's code? AceShowbiz - As a comic book character, Green Lantern has often been viewed as somewhat silly, which has made adapting the hero into live-action a persistent challenge. The 2011 film starring Ryan Reynolds became infamous, with Reynolds himself frequently poking fun at its shortcomings. While director Zack Snyder included a brief Green Lantern appearance in a Justice League flashback, Warner Bros. prevented the characters integration into the present-day DC Extended Universe (DCEU). A Green Lantern Corps movie was announced in 2014, but after several top writers including David S. Goyer, Geoff Johns, and Christopher McQuarrie tried and failed to crack the script, the project was eventually shelved. With those setbacks, the character seemed destined to remain mostly confined to amusement parks and animated projects, where Green Lantern has appeared often. Now, HBOs upcoming series, Lanterns, takes a markedly different, grounded approach to the material. DC Studios co-chief James Gunn described the show last year as a very grounded, real show, emphasizing the effort to bring an outlandish space cop conceptheroes wielding magic ringsinto a realistic context. Lanterns features two members of the Green Lantern Corps: Kyle Chandler plays Hal Jordan, a former U.S. Air Force test pilot turned cosmic hero, who is mentoring John Stewart, portrayed by Aaron Pierre. The teaser trailer depicts the pair investigating a murder in Nebraska, a case that leads them into darker, more mysterious territory. Despite these promising elements, the teaser trailer faced criticism from fans almost immediately. Many felt the teaser lacked the vibrant green hues associated with the Green Lantern mythos and bore a gloomy tone more reminiscent of crime dramas like True Detective. This impression was heightened because showrunner Chris Mundy also worked on True Detective: The Night Country. Some viewers were also put off by the seemingly antagonistic dynamic between the two leads, who appeared to dislike each other intensely, making them less relatable early on in the series. However, given this is only a teaser and the show aims to appeal to a broad audience, these creative choices might be preliminary and strategic. The negative reaction to the trailer revived a comment made a year earlier by the shows co-creator and executive producer Damon Lindelof, who is no stranger to both critical acclaim and backlash from fans. On the Lovett or Leave It podcast, Lindelof joked that the shows title was shortened to Lanterns because they all agreed the Green part was stupid. This offhand remark did not sit well with some industry figures, most notably comic writer Grant Morrison, who penned a well-regarded Green Lantern run from 2018 to 2021. On his Substack, Morrison expressed his frustration with Lindelofs dismissal of the Green in Green Lantern. He questioned why a writer would take on the project if they thought the core concept was fundamentally stupid. Morrison argued that one wouldnt assign CSI scripts to writers who disparage forensic science, so why hire creators who appear ashamed of the material they are developing? Morrison continued, Why dont they turn down jobs theyre not suited for? Its not like he needs the money, and Lindelof has proven that he can come up with his own ideas. He criticized the jockish dismissal of superhero conventions, wondering if Lindelof believed it made him appear less nerdy, though Morrison thought that ship had long sailed. He stressed that the only people who truly care about the Lanterns series are Green Lantern fans, so alienating them from the start is counterproductive and feels more like stupid. Despite the criticism, Morrison conceded, The show might even be good. But he lamented how much better such adaptations could be if studios hired creators truly suited for the job instead of relying on embarrassed friends to dilute the source material. For those not deeply invested in the Green Lantern fandom, the entire debate may seem trivial. Given the strong start for James Gunn at DC and Lindelofs established reputation for acclaimed and inventive workwinning three Emmys and helming shows like Lost, The Leftovers, and Watchmenit would be prudent to withhold judgment until the series premieres. However, as Morrison points out, fandoms are notoriously sensitive and alienating passionate fans can carry significant risks. Damon Lindelof has since posted a detailed response to Morrisons comments and the controversy surrounding his green is stupid remark, though no official statements from HBO or Lindelof have been made regarding the full scope of the criticism. Lanterns is slated for release in August. The teaser trailer is available to view, offering a glimpse into the series tone and direction as it attempts to reinvent one of DCs most challenging properties for television. As anticipation builds, fans and critics alike will be watching closely to see if this grounded, noir-inspired take on the Green Lantern Corps can finally succeed where previous attempts have faltered, or if it will further alienate the comics loyal following. A chilling true-crime series. A decades-long mystery in Spain. The dark successor to The Tinder Swindler is now a Netflix hit. AceShowbiz - Just a few years after the phenomenal success of The Tinder Swindler, Netflix has launched a gripping new true-crime documentary series that many are calling a "darker" successor to that hit. This fresh offering is a two-part series that delves into a chilling case set in Spain, spanning multiple decadesfrom the age of landline phones to the rise of social media platforms like TikTok. Since its debut, the show has quickly become one of the most-watched titles on Netflixs global and domestic charts, alongside the Danish true-crime series A Friend, A Murderer. The series centers on the mysterious disappearance of a 42-year-old woman some years ago and the relentless search led by her mother. The mother uncovers that her daughter had been traveling around Spain with an elderly man who enjoys a significant following on TikTok. This man, later identified as Jose Jurado Montilla, reached out to the mother expressing sorrow over the womans disappearance and promised to revisit their journey to find clues that could help the investigation. Complicating matters, the mother began receiving suspicious text messages from her daughters phone, indicating a desire to leave Spain and start anew in Argentina. These messages raised her suspicions, prompting her to scrutinize Montilla, the last person reportedly seen with her daughter. What she discovered shocked her: Montilla harbors a dark history involving multiple deaths and has previously served a long prison sentence. Named The TikTok Killer, the documentary follows the familiar Netflix true-crime style, combining interviews with key figures and dramatic reenactments. Fans of the genre will recognize these narrative techniques, similar to those dissected with humor in the acclaimed The Zodiac Killer Project. The series also features numerous clips from Montillas TikTok videos, in which he aggressively denies accusations and claims to have had a relationship with the missing womana claim her family firmly rejects. This new true-crime series is designed to be highly bingeable, offering viewers a deep dive into the unsettling story through a modern lens, where social media plays a significant role in both the investigation and the storytelling. Netflixs strategy of marketing it as a follow-up to The Tinder Swindler seems to have paid off, as audiences who were drawn to the earlier documentary are now showing strong interest in this chilling tale from Spain. The popularity of The TikTok Killer alongside A Friend, A Murderer demonstrates the continuing global appetite for true-crime content on streaming platforms, with Netflix leading the charge. Both shows hold prominent positions on FlixPatrols rankings of the most-watched Netflix series worldwide and within specific countries. For viewers intrigued by true crime and the complexities of modern investigations affected by social media, The TikTok Killer offers a compelling narrative packed with suspense and emotional depth. The series is available now for streaming on Netflix, inviting audiences to uncover the dark secrets behind this mysterious disappearance and the unsettling character at its center. Stay tuned to Collider for further updates and insights into the latest true-crime documentaries capturing audiences around the world. Dante Spinetta on his new solo album DIA3, the final chapter of a trilogy, his musical fusion, and passion for salsa and cumbia. AceShowbiz - Dante Spinetta, a key figure in Argentinas music scene and member of the influential duo Illya Kuryaki and the Valderramas, recently shared insights about his latest solo album, DIA3. During a Zoom interview, Spinetta enthusiastically displayed a rare vinyl record by Joe Arroyo he had brought back from Peru, showcasing his deep passion for salsa and cumbia music. At 49 years old, Spinetta has become a pioneer in blending diverse musical styles, contributing to the rich fusion in contemporary Latin music. His new album DIA3 is the sixth in his solo career and serves as the final chapter in a trilogy that began with Punal in 2017. That album marked a significant comeback for him in Argentina, highlighted by the emotionally charged ballad Soltar. The origins of DIA3 trace back to Spinettas teenage years when Illya Kuryaki wowed audiences in the 1990s with groundbreaking albums such as Chaco and Versus. Although DIA3 centers on funk influences, it also reveals Spinettas broad musical appetite. The album opens with Pensando en Ella, a track that merges tangos melancholy with R&B, while Starlight channels post-disco energy, and El Reset presents an innovative mix of bolero and rap. In conversation with Rolling Stone, Spinetta explained that the albums underlying theme is resurrection. The title DIA3 symbolizes the third day, a spiritual reference to life overcoming chaos and death, evoking the resurrection of Christ. This concept emerged naturally as he navigated the emotional turbulence of a recent breakup, describing his feelings as a void of frenzy and loneliness amplified by the overwhelming influx of social media. Despite the albums somber undercurrent, Spinetta emphasized that he never intended for DIA3 to be a sad record. Instead, the melancholy seeped in organically, like dark water that could not be contained. Spinetta also touched on the creative process behind the album, sharing that he initially planned for DIA3 to be a straightforward funk project, a natural follow-up to his previous album Mesa Dulce. However, inspiration struck differently, influenced by thoughts of a particular woman. This emotional connection led him to revisit and expand the album, ultimately recording 13 additional tracks after shelving the original 12. This creative pivot gave rise to the final DIA3 concept, also tying together the trilogy that started with Punal and continued with Mesa Dulce. Spinetta likened the trilogys structure to a Star Wars-like series of three episodes. The fusion of musical styles on DIA3 continues a tradition Spinetta has embraced since the start of his career. He enjoys exploring the emotional textures of different eras and genres, weaving tango and bolero elements into his work alongside more modern sounds. His experiments with combining Peruvian cumbia and hip-hop date back several years, reflecting his eclectic taste and respect for musical heritage. On a personal level, Spinetta is an avid collector and student of sound, often seeking out rare vinyl from legends like Ismael Rivera or exclusive releases such as those from Princes NPG Music Club. The albums production prioritizes live instrumentation, except for the beats, with string sections recorded in cities like Minneapolis and Prague to add depth and texture. Spinetta also reflected on his bilingual musical upbringing, which exposed him to both Spanish and English-language music. This duality has enriched his sound, allowing him to draw on a broad cultural and sonic palette. He remains dedicated to learning from both past masters and contemporary innovators, an approach he credits for keeping his work fresh and relevant. Regarding the status of Illya Kuryaki and the Valderramas, Spinetta addressed the groups eventual split. He acknowledged the enduring bond with his bandmate and longtime friend Emmanuel Horvilleur, noting their fathers were friends before they themselves formed their own friendship. While Illya Kuryaki lives on through their touring collaborations, the duo recognized that their diverging musical interests made it difficult to sustain a full year of joint album production. Spinetta compared their partnership to a couple who has separated but still shares childrenin this case, the albums they created together. He expressed a mutual desire to honor that legacy by delivering outstanding live performances rather than forcing new recordings that might compromise their artistic integrity. In sum, DIA3 encapsulates a journey of personal and artistic transformation for Spinetta. It combines his deep-rooted influences with fresh creative impulses, reflecting themes of loss, renewal, and the complex emotional landscape of life. His dedication to live instrumentation, genre fusion, and authentic expression continues to define his place in the evolving panorama of Latin music. Acclaimed French actress Nathalie Baye, a four-time Cesar Award winner, has died at 77. Remembering her legendary 50-year film career. AceShowbiz - Nathalie Baye, the acclaimed French actress and four-time Cesar Award winner, has died at the age of 77. Her family confirmed her passing to the French news agency Agence France-Presse, revealing she succumbed to Lewy body disease at her home in Paris. The announcement was made public via AFPs social media on Saturday, marking the end of a remarkable career that spanned over five decades. Baye was a towering figure in French cinema, widely respected for her talent and versatility. Nathalie Baye began her acting journey in 1970 and went on to appear in more than 80 films throughout her career. She received ten Cesar Award nominations, winning four times for her performances in the films Sauve qui peut (la vie) (1980), Une etrange affaire (1981), La Balance (1982), and Le Petit Lieutenant (2006). International audiences may recognize Baye from roles in popular productions such as Downton Abbey: A New Era and Catch Me If You Can. Despite her international success, she remained deeply connected to French cinema and its artistic community. In a 2011 interview with The Guardian, Baye shared insights into her approach to choosing roles. She expressed a preference for complex characters, stating, "I don't like smooth. One-dimensional, single-note doesn't interest me. I like contradictions." At that time, she was promoting the film Beautiful Lies, where she portrayed Maddy, the mother of a small business owner. The film also starred Audrey Tautou. Baye emphasized the collaborative nature of acting, explaining, "I like acting with other people. I like the circulation of other actors, the knowledge that the better they are, the better we all are together, the better the film will be." She also stated a preference for smaller roles in quality projects over larger roles in less compelling films. Born on July 6, 1948, in Normandy, France, Nathalie Baye initially trained in classical dance. At 17, she spent time in New York as an au pair while attending dance school. Her transition to acting began after attending a class with a friend. During her time at the Paris Conservatory, she was cast by director Francois Truffaut in Day for Night, which she described as a pivotal opportunity in her career. Baye reflected on the impact of working with such a renowned director, saying it raised her standards and fueled her passion for acting. She considered herself privileged to have had the ability to select roles carefully throughout her career. The actress is survived by her daughter, Laura Smet. Her passing is mourned by fans and colleagues who admired her dedication to her craft and her enduring influence on French cinema. Charlize Theron reveals her traumatic childhood, the abuse she endured, and the violent day her mother killed her father in self-defense. AceShowbiz - Charlize Theron has shared a harrowing account of the abuse she and her mother endured from her father during their upbringing in South Africa. The situation culminated in her mother killing her father in self-defense. Reflecting on her traumatic childhood, Charlize Theron told the New York Times, Its so strange - all the memories are there. And its not that I dont try and think about it, but going in such a linear manner, it becomes almost more clear when you talk about it this way. She explained how abuse is often compartmentalized, but in her case, the events were interconnected and built up over many years, ultimately leading to a violent breaking point. Charlize Theron described the terrifying day her father returned home drunk, angry after feeling ignored when she failed to greet him at his brothers house. She said, He shot through the steel doors to get in, making it very clear that he was going to kill us. Her mother responded with quick action as the violent confrontation escalated. Charlize Theron recounted, He walked to the safe, and my mom pulled the door open while the brother was still standing there. The brother ran down the hallway, and she shot one bullet down the hallway that ricocheted seven times and shot him in the hand. Afterward, her mother followed her father, who was trying to retrieve more weapons from the safe, and shot him. Despite the trauma, Charlize Theron revealed she struggled with feelings of shame because the community knew her father was an alcoholic, and she was often teased at school. To avoid pity and uncomfortable questions, she lied for years about the circumstances, telling people her father died in a car accident. Eventually, Charlize Theron left South Africa at 16 to pursue a modeling career in Italy. She described the move as an escape but admitted it was difficult to leave her mother behind. However, her mother encouraged her, saying, Go and make a life for yourself. Theres nothing for you here right now. Advertisement From Wikimedia Commons: A market scene on the Grand Place in Brussels (unknown artist, ca. 1670) Modern Brussels narrates the tragedy of a continent in terminal decline. Once a monument to European civilizationlisting such landmarks as the medieval Grand-Place, the Cathedral of St. Michael and St. Gudula, the neoclassical Palais de Justiceit has been transmogrified into a laboratory of super-diversity, a doomsday phenomenon whose presiding ideology is this: abolition of the Christian nation-state. Hosting representatives of 184 nationalities, the city does not merely reflect globalization; it weaponizes it. Advertisement Beneath the bureaucratic gloss of the EUs institutions lies a parallel reality of radicalization, institutional infiltration, and urban slumification that the political elite refuses, with pathological obstinacy, to name. Arguably, Brussels exemplifies the lethal convergence of antidemocratic supranationalism and unchecked demographic rupture: a process whereby the EU bureaucracy, arrogantly contemptuous of popular sovereignty, presides over the replacement of Judeo-Christian democratic norms by conservative Islamic parallel societies, the normalization of Muslim antisemitism, and the gradual Islamist takeover of public institutions. The endgame is no longer a European capital but a dystopian warzone in slow motionits streets defaced, its social cohesion shattered, its very identity surrendered. The EUs headquarters in Brussels functions less as a democratic clearing-house than as an unelected technocratic oligarchy insulated from the very populations that it claims to serve. From the Berlaymont to the Justus Lipsius building, decisions that irrevocably alter the demographic destiny of Europemass migration quotas, free movement absolutism, the relentless expansion of competencesare taken with a hauteur that borders on contempt for the ballot box. When millions of Europeans, from the French gilets jaunes to the Dutch farmers and the Italian Lega voters, have repeatedly expressed alarm at the erosion of their cultural and national homelands, the response from Brussels has been consistent: dismissal, moral lecturing, and further acceleration of the very policies rejected at the polls. To be honest, this is not governance; it is ideological occupation. Advertisement The EU elite, steeped in a post-national, post-Christian creed, treats popular concern over the loss of Europes ancestral territory as atavistic bigotry rather than the instinctive self-preservation of a civilization that, having secularized its Christian roots, now finds itself biologically and culturally undefended. In this sense, the Brussels bureaucracy is not only antidemocratic; it is also anti-European. It has institutionalized the view that the continents historic peoples possess no legitimate claim to demographic continuity in the lands that their ancestors built, baptized, and defended for two millennia. Compounding this institutional arrogance is the deliberate importation of super-diversity on a scale unprecedented in European history. Brussels 184 nationalities are routinely paraded by cosmopolitan commentators as proof of vibrancy. The statistical reality, however, is fragmentation. Entire neighborhoods have become ethnic enclaves where integration is not merely failing but actively rejected. The Belgian states own demographic data confirm that non-European, predominantly Muslim, populations now constitute decisive majorities in key districts. This is not benign pluralism; it is the replacement of one civilizational matrix by another. Advertisement Super-diversity, far from enriching the public square, generates centrifugal forces that erode the shared normative framework required for any functioning liberal democracy. When citizens no longer recognize the streets, the shops, the schools, or the social codes of their own capital, the social contract frays into open hostility. The EUs ideological commitment to diversity as strength functions here as a self-fulfilling prophecy of weakness: the more diverse the city becomes, the less capable it is of enforcing the very democratic norms that once defined it. The dynamics of population replacement play out with dramatic clarity in Molenbeek-Saint-Jean. Once a working-class Flemish district, Molenbeek has become the European epicenter of Islamist radicalization. The district supplied the logistical backbone for the 2015 Paris attacks; its mosques and cultural associations have repeatedly featured in investigations into jihadist networks stretching from Syria to the heart of the EU. Belgian authorities themselves have documented the presence of Salafist and Muslim Brotherhood-linked organizations that operate with near-impunity. Here the tension between conservative religious norms and Western democratic values crystallizes into open rupture. Anything but sociological abstractions, parallel societies are concrete territorial realities where sharia-inspired behavioral codesgender segregation, refusal of secular schooling, enforcement of halal normssupersede Belgian law. Advertisement The Judeo-Christian substrate of European democracyindividual autonomy, equality before the law, freedom of conscienceis treated not as universal but as culturally contingent and therefore dispensable. When young men from Molenbeek travel to fight for ISIS and return to plot attacks on European soil, the causal chain is not poverty or discrimination but the deliberate cultivation of a supremacist worldview incompatible with the Enlightenment settlement. The political classs reflexive recourse to socio-economic explanations, victimizing the declared enemies of Western civilization, is not analysis; it is ideological self-censorship masquerading as compassion. This cultural rupture is compounded by the specific phenomenon of Muslim antisemitism, which has metastasized from fringe prejudice to normalized street-level reality. Synagogues in Brussels require permanent armed protection. Jewish children are advised against wearing identifiable symbols in certain neighborhoods. High-profile incidentsassaults, desecrations, verbal harassmentcorrelate overwhelmingly with areas of high Muslim concentration. The EUs own Fundamental Rights Agency reports have repeatedly documented disproportionate antisemitic attitudes among Muslim immigrant communities, yet the institutional response remains euphemistic. Advertisement To acknowledge the theological and ideological rootsrooted in Quranic verses, Hadith traditions, and contemporary Islamist propagandawould require confronting the incompatibility between imported religious conservatism and the post-Holocaust European commitment to Jewish security. Instead, elites prefer to frame antisemitism as a generic far-right problem, thereby shielding the actual demographic driver. This intellectual dishonesty is not merely negligent; it is complicit in the gradual erasure of Europes oldest minority. Worse still is the documented infiltration of public institutions by Muslim Brotherhood networks. The Brotherhoods European strategypatient, institutional, and funded by Gulf patronsoperates precisely through the capture of mosques, cultural centers, and even municipal advisory bodies. In Brussels, organizations with documented links to the Brotherhood have secured seats at integration tables, school boards, and anti-discrimination commissions. Their cunning rhetoric of inclusion masks a long-term project of Islamization: the incremental imposition of sharia norms through demographic weight and institutional leverage. Public schools in affected districts report rising incidents of religious bullying, demands for prayer rooms, and curriculum censorship regarding evolution, the Holocaust, or gender equality. Police forces and social services encounter no-go dynamics where Islamist enforcers exert de facto authority. The gradual overtake of institutions is not conspiracy theory; it is observable demographic arithmetic combined with ideological discipline. While native Europeans secularize and reproduce below replacement, imported communities maintain high fertility and religious cohesion, tilting the balance of power neighborhood by neighborhood, then city-wide. The most damning indictment falls upon the political elites refusal to confront the scale of this rupture. Successive Belgian and EU governments have responded to each terrorist outrage, each antisemitic incident, each urban riot with the same repertoire: increased surveillance budgets, rhetorical condemnation of extremism, and pious invocations of European values stripped of any substantive content. Never is the demographic driver interrogated. Never is the question posed whether a post-Christian Europe, having abandoned the metaphysical foundations that once sustained its liberty, possesses the civilizational confidence to defend its borders and its culture. Instead, the elite doubles down on multiculturalism as state religion, criminalizing dissent as Islamophobia while the streets of Brussels descend into visible slumification. Once-grand boulevards are now lined with kebab shops, halal butchers, and satellite dishes tuned to Middle Eastern propaganda. Public spaces display the detritus of parallel societies: women in full niqab, groups of young men exhibiting aggressive territoriality, garbage-strewn pavements where municipal services have effectively withdrawn. The monumental European capital of yesterday has become the dystopian warzone of todayits architectural heritage defaced by graffiti in Arabic script, its social trust evaporated, its very skyline punctuated by minarets rising above the rooftops of what was once the Low Countries administrative jewel. This transformation is not accidental. It is the logical terminus of a decadent ideology that privileges the abstract human over the concrete European citizen, the migrants right to difference over the natives right to continuity. The EU bureaucracy, ensconced in its glass-and-steel fortresses, continues to issue directives on migration, asylum, and diversity mainstreaming while ordinary Bruxellois live the consequences in their shrinking safe zones. The cultural rupture is now existential: either Europes historic peoples reclaim the right to determine the demographic character of their respective homelands, or they accept the slow-motion conquest of their continent by forces that explicitly reject the humanistic, Judeo-Christian inheritance. Brussels therefore stands as both symptom and symbol. Its 184 nationalities are not a celebration but a cautionary epitaph. Its Molenbeek districts are not unfortunate exceptions but advanced outposts. Its Muslim Brotherhood infiltrators are not marginal actors but strategic operatives. The political elites denial is not oversight but ideological suicide. Unless this reality is confrontedwith the polemical sharpness that it demands and the democratic urgency that it requiresEurope, home to the Europeans, will not be lost to external invasion but surrendered from within, street by street, institution by institution, capital by capital. The dystopia is no longer coming; it has arrived in the heart of the continent. Attorney General Pam Bondis removal produced rumors that the President is also considering replacing Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard. Whether true or not, it is an excellent idea. Advertisement To begin with, former Representative Gabbard did not even arguably have the background the law mandates for the position, which includes having extensive national security expertise. She had virtually none. As a politician, Gabbard was vice chair of the Democratic National Committee and a member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus. At the 2016 Democrat National Convention, she gave the nominating speech for Socialist Senator Bernie Sanders and ultimately endorsed Joe Biden in 2020. The previous year, she introduced a resolution in the House intended to humiliate President Trump by demanding he apologize to the American people for a litany of alleged sins like recklessly abandoning...the Iran nuclear agreement. Advertisement During a 2017 trip to the Middle East, Representative Gabbard met repeatedly with Syrian dictator Bashar Assadplans she did not disclose when getting prior clearance for her trip. The Hill reported: Theres a pretty unanimous feeling of shock and disgust, said a Democratic aide who works on national security issues. Everybody Ive talked to on both sides of the aisle, I think people are just stunned. Advertisement The same article added: Critics say the thrust of her message that those fighting Assad are all terrorists sounds like it was pulled from a page of Assads own propaganda machine. Advertisement Gabbard later blamed the Russian invasion of Ukraine on NATO and Ukraine itself. A commentator on Kremlin state media even referred to her as our [Russias] girlfriend. Nor has Tulsi ever exhibited any loyalty or commitment to principles. Indeed, although she got her political start working for an anti-gay organization headed by her father in Hawaii, and, in 2022, declared Floridas Dont Say Gay bill doesnt go far enough, when she ran for president in 2019, she had no difficulty throwing her fathers cause under the bus in her quest for gay votes to achieve power. She endorsed free Medicare for all and introduced the Off Fossil Fuel Act, to transition away from fossil fuel sources of energy to 100% clean energy by 2035. Advertisement Far more concerning is the effect of her status as DNI on the willingness of Americas friends and allies to share sensitive intelligence information with our country. As the Founding Fathers understood, an essential condition for effective intelligence collection is the perceived ability to keep secrets. In Federalist 64, John Jay explained: the most useful intelligence may be obtained, if the persons possessing it can be relieved from apprehensions of discovery. Jay noted many valuable intelligence sources would rely on the secrecy of the President, but...would not confide in that of the Senate. Thus, the Constitutional Convention had wisely left the President able to manage the business of intelligence in such a manner as prudence may suggest. Advertisement In 1775, the Continental Congress established a five-member Committee of Secret Correspondence with Ben Franklin as its chair. It carried on confidential correspondence with foreign nations and was involved in what was likely the nations first covert operationpersuading France to aid the American Revolution. The committee unanimously concluded that it could not share such sensitive information with others in Congress because: We find by fatal experience that Congress consists of too many members to keep secrets. As I have documented in detail elsewhere, the First Congress embraced this view of presidential control of foreign intelligence collection and safeguarding secrets. Indeed, when it first appropriated funds for foreign intercourse in 1790, the statute provided: The President shall account specifically for all such expenditures of the said money as in his judgment may be made public, and also for the amount of such expenditures as he may think it advisable not to specify. It was not until the 1970s that Congress began demanding access to national security secrets as a matter of right. I know this history well, because at the time I was serving as national security adviser to a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and played a minor role in drafting the legislation creating the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence. (I advocated for a rule that members could not disclose classified information without leave of the full Senatewhich I realized was wishful thinking.) The idea for Congress to demand and then leak sensitive national security secrets was the brainchild of a radical leftist named Richard Barnett, a founder of the pro-Cuban Institute for Policy Studies. In his 1969 book, The Economy of Death, he wrote, Congressmen should demand far greater access to information than they now have, and should regard it as their responsibility to pass information on to their constituents. (He might have added: to pass information to our nations enemies, because they, too, can read our newspapers and the Congressional Record.) Few countries will share their most sensitive secrets with allies they fear may compromise them. The September 11 terrorist attacks and the subsequent conflicts that might well have been avoided had Americas propensity to leak secrets not dissuaded our British allies from sharing critically important information about al Qaeda. Weeks before the 9/11 attacks, the FBI identified French national Zacarias Moussaoui as a possible al Qaeda terrorist. But Congress had unconstitutionally prohibited using electronic surveillance against foreign nationals in this country unless they could first be shown to be an agent of a foreign powera term that included transnational terror groups like al Qaeda. But we knew virtually nothing about Moussaoui, so in desperation, the FBI sought information from allies like France and Great Britain. The French quickly responded, but their information was insufficient to meet the statutory standard. Despite repeated requests identified as urgent, the British ignored the FBIs pleas. The day after the attacks, they shared a file documenting Moussaouis participation in an al-Qaida training camp in Afghanistan. This was disclosed in a lengthy 2004 Department of Justice Inspector General report on the Moussaoui matter, which remarked: It is not clear why the information from the British was not provided to the FBI until after September 11. I can help fill in the blank here because decades earlier, I had been the senior Reagan White House attorney charged with overseeing the legality of all intelligence programs, and over several decades, had been friends with a senior British Intelligence lawyer who had often expressed frustration to me about Americas inability to safeguard sensitive national security secrets. We can thank our leakers for undermining the American intelligence communitys ability to acquire information that might have prevented those horrific attacks. I have addressed this matter in greater detail elsewhere. It would be difficult to identify a single member of the entire Congress who was more helpful to those who leaked our most sensitive national security secrets than Rep. Gabbard. She called prosecuting leakers both unconstitutional and insane, and introduced the Protect Brave Whistleblowers Act, and two additional bills specifically supporting Julian Assange and Edward Snowdentwo of the biggest national security leakers of the 21st Century. If America wants valuable foreign intelligence information from other nations, removing Tulsi Gabbard as DNI would be an excellent start. YouTube screen grab (edited). Retired UVA Professor Turner served as Counsel to the Presidents Intelligence Oversight Board in the Reagan White House (1981-1984) and later was the first president of the congressionally established U.S. Institute of Peace. The Laws of Economics and statistics on the grocery industry clearly show that there is no way, except through subsidies that shift costs onto taxpayers, for Mamdanis plan for city-run grocery stores to reduce food costs for the citys residents. Advertisement The grocery business is not some gold mine of hidden profits waiting to be tapped. It is one of the most competitive, tightly run industries in this country, with an extremely low profit margin. Companies such as Kroger, Walmart, Target, and Publix dont survive by accident. They survive because they are relentlessly efficient in cutting waste, managing costs, and competing every single day to keep prices low. After all that work, after all that efficiency, what do they actually earn? About one to two dollars for every hundred dollars you spend. So when someone tells you the government can step in and dramatically lower grocery prices, you must ask: from where? Where is the money coming from? Where is the fat to be cut? Advertisement Because heres the truth: For every $100 in groceries you buy, the store will have spent (not earned) $75 for the food, sundries, and other items. However, the store does not pocket the $25 difference. Instead, the company must cover: Labor (wages and benefits) Rent or property costs Utilities and insurance Credit card transaction fees (1% to 2% for large store groups) Transportation and logistics Shrinkage of 3% (employee theft out the back door, spoilage, and shoplifters) Taxes and regulatory compliance These operating expenses typically consume 2024 percentage points of the remaining 25-point gross margin, leaving net profit margins in the range of 1% to 5%, with industry averages near 1.5%2%. In practical terms, this implies that a $100 transaction yields approximately $1.50$2.00 in net profit to the grocer. Advertisement This margin structure is critical because it demonstrates that even eliminating all profit would produce only marginal price reductions for consumers. Where are the reporters asking just that question? Advertisement That leaves us with a bottom line: If the goal is to cut prices by cutting fat and margins, that goal is nearly impossible to achieve because they are already slim and there is little fat to cut. The one thing the city-run store wont be able to do is pass its savings on to consumers, because it wont be getting any. A city-run store doesnt get special deals on milk or eggs. It pays the same prices as everyone else. When fuel costs go up, it costs more. When utilities go up, it pays more. When wages go up, it pays more (usually, because its a city, much more). The math doesnt change just because the sign on the door says government. Advertisement So how does a city-run store lower prices? In the short term, it saves with terrible service and empty shelves. Inevitably, it loses money. And equally inevitably, it depends on subsidies. And when the government subsidizes something, that doesnt make it cheaper. It just means youre paying for it somewhere else, usually through taxes. In addition to the costs to taxpayers, there is another serious consequence. If the government starts selling food below cost, what happens to the small businesses, the bodegas, the neighborhood markets, the family-owned stores? Advertisement They cant compete with a subsidized operation. They close. One by one. And then, if the government stores stumbleand lets be honest, managing thousands of products, employees, and supply chains is not easywhats left? Fewer stores. Fewer options. Less access. A likely food desert. The very communities this plan is supposed to help could end up worse off. Thats not compassion. Thats unintended consequences. And it happens when we ignore something fundamental: incentives matter. Private businesses must get it right, or they fail. Government systems operate under a different set of pressures: political, bureaucratic, and often disconnected from efficiency. That doesnt make success impossible. But it makes failure more likely. Yes, grocery prices are high. But the solution to that is not to pretend we can override the laws of economics. Instead, go back up the food chain (pun intended) to focus on real solutions. Those include tackling supply chains, energy costs, transportation, and the regulatory burdens that drive prices higher in the first place. (Cost burdens are due in large part to governmental regulations and interventions.) Real solutions mean working with marketsnot trying to replace them with systems that sound good but dont work. At the end of the day, you cannot promise big results from tiny margins. You cannot deliver dollars of savings where only pennies exist. And you cannot build a lasting solution on a foundation that ignores reality. So, even assuming Mamdani has a pure heart of gold, is only seeking to provide the best for the citizens of New York City, and his project wont turn into a giant patronage game, he cannot achieve his goal of reducing grocery costs for the reasons stated above. So, a measurable benefit cannot be achieved even with perfect execution of this plan, which weve just shown is impossible. But like all Marxists, his answer to the dilemma that other cities have tried and failed at this same idea is they didnt do it right. Let us show you how. And we all know the classical definition of insanity. And it has nothing to do with compassion or the people they promise to serve, but political power, using the mental disorder of a Marxist mindset as justification. Image created using AI. Lewis Dovland is a passionate observer of Americas future direction, with a focus on exposing the Big Picture end goals of the progressive Marxist movement and the administrative state, and on how we can prevail. Email at [email protected] The fallout from the Rep. Eric Swalwell implosion continues to spread out in two directions -- one, in questions about who detonated the news of his sexual predattions and additional questions about what kind of blackmail machine the Democrats are using on their own to keep them loyal, and two, who else was involved in the grotesque sexual abuses Swalwell was doing. Advertisement On the latter front, former Senate candidate Kari Lake had a lot to say about the candidate she lost to in 2024, now-Sen. Ruben Gallego, who was Eric Swalwell's best friend, and it wasn't pretty: Speaking on 'The Benny Show,' she laid it out in unexpectedly harsh language: Advertisement I had the dubious honor of running against @RubenGallego a true scumbag. I dont say that lightly. Most candidates have a few skeletons. Gallegos opposition file was a massive three-ring binder so heavy I couldnt lift it. He committed mortgage fraud on federal forms, pic.twitter.com/D8SGCSETAB Kari Lake (@KariLake) April 17, 2026 We already know that Swalwell spent a lot of time traveling around the world on the public dime, not with his wife, but with Sen. Ruben Gallego, where the two seemed to party hearty. Here's the pair of them on their trip to Qatar in 2021: Advertisement Hmm. I seem to recall Ruben Gallego and his boy Eric Swalwell riding camels on a junket to Qatar. When they were shutting down American businesses during the pandemic.https://t.co/6JCmtKzolH https://t.co/2hLZJQcbsK pic.twitter.com/io4UhTuLrj Comfortably Smug (@ComfortablySmug) May 12, 2025 There also was a video purportedly of Swalwell and a prostitute with Gallego supposedly looking on, though thus far, it's unverified. Advertisement But Lake ran against him and came to know what kind of guy he was -- a 'scumb**' as she summed him up -- which would have made him a bird of a feather with Swalwell. She cited mortgage fraud, changing his name to hide a family past with Mexico's cartels, obtaining the nickname 'the troll' by his congressional colleagues based on his bad behavior with women, firing a woman who complained about his sexual harassment, and serving his pregnant wife with divorce papers days before she gave birth, as well as forcing her to pay his legal fes. Advertisement Obviously, it sounds as though there may have been taxpayer payouts based on his behavior around interns and women, and if so, the public would have a right to know. She also cited these aspects of his bad character: Advertisement I find it VERY hard to believe that Ruben Gallego didnt know his best friends history with women. After all, Ruben has quite the history himself. I laid it out for the world to see when I ran against this cartel creature in 2024. https://t.co/hmORtW1Uoi Kari Lake (@KariLake) April 14, 2026 The two were bosom buddies, traveling together around the world in one big buddy movie as the pair of them exploited Congress. Now Gallego denies knowing anything, anything at all about his bad behavior. Yet the two of them shared the exact same values, the same values that took Harvey Weinstein down and ended his career. Lake has noted in an earlier tweet that if Gallego is forced to resign, another person who cheated Lake of an election, the notorious Gov. Katie Hobbs, would be the one to pick his successor, so it's not about getting him out of office. It's getting forced to testify as Swalwell faces a deluge of legal reckonings: What did he know and when did he know it? Image: Screenshot from X video. We warned you, didn't we? Elect a self-proclaimed socialist, and he will make socialism fail again. It's failed everywhere else, so why would it be different in New York City? Advertisement Mayor Mamdani wants to give you another dose of socialism. Let's check this out: On Thursdays broadcast of CBS Mornings, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani (D) said that democratic socialism is a politics that can flourish anywhere and at first, he was told that you could only be a Democratic socialist in Northwest Queens. Then I became the Mayor. Now the next question is the state. Then itll be -- the next question will be the country. Advertisement Co-host Vladimir Duthiers asked, After your campaign win, there were a lot of questions about whether Democrats across the country could have similar success. Do you think its possible a democratic socialist platform can translate into something thats electorally viable in a statewide election or a national election, given that, according to Gallup, many older and rural voters still have issues with the term, with the label socialist? Mamdani answered, What I find is that New Yorkers ask me less about how I describe my politics and more about whether my politics includes them. And I think what we can see is that a democratic socialist politics is one that should be judged on its delivery, like any ideology. And what were showing in this city is we can pursue the big things, like universal childcare, and do the pothole politics at the same time that were showing -- and not just filling in the potholes, changing the catch basins, but also repaving over a thousand miles of roadway. Advertisement Keep talking, Mister Mayor. Your favorable comments about what socialism can do, plus the Democrat victory of Analilia Mejia in the New Jersey election, will give the GOP more talking points for the midterms. What does Mayor Mamdani's love affair with the wonders of socialism, plus another leftist joining the ranks, mean for the midterms? It means little in this district, and she is likely to win again in November. It means a lot to the overall campaign theme that a Democrat House majority will focus more on crazy rather than governing. Just look at Virginia and see what happens when those folks take control. Advertisement The larger point is that the so-called "progressive" wing is gaining more and more. They can and will primary anyone. If the Democrats win the House, this progressive wing will force the party to take votes that may pass on a party basis but will die in the Senate. If the GOP holds on to the House, this progressive wing will blame everything on the moderates, and the civil war will break out. No matter what happens, it's good news for VP Vance in 2028 and very bad news for whoever the Democrats nominate. In the meantime, Mayor Mamdani wants to make socialism work, and more taxpayers will leave. Advertisement P.S. Check out my blog for posts, podcasts, and videos. Tax Day was April 15th and most Americans made their contribution, at least partly unwillingly, to the nations upkeep. Unwillingly because so many taxpayer dollars go to fraud, waste, abuse and funding the Democrat Party and the parasitical organizations that drain untold billions and funnel much of it back to Democrat politicians for their campaigns and likely, otherahemexpenses. Advertisement Graphic: X Post Advertisement Elections can be stretched for months, but something really important like paying income taxes can and must be done on a single day, with real penalties for laziness. So blatant is the political fraud and so desperate are California politicians, theyre trying to pass a law that would criminalize journalists trying to expose it. It: Advertisement creates privacy protections for immigration support service providers, employees and volunteers, including hiding their addresses and imposing penalties on those who publish their image on social media. That would, of course, cover illegal immigrant fraudsters and their American co-conspirators, including the politicians enabling and benefiting from their looting of the public treasury. Advertisement The Democrat complaint that the rich arent paying their fair share of taxes never ends. California has already driven many billionaires out of the state, taking their businesses and tax revenue with them, with a supposedly one-time tax. Unfortunately for California politicians, billionaires, and less well-heeled Americans, are more than smart enough to know a one-time tax would surely become a perpetual tax and theyre fleeing to sane, fiscally responsible red states. Many Republican politicians play the money game, but Democrats have made it a criminal art form, and most, if not all, blue states are bankrupting themselves and clamoring for more and more taxpayer dollars rather than curbing their ruinous spending. But are they right? Is there more than enough money out there to fund their every corrupt entitlement? If they just tax the rich enough, will their fiscal problems be solved? Are the rich truly not paying their fair share? Advertisement Years ago, the invaluable Bill Whittle produced a You Tube video titled Eat the Rich. He cleverly demonstrated that the federal government could be funded not by making the rich pay their fair share, but by taking every penny they have, all their profits, their properties, their companies, all the wages of professional athletes, every penny that can be found, and it worked. All that money, all that productivity workedfor one year. But then, it was all gone. Everyone and everything that created wealth had been drained, used up, depleted. At the end of the video, Whittle asked: now what? Scott Johnson at Powerline answers: Advertisement Sen. Cory Booker has a bill to raise the top individual income-tax rate to 43%, from todays 37%. Sen. Chris Van Hollen wants 49%. Both proposals would also eliminate income taxation for many lower earners. My bill would guarantee no income tax on the first $75,000 families earn, Mr. Booker said last month. He claimed this would help restore tax fairness. Mr. Van Hollens legislation, according to his press release, would end income taxation for those making under $46,000, while providing a significant tax break to individuals up to $80,500. And all this because the wealthy arent paying their fair share? Not so much: Yet the notion that Americas income tax is biased against the working class is a progressive fantasy. According to the official numbers from the IRS, the top 1% of income-tax filers in 2022 contributed 40.4% of the revenue. The top 10% of filers paid 72%. The top quarter contributed 87.2%. Graphic: X Post Perhaps the primary difference between the Democrat and Republican parties--between communism and capitalism--is Democrats demand equality of outcome while Republicansand the Constitutiondemand equality of opportunity and individual rights. Democrats used to be careful about their language and intentions, but not any longer. Theyre not at all afraid to say they intend to take all the money and assets of the wealthy and redistribute it to those they think more worthyfavored oppressed groups that will vote for them, and their favored NGOs and other grifters. Unfortunately, wealthy keeps being ratcheted downward into the middle class. And in the meantime, states like California, New York and Illinois, and communist/Islamist lunatics like Zhoran Mamdani in New York City, work to eat the rich, including the Democrat rich that have always funded them, but are no longer politically useful. So, the rich are voting with their feet, moving to red states where theyre not on the menu and their real tax contributions are welcome and appreciated, as are the jobs they create. Just a little dose of reality this tax week. Youre welcome. Become a subscriber and get our weekly, Friday newsletter with unique content from our editors. These essays alone are worth the cost of the subscription. Mike McDaniel is a USAF veteran, classically trained musician, Japanese and European fencer, life-long athlete, firearm instructor, retired police officer and high school and college English teacher. He is a published author and blogger. His home blog is Stately McDaniel Manor. New gas field project to further boost China-Turkmenistan energy cooperation: Chinese vice premier Xinhua) 09:58, April 18, 2026 Chinese President Xi Jinping's special representative Ding Xuexiang, also Chinese vice premier and a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, attends the groundbreaking ceremony of the fourth phase of the Galkynysh gas field with National Leader of the Turkmen People and Chairman of the Halk Maslahaty of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov in Mary, Turkmenistan, April 17, 2026. (Xinhua/Wang Ye) MARY, Turkmenistan, April 17 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping's special representative Ding Xuexiang said here Friday that the smooth commencement of the fourth phase of the Galkynysh gas field will further elevate energy cooperation between China and Turkmenistan to a new level. Ding, also Chinese vice premier and a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remarks when attending the groundbreaking ceremony of the fourth phase of the gas field with National Leader of the Turkmen People and Chairman of the Halk Maslahaty of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov. In his address, Ding said that under the strategic guidance of the two countries' top leaders, China-Turkmenistan natural gas cooperation has yielded fruitful results, strongly supporting the economic and social development of both countries and benefiting their people. He noted that the smooth commencement of the project is a significant achievement in deepening comprehensive cooperation between China and Turkmenistan, and opens a new chapter in bilateral natural gas collaboration. Ding said the project carries the earnest expectations of the top leaders of both countries and embodies the shared aspirations of the two peoples. He expressed the hope that relevant authorities and enterprises of both sides will make meticulous arrangements, carry out construction in a scientific manner, and advance the project in a solid and orderly way. Ding put forward a three-point proposal. First, both sides should prioritize quality and build the project into a premium one by promoting craftsmanship and advancing construction to high standards, thus striving to deliver a first-class project that can stand the test of time. Second, both sides should pursue innovation-driven development and make the project a benchmark by promoting innovations in project management, technology and cooperation models, so as to provide experience and demonstration for major natural gas projects. Third, both sides should adhere to win-win cooperation and make the project a symbol of friendship by strengthening technical exchanges and personnel training, ensuring that the outcomes of cooperation better benefit the two peoples and contribute to China-Turkmenistan friendship. He noted that China is ready to work with Turkmenistan to take major projects such as the fourth phase of the Galkynysh gas field as a new starting point to deepen practical cooperation across various fields, promote common development and regional prosperity, and jointly build a closer China-Turkmenistan community with a shared future. Ding and Berdimuhamedov jointly initiated drilling operations via video link and held a foundation-laying ceremony. They also visited an exhibition of oil and gas equipment. (Web editor: Zhao Tong, Wu Chaolan) British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron a.k.a., dumb and dumber, or gay and gayer, take your pick have now agreed to lend their nations potent militaries to help open the Strait of Hormuz. Advertisement Unfortunately for them, and the dignity of the countries they allegedly lead, the U.S. has already opened the strait. Even Iran has announced that the strait is now open. Advertisement Pretty damn brave of these life-long macho warriors to now agree to help out, after all the hard-lifting and heavy fighting has been done. The U.K. is increasingly irrelevant, and does even Macron himself take himself seriously? If so, thats odd, as no one else does. The same goes for France itself. Advertisement By the way, if anyone asks, Im willing to go fight in the Pacific Theater of War against the Japanese. Or to help the rebels try and hold Breeds Hill. Or to augment Union forces at Gettysburg. Im too late, you say? What?! I swear I didnt know that. Starmer and Macron are now going to help open the Strait of Hormuz? (The Strait of No Jews?) Their words are almost as big of a joke as their nations are at this point. Not only did the following (mostly NATO) nations refuse to help the U.S. in any substantive way, shape, or form in the Iran War, but they backed the U.N.s insanely preposterous nomination to invite Iran to help shape the U.N.s policy on human and womens -- rights: the United Kingdom, Spain, Canada, France, Germany, Norway, Netherlands, Australia, Switzerland, Austria, Finland. You will note that the U.K. and France are among these demented domains. Advertisement Perhaps NATO should be reorganized and realigned such that we promise to protect only Eastern European countries such as Poland, Hungary, Latvia, Estonia, and Lithuania as long as they are fulfilling their defense spending goals and ours. Image: Number 10, via Wikimedia Commons // CC BY-SA 2.0 Deed Advertisement Deep in the desert in northern Mexico, between the states of Durango, Chihuahua and Coahuila, is an area known as zona del silencio or the "zone of silence", also known as Mapimi Silent Zone for its close proximity to the city of Mapimi. Legend says that in this area electromagnetic transmissions cannot be received, radio doesnt work, compasses do not point to magnetic north, and the flora and fauna have abnormal mutations. Over the years stories of alien encounters, falling "hot pebbles" and all sorts of paranormal activities have been drawing tourists and curiosity-seekers from all over the world. The myth started in July, 1970, when the U.S. military base near Green River, Utah fired an Athena test missile toward White Sands Missile Range. The missile lost control and instead of landing on the intended target continued 400 miles south and fell in the Mapimi Desert region. Immediately, a team of specialists arrived to find the fallen rocket. When the rocket was found after three weeks of intense search, an airstrip was built to transport the wreckage. The entire operation was very hush-hush, consistent with governmental common sense, and nobody was told anything or asked. The secretive nature of the operation was already spurring rumors among the residents. Photo credit One version of the story tells about a certain local named Jamie who was hired by the military to guard the missile from vandals and sight-seers. Jaime rather liked the attention and money that the missile had brought, and when the military left, he along with two local landowners began to talk of the possibility of building a hotel in the area to encourage tourism. Some say that it was Jamie who began playing up the importance of the region to generate interest in the area, and together with his new friends started creating a story with lots of pseudo-science and local folklore, and fed it to the regional media. The media swallowed it hook, line and sinker, and a legend was born. According to this bizarre story, strange magnetic anomalies of the atmosphere prevent radio transmission in specific points and make the needles spin on magnetic compasses. The magnetic waves are so unique that they create a vortex that draws in material from the upper atmosphere, including the ill-fated missile. The Allende meteorite, which fell in the general region of the Zone in 1969, is often cited as corroborating evidence. The phenomena is now claimed to have been first reported in the 1930s by Francisco Sarabia, a Mexican pilot, who claimed that his radio had mysteriously failed to function while flying over the zone. Others claim to have seen UFOs, and objects falling from cloudless skies. Photo credit Now hundreds of people come from all over to experience the area. The locals call them zoneros. They are surprised when they find their radios and compasses working, upon which their guide often a local, for whom these tourists represent a source of income, explains to them that the zones move, and therefore be hard to locate. The local residents themselves do not believe in the Zone of Silence. When asked about strange phenomena, they invariably reply that they do not see strange things in the desert, only strange people. While some are eking out a living becoming guides or selling sodas and eatables to tourists, others find these outsiders a nuisance. Mexconnect.com shares an amusing anecdote: Upon being asked where la Zona could be found, a local rancher told a carload of people that they needed to keep following the road until they saw martians jump from one side of the road to another. The amazing part, he commented later, was that they thanked him. Another group of zoneros arrived at the field station and asked one of the workers how to get to the Zone. The young fellow, struggling to be polite and truthful at once, only replied, "Nunca van a llegar (You are never going to get there)." Photo credit Photo credit In the mid-17th century, the French colony of New France faced a crisis that threatened its very survival. Despite fertile land and a steady trickle of settlers, the colony remained overwhelmingly male. Soldiers, fur traders, and labourers vastly outnumbered women, making stable family life and therefore long-term growth nearly impossible. To address this imbalance, the French Crown shipped hundreds of young marriageable women to build new lives across the ocean. They were called Filles du Roi, or Kings Daughters. Arrival of the King's Daughters to Quebec. Painting by Eleanor Fortescue-Brickdale. Credit: Wikimedia Commons Between 1663 and 1673, under the reign of Louis XIV, approximately 800 young women were sent to New France at the kings expense. The program was the brainchild of Jean Talon, the first Intendant of New France, who wished to convert the economy of New France from fur trading to agriculture, but realized that it could not be accomplished without a larger population. In order to promote marriage and child bearing, Talon established various policies such as monetary assistance to young men and women who would marry. Additionally, Jean-Baptiste Colbert, Louis XIVs finance minister and advisor, issued an edict threatening to rescind hunting licenses and other privileges of unmarried French settlers. However, the biggest problem preventing Talon from transforming the fragile colonial outpost into a stable, self-sustaining society was the severe shortage of women. In order to correct this gender imbalance, Talon convinced King Louis XIV to undertake an ambitious social experiment. Talon proposed that the King recruit young girls and women from willing families and transport them to the new colony, where they would be immediately married or placed for a time in good families. Louis XIV paid the entire expense of their passage to the new world and even offered dowries to the women when they married. They were therefore referred to as the Kings Daughters. The term "fille du roi" is believed to have originated from Marguerite Bourgeoys, a French nun and founder of the Congregation of Notre Dame of Montreal, who used it in 1697 or 1698 to describe the 17 "marriageable" women she was housing. Contrary to some later myths, these women were not criminals or prostitutes. Most were of modest background, usually orphans, daughters of artisans, or young women from poor families, primarily recruited from Paris and other urban centers. Many came from charitable institutions, including those supported by religious orders. The voyage from France to North America was long and hazardous, typically lasting several months. The women endured cramped quarters, rough seas, and the constant threat of disease. Upon arrival in Quebec, Montreal, or Trois-Rivieres, they were received by colonial authorities and often lodged temporarily in homes or convents, such as those run by Ursuline Order or Congregation of Notre Dame. The Arrival of the French Girls at Quebec, 1667. Credit: Wikimedia Commons The women were trained in domestic skills such as cooking, cleaning, and sewing to prepare them for their roles as wives and mothers. While the goal of the program was marriage, the women were not treated as commodities. Each woman could carefully choose whom to marry and could refuse any marriage proposal if she felt her prospective husband might not be able to support her, or if he didnt own adequate amount of land, etc. On average, most women got married within five months of arrival. Some married sooner, in a matter of days. Once married, each Fille du Roi received a dowry, typically consisting of money, clothing, household goods, and sometimes livestock. This financial support helped couples establish farms and households in a harsh and unfamiliar environment. A yearly pension of 300 livres was awarded to families with ten children, rising to 400 livres for families with twelve or more. Life in New France was demanding. Women worked alongside their husbands in clearing land, growing crops, and raising children. They played a central role in the domestic economy, producing food, clothing, and other necessities. The impact of the Filles du Roi program was profound. Within a generation, the population of New France began to grow rapidly through natural increase rather than immigration alone. Each woman gave birth to more than six children on average. As a result, population soared and by 1672, New France had 6,700 individuals from 3,200 in 1663. By the end of 1671, Talon suggested that it would not be necessary to sponsor the passage of girls for the next year, and the king accepted his advice. The migration briefly resumed in 1673, when the king sent 60 more girls at the request of Buade de Frontenac, the new governor, but that was the last under the Crown's sponsorship. By the early 18th century, the descendants of these women formed a significant portion of the colonys population. Today, it is estimated that a large percentage of French Canadians can trace their ancestry back to at least one Fille du Roi. References: # Filles du Roi. Greener Pasteur # Les Filles du roi | The Kings Daughters. TFGA # Filles du roi: the Founding Mothers of New France. JSTOR # King's Daughters. Wikipedia A 91-year-old woman has been found safe after an alert triggered a police welfare check turns out she was just trying to beat her record in a video game. The woman from Westlake, Ohio, is part of the citys Are You Okay? program, which allows vulnerable residents to opt for daily calls to check in on them. When the woman didnt answer her daily call on April 9, her community started to worry. "Everyone's a little bit alarmed that she's missing these contacts," Westlake Police Captain Jerry Vogel said in an interview with local outlet WEWS. A 91-year-old woman has been found safe after an alert triggered a police welfare check turns out she was just trying to beat her record in a video game (Getty Images/iStock) When dispatchers and the womans daughter tried to follow up and got no answer, the police came to her home to check on her. The woman didnt answer the door, prompting the cops to use a code to get inside her garage. Body camera video obtained by WEWS showed the womans car inside the garage. The footage cut out once the officers went inside her home to protect the womans identity. Police found the woman in her bedroom playing video games, according to audio obtained by the outlet. Were with her now. Shes playing video games in her bedroom, one officer can be heard telling dispatch. The woman was playing a bubble pop video game, local outlet WOIO reported. These types of games have players match colored bubbles that pop when grouped. The goal is usually to clear all the bubbles. A 2024 study from the Texas A&M University School of Public Health found that engaging in hobbies such as games and puzzles is linked to slower cognitive decline in the elderly. An elderly woman from Westlake, Ohio, gave officers a good laugh when they went to her home to check in on her (Google Earth) The Westlake woman had missed her welfare calls because she was trying to beat her record in the video game, police told WEWS. "Everyone got a good laugh out of it," Vogel said, adding, It's a great reminder that Westlake residents have that service for them and they can sign up any time they want. The alert program led police in January to an elderly woman who had fallen inside her living room and couldnt get back up, authorities told WEWS at the time. The woman was not injured, according to the cops. Alert systems can serve as a lifeline for the elderly and other vulnerable adults. A Forbes Health survey found that 86 percent of users or caregivers said a medical alert system had saved them or the adult they care for from an incident, the publication reported last month. West End composer Andrew Lloyd Webber has revealed he is a recovering alcoholic. The 78-year-old said he had previously checked himself into a clinic to deal with his addiction, which he added did not work, before then attending Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) meetings in Switzerland and the UK, which he said he adored, in an interview with The Times. Lord Lloyd-Webber said: I am a recovering alcoholic. Sixteen months ago I decided that I needed help and its the best thing that ever happened to me. Lord Lloyd-Webber is known for writing songs for hit musicals such as Cats (Maja Smiejkowska/PA) (Maja Smiejkowska) You think its secret, but its not, everybody knows. I started getting into a downhill spiral and about 18 months ago the family were in a desperate state. My wife was feeling she couldnt go on. The writer of songs behind musicals such as Cats, Jesus Christ Superstar and The Phantom Of The Opera added he is now attending a meeting every day while moving between his homes in London, Hampshire and New York. He added: People had always said: Oh no, you wouldnt like that, and you get this thought that its a load of meth drinkers coming in off the streets. Not at all. What I love about it is, you go into a room and everybodys equal. Ive made friends that I wouldnt have thought possible. Lord Lloyd-Webber said he had been noticed at the meetings but said this was not an issue, and added that his favourite AA meeting was in St Louis with a whole load of rednecks. The star said that the turning point in his battle with addiction was hearing someone else describe the stupidity of it. He said: It was about the ludicrous lengths you go to, the hiding and the pretending. When youre a wine drinker, you dont think of yourself as well, alcoholics drink spirits, that was the shocking thing for me, when I realised that I was drinking vodka to hide it. You dont really think. Its just: How am I going to get through the day? I got that thing of seriously worrying that I wasnt writing, and panicked. Maybe Ill have a drink OK, Ive written something, because it does slightly liberate you but then its more and more and more. The London-born composer went on to say that one of the songs he wrote while under the influence was No Matter What, which went on to be a hit for Irish boyband Boyzone. It comes after Lord Lloyd-Webbers brother, cellist Julian Lloyd Webber, announced he will receive treatment for prostate cancer earlier this week, having celebrated his 75th birthday on Tuesday. A man in California has been arrested for allegedly stealing more than $30,000 worth of Lego by swapping the plastic bricks for dried pasta. Jarrelle Augustine, 28, was arrested in Irvine in connection with at least 70 Lego thefts at stores across the country. According to Irvine police, Augustine stole approximately $34,000 worth of Lego. After buying and opening a box, Augustine allegedly replaced the plastic Lego bricks and figures with dried pasta. Investigators told FOX 11 LA that the dried pasta mimics the sound and weight of Lego bricks shifting around when the box is shaken. "One of the cases that occurred here in Orange County, they shared that they opened the box and instead of Legos, they found bags of dry pasta," Officer Ziggy Azarcon told CBS News. He then allegedly returned the boxes to stores and requested refunds. Irvine police claim that Augustine received refunds at Target stores in Costa Mesa, Irvine, and Westminster, as well as a number of stores outside of California. Police allege Augustine is also linked to dozens of Lego thefts in Texas, Tennessee, New Jersey, and Florida. Police in Irvine, California, released a surveillance image they claim shows Jarrelle Augustine, 28, who has been charged with grand theft for allegedly stealing $34,000 worth of Lego (Irvine Police Department/Facebook) Investigators allegedly found several packages of Lego at Augustine's apartment after he was taken into custody. "These were definitely sets that were consistent with what he was purchasing and then returning," Azarcon said. "These were Star Wars sets and Marvel sets, which have a very high value on the secondary market." Augustine is being charged with grand theft, according to police. The unusual nature of the crime wasn't lost on Irvine police, which released a pun-laden social media post announcing the charges. "If your master plan involves swapping LEGOs for linguine, we can promise your plan will be cooked al dente," the department said in a social media post. It also called Augustine's alleged scheme a "bad build" that "didn't hold together." Bags filled with Lego pieces found by police at the home of Jarrelle Augustine Police believe Augustine stole $34,000 worth of Lego products from stores across the U.S. (Irvine Police Department) Last week, three other men Jose Lopez, 37, Ruben Lopez Flores, 25, and Freddy Hernandez Polinar, 35 were arrested for allegedly stealing two truck trailers that contained Lego sets, according to NewsNation. Joshua Hanlon, the owner of Beyond the Brick, a social media group claiming to be the "world's largest Lego fan community," told NewsNation there is a sizable market for second-hand Lego sales. Particularly Facebook Marketplace, I think, is probably the most popular option these days. You see a lot of these thefts being listed on there. Pretty soon after they take place, theyll start to try to offload them, he told the outlet. He also said that it's virtually impossible to know whether or not the bricks have been stolen because they do not have serial numbers or other identifying markers on them. Members of the Jewish community have been urged to remain calm after an arson attack on a business in north London, which police acknowledged had similarities with other recent attacks on a nearby synagogue and a Jewish ambulance charity. The Metropolitan Police said that a man was seen to approach a row of shops in Hendon with a plastic bag containing three bottles of liquid on Friday evening. He tried to set the items in the bag alight, but when the bottles failed to fully ignite, he fled the scene, police said. The alleged attack was claimed online by individuals purporting to be from the group Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamiyah (HAYI), who said they were targeting Jewish education charity Jewish Futures. Messages apparently from the group HAYI, and circulated on pro-Iranian Telegram channels, have claimed a number of attacks on sites around Europe, including last months arson attack on four Jewish ambulances in Golders Green, northwest London. Counter-terrorism police are leading an investigation into the attack. Commander Helen Flanagan, of Counter Terrorism Policing London, said: At this stage, last nights arson is not being linked to other incidents in the northwest London area over the last week or last months arson in Golders Green, but counterterrorism officers are leading due to the similarities of each attack. Police investigate the scene of an attempted arson attack on 18 April 2026 in Hendon, north London (Getty Images) I would ask that anyone with information or footage that could help our investigation gets in touch with police as soon as possible. The Metropolitan Police responded to an incident near the Israeli embassy in central London yesterday after a video was shared online overnight in which the HAYI group appeared to claim they were targeting the embassy with drones. A close-up of some damage to a doorway by a row of shops as police investigate the scene of an attempted arson attack (Getty Images) On Wednesday night, an ignited container was thrown into a Persian media organisations premises in Wembley in an attempted arson attack, the force said previously. In a statement issued on Saturday morning, police said that minor damage was caused to the shop front in Hendon and no injuries were reported. Charity Jewish Futures, whose office is in Hendon, aims to connect a number of organisations that deliver different Jewish educational programmes. Minor damage was caused to a shop front in Hendon last night (Getty Images) A spokesperson for the Community Security Trust (CST) said: We are aware of what appears to be another attempted arson, this time targeting a premises in north London previously used by the Jewish community. We urge people to remain calm and to report any suspicious activity, at any time of day or night, to police immediately on 999 and then to CST. The Campaign Against Antisemitism said: This is yet another arson attack which appears to be targeting the Jewish community it is the third in a month as we witness a worldwide pattern of attacks. Police forensic officers investigate the scene (Getty Images) It is unclear to what extent, if any, they are being coordinated. Police have only just reopened a central London park over a drone threat. Britain is under attack, and those responsible will not stop at targeting Jews. Roger Macmillan, former director of security at media company Iran International, said: This is another despicable and cowardly attack claimed, once again, by Ashab al-Yamin, this time on Jewish Futures, an educational charity dedicated to young people. It is worth noting that Ashab al-Yamin recently declared they were moving to a second stage of their campaign, indicating harder targets, more significant operations. Local police officers said they were working with Counter Terrorism Policing to respond to the incident (Getty Images) Mr Macmillan described HAYI as a deniable and disposable brand, almost certainly being used to direct a gig economy of recruited young people, many of them teenagers. Detective Chief Superintendent Luke Williams, who leads policing in the area, said, Since the incident in Golders Green last month, we have spoken extensively to community leaders. I understand and appreciate their concerns, and I know this latest incident will add to fears in the community. Local officers are working closely with Counter Terrorism Policing to support the investigation. The community can expect to see a heightened police presence in the area. Since last months attack in Golders Green, we have stepped up police patrols and vigilance to reassure communities and disrupt offenders. Peter Magyar is seen as more constructively minded than his pro-Russian predecessor Viktor Orban and not as anti-European. Photograph: Bernadett Szabo/Reuters (Photograph: Bernadett Szabo/Reuters) Like many Ukrainians, Oleh Kupchak was delighted when Peter Magyar won Hungarys election last weekend, ending Viktor Orbans 16-year grip on power. We were euphoric. Everyone was following the results closely. There were toasts, said Kupchak, who has visited Budapest several times. We didnt love Orban, he added. Ukraine celebrated Orbans landslide defeat in a series of jokes and memes. Several likened him to the Star Wars character Jabba the Hut, and shared an image of Orban fleeing from a drone. Others portrayed him sitting on a bench in Russia, alongside Ukraines pro-Kremlin former president Viktor Yanukovych, and his exiled Syrian counterpart Bashar al-Assad. The widespread joy that greeted the ousting of Orban and his Fidesz party was hardly surprising. Hungarys outgoing prime minister the Kremlins biggest and most disruptive supporter inside the EU ran a vociferously anti-Ukrainian election campaign. He accused Kyiv of plotting to sabotage key energy installations, and of threatening him and his family with physical violence. Recently Kyivs already brittle relations with Budapest had descended into open hostility. In late January a Russian drone set fire to the Druzhba pipeline, which supplies Russian oil to Hungary and Slovakia. Orban claimed Volodymyr Zelenskyy was deliberately delaying repairs, causing a fuel shortage in Hungary, in order to damage Fideszs re-election chances. Related: Why Viktor Orban lost in Hungary The Latest In the run-up to the poll, Hungarian voters encountered billboards showing Zelenskyy begging for money from the EU. Other posters featured photos of Ukraines president next to Magyar. The opposition leader and his Tisza party were accused of trying to drag Hungary into the fighting in Ukraine, and being a part of a Brussels-backed pro-war lobby. Ukrainian politicians and analysts welcomed Magyars victory, but downplayed expectations of a quick thaw in relations between the two previously embittered countries. Oleksandr Merezhko, the head of the foreign affairs committee in Ukraines parliament, said he felt cautiously optimistic. A unique window of opportunity is now opening up for Ukrainian-Hungarian relations, he told the Guardian. Merezhko interpreted Hungarys election results as on the whole a win for Ukraine, since they represented a strategic defeat for Putin. Putin had hoped to form an anti-Ukrainian coalition in Europe led by Orban, which would also include Slovakia and the Czech Republic. Putins plan has failed. Without Orban in power, such a coalition will not form, he said. Magyar is expected to lift Orbans veto on 90bn in EU aid to Ukraine, once his government is sworn in early next month. Kyiv badly needs the money. Hungary is also expected to drop its opposition to new sanctions against Russia. With Orban gone, Brussels will unlock EU funds earmarked for Hungary suspended because of democratic backsliding. Merezhko described Hungarys new leader as more constructively minded than his pro-Russian predecessor and not anti-European. The deputy, however, warned that all bilateral issues could not be resolved automatically and quickly. Magyar now needs to show Europe that his policy will not be a continuation of Orbans. And here, the issue of Ukraine is key, he said. One potential dispute is over Ukraines EU accession. Magyar has said he would not oppose Kyiv joining the bloc, but rejects fast-track membership for Ukraine, and says the issue should be put to a referendum. Another is the status of Ukraines ethnic Hungarian minority. The small community in the western Zakarpattia region has long been a source of tension, exploited Kyiv says by a cynical Orban. Last month Budapest impounded two Ukrainian armoured bank vehicles carrying millions of euros as well as bars of gold. Orban had unlawfully seized the funds, Merezhko said, in a provocative scandal. A very significant step, and a clear sign of Magyars willingness to engage in dialogue, would be for him to return the Ukrainian funds, he added. Last weekend Zelenskyy sent a message of congratulation to Magyar and his Tisza party. It is important when a constructive approach prevails, he noted, adding that Ukraine had always sought good neighbourly relations with everyone in Europe. Ukraine was ready to develop cooperation with Hungary and to meet and work with its new government, he said. In contrast to the Trump administration, Magyar has stated Ukraine is a victim of Russias invasion and should not be forced to hand over its territory. In July 2024 he travelled to Kyiv, shortly after Moscow bombed the Okhmatdyt childrens hospital. He paid tribute to Ukrainian soldiers killed in the war and handed over humanitarian aid and a donation. However, Ukrainian commentators think Magyar should not be seen as a friend or booster. Magyar is not a pro-Ukrainian politician. He is pro-Hungarian, Serhiy Sydorenko, the editor of the European Pravda newspaper, wrote this week. He suggested Zelenskyy would reluctantly complete repairs to the Druzhba pipeline, allowing limited Russian oil exports to resume to Hungary, as a gesture of political goodwill. Other observers said Hungarian society had grown used to anti-Ukrainian narratives, after 16 years of Orban propaganda, and would take time to change its views. We cant expect something very liberal from the reformist government, said Marianna Prysiazhniuk, a political analyst with the Democratic Initiatives Foundation in Kyiv. She added: What weve witnessed in Hungary is the reconsolidation of power. Prysiazhniuk believes Zelenskyy should behave very delicately towards Budapest, taking into account its internal context. We shouldnt expect Magyar to shout: Glory to Ukraine. The priority is for Hungary to become a reliable European partner, she said. The two leaders are likely to hold talks next month in Romania at a meeting of the Bucharest Nine, a gathering of Natos formerly communist east European member states. Kupchak, meanwhile, said he had driven several times to Hungary from his home in Lviv. It was a day-long journey via the Chop border crossing, through the scenic foothills of the Carpathian mountains. In my opinion the Hungarians have a bit of an imperial mentality, similar to the Russians. Its a hangover from the Austro-Hungarian empire. We hope that under Magyar this changes, he said. There are more than 10m hectares of privately protected and managed areas in Australia. Composite: Getty / Guardian Design (Composite: Getty / Guardian Design) Gifting land for conservation and leaving environmental bequests in personal wills are part of a quiet but rapidly growing revolution in environmentalism in Australia motivated by individual efforts to address the climate and biodiversity crisis head on. As a result, Australia now boasts one of the largest networks of privately protected and managed areas in the world, with gifted land now covering over 10m hectares. Between 2019 and 2024, leading Australian environmental charities saw a 150% increase in bequest revenue, according to data from the 2025 Benchmarking Project report. From little things In 1990, then Tasmanian Greens MP Bob Brown became aware that two bush blocks adjoining his own property in Liffey, about 55km south west of Launceston, had come on the market. Sign up for the Breaking News Australia email Despite not having the finances, Brown sent a bidder to the auction and successfully bought them for $250k, outbidding the Northern Woodchipping company, which had intended to buy the land for logging. Browns former schoolmate and friend Judy Henderson recalls getting a phone call from Brown that set in motion what was to become Australian Bush Heritage. I asked him how he was going to pay for them. He said: I dont know, Judy. Related: Using AI to speed up Australias environmental approvals risks robodebt-style failures, scientists say They quickly established a Bush Heritage management committee, ran fundraisers in Sydney and brought onboard patrons including broadcaster Phillip Adams and former Western Australia Greens senator Jo Vallentine. Bush Heritage Australia, with Brown and Henderson as co-founders, went on to become one of the most successful environmental endeavours in recent Australian history. Over three decades later, Bush Heritage today owns and protects 45 bought or gifted bush reserves around Australia covering more than 1.4m hectares of land and providing habitat for over 9,000 native species. Working with First Nations communities and farmers, it supports the management of an additional 20.5m hectares beyond what it owns directly. Some of Australias most threatened and fragile ecosystems and wildlife sit outside of the national reserve system, says Rachel Lowry, Bush Heritage Australias chief executive officer. Theyre found on private land or pastoral country, and they may have deep cultural and ecological values, but theyre not protected from threats such as land clearing, mining or invasive species. The organisation reports a rise in the number of personal bequests, from 2,500 in 2022 to more than 4,600 bequests last year. Lowry puts the increase down to a personal desire to have a meaningful impact on the worsening global climate and biodiversity crisis. Bush Heritages model has inspired other groups around Australia to acquire and conserve lands and forests of significant ecological value. One such example is the North East Tasmania Land Trust (NETLT), which secretary Dr Christine Hosking describes as a microcosm of Bush Heritage. Formed in 2009, the organisation manages donated land through weed control and regeneration of the native environment. Currently, we have 10 acres [4 hectares] of endangered eucalyptus forest in Binalong Bay that adjoins the Bay of Fires Conservation Area, and a smaller patch of coastal habitat for the endangered swift parrot, she says. Hosking says groups like hers embrace a different but equally vital path of direct protection compared with larger environment organisations. With a paucity of government support, philanthropy has become an invaluable enabler for people dedicated to working for the environment. Leaving a meaningful legacy In December 2024, Bob Croser, a former Adelaide taxi driver and member of the Adelaide Universitys Hughes Society, bequeathed $1.1m to the university. The funds were used to establish the Bob Croser Woodland Recovery Project, which identifies optimal locations and planting designs to support bird populations in the Mount Lofty Ranges. The bequest stipulated that the project would be facilitated through Adelaide Universitys Environment Institute, in collaboration with local government and community groups. The Environment Institutes Prof Andrew Lowe says the project which monitors and protects bird populations in the Mount Lofty Ranges would make a massive difference by supporting research to help reverse biodiversity decline. There are 76 threatened bird species in the region, including the southern emu-wren, hooded robin and Bassian thrush. Related: Australian wildlife in harms way, with volunteers left to pick up the pieces amid climate crisis, fires and floods By working on research with partners we can answer questions like what type of vegetation we should put back, where it should go, is it going to be good food or shelter for birds, will it help support endangered species? Lowe says the role of private landholders, charities and philanthropy is increasing in the land conservation sector because governments dont have the money, capacity or expertise. Projects like these often involve a broad range of government, community and industry partners to maximise our leverage but also uptake and translation of research into solid conservation outcomes. If you wish to make a land donation or bequest, many groups are happy to outline the process including Bush Heritage Australia and the Foundation for National Parks & Wildlife. Alternatively, for those seeking to make a meaningful impact in a specific region, local groups such as the NETLT in Tasmania and the Trust for Nature in Victoria can help. Checking that the organisation you choose has accredited Deductible Gift Recipient status will allow you to make tax deductions from the donation. The environmental movement needs many hands, says Lowry. Governments to set ambition, communities to demand action, traditional custodians to lead with knowledge and generations of experience sustainably managing Country, and not-for-profits like Bush Heritage to act with speed, trust and long-term purpose. Our purpose is simple: we are here to protect the most vulnerable and important ecosystems, for ever. A UN peacekeeping force in southern Lebanon came under attack with small arms fire Saturday morning, leaving one French peacekeeper dead and three wounded, two of them seriously, French President Emmanuel Macron and the force known as UNIFIL said. Both Macron and the UNIFIL blamed Hezbollah, but the militant group denied involvement. The attack near the southern Lebanese village of Ghandouriyeh came after a 10-day ceasefire went into effect at midnight Thursday between Israel and Lebanon's militant Hezbollah group. Read moreMiddle East war live: French UNIFIL soldier killed in Lebanon, Hezbollah responsible, says Macron The latest Israel-Hezbollah war began on March 2 when the Iran-backed group launched rockets into Israel after the US and Israel attacked Iran, killing top officials including the country's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The war, in which Israel invaded parts of Lebanon, left nearly 2,300 people dead in Lebanon, more than 1 million people displaced and caused wide destruction. Everything suggests that responsibility for this attack lies with Hezbollah, French President Emmanuel Macron wrote on social media. France demands that the Lebanese authorities immediately arrest those responsible and assume their responsibilities alongside UNIFIL, the UN mission in southern Lebanon. In Beirut, three judicial officials said the country's Military Tribunal opened an investigation over the incident and is in contact with the army's intelligence department to work on identifying the attackers. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity in line with regulations. Hezbollah denied links to the attack calling in a statement for caution in assigning blame and judgment until the Lebanese army completes its investigation to determine the full circumstances of the incident. Hezbollah said peacekeepers should coordinate with the Lebanese army in their operations. Hezbollah expressed surprise in the statement at the hasty accusations leveled against it, especially given the silence of these same parties when the Israeli enemy attacks UNIFIL forces. Macron identified the dead soldier as Staff Sgt. Florian Montorio of the 17th Parachute Engineer Regiment from Montauban. He added that three of Montorios comrades in arms were injured and evacuated. The nation bows in respect and extends its support to the families of our soldiers and to all our military personnel engaged for peace in Lebanon, he said. His death came nearly a month after a drone attack on March 12 targeted a Kurdish military base in Iraq's Erbil region, killing French Chief Warrant Officer Arnaud Frion and wounding six others. French Armed Forces Minister Catherine Vautrin said Saturday that the soldier was killed during an ambush. She said he was on a mission to open a route toward a UNIFIL post that had been isolated for several days due to fighting in the area between Hezbollah and Israeli forces. A 10-day ceasefire took effect in Lebanon on Friday, but it wasn't clear to what extent Hezbollah would abide by a truce it did not play a role in negotiating. He was caught in an ambush by an armed group at very close range, she said on X. Immediately hit by a direct shot from a light weapon, he was pulled back under fire by his comrades, who were unable to resuscitate him. UNIFIL said a patrol clearing explosive ordnance along a road in the village of Ghandouriyeh on Saturday to re-establish links with isolated UNIFIL positions came under small-arms fire from non-state actors. UNIFIL said one peacekeeper succumbed to his injuries and three others were injured, two of them seriously. Macron spoke with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam following the attack in order to call on the Lebanese authorities to shed full light on this incident, to identify and prosecute those responsible without delay, and to do everything possible to ensure the safety of UNIFIL soldiers, who must under no circumstances be targeted, Macron's office said. Salam posted on X that he has ordered an investigation into the attack and to bring the perpetrators to justice. Aoun and Lebanon's Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri condemned the attack. The Lebanese army condemned the attack in a statement adding that it will continue its close coordination with UNIFIL. The army added that it is investigating the attack to detain the perpetrators. Macron also reiterated the importance of full respect for the ceasefire by all parties and reaffirmed Frances commitment to Lebanons sovereignty, for the benefit of all Lebanese people and regional stability. Earlier Saturday, the Israeli military said it had conducted aerial and ground strikes in southern Lebanon adding after it identified several incidents in which militants violated the ceasefire understanding by approaching areas close to where Israeli troops are located. The military mentioned for the first time what it called a Yellow Line, saying militants tried to approach it from the north. There is no mention of a Yellow Line in the 10-day ceasefire agreement that was announced by US President Donald Trump and went into effect this week. The US State Department said Thursday that according to the ceasefire agreement, Israel reserves the right to defend itself at any time, against planned, imminent or ongoing attacks. Senior Hezbollah official Mahmoud Qammati told Lebanons Al-Jadeed TV Saturday that the group will not tolerate any Israeli strikes similar to what happened after the November 2024 truce, when Israel continued to carry out almost daily air strikes. This time we will not practice the strategic patience policy, Qammati said. (FRANCE 24 with AP) Police are treating the latest arson attack in north London as an antisemitic hate crime. Counter-terror police have launched an investigation after the attack on a building formerly used by a Jewish charity in Hendon. Police and the London Fire Brigade were called at 10:31pm on Friday after a man set three bottles containing fluid alight inside a bag outside a row of shops. The man fled the scene when they failed to fully ignite, the Metropolitan Police said. The front of building that had been used by educational charity Jewish Futures sustained minor damage and no injuries were reported. No arrests have been made. A close-up of damage to a doorway by a row of shops as police investigate the arson attack in Hendon (Getty) There have been online claims of responsibility for the arson and attempted arson attacks, said the Met, which is supporting Counter Terrorism Policing (CTP) Londons investigation. Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamia, an Iran-linked group, is understood to have posted a video online of the attack. It is the latest in a number of arson attacks in north London recently that the group has claimed responsibility for. Counter-terror police are also investigating attempted arson attacks on a Persian language media organisation and a synagogue in Finchley, as well as ambulances belonging to a Jewish charity set alight in Golders Green last month. It also follows claims made by the group that it used drones to drop radioactive material on the Israeli embassy in Kensington on Thursday night. Scotland Yard said the embassy was not attacked and suspicious items found in Kensington Gardens were found to not be hazardous. The investigation into the Hendon arson is being led by Counter Terrorism Policing London, supported by officers from the North West Command Area - although the attack is noit being treated as a terrorist incident. A police officer stands by a cordon to an area as they investigate the scene of the arson attack (Getty) A police cordon was in place around a building, said to be formerly used by the Jewish community, on Saturday afternoon. Armed response vehicles, CTP resources and police motorbikes have been deployed to the area. A significantly increased number of uniformed and plain clothed Met officers will be visible through the weekend and extra stop and search powers have been granted across Barnet. Detective Chief Superintendent Luke Williams, who leads policing in the area, said: We continue to work with our colleagues from Counter Terrorism Policing who are leading the investigations into all of these incidents due to the similar circumstances and online claims of responsibility. We recognise the feeling of concern among local people and do not underestimate the impact of incidents of this nature particularly our Jewish communities. Police at the scene (Photo by Alishia Abodunde/Getty Images) (Getty) The Community Security Trust (CST), a British charity which provides security for Jewish people, urged the community to remain calm following the latest incident. A spokesperson said: We are working closely with police to assist their investigation and to support the Jewish community. We urge people to remain calm and to report any suspicious activity, at any time of day or night, to police immediately on 999 and then to CST. The Campaign Against Antisemitism said: This is yet another arson attack which appears to be targeting the Jewish community it is the third in a month as we witness a worldwide pattern of attacks. It is unclear to what extent, if any, they are being co-ordinated. Police have only just reopened a central London park over a drone threat. Britain is under attack and those responsible will not stop at targeting Jews. Meanwhile, the Government thinks it is not appropriate to proscribe Irans Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Commander Helen Flanagan, of CTP London, said earlier on Saturday: At this stage last nights arson is not being linked to other incidents in the north-west London area over the last week or last months arson in Golders Green, but counter-terrorism officers are leading due to the similarities of each attack. I would ask that anyone with information or footage that could help our investigation gets in touch with police as soon as possible. We will be relentless in our pursuit of those responsible for this and other, similar, hateful acts against Londons communities. Anyone with information is asked to contact police on 101, quoting CAD 8987/17APRIL, or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111. Pope Leo in Angola (Reuters) Pope Leo XIV said Saturday that it was not in my interest at all to debate U.S. President Donald Trump about the Iran war, but that he would continue preaching the Gospel message of peace. Leo spoke to reporters aboard the papal plane flying from Cameroon to Angola as part of his 11-day tour of Africa. He addressed the spiraling back-and-forth saga of Trumps critiques of his peace message, which have dominated news headlines this week. But the American pope also sought to set the record straight, insisting that his preaching isnt directed at Trump, but reflects the broader Gospel message of peace. Theres been a certain narrative that has not been accurate in all of its aspects, but because of the political situation created when, on the first day of the trip, the president of the United States made some comments about myself, he said. Much of what has been written since then has been more commentary on commentary, trying to interpret what has been said. Pope Leo XIV shakes hands with Angola's President Joao Lourenco, during their meeting at the Presidential Palace in Luanda, Angola on Saturday (Reuters) Trump launched the criticism on his social media platform Truth Social on the night of April 12, when he criticized Leos preaching about peace as the war, which began with joint U.S.-Israeli strikes on Feb. 28 and was followed by Irans retaliation, raged on. Trump accused Leo of being soft on crime, cozy with the left and said that the first American pontiff owed his election to Trump. Leo has issued consistent calls for peace and dialogue, and has denounced the use of religious justification for war. Specifically, he called Trumps threat to annihilate Iranian civilization truly unacceptable. The Vatican has stressed that when Leo preaches about peace, he is referring to all wars ravaging the planet, not just the Iran conflict. The Russian Orthodox Church, for example, has justified Moscows invasion of Ukraine as a holy war. Speaking to reporters on Saturday, Leo referred specifically to his remarks earlier this week to a peace meeting in Bamenda, Cameroon. The city is the epicenter of a separatist conflict that has been raging in the western, Anglophone region of the country for nearly a decade. Leo said that his remarks, in which he blasted the handful of tyrants who were ravaging Earth with war and exploitation, were written two weeks ago, long before Trumps criticisms began. Pope Leo outside the Papal Plane (AFP/Getty) And yet as it happens, it was looked at as if I was trying to debate again the president, which is not in my interest at all, he said. Looking ahead, however, he said that he would continue preaching the Gospel. I primarily come to Africa as a pastor, as the head of the Catholic Church to be with, to celebrate with, to encourage and accompany all the Catholics throughout Africa, he said. He drew attention to some upcoming liturgical readings about what it means to be Christian and to follow Christ, promote fraternity and brotherhood, but also looking for ways to promote justice in our world, promote peace in our world, he said. Leo arrived later Saturday in Angola, the third stop on his four-nation tour. A message of peace would be especially relevant for the southern African country, which was ravaged by a 27-year civil war that ended in 2002 but has left deep scars. Leo will meet with Angolan President Joao Lourenco and deliver his first speech before government authorities, when he hopes to bring joy and encouragement to Angola's long-suffering people. Pope Leo has said it was not in my interest at all to get into a debate with President Donald Trump about the United States war with Iran, and he would continue to preach the gospel. Theres been a certain narrative that has not been accurate in all of its aspects, but because of the political situation created when, on the first day of the trip, the president of the United States made some comments about myself, Leo told The Associated Press Saturday as he traveled to Angola during his 11-day African tour. Much of what has been written since then has been more commentary on commentary, trying to interpret what has been said. Leo was addressing this past weeks Truth Social messages from Trump where he attacked the American-born pope as WEAK", accused him of "catering to the Radical Left" on crime and falsely claimed the Catholic leader wants a nuclear-armed Iran. I dont think hes doing a very good job. Im not a fan of Pope Leo," Trump said. Pope Leo has said it was not in my interest at all to get into a debate with President Donald Trump about the United States war with Iran, and he would continue to preach the gospel (AFP/Getty) Leo has issued consistent calls for peace and dialogue, and denounced the use of religious justification for war. Specifically, he called Trumps threat to annihilate Iranian civilization truly unacceptable and said he is not afraid of the Trump administration. The pontiff also pushed back against Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth after he called on Americans to pray for U.S. victory in Iran "in the name of Jesus Christ." On Thursday in Cameroon, the Pope commented that the people of the world are suffering under a scourge of "tyrants" and warmongers. His comments were broadly interpreted to be a criticism of Trump and the U.S. war in Iran but Leo said he had written those words two weeks ago, before Trump began criticizing him. And yet as it happens, it was looked at as if I was trying to debate again the president, which is not in my interest at all, Leo told reporters Saturday. I primarily come to Africa as a pastor, as the head of the Catholic Church, to be with, to celebrate with, to encourage and accompany all the Catholics throughout Africa. An AI-generated image of President Donald Trump apparently healing a man with divine power. The president shared the image on Truth Social (@realDonaldTrump/Truth Social) Amid his attacks on Leo this week, Trump caused further outrage among Christians by posting an AI-generated image of himself as Jesus healing a sick man on Truth Social. The president later deleted the image and claimed he thought it was an image of himself as a doctor. I did post it, and I thought it was me as a doctor, and had to do with Red Cross, as a Red Cross worker there, which we support, Trump told reporters. Its supposed to be me as a doctor, making people better. And I do make people better. I make people a lot better. Trump officials leapt to the presidents defense following the furor including Vice President JD Vance who converted to Catholicism in 2019. Vance said Tuesday that Leo should stick to matters of morality and stay out of politics. The Independent has requested comment from the White House. The Pope is on a 10-day trip to Africa, with stops in Algeria, Cameroon, Angola and Equatorial Guinea - Jose Sena Goulao/Shutterstock The Pope has said it is not in his interest to debate Donald Trump after a row over the war in Iran. The first American pontiff said earlier this week that the world was ravaged by a handful of tyrants amid an unprecedented clash with the US president. On Saturday, he insisted the speech was written a fortnight beforehand and was not a direct response to Mr Trumps criticisms. Speaking aboard his flight to Angola for the third leg of his 10-day Africa tour, Pope Leo said: There has been a certain narrative that has not been accurate in all its aspects. The talk that I gave at the prayer meeting for peace a couple of days ago was prepared two weeks ago, well before the president ever commented on myself and on the message of peace that I am promoting. And yet as it happens, it was looked at as if I was trying to debate again the president, which is not in my interest at all. Pope Leo XIV makes a private visit to St. Paul Catholic Hospital in Douala, Cameroon - Vatican Pool/Getty Images The row erupted when Pope Leo said Mr Trumps threat to destroy Iranian civilisation unless the Strait of Hormuz was reopened was truly unacceptable on April 7. The president called the Chicago-born pontiff WEAK on Crime, and terrible for Foreign Policy on social media last Sunday after the rare direct rebuke. I dont want a Pope who thinks its OK for Iran to have a Nuclear Weapon, he wrote, accusing the pontiff of catering for the radical Left. Mr Trump then posted an AI image of himself as a Jesus-like figure healing a sickly man, which he deleted a day later amid a backlash from religious conservatives, who he typically counts among his supporters. The president claimed he thought the image was of him as a doctor rather than the Messiah. On Monday, Pope Leo said that he would keep speaking out about the war, and Mr Trump reiterated his criticism of the pontiff on Tuesday. On Thursday, Pope Leo gave a speech in Cameroon on the second leg of his tour. He accused world leaders of spending billions on wars and manipulating religion for their own military, economic and political gain. The Pope said: The world is being ravaged by a handful of tyrants, yet it is held together by a multitude of supportive brothers and sisters. The pontiff did not mention Mr Trump by name but many suspected it was aimed at the president. Giorgia Meloni, Italys prime minister, criticised the US presidents remarks toward the Pope, calling his comments unacceptable. Mr Trump responded by giving an interview to an Italian newspaper in which he strongly criticised Ms Meloni for not joining his war in Iran. Leo has kept a relatively low profile in his first 10 months but has employed a forceful speaking style in Africa, sharply denouncing war, inequality and global leaders. His Africa tour is one of the most complicated ever arranged for a pontiff, with stops in 11 cities and towns in four countries, covering nearly 11,185 miles in 18 flights. A Philz Coffee location in San Francisco. The California-based coffee shop announced it will reverse its policy to remove Pride flags from its cafes (Google Maps) Philz Coffee, a California-based coffee chain, will reverse its plan to remove Pride flags from its cafes following public backlash. Every Pride flag that is up stays up, and any Pride flag that was previously removed can be put back up, the company said in a statement on Friday. Earlier this month, the company confirmed to the San Francisco Chronicle that it planned to remove Pride flags. Its baristas began circulating a petition calling for a reversal of the policy, which over 1,000 people signed by Wednesday, the Chronicle reported. Mahesh Sadarangani, the company's CEO, issued a public apology for the planned flag removals. I made a mistake, and I am sincerely sorry, he said. To our team members, to our customers, and to the LGBTQIA+ community that has been with us since the very beginning, the confusion and hurt we caused around our new policy for Pride flags failed you. (Getty) Sadarangani said in his statement that the flags are a "symbol of safety and belonging for people who dont always find that in the world." Philz Coffee was purchased by private equity firm Freeman Spogli in August, KQED reports. The Human Rights Campaign, the largest LGBT civil rights organization in the U.S., celebrated the company's decision not to remove the flags. Philz Coffee tried to take down our flags and tamp down our pride but we served a hot cup of reality, HRC President Kelley Robinson said in a statement to The Advocate. LGBTQ+ people are part of every community and in every zip code, and over 14,000 HRC members and supporters spoke up to make sure Philzs leadership couldnt ignore us. The HRC said it organized more than 14,000 of its members and supporters to put pressure on the coffee shop to change course. This is a win not just for Philzs customers but for their LGBTQ+ and allied employees, their shareholders, and the public at large, Robinson told The Advocate. Our community spends over $1.4 trillion each year as consumers, and well be watching who stands with us today, tomorrow, and always. Sadarangani said his decision came after meeting with a pair of San Francisco Pride leaders to discuss the policy. "I had the chance to sit down with San Francisco Pride leaders Suzanne Ford and Jupiter Peraza, both are trans women who led this conversation with grace, directness and a genuine commitment to finding alignment on what matters," he said. Ford, San Francisco Pride's executive director, issued a statement praising Sadarangani for being willing to listen and adjust his policy. "What gave me reason to engage with Mahesh was something I don't always see from a CEO in this situation: genuine humility. He reached out, listened and understood that this wasn't about optics," she wrote. "Mahesh sat with our community members, heard their perspective and apologized, not as a formality but as a person who got it wrong and wanted to make it right. That matters." The company said that going forward, it will "also feature locally created artwork shaped by the voices of Team Members and the neighborhoods they serve, a living expression of the diverse communities Philz is proud to be part of." Rumen Radev, a former fighter pilot, quit as president of Bulgaria to stand as prime minister A pro-Russian ex-fighter pilot is the favourite to win elections in Bulgaria, prompting fears of a new Viktor Orban who could undermine European unity over Ukraine. Rumen Radev is expected to secure the most votes in Bulgarias eighth election in five years on Sunday, although he will probably need to rely on coalition partners to form a government. Mr Radev has pledged to end the widespread corruption that brought thousands of young people to the streets in December and toppled the conservative pro-EU government. He promised to root out the mafia, kick out the oligarchs and defeat the local feudal lords and strongmen who are suffocating entire regions. The 62-year-old Left-winger quit as Bulgarias president in his second term to become prime minister and try to end the political instability that began in 2021. Rumen Radev has repeatedly called for peace talks with Russia and ruled out military aid for Ukraine - Mikhail Svetlov/Getty His Progressive Bulgaria (PB) party has around 30 per cent of the vote, polls show, about 10 percentage points ahead of GERB, the countrys largest party. GERB is run by Boyko Borissov, a three-time former prime minister who resigned in 2021 after massive anti-graft demonstrations. Since then, no government has survived longer than a year. Mr Radevs eurosceptic and pro-Russian views have earned him comparisons to Mr Orban, the hard-Right prime minister of fellow EU and Nato member Hungary who was ousted this week. If elected, Mr Radev could use Bulgarias veto to delay aid to Kyiv or block EU sanctions on the Kremlin, much as Mr Orban did. Mr Radev said: We are the only member state of the EU that is both Slavic and Eastern Orthodox. We can be a very important link in this whole mechanism ... to restore relations with Russia. Mr Orbans landslide defeat at the hands of Peter Magyar, the pro-EU conservative, was greeted with relief by European leaders who were frustrated with his years of vetoing Ukraine-friendly policies. Mr Radev quit as president, midway through his second term, to stand as an anti-corruption candidate for prime minister - Nikolay Doychinov/AFP via Getty But Mr Radev has repeatedly opposed military aid to Kyiv and called for peace talks with Russia. He opposed Bulgaria joining the euro in January and signing a security agreement with Ukraine. With a population of 6.5 million, Bulgaria is smaller than Hungary, and Mr Radev does not yet have the stature of Mr Orban, who is the EUs longest-serving leader after 16 years in power, which will end in May. The necessity of coalition-building could also tame Mr Radevs Eurosceptic and pro-Kremlin leanings and make it more unlikely that he would defy Western EU allies over Ukraine. He has ruled out an alliance with GERB or the Movement for Rights and Freedoms party whose leader Delyan Peevski is under US and UK sanctions for corruption. One coalition candidate is the pro-European We Continue the Change Democratic Bulgaria (PP-DB) coalition, which has around 12 per cent and agrees that reform is needed. Bulgaria is ranked 84th in Transparency Internationals 2025 Corruption Perceptions Index, on a par with Hungary as the lowest-scoring country in the EU. Supporters at a rally for Mr Radev, held just before Bulgarias eighth general election in five years - Nikolay Doychinov/AFP via Getty Last month, Bulgaria asked for the EUs help in countering Russian disinformation on social media and propaganda websites aimed at influencing the election. No one from outside can come and tell us who and what to vote for. That is decided here, by us Bulgarians, Mr Radev said, dismissing the request as a ruse to rig the vote. However, Evelina Slavkova, from research centre Trend, said he was unlikely to make a serious effort to reorient Bulgaria toward Russia and had avoided giving definitive answers on the issue during the campaign. Referring to EU and Nato membership, she said: Our country has succeeded, despite all the obstacles, despite disagreements among some politicians, in building a very important set of tools that keeps Bulgaria on the right track. Older, rural voters are flocking to Mr Radev. I see a leader who can make this drastic change and provide security for people, said Nikolay Vasiliev, a farmer in the Haskovo province of Bulgaria. He dismissed talk that Mr Radev was pro-Russian and said he wanted a decent and honest prime minister. The first word that comes to mind when I think of a leader is dignified, Mr Vasiliev said. To be a dignified leader, you must be a dignified person. Sir Olly Robbins is set to tell the foreign affairs select committee that civil servants are legally responsible for security vetting - Steve Back The sacked chief of the Foreign Office will insist he was following the law when he decided not to tell the Prime Minister that Lord Mandelson had failed his security vetting, his allies have told The Telegraph. Sir Keir Starmer fired Sir Olly Robbins on Thursday night and accused the former civil servant of an unforgivable failure to warn him the disgraced peer had not passed his security vetting. But the ex-Permanent Secretary will defend his actions at the foreign affairs select committee on Tuesday by saying he was abiding by the law, The Telegraph understands. Sir Olly will argue that according to the Constitutional Reform and Governance Act 2010, civil servants are responsible for vetting rather than secretaries of state. Lord Mandelsons failed security vetting was withheld from the Prime Minister, No 10 claims - Jordan Pettitt/PA According to the statute, which was introduced by the last Labour government, secretaries of state do not cover national security vetting and do not affect any power relating to national security vetting. But Jack Straw, a Labour grandee who as Gordon Browns justice secretary helped draft the law in 2010, has thrown his weight behind Sir Keirs version of events. There is nothing in the act which remotely prohibits officials informing the Prime Minister, he said. Sir Olly had known since early in 2025 that Lord Mandelson had failed his vetting, but Sir Keir was only made aware last Tuesday. The Prime Ministers spokesman said that until then nobody in No 10 had been told, adding: Nobody No 10 officials or otherwise had this information. It is understood that Sir Olly will attend the hearing to defend his position on Tuesday out of an old-fashioned sense of duty and respect for Parliament. Speaking to The Telegraph, friends of the long-standing mandarin said he does not understand why he was fired as he was just following the procedure set out in the law. They added its not his style to attack the Prime Minister but insisted he will attend the hearing and mount a strong defence for himself. One ally told The Telegraph: He is an incredibly old-fashioned Civil Service man. Parliament has invited him and self-evidently his diary is clear because he just lost his job. There is no reason not to go and so out of respect for Parliament, he will attend and explain there was no failure because he was complying with the law. Jack Straw, a former Labour foreign secretary, said nothing in law remotely prohibits officials informing the Prime Minister - Dominic Lipinski/PA But supporters of Sir Keir Starmer have accused the civil servant of withholding information from the Prime Minister without due cause. Mr Straw, a former foreign secretary under Sir Tony Blair, said: There is nothing in the 2010 act which remotely prohibits officials informing the Prime Minister about the outcome of security vetting in a specific case, eg: Peter Mandelson. Although the second reading was nearly 16 years ago, I have no recollection of this prohibition being suggested to me, and I would have thought any such suggestion bizarre and objectionable. I have obviously not had the time to scour the statute book to see whether such a prohibition exists elsewhere but Id be amazed if it did. The idea is frankly nonsense. Any PM making an outside appointment to the diplomatic service would be fully entitled to expect to be told of any adverse security vetting. Meanwhile, one of Sir Ollys predecessors said he had been thrown under the bus by the Prime Minister, who wanted to blame someone for the vetting fiasco. Lord Simon McDonald, the former permanent secretary in the Foreign Office, told BBC Radio 4s Today programme that No 10 wanted a scalp and they wanted it quickly. Details of a security vetting report are very closely held and would never be shared with No 10 or the prime minister, he said, adding that Sir Olly was required to maintain confidence on the details under the Constitutional Reform and Governance Act 2010. Spirit Airlines has asked the Trump administration for an emergency bailout as it faces the threat of liquidation over rising fuel costs caused by the Iran war, according to reports. The budget carrier has struggled to rebound from the Covid-19 pandemic and adapt to shifting demand, as passengers favored full-service airlines when travel resumed. Spirit Airlines ended up filing for bankruptcy twice, first in November 2024 and then in August 2025. By its first bankruptcy filing, it had lost more than $2.5 billion since 2020. Spirit Airlines appeared to be making a comeback after reaching an agreement with creditors on a plan to slash debt and reduce operational costs. It was expected to emerge from bankruptcy this summer, until the U.S. and Israel began launching strikes against Iran on February 28. When Iran effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz in retaliation, oil prices surged. Tehran announced Friday that the vital oil passageway was reopened to commercial traffic. Spirit Airlines had planned for fuel costs averaging about $2.24 per gallon this year and $2.14 next year, Reuters reported. But jet fuel prices have now spiked to around $4.24 per gallon, according to the publication. Spirit Airlines has asked the Trump administration for an emergency bailout as it faces the threat of liquidation over rising fuel costs caused by the Iran war, according to reports (Getty Images) Bloomberg reported Wednesday that Spirit was at risk of being liquidated over the rising jet fuel prices. The publications sources said a decision to liquidate could come as soon as this week, but a Reuters source said that there are no plans for the airline to liquidate in the coming days. Spirit Airlines told The Independent Thursday, We dont comment on market rumors and speculation. Our operations continue as normal. With talk of the carrier potentially liquidating, travel experts warned that customers with booked flights could end up stranded. But now, there may be hope for the struggling airline, following reports of a bailout request for the Trump administration. Spirit Airlines was supposed to emerge from bankruptcy this summer, but then the Iran war caused oil prices to surge (Getty Images) Spirit Airlines has asked the Trump administration for hundreds of millions of dollars in emergency funding to help with the rising fuel costs, people familiar with the matter told the aviation news site, The Air Current. CBS News later reported on the bailout request to prevent liquidation, with one source saying, Spirit is looking for a lifeline. An official from the Department of Transportation told The Independent that the agency is monitoring Spirits situation but would not confirm whether the administration was approached for a bailout. The Independent has reached out to Spirit Airlines and the White House for comment. With talk of the carrier potentially liquidating, travel experts warned that customers with booked flights could end up stranded (Getty Images) Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy is expected to meet with budget carrier executives, including those from Spirit, next week, according to the reports. Duffy regularly checks in with these carriers and a source for The Air Current said next weeks meeting will focus on the health of the nations smaller airlines. CBS News Senior Transportation Correspondent Kris Van Cleave said in a video posted to social media Thursday that if Spirit is forced to liquidate, Other airlines already have plans in place to offer what they call rescue fares discounted one-way fares to get people home. Katy Nastro, a travel expert with the airfare monitoring site Going, told ABC News that Spirit customers should not cancel their booked flights if the airline does liquidate because then you forfeit your right to a refund if there's still some money left over to be able to do so." Antonia Romeo was criticised for taking two weeks to tell the Prime Minister that Lord Mandelson had failed vetting Sir Keir Starmer has backed the Cabinet Secretary after she did not tell him for more than a fortnight that Lord Mandelson had failed his security vetting. The Prime Minister is understood to have thrown his weight behind Dame Antonia Romeo, the most senior civil servant, after it emerged that she had known about the vetting failure since the end of March. His support for Dame Antonia is at odds with the treatment of Sir Olly Robbins, who was sacked as the Foreign Offices top civil servant after it emerged that he had not revealed that Lord Mandelson had failed security vetting during his appointment as Britains ambassador to the US. Allies of Sir Olly claim that he was abiding by the law when he did not inform ministers about Lord Mandelsons security vetting. Sir Olly had known since early in 2025, but Sir Keir was only made aware last Tuesday. His spokesman said that until then nobody in No 10 had been told, adding: Nobody No 10 officials or otherwise had this information. Allies of Sir Olly Robbins say he was abiding by the law when he did not inform ministers about Lord Mandelsons security vetting - BEN STANSALL/AFP However, it is understood that Dame Antonia who was appointed Cabinet Secretary in February was informed in late March after Cat Little, the most senior official in the Cabinet Office, came across the vetting file. With Dame Antonias support, Ms Little spoke to lawyers and other officials so that the document could be shared with the Prime Minister. Allies of Sir Olly told The Telegraph that Sir Keirs backing of Dame Antonia raised questions about why he was fired while she kept her job. One suggested the Prime Minister was keen to protect his new Cabinet Secretary after her predecessor, Sir Chris Wormald, left after six months in the job. They said: The question that is hard for them to answer is what did Antonia do right that Olly did wrong? For me, neither did anything wrong because of the law of the land. But I dont know how they answer it. Obviously the PM is much more invested in Antonias appointment than he was in Ollys position. He cant fire Antonia he has already had the shortest end-to-end Cabinet Secretary in history. On Friday night it emerged that Ms Little, the most senior official in the Cabinet Office, had obtained the file on March 25. Lord Mandelson outside his home in London on Friday - Jordan Pettitt/PA Ms Littles department has also been overseeing the process of complying with a humble address motion put forward by the Conservatives that ordered the Government to release all papers relevant to Lord Mandelsons appointment. After coming across the vetting file on March 25, she was understood to have informed Dame Antonia and instigated the lengthy process of speaking to lawyers and other officials over what could be shared with the Prime Minister. Downing Street released a memo about the meeting in which Sir Keir was informed of the situation on Tuesday evening. Security vetting files are seen in the Civil Service as deeply sensitive and are only shared with a very limited group of people, often only the vetting team and hiring manager. But No 10 has denied reports that the pair kept the Prime Minister in the dark, arguing instead that they were taking the time to seek procedural and legal advice before informing Sir Keir. Foreign Office obstructive from the start A Downing Street source said: The bigger picture is that Cat Little was gathering documents as part of the humble address, for the specific purpose of making them public to abide by parliaments instruction. The bit of government that has been most difficult to get stuff from is the Foreign Office, who have been quite obstructive from the start which has raised suspicion on whether they were hiding something. Cat Little had to really fight to get hold of the UKSV summary document with the recommendation. She had been battling with Olly Robbins to get hold of it. Ms Little has been overseeing the Cabinet Offices work of gathering all the official documents relating to Lord Mandelsons appointment as US ambassador. A government source said: Cat got the document with the sole purpose of complying with the Humble Address. Cat, with support from the Cabinet Secretary, got on with it and took the necessary steps so she could inform the PM and make it public. They proved it was possible to show ministers the UKSV advice, despite what others have claimed. A Cabinet Office spokesman said that senior officials in their department did the right thing and took urgent steps to ensure they could update the Prime Minister. They added: On receipt of the UK Security Vetting information, the permanent secretary of the Cabinet Office rapidly sought legal and other advice to be in a sound position to share the document, or the fact of it, with the Prime Minister. She updated the Cabinet Secretary, who agreed with the approach. This included legal advice, including from the First Treasury Counsel, on what information could be shared further in the context of the Humble Address; consideration of whether sharing the information would prejudice criminal proceedings; and seeking information from the Foreign Office about the process they had followed which led to Peter Mandelson being given Developed Vetting clearance against the recommendation of UK Security Vetting. As soon as these checks were conducted, the Prime Minister was informed. A backlash is growing over Sir Ollys sacking. Ciaran Martin, a former GCHQ boss who has spoken out in his defence, told the BBC: The one thing you dont do is go to the Prime Ministers office and start telling the details of probably the most personally intrusive process there is in the country. One of Sir Ollys predecessors said he had been thrown under the bus by the Prime Minister, who wanted to blame someone for the Lord Mandelson vetting fiasco. Lord Simon McDonald, the former permanent secretary in the Foreign Office, told BBC Radio 4s Today programme that No 10 wanted a scalp and they wanted it quickly. Sir Olly was required to maintain confidence on the details under the Constitutional Reform and Governance Act 2010, he added. The process is set out in law and the top official at the Foreign Office was observing process according to law, and this is a confidential process like medical records are confidential, Lord McDonald told the programme. Certain things are detail, which is not shared at all. This is in that category. A Whitehall source said: This is a desperate and ridiculous attempt to deflect blame from the person who didnt tell the PM to the person who did. An amendment submitted by peers would give the Prime Minister a year to devise an Australian-style social media ban - Fiordaliso The House of Lords is set to defy Sir Keir Starmer for a third time by pushing for an under-16s ban on social media, in a move that could see it run out of time to become law. Lord Nash, the former schools minister, is putting forward a new amendment for an Australian-style ban to be introduced in a year, giving ministers and officials time to work out the best way to implement it. The Lords have already defied the Government twice by rejecting Sir Keirs alternative proposal to wait for the results of a public consultation before deciding this Summer whether to introduce a ban. However, the battle between the Lords and Commons must be resolved before Parliament prorogues at the end of this month. The Government will be setting out its new legislative programme in the Kings Speech on May 13, after the local council elections on May 7. Sir Keir Starmer has said he has an open mind about imposing a social media ban for under-16s - PA If the Parliamentary ping-pong between the Lords and Commons is not resolved, the Childrens Wellbeing and Schools Bill, which contains the Governments proposals on a social media ban, will not pass into law as planned. The Bill currently includes a Government clause that would enable ministers to introduce a social media ban if it were to be backed by the consultation. If the Bill runs out of time, Sir Keir will need to either drop it completely, reintroduce it from scratch or secure backing for a Parliamentary motion to carry the legislation over into the next session after the Kings Speech. The Lords opponents of Sir Keirs alternative have softened their position from demanding an immediate ban to instead waiting a year. Game-changing US cases hold firms liable They want to see social media firms forced to use highly-effective age assurance measures and reasonable anti-circumvention measures to prevent under-16s from accessing their platforms. In a letter to all peers seen by The Telegraph, Lord Nash said Sir Keir must rethink his resistance to a ban, in the wake of two landmark rulings in the US that held social media firms liable intentionally designing addictive, harmful platforms that damaged childrens mental health. He said: The verdicts in the two recent US cases are clearly game-changers, and following these the Prime Minister has made some very strong statements about protecting children from the harms of social media. So I have decided to take him at his word and instead of batting my amendment back again, to lay an amendment to the government amendment to the effect that they must rather than just may raise the age for access to harmful social media to 16 within 12 months, and to state this on the face of the Bill. It would seem such a small step for the government now to say that theyre going to do this and then the consultation can be about how this is done and the equally urgent issue of AI chatbots and companions and VPNs and other matters which it covers. Compulsive, obsessive and addictive platforms Lord Nashs amendment to Labours childrens wellbeing and schools bill will be considered by the Lords on Monday before it is put to a vote. If it is passed, Sir Keir must order his MPs to again block it in the Commons, to create a fourth round of ping-pong and risk running out of Parliamentary time. Lord Nash noted that cracks were starting to appear among Labour MPs, where there was substantial backing for a ban on social media for under 16s. Labour abstentions rose from 107 to 150 when the Commons voted down Lord Nashs original amendment introducing a ban, with the number of Labour MPs backing his proposal rising from one to three. Baroness Cass, one of Britains leading paediatricians, urged Sir Keir to back the amendment. She said: This amendment would require the Secretary of State to bring in regulations protecting children under 16 from platforms and features designed to be compulsive, obsessive and addictive, and that expose them to manipulation, exploitation, illegal and harmful content, and contact from strangers. These are vital steps towards an online world that is safe by design, rather than addictive by design and harmful by default. It is beyond belief that any government would whip its parliamentarians to vote against such measures. I urge ministers to see sense on Monday and back this amendment. The time for legislative wrangling is over children are being harmed now, and I urge peers to vote for action on Monday. Sir Keir has said he has an open mind about whether to introduce a ban on social media for under 16s, saying he can see both sides of the argument. Some social media campaigners have argued that a ban would be ineffective, and would let the tech giants off the hook by easing the pressure on them making their sites safe for younger children. Research from Australia suggests 60 per cent of children are getting round the new law. However, Sir Keir has indicated that he would back measures to clamp down on the addictive nature of social media. Iranian gun boats reportedly attacked a tanker in the Strait of Hormuz hours after Tehran closed the vital waterway for shipping again. The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations said troops on two IRGC vessels opened fire on a ship 20 nautical miles north-east of Oman, without warning the crew. The vessel and its crew were reported safe. In a separate incident, UKMTO said it had received a report of a container ship being hit by an unknown projectile 25 nautical miles northeast of Oman. The attack caused damage to some containers on board, but no fires or environmental impact were reported, and there were no immediate reports of casualties, UKMTO said. The incidents came after the waterway was closed by Iran on Saturday hours after the first tankers managed to pass through since its reopening due to the ceasefire. The countrys joint military command said that its control of the Strait of Hormuz has returned to its previous state under strict management and control of the armed forces. A military spokesperson accused the US of not meeting its obligations after US President Donald Trump refused to lift America's own blockade of Iranian ports. But Trump said the Us would not let Tehran blackmail us by shutting the waterway. He said there are "very good conversations going on" with Iran, and described them as acting "a little cute as they have for 47 years". The key shipping lane had seen the "first major movement" of ships since the start of the war this morning. But Tehran has since warned it will continue to block transit through the vital trade route as long as the US blockade of Iranian ports continued. Iran's state broadcaster IRIB said the key shipping lane "is now closed again and passage requires Iran approval." Tankers sail in the Gulf, near the Strait of Hormuz (REUTERS) The attack on the tanker put yet further strain on the fragile ceasefire between Iran and the US and Israel. It came as Mojtaba Khamenei, Irans supreme leader, pledged to make the enemies taste the bitterness of new defeats in a rare statement. The statement from Khamenei, who has not been seen publicly since before the war claimed that Iranian forces had already exposed the weakness and humiliation of the US and Israel to the world. He said: Just as [Irans] drones strike like lightning upon the American and Zionist aggressors, its valiant navy is ready to make the enemies taste the bitterness of new defeats. It comes after Trump warned the US will resume its bombing campaign in Iran if peace is not reached by Wednesday and vowed to keep the Strait of Hormuz blockade in full force. Tehran had said the key trade route would remain fully open for the final few days of the two-week ceasefire, with tracking data showing a fleet of oil tankers sail through. But Trump threatened to start dropping bombs if the regime doesnt renounce their nuclear ambitions and accept Washingtons terms by the middle of next week. The US president appeared optimistic that a deal would be reached, telling reporters on Air Force One that he had received some pretty good news on the state of a deal. It seems to be going very well in the Middle East with Iran," he said. Youll hear about. I just think its something that should happen. Its something that only makes sense to happen. And I think it will. President Donald Trump speaks with reporters (AP Photo/Alex Brandon) (PA) We're negotiating over the weekend. I expect things to go well, he added. "The main thing is that Iran will not have a nuclear weapon. You cannot let Iran have a nuclear weapon, and that supersedes everything else." The White House was considering releasing $20billion (14.75bn) in frozen Iranian assets to entice the cash-strapped regime to give up its entire stockpile of enriched uranium. The war with Iran, which began on February 28 with a US-Israeli attack on the Islamic Republic, has killed thousands, spread to Israeli attacks in Lebanon and sent oil prices surging because of the de facto closure of the strait. Despite the initial movement of ships and Trumps assertion, prospects remained unclear on a resumption of high-level US-Iran talks or any agreement over Iran's nuclear ambitions, a key sticking point Some diplomats said talksthis weekend were unlikely given the logistics of gathering in Islamabad, where the talks are expected to take place. There were no signs of preparations early on Saturday for talks in the Pakistani capital, where the highest-level US-Iran negotiations since the 1979 Islamic Revolution ended without agreement last weekend. The key Pakistani mediator, army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir, has concluded three days of talks in Tehran, the Pakistani military said. Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif was also returning to Islamabad after talks this week in Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Turkey. A Pakistani source aware of mediation efforts said a meeting between Iran and the US could produce an initial memorandum of understanding, followed by a comprehensive peace agreement within 60 days. Jack Channons Sukanya came from last to first to put a dent in the Classic aspirations of Touleen in the Dubai Duty Free Stakes at Newbury. Fourth in a Group Three at Goodwood last summer and second afterwards in a Listed contest at Leopardstown, the winner did seemingly have her limitations exposed when finishing down the field on her final outing in the Rockfel Stakes. Sent off at 16-1, she was set a tough task by David Probert when dropped out right at the rear and having been heavily backed into 5-4 favourite Touleen hit the front for Saffie Osborne at the furlong pole looking the likely winner. However, she had no answer to Sukanya who really found her stride in the notable 1000 Guineas trial to win by three-quarters of a length. Channon said: Shes a very good filly and had a very high level of class last year. My two-year-olds were very backwards last year and she was the obvious standout and put in some very good performances against some very good fillies. She was an unlucky fourth behind Precise in the Prestige (at Goodwood) then second to Diamond Necklace at Leopardstown and was just a bit over the top in the Rockfel. Ive told anyone who would listen over the last two weeks that this filly wouldnt finish outside of the first three and shes high-class. Shes got a devilish turn of foot and shes beaten a filly fancied for the Guineas on merit today. Well campaign her in big races now. We would have to supplement for the 1000 Guineas and before this my thoughts were she wouldnt handle the dip. She needs top of the ground, but well see and I will discuss with the owners. My first reaction is I would like to go for the Irish 1,000 Guineas, but if I have to have my arm twisted, I wont complain at having a runner at Newmarket. Of Touleen, trainer Owen Burrows said: I have no real excuses, she just didnt quicken up as Ive seen at home or as a two-year-old. Whether or not shes just a bit rusty, I dont know is the honest answer. Saffie said she was the last one to pull up and she purposely let her gallop out so I have no worries about going further. Well see how she is and as long as she comes out of it all right, the Guineas wouldnt be out of the question. Maybe she is just a little rusty, but she didnt show the speed you saw the first two times she ran. Other than that she did everything else right and Im perfectly happy other than finishing second. Tankers under fire as Iran closes Strait of Hormuz hours after reopening Tankers in the Gulf came under fire on Saturday as Iran reimposed its blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, just hours after declaring the vital waterway had reopened to commercial traffic. At least two vessels reported being struck by gunfire as they tried to cross the strait, after Tehran said it would be shutting the strategic chokepoint in response to the continued US blockade on Iranian ports. Hopes for diplomacy were dashed as Irans new supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei said the nations navy was ready to inflict new bitter defeats on its enemies, with the US-Iranian ceasefire set to expire within days. Irans foreign ministry cast fresh doubt on Donald Trumps hopes for a second round of peace talks this weekend, revealing no date has been set and adding that a framework of understanding must be agreed first. President Trump, who only yesterday said Iran had agreed never to close the strait again, played down the situation, telling reporters Iran had got a little cute, but that the US was still in talks and would not be blackmailed. AH-64 Apaches fly above the Strait of Hormuz during a patrol, 17 April (US Centcom) Maritime trackers had earlier shown eight tankers transiting the Strait of Hormuz in the first major movement of ships since the conflict erupted seven weeks ago. But Irans armed forces soon said it was resuming control of the strait, accusing the US of violating the ceasefire agreement with the blockade east of the strait. Both sides accused each other of piracy. Traffic came to an abrupt halt as the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) agency said a tanker had been fired at by two gunboats linked to Irans [Revolutionary Guards] off Oman. The captain of the tanker said the two gunboats opened fire without issuing a radio challenge, UKMTO said, adding that the vessel and its crew were reported safe. Iran had reopened the strategic chokepoint on Friday, following the announcement of a 10-day ceasefire in the parallel conflict between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon. It said the reopening was conditional on the US ending its blockade, while Trump said the US military would keep its ships in place until our transaction with Iran is 100 per cent complete. President Donald Trump speaks in the Oval Office as he signs an Executive Order on 18 April (Getty) As uncertainty weighed on the delicate two-week truce between Iran and the US, set to expire on Tuesday, Irans supreme national security council said it was considering new peace proposals from the US. The agency said Iran is yet to respond to the new terms, which came about from mediation by Pakistan in recent days. Iranian sources said previously that a second round of direct talks could happen on Monday. Trump was urging Iran to come to terms, threatening that he might allow the ceasefire to end unless a long-term deal is agreed by Wednesday. Maybe I wont extend it, but the blockade (on Iranian ports) is going to remain, he told reporters on Air Force One, on his way back to Washington from Phoenix, Arizona on Friday. So you have a blockade, and unfortunately, we have to start dropping bombs again. As talks further deteriorated, US officials told the Wall Street Journal that the military was considering boarding Iran-linked ships in international waters, expanding its naval crackdown beyond the Middle East. Tankers and other vessels in the Strait of Hormuz off the coast of Musandam (Reuters) The fragile truce in Lebanon, agreed on Thursday, was still holding on Saturday as thousands of people displaced by the conflicts made the long journey home. A French soldier was killed and three others wounded while clearing a road in southern Lebanon in an attack peacekeepers and French officials said was likely carried out by Iran-backed Hezbollah. French president Emmanuel Macron identified the deceased as Sergeant-Chef Florian Montorio of the 17th Parachute Engineer Regiment from Montauban. Everything suggests that responsibility for this attack lies with Hezbollah, he said. France demands that the Lebanese authorities immediately arrest the perpetrators and take their responsibilities alongside UNIFIL. Hezbollah denied responsibility for the attack in a statement. Norman Vincent Peale (left) and Donald Trump at Peales 90th-birthday celebration at the Waldorf Astoria hotel in New York City in May 1988. Photograph: Tom Gates/Getty Images (Photograph: Tom Gates/Getty Images) Somewhat overlooked in the furore over Donald Trumps attacks this week on Pope Leo, for his criticism of the US attack on Iran, and the US presidents decision to post an image portraying himself as Jesus Christ on social media, is the fact that Trump attended services as a young man at the Protestant Marble Collegiate church in Manhattan, which was led at the time by an anti-Catholic pastor. That churchs pastor in Trumps youth, Norman Vincent Peale, who would later officiate at Trumps first wedding, is best-known today as the author of the Christian self-help book The Power of Positive Thinking, but when Trump was 14, Peale made national headlines as the leader of a group of Protestant churchmen who loudly objected to the presidential candidacy of John F Kennedy, on the grounds that he was a Catholic. As Time magazine reported in September 1960, Peale, a longstanding Republican whose Protestant following rivals Billy Grahams as the largest in the US, was one of the most prominent leaders of a group of 150 Protestant clergymen and laymen, calling themselves the Citizens for Religious Freedom, who met that month in Washingtons Mayflower Hotel to agree on a statement objecting to the notion that a Catholic could be president. Related: Its kind of a tough situation: US Catholics torn in feud between president and the pope Peale presided over the meeting, according to two reporters from the Washington Post and Long Islands Newsday. Our American culture is at stake, Peale warned his colleagues. I dont say it wont survive, but it wont be what it was. At the close of their session, Time reported, they issued a 2,000-word manifesto that more than any other statement thus far in the campaign served to make religion the most emotional issue of the 1960 election. That statement, which was printed in the New York Times, along with Peales photograph, on 8 September 1960, is a reminder of how recently virulent anti-Catholic sentiment was entirely acceptable for the nations Protestant establishment. From the perspective of today, what is most interesting is that the anti-Kennedy screed issued by Peale and other Protestant clergymen in 1960 focused mainly on their claim that a Catholic would refuse to uphold the separation of church and state. Brotherhood in a pluralistic society like ours depends on a firm wall of separation between church and state. We feel that the American hierarchy of the Roman Catholic Church can only increase religious tensions and political-religious problems by attempting to break down this wall, Peales group wrote. Much depends upon strong support for this well tested wall of separation by Americans of all faiths. Kennedy responded to the objections of the Protestant clergymen by delivering a speech on religion and politics to a group of Baptist ministers in Houston, Texas, the following week. I believe in an America where the separation of church and state is absolute; where no Catholic prelate would tell the President should he be Catholic how to act, and no Protestant minister would tell his parishioners for whom to vote; where no church or church school is granted any public funds or political preference, and where no man is denied public office merely because his religion differs from the President who might appoint him, or the people who might elect him, Kennedy said in the address. Related: Pope Leo says he was not trying to debate Trump over US attack on Iran The central concern expressed in the statement from Peales group was the same one spread by anti-Catholic conspiracy theorists in 1928, when Al Smith was the first Catholic nominee for president: the idea that the pope would secretly control a Catholic president. As the historian Robert Slayton has explained, in 1928: The Ku Klux Klan became actively involved in preventing a Catholic from ever getting near the White House, going all out to defeat Smith. One Klan leader mailed thousands of postcards after Democrats nominated the New Yorker, stating firmly, We now face the darkest hour in American history. In a convention ruled by political Romanism, anti-Christ has won. The year before that election, Donald Trumps father, Fred Trump, was arrested at a Memorial Day parade in Queens, where 1,000 robed members of the Ku Klux Klan rioted after the Irish American-led police force tried to prevent them from marching. The focus of the Klans anger at the time in New York was rage at the Irish Catholic police force. A Klan flyer passed around Jamaica, Queens, after the riot, included in contemporary reports, featured the headline: Americans Assaulted by Roman Catholic Police of New York City! The text flyer began: Native-born Protestant Americans clubbed and beaten when they exercise their rights in the country of their birth. Eighteen-year-old Lauryn Muller was scrolling through social media when she encountered a video of Donald Trump disparaging California Governor Gavin Newsom over his dyslexia. The clip deeply affected Ms Muller, stirring memories of her own difficulties learning to read and the persistent feeling that something was amiss with her. Mr Trump had labelled Mr Newsom "stupid," "low IQ," "mentally disabled," and declared him "unfit to become president." While Ms Muller recognised the comments as part of a political rivalry Mr Trump is a Republican and Mr Newsom, a Democrat, is anticipated to contend for the White House in 2028 the remarks resonated with her on a deeply personal level. Weve had to overcome so many deficits, and for someone to, on a national stage, say, yeah, they will never be like us that definitely came as an emotional sting to me, said Muller, an incoming student at Auburn University whose dyslexia was identified as a child. Lauryn Muller, who was impacted by Trumps dyslexia slurs (AP) It was one more entry in Trumps history of denigrating the intelligence of his foes and mocking those with disabilities. Yet this time he was maligning tens of millions of people, calling their abilities into question and undermining years of progress fighting stigma around dyslexia. Among those with dyslexia, his remarks aroused feelings from anguish and anger to dismay. It cut across politics, drawing a rebuke from supporters and critics alike. Muller's mother, Marilyn, voted for Trump three times and says she still supports his politics. But she was hurt when Trump linked dyslexia with low intelligence a dated myth that she has spent years trying to dispel. It works against everything I do on a daily basis, said Marilyn Muller, a literacy advocate in Florida. It was probably one of the more ignorant comments I have ever heard come from his mouth. A learning disability often misunderstood Trumps comments clash with a large body of research finding that dyslexia and IQ are unrelated. They also conflict with statements he issued during his first term for national awareness months, heaping praise on the extraordinary contributions of those with dyslexia and noting that their ranks include top industry executives and inventors. Often misunderstood, dyslexia affects the link between the brain and printed language, making it difficult for people to read. Dyslexia often emerges in childhood as kids learn to read and write. It is estimated to affect up to 20% of the world population. All of a sudden, youre not doing so well in school and then people will tell you, oh, youre not trying, youre not smart or whatever, and none of thats accurate. You just have this difference in that bridge from language to print, said John Gabrieli, a neuroscientist at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Newsom has for years discussed his dyslexia, including in a children's book he wrote in 2021 as well as a new memoir. On his recent book tour, he talked about memorizing speeches because he is unable to read them. He described it as a struggle and a gift, saying it forced him to develop other skills. Trump latched on to some of Newsom's comments. He cant read a speech, he cant do almost anything, Trump said during a Cabinet meeting in March. Hes actually a very stupid person. He added: I think a president should not have learning disabilities. Trump acknowledged his departure from decorum, saying its highly controversial to say such a horrible thing. He went on to say it at least four more times. Gavin Newsom, who has been open about his dyslexia for years (Getty Images) Newsom's office declined to comment for this story and referred to the governor's social media posts. Learning differences dont define your limits, they shape your strengths, Newsom wrote in one post. And no one, not even the President of the United States, gets to decide your worth. Little GOP pushback to Trump's comments In Utah, Lia Beatty said she has become inured to Trump's brash behavior, but she still sees danger in his latest tirades. People listen to the president, and young people with dyslexia might hear those comments and believe they count for less, said Beatty, 27, who has dyslexia and runs a university neurology lab. The harm isnt necessarily in the headline. Its what happens quietly, she said. Its the student in the classroom who stops raising their hand, the college applicant who hides how they learn, the employee who doesnt pursue a promotion that theyre more than qualified for. Until she saw his comments circulating on social media, Beatty had been keeping quiet about her acceptance to a doctoral neurology program at Dartmouth College. She made it public in a social media post aiming to undercut Trump. I think its important to acknowledge that, yeah, the rooms they werent made for us, but were still getting in them, Beatty said. On Capitol Hill, there is a strong history of bipartisan support for people with dyslexia. A House caucus is devoted to the issue, with vocal champions from both parties. Yet there has been little Republican pushback to Trumps comments. Trump's remarks did not come up Wednesday at a congressional roundtable on dyslexia, organized by Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., whose daughter has dyslexia and whose wife runs a school for children with dyslexia. After the event, Cassidy refused to respond directly to Trump's remarks. All I can say is that a child with dyslexia will grow to be, often times, a very talented adult, Cassidy, who is up for reelection but did not get Trump's endorsement, told The Associated Press. Theres people who have self-identified as dyslexic who have become CEOs of hospitals and of great businesses. There has been no comment from Rep. Bruce Westerman, R-Ark., co-chair of the dyslexia caucus. Some in Trump's circles have detailed struggles with dyslexia Advocates have noted that some past presidents probably did have dyslexia. Woodrow Wilson wrote about his difficulty learning to read and he became an early adopter of the typewriter as one of many workarounds, said John M. Cooper, a presidential historian and Wilson biographer. Some in Trumps circles have spoken about difficulties with dyslexia. Gary Cohn, the architect of Trumps signature tax bill from his first term, has talked at length about struggling with dyslexia as a child. He went on to become a business titan and president of Goldman Sachs. Donald Trump said a president should not have a learning disability (AFP/Getty) Advocates say Trumps words threaten to reverse years of progress unwinding stereotypes. His comments also raise questions about promises his administration has made to protect students with disabilities even as Trump dismantles the Department of Education, which oversees the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. Jacqueline Rodriguez, CEO of the National Center for Learning Disabilities, said it will be hard for families to trust Trump's education appointees when their boss is making these really stigmatizing and really inaccurate statements. In Decatur, Georgia, Meagan Swingle said Trumps comments made her sick to her stomach. She brought it up with her 15-year-old son, Enrique, who has dyslexia, knowing he might hear about the remarks at school. Enrique, who excels in math and science, brushed it off, she said. But it stuck with her. I dont know that he remembers a time like I do when, whether you were a Democrat or a Republican or an independent, you could expect a higher standard from the president of the United States, she said. We build people up, we dont tear them down. Iran said that the the US naval blockade, which saw US Army Apaches patrolling the strait, violated the ceasefire terms - x.com/CENTCOM The US will not be blackmailed by Iran, Donald Trump has declared, after Iranian gunboats attacked cargo ships in the Strait of Hormuz. Tehran closed the vital oil passage on Saturday morning in response to a continuing US blockade of its ports, just hours after agreeing to reopen it. Two Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) vessels opened fire on the ships 23 miles north-east of Oman, without warning their crews, according to the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations Centre. They wanted to close up the strait again, as theyve been doing for years. But they cant blackmail us, Mr Trump said on Saturday. The day before, he claimed the waterway would no longer be used as a weapon against the world. Tehran said any vessels that approached the strait from Saturday evening would be considered enemy and would be targeted. The US military has drawn up its own plans to board and seize Iranian-linked ships in the coming days, strengthening its economic stranglehold on Tehran in an attempt to force a reopening of the strait, the Wall Street Journal reported. The escalation threatens to derail ongoing peace efforts before the current ceasefire expires on Wednesday. Mr Trump convened a White House Situation Room meeting with top officials on Saturday, after the gunfire. It included JD Vance, the US vice-president, who is expected to join the next round of negotiations with Iran; Marco Rubio, the secretary of state; Pete Hegseth, the defence secretary; and Scott Bessent, the treasury secretary. Iran announced the reopening of the strait in a surprise move on Friday, but the plan quickly fell apart amid disagreements with Washington over the new terms. Mr Trump said the American naval blockade of ships using Iranian ports would continue until a permanent deal was signed, which Tehran claimed violated the terms of their ceasefire. At least eight tankers sailed through the conduit while it was open on Saturday morning, but after its closure, nearly every tanker heading out of the Gulf was forced to turn around by the Iranian navy, according to vessel-tracking data. Two vessels attacked while attempting to transit the strait were Indian-flagged, according to the Indian government, which responded by summoning the Iranian ambassador. One of the tankers was struck, but no injuries were reported from either crew. In an audio recording of radio transmissions between the Indian and Iranian ships a crew member on one of the Indian-flagged vessels can be heard insisting that clearance had been granted to pass through the strait before the attack began. A US security official told Axios that the IRGC had attacked a third commercial ship in the waterway since reimposing restrictions. Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office, Mr Trump said Tehran had got a little cute but insisted, despite the closure of the strait, that very good conversations were taking place. Touting the US militarys success in the war against Iran, he continued: Nobody ever took them on. We took them on. They have no navy, they have no air force, they have no leaders. They have no nothing. They wanted to close up the strait again, as theyve been doing for years. But they cant blackmail us. 1504 Trump's blockade of Hormuz Mr Trump had claimed on Friday that a deal would probably be agreed in a day or two, but further talks this weekend now appear virtually impossible. A senior American official told Axios the war would resume in the coming days without a breakthrough in negotiations. A top Iranian official said on Saturday that there was no date set for the next round of peace talks. Saeed Khatibzadeh, the Iranian deputy foreign minister, told reporters in Turkey: Until we agree on the framework, we cannot... set the date. Signalling the distance between the two sides, he urged the US to abandon its maximalist position, while calling Mr Trump confusing and contradictory. A peace deal has foundered on Iran abandoning its nuclear ambitions. Mr Trump claimed on Friday that Tehran had agreed to indefinitely suspend its nuclear programme, which the regime swiftly denied. Irans national security council said on Saturday it was reviewing new peace proposals from Washington, while maintaining it would keep a tight grip on the Strait of Hormuz until the end of the war. In a rare statement later on Saturday, Mojtaba Khamenei, Irans supreme leader, vowed to make the US taste the bitterness of new defeats. Mojtaba Khamenei, who has not been seen publicly since before the war, pledged new defeats to Irans enemies - Hamed Jafarnejad/ISNA Mr Khamenei, who has not been seen publicly since the start of the war and is rumoured to have been badly injured, claimed Iranian forces had already exposed the weakness and humiliation of the US and Israel to the world. Just as its drones strike like lightning upon the American and Zionist aggressors, its valiant navy is ready to make the enemies taste the bitterness of new defeats, he said. The US and Iran appeared to be inching towards peace after Israel agreed to include Lebanon within the ceasefire agreement on Thursday, followed by the short-lived unblocking of the Strait of Hormuz on Friday. Now the truce appears to be fracturing after Israel on Saturday launched two attacks on Hezbollah, accusing the Iranian proxy group of violating their agreement. On Saturday, a French United Nations peacekeeper was killed and three others injured in a separate attack thought to have been carried out by Hezbollah. Emmanuel Macron, the French president, said everything points to Hezbollah being responsible for the assault and urged authorities in Lebanon to immediately arrest the perpetrators. Nawaf Salam, Lebanons prime minister, said he had ordered an immediate investigation into the incident. Cargo ships in the Gulf, near the strait of Hormuz, on 11 March. Photograph: Reuters (Photograph: Reuters) Irans foreign minister has said that the strait of Hormuz is now fully open to commercial vessels, reinforcing hopes for an eventual end to the war in the Middle East and sending oil prices tumbling. In a barrage of social media posts, Donald Trump claimed on Friday that Iran had agreed never to close the strategic waterway again, hailing A GREAT AND BRILLIANT DAY FOR THE WORLD! However, Abbas Araghchis pledge was given only qualified support by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, which has reinforced its already powerful authority in Tehran during the war. Irans parliamentary speaker later warned it would will shut the strait of Hormuz again if the US blockade continues. Araghchi announced earlier that commercial shipping though the strait was now completely open for the remaining period of ceasefire, prompting Trump to welcome the move but also emphasise that the US naval blockade of Iran would remain in place until the conflict was fully concluded. Trump also said Iran had agreed to never close the strait again, but that has not been verified. Iran says strait of Hormuz completely open to commercial vessels as oil prices fall Iranian state television quoted a senior military official saying commercial vessels would be allowed to travel through the strait of Hormuz but only along a determined route and with the permission of the IRGC navy. The US blockade of Iranian ports and shipping will remain in place for the moment, Trump said, and few vessels are likely to risk passage through the strait in such uncertain circumstances, meaning any return to normality is still distant. Read the full story Slump in voters support for Israel shakes US consensus over military aid Israels conflicts in the Middle East have driven a sea change in US public opinion, threatening a bipartisan consensus of support for military aid for Israel that has been the status quo for decades. In public opinion polling of Americans, among likely candidates for president, and even in pro-Israel lobbying circles, the special relationship enjoyed by Israel with the US is now under fire as human rights concerns from the left and a new America First foreign policy groundswell on the right could impact coming elections including the 2028 presidential elections. Read the full story US Congress passes 10-day extension of surveillance law amid Republican infighting Both chambers of Congress voted in quick succession on Friday to pass a brief 10-day extension of a controversial warrantless surveillance law after Republican infighting tanked plans for a much longer renewal of the law with no changes. Read the full story Children low-hanging fruit in fight to end trans care, says official at pro-Trump thinktank Children are the low-hanging fruit in a longer effort to end gender-affirming care for all Americans, an official at a Trump administration-aligned thinktank recently said. Bans on medical transition comprise just one part of the larger, unprecedented assault on transgender rights mounted by a coordinated campaign of mostly conservative activists and policymakers in the US in recent years. Read the full story Popesplaining Vance out of depth in argument over whether Iran is a just war Analysis: The contrast in experience between the two men disagreeing over war and theology was striking. On the one side was Pope Leo XIV, the first North American to head the Catholic church and the first cleric from the Augustinian order, who this week visited the modern Algerian city where Saint Augustine once lived. For Leo, who wrote his doctoral thesis on Augustines ideas, it was the culmination of a lifelong intellectual interest. On the other is the US vice-president, JD Vance, a very recent adult convert to Catholicism with no academic background in the history of the churchs thinking. Read the full story What else happened today: Catching up? Heres what happened on 16 April 2026. President Donald Trump cracked a joke about wanting to take a psychedelic during a White House event touting the benefits of the drugs. The president made the remark at a Saturday morning event in the Oval Office, where he signed an executive order to accelerate medical treatments for serious mental illness, including the therapeutic benefits of LSD, psilocybin, ecstasy, and other psychedelics. In attendance was the popular podcaster, Joe Rogan, who has advocated for the treatments but has also recently been fiercely critical of Trumps war in Iran. Trump touted the success of the psychedelic drug ibogainea Schedule I controlled substanceand cited a study in which he said participants experienced an 80 to 90 percent reduction in symptoms of depression and anxiety within one month. Can I have some, please? Trump quipped, prompting the room to erupt in laughter. Ill do whatever it takesI dont have time to be depressed. If you stay busy enough, maybe thats what works too, thats what I do. President Donald Trump cracked a joke about wanting to take a psychedelic drug during a White House event touting the benefits of the therapies, where Joe Rogan was a special guest (Reuters) Rogan, who endorsed Trump for president in 2024, said the executive order came about after he sent Trump a text message about psychedelic therapies. Veteran organizations and psychedelic advocates have long contended that the ibogaine, which is made from a shrub native to West Africa, has great promise for hard-to-treat conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder and opioid addiction. Retired Navy SEAL Marcus Luttrell, who has written about his struggles with depression and PTSD in the memoir Lone Survivor, told Trump how ibogaine changed his life for the better. Youre going to save a lot of lives with it, Luttrell told Trump. Id like to say how grateful I am to have had the opportunity to go through the program and receive the Ibogaine. I want to tell everybody how this happened, Rogan explained. I sent President Trump some information the text message that came back: Sounds great. Do you want FDA approval? Let's do it, Rogan claimed. It was literally that quick. Trump clarified that he had it checked out with Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who was also in attendance Saturday, and other members of his administration. I didn't just do it, the president said. The president also took a swipe at Rogan for being a liberal after the podcaster called out Trumps terrifying war in Iran on his show Thursday. Rogan, who endorsed Trump for president in 2024, said the executive order came about after he sent Trump a text message about psychedelic therapies (Reuters) Anytime youre involved with youre shooting missiles into towns and blowing things up, blowing up infrastructure, blowing up bridges, you know, and Israels blowing up Lebanon, Rogan said on his podcast. Now, its like, What the f*** are we doing? How is this still going on? We all respect Joe, Trump said Saturday. Hes a little bit more liberal than me and thats okay. This week Rogan also poked fun at Trumps claim that a controversial AI-generated image he posted on Truth Social depicted him as a doctor not Jesus. Rogan was at the White House event after raising the profile of ibogaine on his podcast. He has hosted former Texas Gov. Rick Perry, the co-founder of a group called Americans for Ibogaine, who made the case for reducing federal limits on the drug on the show. The administration is now taking steps to ease access to psychedelics that Trump said were already designated as potential breakthroughs by federal regulators. Owners of ibogaine clinics said the impact of the order will not be immediate. There will be no insurance coverage, it will still be considered unapproved and non-covered care, said Tom Feegel of Beond Ibogaine, which operates a clinic in Cancun, Mexico. But what it does mean is that ibogaine shifts from being fringe and underground to being federally acknowledged. The Associated Press contributed to this report President Donald Trump tore into NATO during a speech at a rally in Arizona, claiming the longstanding U.S.-led alliance had belatedly offered to help America clear the Strait of Hormuz, the vital oil-shipping lane thats been reopened for the time being as negotiations continue surrounding the Iran war. Now that the Hormuz Strait situation is nearly over, I received a call from NATO asking if we would like some help, Trump told the crowd at a Turning Point Action event in Phoenix Friday evening. I told them I would have liked your help two months ago, but now I really don't want your help anymore, because they were absolutely useless when we needed them, Trump continued. But actually we never needed them. They needed us. If it teaches us any one thing, we have to rely on ourselves, the president said elsewhere in his remarks. We can't rely on outside countries and outside sources. Earlier Friday, both sides in the Iran conflict announced that the strait was being reopened, though some of the details clashed. President Trump sharply criticized NATO during a speech Friday, alleging that the bedrock transatlantic alliance had belatedly offered to help the U.S. clear the Strait of Hormuz (Getty) Iran said the Strait is open for all commercial vessels for the duration of the ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon in the regional conflict, while President Trump wrote on social media on Friday that the Strait is fully open, a status not tied, in any way, to Lebanon. The U.S. naval blockade on Iranian ports will continue, Trump wrote, until OUR TRANSACTION WITH IRAN IS 100% COMPLETE. The Republican also claimed Friday that Iran had agreed to give up its enriched uranium, which the country strongly denied. Now that the Hormuz Strait situation is over, I received a call from NATO asking if we would need some help, Trump added in the flurry of online updates. I TOLD THEM TO STAY AWAY, UNLESS THEY JUST WANT TO LOAD UP THEIR SHIPS WITH OIL. The Independent has contacted NATO for comment. NATO and other U.S. allies previously refused to join in the American blockade on Iranian ports. Many have kept their distance overall from the growing conflict, though the U.K. has allowed U.S. forces to use British bases for defensive purposes. On Friday, the president thanked other U.S. allies, praising the terrific leaders of Pakistan, which has facilitated talks between Washington and Tehran. NATO declined to join the U.S. naval blockade on Iranian ports, infuriating President Trump (US Navy) He also praised U.S. allies in the Middle East including Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the UAE, Bahrain and Kuwait, countries which have faced attacks from Iran on U.S. bases and vital domestic energy infrastructure as part of the conflict. It took courage for them, Trump said. At the Arizona event, the president repeated his regular (and oft-disputed) claim that he has ended numerous wars while in office, arguing that diplomatic developments in Iran had once again upped his tally of successful peace deals. It may be a little early to say this, but if we add Iran and Lebanon, that will be 10 wars ended and many, many millions of lives saved, the Republican said. Trump told the crowd in Arizona that major developments were coming in Cuba, which has reportedly hosted talks with the U.S. State Department in Havana in recent days (Reuters) Iran was the bully of the Middle East, Trump said during another portion of the speech. Theyre not the bully anymore. In his remarks, the president also hailed the great partnership with Venezuela that has occurred since the U.S. attacked the country, ousting and arresting President Nicolas Maduro. Trump also hinted at further diplomatic developments to come in Cuba, which is reeling from a catastrophic energy crisis as Washington blocks oil shipments from the islands longtime patron Venezuela. Trump said a new dawn for Cuba was on its way, and that people should watch what happens. The U.S. State Department has reportedly met in Havana with top Cuban officials, including the influential grandson of de facto Cuban leader Raul Castro. Police Scotland said a car was seen driving northwards on the southbound carriageway of the motorway. Photograph: Andrew Milligan/PA (Photograph: Andrew Milligan/PA) Two drivers have died in a motorway crash in Scotland involving a car apparently travelling in the wrong direction on the carriageway, police have said. The two men died at the scene of the collision on the M90 near Kinross, a town in Perth and Kinross, at 10.30pm on Friday. Police Scotland said a grey Ford Kuga was seen driving northwards on the southbound carriageway near junction seven and collided with a white Vauxhall Corsa that was on the southbound part of the motorway. The 44-year-old man driving the Kuga and the 20-year-old man driving the Corsa were both fatally injured. Police have appealed for any witnesses or anyone with dashcam footage to come forward. Ch Insp Lyne Williamson, from Police Scotlands operational support division, said: My thoughts are with the families of both the men who died following this tragic incident. An investigation is under way to establish the full circumstances of the crash. Anyone who was travelling on the M90 at the time and witnessed what happened, or has dashcam footage that could assist our inquiries, is asked to contact officers as soon as possible. The M90 was closed southbound between junctions six and seven for about 16 hours to allow an investigation to be carried out. United Airlines planes at Newark liberty international airport in Newark, New Jersey, on 18 April 2026. Photograph: Bryan Smith/ZUMA Press Wire/Shutterstock (Photograph: Bryan Smith/ZUMA Press Wire/Shutterstock) A United Airlines flight bound for New York City was forced to land and evacuate in Pittsburgh on Saturday morning after crew members reported a possible security issue, a spokesperson for the Federal Aviation Administration said. United flight 2092 took off from Chicago OHare airport and had been en route to LaGuardia airport in New York. The plane diverted to Pittsburgh international airport as a result of the reported threat. Passengers exited the aircraft via slides, a United spokesperson said in an emailed statement. Video posted online by the ABC News affiliate in Pittsburgh, WTAE, showed a United jet at the airport with its emergency slides deployed. FBI agents and bomb technicians responded to the scene, the bureaus Pittsburgh office said in a social media statement. Local Allegheny county police department officers were also were on ground with a bomb squad and a canine unit trained in explosives. According to a statement from the police: [T]he Allegheny County Police Bomb Squad was requested for a report of a plane being diverted to Pittsburgh International Airport due to a reported security issue. Our EOD team and K9s conducted a sweep of the aircraft, passengers and luggage with negative results. Bob Kerlik, director of public affairs for the Allegheny county airport authority, said in an email that law enforcement had cleared the scene. Pittsburgh international airport was open and operational, he said. Passengers on the diverted flight were rebooked on another aircraft. Officials did not comment on the nature of the threat and whether anyone had been taken into custody. Maria Corina Machado has not been able to return to Venezuela since leaving in December last year to collect her Nobel peace prize in Norway. Photograph: Joel Saget/AFP/Getty Images (Photograph: Joel Saget/AFP/Getty Images) Venezuelas opposition leader, Maria Corina Machado, will seek to revive her push for political change with a rally in Madrid on Saturday, having found herself sidelined by Donald Trump after the abduction of the president Nicolas Maduro. Venezuela will be free, the Nobel peace prize winner insisted in an interview on the eve of this weekends demonstration in the Puerta del Sol square, which is expected to draw tens of thousands of protesters. Supporters had hoped Machado, whose movement is widely believed to have beaten Maduro in Venezuelas 2024 presidential election, would take power after US troops captured her autocratic rival on 3 January. Instead, Trump backed Maduros vice-president, Delcy Rodriguez, in exchange for concessions involving Venezuelas vast oil and mineral resources. Were very happy with the president-elect that we have right now, Trump said earlier this month, despite Rodriguez not having been elected. Related: From elation to frustration: Trump snub wrongfoots Venezuelas opposition Machado, who slipped out of Venezuela last December to receive her Nobel peace prize in Oslo, has been unable to return since Maduros capture, with Washington seemingly concerned her presence could cause social upheaval, and scupper Trumps plans to exploit its oil reserves. In Machados absence, Rodriguez has consolidated power, purging key Maduro allies from government and attempting to portray herself as a competent technocrat capable of reviving the moribund economy. The streets of Caracas feature campaign-style propaganda posters stamped with Rodriguezs face and the slogan: Onwards, Delcy, you have my trust. In a recent interview with the Spanish newspaper El Pais, Rodriguezs brother, the powerful national assembly chief, Jorge Rodriguez, declined to say when fresh elections may be held. The most important thing right now is the economy, he said. Members of Machados movement have grown increasingly frustrated at being frozen out of their countrys political future and the lack of a democratic transition after Maduros downfall. Tom Shannon, a veteran US diplomat who has worked on Venezuela since the 1990s, said: Every day that [Rodriguez] is there, is a day that the democratic opposition is not there and its devastating for the opposition. Shannon, who was secretary of state John Kerrys roving envoy in Latin America, said Trumps decision to attack Iran had boosted Rodriguezs hopes of retaining power. The pressures off now because all of our military attention is directed elsewhere and there just isnt the bandwidth to keep the pressure on in Venezuela, he said, noting how Washington was rehabilitating Rodriguez by lifting sanctions against her and issuing licences to stimulate US investment. Speaking at a recent conference in Miami, the Machado ally Omar Gonzalez complained that two crucial elements had been forgotten by those spearheading what the US secretary of state, Marco Rubio, had called Washingtons three-step plan for stabilisation, recovery and transition. One was the will of the Venezuelan people, who no longer wanted Rodriguezs gang of criminals in power. The other was the countrys constitution, which requires elections to be held within seven months of a presidents absence. Gonzalez said he believed the way to unlock the situation was for Machado to return from exile, something he claimed she and other opposition activists would soon do. To draw a perhaps slightly over-the-top analogy, [it will be] a sort of Normandy landing, Gonzalez said, predicting Venezuelan exiles would simultaneously return by land, air and sea to fight for democracy. Quite when, or how, Machado will return remains a mystery, as does the reception she will receive from Rodriguezs regime. In a recent interview, Delcy Rodriguez said the conservative politician would have to be held accountable if she did return. Walter Molina, a Venezuelan political scientist who lives in Argentina, said he had no doubt life had improved in Venezuela since the end of Maduros absolute tyranny, albeit not enough, with more than 500 political prisoners still behind bars and Maduros allies still in power. If we were 50 floors below ground before, we are 35 floors below ground now And if Maria Corina Machado returns I think well be getting close to the ground floor, he said. [Before] it was impossible to see a way out. Now you can see one. The question now is: how far away is this way out? And how far are we from the light at the end of the tunnel? Earlier this week, Machado met the French president, Emmanuel Macron, and the Dutch prime minister, Rob Jetten. But despite the high-profile nature of Saturdays rally, Machado said there were no plans to meet Spains socialist prime minister, Pedro Sanchez, during her time in Madrid. Sanchez, an outspoken critic of Donald Trumps recent military interventions in Venezuela and Iran, questioned the legality of the USs actions in the South American country after it seized Maduro. Machado, in contrast, has thanked Trump for intervening and presented him with her gold Nobel peace prize medal. Speaking to Spains Cope radio station on Wednesday, Machado said that securing Venezuelas return to freedom and democracy was the most important objective. She added: There are times when holding certain meetings to that end are appropriate and there are times when theyre not appropriate, and thats why theres no meeting planned at this time. Sanchez will be attending a meeting of progressive leaders from around the world in Barcelona this weekend. However, on Friday Machado did meet Alberto Nunez Feijoo, the leader of Spains conservative Peoples party, and Santiago Abascal, the leader of the far-right Vox party. The former Virginia lieutenant governor, who fatally shot his wife before killing himself in a murder-suicide, was obsessed with clearing his name following allegations of sexual assault that surfaced seven years ago, friends said. Once considered a rising star of the Democratic Party, Justin Fairfaxs political career was derailed in 2019 by two separate allegations as he was on the cusp of becoming governor. Friends and former colleagues told The Washington Post that the father and husbands obsession with restoring his reputation had worsened in recent months, and he was particularly triggered by media coverage of former California congressman Eric Swalwell's alleged sexual misconduct. Last week, Swalwell announced he would resign from the House of Representatives after a slew of allegations were leveled against him by several women, including an accusation of rape. Swalwell has vehemently denied all of the allegations. He never got away from that place, thats what was disturbing, author and journalist Sophia Nelson said of Fairfax, who described herself as a close friend. Justin Fairfax, the former Virginia Lt. Gov who fatally shot his wife Cerina Fairfax before killing himself, was obsessed with clearing his name following allegations of sexual assault that first surfaced seven years ago, friends said (FairfaxJustin/ X) Nelson is one of half a dozen friends of Fairfaxs who spoke with the newspaper in the wake of Thursday mornings tragedy. Fairfax shot his wife, Cerina Fairfax, 49, in the family home before taking his own life upstairs. The couples two teenage children were at the home in the Washington, D.C. suburb of Annandale during the killings, police said. The couple were undergoing a messy divorce and just two weeks before, a judge had told Fairfax he would have to move out of the home he shared with his estranged wife. Seven years ago, Fairfax looked poised to become Virginias second Black governor after the sitting governor at the time, Ralph Northam, was engulfed in a racism scandal. Northam refused to quit and served the rest of his term. In 2019, two women came forward and accused Fairfax of sexual assault, which he denied. But his reputation never recovered. One woman accused Fairfax of assaulting her in a hotel room during the Democratic National Convention in 2004. The other accused him of raping her in 2000 when they were students at Duke University. Fairfax was never charged in either case and repeatedly called for the FBI to investigate. Fairfax served out the full term as lieutenant governor but was unsuccessful in a 2021 bid for governor after the scandal. He was still emailing journalists to highlight what he claimed was inaccurate reporting in stories from long-ago, according to The Post, and pestered old acquaintances to speak out in support. He never recovered, Nelson told the outlet. He was still looking for justice, for vindication, and for somebody to hear him. He was suffering depression and isolation and hurt. There was a darkness that had descended on Justin, a depression. Once considered a rising star of the Democratic Party, Fairfaxs political career was derailed in 2019 by two separate allegations as he was on the cusp of becoming governor. He never recovered from the hit to his reputation, his friend said (Reuters) The apparent obsession to clear his name, coupled with the ongoing divorce proceedings and withdrawing from his family, left friends fearing he was approaching breaking point. Nelson said that she and others wrestled with him to try and seek support, but he refused. In the weeks before Fairfax killed his wife, he was almost completely broke and relying on the free wifi at Panera Bread to file his court documents, according to close friend of the family, Father Michael J. Kelley of St. Martins Catholic Church. Many of Fairfaxs loved ones are grappling with how he could commit such violence against the woman who stood by him throughout the scandal, they told The Post. Court filings also show that Fairfax had financial challenges following the sexual assault allegations, which prompted his resignation as a partner at a prestigious law firm. According to court documents, his mental and emotional health suffered, he drank heavily and withdrew from his family. Fairfax County Circuit Court Judge Timothy J. McEvoy described Cerina Fairfax as the familys primary breadwinner in a written opinion related to the divorce proceedings. McEvoy wrote that Cerina Fairfax, who ran her own dental practice, was a port in a storm for her children. The couple had separated nearly two years ago, according to court filings, but they were still living in the same house with their children. Fairfax was ordered to move out by the end of April, with the judge writing it is clear tensions in the Fairfax home have been extremely high for an extended period of time. If you are based in the USA, and you or someone you know needs mental health assistance right now, call or text 988, or visit 988lifeline.org to access online chat from the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. 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 School meals are changing: pizza, sponge puddings, and fish and chips are off the menu (PA) Independent readers have been debating how UK school dinners stack up against those served in other countries, as England prepares for a significant tightening of school food standards. Deep-fried items are set to be removed entirely from menus, while sugary foods such as cakes, waffles and ice cream will be severely restricted. Schools will also be banned from offering daily grab and go options like sausage rolls and pizza, with fruit expected to replace less nutritious snacks for most of the week. Our community drew comparisons from other countries including France, Spain and Slovakia where children are served the same style of meals as adults, with a stronger emphasis on soups, salads, pulses and fresh, minimally processed ingredients, and far less reliance on the kind of heavily processed childrens food still common in parts of the UK. For some readers, the contrast with other countries underlines long-running concerns about the quality of UK school meals, with memories of stodgy, highly processed lunches and criticism that years of underfunding and outsourcing have eroded nutritional standards. A further strand of the debate focused on provision for neurodivergent children and selective eating. Some warned that stricter menus risk excluding individuals who rely on familiar safe foods, arguing that packed lunches will remain an important option for many families. Heres what you had to say: Early exposure to vegetables Here in France, the school four-course meal typically starts with a salad. This means that the children eat it at the point when they are hungriest. Perhaps thats why French children grow up liking their vegetables. Also, there is no concept of childrens food typically in the UK, children eat supper before their parents and are served quick, easy-to-cook food like frozen pizza, fish fingers or nuggets, with sweetened yoghurt to follow. In the home, children are given a small snack when they get home from school, maybe a sandwich, and then the children eat dinner with their parents and have the same food. As a consequence, France has a far lower level of obesity and people live longer, healthier lives. Kate Stodgy school dinner memories My memory of school dinners is pink custard or lurid yellow paste covering huge square blocks of steamed pudding, squares of whatever it was. The obligatory two scoops of white mashed potato, teachers patrolling to ensure you ate the lot. The aim was to get calories into children, but the result was that I never eat desserts, hot fruit, mashed potatoes, or any of the other horrors we were subjected to. It certainly did nothing to reduce childhood obesity. As for neurodivergent children, surely the solution is to teach them to compile their own lunchboxes the night before, full of white or grey stodge they do like, and just abandon school dinners as a lost cause. indyuser12 We need a complete reset Nutrition is vitally important for neurological development. School meals in the UK have always been rubbish mainly stodge with few fresh vegetables or fruit. We have always had an unhealthy relationship with food in this country, and that got worse when we imported American food habits and quantity over quality. There needs to be a complete reset, or we will continue to have an unhealthy population. CScarlett We vowed never to use baby food Our daughter was fed whatever we ate in pureed form from the start. We read the labels on the ingredients of baby foods and, with a few exceptions, vowed never to use them. She happily ate nearly everything growing up, but those of her friends fed on commercial baby foods were dreadfully fussy about what they would eat, and are still the same as young adults. Her friends whose parents did the same as us are much the same as her. ifonlyitwastrue Adapting meals for an autistic child My grandson is autistic and will only eat certain foods: dry wholemeal toast and a soup where we cram in vegetables galore, some chicken and, most of all, pineapple to sweeten it, and then it is blitzed to death. That is all he has eaten since he was 5 (now 17). Obviously, school has never provided that, so he takes it to school with him every day, in agreement with the school. There is no shame, no name-calling, no nasty comments by others we simply provide what the school cant and no one makes a fuss. Jools Soup first In Slovakia, school dinners and most dinners start with a soup. The stomach fills up with low-energy food and the hunger is staved off before the second dish. Not much emphasis is placed on desserts; fruit is normally available. Children are used to having pulses and vegetables in the soup. The soup is usually relatively thinner and more flavoursome than stuff sold in supermarkets in the UK. NonAvatar Children eating adult food In Spain, typically, children sit down with the family and eat the same food as adults. I remember on one occasion watching little Jose tuck into espetos de sardina with the pleasure British children reserve for ice cream, picking them up and eating the flesh off the bones as you are supposed to no overprotective mum cutting them up for him. Many places serve half portions, so childrens portions arent universal, though some places mainly tourist ones do. Family life is stronger here, and it shows in the behaviour of the children. nocomment 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. Following the Russian invasion, support for Kyiv in the UK was unequivocal but this instinct was not universal - Alberto Pezzali/AP Some moral questions are vexed. Assisted dying, say, or the limits of free speech. Other dilemmas are more straightforward, and foremost among these is the fight against tyranny. Or it should be. Recent years have posed repeated ethical challenges which require us to draw upon our most basic values for a courageous response. Yet we cant seem to get it together. The era of decadence that began with the dissolution of the Soviet Union ended when Russian tanks rolled into Ukraine. Which side was deserving of our support was an easy judgment. On the one hand, a corrupt and authoritarian bully in the Kremlin was using his muscle to advance an imperial erotic fantasy; on the other, a free society was fighting for its life after doing nothing to provoke its neighbour. The outrage was obvious. Ukraine had relinquished the worlds third-largest stockpile of nuclear weapons in the Nineties, in exchange for security assurances from the United States, Britain and Russia. Now hundreds of civilians were being raped, tortured and summarily executed in Bucha, a pretty riverside city north-west of Kyiv. In Britain, support was unequivocal. Across the country, the blue-and-yellow banner fluttered in cities, towns and villages. Yes, there was some displacement going on finally there was a flag we were allowed to fly! but this was also a genuine outpouring of love. More than 300,000 Ukrainians have since been offered sanctuary, many in private homes. Blue-and-yellow flags fluttered in cities, towns and villages across the UK - Richard Baker This instinct, however, was hardly universal across the West. The election of Donald Trump marked the upending of two bedrocks of Americas political identity: a distrust of Russia and the cherishing of principles over power. Suddenly, we were thrown into a world where the White House had no problem with fascists so long as there was a deal to be made. The withdrawal of some American aid and the pausing of intelligence sharing led to artillery imbalances, air defence gaps and stalled offensives. We will never know how many thousands of Ukrainians died as a consequence, but one detail says it all: Vladimir Putin is probably the only major world leader that Trump hasnt mocked or insulted. Then there was October 7. If anything, the morality should have been even clearer, given that the jihadis of Hamas were of a piece with those who had attacked concert halls, Tube trains and cafes in Britain and across the West. Yet rather than seeing Israeli flags flying from every lamppost, we endured the disgraceful spectacle of people celebrating the pogrom in London less than 24 hours afterwards. There followed a vicious propaganda campaign, driven by our enemies and embraced by international organisations and the media, which sexed up the war until it was inaccurately labelled a genocide. Millions of gullible people were swept up. Supporters of Israel a democracy fighting for its life became a dying breed. Once Trump entered the White House, however, there was little doubt which side he was on. The White House no longer seems to have a problem with fascists - Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images The moral certainty that deserted the president over Ukraine was suddenly there in spades. While European powers concluded it was best to reward Hamas by recognising a Palestinian state, Trump remained stalwart: jihadism was the enemy. Through the sheer force of his conviction, the hostages were freed and the war ended. Which brings us to Iran. Although this is a regime that is believed to have butchered more than 30,000 people in two days, sows terror around the globe, lusts after nuclear weapons and is driven by apocalyptic theological fantasies, its fans have marched in our cities. Commentators, meanwhile, pay lip service to condemning Tehran while their true passions only gush forth when it comes to willing the downfall of Trump. What is going on? Well, its all about the culture war. No crisis, it seems, is too grave to be bastardised by moral weaklings for petty politics. While Putin becomes some anti-woke folk hero, at the other end of the spectrum, the Ayatollah is given a glow-up as an icon of progressivism. The problem is, one day well need that ethical instinct were frittering away. Look to those with their lives on the line. Ask Ukrainians what they think of Israel. Ask Israelis what they think of Ukraine. Ask the Iranian people what they think of both countries, and ask them all what they think of the regime. Any questions? Lord Lloyd-Webber has described sobriety as the best thing that has ever happened to me - Rii Schroer Andrew Lloyd Webber has revealed he is a recovering alcoholic. The composer says he has stopped drinking completely following a decision 16 months ago to get help for his addiction after going into a downhill spiral. He described sobriety as the best thing that ever happened to me. Lord Lloyd-Webber, 78, whose hit musicals include Phantom of the Opera and Cats, was introduced to Burgundy by his Aunt Vi, and started collecting wine from the age of 15. He originally stopped drinking during 2015 and 2016, staying away from his favourite tipple for 18 months while producing School of Rock on Broadway. But it did not last. I was doing what they call white-knuckling, without any back-up, and I started to worry that I wasnt being creative, he said in an interview with The Sunday Times. Madeleine, Lord Lloyd-Webbers wife, felt like she could not go on because of his drinking, the composer has revealed - Henry Nicholls/AFP via Getty Images As his family, including Madeleine, his 63-year-old wife, became increasingly concerned about his drinking habits, Lord Lloyd-Webber finally decided to take quitting seriously. You think its secret [your drinking], but its not. Everybody knows, he said. I started getting into a downhill spiral and about 18 months ago the family were in a desperate state. My wife was feeling [like] she couldnt go on. He checked himself into a clinic and now attends Alcoholics Anonymous meetings every day as he and his wife divide their time between homes in London, Hampshire and New York. Lord Lloyd-Webber, who is selling the remainder of his once extensive wine collection via Christies, the auction house, is happy to describe himself as a recovering alcoholic. Sixteen months ago I decided that I needed help and its the best thing that ever happened to me, he said. Cats is one of Andrew Lloyd Webbers many award-winning musicals - Alessandro Pinna The composer, who has won seven Tony Awards, three Grammy Awards, an Academy Award and 14 Ivor Novellos, said he now adores attending AA meetings, even when he was with a whole load of rednecks in St Louis. It was great fun its rather different to a meeting in Chelsea, Lord Lloyd-Webber, who was knighted in 1992 before being elevated to the House of Lords in 1997, said. What I love about it is, you go into a room and everybodys equal. Ive made friends that I wouldnt have thought possible. Lord Lloyd-Webber said the turning point for addressing his drinking problem was hearing someone else describe the stupidity of addiction. It was about the ludicrous lengths you go to, the hiding and the pretending, he said. He explained he had turned to alcohol to help liberate himself when he had writers block. I got that thing of seriously worrying that I wasnt writing, and panicked. Maybe Ill have a drink. Ok, Ive written something. Because it does slightly liberate you but then its more and more and more, he said. Lord Lloyd-Webber admitted he had probably written some of his best-known songs while under the influence of drink, but he cannot remember which, apart from No Matter What, which was a big hit for Boyzone. Lord Lloyd-Webber in his wine cellar in 1997. He started collecting at the age of 15 and previous sales have raised millions - PA Images/Alamy Stock Photo The peers wine cellar had achieved worldwide renown. At a 2011 Sothebys auction in Hong Kong, a 12-bottle case of Chateau Petrus 1982 fetched 48,000. The overall auction brought in 3.5m. But after the final Christies auction between April 22 and May 6, there will be nothing left. The composer says his newfound sobriety has not affected his productivity. Cats: The Jellicle Ball, a tribute to the 1980s drag scene, opened to positive reviews on Broadway, while he is writing two new musicals, one based on the 2006 film The Illusionist and another about the 1911 theft of the Mona Lisa. Tom Amos and his son, also called Tom, said the edict could result in the loss of many rare breeds of chickens - BBC Cockerels could be culled or dumped in the street after a council banned them from allotments, owners have claimed. Reform-run Durham county council will ban the birds from allotments next year after a slew of noise complaints. Cockerel-keepers have urged the council to reverse the policy over fears it will lead to culls of the birds. The council has now said it is considering the concerns of nearly 1,000 residents who have signed a petition opposing the ban. Tom Amos, 41, and his son Tom Barker Amos, 14, are behind the campaign against the policy, which would end the residency of Brian, their three-year-old cockerel, at their allotment in Bishop Auckland, Co Durham. Mr Amos said the rule changes would lead to cockerels, including rare native breeds, being killed or dumped on the streets. We are keeping rare, native chicken bloodlines going, he told The Telegraph. We keep Orpingtons, which are a rare breed now. Many of these chickens will die out in a year or two if the council goes through with this ban. People will just dump them to get rid of them. Eviction threat Under the new rules, the council would have the power to evict those who continue to keep cockerels on their allotments. The petition argues that keeping cockerels helps with mental wellbeing and that they would have to be euthanised if a ban were to be introduced. David Watson, 37, who also keeps cockerels in Bishop Auckland, said: Were having to try and rehome our birds. We started out just keeping a few and then we ended up with nearly 80 of different breeding groups, rare breeds, harder to find ones. Weve travelled across the country. Weve travelled across Europe to buy certain eggs and breeds, and now all the hard work, the years of it, has just gone down the drain. Without the cockerels, you cant continue lines that have been worked on for generations. The rare breeds will die out. Darlington Bird Rescue has warned the council that the blanket ban will increase the rate of dumpings across Durham. This means that we will likely see a massive spike in dumpings around the North East, a spokesman for the charity said. Durham is not the first council to introduce restrictions on keeping cockerels on allotments in recent years, with local authorities in Wakefield, West Yorkshire; Rotherham, South Yorkshire; and Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, all introducing bans since the pandemic. Jane Howorth, chief executive of the British Hen Welfare Trust, said that cockerels were increasingly targeted by neighbours who do not enjoy their loud crowing. Growing frustration I would say there is a growing frustration, certainly, she said. I think its a great shame. Its a real and a growing problem. I feel very empathetic towards the people that are being put under these rules. I understand why the councils are having to impose them, and I can only encourage those people to use the facility on our website to rehome them. There could still be hope for the cockerels of Co Durham, however, after the council announced it was carefully considering the concerns raised by campaigners. Ian Hoult, Durham county councils neighbourhood protection manager, said: Alongside a petition, a number of people have contacted us expressing their concerns, and we will be considering these carefully. A spokesman for the council said cockerels had previously been generally prohibited and now exceptions to the ban were being closed following complaints about noise and nuisance from cockerels. Council tenants currently have until March 18 2027 to get rid of their cockerels. A Manx shearwater pictured near the Isle of Man. Photograph: Lara Howe/Manx Wildlife Trust (Photograph: Lara Howe/Manx Wildlife Trust) A swallow recorded at the start of March, sand martins mid-month. This year, many harbingers of spring have come early due to the warming climate, so here on the island, the question was: would our Manx shearwaters return early too? Few places have birds named after them, but the Isle of Man is one (Sardinia another, for Sardinian warblers), the name granted in 1835 thanks to a large shearwater colony on the Calf of Man, an island off our south-west corner. That population was devastated by rats from a shipwreck, but after a rodent eradication programme by the Manx Wildlife Trust, numbers have rebounded to more than 1,500 breeding pairs. Last week I visited my regular haunt for connecting with these ghosts of the ocean St Michaels Isle on the Langness peninsula. With my back to the 17th-century fort, I scanned the waves with my telescope, watching for the Manxies distinctive sweeping flight. It wasnt a long wait, maybe 30 minutes before the first outriders flashed into view. They were back. After a round trip of 10,000km from their wintering quarters off Brazil and Argentina, they were shearing over the Irish Sea to occupy their nest burrows on the Calf. There they will raise a single chick, then leave it in July or August. The chick will set off alone on that epic journey to join the adults in the southern hemisphere. Manxies are special birds for me. Working on ships, Ive seen them in locations from Tierra del Fuego to the Isle of Rum. Most memorably, as a young novice birder, I made a pilgrimage to Dungeness, Kent. I came across three men lying on their backs facing the 21 miles of sea to the coast of France. Legs outstretched, two had naked right feet, their toes supporting long brass telescopes. Arctic skua left, Manx shearwater right, one called to another who took notes. I looked through my binoculars and saw nothing. I gradually realised they werent having me on the birds were there. And Id witnessed for the first time the fanaticism of sea watchers and the mysterious world they observe. I knew one day I would join their ranks. As for the shearwaters, their arrival home was right on time, and very welcome they were too. Under the Changing Skies: The Best of the Guardians Country Diary, 2018-2024, is available now at guardianbookshop.com A judge said a pro-Palestine group attempted to prosecute a dual British-Israeli national who served in the IDF for the advancement of a political and ideological agenda - Jalaa Marey/AFP A judge has thrown out a politically motivated attempt to bring a private prosecution against a British-Israeli soldier using Victorian-era law. The International Centre of Justice for Palestinians (ICJP) had tried to get the Westminster magistrates court to issue a summons to begin a prosecution against the dual British-Israeli national who served in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). The group invoked the Foreign Enlistment Act 1870 (FEA), which was enacted in the Victorian era to prevent British nationals from being deployed as mercenaries abroad. But the court heard that the FEA, as interpreted, does not apply to a dual national serving in the armed forces of his other country. Successive UK governments have also said the FEA does not apply to British citizens serving in the IDF. The man broke off a short visit to Britain and returned to Israel to rejoin his army unit as a reservist the day after the Oct 7 attacks, which killed more than 1,200 Jewish people. Israeli citizens are obliged to do national service or join the IDF for a time and are automatically enrolled in the reserve forces. Paul Goldspring, the senior district judge, dismissed the attempt to prosecute the soldier, describing the ICJPs application as an abuse of the process of the court, driven by an improper motive and facilitated by serious breaches of the duty of candour. Judge Paul Goldspring concluded that ICJPs use of the criminal courts as a platform for political posturing was an abuse of process - NIklas Halle'n/Avalon He said it was also legally flawed, evidentially deficient and procedurally defective, with the aim not being justice for a criminal act but advancement of a political and ideological agenda. The judge concluded that ICJPs use of the criminal courts as a platform for political posturing was an abuse of process. Judge Goldspring also criticised Bindmans, the law firm acting for the ICJP, and its expert witness, Dr Mandy Turner. The case was heard in private at Westminster magistrates court on March 12, and the judgment was released on Friday. The ICJP, which claimed it had gathered evidence against more than 10 British citizens, argued that the term British subject now means any Commonwealth citizen. However, the court dismissed this as an absurd overreach that would criminalise, for example, Indian or Pakistani Commonwealth citizens enlisting in their own national armies. The judge also found profound and serious breaches of the duty of candour owed by a private prosecutor, including the ICJP failing to disclose its close connection with Bindmans, and the law firms senior partner, Tayab Ali, being a director of the ICJP. Failure to disclose links Sir Geoffrey Bindman, the founder of Bindmans LLP, held a role on the Advisory Board of ICJP until his recent death. Judge Goldspring said: Failing to disclose these links is a serious breach of the duty owed to the court. The judge also stated in his ruling: Dr Turners involvement in an ICJP WhatsApp group, combined with her public statements and social media activity, reveals her to be a campaigner and activist committed to the political agenda pursued by this prosecution, rather than an independent expert. The court heard that ICJP had withheld information from the court and failed to disclose accurately the UK governments position on dual-national British-Israelis to serve in the IDF. A spokesman for UK Lawyers for Israel said: This judgment provides important reassurance for British-Israeli nationals who serve in the IDF, particularly reservists who return to duty in times of crisis. The court has made clear that such individuals are not to be treated as having unlawfully enlisted in the armed forces of a foreign state. It also sends a strong message that misuse of the criminal law to advance a political agenda will not be countenanced by English courts. An ICJP spokesman stated: This case was brought to test whether existing UK law can be used to ensure accountability where individuals participate in foreign military activity in circumstances that raise serious legal and ethical concerns. While the Court has taken a narrow view of the legislation and the role of the courts in this area, the underlying issue remains unresolved: whether there is, in practice, any meaningful legal mechanism to scrutinise such conduct. ICJP will continue to pursue accountability through lawful and appropriate means. Bindmans has been contacted for comment. Helena Zamirska spent her last years at the residential home A residential care home for former members of the Polish forces who served under British command during the Second World War is under threat of closure. Families of veterans being cared for at Ilford Park Polish Home in Stover, Devon, said such a move by Sir Keir Starmers Government would cause a deep sense of betrayal. A Polish flag flies at the home that Britain built to show gratitude to its allies The home was established under the momentum of Sir Winston Churchill, the wartime leader who in a speech in the Commons deemed Polish combatants special for their contribution and said that Britain would never forget the debt they owe to the Polish troops who have served them so valiantly. This led to 45 resettlement camps being set up across Britain, including Ilford Park, under the Polish Resettlement Act, which was passed in 1947. The Act became known as the Winston Churchill promise. Many of the camps evolved from their original purpose, a staging post for veterans and their dependants to resettle elsewhere. Ilford Park is the last remaining of these. Czesaw Siegieda, whose mother Helena spent her final years at Ilford Park, from 2012 until she died aged 93 in 2016, said the proposal to close the Newton Abbot site was devastating. The scheme to shut the Ministry of Defence (MoD) facility by 2028, and move residents elsewhere, is currently under consultation. Mr Siegieda said: All residents moved to other care homes would likely feel a deep sense of betrayal by the British government, and suffer mental and emotional damage as a result. Polish soldiers who fought in Italy with the British arriving at Southampton in 1943 - Popperfoto It happened once before to my parents generation, he said, citing the 1945 Yalta Conference when Poland was handed to the Soviets despite their contributions to Allied efforts. He added: Ejection from their home at Ilford Park would revive bitter memories. The late Mrs Siegieda was born in Kresy, eastern Poland, and was deported to Siberia after the Soviets annexed Polish territory in the east of the country, as part of the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact with Nazi Germany. The pact led to the deportation of more than a million Polish people. It was abandoned following the invasion of the Soviet Union by the Nazis in June 1941. Mrs Siegieda then travelled from Siberia to the Middle East, India and Uganda and settled in Leicestershire after the war after the exiled Polish government in London helped negotiate the release of hundreds of thousands of labour camp prisoners. She qualified to live at the care home, known locally as Little Poland, as her father, Mieczysaw, had served under British command as an artilleryman in the 3rd Carpathian Rifle Division. For my mother, this was heaven on earth, Mr Siegieda added. The number of residents has fallen to just 40, while the facility was built for more than twice that In 1992, a purpose-built care home was created on part of the site and was registered with the Care Quality Commission to house up to 95 residents, although it currently houses just 40. There are Polish-speaking care workers on site, along with a Polish priest, and Polish food is served to residents while Polish holidays and events are celebrated. The MoD has pledged to rehouse residents should the homes closure be approved. Piotr Lender, who was born in the Belarusian part of Poland, moved to Ilford Park six years ago after his wife died and he struggled to be independent. When I came here, it was full up, he said. There was someone living in every room. But we lost a lot of people during Covid. And now nobody is coming. Piotr Lender moved to Ilford Park six years ago, after his wife passed away Its a shame because its a really nice place. Its perfectly run and Im very happy. They promise there will be more advertising of the home within the Polish communities. But will it help? I dont know. Mr Lender believes English veterans should now also be able to live in the home if they have fought for Britain or escaped political persecution. Places are also available for spouses or children. Several current residents were earlier this month awarded the Siberian Exiles Cross, a Polish medal recognising those who suffered under Russian deportations. The ceremony took place at the home. A cake to mark a ceremony earlier this month at which Poles who served under British command were honoured Claire Thomson, the recently retired manager of Ilford Park, who worked there for 33 years, said: A lot of people view a care home as the final stage in life. Thats not how we feel. Its vibrant. Its where people make new connections or rediscover old wartime connections. What they went through in the war, the loss of identity and uprooting, has had a profound impact on them. An MoD spokesman said: The Ilford Park Polish Home remains open and we are trying to increase residency at the site, in line with Churchills Promise. The consultation is part of prudent planning, given that sadly, with the passage of time, numbers of occupants will inevitably fall. It is right that this public consultation happens now so we can involve stakeholders and take into account their views on future care. The MoD has the deepest respect and gratitude for the Polish veterans and their families who have made Ilford Park their home, and we are fully committed to ensuring their welfare and dignity. The consultation will conclude on June 6. Samantha Niblett MP is behind the Yes Sex Please, Were British campaign - Belinda Jiao Samantha Niblett MP is keen to tell me that she pleasures herself to videos of real people having real, messy sex. She is 46 and in perimenopause, which has been a bit of a kicker for the libido, but she started taking hormone replacement therapy (HRT) a year ago, and things are now improving in that department. Im not some flamboyant person whos at it like rabbits all the time, she insists. But Id like to be. Ive just got a bit too much on my plate. Thats one way to put it. Its Thursday night and Niblett has had a chaotic week. On Monday she launched Yes Sex Please, Were British, her campaign for lifelong sex education to be delivered to everyone in Britain. She is working in collaboration with Cindy Gallop, the entrepreneur behind MakeLoveNotPorn, an adult video platform that positions itself as an alternative to hardcore pornography sites. Niblett has said she hopes to set up a sex-toy exhibition in Parliament as part of her efforts. This raunchy spectacle would be part of Nibletts summer of sex, during which shell spend months consulting different sex experts and sexual health organisations, all culminating in a Westminster Hall debate on how sex education could be improved and delivered in Britain. It would be a public-health measure masturbation can relieve menstrual cramps and also help prevent prostate cancer, she was recently told at a meeting with a sex-toy company and it would also help people understand sexual consent. The debate will take place in the early autumn, she hopes, and she says shes secured support from MPs of different parties. But not all MPs share her enthusiasm about such a public approach to sex. At Prime Ministers Questions on Wednesday, Kemi Badenoch said that the campaign brought a new meaning to fiddling while Rome burns. More than one Labour MP has publicly criticised the campaign as over-the-top or inappropriate, and privately, some of Nibletts colleagues are upset about the prospect of being asked in media interviews whether they use sex toys themselves as a result of her efforts. My daughter [Lillian, 18] rang me earlier and said, Oh, mum, they called you Samantha dildo Niblett on the radio. Its a bit ridiculous. But that also is a great thing about being British, right? Laughing at ourselves. And Im very good at laughing about myself. Niblett says she has always been fascinated by sex - Belinda Jiao Niblett is very down to earth. She is energetic, with neatly coiffed peroxide blonde hair. She runs around Parliament in black jeans and knee-high boots with a can of full-fat Coke in hand, and before she poses for photos, she fishes around in her handbag for red lipstick, so as not to be caught wearing something dull. She has a strongish East Midlands accent, and long acrylic nails, which click-clack as she replies to comments under her Instagram posts (one calling her a pervert earns the block button). As a politician, she is unpretentious, but she can put on posh very well when she needs to so well that Lillians friends compare Niblett to sex therapist Gillian Andersons character Jean Milburn from Netflixs Sex Education. Shes happy with the comparison. This is a woman who has always been fascinated by sex. Born Samantha Doherty, she grew up in Nottinghamshire, where her father Jim Doherty was a local policeman, but I dont talk about him very much. He and her mother split up when Nibblet was 10, after which she lived with her mother, who struggled with bipolar disorder and was sectioned when Niblett was 11. Her teenage years were hard she left home at 17, and moved half a dozen times during her A Levels. I had to become an adult too quickly, she explains, but Ive never not felt loved. She came to politics late, after a career in sales and technology (she is the founder of Labours Women in Tech network). It was in my 30s, really, that I got interested, because I hated Brexit, and she joined Labour because of the welfare state and the NHS, the two things Im most proud of this country for, to help people back on their feet. Lillian arrived in her life before the Labour Party did, when Niblett was 27. She dedicated her maiden speech in Parliament to her daughter. Friends compare Niblett to Gillian Andersons character in Sex Education - Belinda Jiao Niblett is no longer with Lillians father, though she does have a partner, a man she met quite recently. She doesnt talk about him publicly in part because she enjoys being a bit of an enigma. Parliament is not a sexy place to work and she does not have eyes for any of her colleagues. I cant honestly say I look at any of my colleagues and think of them in that way. All these affairs and stuff that are supposed to go on between MPs, Im like nope, thank you very much. Though shes keen to spread the good word about the joys of sex, Nibletts own experiences have not always been positive. I have had the best sex with people who are really, really confident. But the really, really confident ones have been the ones that Ive had a bit of a row [with], she says. It can feel horrible when sex is slightly oppressive, or somebody does something you dont want to do, or touches you even in the slightest way. Its so subtle. Ive always just thought that the greatest bleach is sunlight, isnt it? And if you cant talk about good sex, how can we ever talk about bad sex? This, she says, is the point of her summer of sex campaign, and why she has been so open about her sex life this week. For every MP offering criticism, there has been one standing in staunch support for the serious message, she insists, which is that violence against women and girls in Britain needs to be tackled with a fresh, stigma-busting approach. Theres a huge amount that can be done with the government telling you what not to do, Niblett says, but wheres the conversation saying what you should do? So many sexual-assault perpetrators are monsters, they flourish where theres shame and darkness. And so we thought, if we can get rid of shame and drag stuff into the light, its so much harder for people to use sex as a weapon. Niblett knew before she was elected that she wanted to push the issue of sex education, but none of this would be happening without advertising magnate Cindy Gallop, who Niblett first met long before she was an MP, at an event about investment in female-founded technology companies. We were hearing these utter horror stories about the manosphere already, but suddenly it was becoming mainstream, says Niblett. I asked her, well, what can I do using my platform as a member of Parliament? I thought if I can get a debate on lifelong sex education, that would be a great start. Gallop is 66. Niblett is hoping to bring her along to the Governments summit on men and boys later this year, even though Gallop previously told The Telegraph that she recreationally sleeps with lots of men in their 20s. Isnt that a bit objectifying? The key difference is that informed consent and communication is absolutely everything to Cindy, says Niblett. She spends a lot of time telling [her younger partners] that theyre beautiful, because nobody tells them that. She does it for her pleasure, but shes also educating and empowering the boys. Im not quite sure thats the same dynamic with an older man and younger woman. And what about the criticism from Nibletts Labour colleague Tonia Antoniazzi, who implied that for a male MP to talk about sex in this way would be appalling? Im not a man, and actually, the reason it is probably landing and I dont seem threatening is because you wont find me perpetrating violence against a woman during sex, Niblett retorts. Although she enjoys porn, she avoids material that shows women in degrading positions. There are all sorts of things that Ive watched which are just horrific... I find it really hard to imagine that any woman gets turned on by that. It always just looks a little bit derogatory, it just looks like its a power imbalance. She backed Labours ban on strangulation porn, because in real life that would be assault, but one thing I will not do is kink shame, she says. Even the strangulation thing, if it does turn [you] on and you have a greater orgasm for it, then that is fine. The challenge has become that people [see it in porn and] assume its the norm. Some people have a certain idea of what it means to be an MP and are a bit miffed with me for this campaign - Belinda Jiao Is this really the time for MPs to be talking about sex so openly? It was only a few years ago, in 2022, that an MP was caught watching porn in the House of Commons. In 2023, Tory MP Crispin Blunt was arrested on suspicion of rape (the investigation was dropped by police in 2025), and he recently admitted to attending chemsex parties while in office. Then theres the matter of Lord Mandelsons close friendship with Jeffrey Epstein. Niblett previously called Mandelson a cretin because of his relationship with the paedophile financier. Unlike Sir Keir Starmer, who appointed Mandelson as US ambassador in late 2024, Niblett chose to steer well clear of him. I had the opportunity to have a fundraiser with Peter Mandelson before I got elected [in 2024], within the East Midlands. When I heard that hed just been linked to Epstein, I just went, no thank you. I dont like the guy. I dont care if he could raise me loads of money. Perhaps if sex were not such a taboo, Mandelson would have been called out for his ties to a monster sooner, and other politicians would not have aligned themselves with him. My campaign is for there to be no more open secrets. On Wednesday, Downing Street appeared to distance itself from Nibletts summer of sex campaign. I have spoken to the Prime Minister and his wife about it this week, and whilst the Labour Party cannot always publicly say what it supports, I do not get a sense that they are shocked by my campaign, prudish about my campaign, she says. You know, theyve got two young teenage children as well, that they dont want to grow up in a world where theyre not learning about the right way to engage with sex. So I definitely didnt get a negative vibe from them. She hopes that her sex toy exhibit will take place in July, and that Gillian Anderson will come along that would be absolutely amazing. In the meantime, shell be walking around Parliament with her head held high. If theres one thing thats been said to me on repeat this week, its that this is so refreshing. Some people have a certain idea of what it means to be an MP and are a bit miffed with me for this campaign, but others are grateful that were having the conversation, because I dare to. Thats okay with me. I didnt get into politics to just fit in with a mould that the nation hates. Soldiers with a Bambu Lab 3D printer and drones produced in the field - British Army The Defence Secretary has ordered an investigation after The Telegraph revealed that the British Army was using Chinese 3D printers to build weapons. Last year, it was revealed that British troops were taking the technology with them into the field and using it to make suicide drones for attack missions, despite national security concerns. Army officers said at the time that they wanted to train whole platoons to use the Bambu Lab 3D printers, which would enable them to be armed with a virtually endless supply of weapons. A Bambu Lab 3D printer and drones produced on it - British Army But security experts said Britain might as well hand China the keys to the back door of our security systems, and accused ministers of using Chinese-made technology to save money despite security fears. They said defence chiefs had not learnt lessons after Huawei, the Chinese tech giant, was banned from the UKs 5G network over security concerns. It has now emerged that following The Telegraphs article, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) launched an internal investigation into cloud-based 3D-printing technology. Luke Pollard, a defence minister, disclosed the review had been launched in response to a question from Sir Iain Duncan Smith, a Conservative China hawk - Jim Wileman Luke Pollard, a defence minister, confirmed last week that a cyber assessment was under way to evaluate the risks and security requirements associated with any future adoption of such technologies. The review was launched in December 2025, a month after The Telegraph published its article. Officials at the MoD are seeking to speed up the adoption of 3D printing within the defence supply chain, The Telegraph understands. But the investigation has been launched to ensure any products used are secure, and that the end-to-end digital chain is understood and risk-managed. Questions over security concerns Mr Pollard disclosed the existence of the review in response to a parliamentary question from Sir Iain Duncan Smith, the Tory MP and prominent China hawk. Sir Iain asked whether any MoD officials raised security concerns before the procurement and implementation of Bambu Lab 3D printers for use in critical drone production. He also asked what due diligence the MoD undertook before adopting its cloud-based 3D-printing technology, and what steps were being taken to ensure that data relating to UK defence capabilities are adequately protected. In response, Mr Pollard said his department maintains rigorous security procedures to ensure the protection of all sensitive information and capabilities. He said that Bambu Lab 3D printers were used within the MoD as part of limited trial and experimentation activity. A drone in the process of being printed on a Bambu Lab 3D printer - British Army Mr Pollard also said the printers were not connected to the defence network, nor are they employed to manufacture sensitive components, adding that the MoD does not currently use any cloud-based 3D-printing services. He added that the potential opportunities of cloud-based 3D-printing technology would also be explored as part of the review, which is expected to be completed later this year. Last November, The Telegraph revealed that British troops had used portable 3D printers manufactured by Bambu Lab during a military exercise in Kenya. They used the technology to make first-person view (FPV) suicide drones in the field and deploy them on attack missions. Maj Stephen Watts, Officer Commanding F Company, 3rd Battalion, The Rifles Regiment, said the weapons proved their worth and added that he would like to have tens, if not hundreds, of self-built FPVs flying, which will make the formation extremely lethal. Speaking to Soldier, the Armys official magazine, he said: Imagine if we had whole platoons trained to use these weapons on operations, armed with a virtually endless supply of them. That would increase the Armys fighting power many times over. We only used our self-made platforms sparingly but they are potent, flying at 190mph for three-and-a-half minutes, which means they can cover 15 miles and are very hard to intercept. Xi Jinpings government has access to data from Chinas 3D printing industry - Lintao Zhang/Getty Images The Chinese government has classified 3D printing as a strategic industry, meaning substantial state subsidies are available for companies. Under Chinas National Intelligence Law, passed in 2017, companies can be compelled to share data with the Beijing government, including filenames, timestamps and machine logs. The MoD declined to comment, but previously said: Protecting national security is the foundation of everything we do. We have strict security procedures in place to ensure all sensitive information is protected. A photo of A social media "finfluencer" who promised followers financial freedom through real estate investing is heading to prison after orchestrating a multimillion-dollar Ponzi scheme. Tyler Bossetti, a 31-year-old from Columbus, Ohio, was sentenced to six years (1) on April 10 by U.S. District Judge Algenon L. Marbley. Must Read The sentencing took place in Columbus after Bossetti pleaded guilty in June 2025 to wire fraud and aiding in the filing of false tax documents. According to prosecutors, Bossetti ran his "Boss Lifestyle" investment scheme from roughly 2019 through 2023, raising more than $23 million from investors across the U.S. and internationally. Altogether, victims suffered losses exceeding $11 million. Bossetti is also ordered to pay more than $12.5 million in restitution (2). Many victims may never fully recover the financial or emotional damages. Bossetti promised of wealth and "risk-free" returns According to the court documents, Bossetti claimed investors could earn returns of 30% or more through short-term real estate deals, Realtor.com reported (3). Investors were given promissory notes that allegedly guaranteed returns and suggested their investments were secured by real estate assets. But prosecutors say those claims were false. According to Realtor.com, Bossetti admitted that he was not using investor funds as promised and that the business could not generate enough profit to meet the obligations he had made. Instead, he used money from new investors to pay earlier ones, a hallmark of a Ponzi scheme. Rather than investing funds into legitimate projects, Bossetti diverted money for personal use. He paid for a downtown Columbus condo, frequent travel and a $150,000 Mercedes-Benz SUV with the funds. He also funneled money into unauthorized cryptocurrency investments, many of which resulted in significant losses. In addition, prosecutors say Bossetti filed false tax forms, reporting interest income for investors who had not actually earned any, further deepening the fraud. The scheme began to unravel as financial pressures mounted, and investors sought to withdraw funds. Advertisement Read More: Almost 50 with no retirement savings? Heres why you shouldnt panic Victims describe life-altering losses At the sentencing, victims shared how the scheme devastated their finances and sense of security, according to the Columbus Dispatch (4). One investor reportedly said his family including a firefighter and a retired police officer lost their savings and now lives in constant fear of bankruptcy. Another victim described how the losses compounded an already difficult time, as his wife was undergoing cancer treatment. "He didn't just steal the money he turned our lives upside down," the victim reportedly said in court. The judge overseeing the case noted that Bossetti likely believed he could stay ahead of the scheme indefinitely until he got caught. The rise of 'finfluencers' and the risks of relying on them for financial advice Cases like this highlight a growing concern regarding the influence of financial advice on social media. So-called "finfluencers" have built massive audiences by offering tips on investing, real estate and wealth-building. But unlike licensed professionals, many are not regulated or vetted. According to a 2024 Charles Schwab survey, 38% of Gen Z investors (5) turn to YouTube for financial advice, while 33% rely on TikTok. That creates a risky environment where legitimate insights and dangerous misinformation coexist. Financial advisers warn that acting on unverified advice can have serious consequences. "Never make big decisions like that on an impulse," one adviser told Realtor.com. "I tell my clients to never buy or invest in anything without at least throwing the idea off of me and letting us see what the data shows." How to avoid a Ponzi scheme Ponzi schemes often appear sophisticated, but they tend to share common warning signs. Knowing what to look for can help protect your money. Be skeptical of high, guaranteed returns . Promises of consistently high returns (6) are a major red flag. All investments carry risk, and no legitimate opportunity can guarantee profits. Watch for pressure to invest quickly .. Scammers often create urgency, pushing investors to act before they've had time to research. A legitimate investment will stand up to scrutiny. Verify the investment and the person . Check whether the individual is licensed and whether the investment is registered with regulators (7). Don't rely solely on social media profiles or testimonials. Understand how returns are generated . If the explanation is vague, overly complex or doesn't make sense, walk away. You should be able to clearly understand how your money will be used. Consult a professional. Speak with a trusted financial advisor who can review the opportunity objectively. In an era in which financial advice is easily available, taking the time to verify before you invest could be the difference between building wealth and losing it. What To Read Next Join 250,000+ readers and get Moneywises best stories and exclusive interviews first clear insights curated and delivered weekly. Subscribe now. Article Sources We rely only on vetted sources and credible third-party reporting. For details, see our ethics and guidelines. U.S. Department of Justice (1); Columbus Dispatch (2),(4); Realtor.com (3); Charles Schwab (5); U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (6); North American Securities Administrators Association (7) This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind. Jamie Dimon visits Despite or maybe because of volatile markets and increasing consumer costs, recent quarterly earnings reports from big banks show the banks are doing well (1). But JPMorgan Chase [NYSE:JPM], at least, is still preparing for a possible recession. During JPMorgan's 1Q26 quarterly earnings call, chairman and CEO Jamie Dimon declined to predict whether the U.S. was heading for a recession (2). But he did say that, whenever the next credit cycle hits, he thinks "it'll be worse than people expect." Must Read Here's why JPMorgan is preparing, along with other takeaways from the big banks' 1Q26 earnings reports. Volatile markets are good for big bank trading Many of the big banks are reporting high profits this quarter. Citigroup's net income, for example, is up 42% (3), while Morgan Stanley's net income is up more than $1 billion, from $4.3 billion in 1Q25 to $5.6 billion in 1Q26 (4). One factor that can explain why profits are up is the same market volatility that's causing gas and grocery prices to skyrocket, as banks can make money from market volatility through trading. The combined trading revenue of JPMorgan, Citigroup, Wells Fargo, Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley and Bank of America was around $45 billion for 1Q26, according to the Wall Street Journal (1). Comparatively, their combined trading revenue was just over $30 billion last quarter (4Q25), and under $40 billion in 1Q25. Trading wasn't the only area where banks saw revenue increases, as many of the banks saw double-digit growth from wealth management. Goldman Sachs credited their 12% increased global wealth and investment management revenue (5) to "higher asset management fees, up 15% to $4.2 billion, reflecting higher market valuations and strong assets under management flows." This essentially means the bank is managing more high-quality assets than it was before. JPMorgan is preparing for the next recession to be worse than average One of the topics that Dimon discussed is a credit cycle, which is the idea that credit goes through expansion and contraction cycles (6). During expansion, more people are taking out loans or other forms of credit, and those loans are good quality people are less likely to be delinquent with their payments. During contraction, fewer people are taking loans and more people are falling behind. Advertisement Read More: Almost 50 with no retirement savings? Heres why you shouldnt panic Contractions in a credit cycle are often (but not always) tied to recessions. They're also worse for the banks' bottom lines. Dimon, however, doesn't explicitly say that he thinks a recession is coming in the quarterly earnings call. "I'm not forecasting anything," Dimon said (2). "I'm simply saying, for JP Morgan, we have to be prepared for a recession, and that you could have stagflation. Obviously, if you have stagflation and higher rates for longer and credit spreads gap out, that will put a lot of stress and strain on leveraged companies as they refinance." In a recent chairman letter (7), Dimon says he thinks the next credit cycle will be worse because credit standards have been weakening "across the board." He also says that private credit isn't very transparent, which means people will sell based on predictions rather than actual losses. How you can prepare your wallet for a potential recession Dimon says it's hard to predict which industry will be hit the hardest by a recession. This means that predicting whether a specific company or set of companies in your portfolio will tank, leaving a significant hole in your investments, is rather difficult. The best way to prepare for the unpredictable is through diversifying your investment portfolio. That way, your bottom line will stay relatively stable even if an industry you're invested in takes a big hit. More and more companies are conducting large layoffs (8), and a possible recession could make it even harder to find your next job if you're impacted. The common advice is to save three-to-six months of expenses in your emergency fund, but it might be a good idea to save even more if you're worried about high unemployment rates. This is especially true if you work in an industry that's currently seeing a lot of layoffs, such as software engineering. What To Read Next Join 250,000+ readers and get Moneywises best stories and exclusive interviews first clear insights curated and delivered weekly. Subscribe now. Article Sources We rely only on vetted sources and credible third-party reporting. For details, see our ethics and guidelines. The Wall Street Journal (1),(8); JPMorgan Chase (2),(7); Citigroup (3); Morgan Stanley (4); Bank of America (5); Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (6). This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind. by Nirmala Carvalho A rare defeat for Modi in Parliament: Bill to reserve 33% of Lok Sabha seats for women in the 2029 elections rejected. The opposition, led by Rahul Gandhi, rejected the bill, denouncing gerrymandering: the increase in seats to 850 and the redrawing of constituencies based on 2011 census data would have favoured the North at the expense of southern states.Delhi: The constitutional amendment on women and political manoeuvring New Delhi (AsiaNews) - The law on quotas reserved for women passed in 2023 (known as the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam) is historic because it reserves one third (33%) of seats for women in the Lok Sabha the lower house of the Indian Parliament. Yesterday, however, a new constitutional bill aimed at accelerating the implementation of quotas for the 2029 elections was rejected. The bill failed to secure the required two-thirds majority, receiving 298 votes in favour and 230 against; a qualified majority of 352 was needed. The 2026 bill (131st Amendment), which was rejected, sought to decouple the quotas from the 2026 census requirement and to use the 2011 census data for immediate implementation. It also proposed expanding the total composition of the Lok Sabha from 543 to 850 seats. The Leader of the Opposition (LoP), Rahul Gandhi, led Modis rare defeat on the bill proposed by the Indian government. Together with Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. K. Stalin, the opposition rejected the plan, arguing that it was a form of mathematical gerrymandering a label proposed by Gandhi and other figures that is, the fraudulent manipulation of constituency boundaries to unfairly favour northern states over southern ones due to differences in population growth. The central government has sought to fast-track the introduction of the 33% quota for the 2029 general elections through a package of three bills, specifically the bill in question, which proposed three radical changes. Firstly, decoupling from the 2026 census, to remove the requirement to refer to the first census conducted after 2026. Secondly, the use of data from the 2011 census, proposing an immediate delimitation (redrawing of boundaries) based on that years data. And thirdly, the expansion of the Lok Sabha, providing for the total number of seats to rise from 543 to 850, with approximately 273283 seats reserved for women (one third). The crux of the oppositions resistance centres on the fear that the quotas reserved for women will be used as a smokescreen for a massive redrawing of the electoral map. Opposition leaders and southern state governments argue that a redrawing based on current demographic trends would unfairly favour northern states with higher growth, such as Uttar Pradesh, whilst penalising southern states like Tamil Nadu and Kerala, which have successfully implemented population control. They argue that the redrawing of constituency boundaries is a power grab aimed at creating a structural bias in favour of the strongholds of the ruling party, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The opposition has viewed the bill (131st Amendment) as a deceptive attempt to exploit womens empowerment; a smokescreen to push through a fundamental redrawing of the electoral map, without a new census or public consent. by Gregory To mark the New Year, Min Aung Hlaing has granted pardons to over 4,500 prisoners, including former President Win Myint and documentary filmmaker Shin Daewe. Only a minor reduction in sentence for Aung San Suu Kyi. A political charade to legitimise the junta following the sham elections. Whilst Yangon celebrates, the army continues to target civilians with air raids. Yangon (AsiaNews) - Yesterday, as Myanmar celebrated its traditional New Year, the newly installed President Min Aung Hlaing granted a broad amnesty to over 4,500 prisoners a pardon granted to coincide with the Thingyan festival, which human rights groups and analysts were quick to condemn as a political charade rather than a genuine act of clemency. Although the pardon included two high-profile political prisoners, the vast majority of political prisoners remain behind bars and the regimes military forces continued to shell civilians across the country during the festive period. Two high-profile releases amid mass incarceration The most prominent name among those released is that of former President Win Myint, a staunch supporter of the still-detained Aung San Suu Kyi. Arrested on the very morning of the military coup on 1 February 2021, Win Myint spent more than five years in prison under the junta, a decision widely condemned by the international community as being motivated purely by political reasons. After being held in Taungoo prison, he was reunited with his family in Naypyitaw yesterday. Award-winning documentary filmmaker Shin Daewe has also been released; her case had drawn international condemnation as emblematic of the military juntas brutal repression of press freedom. She was arrested in 2023 and, in January 2024, was sentenced to life imprisonment under anti-terrorism laws: a charge based on the fact that she had ordered a video drone online for use in her work as a documentary filmmaker. Reporters Without Borders described her sentence as the harshest imposed on a journalist since the coup. The sentence was subsequently commuted to 15 years prior to her release yesterday from Insein Prison in Yangon. Speaking to the press outside the prison gates, Shin Daewe shared the bittersweet nature of her freedom. Although I have been lucky, my unfortunate friends remain there in tears. Even though I am returning to my family, I return with tears in my eyes. Her words captured the fundamental contradiction of the amnesty: individual releases were celebrated against the backdrop of mass detention that continues unabated. SanSuu Kyi excluded: insignificant sentence reduction Notably absent from the amnesty is the 80-year-old former State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi, Nobel Peace Prize laureate, who remains the quintessential symbol of democratic resistance in Myanmar. State media announced that her sentence stemming from several convictions on charges widely regarded as politically fabricated has been reduced only nominally, leaving her with over 22 years still to serve. She is reportedly to be transferred from prison to house arrest, a move analysts view as a token concession rather than a significant step towards freedom or a political solution. The amnesty comes just a week after Min Aung Hlaing was sworn in as president following an election which, according to critics, was neither free nor fair seen as an operation aimed at maintaining the military juntas iron grip on power. A calculated move, according to human rights organisations State media announced that pardons had been granted to 4,335 Burmese citizens and 179 foreign detainees. However, human rights organisations and independent analysts were quick to put these figures into context. The Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP) has pointed out that the amnesty has affected only a tiny fraction of the approximately 14,000 or more political prisoners still languishing in the juntas prisons. A think tank, the Institute for Strategy and Policy Myanmar, has previously documented that less than 14% of those released in successive waves of post-coup amnesties were political prisoners, and that many of those pardoned were already nearing the end of their sentences. The timing of the amnesty has attracted particular attention. Min Aung Hlaing was sworn in as president just a week ago, following an election process orchestrated by the military that took place from late 2025 through to January 2026. Aung San Suu Kyis National League for Democracy was dissolved and barred from participating; criticism of the elections was criminalised; and no voting took place in areas controlled by the resistance. Analysts widely describe the amnesty as a calculated effort to project a facade of civilian normality and secure renewed international engagement, ahead of what the junta hopes will be a diplomatic rehabilitation. Bombs fall as families flee Whilst the regimes state media broadcast images of Thingyan water festival celebrations in Naypyitaw and Yangon, a diametrically opposite reality was unfolding across vast swathes of the country. In Yinmabin Township, Sagaing Region, the army deployed helicopters to drop bombs on villages during the festive period. At least one civilian was killed a 14-year-old girl and two members of her family were injured. According to local sources cited by Myanmar Now, more than 10,000 residents were displaced as military columns advanced from the north and south, forcing entire communities to abandon their homes and take refuge in the surrounding forests and farmland. The assault was part of a coordinated air and ground offensive in Yinmabin, where fighting has intensified since February 2026, when a local resistance commander reportedly defected to the army. Since then, the junta has reinforced its presence in the area with hundreds of additional soldiers, stepping up both ground operations and air raids, presumably in an attempt to cut off the resistances supply and communication lines across central Myanmar. Among the places hit were monasteries and schools, traditional places of refuge during the Buddhist New Year. According to reports by MoeMaKa News, in Shwebo Township, Sagaing Region, air raids on the eve of Thingyan struck a monastery in the village of Seik Hkun, killing two novices and wounding eight others. Residents reported that there were no armed resistance groups present in the targeted villages. Karen State, Bago, Mandalay: no respite from violence Violence during the festivities extended far beyond Sagaing. On 15 April, in the midst of the Thingyan water festival, the regimes air raids struck the village of Kae Bar in Lu Thaw Township, Papun District, in Karen State. The attack killed four villagers, injured more than a dozen, and reduced the entire village to ashes, according to local sources and resistance groups. In Nattalin Township, Bago Region, junta forces reportedly razed an entire village to the ground on Sunday 13 April, just days after air raids had killed at least two people in neighbouring villages. Reports of similar destruction have emerged from the Mandalay region, adding to a series of scorched-earth tactics that human rights organisations have repeatedly documented across the country. A New Year without peace Against the backdrop of the regimes offensives, resistance forces also took advantage of the Thingyan period to gain military ground. According to resistance sources, over the festive weekend the Karen National Union (KNU) and allied groups captured the regimes Lay Kay base in Mon State. In Chin State, on 14 April, fighters captured a Burmese army outpost near the town of Falam, further highlighting the scope of the armed movement across multiple theatres of conflict. For ordinary citizens of Myanmar, this Thingyan offered neither celebrations nor respite. Families who once gathered at pagodas and monasteries to celebrate the Buddhist New Year were instead forced to flee aerial bombardments, taking refuge in the bush as the sounds of aircraft and artillery replaced the traditional water-splashing festivities. For the tens of thousands of displaced people across Sagaing, Karen State, Bago and Mandalay, the amnesty announced in Naypyitaw meant very little. Whilst Min Aung Hlaing consolidates his grip on power through a carefully crafted civilian facade, the gulf between the juntas public relations narrative and the reality experienced by the people of Myanmar has never been so stark. Win Myint is free, but the civil war, now in its sixth year, continues unabated. by Mathias Hariyadi An Italian priest of the Oblates of Mary Immaculate, who died aged 83 in North Kalimantan, he dedicated almost 50 years to the local people, even taking the name Wan Abung. He used to say: My mission is to cherish the history and the places of the people I serve, gathering the seeds of the Word already present and sowing further seeds of truth to contribute to human growth. Jakarta (AsiaNews) The Catholic community in Indonesia has recently bid farewell to another great missionary. Thousands of Dayak people in North Kalimantan were moved to tears by the news of the death of Fr Wan Ibung Natalino Belingheri, an Italian missionary of the Oblates of Mary Immaculate, who passed away in Tarakan on 10 April. The Dayak people mourn a figure who had become deeply intertwined with their lives, culture and journey of faith over the decades. Fr. Natalino was the last surviving member of the first group of seven Italian OMI missionaries to arrive here. Fr. Dino Tessari remains, having arrived later in the 1980s, comments Fr. Andri Atmok, former provincial for Indonesia and current parish priest of Tarakan. For the Dayak community, Fr Natalino as he was affectionately known was a father who did not remain aloof, but lived alongside the people. He had embraced a simple life from the very beginning, immersing himself in local customs and loving the community with all his heart. He had even adopted the Dayak name Wan Abung as part of his new official Indonesian identity. He was also one of the pioneers who laid the foundations for the establishment in 2001 of the Diocese of Tanjung Selor, today the face of the Catholic Church in North Kalimantan. For me, he used to say, the mission is fulfilled by being with the people, coming into contact with their customs, their ways of thinking about life and the world. Mission is the proclamation of the good news, beginning with the missionarys effort to become inculturated, to value the history and places of the people he serves, gathering the seeds of the Word already present and offering other seeds of truth to contribute to the human and religious growth of the people in accordance with the Gospel. I notice this precisely by being in contact with my people: I enjoy chatting with the village elders, drawing on their wisdom and then discovering that this is a prerequisite for welcoming that of the Gospel, which takes nothing away from the original richness, but helps people grow in the truth. From Laos to the interior of Kalimantan Fr. Natalinos missionary journey began far from Indonesia. Born in Italy on 5 August 1943, he showed a strong missionary spirit from a young age, which eventually led him to join the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate. Ordained a priest on 29 March 1969, he was sent to Laos that same year, where he remained for six years (19691975) in a difficult context, before being forced by political circumstances to leave the country. Shortly afterwards, together with six fellow Italian OMI priests Giuseppe Rebussi, Pietro Maria Bonometti, Mario Bertolli, Antonio Bocchi, Angelo Albini and Pancratio di Grazia he was assigned to Indonesia. They arrived on 27 April 1977 in what was then the northern region of the Archdiocese of Samarinda, in the Province of East Kalimantan, which at that time had very limited pastoral infrastructure. Through the dedication of these missionaries, a region that initially had only one parish in Tarakan gradually developed into a vibrant and growing ecclesial community. Fr Natalino spent almost 50 years of his life in North Kalimantan. He served in many areas, including Tering, Mara Satu, Malinau and Sapi Island: these were not merely mission stations but his home. He spoke fluent Indonesian and the local Dayak Punan languages. He could even perform the Sapek Tunggal dance, a remarkable sign of cultural affinity rarely seen among foreign missionaries. One of his most enduring legacies is the establishment of the Apo Deno Boarding School on Sapi Island. Through this initiative, he not only nurtured the faith but also shaped the future of young people. Many of his former students went on to lead successful lives, tangible fruits of his dedication. Completing his pilgrimage in the mission field Even after retiring from active ministry, Fr. Natalino chose to remain in Tarakan. Although no longer fully engaged in pastoral duties, he continued to visit remote areas places he had once served and deeply loved. On 29 March, he celebrated the 58th anniversary of his ordination to the priesthood, in a simple ceremony at a hospital, as his health had begun to decline. Shortly afterwards, on 10 April 2026, he peacefully returned to the Lord: his funeral was held at the parish of St Mary Immaculate in Tarakan, presided over by the Bishop of Tanjung Selor, Monsignor Paulinus Yan Olla. Faithful from various regions Mara Satu, Malinau and Sapi Island came to pay their respects. Traditional dances, Dayak Punan laments and cultural rituals accompanied his farewell an outpouring of deep love. He came as a stranger, but returned to God as a member of the great Dayak family. And in the land of North Kalimantan, his name will live on in prayer, in memory and in a faith that continues to flourish. by Stefano Caprio On extraordinary display in the Cathedral of the Holy Saviour, the icons of the Mother of God of Vladimir, also known as the Madonna of Tenderness (Umilenije), and the one known as Donskaya are both symbols of Russian victories. They hark back to the great confrontation between East and West that gave rise to Rus, and has continued to underpin the various ideologies in power in Russia to this day. In one of his Easter homilies, Patriarch Kirill (Gundjaev) of Moscow called upon all Orthodox Christians in Kyiv and Ukraine from the Cathedral of the Dormition in the Kremlin to pray for the preservation of the spiritual unity of the peoples of Rus, namely the Russians, Ukrainians and Belarusians. He reinforced this appeal by stating that we must not succumb to the devilish games that run counter to historical truth, because the Church never follows the orders of politicians, even though in fact the affirmation of the unity of the peoples of Russia is precisely the task that President Vladimir Putin has assigned to Russians for the year 2026 as a political, social, moral and religious commitment. The Patriarch has appeared somewhat unsteady in his solemn declarations from the altar in recent days, particularly when, during the Holy Thursday liturgy, he preached on Christmas, only to correct himself following a reminder from an altar server. He then sought to restore his magisterial authority by focusing on Kyiv, the mother of Russian cities (a title later transferred to Moscow with the Tatar Yoke) and on Saint Sophia of Kyiv, the cathedral disputed between the various jurisdictions of the Orthodox Church, before moving on to the other cathedral of Saint Vladimir in Kyiv temporarily occupied by the schismatics, that is, by the Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church (OCU), before finally reaching the Dormition Cathedral in the Kremlin, built by the Italian engineer-architect Aristotele Fioravanti around 1470 with craftsmen from the Sforza Castle in Milan. This procession through the historic cathedrals of Holy Rus serves as proof of the sanctity of the Russian war in Ukraine, dedicated to crushing the diabolical schemes of those who refuse to acknowledge Moscows superiority over Kyiv, and over the rest of the world. To make this proclamation of the true Russian faith even more evident and solemn, this year the Patriarch has also secured the support of the Virgin Mary, removing two of the oldest and most famous Marian icons from museums, as he had already done last year with Andrei Rublevs icon of the Holy Trinity, to sanctify the union of the peoples; the three pilgrims of the Oaks of Mamre, who symbolise the Trinity, are in fact the eternal image of Russia, Ukraine and Belarus. The Trinity has been returned to the place where it was originally painted, the Lavra of St Sergius of Radonezh, 70 kilometres from Moscow, in what is also known as the Russian Vatican. Now, however, the icons of the Mother of God of Vladimir, also known as the Madonna of Tenderness (Umilenije), and the one known as Donskaja have been retrieved; the latter was entrusted by the Don Cossacks to Prince Dmitry Donskoy of Moscow to celebrate the first victory over the Tatars at the Battle of Kulikovo in 1380, in the territory of the present-day Russian-occupied Donetsk Republic. All experts criticise these operations to return ancient icons to the Church, which put their preservation at risk; if nothing else, the two Marian icons did not have far to travel, moving from the Tretyakov Gallery to the Cathedral of the Holy Saviour in Moscow, separated only by the bridge over the Moskva River. Both are symbols of Russian victories: the Donskaya icon symbolises Moscows rebirth after two centuries of Mongol rule, whilst the Vladimirskaya icon dates back to the early history of Kievan Rus, prophesying the future rise of Moscow. Legend has it, in fact, that the Prince of Kiev, Andrei Bogolyubsky, in the second half of the 12th century, roamed the countryside of Rus in search of a way to resist the assaults of the Asian and Caucasian peoples invading Russian lands, until he arrived at a remote monastery where, beside the altar, stood the holy Umilenije, a term denoting the tenderness with which the Mother caresses the face of the Infant Jesus in her armsan icon which, according to tradition, was painted directly by Saint Luke the Evangelist, physician and painter. The Virgin Mary then rose from her seat and walked ahead of the prince, showing him the way to Vladimir, the city dedicated to Prince Vladimir Monomakh, so named because he claimed descent from the Byzantine Monomakh emperors, one of whose daughters he had married (among the many wives he had taken). Vladimir thus became the new capital of Rus, and the icon was raised above the citys Golden Gates, built to imitate the Holy Gates of Kiev. Kiev itself had in fact been destroyed by Andrei Bogolyubsky to save it from the Bogomils, the Asian enemies who sought to conquer it, anticipating by a millennium Vladimir Putins special military operation blessed by Patriarch Kirill, who too was christened Vladimir at birth. A relative of Andrei, Prince Yuri Dolgoruky, had travelled further east in those same years to develop trade along the route from the Varangians to the Greeks, establishing several post stations on the banks of rivers, including the most strategic one on the Moskva River, which gave its name to the capital that succeeded Kiev. The fall of Kiev and the transfer of power to Vladimir thus shaped the fortunes of Moscow, which subsequently flourished thanks to agreements with the Tatars organised by the other victorious prince, Alexander Nevsky, in the mid-13th century, who managed to secure tax exemptions even for the Orthodox Church. It is no coincidence that Patriarch Kirill also retrieved from the Hermitage Museum the silver reliquary in which the remains of the holy prince had been placed, the victor of the Battle on the Ice on Lake Peipus against the Teutonic Knights who intended to impose Catholicism on the lands of Rus in 1240. Ancient histories are now the main basis for Moscows claims over Kyiv and all the other peoples to be reunited within the Russian world, as the modern histories of Tsarist Russia and the Soviet Union are too open to contradictory interpretations. Not that those of Kievan Rus are any more straightforward, being marked by internecine wars between the princes who were heirs to Vladimir the Great, who had baptised the people of Kiev for reasons that were, in turn, hardly spiritual at all, with the aim of imposing Russian dominance over the trade routes to Constantinople. Referring to the sacred icons of Byzantine origin thus brings us back to the great clash between East and West that gave rise to Rus, and has continued to underpin the various ideologies in power in Russia right up to the present day. The ancient Marian icons had not, however, been held in high regard throughout Russian history, which had primarily extolled those of the great Russian iconography of the 15th16th centuries by great masters such as Andrei Rublev, his teacher Theophanes the Greekto whom the Donskaya is attributedand their great pupil Dionysius. It was only in the mid-19th century that reliance began to be placed on restoration work and scientific studies, which were able to distinguish the icons of Kievan Rus, mostly originating from Greece, from those that were strictly Russian, which subsequently became intermingled with Western Latin devotional art from the 17th century onwards. The Bolshevik Revolution had scattered many important works, preserving the principal ones in the perpetually closed halls of the Tretyakov Gallery, where they were shown only to important guests from abroad. Talk of a more open exhibition of sacred icons only began towards the end of the 1980s, in preparation for the celebrations of the Millennium of the Baptism of Rus in 1988, in which one of the most active organisers was the young Metropolitan Kirill, now Patriarch of Moscow. However, access was only truly granted after the end of the USSR, and huge queues began to form in the Gallerys halls, not only of tourists and visitors, but above all of the faithful who had returned to Orthodoxy, who would stop to prostrate themselves and pray before the Vladimir Mother of God, perhaps trying to touch her to magically obtain some form of intercession. It was therefore decided to move the Icon of Tenderness to a chapel of St Nicholas, rebuilt specifically for this purpose in the museum courtyard, and to admire it, it has hitherto been necessary to enter without head coverings and in appropriate attire, making the sign of the cross with three fingers in accordance with the canons of the Russian liturgy. Now, however, one can only contemplate the Donskaya and the Vladimirskaya in the cathedral in the shadow of the Kremlin, where foreigners and tourists are not permitted to enter, and perhaps not even Russians declared to be foreign agents. The Easter prayer before the Victory Icons thus calls today for a new miracle from the Mother of God, one that might show the way to free oneself from the mud of the Donbass plains, where the Russian army has been bogged down for more than four years now, and restore Moscow to its lost grandeur. Let us hope that the icons dating back to the first millennium do not crumble amidst all these pilgrimages between museums and cathedrals, leading to the disintegration of the entire Russian empire of the past and present. RED LANTERNS IS THE ASIANEWS NEWSLETTER DEDICATED TO CHINA. WOULD YOU LIKE TO RECEIVE IT EVERY THURSDAY? TO SUBSCRIBE, CLICK HERE. Champion local news. Join our community of readers who value daily beat reporting and in-depth stories alike. Your membership allows us to continue the legacy of local, independent journalism in the Roaring Fork Valley. With your support, we can remain a free and accessible source of news for everyone, always without paywalls or corporate influence. Together, we can ensure that vital local stories are told. 18 April 2026 16:30 (UTC+04:00) Qabil Ashirov Read more Exactly one year ago, a profound sense of historical dread settled over the proponents of liberal democracy. The image of the Ukrainian President standing in the White House, seemingly cornered by the US President Donald Trump and his team, felt like a funeral dirge for the international order. For many, it evoked the tragic spirit of Stefan Zweig, the prominent novelist, who, in 1942, took his own life after losing faith in the survival of humanism against the tide of totalitarianism. The atmosphere was heavy with the belief that the "center" had not only failed but had been permanently erased. This perception was amplified by the digital and industrial giants of Silicon Valley. When major technology firms threw their weight behind Donald Trump, a proponent of the populist right, it created a terrifying synergy: the marriage of 21st-century algorithm power with 19th-century nationalist rhetoric. The narrative seemed unstoppable. As European leaders were summoned to Washington, often subjected to public snubs or portrayed as weakened figures in a leaderless continent, the "death of Europe" became a favorite talking point of the populist right. This manufactured image of European impotence directly fueled the rise of the AfD in Germany and reinforced Marine Le Pens narrative in France. The message was clear: the era of integration was over, and the era of the "strongman" had returned. However, the lifespan of this "populist victory" turned out to be remarkably short. The unraveling began where many historical overreaches start: in the fires of military intervention. The decision by the U.S. and Israel to initiate a bombing campaign against Iran served as the catalyst for a global realignment. Rather than folding under pressure, the first major flag of rebellion was raised by Spain. Prime Minister Pedro Sanchezs blunt refusal to support the American military adventure and his open criticism of Washingtons unilateralism shattered the illusion of a submissive Europe. When other European capitals followed Spains lead, the United States found itself in its most isolated position in modern historyunable to force a victory in Iran and unable to command its oldest allies. The threat of a U.S. withdrawal from NATO, once a terrifying prospect used to blackmail European states, was met with a calculated counter-move. Sanchezs strategic visit to Beijing served as a masterclass in 21st-century diplomacy. Much like Dr. B in Stefan Zweigs Chess Story, who anticipated and neutralized Mirko Czentovics every move, Sanchez preempted Washingtons bluff. It signaled to Washington that if the transatlantic bridge was to be burned by American populism, Europe was ready to seek a multipolar reality. It proved that while Washington was strong, it was far from the omnipotent force the populist right believed it to be. The American failure to resolve the Iranian crisis became the first major crack in the populist facade. The second and perhaps most decisive blow landed in Budapest. For years, Viktor Orban had been the "North Star" for the global rightthe man who proved that a nation could remain within the European Union while dismantling its democratic foundations. Yesterday, the heart of the world beat in Hungary. The stakes were unprecedented. In a rare alignment of interests, both Moscow and the Trump-led Washington threw their full weight behind Orban. The visit of the U.S. Vice President to Budapest just days before the vote, coupled with Trumps live-streamed endorsements, was intended to project an image of inevitable victory. The populist-controlled social media ecosystem hummed with the prediction that the European Unions collapse would begin in Budapest. Yet, the voters of Hungary chose a different path. The defeat of Viktor Orban and the victory of Peter Magyar, whose platform is rooted in European integration and the rule of law, signifies a profound psychological shift. It demonstrates that the populist promisebuilt on the rhetoric of "enemies" and the cult of personalityeventually collapses when it fails to provide economic stability and global respect. The "Zweigian" despair that gripped the world a year ago has begun to lift. We are witnessing the limits of populism. From the streets of Madrid to the ballot boxes of Budapest, a new realization is dawning: the center-right and the progressive left are not dead; they have simply found their voice in the face of chaos. The narrative of an "inevitable" right-wing takeover has been replaced by a reality of resilience. Europe, once mocked as a collection of leaderless states, has emerged as the unexpected anchor of the global order, proving that democracys greatest strength is its ability to survive its own predicted demise. 18 April 2026 08:30 (UTC+04:00) Qabil Ashirov Read more As the gears of global diplomacy turn at the Antalya Diplomacy Forum, a significant new security architecture is beginning to take shape. Turkiye is currently spearheading discussions with Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt to establish a structured regional security platform, a move that signals a departure from traditional reliance on external powers toward a more autonomous, regionalized defense framework. With Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan emphasizing that regional stability must now rest on the mutual commitment of local actors to one another's sovereignty, the proposal is more than just a diplomatic formality; it is an attempt to institutionalize a "unity of heart" and action across a vast, strategic geography. This emerging quadrilateral alignment, spanning from the Eastern Mediterranean to the Indian Ocean, seeks to synchronize defense industries, coordinate maritime security, and provide a unified response to the crises haunting the Muslim world. However, the true strategic depth of such an alliance, and the regional power vacuums it intends to fill, requires a perspective that looks beyond the official communiques. Speaking to AzerNEWS, on the issue, former military attache and retired general Yucel Karauz underlined that the world is witnessing a daily increase in threats and risks. He noted that against these rising challenges, countries that share religious, ideological, and political commonalities, and view events through the same lens, are striving to collaborate and deepen their cooperation. Consequently, the recent pursuit of an alliance between Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Pakistan, and Turkiye must be evaluated within this framework. All four nations possess the potential to lead the Muslim world and geography, occupying positions and locations capable of steering other countries, former military attache said. Mr Karauz underscored that this alliance covers the Eastern Mediterranean and North Africa through Turkiye and Egypt, the Gulf and the Red Sea through Saudi Arabia, and South Asia and the Indian Ocean through Pakistan, it can develop measures against developments in four distinct regions. Viewed from this perspective, the platforms primary goals are coordination in counter-terrorism, maritime security, defense industry cooperation, and a synchronized reaction to crisis zones such as Gaza, Sudan, and Libya. Therefore, rather than a classic military alliance, this partnership is a flexible, multi-layered structure designed to create a consensus of thought and a "unity of heart" against shifting threats and situations. Why is this happening now? Because there are regional power vacuums in the world. For instance, the diminishing influence of Iran has created a power vacuum in the Middle East. Concurrently, countries like Turkiye, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan have continuously evolved into mid-sized regional powers. As a result, the nuclear capabilities, military capacities, and security-oriented approaches of these nations are converging, he said. Yucel Karauz opined that history often sees the emergence of regional pacts, such as the Baghdad Pact or the Saadabad Pact. This current pursuit of power is intended to elevate these countries to a position where they can be "playmakers" rather than "pawns" in someone else's game. Furthermore, it should be read as a "third way"an architecture of security, diplomacy, and a shared spiritual unity. As mentioned, the combined geographical locations, political-military strength, and defense industry potential of these four countries give birth to a new capacity. In this respect, it is a formidable partnership. However, challenges remain. For example, relations between Turkiye-Egypt and Saudi Arabia-Turkiye have historically been fragile. Additionally, each country perceives threats differently. To bridge these differences, they could form a partnership that addresses issues similar to those in NATOs scope, such as counter-terrorism or contemporary challenges like irregular migration and drug trafficking. To be clear, this is not a NATO; it is not a formal military pact he emphasized. Retired general noted that Turkiye's leadership in such an initiative is particularly significant following the events in Gaza, Lebanon, and Iran, as there is a universal search for justice and rights. Turkiyes role in leading this togetherness should be viewed through its status as a regional power that can engage in dialogue with China, Russia, and the USA alike. If steered correctlymoving forward through mutual interests rather than divisionsthis cooperation will benefit both the region and Turkiye. Otherwise, without creating a genuine synergy, it risks remaining a project that exists only on paper, he concluded. 18 April 2026 11:35 (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. Azerbaijani citizens purchased 60 residential properties in Turkiye in March 2026, ranking sixth among foreign buyers, AzerNEWS reports. Here we are to serve you with news right now. It does not cost much, but worth your attention. Choose to support open, independent, quality journalism and subscribe on a monthly basis. By subscribing to our online newspaper, you can have full digital access to all news, analysis, and much more. Subscribe You can also follow AzerNEWS on Twitter @AzerNewsAz or Facebook @AzerNewsNewspaper Thank you! 18 April 2026 12:10 (UTC+04:00) A monochrome stage production titled Olmz (Immortal), dedicated to Azerbaijans National Hero Natig Gasimov, has been premiered in the city of Mingachevir, where he once lived. AzerNEWS reports that the performance was organized by the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, the Ministry of Culture of Azerbaijan, the Union of Theatre Workers of Azerbaijan, the Sumgayit State Drama Theatre, and the Mingachevir State Drama Theatre. The stage work was written and designed by Elshan Sarkhanoglu, directed by Peoples Artist Firudin Mammadov, with Umid Abbaszade serving as stage director. The role of Natig Gasimov was performed by actor Elay Hasiyev of the Sumgayit State Drama Theatre. The production depicts Gasimovs bravery, patriotism, and self-sacrifice during the First Karabakh War. It highlights his five-day solitary resistance while encircled by enemy forces after losing six comrades, as well as his efforts to save 22 civilians taken hostage in Khojaly. Born in 1971 in the village of Kicik Qaramuradl in the Gadabay district, Gasimov later moved with his family to Mingachevir in childhood. He volunteered for the front during the First Karabakh War and displayed exceptional courage in combat. In 1992, he remained alone for five days in the village of Pirlar in Khojaly, resisting encirclement and refusing to surrender. He ultimately left the Albanian church where he had taken refuge only after being threatened with the killing of 22 civilians. However, he reportedly refused to hand over the Azerbaijani flag until his final moments. By decree of President Ilham Aliyev dated June 25, 2024, Natig Gasimov was posthumously awarded the title of National Hero of Azerbaijan. 18 April 2026 13:15 (UTC+04:00) Fuad Azizov, Azerbaijans Consul General in Batumi, has met with the newly elected Speaker of the Supreme Council of Adjara Autonomous Republic, Tsotne Ananidze, to discuss prospects for expanding bilateral and regional cooperation, AzerNEWS reports. The meeting also brought together Vice Consul Mhbub Namazova, Deputy Speaker Ramaz Jintcharadze, and Council member Fati Khalvashi, reflecting broad representation from both sides. During the discussions, officials reviewed opportunities for deepening cooperation between Azerbaijan and Georgia, as well as between their respective regions. Participants emphasized that sustained engagement by the leadership of both countries has elevated bilateral relations to a high level. Fuad Azizov congratulated Tsotne Ananidze on his election as Speaker of the Supreme Council and underlined the importance of strengthening interregional ties in economic, humanitarian, cultural, and parliamentary spheres. He also highlighted the need to further develop more efficient and closer cooperation mechanisms between the regions. Both sides expressed readiness to continue efforts aimed at expanding collaboration and reinforcing existing partnerships. 18 April 2026 12:31 (UTC+04:00) Footage of President Ilham Aliyev's visit to Turkiye was posted on his social media accounts, AzerNEWS reports. Here we are to serve you with news right now. It does not cost much, but worth your attention. Choose to support open, independent, quality journalism and subscribe on a monthly basis. By subscribing to our online newspaper, you can have full digital access to all news, analysis, and much more. Subscribe You can also follow AzerNEWS on Twitter @AzerNewsAz or Facebook @AzerNewsNewspaper Thank you! 18 April 2026 14:20 (UTC+04:00) The Assistant to the President of Azerbaijan and Head of the Foreign Policy Affairs Department of the Presidential Administration, Hikmet Hajiyev, met with Andrea Corao Faria, Deputy Foreign Minister of Venezuela, on the sidelines of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum, AzerNEWS reports. According to a post shared by Hikmet Hajiyev on his social media account, the meeting featured an in-depth exchange of views on AzerbaijanVenezuela relations and opportunities for further strengthening bilateral cooperation. Both sides discussed prospects for expanding engagement between the two countries and reaffirmed interest in developing mutually beneficial ties. 18 April 2026 15:25 (UTC+04:00) Azerbaijans Minister of Foreign Affairs, Jeyhun Bayramov, met with Olivier Jean Patrick Nduhungirehe, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Rwanda, on the sidelines of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum, AzerNEWS reports. According to Azerbaijans Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the meeting focused on the prospects for both bilateral and multilateral cooperation between the two countries. The sides noted that despite geographical distance, the development of cooperation remains on the agenda. They also expressed confidence that the political consultations mechanism between Azerbaijan and Rwanda is contributing positively to the process. 18 April 2026 15:55 (UTC+04:00) Azerbaijans Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov and Pakistans Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar held a brief meeting on the sidelines of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum, AzerNEWS reports. According to a post shared by Pakistans Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the social media platform X, the ministers discussed the regional situation as well as ways to further strengthen PakistanAzerbaijan relations. Both sides agreed to remain in close contact, the statement said. 18 April 2026 15:51 (UTC+04:00) On April 18, a panel session on United for Peace in Palestine: Confronting Scholasticide, Protecting Future was held as part of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum in the Turkish city of Turkiye, AzerNEWS reports. First Lady of the Republic of Azerbaijan Mehriban Aliyeva, along with her daughter Leyla Aliyeva, attended the event. Prior to the session, attendees visited the stand of the African Culture House. Founded in 2016 at the initiative of Turkiyes First Lady Emine Erdogan, the African Culture House aims to promote African womens handicrafts, transform their labor into economic value, and foster cultural solidarity. The event, hosted under the auspices of Turkiyes First Lady Emine Erdogan, opened with a video dedicated to Palestine. Speakers emphasized that for children bearing the scars of war, re-establishing safe learning environments, strengthening psychosocial support mechanisms, and ensuring continuity in education emerge as priorities for the future of the Palestine. Speaking at the event, Turkiyes First Lady Emine Erdogan said the messages delivered would serve as a source of hope for children affected by conflicts worldwide. Noting that children and young people are the hope and future of a nation, First Lady Emine Erdogan stressed the importance of resolutely combating even the slightest factors that promote violence. A commemorative photo was taken following the event. Participants then toured an exhibition dedicated to the destruction of Palestines education system as a result of the conflict. 18 April 2026 09:00 (UTC+04:00) British Prime Minister Keir Starmer faced calls Thursday to resign after it emerged that Peter Mandelson was initially denied security clearance for the post of ambassador to the United States, which he was eventually fired from over his close links to the disgraced sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, AzerNEWS reports via ABC News. Following the revelation in the Guardian newspaper, the government said Starmer was not aware that the Foreign Office had overruled a security vetting process for Mandelson to become U.K. ambassador to Washington until earlier this week. Starmer has previously insisted due process was followed in the appointment and that Mandelson, who was fired in September 2025, had lied about the extent of his links to Epstein. Once Starmer was informed, a spokesperson for the government said the prime minister immediately instructed officials to establish the facts about why the developed vetting was granted, in order to enact plans to update the House of Commons. Opposition lawmakers said Starmer should resign if he had misled Parliament. Kemi Badenoch, the leader of the main opposition Conservative Party, said Starmer is definitely in resigning territory, while Ed Davey, the leader of the centrist Liberal Democrats, said Starmer must go if he misled Parliament and lied to the British public. Starmer's premiership faced its biggest crisis in February after the release of millions of pages of Epstein-related documents by the U.S. Justice Department showed the closeness of Mandelson's relationship with Epstein. In particular, Starmer's political judgment was questioned after emails in Epstein files released by the U.S. government suggested Mandelson had passed on sensitive and potentially market-moving government information to the disgraced financier in 2009, when he was a member of the Labour government. Starmer has repeatedly apologized to the British public and to the victims of Epsteins sex trafficking for believing what he has termed Mandelsons lies. Throughout his apologies, he has said both in and out of Parliament that the necessary vetting rules related to appointing someone to the plum job of U.S. ambassador were followed. British police subsequently launched a criminal probe, searched Mandelsons two houses in London and western England. Mandelson was arrested on Feb. 23 on suspicion of misconduct in public office. He was released on bail the following morning after more than nine hours of questioning. Mandelson, who has denied doing anything improper, has not been charged. Days before Mandelson's arrest, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, formerly known as Prince Andrew, was also arrested on the same charge. Like Mandelson, King Charles III's younger brother was a close associate of Epstein. In late 2024, Starmer appointed Mandelson to the ambassador's post, despite knowing of his previous relationship with Epstein, who died in prison in 2019. Mandelson's trade expertise was considered a major asset in trying to persuade the Trump administration not to slap heavy tariffs on British goods, and seemed to pay off when the countries struck a trade deal a few months later. Starmer fired Mandelson in September over an earlier revelation of his links to Epstein. British documents released since the release of Epstein files, including some of those related to the vetting process, confirmed that Starmer chose Mandelson despite warnings that it could expose the government to reputational risk. The government says it will release a further trove of documents related to Mandelsons appointment, after being forced to do so by Parliament. 18 April 2026 10:30 (UTC+04:00) Mark Rutte, Secretary General of NATO, has expressed skepticism over the possibility of the United States withdrawing from the alliance, emphasizing instead the need for a more balanced transatlantic partnership, AzerNEWS reports. Speaking in an interview with Welt am Sonntag, Rutte said he does not expect Washington to leave the alliance. I do not assume that the United States will exit NATO, he stated. However, he underscored the importance of strengthening Europes role within the alliance. According to Rutte, a stronger Europe within a stronger NATO is essential for the blocs future. Rutte also acknowledged concerns raised by Donald Trump, noting that the U.S. president has been openly frustrated with some NATO members. President Trump is clearly dissatisfied with certain allies, and I understand his concerns, he added. The NATO chief revealed that during a recent meeting at the White House, he discussed with the U.S. president the strategic benefits NATO provides to the United States. Europe wants to take on a greater role within NATO. This is good news, Rutte said. It represents a shift from an unhealthy dependency toward a genuine transatlantic partnership based on shared responsibility. 18 April 2026 13:45 (UTC+04:00) The Iranian Armed Forces have announced that they have re-established military control over the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz, AzerNEWS reports, citing the Tasnim News Agency. The claim was made in a statement by a spokesperson from the headquarters of the Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, Ibrahim Zolfaqari. He said the narrow waterway is now under strict management and control of the armed forces, adding that, under previously reached understandings, Iran has agreed to allow a limited number of oil tankers and commercial vessels to pass through the strait under a regulated system. Zolfaqari also accused the United States of continuing what he described as maritime piracy, alleging repeated violations of prior commitments made during negotiations. The Strait of Hormuz remains one of the worlds most critical energy transit routes, through which a significant portion of global oil shipments pass daily. 18 April 2026 18:35 (UTC+04:00) Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan will host a Balkan Peace Platform meeting on the sidelines of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum (ADF) in Antalya, southern Turkiye on Saturday, according to diplomatic sources, AzerNEWS reports, citing Anadolu Agency. Representatives from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Kosovo, North Macedonia, and Serbia are expected to attend the meeting, the sources said. Participants are expected to review decisions taken at previous meetings, including strengthening coordination on EU matters such as connectivity and membership processes, enhancing cooperation in disaster response, and advancing joint projects in youth and technology. Consultations on recent developments in the Balkans are also planned. Discussions are also expected to cover additional opportunities to deepen and diversify regional cooperation, the latest developments in the Russia-Ukraine war and their regional implications, and an exchange of views on developments in the Mideast, including Turkiye's efforts to help end the war. The Balkan Peace Platform, established under Turkiye's leadership, held its first meeting on July 26, 2025, and its second on Jan. 23 in Istanbul. The platform was launched to complement Turkiye's multilateral engagement in the region and promote direct, result-oriented dialogue based on regional ownership. Turkiye's multilateral cooperation in Balkans Turkiye actively contributes to the South-East European Cooperation Process, the only platform bringing together 13 Balkan countries. The Turkiye-Bosnia and Herzegovina-Croatia and Turkiye-Bosnia and Herzegovina-Serbia trilateral consultation mechanisms, established under Turkiye's leadership, reflect Ankara's emphasis on dialogue, reconciliation, and confidence-building in the Balkans. Turkiye also continues to contribute to regional security and stability through participation in military missions such as NATO's Kosovo Force (KFOR) and EUFOR Althea in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Turkiye last October took command of KFOR from Italy for a one-year term. 18 April 2026 19:10 (UTC+04:00) The Migration Department of Georgias Ministry of Internal Affairs has detained 53 foreign nationals living illegally in the country over the past few days, AzerNEWS reports. According to a statement from the ministrys press service, the detainees include citizens of Ghana, Zimbabwe, India, Jordan, Kenya, Cuba, Russia, Turkmenistan, Turkiye, Uganda, the Philippines, and Ethiopia. Law enforcement authorities carried out inspections at the places where the undocumented migrants were residing, as well as at their workplaces. As a result, it was determined that they were living in the country in violation of migration legislation. All detained individuals have been transferred to a temporary detention facility for migrants, and procedures for their deportation are currently underway. Georgia has recently intensified its efforts against illegal migration. The countrys parliament has tightened migration legislation, simplifying deportation procedures and strengthening mechanisms for monitoring and inspecting migrants. 18 April 2026 20:15 (UTC+04:00) Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) arrested at least 127 people across the country who it claimed were affiliated with the UK, US and Israel, and were "preparing the groundwork for a military attack by the enemy," AzerNEWS reports, citing Anadolu Agency. According to the semi-official Tasnim news agency, the IRGC arrested seven suspects in East Azerbaijan province, alleging they "were preparing weapons and planning sabotage activities, while also sending coordinates of sensitive sites to their contact abroad." Another 69 individuals were arrested in Mazandaran province, while in Kerman province, 51 othersincluding three "espionage teams" were identified, it added. Tehran has detained dozens of people on spying charges following the US-Israeli war on Iran on Feb. 28, which has killed more than 3,000 people. A recently strengthened espionage law allows the authorities to impose the death penalty on those accused of spying and confiscate their property. 18 April 2026 20:45 (UTC+04:00) Russian forces launched targeted drone strikes on the Kharkiv region on Saturday, April 18, hitting an industrial facility and a nearby village, AzerNEWS reports, citing Kyiv Post . According to the Kharkiv Regional Prosecutors Office, a Russian Molniya strike drone hit a meat processing plant in Bohodukhiv at approximately 11:00 a.m. While the strike did not cause physical injuries, three female employees suffered acute stress reactions. Shortly thereafter, another drone, identified as an Italmas type, struck the village of Zolochiv in the same district, damaging three vehicles. No casualties were reported in the second incident. These strikes are part of an intensification of aerial assaults against civilian targets across Ukraine. Earlier on Saturday, a drone strike on a moped driver near Bilozerka in the Kherson region left a 64-year-old man in grave condition. Meanwhile, an overnight missile attack on Kramatorsk wounded two people and trapped residents in their homes. The morning attacks followed a devastating wave of strikes in the early hours of April 18. A Russian drone hit an energy facility in the Chernihiv regions Nizhyn district, causing a massive power outage for 380,000 residents. Additionally, port and industrial infrastructure in Odesa and residential areas in Zaporizhzhia were targeted, resulting in widespread damage to warehouses and administrative buildings. Ukrainian law enforcement has initiated pre-trial investigations into these latest strikes as war crimes. The ongoing campaign follows a large-scale engagement on Friday, April 17, when the Ukrainian Air Force intercepted 147 out of 172 launched drones and missiles. Despite the high interception rate, systemic strikes continue to inflict a heavy toll on the countrys civilian and energy sectors. 18 April 2026 22:25 (UTC+04:00) Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has called for reforms within the United Nations, stressing the need to adapt the multilateral system to modern realities. AzerNEWS reports that Sanchez said in a speech published on the governments official website that the current system requires renewal. We know that the multilateral system needs updating, he stated. We also know that it can only survive if it is reformed in line with the realities of the 21st century. Sanchez also expressed support for the idea of a woman leading the United Nations, highlighting the importance of greater representation at the highest levels of global governance. 18 April 2026 22:55 (UTC+04:00) The US State Department has approved a potential sale of advanced naval combat management systems to Germany in a deal valued at up to $11.9 billion, April 18, AzerNEWS reports, citing Kyiv Post. Germany intends to acquire integrated combat system equipment based on the AEGIS ballistic missile defense system, along with associated radar stations for eight surface vessels. The primary contractors for the project are Lockheed Martin Corp. and RTX Corp. In its notification to Congress, the State Department emphasized that the sale supports US foreign policy goals by enhancing the security of a NATO ally and improving the interoperability of German naval forces with US and other allied militaries. The approval defines the maximum potential scope and value of the agreement, which remains subject to congressional review and further negotiations between Berlin and the suppliers. Deliveries of the systems could take several years to finalize. This investment in transatlantic defense cooperation comes at a time of increasing strategic uncertainty. While US President Donald Trump has repeatedly questioned the long-term relevance of NATOs Article 5, European allies have accelerated efforts to strengthen their own security frameworks. The European External Action Service (EEAS) is currently drafting a manual to operationalize the EUs own mutual assistance clause (Article 42.7), which requires member states to aid any partner facing armed aggression. The shift toward European strategic autonomy has been highlighted by recent regional crises, including the passage of Iranian drones over Cyprus and the decision by Spain to close its airspace to aircraft involved in US and Israeli strikes against Iran. While Germanys acquisition of AEGIS technology reinforces its ties to the US defense industrial base, EU leaders continue to simulate conflict scenarios to determine how the bloc can respond to threats independently if NATOs traditional security guarantees are tested. With vinyl records continuing their upward trajectory and other physical media seeing a resurgence in local shops, we caught up with three local sellers ahead of the Central Berkshire Record Show to see what they've learned about the trend. Quality local journalism needs your support Access this story and all of our stories with 24/7 unlimited access. Subscribe today. Cancel anytime. Subscribe now for 99 Subscriber Sign In | Return Home BECKET When Principal Mary Kay McCloskey walks into a classroom, the students' eyes light up. For 26 years as an educator at Becket Washington School, nine of which as principal, McCloskey has put a smile on kids' faces and that's what shes going to miss most. Education is part of who you are, and it's going to be hard to leave it, she said in an interview with The Eagle on Thursday. As [my retirement] gets closer, Im like, Oh my gosh. The school will always be part of me. Part of my heart. After 17 years as a teacher and nine years as principal, McCloskey will retire at the end of the school year. Central Berkshire Superintendent Michael Henault informed The Eagle of McCloskeys retirement earlier this month. Becket Washington School, a pre-K to grade five school, has an enrollment of 83 students for the current school year and is located in Becket. "Mary Kay's legacy will surely outlast her tenure at Becket Washington," Henault wrote in an email to The Eagle. "Through her demand for high academic achievement, she built a culture in which classrooms reflected her vision for rigorous, purposeful instruction grounded in the idea that all students deserve challenge and opportunity." McCloskey said its the right time to retire as she wants to spend more time with her husband, three adult children and her first grandchild. Professionally, she joked that it's time for someone younger with all the enthusiasm to come in and take over for us old people. Although McCloskey has spent 26 years in education, it wasnt her initial career. After graduating from college, she worked in publishing in New York City before having children and spending more time at home. McCloskey, who now lives in Pittsfield, decided to get into education, starting at Becket Washington. McCloskey said she has spent all 26 years at the school, with one year where she had a position serving all the elementary schools in the district. I was still serving Becket Washington, so I feel like I havent left, she said. McCloskey credits the children, families and staff for helping build a special school and community with the children at the heart of it. I laugh every day, McCloskey said. Its just fun. Her favorite part of the job has been watching kids grow and develop over the years, and said that its the most gratifying part of the job. During her time at Becket Washington, McCloskey said she is proud of the way the staff navigated COVID-19 and how they managed to still teach children despite the challenges. She is also pleased with how her staff, of roughly 30 members, has been able to address children academically, socially and emotionally. Given where we are in todays world, its gotten ever more important, she said, adding that theyve added behavioral support and counseling. Over 26 years, McCloskey said that teaching has become harder with tougher curriculum and the added social and emotional components. We have a lot of support, people and other programs that weve put in place that we can see are helping students, but they need a lot of support right now, she said. McCloskey is looking forward to having more free time, which will allow her to do more reading and traveling. Her husband is nearing retirement, and they plan to start a list of places to travel to, along with spending time with their children and friends. Central Berkshire is currently looking for McCloskeys replacement, and the salary range on the job posting is $88,000 to $98,000, and the anticipated start date is July 1. Henault said that the district will have an update on the search "very shortly." McCloskey credits Central Berkshire administrators for their support of the school, despite it being the smallest in the district. I feel heard all the time and that filters out to the staff members and that makes it a happy place to work, she said. PITTSFIELD Melissa Canavan will be stepping down as the executive director of the Berkshire Immigrant Center at the end of May, the organization said Friday. Canavan will depart after three years at the helm of the nonprofit, which advocates for immigrants, connects them with local resources and assists them with navigating the legal system. This decision comes as my family prepares for a move to New York City, and while it is not easy to step away from work that has meant so much to me, I do so with great confidence in BICs future, Canavan wrote Friday in the organizations newsletter. In addition to expressing gratitude for her staff and board of directors, Canavan said she was confident the organization would continue to thrive after her departure. We have spent the last several years building the internal systems and operational depth necessary to ensure that BIC remains a stable and trusted resource for immigrant families across the Berkshires, regardless of leadership changes, she wrote. Canavan took over as executive director in 2023. She succeeded Michelle Lopez, who left the role in late 2022; in between, Lorena Dus served as interim director. Against the backdrop of the Trump administrations immigration crackdown, Canavan broadened the centers educational offerings by providing monthly updates on immigration policy and expanded Know Your Rights presentations. She also established a three-year strategic plan for the organization focused on mission clarity and program expansion, among other priorities, according to a press release. One of the biggest challenges was responding to the speed and intensity of policy changes while remaining a steady, trusted resource for immigrant families, Canavan told The Eagle in an email. It took an immense amount of effort to stay current on new developments and understand how they would affect clients who were already trying to navigate the process. Canavan was raised in southern California and relocated to the Berkshires in 2015. She studied dance at California State University, Long Beach, and previously worked at Jacobs Pillow. The Berkshire Immigrant Center said Canavan, as the daughter of Mexican immigrants, brought firsthand experience of the challenges faced by newcomers to the U.S. when she began the role. An interim director has not yet been appointed. Jim Ayres previously served as interim executive director from October to March while Canavan was on parental leave, according to the center's Facebook page. Josh Hochberg, board president, said in an email that the search for a permanent successor is just getting underway, so we are not yet in a position to project a firm timeline. A job posting for the executive director position is now live on the centers website, and applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. Applicants should have demonstrated leadership experience in nonprofit work, public service or a related field. Candidates with lived experience as an immigrant, as well as fluency in Spanish or another language, are encouraged to apply. The original job posting did not list a salary range. BIC did not initially provide one when asked, stating that specific salary discussions will take place directly with candidates as part of the search process. Canavan made $48,061 in the role in 2023, the most recent year for which tax filings are available through the Internal Revenue Service, though this does not reflect a full year's salary as she began partway through the year. Hochberg told The Eagle on Saturday that the position would list a salary range of $85,000-$100,000. I hope BICs next Executive Director brings a deep commitment to the mission, strong leadership skills, and real respect for both the staff and the community we serve, Canavan said. This is a role that requires steadiness, compassion, adaptability, and the ability to think strategically while staying grounded in the day-to-day realities of the work. WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ... Whats at stake: EPA wants to roll back environmental protections In November, the Environmental Protection Agency proposed narrowing what wetlands will qualify as federally protected and regulated waters under the Clean Water Act of 1972, a law that was partially stripped back by the 2023 decision in Sackett v. the EPA. The proposal took comments until January and experts The Eagle spoke with expected it would take four to six months before publishing in the federal register, becoming law. What is the Clean Water Act? The Clean Water Act is the United States main federal law for regulating quality of lakes, rivers and other wetlands. As a result of the act, the EPA set wastewater standards for industry, developed national water quality criteria and made it unlawful to discharge pollutants into navigable waters from a confined or point source without a permit. What is the Clean Air Act? The Clean Air Act is the nations main federal law for regulating air quality, designed to limit and reduce pollution across the country. The act sets national air quality standards and sets emission standards for hazardous pollutants and also researches newer problems like climate change or ozone protection. Massachusetts regulation of marijuana is at a crossroads: Should we allow marijuana cafes or kill the adult-use marijuana market? In December 2024, the Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission approved regulations permitting cannabis consumption in cafes, lounges, and yoga studios. These regulations provide that local cities and towns will determine whether to permit such sites within their jurisdictions. It is expected to take a year or two before these regulations are formally adopted. When these regulations were authorized (specific language to be determined before being adopted), Commission Chair Shannon OBrien noted: The important thing is, this is the will of the voters. Some people may have some concerns, because this is a little bit of a brave new world. We dont really know. We know what our local pub looks like, but we dont really understand what this looks like. In bars, we have bartenders; in these cafes and other approved establishments, well have budtenders. Thats a portmanteau a blending of bud and bartender. Why bud? Thats the flowering, smokeable part of the female cannabis plant containing the highest concentration of cannabinoids (THC and CBD) and terpenes. Terpenes work with cannabinoids and other compounds to produce effects. They occur naturally and are responsible for aromas, flavors and colors of marijuana plants. Almost all plants contain terpenes, commonly found in aromatic herbs and citrus fruits. To provide good service, a budtender would need to know the characteristics of each strain of cannabis they sell and make appropriate recommendations based on what effect each customer is seeking. A budtender also would need to know what is required about medical marijuana. Alaska passed the first cannabis lounge legislation in 2018, and the first legal cannabis lounge was opened in California in 2019. As of now, cannabis consumption lounges are legal in 13 states, the District of Columbia and the U.S. Virgin Islands, many with regulations still under consideration. While social establishments for marijuana consumption might seem like a new development, well before prohibition, New York, Boston, Philadelphia, Chicago and other major cities had social cannabis venues known as hashish clubs and hemp retreats. Some cannabis lounges now pay homage to those illegal venues by incorporating speakeasy themes in their businesses. But what about the Massachusetts campaign to kill the adult-use marijuana market? A petition now pending before the Massachusetts Legislature, An Act to Restore a Sensible Marijuana Policy, would eliminate adult-use dispensary sales and ban home grown marijuana. That petition is led by the Coalition for a Healthy Massachusetts, a political action committee backed by Smart Approaches to Marijuana Action Inc. (SAM), a national anti-legalization group. SAMs position is that marijuana products are far more potent than in the past, and it links high-potency marijuana to psychosis, schizophrenia, depression, anxiety and suicidal thoughts, warning that adolescent use can lead to permanent IQ loss, poor educational outcomes and higher risk of addiction as well as physical problems. Massachusetts lawmakers have until May 5 to consider enacting this petitions proposal. If they dont, the anti-marijuana campaign has until July 12 to collect the additional 12,429 signatures required to place the question on the November ballot. If the required additional signatures are gathered, Massachusetts voters would decide whether to repeal the adult-use legalization initiative, which was passed with a 54 percent majority in 2016. If this initiative is successful, thats the end of Massachusetts licensed cultivation, manufacturing and dispensary sales of marijuana (except for medical use), and legal home-grown marijuana, and it would put the kibosh on cannabis cafes. It would eliminate about 27,000 full-time marijuana industry jobs in our states $1.6 billion annual adult-use market. If this initiative becomes law, consumers will purchase unregulated cannabis untested for mold, pesticides, heavy metals and other harmful contaminants all of which are tested for now by regulation. Possessing of up to one ounce of cannabis or five grams of concentrate would still be legal. No state has reversed course after decriminalizing cannabis. Will Massachusetts be the first, or will it join an increasing group of other states legalizing cannabis cafes? Advocates for ideas and draws conclusions based on the interpretation of facts and data. West End composer Andrew Lloyd Webber has revealed he is a recovering alcoholic. The 78-year-old said he had previously checked himself into a clinic to deal with his addiction, which he added did not work, before then attending Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) meetings in Switzerland and the UK, which he said he adored, in an interview with The Times. Lloyd-Webber said: I am a recovering alcoholic. Sixteen months ago I decided that I needed help and its the best thing that ever happened to me. Lloyd-Webber is known for writing songs for hit musicals such as Cats (Maja Smiejkowska/PA) You think its secret, but its not, everybody knows. I started getting into a downhill spiral and about 18 months ago the family were in a desperate state. My wife was feeling she couldnt go on. The writer of songs behind musicals such as Cats, Jesus Christ Superstar and The Phantom Of The Opera added he is now attending a meeting every day while moving between his homes in London, Hampshire and New York. Advertisement He added: People had always said: Oh no, you wouldnt like that, and you get this thought that its a load of meth drinkers coming in off the streets. Not at all. What I love about it is, you go into a room and everybodys equal. Ive made friends that I wouldnt have thought possible. Lloyd-Webber said he had been noticed at the meetings but said this was not an issue, and added that his favourite AA meeting was in St Louis with a whole load of rednecks. The star said that the turning point in his battle with addiction was hearing someone else describe the stupidity of it. He said: It was about the ludicrous lengths you go to, the hiding and the pretending. When youre a wine drinker, you dont think of yourself as well, alcoholics drink spirits, that was the shocking thing for me, when I realised that I was drinking vodka to hide it. You dont really think. Its just: How am I going to get through the day? I got that thing of seriously worrying that I wasnt writing, and panicked. Maybe Ill have a drink OK, Ive written something, because it does slightly liberate you but then its more and more and more. The London-born composer went on to say that one of the songs he wrote while under the influence was No Matter What, which went on to be a hit for the boyband Boyzone. It comes after Lloyd-Webbers brother, cellist Julian Lloyd Webber, announced he will receive treatment for prostate cancer earlier this week, having celebrated his 75th birthday on Tuesday. Former One Direction star Zayn Malik has thanked his fans for their support as he shared an image of himself in hospital. The solo artist is due to embark on a worldwide tour, which will see him perform in Manchester on May 12th before travelling to other UK cities and beyond. He is also due to perform in New York City on Monday, according to his website. Malik, who quit One Direction in 2015, did not disclose what was wrong with him but the photo on his Instagram stories showed him lying in a bed in a hospital gown, hooked up to various machines and monitors. He wrote: To my fans. Thank you to all of you for your love and support now and always been a long week and am still unexpectedly recovering. Heartbroken that I cant see you all this week, I wouldnt be in the place I am today without you guys and am so thankful for your understanding. He thanked all the incredible hospital staff who had looked after him, including doctors, nurses and cardiologists. Malik added: You are all legends! Big big love. Dublin Bus is to get a new tracking system this year. The pilot for the new TFI-wide system is set to start this September to address the issue of "ghost buses". Dublin Bus chief executive Billy Hann told Newstalk that the current system is 15 years old and doesn't exactly offer "real-time" updates on a bus's location. But he said that they have been making efforts to improve the situation. "The title real-time passenger information is a little bit misleading because its not quite real time, so if you think about it, if a bus leaves a depot, and youre standing on a bus stop 45 minutes away, it needs a countdown to know when its actually going to be there, so there is issues around that," Hann said. "There wouldve been plenty of people with the protests last week, standing at bus stops, and we had to divert those buses from the city because of the issues going on. Those RTPIs wouldve been telling us passengers, that theres a bus arriving because we had so many to cancel." It will not be until 2028 before former independent Clare TD, Violet Anne Wynne, has paid off a residual debt to an ex-employee from an 11,500 Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) award, a court has heard At Ennis District Court on Friday, solicitor Daragh Hassett said that payments continue to be made to his client, Fiona Smyth, by Wynne. The amount outstanding from Wynne to Smyth now totals 4,700 and is being paid off at a rate of 50 per week. The case was listed for Judge Adrian Harris to monitor payments by Wynne. Hassett told Judge Harris: By and large, the payments are being made though there is the odd week where the payment is doubled up where there wasnt a payment the week before. Hassett said: At this rate, it will be into 2028 before the balance is paid. The court order is for payments of 50 per week. Advertisement Hassett said that it was open to Wynne to pay more per week. In court last July, Judge Alec Gabbett directed that Wynne pay 50 per week to Smyth in order to pay off a then residual 6,500 debt to her former constituency office worker from the 11,500 WRC award made against Wynne. In August 2024, the WRC ordered Wynne to pay the 11,500 after finding that Smyth was unfairly dismissed by Wynne. Wynne - who received a TDs annual salary of 113,679 - lost her seat in the November 2024 general election in Clare receiving only 310 first preference votes where she stood as an independent candidate in a vote collapse from her 2020 general election vote when she topped the poll as a Sinn Fein candidate. When the case was last before court in September, mother of six, Wynne said that it is not a case I was making payments whenever I felt like it. I was doing so with whatever little income that I had to hand. Wynne told Judge Gabbett in September that now she was in receipt of a weekly payment herself where she could now pay the 50 per week owed to Ms Smyth. Asked what weekly payment she now receives, Wynne told the court last September that it was 565 per week. Solicitor for Smyth, Daragh Hassett told the court last September that the Oireachtas has confirmed to him that the termination payment that would have been available to Wynne on losing her seat would have been 18,946.50. Ireland Man (20s) to appear in court after two gardai injured in Co Monaghan Read more Wynne confirmed that she did receive the 18,946 termination payment and paid out 5,000 of that to Smyth earlier in 2025. Asked by Judge Gabbett what happened to the then remaining 13,000 or so, Wynne said: "This was the only income I had from the time the general election was called last November until a tax back payment I have received. In court on Friday, Judge Harris adjourned the case to October 9th for further monitoring of the payments to be made by Wynne. Hassett told Judge Harris that he would inform Wynne of the adjourned court date. The Trump administration has deported an elderly Irishman to Costa Rica as part of a controversial agreement between the two countries. The man arrived in the Central American country on Friday as part of a group of 22 deportees, according to The Irish Times. Since Donald Trump returned to the US presidency last year, the country has dramatically stepped up deportations, including of Irish nationals. Deportations of Irish people by US authorities increased from 15 in 2024 to 65 last year. To speed up the process, Washington is increasingly sending deportees to countries where they have no connections. Shannon Airport in Co Clare is frequently used as a refuelling stop by aircraft involved in these operations. According to Costa Ricas General Directorate of Migration and Foreigners (DGME), the Irish man arrived in the country along with eight Brazilians, three Romanians, three Uzbets, two Chinese, two Azerbaijanis, one Indian, one Belarusian and one Vietnamese. Advertisement The DGME described the Irish man as elderly and said one of the Romanian deportees was a minor, The Irish Times reported. The Irish man will be offered assistance to return to Ireland under a programme managed by the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), authorities said. He may also apply to remain in Costa Rica on humanitarian grounds. It is the second group of foreign nationals to be deported to country by the US under a deal signed by Costa Ricas president Rodrigo Chaves last month. Counter-terror police are investigating an arson attack in north-west London due to the similarities with recent incidents in the area. A man was spotted approaching a row of shops carrying a plastic bag later found to contain three bottles of fluid, the Metropolitan Police said. He placed the bag by a building in Hendon before lighting the items inside, it added. When they failed to fully ignite, the man fled the scene, the force said. No arrests have been made. Counter Terrorism Policing London is leading the probe supported by the Mets north-west command area. It is not being treated as a terrorist incident nor is it currently being linked to other incidents in the area. Police were called to the scene at 10:31pm on Friday and fire crews also attended. Advertisement Commander Helen Flanagan, of Counter Terrorism Policing London, said: At this stage last nights arson is not being linked to other incidents in the north-west London area over the last week or last months arson in Golders Green, but counter-terrorism officers are leading due to the similarities of each attack. I would ask that anyone with information or footage that could help our investigation gets in touch with police as soon as possible. We will be relentless in our pursuit of those responsible for this and other, similar, hateful acts against Londons communities. The arson attack is not yet being linked to other incidents in the north-west London area (PA) Four Jewish community ambulances were torched in Golders Green in the early hours of March 23rd. On Wednesday night, an ignited container was thrown into a Persian media organisations premises in Wembley in an attempted arson attack, the force said previously. Detective Chief Superintendent Luke Williams, who leads policing in the area, said: Since the incident in Golders Green last month we have spoken extensively to community leaders. I understand and appreciate their concerns, and I know this latest incident will add to fears in the community. Local officers are working closely with Counter Terrorism Policing to support the investigation. The community can expect to see a heightened police presence in the area. Since last months attack in Golders Green, we have stepped up police patrols and vigilance to reassure communities and disrupt offenders. This includes armed police patrols as well as deployments of officers from Project Servator, who are specially trained to spot anyone who may be planning or preparing to commit criminal acts. Scotlands First Minister has called on Keir Starmer to quit over the revelations that Peter Mandelson was appointed US ambassador despite failing a vetting process. John Swinney is the latest party leader to urge the British Prime Minister to resign after calls from the Tories, Reform, the Liberal Democrats and the Greens. The Labour leader has said he was not told by the now-sacked British Foreign Office official, Olly Robbins, that he had overruled security advice on Peter Mandelson. Starmer said he was absolutely furious and the failure to inform him was staggering. Speaking to reporters in Dundee as he unveiled the SNPs election battle bus, Swinney said it was the British Prime Ministers incompetence that was staggering. He said: I have no reason to doubt that the Prime Minister only found out this week, but if he did, it demonstrates a startling level of incompetence that he only found out this week. Advertisement This issue has been kicking around for months and the Prime Minister has made very definitive statements to the House of Commons and to other media events where he has definitively said the full vetting process was carried out and left the impression it had been successful. Keir Starmer has blamed a Foreign Office official for not telling him that Mandelson had failed security vetting (Nicholson/PA) Clearly, he hadnt checked that point and that is a staggering level of incompetence on the appointment of an ambassador to the most significant ambassadorial role. Swinney said the incompetence was incompatible with being Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. He added: Hes not up to the job because by his own admission he has accepted that he made a mistake with the appointment of Peter Mandelson as the ambassador to the United States. But having made that mistake, hes also now admitting that he didnt even go through proper consideration as to what would be all the issues that should be looked at in that appointment. Thats a level of incompetence that should worry us all about his capacity to be Prime Minister and thats why I dont think he can carry on being the Prime Minister. The British Prime Minister is facing calls to resign over his appointment of Lord Mandelson as US ambassador (Jordan Pettitt/PA) It comes after a former Whitehall civil servant claimed Olly Robbins had been thrown under the bus by No 10. Simon McDonald, permanent secretary at the British Foreign Office from 2015 to 2020, told BBC Radio 4s Today programme that Number 10 wanted a scalp and they wanted it quickly. Peter Mandelson, a political appointment rather than a career diplomat, was sacked from his Washington role last September when details emerged about his relationship with paedophile Jeffrey Epstein, who died in 2019. Keir Starmer was already under fire over the decision to give Peter Mandelson the job, despite it being known that the peers dealings with Epstein continued after the financiers conviction for child sex offences. Pope Leo XIV said on Saturday that it was not in my interest at all to debate US President Donald Trump about the Iran war, but that he would continue preaching the Gospel message of peace. Leo spoke to reporters aboard the papal plane flying from Cameroon to Angola as part of his 11-day tour of Africa. He addressed the spiralling back-and-forth saga of Mr Trumps critiques of his peace message, which have dominated news headlines this week. But the American pope also sought to set the record straight, insisting that his preaching is not directed at Mr Trump, but reflects the broader Gospel message of peace. Pope Leo XIV is welcomed by Angolas president, Joao Lourenco, left, as he arrives in Luanda (Andrew Medichini/AP) Theres been a certain narrative that has not been accurate in all of its aspects, but because of the political situation created when, on the first day of the trip, the president of the United States made some comments about myself, he said. Much of what has been written since then has been more commentary on commentary, trying to interpret what has been said. Advertisement Mr Trump launched the criticism on his social media platform Truth Social on the night of April 12, when he criticised Leos preaching about peace as the war, which began with joint US-Israeli strikes on February 28 and was followed by Irans retaliation, raged on. Mr Trump accused Leo of being soft on crime, cozy with the left and said that the first American pontiff owed his election to him. Leo has issued consistent calls for peace and dialogue, and has denounced the use of religious justification for war. Specifically, he called Mr Trumps threat to annihilate Iranian civilization truly unacceptable. The Vatican has stressed that when Leo preaches about peace, he is referring to all wars ravaging the planet, not just the Iran conflict. Police in Tanzania questioned the fiance of US social media influencer Ashly Robinson, who died after an alleged suicide attempt while the couple were on vacation in Zanzibar, a tourist hub off the east African country's mainland. Police had confiscated the passport of her partner, Joseph Isaac McCann, 45, also a US citizen, they said in a statement issued late on Tuesday. Robinson, 31, who is also known by her social media name Ashlee Jenae, and McCann arrived in Zanzibar on April 4th and booked into a hotel. They later moved to a second hotel where they "appeared to be having domestic conflicts," police said, citing hotel staff. Management subsequently separated the two into different rooms. "According to reports, she attempted to hang herself using a clothing belt tied inside a wardrobe in Room 25 of the hotel," the police statement said. She died in hospital on April 9th around 3pm local time while receiving treatment. Advertisement "Investigations into the matter are ongoing, pending professional medical reports and forensic examination from doctors," police said. McCann has not been charged. Reuters was not immediately able to contact his lawyer for comment. A GoFundMe set up to support the family of Ashly Robinson has reached nearly $60,000. Her parents, in a statement on the GoFundMe page, said: "Many of you have reached out asking how you can support our family during this unimaginable time, and we are so grateful for the love and prayers. "Our beloved daughter, Ashly Robinson, traveled to Zanzibar, Africa to celebrate her 31st birthday and got engaged during what should have been a joyful and memorable trip. "Just days later, she was found unconscious in her villa at the Zuri Hotel and was rushed to a local hospital, where her death was confirmed hours later. What was meant to be a dream became our familys worst nightmare. "As we grieve, we are also navigating an ongoing investigation and the challenges of being thousands of miles away while trying to bring Ashly home with dignity and seek answers. "This fund is in response to those asking how to help and will support travel costs, arrangements, and unexpected expenses during this time. Thank you for standing with our family." A French soldier was killed and three others wounded while clearing a road in southern Lebanon in an attack that UNIFIL peacekeepers and French officials said on Saturday was likely carried out by Iran-backed Hezbollah. In calls with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, French President Emmanuel Macron condemned the "unacceptable attack", Macron's office said in a statement. Three other members of the United Nations' UNIFIL peacekeeping mission were injured, UNIFIL said, two of them seriously. UNIFIL said initial assessments indicated the fire came from non-state actors, allegedly Hezbollah, and that an investigation had been launched into what it called "a deliberate attack." Macron also said the evidence so far pointed to the Iran-backed armed group and urged Lebanese authorities to act against those responsible. Hezbollah denied any involvement in the attack, expressing its "surprise at positions that rushed to make baseless accusations" against the group. Advertisement French armed forces minister Catherine Vautrin said the patrol was ambushed while on a mission to open a route to a UNIFIL post that had been isolated by fighting in the area. The soldier was killed by direct small-arms fire, she said. UNIFIL said the attack occurred in the southern Lebanese village of Ghandouriyeh. Lebanon's army condemned the shooting and said it had opened an investigation. President Aoun offered condolences and ordered an immediate probe, while Prime Minister Salam also condemned the attack. UNIFIL was first deployed in 1978 and has remained through successive conflicts, including a 2024 war during which its positions came under repeated fire. Israeli military kills militants in the south Separately, the Israeli military said on Saturday it had killed members of a "terrorist cell" that violated a US-brokered ceasefire and approached its soldiers in southern Lebanon. It said it was authorised to take necessary self-defence measures against "threats," adding that such actions are not restricted by the ceasefire. The Israeli military later said a soldier who was wounded in southern Lebanon on Friday had died of his wounds. It gave no details of the incident, which it did not describe as a violation of the ceasefire. Israel's Army Radio military correspondent reported that an initial inquiry found he had been wounded by an explosive device that was likely to have been planted before the ceasefire. Israel and Lebanon agreed a "cessation of hostilities" on April 16th at 2100 GMT for an initial period of 10 days to enable peace negotiations between the two countries, according to a text of the deal released by the US State Department. The deal does not require Israel to withdraw from southern Lebanon, where Israeli troops have been destroying villages and infrastructure after ordering residents south of the Litani River to flee. The area makes up about 8 per cent of Lebanese territory. Advertisement CultureTV & radioReality TV Billionaire Adrian Portelli takes on The Block with new life changing renovation show Nicole Elphick April 19, 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 When it comes to his new show, 37-year-old billionaire businessman Adrian Portelli is putting his money where his mouth is. Best known for his enthusiastic bidding on auction day of TV hit The Block, hes about to take part in his own new renovation reality program My Reno Rules. Hes purchased two rundown 1970s houses side-by-side in the Melbourne suburb of Bulleen, which four teams will be competing to make over into modern dream homes. Hes also ponying up the prize money the teams are hoping to win. Id rather invest my own money just to show that I am serious about it, says Portelli, speaking on the phone from Dubai. I do believe in the show and Im willing to invest my money. Billionaire Adrian Portelli and judge Neale Whitaker on the set of My Reno Rules in Melbourne. My Reno Rules tweaks the traditional home renovation genre that has found such an avid fan base with viewers and breaking records as the biggest giveaway in Australian television history with the two homes up for grabs once finished. I always had this idea where, unlike other shows, unfortunately the viewers are brought along this journey where theyre watching these homes be transformed, says Portelli. Everyone gets an emotional attachment to these homes, then they go to auction and fetch millions of dollars and theyre out of reach to most Australian families. So I thought, why not put a little twist on it and give these houses away when were finished? How cool would it be, people sitting in their living rooms tuning in and potentially watching what could be their home that they win. Advertisement Editor's pick Australian TV Forget nasty celebrity roasts - Mick Molloy and Glenn Robbins are all about the touchy-feely Another familiar face for the show is Love it or List it Australia co-host and former The Block judge Neale Whitaker. The design expert appears alongside interior stylist Julia Green and buyers agent Simon Cohen to assess the rooms. He was not only flattered to be invited to be on the judging team, but was also a fan of giving away the homes. Thats pretty life changing, says Whitaker. The timing also feels spot on for a show like this, when everyone is so conscious of the cost of living. The idea of houses being there to be won, rather than going to auction, is a great twist. It takes the renovation reality genre into a whole new direction. Another innovation is that for the four teams renovating, two will be working on different rooms within the same house each week, having to come to an agreement on which areas they will tackle and how the money allocated for renovations will be divided. Dr Chris Brown is hosting Sevens new reality show My Reno Rules. Advertisement Theyre fighting over budget, theyre fighting over who gets what rooms, says Portelli. It all gets very tense because someone getting a kitchen over a lounge room could be the difference between winning the series or not. Whitaker believes audiences will want to tune in to watch Portelli as a larger on-screen presence than theyve ever seen him before. I think people are interested in the whole sort of phenomenon that is Adrian Portelli and his role in the show, says Whitaker. Related Article Australian TV SBS documentary goes inside the divisive Australian War Memorial renovation Portelli admits that joining the series to monitor the progress of the homes alongside My Reno Rules host Dr Chris Brown isnt something he would have been cut out for earlier in his career. Ive had a lot of experience with my line of work being in front of the camera at the start it didnt come naturally. If this was my first time, I reckon Channel Seven would have replaced me in an instant! So I have a lot of respect watching Chris Brown in action. Advertisement Lisa Kudrow: Im always speaking up and saying something when I should keep my mouth shut. As the final season of The Comeback hits screens, the comedic actor talks about the sliding doors moments that have defined her career, and the note from Matthew Perry she will always treasure. Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Share A A A This story is part of the April 19 edition of Sunday Life. See all stories . When Lisa Kudrow was in her 20s, she had a meeting with an agent who inexplicably declared, Its funny; I can remember my first car everything about it but I cant remember the first girl I slept with. Kudrow told him that this made sense: after all, hed probably spent more time inside his first car. It wasnt until the next day she realised shed delivered a devastatingly witty rejoinder. Im always speaking up and saying something when I should keep my mouth shut, Kudrow, 62, says in an exclusive Australian print interview. To me, theres something very Valerie Cherish about not getting [the meaning of something immediately]. Speaking via Zoom from the Los Angeles home she shares with Michel Stern, her husband of more than 30 years, Kudrow, elegantly dressed in an olive shirt and gold pendant, is discussing the remarkable trajectory of HBOs The Comeback, which she co-created and co-wrote. Loading In the satirical comedy series, Kudrow plays Valerie Cherish, a sitcom star desperate to reclaim the fame shed enjoyed in the late 1980s. It was Kudrows first major project after Friends, the series that propelled her to global stardom as the eccentric Phoebe Buffay, but The Comeback was cancelled after just one season. It then became a word-of-mouth phenomenon, prompting HBO to air a second season in 2014. Now, The Comebacks third instalment shot on the same sound stage as every season of Friends except the first is streaming on HBO Max. (Despite being set in New York, Friends was filmed in LA.) That was emotional, says Kudrow of the return. I was touched that Warner Bros was having us shoot this there. The Comeback is important to me; its up there with Friends, even though less people are aware of it. Its something I created and co-wrote, and I am proud of it. In contrast to Phoebes endearing kookiness and Valeries cringeworthy need for attention, Kudrow has the friendly, down-to-earth manner one hopes to find in a doctor. This is no coincidence: after completing a degree in psychobiology, she spent eight years working for her father, Dr Lee Kudrow, an eminent headache specialist. She even contributed to a scientific study, published in a medical journal seven months before Friends premiered, that disproved the theory that cluster headache sufferers are more likely to be left-handed. Advertisement In that study, she is credited as L.V. Kudrow her middle name is Valerie. This is also the moniker she bestowed on a prototype of her Comeback character, one she created in 1989 as a member of an LA improvisational comedy troupe, The Groundlings. Juggling live performances with a career in medical research wasnt easy, but when she informed her parents shed decided to devote herself to acting, their reaction surprised her. As she told The New Yorker, They went, Thank god! Maybe thisll lighten you up, and then you can meet someone. In 1993, Kudrow was cast as Roz Doyle on Frasier, which should have been her big break. But she felt something was off and director James Burrows agreed, replacing her with Peri Gilpin before the pilot was filmed. Not long after, Kudrow accepted an offer to play a nameless waitress on Mad About You, a part her agent urged her to decline, not least because shed already appeared as a different minor character in an earlier episode. Lisa Kudrow as Valerie Cherish, a sitcom star desperate to reclaim the spotlight, in The Comeback. HBO Max I thought, Im not in a position to say no, Kudrow says, adding that she hadnt yet received her lines when she rushed to the taping. Instead, she told herself to just listen, respond and make it funny. Her instincts were correct, allowing Kudrow to parlay a tiny part into the recurring role of Ursula Buffay. Simultaneously invited by Fox and NBC to audition for sitcom pilots, Kudrow chose the latter because Mad About You aired on the same network. Little did she know that the series shed chosen, tentatively titled Friends Like Us, would become a worldwide smash. (To explain her presence on both shows, she was cast as Ursulas twin sister Phoebe in Friends.) Burrows, who directed some episodes of Friends (and who plays a fictionalised version of himself in The Comeback) was keen for the lead actors to bond in real life, so he encouraged them to play poker in his office. Courteney [Cox] doesnt even like poker! Kudrow says. But we all understood that were playing best friends whove known each other for a long time, so lets make that happen. It turned out to be a really high-functioning relationship among six people. Advertisement After the Friends finale was filmed in 2004, Matthew Perry, who played Chandler Bing, presented Kudrow with a gift: the cookie time jar with a static clock face from Monica and Rachels apartment. It stemmed from a scene in an earlier season in which Phoebe realises shes about to miss an appointment. As the cameras rolled, Kudrow noticed there were no visible watches or clocks on set, and therefore no reason for Phoebe to register her own tardiness. So she pointed to the cookie jar and announced, Im going to be late; Ive got to go! For Kudrow, Friends turned out to be a really high-functioning relationship among six people. Daniel Jack Lyons/Magnolia Photos/Headpress Perry, who died in 2023 from accidental overdose, was so impressed by her improvisation he obtained special permission from Warner Bros to give her the prop, which contained a handwritten note. (It was really touching, says Kudrow, tilting her head towards the room where the jar is displayed. The contents of Perrys note, she explains, will remain between me and him.) After Friends ended, Kudrow had lunch with producer Michael Patrick King, who had directed and written for Sex and the City. He loved her character from The Groundlings and together they created The Comeback. The large gaps between each season proved to be a creative advantage. In 2005, the series involved Valerie filming a reality show, also called The Comeback, documenting her return to the spotlight in a cheesy sitcom, Room and Bored. In a clever twist, the 2014 season featured Valerie playing a thinly veiled version of herself in a brooding HBO dramedy, with her own camera crew still in tow. The latest incarnation sees Valerie being trailed by her social media producer while filming Hows That?! the first sitcom written by artificial intelligence. Kudrow, an accomplished screenwriter and producer, wanted to explore how AI might upend Hollywood. It also allowed her to examine the current state of social media, which enables fame-seekers to bypass established platforms such as reality television. Does she believe this technology, which encourages users to relinquish their privacy in return for validation from strangers, is making Valerie Cherish clones of us all? Yes, Kudrow replies. That was a quick answer! Advertisement If youre yet to see The Comeback one of the great TV comedies of the past two decades youd be forgiven for thinking that Valerie is a narcissistic monster. But Kudrow always finds a sympathetic angle for her character. Youre seeing the cracks behind the facade, she says. Shes not a bad person; theres something nice about her. The more Valerie tries to control a tricky situation with self-reverential spin, the more likely she is to blurt out an impolite truth. Indeed, its Valeries unvarnished need for approval that many viewers find so disconcerting, perhaps because we share the same impulse but conceal it behind a veneer of indifference. The Friends cast in 1995 (from left): Kudrow, Matthew Perry, Jennifer Aniston, David Schwimmer, Courteney Cox and Matt LeBlanc. Warner Bros The success of Friends, which ran for 10 seasons and collected six Emmys, gave the principal cast considerable clout in Hollywood. Kudrow chose to use this to pursue her passions, including bringing the British genealogy program Who Do You Think You Are? to the US, where she served as the series executive producer. In her own episode, which aired in 2010, she learnt the harrowing details of her great-grandmothers murder in Belarus during World War II. Her fathers grandmother was among 900 Jewish men, women and children rounded up and shot inside an ice storage shed before the building was set alight. Villagers reported hearing the screams of those whod survived the Nazis bullets as they burnt to death. Related Article Exclusive Sunday Life Some would say I handled it terribly: Guy and Jules Sebastian on their biggest battle When you personalise these things, its not just a horrifyingly long list of names and numbers; theyre human beings, Kudrow says. [At first] I didnt want to know the details. But I realised, walking down the path to where they were all killed, that this isnt about me any more. When I enquire perhaps a touch too pleadingly about a possible fourth season of The Comeback, Kudrow gently dashes my hopes. Its a trilogy, which feels like a complete work, she says. This examination of Valerie Cherish in the television landscape that weve been chronicling for the past 20 years it feels like a full circle moment. Advertisement Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Share A A A Shes up there now, shes in no pain. Aaron Paul Richardson was allegedly talking of his stepdaughter, Tiffani. The 12-year-old had weighed just 7.4 kilograms when she died at her Gold Coast home some months earlier. Were down here, the parents, getting f---ing smashed with the blame, he told an undercover officer, according to Supreme Court documents released for the first time. Richardson, 39, and his partner, Tiffanis mother, Carrissa Scholten, stand accused of killing the girl. Tiffani Scholten was allegedly killed by her mother, Carrissa Scholten, and her partner Aaron Paul Richardson. It was an April evening in 2022, and Scholten had called Richardson to come home. Tiffani had been in a cot in a darkened wardrobe in her parents bedroom for hours, the prosecution says. Advertisement Richardson made his way home and tried to revive her, he told police. But despite his efforts, CPR didnt work, he told an undercover officer after his arrest. Especially when theres just nothing, nothing at all. It was f---ed. He later said: We just like left her to the last minute. At the age of two, the girl had been diagnosed with a genetic neurological disorder, Rett syndrome, and had developmental issues. After Tiffanis death, police launched Operation Uniform Zoysia, during which they spoke to members of her family. Scholtens sister recalled how Richardson called her that night saying: You need to get over here ASAP. What? the aunt replied. Advertisement Its Tiff. The aunt reported that Richardson sounded really distressed. He told her: Its not good. The phone call was quick, the aunt remembered. When I arrived, I raced upstairs. I had seen [Richardson] on the driveway as I went in. He looked agitated, and I think he was worried that police would come to the house and find things he didnt want to be found. Tiffanis cot in the wardrobe. Her family said she preferred the room to be dark. Documents tendered for Richardsons bail application, which was refused, detailed how he had a criminal history in both Queensland and NSW, including domestic violence and trafficking dangerous drugs. He was sentenced in Brisbane to three years jail for trafficking cocaine between April and July 2022. [Richardson] was pacing I was confused about why he wasnt up there with Carrissa, the aunt told police. I was constantly having to look after her Advertisement Photos of the room submitted to the court showed Tiffanis cot was set up inside a 2.5-metre by 2.4-metre wardrobe, a fan attached to a shelf above, and a small chest of drawers nearby. There were also childrens clothes and an empty puree pouch in the en suite, and a sippy-cup lid on the vanity. According to court documents, when Scholten spoke to a Triple Zero operator, she told them: My daughter is dead. She then performed CPR on Tiffanis frail body, telling them: She is so cold. Photos show the dark room where 12-year-old Tiffani slept. Scholten had reported checking on her at 1pm, with no further observations for more than six hours, despite the fact Tiffani was reliant on her mother and Richardson to provide for her, the prosecution submitted. Richardson owed a duty of care to Tiffani, the prosecution submitted, whether he was the biological father or not. He had repeatedly told police Tiffani was his daughter, and that he cared for and fed her. He spoke of their bond and said it was putrid that police would think he would harm his own child, according to documents. He told the undercover officer he was constantly having to look after her, and if they took her out to dinner, she would scream the house down. Advertisement Like it was just, you can never actually have that family relax time. So it was always one of us on the move. So the family was sort of separated from it, but we dealt with it. We learnt how to live with it and, yeah, it worked well, he allegedly said during the conversation. His legal team submitted that the charges were contested, and said without making any concession to the strength of the prosecution case, there were significant triable issues. Richardson was likely to fight the case on two grounds duty and causation his defence said. The prosecution would need to establish that he owed a duty to provide the necessities of life, his lawyers said, adding that he was not the biological father. Carrissa Scholten, Tiffanis mother. They also said Tiffani was born prematurely, and an issue would be whether malnutrition was the sole cause of death, or if her underlying condition was a contributing or primary cause. Richardson did not seek to minimise the gravity of the allegation, his defence said, and it was not alleged that he had inflicted any act of violence upon Tiffani. Medical, emotional, and physical neglect Advertisement Advertisement PoliticsFederalAustralian economy Opinion Our political foes have chosen the same outfit. Sadly, it doesnt look good on either of them Parnell Palme McGuinness Columnist and communications adviser April 19, 2026 5:00am April 19, 2026 5:00am Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Share A A A There have been a couple of corker lines delivered over the last couple of weeks to underscore the fact that no politician with a yen to continue his or her career wants to be seen dead wearing last seasons economic consensus. I especially liked the line from Nationals leader Matt Canavan at the National Press Club last week, criticising the economic sentiment of the past 15 years as microwaved Milton Friedman (the economist who promoted deregulation, small government, and free-market capitalism). Matt Canavan told the National Press Club that the country needed an economic revolution. Alex Ellinghausen Liberal MP Andrew Hastie also got in a good one on the ABCs Insiders when he declared that voters wouldnt reward the Liberal Party for a final stand for neoliberal politics. How fashions change. It feels like just yesterday that I was mocking the earnest libertarianism espoused on the Australian right, especially by young men. In the noughties, the unrealistically individualist philosophy had really caught on. I blame the lack of social media. Back then, boys were still reading the politically libertine Playboy for the articles. They even read books. Advertisement Like Ayn Rands novels. After being told dozens of times that it was necessary to read the Russian emigre to understand the world, I did. Hoooh boy. From then on, I understood what had captured those young mens imaginations. Lets just say that sections of The Fountainhead and Atlas Shrugged, which didnt start off sealed, would have become fused by the sticky panting fingers of their impressionable pubescent readers. I could well imagine how young men could become captivated by the heroic self-sufficiency of The Fountainheads Howard Roark and his transcendent and detailed physical unions with the uncompromising Dominique Francon. How they could be drawn through the erotically charged adventures of Atlas Shruggeds Dagney Taggart into wishing she would ask if they were, in fact, John Galt. Related Article Political leadership Australia needs more than a reset, it needs an economic revolution: Canavan What was a young woman of good education to do, but poke merciless fun at this cartoonish dream of hyper-individualism? A universe in which the gossamer threads of familial love and obligation were considered stifling enslavement? I was amused enough to spend countless hours debating the ideas of the extreme libertarians. One memorable night, as we sat at the pub contemplating the newish idea of seasteading a utopian idea of a no-tax society built aboard a floating platform in lawless international waters I pointed out the glaring obstacle in the way of these fancies. There were eight men around the table, and me. A philosophy of radical individualism cant reproduce itself. It is predestined to die out for want of wombs. Two decades later, the pendulum has swung to the other extreme. The young men of laissez-faire have been mugged by the reality of a complex world. But rather than replace it with a more sophisticated approach to policy, they have chosen another solution that is as appealingly clear and simple as it is wrong: neoprotectionism. Obviously, no one objects to the notion of sovereign capability. But the interventionist instinct tends to become as extreme and, ultimately, ridiculous as the minarchism of yesteryear. Advertisement What it boils down to is the idea that governments, which are mostly made up of people who have never worked in business let alone run one are somehow going to do a good job at investing taxpayer money and rendering industries viable which private companies have abandoned. Along the way, trade-offs are going to magically disappear. In this government-directed economy, we will have high wages, secure jobs, as well as enough output to shore up our nations every need. Forgive me if I hum The Internationale to myself. Unfortunately, government-laid five-year plans turned out to be pure fiction. History tells us that governments are 90 per cent powered by wishful thinking, which doesnt transubstantiate into lifes necessities. Related Article Opinion Liberal Party Why Liberal heavyweights are gearing up for new stand-off over tax James Massola Chief political commentator The left has been arguing its way into a post-productivity nirvana for a while now. Playwright and progressive fulminator Van Badham has been declaring neoliberalism dead and the Labor Party damned for failing to bury it for over a decade. The Australia Institutes Richard Denniss discovered that neoliberalism was responsible for spreading COVID. Columnist at this masthead Sean Kelly recently authored a Quarterly Essay which argued that even the Albanese government, with its bent towards the institutionalisation of all things, is essentially a conservative government. To prove his point, the right has now come around. While its a heart-warming moment of bipartisanship, both sides are wrong. These neat frameworks struggle to accommodate messy reality. Yes, in a shifting global environment, Australia must consider how it can best ensure that we will continue to have access to the resources, foodstuffs and technology that modern life requires. But signing up to neoprotectionism is following the left down a path to poverty. Advertisement Instead, we now need to acknowledge global dynamics and model scenarios in which the world becomes less integrated, without holding them up as a sure thing or an ideal. Rather than fixating on national sovereignty, Australia needs strategic sovereignty the ability to act independently in key sectors, while continuing to benefit from the considerable dividends of cooperation and global trade. If that seems a rhetorical nicety, its not; the first proposes that we shield our industries from competition, the second that we create the conditions for them to become more competitive with those elsewhere in the world. As always, Australias advantage always comes down to energy abundance if we choose to exploit it, rather than throttling some sources in the hope of bolstering others. The neoprotectionists of the left and right will like that Australia has a good chance of becoming a manufacturing hub again if we take that path. Its possible to stay a high-wage country and continuing to furnish plenty of jobs if Australia is an attractive place to make things not just in the short term, dependent on industry subsidy, but structurally, because of the materials available here, and its profitable for business to use them. And there we go ping! Your Milton Friedman is ready. At the perfect temperature to serve up anew. Delicious neoliberalism for the modern palate. Parnell Palme McGuinness is an insights and advocacy strategist. She has done work for the Liberal Party and the German Greens and is a senior fellow at the Centre for Independent Studies. Get a weekly wrap of views that will challenge, champion and inform your own. Sign up for our Opinion newsletter. Chinese premier chairs meeting on FTZs, administrative reconsideration regulation Xinhua) 10:26, April 18, 2026 BEIJING, April 17 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Li Qiang chaired a State Council executive meeting on Friday, which heard a report on the development of pilot free trade zones (FTZs) and approved a revised regulation on the implementation of the Administrative Reconsideration Law. The meeting noted that since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, the country's FTZs have achieved breakthroughs in deepening reform, expanding opening up, and promoting development, effectively fulfilling their roles as comprehensive pilot platforms. It called for implementing an FTZ upgrading strategy, and facilitating FTZs to better serve overall national development, adding that region-specific policies should be adopted to promote high-quality FTZ development. China supports Shanghai and other FTZs in aligning with high-standard international economic and trade rules, and steadily advancing institutional opening up in rules, management and standards, according to the meeting. On administrative reconsideration, the meeting noted that the newly revised regulation refines relevant legal provisions, and addresses new issues in practices. The meeting called on all localities and departments to strengthen self-supervision, standardize administrative actions, and continuously enhance the government's governance capacity and credibility. (Web editor: Zhao Tong, Wu Chaolan) BAGENALSTOWN Fire Station has been allocated 2.8 million for its refurbishment and upgrade as part of a wider investment in fire services infrastructure across the country. The funding is part of the National Fire Services Capital Programme (2026-2030), which sets out a plan to modernise Irelands fire service fleet and wider capabilities. The programme will see 328.5 million invested over five years and represents the states largest-ever investment in the fire and emergency services. Hacketstown Fire Station will also receive funding to upgrade its breathing apparatus training facilities. This will include replacing the traditional fuel source used to create training fires and, therefore, create a cleaner, more controlled training environment and reduce carcinogenic exposure to firefighters during training. There has also been funding allocated to Hacketstown for upgrades to its compartment fire behaviour training facilities. Compartment fire behaviour training is an advanced and specialised area of firefighter training and refers to how fire develops, grows and behaves within an enclosed space, such as a corridor or a room. Carlow Co Council has been allocated a new frontline fire appliance, worth 500,000, as part of a national roll-out, ensuring every fire authority receives at least one new vehicle. The appliance will come equipped with a high-capacity pump, hoses and a full complement of firefighting and rescue equipment, capable of responding to a wide range of emergencies, including structure fires and road traffic collisions. Carlow Fire Station Photo: John Courtney Minister for housing, local government and heritage James Browne said the investment ensures our fire services will have a modern fleet, upgraded facilities and equipment required to meet the challenges they face. This investment in the fire service will reinforce public safety in Carlow and ensure that our critical infrastructure and essential services are protected, minister Browne said. Fianna Fail TD for Carlow/Kilkenny deputy Peter Chap Cleere echoed minister Brownes comments and said the investment was important to ensure fire services could meet the challenges of a changing Ireland. This investment is about future-proofing our fire services, deputy Cleere said. With more severe weather events, growing populations and increasingly complex emergencies, this funding comes at the right time, he added. To celebrate America's 250th birthday, Cohutta having its first ever town fair on May 2. Organizers are kicking off the day with a beauty pageant where Miss Cohutta will be crowned. Next will be a patriotic parade complete with marching bands from both Cohulla Creek High School and Northwest Whitfield High School, a veterans group, classic cars, and more. There will be musical performaces from the Dalton/Whitfield Community Band, Wes Harness, a Blue Grass Jam session featuring area blue grass musicians, and a performance by an area clogging group. For the kids there inflatables, carnival games, a chalk art contest, prizes, face painting and more. For all ages there will be craft vendors, food trucks, community booths, demonstrators (including a demonstration from a chain saw artist), blue ribbon contests, and competions such as a watermelon eating contest, sack races, tug of war, and a even a wife carrying contest. Chattanooga City Limits - Roads themselves have become almost public enemy #1 in this area. We have a committee wanting to "spruce up" the riverfront. Anyone driven to the riverfront lately? Amnicola Highway is terrible, the "Dupont" Parkway is simply atrocious. By the time anyone gets to or from the Riverpark a check has to be done to make sure all the tires still have air, or a visit to their local mechanic to make sure everything is still under their car that should be. Now let's come in from 20th Street.Anyone tried that lately? Atrocious all that can be said. Looks like the improvements to the Riverpark are also pushing the population in the area closer and closer to the Georgia line. unless of course you rent one of the apartments or condos going up in the area with some pretty scary price tags either buying or renting. That part of the "affordable housing" we have heard so much about from the Mayor's office? Now traveling the roads working to keep the population safe are first responders. Now those groups have their own city and county garages and the crews there to repair those vehicles unlike the general population traveling those roads. So it looks like the taxes paid are keeping the motor pools stocked with mechanics and plenty of new parts for the vehicles. And now to the bridge going over the rail yard. I remember a few years ago reading an article that plans were being made to replace the bridge. Since then no new bridge and sure have not made the thing more safe or smoothed out. But since that article we got "we are going to make the Riverpark nicer and more inviting" for whom - Mayor Kelley and the City Council? Because I know you folks have traveled the same roads I'm talking about now. Plus, I do not recall Riverfront Parkway in near the shape it's in now when there were car dealerships in that area. Well, our city can't fix a bridge, can't fix a road or even patch a pothole. But we can sure build a new ballpark in a hurry. Mayor Wamp and the County Commission, you are not exempt from the road maintenance and infrastructure conversation. All we have to do is start at Exit 11 or go northbound on Highway 58 all the way to Highway 60 and branch out to East Brainerd to the Bradley County line and a little further south on Oltewah-Ringgold Road all the way to the Georgia line. A deeper dive to come at a later date. I'm concerned if profits and bank accounts are more important than the people who elect our local representatives. Mike Brumlow I have lived in this area for over 40 years - from childhood years in the city limits to adulthood in the different areas within the county. Could we talk about roads and infrastructure for a minute? Rebecca Dawkins Troxler, 77, was born on July 30, 1948, in Birmingham, Alabama, and passed away peacefully at home surrounded by family at age on April 16, 2026. She lived her life with faith, love and an unwavering commitment to those she loved. She graduated from the University of Alabama with a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics and Education in 1970, she received a Master of Education from the University of Alabama in Birmingham in 1975 and was a Woodrow Wilson Fellow of Princeton University in 1987. She taught high school and college mathematics to students in Tennessee and Alabama. She married her college sweetheart, John Anthony Troxler, Jr. in 1970 and began the love story of their lives. She was devoted to her family and was immensely proud of her two daughters and grandson. Throughout her life, Rebecca remained deeply committed to service to her community. When John retired, they moved to Soddy Daisy, where Rebecca was involved in several sewing groups. She was an active member of Rivermont Presbyterian Church for many years. She supported Haiti relief efforts through ministry partnerships that provided handmade sewn goods to mothers, children, and infants in need. She also donated many handmade blankets to the Ronald McDonald House and women and children's shelters. Another sewing interest was making patriotic memorials for the Quilts of Valor program. She made 105 pieced quilt tops and 264 finished quilts that are awarded to active and veteran military members. Upon retirement, she enjoyed traveling with John to Italy, England, cruising to Alaska, Nova Scotia, and around South America. They also enjoyed lovely domestic river cruises, spending time exploring new locations and rediscovering old favorites. She is survived by her husband, John, of 55 years; daughter, Ruth Troxler Vine and grandson, Cole Allyn Vine; daughter, Jean Ann Patterson and husband, Luke; sister, Olivia Williams and husband, Cal; sister, Martha Glotfelty and husband, Henry; brother, Robert Dawkins and wife, Jacie; and extended family and friends. She was the absolute best Mother anyone could have asked for, and while she may no longer be here in person, her love is a permanent part of the lives she touched. Though her presence will be profoundly missed, she leaves behind a family that is ready for the world because of the foundation she built. She prepared them better than they ever realized, giving them the tools to stay strong even when things are hard. She was a woman of strong faith who spent her life teaching those around her the true meaning of resilience and love. A Celebration of Life Service in Rebeccas memory will be held at a later date. Arrangements are by the North Chapel of Chattanooga Funeral Home, Crematory, and Florist, 5401 Highway 153, Hixson, Tn. 37343. Please share your thoughts and memories at www.chattanooganorthchapel.com. The Book The French Vendetta by author Simon Michael The war may be over but in Bezerac, it never truly ended. When London barrister Charles Holborne travels to rural France in 1970, he is hoping for a quiet escape. Instead, he finds a village still ruled by old loyalties, buried secrets, and unresolved guilt. A woman has disappeared. Accusations resurface. And the past, shaped by fear and silence during the Nazi occupation, begins to intrude on the present. As Holborne is drawn deeper into a case the village believes it has already judged, he discovers that justice here is fragile and truth can be more dangerous than lies. Moving between wartime France and the uneasy peace decades later, The French Vendetta explores how communities rewrite history to survive, and what happens when moral compromise is mistaken for justice. Drawn into a simmering vendetta between those who collaborated with the Nazis and those who resisted, Charles has no choice but to defend a client in a place with no judge, no rules, and no law. With a firing squad awaiting the verdict, his client's life is on the line. Author Simon Michael The author Simon Michael often referred to as the British John Grisham, is a barrister and the author of the best-selling Charles Holborne Legal Thrillers. The books are historical and legal crime novels set primarily in London in the 1960s and 1970s, a period of profound social change. At their centre is barrister Charles Holborne, born Charlie Horowitz, a former East End heavyweight boxer and occasional criminal, who is drawn into cases at the intersection of organised crime, police corruption and political intrigue. Blending legal authenticity with gritty urban realism, Simon Michael uses crime to explore loyalty, prejudice and moral compromise: what happens when justice collides with a corrupt Establishment? Who does the law truly serve, and who pays the cost of pursuing truth when the system itself is broken? Publication date: 15th May 2026 ISBN: (PB) 9780854958825 (Amazon) by Natalie key for www.femalefirst.co.uk Home News Colo. school grants satanic student religious accommodation from digital hall pass system Satanists argued digital ID gave school authority over student's 'bodily autonomy' A Colorado school district has provided a tailored religious accommodation to a high school student who identifies as a satanist, exempting her from the school's digital hall pass system specifically for restroom access during class. A spokesman for the Elizabeth School District, located in Elbert County, says the district received a parental request to exempt the student at Elizabeth High School from Minga, a widely adopted digital campus management platform used by schools across the United States to modernize and streamline student movement during the school day. Officials say the system was implemented at Elizabeth High School at the start of the second semester to assist in maintaining a safe, secure, and orderly learning environment for students and staff. "The system furthers this compelling interest by ensuring that students are safe and accounted for while outside the classroom," Elizabeth School District Public Information Officer Jeff Maher told The Christian Post on Friday. The Satanic Temples Protect Children Project (PCP) supported the family when an initial request was denied after the student and her family argued that the bathroom access rules conflicted with her sincerely held religious beliefs as a member of The Satanic Temple (TST), citing a tenet of the satanic group which states, Ones body is inviolable, subject to ones own will alone. In a letter to the district, TST legal counsel Matt Kezhaya argued that the schools bathroom monitoring system burdened the students religious exercise by placing school authority over her bodily autonomy, the group said in a public statement on its website. The letter also referenced the U.S. Supreme Courts 2025 ruling in Mahmoud v. Taylor, which addressed parents rights to opt children out of instruction conflicting with their religious beliefs. By its very nature, the system requires [the student] to subordinate her bodily needs to institutional surveillance and control, Kezhaya wrote in the letter. The district ultimately granted the accommodation last Tuesday. The student now uses physical hall passes for restroom access instead of logging departures in Minga. She has two passes: one presented to the teacher upon leaving for the restroom and returned upon returning to class, and another carried while in the hallway. The student must still use Minga for all other out-of-class purposes, according to Maher. In his statement, Maher also cited the districts pledged commitment to both safety and parental rights. The District believes that Minga is an important and necessary tool at the high school level. At the same time, the District is deeply committed to honoring parental rights and to the principle that families not schools are the ultimate arbiters of the values by which their children are raised. While Maher described the accommodation as one that both respected the students religion while preserving, to the greatest extent possible, the Districts ability to fulfill its safety obligations to all students and staff, TST framed the outcome as a defense of religious liberty for its members. Defending student TST members from school policies that burden their religious beliefs is central to Protect Children Projects mission, the group stated. The religious accommodation in Elizabeth, Colorado, demonstrates that commitment in action. These events also serve as a reminder that when the Supreme Court recognizes a religious protection, as it did in Mahmoud v. Taylor, public institutions cannot limit those protections to majority or politically favorable religious groups. While the notion of satanism as a constitutionally-protected religion may surprise some, TST announced in April 2019 that the IRS recognized the organization as a church and eligible for federal tax exemption under existing federal law. While TST initially lobbied against tax exemptions for churches and other religious institutions, the satanist group reversed its stance after the Trump administration signed a 2017 executive order prohibiting any adverse action by the U.S. Treasury against religious institutions, including tax penalties and denying them tax-exempt status. Home Books Matt Chandler on political idolatry, deconstruction and why spiritual growth is slow and disorienting' In an era that prizes immediacy and instant transformation, even within the Church, Matt Chandler is making a countercultural case that sanctification does not move linearly up and to the right. I havent heard bad preaching on it, the 51-year-old pastor of The Village Church in Flower Mound, Texas, told The Christian Post. But theres just this assumption that sanctification is just going to be up and to the right my struggles are going to go away and Im not going to get disoriented. Chandlers latest book, Becoming Like Jesus: The Everyday Journey to Living a Life of Holiness, decades in the making, confronts that assumption head-on. Drawing on more than 30 years in pastoral ministry, Chandler describes spiritual growth not as a straight ascent but as something more like a winding coil; a pattern of highs and lows that, over time, still moves forward. I wanted to write an honest book about how it happens, he said. The timing, he added, is not accidental. In recent years, Chandler has paid close attention to the rise of what is often called deconstruction, a term he describes as broad and imprecise its kind of a junk drawer word, he said but still revealing. Beneath many of those stories, he hears a common thread: disappointment when faith does not remove suffering or struggle. Some of the deconstruction stories, healthy, good ones, are, We want to own our faith. We don't want our parents' faith,'" Chandler said. "I just read so many testimonies of, I tried Jesus, He didn't work. If you would get into the nuance of their story, it would be that life didnt go their way, or this super disorienting experience happened to them, or the fight with sin persisted, and so they would interpret that as, It doesn't work for me, or Jesus isn't real, and then frame it in trauma language. For Chandler, a husband and father of three, that reflects not a failure of the Gospel, but a misunderstanding of it. I always wondered, what version of the Gospel did you receive?" he said. "What did you say yes to? Because what we should say 'yes' to is Jesus and a personal relationship with Him. The good news of the Gospel isnt that, 'if I give my mind, body and soul to Jesus, everything goes my way.' The good news is that I get God, and regardless of what comes, He will be with me, and He wont waste it. That theology has been tested in his own life, from a brain cancer diagnosis that brought years of treatment, early struggles in his marriage and more recent health crises involving both himself and his wife. There are three or four moments that were so disorienting to me it felt like the floor fell out from under me, he said. And yet, in retrospect, those moments became formative. I have seen the most profound shaping of my soul, not when Im winning but when I am in the dark night of the soul, when I am disoriented, he said. According to Chandler, that perspective allows him to reframe suffering not as an obstacle to spiritual growth, but as one of its primary instruments. Still, the pastor acknowledged that such a claim can feel unsatisfying, even offensive, in the face of real loss. I still have no good answer for you on the death of a 6-year-old, he said. " I cannot make sense of how that's going to somehow, one day glorify God. But one of the things I talk about in the book is, if you don't quit, you win. ... I'm trying to lead people into closing the distance between them and the Lord for the sake of their own souls, so that the good work of the disorienting season can accomplish the purposes of God in allowing them into our lives." There are practices that sustain faith in the absence of clarity, he said, pointing primarily to confession. In 2024, he spoke to CP at length about the topic of confession after a tumultuous 2022 season that led to a temporary leave of absence from the pulpit at The Village Church. During that time, Chandler acknowledged an inappropriate but non-romantic online relationship, which church elders described as unguarded and unwise. When I stumbled, I was met with both grace and accountability, he told CP at the time, noting that the culture of transparency ultimately strengthened trust and encouraged others to confess struggles more quickly. In his latest interview, Chandler explained that, though often misinterpreted, confession is just telling God the truth. Truth, he said, may include doubt, anger or confusion, emotions often suppressed in church settings but modeled throughout Scripture, from David to Jeremiah. Rather than distancing believers from God, such honesty draws them closer. I dont want to create distance from the Lord by trying to hide that doubt from Him, he said. I want to bring that doubt right into His presence. Chandler said the call to peacemaking addresses not just the internal life but the external one, particularly in a moment marked by cultural and political division. He distinguished peacemaking from what he called peacekeeping, a more passive approach that avoids conflict and allows it to fester rather than resolving it. I wonder how much deeper and richer our belonging would be if we would take serious peacemaking versus peacekeeping, he said. Things that should just be a skirmish turn into a full-blown war, because we just dont want to say anything. That same cultural moment, he said, has exposed deeper issues within the Church, particularly when it comes to politics. Looking ahead, Chandler, who has been critical of both political parties, believes this is one of the areas that will require significant reform. I think the political idolatry and ideology today, I think its just killing us, he said. And I think thatll be something 10, 15 years from now, we look back with maybe some embarrassment and shame around because I think it's so subversive in how it plays out. Underlying many of these challenges, Chandler reflected, are inherited distortions of the faith, many of them magnified in the 1990s, from the prosperity gospel to moralistic deism, a framework that reduces Christianity to behavior rather than relationship. Not that the Lord wasn't at work, but the 90s they were a disaster in a lot of ways, the pastor said. I want to be real careful, because we've built on that ground. I think every generation does this. Every generation looks at what was going on and tries to keep the best of it, but also do the work of reforming. The current iteration of what Jesus is doing in His Church is healing some of that and rewriting it. The history of the Church is that we drift, he said. Each generation will have some reforming to do. Even virtues like meekness, often dismissed in a culture that rewards certainty and volume, require redefinition, Chandler said, emphasizing that meekness is not weakness but strength under control. And for those discouraged by the slow pace of their own spiritual growth, Chandler offered the reminder that God is neither frustrated nor surprised by that reality. The Christian life, he said, is not a straight line toward perfection, but a long, uneven journey. From the moment you said yes to Jesus until you either die or Christ returns, you are a work in progress, he said. Jesus knew what He was buying on the cross, he said. Becoming Like Jesus releases on April 28. Home News Non-religious NASA astronaut 'broke down in tears' seeing cross after Artemis II mission NASA astronaut and Artemis II Commander Reid Wiseman said that although he is not a religious man, he broke down in tears after returning from the mission and felt such intense emotion that he asked to speak with a Navy chaplain. During a press conference at Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas, on Thursday, NASA astronauts who returned from the Artemis II mission last week discussed their experience in outer space. The astronauts were asked whether they had an experience similar to that of Apollo 14 astronaut Edgar Mitchell, who, after returning from the mission, focused on studying the nature of human consciousness. When Wiseman was asked whether he experienced a universal connectedness upon returning to Earth or a a shift in consciousness, he described the emotional impact of the experience. "I'm not really a religious person, but there was just no other avenue for me to explain anything or to experience anything. So I asked for the chaplain on the Navy ship to just come visit us for a minute. And when that man walked in, I'd never met him before in my life, but I saw the cross on his collar and I broke down in tears." "It's very hard to fully grasp what we just went through," he added, noting that the crew has been undergoing medical testing and hasn't yet had time to decompress. "We have not had that reflection time. So I'm basing this on what we saw. And when the sun eclipsed behind the moon, I think all four of us ... I turned to Victor [Glover], and I said, 'I don't think humanity has evolved to the point of being able to comprehend what we're looking at right now because it was otherworldly.'" Glover, the Artemis II pilot, added, That was a really special moment. I was in the bed right across when the chaplain came in, and the only thing I would add is I am a religious person, but everything else is the same. There is something in there, and as we start to process, I'll have to tell you next week, but I haven't had a chance to really unpack it all yet. During an interview with CBS News from space on Easter Sunday, Glover reflected on how the experience of leaving Earth has reinforced his faith. When I read the Bible and I look at all of the amazing things that were done for us who were created, were in a spaceship really far from Earth, but youre on a spaceship called Earth that was created to give us a place to live in the universe, in the cosmos. You are special in all of this emptiness, Glover said. This is a whole bunch of nothing, this thing we call the universe. You have this oasis, this beautiful place that we get to exist together. Glover concluded his remarks about Easter Sunday by telling CBS News, Whether you celebrate it or not, whether you believe in God or not this is an opportunity for us to remember where we are, who we are and that we are the same thing and that we got to get through this together. According to NASAs website, the Artemis II mission lasted just over a week and consisted of a crewed lunar flyby designed as a key step toward long-term return to the moon and future missions to Mars. The 21-day Artemis IV mission is scheduled for 2028, and that trip will include a surface landing on the moon, where crew members are expected to spend about a week. Home News Radical Fulani mount deadly raids as Christian death toll rises in Nigeria ABUJA, Nigeria Fulani terrorists killed eight Christians in Plateau state, Nigeria, earlier this month, including three in a district that had been attacked just days before. The assailants attacked Jol village, Riyom County, on Saturday night (April 11), killing Geoffrey Infinity and another Christian identified only as Kefas, area residents said. Last night, April 11, there were gunshots everywhere by Fulani terrorists, resident Blessing Bature told Christian Daily InternationalMorning Star News in a text message. Please pray for Gwa-wereng, Gwa-Rim, Rim and Jol communities of Riyom LGA Plateau state of Nigeria. We pray that God continue to protect his people. Bature identified one of the Christians killed as Kefas, my classmate, and asserted that the killers will not know peace. Resident King Joshua said those who attacked the area villages were armed Fulanis. Fulani terrorists have killed a Christian, Geoffrey Infinity, Joshua said in a text message. He was my roommate in school at the Jos Campus of the Plateau State Polytechnic in Barkin Ladi. He was killed in the attack that occurred last night in Jol Riyom LGA. In Riyom Countys Bachi District, Fulanis on April 6 killed a Christian in Dum village, residents said. A student of Federal University of Education Pankshin, Mr. Badung Sunday Alamba, a Christian and the only male child of his mother, was killed by Fulani militia, Zere Samuel told Christian Daily International-Morning Star News. Community leader Rwang Tengwong confirmed a series of killings in a press statement he issued from Jos. There was a premeditated attack carried out by armed Fulani terrorists in Dum village of Bachi District, Riyom Local Government Area, Tengwong said. The incident occurred at about 7:49 p.m. on April 6, when the terrorists, who had already positioned themselves to attack the village, laid an ambush at the entrance of Dum village. Tragically, Badung Sunday, 29, a third-year student of the Federal University of Education, Pankshin, was shot and killed by the terrorists, cutting short the life of a promising young man who was the only child of his mother, and whose future held great hope for his family and community. Another Christian, Dachomo Habila, narrowly escaped the ambush unhurt despite attempts by the terrorists to end his life, Tengwong said. In Jol village on April 3, area resident Victor Mangwe told Christian Daily International-Morning Star News in a text, Fulani terrorists attacked Jol community of Riyom LGA this morning at about 6:56 a.m., April 3, killing Mr. Dalyop Betobeje, 51. Resident Maria Dauda added, Our government says Christians are not being killed, but Fulani herdsmen killed one Christian in the early hours of April 3, in Jol community. Barkin Ladi attacks In Barkin Ladi County, Fulanis attacked Nding village on April 8, residents said. Fulani terrorists ambushed three Christians, killing one of them and injuring two others in Nding community, Joshua Bot told Christian Daily International-Morning Star News in a text message. The incident occurred near the offices of the Great Commission Movement of Nigeria at around 4:15 p.m. He identified the slain Christian as Ayuba Pam of Nding and the wounded as Alfred Dung and Nathaniel Bitrus. Both injured Christians are currently being treated at a hospital, Bot said. Resident Ayuba Roba corroborated the account of the attack. In Barkin Ladi Countys Heipang District, where Fulanis had attacked on April 1, Fulani terrorists attacked again on April 5, killing three Christians in Pwomol village, sources said. Mercy Yop Chuwang, spokesperson for Barkin Ladi Local Government Council chairman, confirmed the killings in a press statement. The Heipang community has been thrown into mourning following an attack by armed Fulani men on Pwomol village in the early hours of Sunday, 5 April, which claimed the lives of three Christians: Daniel M. Dung, 60; Bitrus Pam, 30; and Marvin Dung, 27, Chuwang said. One Christian, Pam Davou, 45, sustained injuries and is currently receiving treatment at the Jos University Teaching Hospital. Council Chairman Stephen Gyang Pwajok and the outspoken Rev. Ezekiel Dachomo took part in a subsequent funeral service. Police spokesman Alfred Alabo said personnel and other security members were been deployed to the area after receiving reports of gunshots early on April 6. The Plateau State Police Command wishes to inform the general public that on 6th April, 2026 at about 04:30 a.m., we received a distress call from Barkin Ladi Local Government Area reporting gunshot sounds around Pwomol village in Heipang District, Alabo said in a statement. Upon receipt of the report, the Commissioner of Police mobilized a Joint Response Team comprising of the DPO Barkin Ladi, the Military, and other security agencies who engaged the attackers in a gun duel. Due to the superior firepower of our team, the attackers were forced to flee into the surrounding mountainous forests. During the attack, three persons lost their lives and another sustained injuries, he said. In a follow-up clearance operation carried out by the team, one suspect identified as Suleiman (male) was arrested around the Redemption Camp [of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, RCCG], Alabo said. The suspect was apprehended with visible blood stains and is currently in custody. Inspector General of Police Olatunji Rilwan Disu has reinforced security in the area with additional deployments, intensified patrols and synergy with other security agencies, he added. More Christians were killed in Nigeria than in any other country from Oct. 1, 2024, to Sept. 30, 2025, according to Open Doors 2026 World Watch List. Of the 4,849 Christians killed worldwide for their faith during that period, 3,490 were Nigerians, an increase from 3,100 the prior year. Nigeria ranked No. 7 on the WWL of the 50 countries where it is most difficult to be a Christian. Numbering in the millions across Nigeria and the Sahel, predominantly Muslim Fulani comprise hundreds of clans of many different lineages who do not hold extremist views, but some Fulani do adhere to radical Islamist ideology, the United Kingdoms All-Party Parliamentary Group for International Freedom or Belief (APPG) noted in a 2020 report. They adopt a comparable strategy to Boko Haram and ISWAP and demonstrate a clear intent to target Christians and potent symbols of Christian identity, the APPG report states. Christian leaders in Nigeria have said they believe herdsmen attacks on Christian communities in Nigerias Middle Belt are inspired by their desire to forcefully take over Christians lands and impose Islam as desertification has made it difficult for them to sustain their herds. In the countrys North-Central zone, where Christians are more common than they are in the North-East and North-West, Islamic extremist Fulani militia attack farming communities, killing many hundreds, Christians above all, according to the report. Jihadist groups such as Boko Haram and the splinter group Islamic State in West Africa Province (ISWAP), among others, are also active in the countrys northern states, where federal government control is scant and Christians and their communities continue to be the targets of raids, sexual violence, and roadblock killings, according to the report. Abductions for ransom have increased considerably in recent years. The violence has spread to southern states, and a new jihadist terror group, Lakurawa, has emerged in the northwest, armed with advanced weaponry and a radical Islamist agenda, the WWL noted. Lakurawa is affiliated with the expansionist al-Qaeda insurgency Jamaa Nusrat ul-Islam wa al-Muslimin, or JNIM, originating in Mali. This article was published at Christian Daily InternationalMorning Star News Home News Russia strikes Baptist church in Ukraine, killing pastor at prayer meeting Russia struck a Baptist church in the southeastern Ukrainian city of Zaporizhzhia during a prayer meeting this week, killing at least one person, a minister, and injuring at least eight others. The Embassy of Ukraine in the U.S. gave the casualty figures in a public statement issued while rescue workers were still on the scene, identifying the targeted building as The House of the Gospel Church, which had served the community for years, according to Baptist Press. The embassy called the strike a deliberate attack on people of faith who had gathered peacefully to pray. Promoters of A Faith Under Siege, a documentary series reporting Russias persecution of Christians, identified the man killed as Ruslan Utyuzh, a minister at the bombed church. Utyuzh is survived by his wife and two children. Baptist Standard quoted Pavel Unguryan, a former Member of the Ukrainian Parliament, as saying that several church leaders were inside at the time of the attack to celebrate Easter on Thursday, and that seven or eight people were seriously wounded. More than 300 people had called the building their spiritual home, Unguryan said, adding that up to 700 churches have been destroyed since the beginning of the war in Ukraine. He called the attack a direct assault on people of faith who had gathered peacefully to worship God, and appealed for prayer and action. Unguryan served as a member of the Ukrainian Parliament until 2019 and was appointed to the Order of Merit of the III degree in 2017, according to the U.S.-Ukraine Business Council. Mission Eurasia, a Gospel-based humanitarian group with offices in Franklin, Tennessee, has a close, longstanding relationship with the congregation, Kate Akers, the groups director of marketing, was quoted as saying. The church started as an underground congregation, Akers was quoted as saying. One of its members is a key leader at Mission Eurasia. Akers said churches like this one are often targeted, especially when they are serving their communities in times of crisis, and that this was one reason Mission Eurasia had devoted significant attention to documenting religious persecution and attacks on churches in Ukraine. The strike was neither an accident nor an isolated incident, Colby Barrett, producer of the documentary A Faith Under Siege, was quoted as saying. He added that Russia had reportedly used a KAB-1500L laser-guided precision bomb in the attack. Barrett said the churches being hit were not only places of worship but lifelines providing humanitarian aid and hope to their communities, and that this was why they were being targeted. He said Russian President Vladimir Putin was trying to strip communities of the faith and support systems that sustained them, but predicted that Ukrainians would prevail. He added that Russia has increasingly been striking churches and other sites while Christians are gathered there, killing at least 58 priests and pastors and damaging or destroying more than 700 churches in Ukraine. Barrett recounted an attack last September on a megachurch he attends in Kyiv, where the congregation had built a 4,500-person worship hall and was holding the opening ceremony. Hundreds of pastors from all across Ukraine were in the complex the night before the hall was due to open for a pastors conference. Russia sent two Shahed drones to the complex, Barrett said, and both narrowly missed, by about 3 feet, destroying cars in a nearby parking lot instead. Had the strikes been successful, at least 20 pastors could have been killed while lodging in advance of the conference, and the church would have been destroyed, Barrett said. Despite the attack, the congregation held services as normal the following morning with a large turnout, and 200 people came forward to be baptized. Home News Trump admin. monitoring prosecution of UK pastor for preaching John 3:16 The U.S. government is monitoring the prosecution of a 77-year-old Northern Ireland pastor, Clive Johnston, who was charged under British buffer zone legislation for preaching an open-air sermon on John 3:16 near a hospital that provides abortion services. Johnston, a retired pastor from Strabane who once served as president of the Association of Baptist Churches in Ireland, is on trial at Coleraine magistrates court on two charges under the Abortion Services (Safe Access Zones) Act, according to The Telegraph. A second day of hearings is set for Wednesday. If convicted, the grandfather of seven faces a criminal record and a fine of up to 2,500 (about $3,300). He has never been in trouble with the police, according to The Christian Institute, which is supporting him in the case. The sermon was delivered on July 7, 2024, on a patch of grass separated from Coleraines Causeway Hospital by a dual carriageway. About a dozen people attended the service, which included hymn singing and a wooden cross. Johnston preached on John 3:16, which reads, For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. Court papers do not allege that Johnston mentioned abortion during the sermon, and no abortion placards or banners were present. He is accused of seeking to influence people accessing the hospitals abortion services and of failing to leave the area when asked by police. He is not accused of impeding or harassing anyone. The Abortion Services (Safe Access Zones) Act was introduced in 2022 by the Green Party and created eight buffer zones of 100 to 150 meters around hospitals and abortion clinics in Northern Ireland. Under the law, it is a criminal offense for people within the marked areas to be impeded, recorded, influenced or to be caused harassment, alarm or distress. A State Department spokesman told the Telegraph that the U.S. was still monitoring many buffer zone cases in the U.K., as well as other acts of censorship throughout Europe. The U.K.s persecution of silent prayer represents not only an egregious violation of the fundamental right to free speech and religious liberty, but also a concerning departure from the shared values that ought to underpin U.S.-U.K. relations, the spokesman said. The intervention is the latest instance of the Trump administration speaking out on British domestic affairs over freedom of expression. In November 2025, U.S. officials were reported to be in the early stages of exploring political asylum for Britons prosecuted for speech offenses. At the 2025 Munich Security Conference, Vice President JD Vance named Adam Smith Connor, an anti-abortion activist convicted for breaching a buffer zone, saying that free speech in Britain and across Europe is in retreat. In December, the White House warned that censorship of free expression in Europe was contributing to civilizational erasure. That same month, Isabel Vaughan-Spruce became the first person charged under Britains buffer zone legislation, and the U.S. called her prosecution an unwelcome departure from shared transatlantic values. Simon Calvert, deputy director of the Christian Institute, said the case raised fundamental questions about religious liberty. Prosecuting Pastor Johnston for preaching God so loved the world near a hospital on a quiet Sunday is a shocking new attempt to restrict freedom of religion and freedom of speech in a part of the world where open-air gospel services are a part of the culture, Calvert said. Christians are pro-life. But preaching the good news about Christ is not the same thing as protesting against abortion. The police and the Public Prosecution Service are overstepping the mark, he added. Buffer zone laws in Northern Ireland took effect in September 2024, bringing the region into line with similar legislation in England, Wales and Scotland. Prosecutions under these laws have drawn severe criticism from religious liberty groups and free speech advocates on both sides of the Atlantic, with several cases involving silent prayer or religious observance rather than active protest. Home News Trump's week in review: Strait of Hormuz, Israel-Lebanon ceasefire, Jesus meme backlash Updated at 3:30 p.m. ET on April 18, 2026: The Strait of Hormuz has been reclosed by Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps. Two commercial vessels were hit by the IRGC's navy, which threatened to "destroy" vessels attempting to cross the Strait, just hours after the Trump administration announced that an agreement had been reached and the waterway had reopened. Earlier this week, the administration was making headlines in Christian circles amid backlash over a meme shared by President Donald Trump depicting himself as a Christ-like healer, overshadowing other developments, including the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and the touting of U.S. economic successes on tax day. Here are five highlights you might've missed from the Trump administration's actions this week. Home Opinion Anti-ICE protests in schools: Parents, get ready for 'May Day' walkouts Hundreds of schools allowed anti-ICE walkouts and protests in the first quarter of 2026. More are planned for May Day (May 1), funded by far-left interests. Should these anti-ICE walkouts during school hours and the vulgar signage receive few or no penalties? And will we soon see more of these incidents turn to violence? Schools had better grapple quickly with such important questions, as more protests are planned this spring. According to the organization Defending Education, at least 394 school protests were held through March 2026 compared to 59 in all of 2025 and even fewer in prior years. Most protests this year expressed anti-ICE sentiments, but some addressed the topics of Palestine, gun control, and education funding. Objections to Turning Point USA also occurred, although these were more numerous in 2025 after Charlie Kirks murder. Defending Education says its count is probably low, since it relied on local news reports. The tenor of many of the events was beyond disrespectful, with signs reflecting poorly on academic rigor and showcasing student indoctrination: No Cooperation with Deportation. F--k ICE. No Human is Illegal. No One is Illegal on Stolen Land. Protect the Students ICE Out Now. ICE is KKK spelled differently. If Youre an I.C.E. Agent Ya Moms a Hoe! ICE Melts Under Resistance. Skipping Our Lessons to Teach You One. A school counselor in the Olentangy School District in Ohio appeared in a class picture holding a sign reading, You cannot love God and ICE. Several protests morphed into a skip school day where teens descended on local businesses. In North College Hill in Cincinnati, a demonstration during school hours ended with a number of students leaving campus. Some ran through a nearby Kroger, throwing beer cans, shouting anti-ICE comments, and vulgarities. At Hayes High School in Delaware, Ohio, a senior organized an anti-ICE protest during school hours. In reality, classrooms are avoiding the truth in favor of social-emotional learning (SEL) goals, including demands for equity and DEI that wildly distort previous understandings about civil rights. And the newer iteration, transformative SEL, directs students specifically toward agency to demand change. Translated, that means street action. The National Education Association and others are spending millions to train activists to stage May Day (May 1) anti-ICE, Marxist events at schools, sometimes with outsiders entering school buildings in what is called a walk-in. Even grade schoolers are being trained for disruption. A group called Pint Size Protesters holds events called Playdates with a Purpose for middle and elementary grade students. At these playdates, children learn that No human being is illegal, and similar deceptive cliches as they decorate personalized backpacks and make whistle kits. Whistles are used for street action to disrupt legitimate ICE operations. The good news is that some school administrators are holding students accountable. At Wilson High School in Spring Township, Pennsylvania, the principal ordered students back to class under threat of suspension. Over 300 high schoolers in the Prince William School District in Virginia were suspended for three days after an ICE protest. Unfortunately, when hundreds of students walked out again a week later, no suspensions were given. Here in my state of Ohio, one terrific principal did the right thing. At Jonathan Alder High School in Plain City, students were notified before a planned walkout during school that it was not permitted and that there would be disciplinary action taken. What does all this mean? It means that the climate in education has become more heated as indoctrination in many schools intensifies. We have to stand up, keep standing, and keep praying. Home Opinion The end of Roe wasnt the end of abortion it was the beginning In a post-Roe world, pro-lifers must adapt to a changing battlefield When the U.S. Supreme Court handed down its historic decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Womens Health Organization in 2022, many pro-life Christians rightly celebrated. After nearly 50 years, Roe v. Wade was overturned, and the constitutional fiction of a nationwide right to abortion was dismantled. But if recent data tells us anything, the end of Roe was hardly the end of abortion in America. Not even close, unfortunately. Planned Parenthoods most recent annual report revealed that its affiliates performed 434,450 procedures during fiscal year 2024-25. The broader national picture is just as sobering. The Society of Family Planning's #WeCount project estimated about 1.14 million abortions in 2024, and more than 590,000 in the first half of 2025 alone, showing that abortion totals have remained painfully high after Dobbs rather than collapsing overnight. For those who believed that overturning Roe would dramatically reduce abortion overnight, these numbers are sobering and downright unsettling. But they should not be a surprise. Dobbs did not outlaw abortion. It only returned the issue to the states, and what followed was not a unified effort to protect life but a deepening divide across the country. In other words, it marked the beginning of a new phase in the battle for life. While the pro-life movement was rightly celebrating the end of a 50-year-old decision that had enabled the deaths of more than 60 million unborn children, the pro-abortion movement moved at lightning speed to implement its contingency plans. Their strategy was and continues to be using the courts, lawfare, ballot measures, the media, propaganda, and even violence to try to confuse the issue and win every battle they possibly can in blue states and red. To be sure, the pro-life movement made great headway out of the gate. In some states, lawmakers were able to move quickly to pass strong pro-life protections, and several enacted laws restricting or banning abortion, including near-total bans. These efforts represent the will of millions of Americans who believe that unborn children deserve legal protection and that life begins long before birth. But in other states, the response was the opposite. States like California, New York, and Illinois have doubled down on abortion access, expanding legal measures and even positioning themselves as destinations for women traveling from pro-life states. Pro-abortion activists sought to put right to abortion measures on the ballot in numerous states, including conservative ones like Kansas, that amended state constitutions and eliminated the ability of legislators to enact even the most basic restrictions. And pro-life laws in red states have been challenged by the pro-abortion machine and overturned by pro-abortion judges, most recently in Indiana and Wyoming. This has created a patchwork nation in which the value of a human life depends largely on geography. The result is a tragic paradox. While some states are able to save lives through stronger protections, others are facilitating even more abortions, often through new methods that skip traditional restrictions. And because of this patchwork, states that want to protect life within their jurisdiction are thwarted by abortion tourism in nearby states, along with the rising reliance on abortion pills. In fact, one of the biggest shifts in a post-Roe world is how rapidly abortion has moved away from the clinic and toward chemical abortion. By 2023, medication abortion accounted for 63% of U.S. abortions. Telehealth has also continued to expand: by the end of 2024, 1 in 4 abortions was provided via telehealth, and in the first half of 2025, that figure rose to 27%. Shield laws and interstate mail distribution have made enforcement far more difficult, even in states that enacted strong pro-life protections. These pills and the loosening of protocols surrounding their administration and distribution have changed the entire dynamic of abortion in America. Abortion is no longer limited to a clinic. It is now a drug transaction that can be exchanged from a phone or laptop. Even in states that have passed strong pro-life laws, providers are still finding ways to reach women through telehealth appointments and mail delivery. Some pro-abortion states have even adopted shield laws that protect doctors who send these drugs across state lines, creating a murky legal situation that makes enforcement much more difficult. In other words, the abortion industry quickly adapted to a post-Roe reality. The pro-life movement needs to adapt too. The change calls for renewed focus. Scripture is clear about the value of human life. Psalm 139 reminds us that God knits each person together in the womb. Jeremiah 1:5 declares that God knows us before we are born. The sanctity of life is a core truth rooted in Gods character. Living out a pro-life conviction after Dobbs means more than just relying on legislatures and courts to do the right thing; it means recognizing that the battlefield has changed and the opposition will do anything to win. Laws can set boundaries, but they cannot reach into someones heart or change the way a culture thinks about life. The reality that abortion numbers remain as high as ever shows that this is not just a legal issue; it is a deeply moral and spiritual problem. There is also a growing need to pay much closer attention to what is happening in the states. Now that much of the authority sits at that level, elections for governors, state lawmakers, and even local officials carry real consequences. The direction each state takes on protecting life will depend on those decisions, not just on what happens in Washington. And so, Christians must do their civic duty by voting for pro-life candidates and pro-life policies in every single election, including primaries and special elections. The Church has to be present in a real, visible way. If we speak about the value of life, people should also see that it is lived out in how we treat others. That means showing up for women facing hard choices, supporting families through adoption or foster care, and offering help that is practical, personal, and consistent. That means supporting local crisis pregnancy centers and pro-life organizations with our time, resources, and prayers. That means sharing the hope of the Gospel to a hurting, confused, and lost generation of young men and women. The early Church transformed the Roman world in part because Christians were known for rescuing abandoned infants and caring for the vulnerable. In our time, we are called to do the same. The pro-life movement must also confront the increasing influence of chemical abortion. This is one of the most urgent challenges in the post-Dobbs era. The ease with which abortion pills can be distributed (and forced on women) has made it more difficult for laws to be enforced and has expanded access even to states with abortion restrictions. Christians have a role to play in confronting the normalization of chemical abortion and in pointing women to life-affirming help. Heartbeat International says its Abortion Pill Rescue Network has now reported more than 8,000 lives saved, though abortion-rights advocates dispute those claims and major medical groups reject abortion pill reversal as established science. At a minimum, Christians should ensure that women in crisis know where to find immediate, compassionate, life-affirming care. Finally, Christians must not lose heart. It is easy to become discouraged when faced with statistics showing rising abortion numbers and the aggressive expansion of pro-abortion policies and tactics across the country. But the pro-life movement has always been a long-term effort rooted in faithfulness, not immediate results. The overturning of Roe v. Wade was once considered impossible. Yet it happened because generations of believers prayed, marched, and refused to give up. The battlefield has shifted, but the mission remains the same. We are called to defend the defenseless, to speak for those who cannot speak for themselves, and to proclaim the truth that every human life is made in the image of God. The Dobbs decision did not end the fight for life. It returned that fight to where it has always belonged in our communities and our churches. Originally published at the Standing for Freedom Center. Alec Baldwin will face another trial over the Rust shooting in 2021. Alec Baldwin to face Rust civil trial Tragedy struck the film set in New Mexico in 2021 when a revolver Baldwin was holding fired a live round, killing cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and injuring director Joel Souza. A judge in New Mexico dismissed an involuntary manslaughter case with prejudice against the actor in 2024, after finding that prosecutors allegedly withheld potentially exculpatory evidence, but a new civil case has been given the green light to go ahead. According to court documents obtained by DailyMail.com, Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Maurice Leiter has ruled that a civil lawsuit brought by Rust gaffer Serge Svetnoy will proceed to determine if Baldwin actually negligently fired the loaded revolver. Baldwin has always insisted he had no knowledge of the live rounds and has also denied ever pulling the trigger. Svetnoy is suing Baldwin and Rust's production company for inflicting emotional distress on him due to alleged negligence from the production and Baldwin, who was a producer on the film. Judge Leiter said in the court documents: A reasonable jury could find that Mr. Baldwin recklessly disregarded the probability that pointing a gun in the direction of someone, with the finger on the trigger, would cause emotional distress. In a statement to Daily Mail, Svetnoy's attorney, John M. Upton, said they were pleased with the Courts decision to deny the motions for summary judgment brought by Rust Movie Productions and Alex Baldwin. He went on: These rulings enable our client to present his case at a jury trial, now scheduled for October of this year. He looks forward to finally having his day in court on this long-pending matter. The trial was originally due to begin in May but attorneys for Baldwin and Svetnoy requested a continuance as they work on negotiating a settlement. The judge went on to set the trial for October 12, unless a settlement is reached. However, he expressed his concern about the length the case has been dragging on. According to Variety, he said: Im a little concerned about this case going on and on and on when it should be coming to a resolution. Zayn Malik has been hospitalised after suffering a mystery health scare. Zayn Malik has been hospitalised The 33-year-old star has revealed he's currently recovering from an unspecified illness, meaning he's been forced to cancel some fan events linked to the release of his new album, Konnakol. Alongside a photo of himself sat in a hospital bed, Zayn wrote on Instagram Story: "To my fans thank you to all of you for your love and support now and always - been a long week and am still unexpectedly recovering. "Heartbroken that I cant see you all this week, I wouldnt be in the place I am today without you guys and am so thankful for your understanding. "Thank you to the incredible hospital staff of Drs, nurses, cardiologist, management, admin and everyone who has helped along the way and continue to. You are all legends! Big big love xx z. (sic)" Zayn - who was due to attend an album playback session - hasn't shared any further details about his health issues. The former One Direction star released his latest album on Friday (17.04.26), and he previously opened up about his creative process, explaining that his record features "South Asian influences". He told ELLE India magazine: "I got into the studio, booked in for 14 days the process was trying to create this vision I had in my mind that didnt exist anywhere else. "There was no point of reference I could pull from or say, I want it to be like this. Even though I was drawing from Konnakol in terms of the technique and bringing in South Asian influences, it was still something Im proposing to a Western market, and I wanted it to still be RnB but have that flavour. "I just had to freestyle a bit on the mic and see what came out naturally and build from there. We started with a click, didnt even have a drum, which gave us the starting point, and built the track around the ad-libs and Konnakol influences, and then wrote over the track in English." In this article @CL.1 @LCO.1 Follow your favorite stocks CREATE FREE ACCOUNT watch now Oil tankers are remaining cautious about sailing through the Strait of Hormuz after Iran declared Friday that the sea lane is open to commercial ships, video footage shows. Oil futures contracts tumbled Friday as the market interpreted the announcement from Tehran as a major breakthrough that will ease the massive disruption to global energy supplies. The U.S. benchmark, West Texas Intermediate crude settled down 12% Friday at $83.85 per barrel, while Brent crude futures finished the day down 9%. But statements from Iranian officials and President Donald Trump have caused confusion about whether the strait is really open or not. Iran's Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi initially said the strait was "completely open" for the remainder of the ceasefire with the U.S. and Israel. But Iranian media aligned with the Revolutionary Guard issued conditions for safe passage that resemble the rules which Tehran has imposed for weeks now. 'A false dawn' A number of tankers and cargo ships did try to exit the strait Friday via the route designated by Iran around Larak Island but they suddenly turned back, said Matt Smith, director of commodity research at Kpler. "They've clearly not been given approval to pass through," Smith said. Commercial ships must follow a route designated by Tehran and coordinate with its military, a source close to Iran's Supreme National Security Council told Tasnim News. Ships are not allowed to pass if they or their cargoes are linked to hostile nations, according to the Tasnim report. It is "unclear whether there's a dramatic change here," said Tomer Raanan, a maritime risk analyst at Lloyd's List Intelligence. "Iran still wants ships to transit through its territorial waters." Trump, meanwhile, said the U.S. naval blockade of Iran remains in place. Tehran threatened to close the strait if the blockade is not lifted. This all means that the strait remains functionally closed, said Matthew Wright, senior freight analyst at Kpler. "It is a false dawn," Wright said. 'Not declared safe' American Airlines said on Friday that it was not interested in a merger with United Airlines and had not held any such talks, diminishing prospects of an industry-reshaping deal that would face tough regulatory scrutiny. A combination of two of the largest U.S. network carriers would mark the biggest consolidation move in more than a decade, further tightening a domestic market already dominated by four similarly sized players. Including international flights, United and American were already the world's two largest airlines by available capacity in 2025, according to OAG data. That scale would, however, invite extraordinary scrutiny from regulators, labor unions and consumer advocates wary of higher fares and reduced competition, leaving the deal with slim chances of approval, analysts and industry officials have said. There is also significant overlap between American and United, including Chicago O'Hare and major hubs in Texas. "While changes in the broader airline marketplace may be necessary, a combination with United would be negative for competition and for consumers," American Airlines said, adding that such a deal would be inconsistent with its understanding of the Trump administration's approach to antitrust enforcement. United Airlines declined to comment, while the White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The White House has previously said it has no opinion on a potential United Airlines deal for American Airlines. United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby pitched a potential merger with American Airlines in a meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump in late February, Reuters reported on Monday. The meeting with Trump was three days before the start of the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran that sent jet fuel prices soaring and has led airlines to raise fares and fees to offset higher costs. Kirby has argued to administration officials that a combined airline would be a stronger competitor in international markets and noted the Trump administration has focused on U.S. trade deficits around the globe, according to sources. But one person close to the White House told Reuters there was skepticism about such a tie-up, given its potential impact on competition and ticket prices at a time when the administration is already focused on rising consumer costs ahead of midterm elections in November. WATCH: Jim Cramer on what to watch in airline earnings in the week ahead Bank of America named several stocks that it views as best positioned ahead of the release of their latest quarterly financials. The Wall Street investment bank said to buy stocks such as Apple heading into those earnings. Other compelling overweight-rated names screened by CNBC Pro include: Casey's General Stores , TripAdvisor, Quanta Services and Kodiak Gas. Quanta Services The infrastructure services company is firing on all cylinders ahead of earnings later this month. Analyst Sherif El-Sabbahy recently attended Quanta's investor day and came away impressed. "The message remains consistent in terms of compounding value: A craft-labor led full solutions provider, taking greater customer wallet share and driving margin via vertical integration and optimization," he wrote. El-Sabbahy likes the company's differentiated offerings, with plenty of room for growth. "Quanta has separated from others in the utility services space, becoming the premier solutions provider with a focus on partnering with utilities," he added. The stock is up 43% this year. Kodiak Gas Services Shares of the natural gas compression services company can appreciate further, according to a team led by analyst James Larkin. Bank of America is especially bullish on Kodiak's recent purchase of power infrastructure provider Distributed Power Solutions. Larkin says the acquisition gives Kodiak a leg up on two big energy themes, the "natural gas boom spurred on by increasing investment in LNG infrastructure & the second being AI data center buildouts which are increasingly searching for power solutions," he wrote. The investment bank raised its 12-month price target to $70 per share from $45, citing multiple "strong tailwinds." Kodiak shares are up 69% this year and the company is scheduled to report earnings in May. Tripadvisor The online travel website was recently upgraded to buy from neutral by analyst Nafeesa Gupta. In particular, Bank of America said it was bullish thanks to activist investor activity stirred by Starboard Value, a hedge fund founded by Jeffrey Smith. "Starboard Value's growing involvement since taking a 9% stake in July '25 raises the likelihood that TRIP evaluates transactions across its portfolio at a time when the market, in our view, is undervaluing its fastergrowing segments," Gupta wrote. Gupta likes TripAdvisor's wide portfolio, including restaurant platform TheFork and Viator. "Tripadvisor's upside is driven by Viator and TheFork's growth and margin expansion, while Hotels & Other continues to decline," she went on to say. Tripadvisor is scheduled to report earnings in early May and shares are up 7% this month. Read more. Casey's General Stores "We think CASY's premium to peers is warranted due to its geographic concentration, efficient logistics program, cost controls, focus on higher margin foodservice and consistent EBITDA growth (+8-10%). While fuel sales represented 61% of its overall FY25 sales, 70% of inside transactions do not include fuel, suggesting that the store itself is a destination." Apple "Our Buy rating on Apple is based on 1) expected strong iPhone upgrade cycle in F25, F26 driven by the need for latest hardware to enable Gen AI features, 2) higher growth in Services revenue, 3) higher margins from more internally developed silicon, 4) continuing capital returns, 5) AI features that can drive higher institutional ownership, and 6) risk around legal issues being manageable." TripAdvisor "Starboard Value's growing involvement since taking a 9% stake in July'25 raises the likelihood that TRIP evaluates transactions across its portfolio at a time when the market, in our view, is undervaluing its fastergrowing segments. ... .TRIP's upside is driven by Viator and TheFork's growth and margin expansion, while Hotels & Other continues to decline." Kodiak Gas Services "Strong tailwinds and key advantages drive growth ... The recent acquisition of Distributed Power Solutions (DPS), a power infrastructure provider, positions Kodiak squarely at the crossroads of two major themes in energy; the first being the natural gas boom spurred on by increasing investment in LNG infrastructure and the second being AI data center buildouts which are increasingly searching for power solutions." Quanta Services "The message remains consistent in terms of compounding value: A craft-labor led full solutions provider, taking greater customer wallet share and driving margin via vertical integration and optimization ... PWR has separated from others in the utility services space, becoming the premier solutions provider with a focus on partnering with utilities." Gamers chase vast landscapes filled with secrets and choices. This open world games list spotlights leading sandbox games across platforms, perfect for anyone craving freedom in digital realms. What Makes Open World Games Stand Out? Open world games drop players into massive, interconnected maps without constant interruptions. Freedom reignstackle main quests, wander off-path trails, or hunt collectibles on your terms. Developers craft these worlds with dynamic weather, day-night cycles, and NPC routines that make environments feel alive. Sandbox games take this further by handing over creation tools. Think endless building or survival challenges where stories emerge from player actions, not scripts. GamesRadar+ once ranked classics like "The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim" high for blending both styles seamlessly. Many titles mix the two. Players climb mountains, sail oceans, or hijack vehicles, all while side activities pop up naturally. This non-linear design hooks millions, fueling replay value through mods or New Game+ modes. Best Open World Games on PC PC setups shine with customizable graphics and community mods. "Cyberpunk 2077" rebuilt its reputation through patches, offering a futuristic Night City buzzing with gigs, romance, and moral dilemmas. Nighttime streets glow with neon, and vehicle chases feel cinematic. "The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt" remains a benchmark. Geralt roams war-scarred lands, brewing potions and romancing allies amid political intrigue. Expansions like "Blood and Wine" add vampire hunts in vineyard paradises. "Elden Ring" FromSoftware's masterpiece merges "Dark Souls" combat with boundless exploration. Golden trees pierce stormy skies, and cryptic bosses guard rune arcs. "Red Dead Redemption 2" Arthur Morgan's outlaw tale unfolds in a breathing 1899 America. Hunt deer, rob trains, or bond with your horse camp. "Starfield" Bethesda's space saga spans 1,000 planets. Build outposts, recruit crew, and unravel alien mysteries via skill trees. "No Man's Sky" evolved into a sandbox game gem. Procedural galaxies let explorers catalog flora, upgrade ships, and construct basesendless variety without repetition. PC Gamer has praised its redemption arc from rocky launch to content-packed updates. Top Console Open World Titles Consoles deliver plug-and-play immersion with tailored controls. PlayStation 5 owners dive into "Horizon Forbidden West". Aloy glides across deserts and jungles, overriding robo-dinosaurs in override hacks and aerial takedowns. "Grand Theft Auto V" dominates Xbox Series X with GTA Online's evolving heists. Los Santos pulses with traffic jams, celebrity cameos, and property empires. Next-gen upgrades boost resolution to 4K. Nintendo Switch favors portability. "The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom" builds on "Breath of the Wild", fusing sky islands with underground depths. Fuse gadgets like rockets to fans for flight machines. Stack blocks into wild vehicles that defy physics. Solve shrines with Ultrahand creativity. Xbox exclusives like "Forza Horizon 5" race through Mexico's canyons and festivals. Dynamic seasons alter roads, while custom tunes dominate leaderboards. "Star Wars Outlaws" lets Kay Vess smuggle through Tatooine cantinas and Kessel runs, picking locks and bribing Imperials. Read Also: How to Master Mobile Gaming Optimization and Improve Gaming on Android Phones Must-Play Mobile Open World and Sandbox Games Mobile gaming packs big worlds into pockets. "Genshin Impact" leads with gacha pulls and co-op raids across elemental nations. Climb Mondstadt cliffs, swim Fontaine waters, and trigger domain stormsfree-to-play with stunning visuals. "Minecraft" defines sandbox games on Android and iOS. Punch trees for wood, smelt tools, and erect castles amid creeper ambushes. Realms update with archaeology digs and swift sneak mechanics. "Ark: Survival Evolved" Tame raptors and build thatch forts on dinosaur-infested isles. Alpha bosses demand tribe alliances. "The Elder Scrolls: Blades" Skyrim's mobile spin carves towns from quests. Daily arenas reward legendary gear. "Albion Online" Full-loot PvP thrives in a player-driven economy. Farm herbs, craft legendaries, or siege castles. "Wuthering Waves" challenges Genshin with fluid combat echoes and post-apocalyptic vibes. Rover dashes through Solaris ruins, syncing resonators for spectacle. HoYoverse's polish shines on mid-range phones. Sandbox Games vs. Open World Breakdown Sandbox games empower pure invention. "Terraria" 2D slices dig caverns, reforge gear, and battle moon lordsboss rushes meet crafting loops. "Garry's Mod" spawns ragdoll chaos with physics guns. Open world games weave narratives into maps. "Assassin's Creed Valhalla" storms England as Eivor, allying with Saxon lords. Naval raids expand settlements. Core Appeal : Open world games emphasize story-driven quests; sandbox games focus on unrestricted building. : Open world games emphasize story-driven quests; sandbox games focus on unrestricted building. Progression : Open world titles use level gates and skill trees; sandbox games rely on gather-craft-survive loops. : Open world titles use level gates and skill trees; sandbox games rely on gather-craft-survive loops. Examples : Open world includes "GTA V" and "Horizon Forbidden West"; sandbox highlights "Minecraft" and "Terraria". : Open world includes "GTA V" and "Horizon Forbidden West"; sandbox highlights "Minecraft" and "Terraria". Mod Support: Both thrive on PC, but sandbox games make it essential for longevity. Hybrids like "Dragon Quest Builders 2" task rebuilding with story beats. "Subnautica" strands players underwater, scanning wrecks for fabricators amid leviathan roars. Exciting Open World Games Coming in 2026 2026 heats up with "Grand Theft Auto VI". Lucia and Jason navigate Vice City's crime webs, with AI civilians reacting to radio chatter. PS5 and Xbox exclusivity starts strong. "Dragon's Dogma 2" unleashes pawnsAI allies with vocations like mystic spears. Emergent dragon climbs and griffin dives await. "S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl" Zone anomalies warp reality; factions war over artifacts. "Crimson Desert" Nomad revenge spans brutal steppes with companion bonds. Mobile: "Zenless Zone Zero" urban hacks blend roguelike zones. Rock Paper Shotgunnotes these push ray-tracing and crowd sims further, blending fidelity with freedom. Reasons to Jump Into Open World Games Lists Today Developers patch worlds yearly, adding raids, vehicles, and crossovers. Communities share builds on Reddit or Discord, from "Elden Ring" rune farms to "Minecraft" redstone contraptions. Whether grinding "Genshin Impact" artifacts or sailing "No Man's Sky" freighters, these sandbox games and open world epics deliver hours without end. Pick a platform, launch up, and lose yourself in the sprawl. Frequently Asked Questions 1. What Are Open World Games? Open world games feature vast, seamless maps where players explore freely without linear restrictions. Examples include "Cyberpunk 2077" on PC or "Horizon Forbidden West" on consoles, blending quests with dynamic events like weather changes. 2. What Defines Sandbox Games? Sandbox games prioritize player creativity over set stories, like building in "Minecraft" or procedural discovery in "No Man's Sky". They offer tools for invention, often overlapping with open world designs for endless replayability. 3. Best Open World Games for PC? Top PC picks from the open world games list include "Elden Ring", "The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt", and "Red Dead Redemption 2". Mods enhance longevity, with high-fidelity worlds full of side content. The U.S. Justice Department has told French law enforcement it will not assist with efforts to investigate tech billionaire Elon Musk's social media platform X, The Wall Street Journal reported on Saturday, citing a letter from the DOJ's Office of International Affairs, dated Friday. In February, Paris prosecutors raided X's French offices and ordered Musk to face questions in a widening investigation as part of a year-long probe into suspected abuse of algorithms and fraudulent data extraction by X or its executives. "This investigation seeks to use the criminal legal system in France to regulate a public square for the free expression of ideas and opinions in a manner contrary to the First Amendment of the United States Constitution," the letter reviewed by the Journal said. The letter added that France's requests for U.S. assistance "constitute an effort to entangle the United States in a politically charged criminal proceeding aimed at wrongfully regulating through prosecution the business activities of a social media platform." X and Musk have come under scrutiny from regulators and governments in several countries since his takeover of the platform, with authorities examining issues including content moderation, data practices and compliance with local laws. Prosecutors have said the investigation centers on whether X's algorithms distorted the treatment of content on the platform and whether the company improperly extracted user data, after complaints from French lawmakers and advocacy groups. "We are grateful to the Justice Department for rejecting this effort by a prosecutor in Paris to compel our CEO and several employees to sit for interviews," an xAI official told the WSJ, adding that xAI hopes the prosecutors "recognize that there is no wrongdoing here, and terminate their baseless investigation." The U.S. Department of Justice, French authorities and xAI did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Reuters could not immediately verify the report. Signage is displayed outside Tegna Inc. headquarters in McLean, Virginia, on Friday, March, 13, 2020. Nexstar said on Friday it will appeal a federal judge's ruling halting its acquisition of rival broadcaster Tegna, after the judge issued a preliminary injunction as antitrust challenges from DirecTV and a group of states proceed. Chief U.S. District Judge Troy Nunley in Sacramento said the plaintiffs were likely to succeed on their claims that the $3.54 billion deal will substantially lessen competition in dozens of local television markets. The court's order bars Nexstar from consolidating its operations with Tegna, but does not unwind the transaction. The deal closed quickly after the Justice Department and the Federal Communications Commission approved it on March 19, as Nexstar noted in its statement announcing its appeal. "We will appeal today's decision and look forward to presenting our case on its merits before the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals," Nexstar said. DirecTV, which filed a federal antitrust lawsuit opposing the merger, commended Nunley's ruling in a statement, saying that "unchecked station consolidation will force consumers to pay more for less." The merger was also opposed by eight states, including California and New York. In a statement Friday, California Attorney General Rob Bonta said Nunley's ruling was a "critical win in our case." "The federal government may have thrown in the towel, but we'll keep fighting for consumers, for workers, for affordability, and for our local news," Bonta said. Nunley's order does not take effect until Tuesday, as the companies requested time to consider whether to file an appeal. The deal creates the largest broadcast station group in the U.S., reaching 80% of U.S. households. The states have argued that the deal would result in lost jobs, increased cable bills and "significantly impact the delivery of news and other media content to Americans nationwide." Nexstar, in its statement on Friday, said its deal with Tegna will strengthen local stations and "and support continued investment in local journalism and fact-based news." WATCH: Nexstar CEO: Tegna 'allows us to compete on a level playing field with Big Tech' In this article NVDA Follow your favorite stocks CREATE FREE ACCOUNT watch now For its first 30 years, Nvidia wasn't a household name unless you were a gamer. Now, some of its original fan base feel left behind as artificial intelligence has made the chipmaker the world's most valuable company. "The gaming segment is no longer the driving force of the company. There was one point when it clearly was," said Stacy Rasgon of Bernstein Research. Nvidia popularized the graphics processing units, or GPUs, that enable fast frame rates and rendering that make the best video game play possible. When Nvidia released its first GPU in 1999, the GeForce 256, it laid off the majority of workers and approached bankruptcy to make it happen. Gamers snapped up the new type of processor, bringing Nvidia back from the brink. Now, with demand for AI soaring, nearly all of Nvidia's revenue comes from its products that serve that industry, instead of gaming. And as AI chipmaking shrinks the available memory supply, Nvidia has been forced to make tough decisions about priorities. In a memory-constrained reality, it's not shocking that Nvidia would prioritize its far more profitable data center GPUs such as Hopper and Blackwell. Nvidia's operating margins in its compute and networking segment averaged 69% over the past three years, compared to a 40% margin for the consumer-forward graphics segment. "I understand that they're going to chase that. And that breaks my heart," said Greg Miller, co-founder and host of popular video game podcast Kinda Funny Games Daily in an interview with CNBC. "Dance with the one who brought you. Gamers have brought you this far," Miller added. If analyst predictions are correct, 2026 will be the first year in three decades that Nvidia doesn't release a new generation of its consumer-facing GeForce line of graphics processing units. Gamers are "hugely important" to Nvidia, according to an email the company sent to CNBC, adding that it's "always innovating, testing and releasing" new gaming-focused technologies. The current RTX 50 series of GeForce GPU was unveiled at CES in January 2025. But with 2026 CES and GTC in the rearview mirror, some worry this will be the first year without a new generation, although Nvidia does commonly reveal new hardware as late as September. While it represents a big strategy pivot, some gamers say it's not a bad move for their budgets. "It's kind of hard to keep up. You can't upgrade every single year, so having a bit of a break and waiting for a generation to really matter I think is actually in service of the gamers out there," said Tim Gettys, Miller's co-founder of Kinda Funny Games. AI profits take over Nvidia's current era of AI dominance started two decades ago with the 2006 launch of its CUDA software toolkit. Suddenly, developers could use GPUs for general-purpose computing instead of just graphics. Then, in 2012, Nvidia's deep learning capabilities were made clear during what many consider the big bang moment for modern AI. Nvidia's GPUs and CUDA were used to build a neural engine called AlexNet that blew away the competition during a prominent image recognition contest. Although Nvidia didn't stop making gaming GPUs, it signaled a new focus on GPUs for AI in 2020 when it purchased high-performance computing chipmaker Mellanox Technologies for $7 billion. The company has been releasing new generations of high-end GPUs ever since, along with full rack-scale systems for AI workloads such as the new Vera Rubin platform, which CNBC got an exclusive first look at in February. watch now Nvidia doesn't reveal prices for its AI chips, but analysts say one Blackwell GPU costs up to $40,000, while the Futurum Group estimates a full Vera Rubin system will cost up to $4 million. In contrast, Nvidia sells its RTX 50-series gaming GPUs for between $299 to $1,999. During the cryptocurrency peaks of 2018 and 2021, Nvidia's GPUs sold in online marketplaces for up to three times listing price because they were once key to mining Bitcoin and Ethereum. Although prices fell when mining changed course in 2022, Nvidia's current RTX 5090 GPU is still sold online for up to double the retail price. Plenty of demand for last year's generation may make Nvidia less motivated to put out a new version this year. 'Hard to get the memory' But the memory shortage is a more likely culprit for Nvidia's gaming drawback. Industry reports suggest Nvidia has made plans to reduce production of its latest gaming GPUs by up to 40% as it faces a major shortage of the general-purpose memory that's necessary for making a GPU. Dynamic Random Access Memory, or DRAM, enables fast, temporary data storage so the GPU can run parallel tasks. Personal computers, where Nvidia's gaming GPUs end up, have borne the brunt of DRAM shortages. When memory prices go up, manufacturing a GPU costs more, and that cost trickles down to consumers. Gartner predicts PC prices will rise by 17% this year, causing PC shipments to decline 10.4%. "With how expensive all of this has gotten, it's concerning to see prices go up on the gaming side with no signs of ever coming back down, and then Nvidia clearly chasing a completely different category of consumer," Gettys said. If the entry-level consumer PC market disappears by 2028 as Gartner predicts, the market for Nvidia's entry-level gaming GPUs is likely to contract, too. Instead, Nvidia is likely saving limited memory inventory for its higher cost, higher margin AI chips. "If there is push-outs or delays on the gaming roadmap, it's probably in large part that they probably can't make the cards anyways because it's hard to get the memory," Rasgon said. "Every bit of memory that's out there, I think is really getting prioritized to AI compute." Higher-performance GPUs like Blackwell and Rubin are lined with dense stacks of a specific type of DRAM known as High Bandwidth Memory, or HBM. Rasgon said it takes about four times as many silicon wafers to make a gigabyte of HBM as it does to make the same amount of more traditional types of DRAM. "That dynamic is starving the overall industry of the type of memory that is traditionally used for more consumer type applications. It's just not available," Rasgon said. Nvidia told CNBC that it's continuing to ship all GeForce GPUs as it sees strong demand, and is working closely with suppliers to maximize memory availability. "If they're making three times the money and the stockholders are three times happier, then yeah, I do think that they will abandon gaming despite it being what got them there," Gettys said. 'Feels like a slap in the face' CEO Jensen Huang did make a big gaming announcement at the beginning of his keynote address at Nvidia's annual GTC conference in March, but the gaming community was less than enthused. Huang announced the next generation of its rendering software called Deep Learning Super Sampling or DLSS, coming in the fall. It's well known for boosting frame rates by rendering games at lower resolutions and using AI to scale up the image, helping games run more smoothly on less powerful hardware. The controversy with the new DLSS 5 is that gamers worry it uses generative AI to change the look of the game. Huang unveiled DLSS 5 with a sizzle reel of photorealistically enhanced versions of characters in popular games such as Resident Evil Requiem, Starfield, and Hogwarts Legacy. "I play video games because they're an art form. And so I like to see the thumbprint of the creator in what I'm doing," said Miller of Kinda Funny Games. "That raised a lot of hair on a lot of necks in the video game industry as we deal with so many layoffs, so many studio closures." Nvidia unveiled DLSS 5 at GTC on March 16, 2026, causing an uproar amongst gamers who said the new Deep Learning Super Sampling rendering software used generative AI to change the art of popular video game characters, like Grace Ashcroft in Resident Evil Requiem. Nvidia As it grapples with a post-pandemic slowdown, the gaming industry has seen studio closures, canceled games, and thousands of job cuts across giants like Epic Games, Microsoft's Xbox, and Sony's PlayStation. Gettys was a fan of previous versions of Nvidia's DLSS for making gaming more accessible on a lower budget. "The technology is mind-blowing for what it can do to make games run on lower-end PCs," he said. "But then to add this generative AI stuff, it feels like a slap in the face." Gettys' big fear is that this is a step toward fully AI-generated games, which he thinks is "100% the goal." Elon Musk has already addressed the potential for it. In an October post on X, Musk said his xAI game studio will release "a great AI-generated game" before the end of 2026. "You're literally altering the art created by the developers. And then at a certain point you're replacing the developers and then their studio gets closed down," Gettys said. Nvidia said in a statement to CNBC, "Games are a creative artform that give developers the opportunity to tell engaging stories and immerse players in incredible worlds. Our RTX technologies are tools that enable game developers to achieve their creative vision - these include rendering techniques such as ray tracing and path tracing, and those enhanced by AI, like DLSS Super Resolution, DLSS Frame Generation, and DLSS 5, all working together to provide the best performance and image quality." During his GTC keynote, Huang said AI is going to "revolutionize how computer graphics is done." In a question-and-answer session the next day, Huang responded to assertions from the gaming community that DLSS 5 makes games appear homogeneous. "They're completely wrong," Huang said. He emphasized that game developers will still be in control, able to "fine-tune the generative AI" to match their style. For over a decade, Nvidia has also offered gaming in the cloud through a service called GeForce NOW. The model has evolved to include different subscription tiers including a free option that lets users stream games they own on services like Steam, running on Nvidia GPUs in data centers, rather than on personal devices. "You see XBox and you see PlayStation, you see other competitors trying to get the cloud into gamers' hands in a way that actually makes sense. And Nvidia GeForce NOW has really cracked that code," Miller said. Gettys told CNBC that Nvidia's streaming platform is the best "by a landslide." "It allows millions more people access to gaming at the highest level, even if they don't have the latest cards and all of that. And it's truly incredible technology," he said. Advanced Micro Devices is Nvidia's top competitor in gaming, with its Radeon line of GPUs. But the memory crunch remains a challenge for both. "If Nvidia can't get the memory, AMD ain't going to get the memory," Rasgon said. "Sentiment wise, both brands have their fans and they can be die hard." "There's a clear favorite," Gettys said. "If you're playing on PC, you're going to want an Nvidia card." Watch: How AMD became a chip giant and finally caught Intel watch now Iran said Saturday that it has reimposed the closure of the Strait of Hormuz less than a day after reopening it to shipping traffic, but President Donald Trump warned that Tehran could not blackmail the U.S. by shutting the waterway. The strait is closed until the U.S. blockade is lifted, Iran's Revolutionary Guard navy said, warning that "no vessel should make any movement from its anchorage in the Persian Gulf and the Sea of Oman, and approaching the Strait of Hormuz will be considered as cooperation with the enemy" and be targeted. Two gunboats from the Revolutionary Guard opened fire on a tanker transiting the strait, the British military's United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center said. It reported the tanker and crew as safe, without identifying the vessel or its destination. Shipping sources told Reuters at least two other vessels reported coming under fire while trying to transit the waterway. In Mumbai, India summoned Iran's ambassador after an Indian-flagged vessel carrying crude oil was attacked while trying to cross the strait, Reuters reported. The closing of the waterway comes after Iran declared on Friday that the strait is open to commercial ships during a ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon, but confusion quickly emerged about whether the sea lane was really open without conditions. Iranian state media said on Saturday that the strait was closed due to the U.S. failing to hold up its end of the bargain. Iran blamed the U.S. for its ongoing blockade of Iranian ports. "Iran agreed to allow a limited number of ships to pass through the Strait of Hormuz according to agreements," the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) service said in a post on X. "But U.S. did not fulfill their obligations. So, the Strait of Hormuz is now closed again and passage requires IRAN approval," IRIB said. Iranian state media also aired a statement from Revolutionary Guard spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Ebrahim Zolfaghari detailing the reimposition of vessel restrictions on the strait, MS Now reported. Zolfaghari said that "control of the Strait of Hormuz has returned to its previous state ... under strict management and control of the armed forces." He warned that Iran would continue to block transit through the strait as long as a U.S. blockade of Iranian ports remained in effect. Trump says Iran 'got a little cute' In Washington, Trump said U.S. talks with Iran are going well and that he expects to have more information "by the end of the day." Trump made the comments during a White House event where he signed an executive order directing the Food and Drug Administration to expedite the review of certain psychedelic drugs designed as breakthrough therapy for mental illness. Trump declined to take reporters' questions about Iran but said, "We have very good conversations going on." He said Iran "got a little cute," later adding, "They wanted to close up the strait again," referring to the Strait of Hormuz. "They can't blackmail us," Trump said. Trump said on Friday that he would likely not extend the two-week ceasefire, which is due to end on Wednesday. U.S. and Israeli forces began an aerial campaign against Iranian targets on Feb. 28. Trump agreed to the ceasefire on April 7 in exchange for Iran completely opening the strait. "Maybe I won't extend it, but the blockade is going to remain. But maybe I won't extend it, so you have a blockade, and unfortunately, we'll have to start dropping bombs again," Trump said. Peace talks in the Pakistani capital, Islamabad, between a U.S. delegation led by Vice President JD Vance and Iranian negotiators headed by parliamentary speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf failed to reach an agreement last weekend. Iran reviewing new proposals put forward by U.S. Iran's Supreme National Security Council said in a statement that Pakistan's army chief, serving as an intermediary, presented the proposals to Iran during his recent visit to Tehran, and that they were still under review. It was not revealed what was in the proposals. The council said Iran has yet to respond, but further talks would require the U.S. to abandon "excessive demands and adjust its requests to the realities on the ground." It also said that Iran will maintain full control over traffic through the Strait of Hormuz until "the war fully ends and lasting peace is achieved in the region," adding that it would collect detailed information on passing vessels, issue transit certificates and impose tolls. The council added that it considered the U.S. naval blockade a violation of the ceasefire and that the Strait of Hormuz would not reopen until it was lifted. Confusion over Hormuz Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi on Friday said on social media: "In line with the ceasefire in Lebanon, the passage for all commercial vessels through Strait of Hormuz is declared completely open for the remaining period of ceasefire." However, vessels must transit through a "coordinated route" announced by Iran's maritime authorities, Araghchi said. It is unclear whether Tehran will force ships to pay a toll to pass the strait. Israel and Lebanon agreed Thursday to a 10-day ceasefire starting at 5 p.m. ET that evening. Israel's military campaign in Lebanon against the militant group Hezbollah, which is a close ally of Iran, has been another hurdle in negotiations between Washington and Tehran. But the confusion over the strait's status has left ship operators in a state of limbo. Video footage from ship-tracking firm Kpler showed that several tankers and cargo ships attempted to exit the waterway on Friday but turned back. watch now "They've clearly not been given approval to pass through," Matt Smith, director of commodity research at Kpler, told CNBC. Oil prices plunged more than 10% on Friday to below $90 per barrel. About a fifth of the world's crude supplies passed through the strait before the war. The closure of the sea lane connecting the Persian Gulf to global energy markets has triggered the largest oil supply disruption in history. Another major sticking point in the negotiations has been the issue of recovering material from Iran's nuclear program. Trump told reporters on Air Force One that the U.S. will "go in with Iran and we will take it together, and we will bring it back, 100% of it back to the United States." "We'll take it after the agreement is signed," he said. Iran says it won't hand over enriched uranium to U.S. Trump on Friday said that Iran had agreed to hand over its stockpile of enriched uranium, but Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Saeed Khatibzadeh dismissed the U.S. president's claims and sounded a note of caution regarding future talks between the two countries. Speaking to the Associated Press in the Turkish city of Antalya, Khatibzadeh said the Iranians were not ready for a new round of face-to-face talks with the U.S. because the Americans "have not abandoned their maximalist position." On Friday, Trump said the U.S. will go into Iran and "get all the nuclear dust," referring to the 970 pounds (440 kilograms) of enriched uranium believed to be buried under nuclear sites badly damaged by U.S. military strikes last year. French peacekeeper killed in Lebanon French President Emmanuel Macron said a French soldier was killed and three others were wounded Saturday during an attack on U.N. peacekeepers in southern Lebanon. "Everything suggests that responsibility for this attack lies with Hezbollah," Macron wrote on social media. The UNIFIL peacekeeping force also blamed Hezbollah. Hezbollah denied involvement. Pakistan's foreign minister said fighting between Israel and Hezbollah had been a key sticking point in U.S.-Iran talks, and the declaration of a ceasefire in Lebanon was seen as a boost to efforts for an Iran agreement. It was unclear to what extent Hezbollah would abide by a truce it didn't play a role in negotiating, especially with Israeli troops still occupying a stretch of southern Lebanon. In Beirut, displaced families began moving toward southern Lebanon and the capital's southern suburbs despite warnings by officials not to return home until it was clear whether the ceasefire would hold. The Iran war has killed at least 3,000 people in Iran, more than 2,290 in Lebanon, 23 in Israel and more than a dozen in Gulf Arab states. Thirteen U.S. service members have been killed. Pope Leo says 'not in my interest at all' to debate Trump A tugboat guides the Russian oil tanker Anatoly Kolodkin as it arrives at the oil terminal in the port of Matanzas, northwestern Cuba, on March 31, 2026. (Photo by Yamil LAGE / AFP via Getty Images) Yamil Lage | Afp | Getty Images The Trump administration on Friday renewed a waiver allowing countries to buy sanctioned Russian oil at sea for about a month, even as lawmakers accused the government of going easy on Moscow as its war on Ukraine grinds on. The Treasury Department's waiver lets countries purchase Russian oil and petroleum products loaded on vessels as of Friday through May 16. It replaces a 30-day waiver that expired on April 11 and excludes transactions involving Iran, Cuba and North Korea. The move is part of the administration's effort to control global energy prices that have shot higher during the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran. It came after countries in Asia, suffering from the global energy shock, pressed Washington to allow alternative supplies to reach markets. Reversal by Treasury "As negotiations (with Iran) accelerate, Treasury wants to ensure oil is available to those who need it," a Treasury Department spokesperson said. Just two days earlier, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Washington would not be renewing the waiver for Russian oil and another for Iranian oil, which is set to expire on Sunday. Global oil prices tumbled 9% on Friday to about $90 a barrel after Iran temporarily reopened the Strait of Hormuz, an oil choke point in the Gulf. But the war has already created the worst global energy supply disruption in history, the International Energy Agency has said. The war, which enters its eighth week on Saturday, has damaged more than 80 oil and gas facilities in the Middle East, and Tehran has warned it ?could close the strait again if the recent U.S. Navy blockade of Iranian ports continued. High oil prices are a threat to President Donald Trump's fellow Republicans ahead of November's midterm elections. Trump has also faced pressure from partner countries on the oil price. A U.S. source said partner countries on the sidelines of Group of 20, World Bank and International Monetary Fund meetings in Washington this week had requested the U.S. extend the waiver. And he spoke about oil this week in a call with Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India, a big purchaser of Russian oil. The waiver on Iranian oil, which the Treasury Department issued on March 20, allowed about 140 million barrels of oil to ?reach global markets and helped relieve pressure on energy supply, Bessent said last month. Lasting damage Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer (R) and US President Donald Trump (L) shake hands as Starmer finishes his opening statement and hands over to Trump at a Business event at Chequers, in Aylesbury, central England, on Sept. 18, 2025, on the second day of the US President's second State Visit. Andrew Caballero-Reynolds | AFP | Getty Images A year ago, the U.K. was negotiating a trade deal with Washington and President Donald Trump's fondness for the country, his mother's birthplace, suggested a positive outlook for the two countries' unusually close diplomatic ties. Britain was the first country to sign a trade pact with the U.S. in May 2025, enjoying remarkably good relations with the White House and its mercurial leader, despite his political differences with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, leader of the left-wing Labour Party and a former human rights lawyer. But a year later, things look different. The president's tariff policies, provocative threats against Greenland (a semi-autonomous territory of NATO ally Denmark) and the war against Iran have tested old alliances. Trump has criticized NATO allies for not supporting military operations against Iran and singled out the U.K. in particular, denigrating its military, domestic and foreign policies, and questioning its loyalty. How is the relationship? It's the relationship where: when we asked them for help, they were not there. When we needed them, they were not there. When we didn't need them, they were not there. And they still aren't there. U.S. President Donald Trump Even as King Charles III and Queen Camilla prepare for a state visit to the U.S. at the end of April, Trump has warned this week that the U.K.'s trade deal, which secured it a baseline 10% import tariff, could be ripped up. "We gave them a good trade deal. Better than I had to. Which can always be changed. But we gave them a trade deal that was very good because they're having a lot of problems," Trump told Sky News, adding that while he likes Starmer, the U.S.-U.K. "special relationship" had "been better." "It's sad," Trump said. The U.K. likes to describe its ties to the U.S. as a "special relationship," a phrase coined by Winston Churchill in 1946. The relationship has seemed unusually strong at times in recent history, such as the presidencies of Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush, who built on strong personal relationships with Prime Ministers Margaret Thatcher and Tony Blair, respectively. Trump said in a Truth Social post: "How is the relationship? It's the relationship where: when we asked them for help, they were not there. When we needed them, they were not there. When we didn't need them, they were not there. And they still aren't there." He did, however, describe the king this week as a "wonderful person," a "friend" whom he "greatly" respects. Sky News noted, however, that visits by the monarch take place at the direction of the British government. UK finding its voice? Starmer and finance minister Rachel Reeves have said that the U.K. will not get "dragged into" the Iran war, which is not popular among European leaders. Starmer doubled down on his position on Wednesday when asked to comment on Trump's threat to withdraw the trade deal, telling lawmakers he is "not going to yield" to pressure from the White House. His comments came before Friday when Iran declared the Strait of Hormuz completely open to commercial traffic during the ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon. "I'm not convinced this conflict has made the world a safer place," Reeves said at CNBC's Invest in America forum earlier this week when asked about the war. "It's not been clear over the last six weeks what exactly the aim of this conflict is," she added. She described the war as a "mistake." watch now Trump sees European reluctance to assist military operations in Iran as disloyalty and ingratitude, particularly in the context of U.S. support for Ukraine. U.K. and European counterparts, meanwhile, are unhappy about further damage to their economies following the hits taken from tariffs and the Ukraine war. Starmer, Reeves and the Bank of England had been betting on persistent inflationary pressures finally fading and the economy starting to recover, with interest rates set to come down, easing the cost of living burden on households and businesses. Trump's war against Iran put paid to that, however. The U.K. is a net importer of energy and the global energy price surge, caused by the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz, is set to hit its economy hard. Reeves told CNBC's Sara Eisen on Wednesday that "first and foremost in my mind are families and businesses in the U.K. who are having to deal with higher prices, higher borrowing costs today because of this conflict." watch now Former MLB pitcher Dan Serafini, now serving life in prison without the possibility of parole for the 2021 murder of his father-in-law, says jurors convicted him because they disliked his personal "lifestyle", not because of real evidence. In his first interview since his conviction, Serafini spoke to NBC's Dateline correspondent Keith Morrison from Wasco State Prison in a special titled "Deadly Swagger," which aired on Apr. 17, 2026. The 52-year-old former pitcher insisted the justice system failed him and that the case against him was entirely circumstantial. Blaming the Jury Serafini was direct about what he believes caused his guilty verdict: jurors who disliked him personally rather than judging the evidence. "They just didn't like me. They didn't like my lifestyle," he said, according to People. He also claimed the jury held his courtroom demeanor against him, saying his lawyers had instructed him to show no reaction during proceedings. During the trial, prosecutors revealed a pattern of behavior that included multiple extramarital affairs, habitual drug use, drug dealing, and insurance fraud. His relationship with the couple's former babysitter, Samantha Scott, who later testified against him, also featured prominently in court. The Crime and Conviction Serafini was convicted in July 2025 of first-degree murder of his father-in-law, Robert Gary Spohr, 70, and attempted murder of his mother-in-law, Wendy Wood, 68, in Placer County, California, MyNews4 reported. Prosecutors said he hid inside the couple's Lake Tahoe home with a gun and shot them when they returned from a boating trip on Jun. 5, 2021. Spohr was killed; Wood survived but died by suicide two years later. Prosecutors argued Serafini targeted his in-laws to benefit from their $23 million estate through his estranged wife's inheritance. They also presented evidence that he had allegedly offered up to $20,000 to have them killed. Life Sentence On Feb. 27, 2026, Judge Garen J. Horst sentenced Serafini to two consecutive life terms without parole, plus 25 years to life for first-degree burglary. The judge described him as a "liar" and a "manipulator." His motions for a new trial, citing jury misconduct and ineffective counsel, were both denied, as per the Sacramento Bee. Before his arrest, Serafini was the Minnesota Twins' first-round draft pick in 1992 and played for six MLB teams over his career. Originally published on Lawyer Herald I am afraid that it is all too easy to forget these days that Britain is an absolutely amazing country, and capable of amazing feats. We have a Labour Government that is so catastrophically mismanaging the economy that the departure lounges are crammed with talented Brits trying to escape the Starmer-Reeves tax nightmare, some of them even choosing Belgium, heaven help us, over the UK. We have unemployment rising to 5.2 per cent. Our Royal Navy used to rule the waves but now gives the general impression of not being able to pull the skin off a rice pudding. We did finally manage to send HMS Dragon to help protect UK bases in Cyprus from Iranian attacks, though at the time of writing, the fabled destroyer appears to be in port for repairs (again), the problem this time being that the showers dont work. The England rugby team seems to have been defeated by the Italians. As for the state of UK politics, I hardly know what to say. Starmer clings to the precipice, until the day when his fingertips are finally stomped on by the Doc Martens of lawks a mercy Angela Rayner and he plunges yowling into the void, his 2,000 Lord Alli-funded spectacles following him down to Hades. Until then, Labour drifts on, aimless, hopeless, lifeless. These are dark days. So I hope readers will forgive me for seizing on whatever spark of hope I can find. It is at precisely these moments when our heads are down that we need to remember that there are also times when we can beat all-comers. As it happens, we have had just such a reminder this week, from the unlikely quarter of the Covid Inquiry. Baroness Hallett and her team have concluded that the vaccine roll-out was an extraordinary operation. She is right. It was. These are dark days. So I hope readers will forgive me for seizing on whatever spark of hope I can find, writes Boris Johnson Dame Heather Hallett and her team have concluded that the vaccine roll-out was an extraordinary operation. She is right. It was The nation came together with such a sense of zap, drive, spunk and overall can-do spirit that it might be useful to recall how we did it the ingredients for that miracle; because it seems very likely that we will need them again. When I say a miracle, I mean a miracle of almost biblical proportions because in those awful first few weeks of Covid back in spring 2020, there seemed no reason why we should find a vaccine at all. There was and is no vaccine for Aids, or for Sars, or for other respiratory diseases. These afflictions had been around for decades, and billions had been poured into the search. Why should the Almighty decide, this time, to favour the human race? Remember: we had an unpleasant new viral disease that could be particularly nasty for elderly people; we had a lot of people dying either from the disease, or with the disease, and we had no cure. All we had was the whole ghastly job-destroying, life-destroying, hope-destroying panoply of social restrictions those rules on human contact whose overall effectiveness, in retrospect, is a matter of legitimate debate. The virus arrived in Britain in January 2020 and it must have been that summer when I first heard what sounded like the distant toot of the cavalry. Someone said there were encouraging signs from the trials of a vaccine being developed in Oxford, by the pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca. The drug not only worked in mice. It seemed to be building up immunity in human beings. This was exciting news, and of course, the Government had already started taking huge bets on these vaccines such as early financing of Oxford-AstraZeneca. Even so, I couldnt really believe my ears. For much of that autumn of 2020 we were still grappling with a giant test-to-release scheme (which allowed international arrivals in Britain to quarantine for five days only if they paid for a private Covid test), which proved ultimately too unwieldy, as well as the ill-fated tiering system of regional lockdowns (I shudder at the memory). And then just when we needed it the news from the labs got better and better. It really looked as though we would have a workable jab, and by the beginning of December, we did. The key figure to remember about the UK vaccine roll-out is that by March 2021 we had inoculated getting on for 50 per cent of the UK adult population. It was astonishingly fast. No comparable country came close. We were also lucky in having a collection of brilliant people who helped devise the vaccines (in the case of Oxford AstraZeneca) and who also secured such large stocks that the NHS had no worries at least at first about supply In the EU 27 the bloc we had just left the figure was about 10-12 per cent. It is vital, now, to recall how we did it. No one looking at the UK success can ignore the key role of the NHS a unified system in which the country generally believes strongly; and of course it also helped that GPs were given good incentives to vaccinate their patients. We were also lucky in having a collection of brilliant people who helped devise the vaccines (in the case of Oxford-AstraZeneca) and who also secured such large stocks that the NHS had no worries at least at first about supply. It is now conventional, and entirely justified, to mention in particular some of the heroines of the roll-out: Sarah Gilbert the Oxford scientist, Maddy McTernan, who did so much of the negotiations with the pharma companies, and Kate Bingham, who led the Vaccine Taskforce. There were many others, from both the private and public sectors. Then there was one other factor that is these days not fashionable to mention, but that indisputably contributed to the UKs success. We had just come out of the EU. One of the reasons I had fought so hard for Brexit and full regulatory freedom, full escape from the single market was because I believed that in a globalised economy, a country such as Britain needed to be fast, and flexible, and able to set its own rules; not, in other words, to be hamstrung by EU bureaucracy. It was only weeks after formally leaving the EU and taking back control of our laws that this ambition was comprehensively vindicated, and with breathtaking clarity. Brexit was important for the vaccine roll-out in two key ways. First, it meant that we were not part of the whole EU procurement programme. The entire task of negotiating supplies for 27 countries was handed to the European Commission, and though the Brussels officials did their best they were no match for Kate Bingham and her team. The British buyers knew the companies; they knew all the players. They didnt have to wait for 27 delegations to approve the prices they offered. They knew that they had complete political top cover to buy those precious vials of life-saving fluid, from wherever they could find it. That freedom meant that by the time the vaccines actually became available, the UK had already placed bigger, better and more legally watertight orders for the drugs. The second vital advantage of Brexit was that the UK was able to approve these drugs faster. We were out of the single market institutions; and that meant that we were no longer part of the European Medicines Agency; and that allowed the UKs Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency to say yes to Pfizer 19 days ahead of the EU, and to say yes to AstraZeneca fully 30 days ahead. That may not sound like a very long time to you, but this was a period the end of 2020 and the beginning of 2021 when the virus was rampant. Ill say it again: we had no cure for a disease that was killing sometimes more than a thousand people a day. Every day mattered. Every day of unnecessary regulatory delay was another day in which the highly contagious alpha variant could spread to more people. The actions of the EU were exceedingly unhelpful; but in the end we managed, and the roll-out was pretty much unimpeded It was thanks to Brexit that we were able simply to get on with it, as fast as we liked, and put a lifesaving vaccine into the arms of large numbers of elderly and often very frightened people. It was thanks to Brexit that we were able to launch our roll-out campaign weeks ahead of the EU 27. I will not mince my words. Brexit saved lives. People now try very occasionally to pretend that we could somehow have achieved the same results while remaining in the EU; that we would have exercised emergency powers to derogate from EU procedures, and done our own thing. That is rubbish. Inside the EU, we would have clung to the supposed security of being part of the pack, and everything, from vaccine procurement to regulation and approval, would have been done at EU level. Brexit not only saved lives, but the speed of our vaccine roll-out ultimately saved the economy billions as well. We had vaccinated our population so fast, and built up such a wall of immunity, that we were able to announce the end of all Covid restrictions on July 19, 2021 while most of the EU remained in some form of lockdown. France didnt end its vaccine passport regime until March 2022, and Italy and Germany also kept restrictions in place well into that year. It was the speed of that vaccine roll-out that enabled the UK therefore to have the fastest economic rebound of any G7 country; and while all this was happening I am afraid that our EU partners were seething with jealousy. They could see that Brexit was partly responsible. They hated that fact. Their irritation was so intense that at one stage in February 2021 they actually tried to slow down our roll-out by sequestering UK vaccine supplies at a warehouse in Holland five million doses of AstraZeneca that legally belonged to the UK, but which they effectively impounded. It was outrageous, and disgusting. It was also dog-in-the-manger-ish in the sense that the embargo was driven not by their own medical requirements but by a cynical desire to frustrate the UK, and to take the shine off the success of the roll-out. At that stage the EU did not even need those doses themselves. Both French president Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel had been critical of AstraZeneca, with Macron saying that the vaccine was quasi-ineffective. (Indeed I am not sure that the disputed doses were ever actually used in the EU.) At one point, I was so enraged by the whole business that I even thought of somehow liberating our vaccines from the warehouse in Leiden, perhaps by sending representatives of UK Special Forces up the canals in dinghies; and then, of course, thought better of it. The actions of the EU were exceedingly unhelpful; but in the end we managed, and the roll-out was pretty much unimpeded. The whole vaccine roll-out experience left me more convinced than ever that it would be insane to go back into the EU system as Starmer is doing. Whatever the problems of the UK economy low skills, poor infrastructure, bad planning law, high tax, hostility to enterprise and so on absolutely none of them can be fixed by taking rules from Brussels. We need greater freedom, not renewed servitude. Above all, the vaccine roll-out taught me that we are still capable of prodigious national accomplishments. If you let free-market capitalists and government work together; if you encourage individual leaders and entrepreneurs rather than clock-watching jobsworths; and if people actually believe passionately in what they are doing the results are astonishing. I remember going to a vaccine centre in Cwmbran in South Wales, in February 2021, and feeling this enormous sense of positive energy, as people rolled up their sleeves to protect themselves and the country. The closest thing I have seen for that sense of collective serotonin buzz is the London Olympics in 2012, and the thousands of volunteers who helped to turn what people said would be a catastrophe into a triumph for the UK. Looking at the way the world is going, I wouldnt be surprised if we are all called on again to roll up our sleeves and pull together. We cant keep going with such enormous spending on welfare, and so little on defence; we cant go on with Labours calamitous economic model. Will we have the willpower when the next big challenge comes? Will we rise to it? Do we still have the right stuff? On the evidence of the Covid vaccine roll-out, the answer is unquestionably and emphatically yes. One day, we will throw off the dead hand of Starmerist socialism in all its morosity and timidity, and recover our self-belief. The vaccine roll-out reminds us how it is done. The Mandelson scandal has erupted yet again in spectacular fashion and Keir Starmers job is once more on the line. There are more holes in his reasons for making Peter Mandelson our man in Washington despite failing his security vetting than there are in a Swiss cheese. But the coming week should fill in at least some of them. Starmer will make a statement to the House of Commons on Monday, followed by extensive questioning, and Oliver Robbins, top mandarin at the Foreign Office until the PM fired him on Thursday night, is scheduled to be grilled by the Commons Foreign Affairs select committee on Tuesday. MPs, usually not the best of inquisitors, must not let us down. They should start doing their homework now. Their probing needs to be focused, forensic and informed. Heres what they should be asking. Starmer claims he didnt know Robbins had ignored Mandelsons failure to be granted security clearance. His private office didnt know. No 10 Downing Street didnt know. The Cabinet Office didnt know. Robbins had proceeded with the appointment entirely off his own bat. Not for the first time we see in action a know-nothing administration of startling ignorance. Yet when Mandelson was forced to resign earlier this year, Starmer justified his decision to appoint him with repeated and extensive reference to the vetting system. He claimed due process had been followed at every stage and categorically stated Mandelson had passed the security vetting. On what basis did Starmer make these claims? Had he ever inquired how the vetting process had gone? If not, how could he be so sure everything was hunky dory especially since it wasnt. Keir Starmer claims he didnt know Oliver Robbins had ignored Mandelsons failure to be granted security clearance The government ethics unit had raised concerns about Mandelsons links not just with Epstein but with Russia and China before the vetting began, writes Andrew Neil Starmer even posed as something of an expert on the vetting. When asked in the Commons if it had included Mandelsons links with Jeffrey Epstein, the notorious paedophile, he replied, Yes, it did, implying a knowledge of the content. Yet now he feigns ignorance. Is that really credible? Given all the concerns swirling round Mandelson, surely it was a dereliction of duty not to ensure the vetting process was watertight? After all, the government ethics unit had raised concerns about Mandelsons links not just with Epstein but with Russia and China before the vetting began. So surely it would have been entirely legitimate to inquire if the vetting had thrown up any further cause for concern? Moreover, is it really the case that nobody around him knew Mandelson had flunked the vetting? Starmers head of communications in 10 Downing Street was approached early last September by journalists suggesting he had been. Stories to that effect ran in a couple of papers. Did nobody in Downing Street or the Cabinet Office bother to check out if they were true? Didnt they raise even the flimsiest of red flags? Didnt your comms director, Prime Minister, ever raise the matter with you? Interestingly, he didnt deny Mandelson had failed the vetting. He just batted inquiries away with a few pro forma words about process. Are we also expected to believe the Cabinet Office was in the dark until this week? The unit which did Mandelsons vetting is based there. When its findings were knocked back by the Foreign Office an unprecedented act in the circumstances was there really no discussion about it? No anger or recriminations? No talk of further action? In fact, Im told the Cabinet Office knew about it for some time. It would certainly have known about it by early February when Parliament forced the Government to release all papers relevant to Mandelsons appointment, including a specific request for documents relating to the vetting process. These must have been among the first the Cabinet Office retrieved. Yet 10 weeks later they have still not been made public. Why? It looks increasingly risible that the Cabinet Office knew nothing until this week. Now ponder on this, the most damning and dangerous sentence in the Guardians expose of this scandal: Senior government officials have been considering whether to withhold from Parliament documents that would reveal that Mandelson was not given vetting approval from officials. There you have it the makings of a cover-up to stop Parliament and public from knowing the truth. Were you in the dark about that too, PM? Yet another matter that didnt cross your desk? Folks are starting to wonder if you even have a desk. Lets move on. Can the PM now tell us why Mandelson failed the vetting process? Has he bothered to find out? Much has been made of his close connection to Epstein, which is bad enough. Peter Mandelson yesterday. Starmer was repeatedly claiming, in public and Parliament, that Mandelson had passed the security vetting But I understand those doing the vetting were much more concerned about his Global Counsel lobbying/consulting group, which involved lucrative contracts with various Chinese and Russian companies. There was especial worry about his Chinese connections. Is that Starmers understanding too? Were you aware, PM, of these specific China concerns? If so, it makes your original decision to appoint him all the more foolhardy for a lot of this information was already in the public domain and the decision to override the vetting decision unconscionable. Would the PM care to explain himself? Of course, its all Robbins fault. Hes the fall guy. Westminster is agog with speculation about what he might say on Tuesday. If he can show he did not singlehandedly overrule the security vetting that he informed or consulted others at the heart of government close to Starmer (if not Starmer himself) then the PM is toast. But he might decide to say very little, for whatever reason. So questions to him must also be robust. Why did he overrule the security vetting? Did he really take such a monumental decision on his own, involving no one else? Not even the famously intrusive Foreign Office lawyers? Why did he not seek ministerial cover? Or consult the Cabinet Secretary, the countrys most senior civil servant. Did he really leave the Cabinet Office in ignorance? Robbins had only been the Foreign Office top cat for three weeks when Mandelson was formally appointed at the end of January 2025. He hadnt been involved in the run-up to it. What made him think it was his place to take this decision or that he was qualified to do so? After all, Mandelson wasnt the Foreign Office candidate. Why go out on a limb for him? Technically the Foreign Office had the power to overrule the vetting as the department sponsoring the hiring. But it is a power rarely used, inadvisable for a novice head to deploy. Mandelsons real sponsor was Starmer. It was a political not a civil service appointment. Surely the decision should have been the PMs? Did you take it just to please the boss? Had Starmer or his henchmen made it clear he wanted Mandelson in Washington come hell or high water? Did 10 Downing Street insist speed was of the essence it would brook no further delay (even for national security reasons)? Perhaps. As the new kid on the block, maybe Robbins wanted to please his master. But those out to impress the boss usually let the boss know theyve done something helpful. In this case, if Starmer is to be believed, Robbins did it without the PM knowing. It just doesnt add up. Moreover, Starmer was repeatedly claiming, in public and Parliament, that Mandelson had passed the security vetting. So why didnt Robbins quietly correct him? Why did he allow the PM to continue telling untruths (even if unwittingly)? Was he trapped in a lie of his own making? Heres where the questions must become particularly forensic for Robbins. Security vetting decided against Mandelson on January 28. Only two days later (January 30) you, Robbins, proceeded with the formal hiring letter. Talk us through your detailed thought processes during that 48 hours. What went through your mind? Did you really consult with nobody? When exactly did you decide to ignore the security vetting? Your departments employment letter to Mandelson told him your security clearance has been confirmed by the vetting unit. Were you responsible for that lie? Above all did it never cross your mind the damage youd do to USBritish security and intelligence cooperation, which remains deep and extensive despite all the flak from the current White House, by sending to Washington someone who had failed his security vetting? Did you really think it could be kept secret? Surely national security considerations demanded you raised this with the PM? The country needs a credible, reliable and strong PM, said one of Starmers flunkies yesterday, arguing why he should stay in post. The problem is Starmer is none of the above. At a time of growing global peril we are led by a man who staggers from crisis to embarrassment to impotence. Next week Parliament must hold him to account. It is long overdue. Keir Starmer claimed yesterday he was absolutely furious about the fact he was not told until Tuesday Peter Mandelson had failed his vetting to be Ambassador to Washington. Which is odd. Because I knew last September. Back in the autumn, soon after Mandelsons resignation from the post following revelations of his relationship with infamous paedophile Jeffrey Epstein, my colleague Glen Owen and I spoke to two separate sources in the intelligence community. They told us that during the formal security service vetting on Mandelson a number of red flags had been raised, following consultation with their opposite numbers in the United States. We were told some of these issues related to Mandelsons Epstein links, but more significantly, some involved his business links with Russia and China. Our sources also reported that Foreign Office officials had raised their own concerns about Mandelson gaining access to highly sensitive diplomatic material. And that, as a result, they had lobbied for the post to be handed instead to MI6 boss Sir Richard Moore. But all these concerns were apparently ignored. We were specifically told that the confidential report into Mandelsons vetting had been watered down in an eerie sort of reverse echo of the Dodgy Dossier that, under Tony Blairs Labour government, had hyped up the argument for going to war with Iraq. The concerns about Mandelson were quite strong in the original version a senior Government official revealed. But then the report was rewritten. It was deemed politically inconvenient to present the original to the Prime Minister. Downing Street were told eight months ago there had been issues with Peter Mandelsons vetting, writes Dan Hodges These claims were put to Downing Street on Saturday, September 13. And they were categorically denied. That denial, as we all now know, was a lie. The question is, whose lie? We know for a fact one of the people responsible for this falsehood was the PM himself. Repeatedly, both inside and outside the House of Commons, Starmer claimed that due process had been followed with regard to Mandelsons appointment, that it was the same standard process used for all Ambassadorial appointments, and that Mandelson had passed vigorous vetting by the security chiefs. We now know for a fact none of that was true. We also know something else was palpably untrue. Yesterday Starmer claimed neither he, nor ministers, nor anyone in No 10 had been informed that Mandelson had actually failed his high-level vetting until this Tuesday. But as weve seen, thats again a blatant falsehood. As well as our report, between September 2024 and March of this year, Downing Street was approached by at least three other national newspaper journalists with stories related to Mandelsons vetting. On each occasion Starmers aides flat-out denied there had been any issue. So again, who was lying, and why? Downing Street have frantically begun pointing to comments by Ciaran Martin, former boss of the National Security Centre, and a friend of Starmers chosen fall guy, Foreign Office permanent Secretary Olly Robbins. Martin claimed Robbins had been precluded by regulations from informing Ministers of the process around Mandelsons vetting. But their new spin simply highlights new questions. Starmers aides spent the day briefing journalists that the PM had repeatedly attempted to find out from Robbins who managed the vetting process what the true status of Mandelsons security clearance had been. And that Robbins, incredibly, had refused to tell them. So on what basis did No 10 issue categorical denials to journalists that there was any issue with the vetting? Then there is the issue of Robbinss late-night sacking after No 10 claimed he had failed to inform them of the fact Mandelson had been initially vetoed by the security services. If, as Robbinss friends and No 10 are now claiming, he was indeed precluded by the regulations from revealing the truth, why was he sacked? Surely he was simply following the rules? Strip away the spin and the deflection, and these are the facts. Downing Street were told eight months ago there had been issues with Peter Mandelsons vetting. Yet they categorically denied it. Whats more, Keir Starmer continued to repeat those denials. To Parliament. To the Press. And, most importantly, to the British people. And those denials were completely and utterly false. So when Sir Keir finally confronts the House of Commons on Monday to deliver a statement on this whole tawdry affair he has a choice. He can admit to being a knave. Or he can admit to being a fool. But what he cannot do, is maintain the pretence he is fit to occupy the office of Prime Minister. The job of defence lawyers is to get clients off the hook regardless of whether they are innocent or guilty. They may exploit any legal loophole, alight on any technical or bureaucratic error in the prosecution and try to shove the blame on others to secure an acquittal. Politics is different, especially when the man in the dock is the prime minister. Sir Keir Starmer can't simply blame everyone else for his own shortcomings, or plead ignorance when scandal emerges at the heart of his government. And he can't escape the shadow of guilt by sacking his underlings and saying they let him down. He is the head of government, not some bemused observer. Sir Keir's lawyerly approach to the Mandelson fiasco perfectly illustrates the staggering lack of political judgment which has dogged his spell in power. In the court of public opinion (and large sections of his own party) he has already been found guilty of incompetence at best, deception at worst. He may cling on until after the local elections next month, but his days are numbered. Consider the facts. In December 2024, Sir Keir decided to appoint Lord Mandelson as ambassador to the US, believing he could work well with Donald Trump. Pictured: Sir Keir Starmer at the Arsenal v Bournemouth match at the Emirates Stadium on April 11 Given Mandelson's track record of dishonesty, links with notorious paedophile Jeffrey Epstein and various dubious oligarchs and relentless pursuit of money, it was an ill-advised choice. Yet despite many alarm bells, including an initial assessment warning that the appointment carried 'reputational risk', the PM was adamant. He gave Lord Mandelson the job before rigorous 'developed vetting' (DV) was carried out an astonishing move considering the peer's chequered past. We now discover Mandelson failed the DV procedure in January last year yet was still given clearance to take up his post. The PM's big problem is that he has repeatedly told the Commons 'full due process' was observed. That is clearly untrue, meaning that Sir Keir misled Parliament on multiple occasions (including twice in one day). The key question now is whether he did it knowingly. If he did, he must resign. He claims chief Foreign Office mandarin Sir Olly Robbins knew Mandelson had failed security vetting but declined to tell him. 'I'm absolutely furious I wasn't told,' Sir Keir said. But is it credible that a civil servant of Sir Olly's seniority and experience would take such a vital decision unilaterally? That is not how government works. Civil servants advise, ministers decide. And as a man obsessed with process, is it plausible that Sir Keir didn't ask the result of DV before Lord Mandelson took on the most important role in the diplomatic service? What does it say about his leadership that he was so strangely incurious? He's supposed to be driving the Government train, not merely riding along as a passenger. Sir Olly has now resigned, the latest in a long line of senior advisers sacrificed to save the PM's skin. However, we have yet to hear his version of events, which will be highly instructive. Interestingly, his supporters insist he has done nothing wrong. On Monday, Sir Keir will make a last-ditch attempt to cling on to power, with a Commons statement giving 'full transparency' on this sorry saga. But for all his bluster, the truth is he's doomed. Anyone who publicly doubts the actions or opinions of President Trump is swiftly accused of being mad. You have Trump Derangement Syndrome, I am often told by Mr Trumps many hyped-up supporters. Mr Trump himself has descended to this level. In December 2025, he posted on Truth Social about the violent death of one of his prominent critics, Hollywood director Rob Reiner, saying Mr Reiner died due to his massive, unyielding, and incurable affliction with a mind-crippling disease known as Trump Derangement Syndrome (he wrote the last three words in block capitals). He described TDS as a raging obsession and paranoia. This is graceless, rude and stupid, and a very low form of argument. If people who behave like this get into power, they are especially dangerous. Fanatics, usually on the Left, have often had a nasty habit of claiming that their opponents are crazy. In the Soviet Union this was taken to its bitter limit. Opponents of the regime were forced into horrible locked wards and pumped full of poisonous drugs. This remains one of the worst crimes of Communism. It takes other forms. In the US presidential election of 1964, the highly conservative Republican, Barry Goldwater, campaigned on the slogan In your heart, you know hes right. Liberals responded by saying In your guts, you know hes nuts. The incumbent President, Lyndon Johnson, ran a famous TV commercial which suggested that Goldwater would start a nuclear war if elected. Trump's response to Rob Reiner's death was graceless, rude and stupid Are there lessons to be learnt from the Caine Mutiny, starring Humphrey Bogart, right A short-lived magazine, called Fact, printed a cover story on the eve of the polls, proclaiming the results of a survey: 1,189 Psychiatrists Say Goldwater is Psychologically Unfit to be President! Since then, the Goldwater Rule has stated that it is unethical for psychiatrists to offer a professional opinion on the mental health of a public figure they have not personally examined and who has not consented. And quite right too. I dont think people who disagree with me are mad. But those who call Mr Trumps critics deranged are treading a dangerous path. What if those critics respond in kind and try to remove the President, as they might do under the 25th Amendment to the US Constitution? The difficulties of responsible men confronted with an erratic chief are cleverly explored in Herman Wouks superb novel The Caine Mutiny, filmed with Humphrey Bogart starring as the questionable US Navy officer Philip Francis Queeg. Queeg is a martinet and a bad seaman. He blames his mistakes on subordinates. He hides from danger during combat. He orders a ludicrous investigation into the disappearance of a few strawberries. He all but turns his ship upside down in the midst of war to discover the culprit. Finally, he appears to his officers to be making a bad mistake on the bridge during a furious storm. So they remove him, apparently according to the rules. But it is they who end up on trial, and it is only when Queeg breaks down, quite piteously, on the witness stand, that they win a dismal victory, of which most of them are ashamed. I fear this is all going to end very badly. Splat! Tory grandees forensic mauling of Letby case police chief Did Cheshire Police make the nurse Lucy Letby their chief suspect before they had properly investigated the causes of multiple baby deaths in the Countess of Chester Hospital? This is one of the key issues in an astounding public quarrel between former Tory Cabinet minister Sir David Davis and Cheshires Chief Constable, Mark Roberts. I have never seen anything like this in half a century as a reporter. DING! Sir David recently used a House of Commons debate to accuse Cheshire Police of failing to keep an open mind, as they are legally obliged to do, during their probe into the baby deaths. DONG! The police replied with general claims that a core group of individuals were working on behalf of Ms Letby. They said they were trying to destroy reputations and spread misinformation. Sir David Davis, left, came out fighting against Cheshires Chief Constable, Mark Roberts, over the force's handling of the Lucy Letby case DING! Sir David demanded that it substantiated its misinformation claim. Sir David wrote to Mr Roberts: If you or your constabulary believe that you now have any specific rebuttals to any of the points I raised, I would like to receive them in full. DONG! Mr Roberts then sent another rather mysterious letter to Sir David. It is mysterious because Cheshire Police wouldnt show it to me, saying it was private. But a complete copy of it (weirdly, it is on unheaded paper) has appeared on the website of the distinguished legal affairs commentator Joshua Rozenberg. SPLAT! Back came Sir David, with a steely, forensic takedown of one of the Chief Constables main claims that Ms Letby was not designated a suspect until June 2018. If so, that would have been 13 months after the start of Operation Hummingbird, the name given by police to the investigation of the Chester hospital deaths. Plenty of time for open-minded inquiries, eh? Or perhaps not. Sir David retorted: You state Operation Hummingbird commenced in May 2017, and it was not until more than a year later, in June 2018, that Letby was designated a suspect. 'But on 15 May 2017, hospital consultants and Cheshire Police officers met to discuss the case. Sir David pointed out the Thirlwall Inquiry, document INQ0102309, makes plain that at this meeting, the allegations focused on a particular nurse, named explicitly as Lucy Letby. And there is much more in the same vein. Id say about five-nil to Sir David, but then, after nearly two years exploring this case, I am ever more convinced that the Letby verdict is unsafe and should go back before the courts and soon. Ms Letby is now 36 and her chances of resuming anything like a full life dwindle by the day. If she is in fact innocent, this is quite unbearable. Sir Keir Starmer begins to look more and more like a crash-test dummy, sitting expressionless, tilted to one side, in the wreckage of a driverless car which has madly steered into a tree with him on board but not in charge. He also looks less and less like the chief minister of a nuclear power and a major economy. Nobody, he insists, told him that Peter Mandelson had failed his vetting procedure. And so he appointed him to the position of HM Ambassador to Washington DC, one of the most sensitive and influential posts in his gift. The whole point of being PM is to be in charge. No other job is so powerful. The person who holds it can summon whoever he likes to his presence and demand the facts. He can issue instructions which will, in almost all cases, be obeyed. This is all most gratifying to the holder of the office but it comes with a price. He really cannot then say that he did not know what was going on. A bitter joke is circulating in Westminster and Whitehall that the Premier can at least now solve the small-boats crisis by renaming the English Channel 'Keir Starmer's Desk'. For, after that, nothing will ever be able to get across it. It is also more than a little ridiculous that this man, so bizarrely ill-informed about his own Government's most exalted and secure activities, once pilloried Boris Johnson over a so-called party at No 10 Downing Street during the Covid lockdown. Sir Keir then accused Mr Johnson of 'months of deceit and deception' and led calls for him to 'do the decent thing and resign'. Sir Keir Starmer now finds his own righteousness coming back to bite him as he resorts to the feeblest defence of the embarrassed teacher Sir Keir also described Mr Johnson's defence that he did not realise the event was a party as 'so ridiculous that it is actually offensive to the British public'. On another occasion he jeered: 'Look, there are only two possible explanations: either he's trashing the ministerial code or he's claiming he was repeatedly lied to by his own advisers and didn't know what was going on in his own house and his own office. Come off it.' Well, like many people who have been piously censorious in his time, he now finds his own righteousness coming back to bite him. He should come off it. It is extraordinary how his carefully assembled and polished image of being the Great Prosecutor has become tarnished and dented. Far from being fully on top of events, forensically probing the machinery of government with brilliantly researched questions, he is resorting to the feeblest defence of the embarrassed leader. 'Nobody told me.' The coming week may contain even more of this sort of drama, with others also saying they didn't know what was going on. Given Whitehall's immense skill in concealing its right hand from its left hand, and given the fundamental crisis in the Labour Party, we may never get to the bottom of this. But until it is resolved, the people of this country are entitled to wonder whether the Prime Minister is actually in charge of the government he heads. And if he isn't, we must all hope that the coming local and devolved elections will at least resolve that problem. Why does Sir Keir Starmer want to be Prime Minister? It's very hard to know. But what's certain is that Britain is paying the price of having a PM with no interest in doing the job. Perhaps you think 'all politicians are liars'. Yet the disgraceful appointment of Peter Mandelson points not just to dishonesty, but to a premier too idle to ask basic questions and too weak to face the answers. I have spent hours across the despatch box watching how Starmer operates. He doesn't just refuse to answer questions, he cannot answer questions. He doesn't know how to respond because he's not prepared to do the work. Despite seven months of scandal at the very heart of government, Starmer claims to have made no enquiries, to have seen no documents, or to have heard anything that would have told him Peter Mandelson failed the security vetting. Even by his own defence (fanciful as it is), Starmer has shown himself lacking in any grip, to be lazy in his thinking and, as it turns out, too idle to ask the most basic questions of his staff. The hypocrisy is everywhere. A year ago, Starmer said 'defence would be the first thought in the morning, the last at night'. Yet the authors of his own Strategic Defence Review are lining up to criticise his dangerous inaction on defence spending. The debacle over the Iran war has exposed a Government that continues to prioritise welfare payments over defending our country, even as three former Labour defence secretaries beg Starmer to increase spending on our national security and cut the ballooning benefits budget. And at the heart of it is the Prime Minister's vision-free leadership. In this Labour Government, ministers pull in different directions. Policies are announced without clarity and abandoned when reality intrudes. The result is an administration grinding to a halt. Sir Keir Starmer 'has shown himself lacking in any grip' and is 'lazy in his thinking', Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch writes for The Mail on Sunday Curiosity is what drives serious leadership. It is what makes a prime minister read the extra briefing and challenge the easy assumption. Without curiosity, problems are neither fully understood nor solved. Without it, there are no real ideas. In its place, political emptiness: A polished exterior, but with no substance behind it. There's an impression of seriousness, but when you look for the underlying vision, it's just not there. Compared with recent shambolic Labour leaders such as Ed Miliband and Jeremy Corbyn, it's fair to say that Starmer looks the part, at least. The expensive glasses, the suit and tie give the right impression. But compare Starmer to real leaders, the sort who show conviction and strategic clarity, and the gap is obvious. In fact, the real scandal is not the appointment of Mandelson serious though that is but the woeful direction of our country under Starmer's incurious regime. Keir Starmer claims to be furious with officials. It is us who should be furious with him because hard-working Mail on Sunday readers are paying the price for his mistakes. A real leader stands up for the country, puts the national interest first and takes the hits. Yet this scandal exposes a man who thinks only about himself. Starmer has sacrificed his staff, blamed the security services and sent ministers out to lie on his behalf. He is disloyal not just to his country, but to those serving beneath him. People can accept a leader who makes an unpopular call and stands by it; they loathe a leader who lets others take the fall while he clings on. Time and again, when things go wrong, it is always someone else's fault. Starmer's stock defence is 'don't blame me, I'm only the Prime Minister'. The hypocrisy is staggering. The Labour leader built his reputation on standards, rules, and truthfulness in public life. Yet the voters know that those rules sacred for the rest of us are optional when it comes to the powerful. This is dishonesty mingled with weakness, evasion and contempt. Authority does not just come from the title of Prime Minister. It is earned through the truthfulness and responsibility that Starmer lacks. He is either lying about what he knew about Mandelson's appointment, in which case he is corrupting the office, or he is so lazy and incompetent that he is unfit to run the country. Ms Badenoch has said Sir Keir should resign after putting national security at risk - she also claimed he had 'lost the right to govern' We are entering a harsher world which is less stable abroad, less cohesive at home and less certain of itself overall. Questions about growth, security, immigration, integration, family, identity and national purpose are not abstract debates. They will shape the country our children inherit, the opportunities they have, the values they grow up with, and whether they feel they belong to a nation that knows who it is and where it is going. Economic stagnation, failing public services, the rising cost of living, declining living standards, uncontrolled migration and a of lack integration, threats from Russia, China and Iran... These are not abstract problems, they shape both our daily lives and the future our children will inherit. Yet we have a Prime Minister consumed by his own survival. And, while he hangs on, desperately, the country drifts. While he protects himself, decisions are delayed and problems fester. Starmer has no idea how to make this country better, which is why we are becoming a nation that simply manages decline instead of striving for greatness. It is not a future I will accept and it is not the future this country deserves. This is not a moment for bland managerialism, or for leaders clinging to office while the country loses confidence. It is a moment for seriousness, for courage, and for a government with a clear sense of duty to the next generation. Starmer has misled Parliament over Mandelson, misled the country and is taking the public for fools. This is not just a political failure. It is a moral one: He has put our national security at risk, he has lost the right to govern, he should resign. Britain can meet the many challenges it faces, but only if we are honest about them. And only if like the Conservative Party under my leadership we have a clear vision for the country and a clear plan to deliver it. Yes, there are Keir Starmers lies. Full due process was followed during [Peter Mandelsons] appointment, as it is with all ambassadors, he told the House of Commons on September 10. And as we saw graphically exposed last week, there has never been an ambassadorial appointment in British political history in which due process has been as badly corrupted as the one overseen by the Prime Minister in relation to his now disgraced colleague. Yes, there is Sir Keirs hypocrisy. He was not just elected on a pledge to clean up politics. He specifically promised to provide transparency, end the conveyor-belt of cronyism and crucially take personal responsibility for the decisions made in his name by ministers and officials. I had 8,000 staff, he said during the Labour leadership election, citing his time as Director of Public Prosecutions. When they made mistakes, I carried the can. I never turned on my staff, you should never turn on your staff. And yes, there is the uniquely sordid nature of Mandelsons relationship with Jeffrey Epstein, one of the worlds most high-profile pimps and paedophiles. A relationship Starmer has admitted he was made aware of in basic Cabinet Office vetting prior to the former peers appointment, and one that makes a mockery of another of his pre-election pledges, his commitment to prioritising the fight against violence perpetuated by powerful men against women and girls. Keir Starmer is fighting to cling on in No10 following the scandal surrounding Peter Mandelson's appointment as US ambassador Sir Keir previously stated that Mandelson passed security vetting, and told the Commons that 'due process' was followed But the revelation last week that Mandelson was appointed over the objections of the security services, who specifically judged he was unfit to take up his Washington appointment, has elevated this affair way beyond a bog-standard political crisis that raises damning questions about Starmers probity and judgment. This is now one of the greatest national security scandals of the post-Cold War era. One that sits on a par with Profumo in the 1960s, and the Cambridge spy scandals of the 1950s and 1960s. Its not yet known why security chiefs deemed Mandelson such a high-level security risk. But there are numerous clues. As The Mail on Sunday reports, the British security establishment has been concerned about Mandelsons business activities and relationships for years, if not decades. Whats more, those concerns were communicated to Keir Starmers team in 2023, over a year before he entered Downing Street. They were given briefings that specifically detailed Mandelsons close relationship with Epstein, which reportedly began in 2006. But even more disturbingly, they detailed how Mandelson had been targeted by Soviet intelligence officers as far back as the early 80s, and by their Russian successors throughout the following decades. In particular, Mandelson was regarded by Moscow as an especially high-value target during his time as EU trade commissioner. There has been a lot of focus on the ongoing Metropolitan Police investigation. But to less fanfare, it was announced at the end of February that Mandelson had also been placed under investigation by OLAF, the EUs anti-fraud office. Part of OLAFs remit is investigating serious misconduct by EU staff and members of its institutions. Again, none of this should have come as a surprise to Downing Street. As I reported in February, British and EU intelligence officers became so concerned about Mandelsons close ties to senior Putin ally Oleg Deripaska that they sat him down and specifically advised him to break off contact, including his frequent use of Deripaskas private jet. Much of the debate over the past week has been over the extent to which Keir Starmer was made aware of the security services concerns prior to Mandelsons appointment as ambassador. But the fact is there were sufficient security red flags raised with the Prime Minister prior to Mandelsons appointment. As The Mail on Sunday also reported, the Foreign Office mounted a tenacious rearguard against Mandelsons hiring, with representations made by senior officials to Morgan McSweeney, then head of staff. Concerns were even raised by security officials in the United States. And the published Cabinet Office Due Diligence Checklist presented to Keir Starmer and which is one of the few documents linked to this affair he has acknowledged passed across his desk raised issues over Mandelsons Epstein, Russia and China links. Again, for very good reason. On Friday, Downing Street published a summary of the UKSV Developed Vetting Template that was used by security officials to interview Mandelson. It contained a red box that was to be ticked if the applicant had their clearance Denied or Withdrawn. Its understood this was the box ticked in relation to Mandelson. But this represents only part of the story. According to a senior security source: DV [Developed Vetting] was easiest to pass. 'He would then have needed to be secure his STRAP clearance, which would have allowed access to especially sensitive intelligence documents. 'And finally, as Washington ambassador, he would have needed to have clearance for access to what are called Compartmentalised Programmes. 'This is the highest level of clearance in the diplomatic service, and is granted only to ambassadors to New York, Washington, Moscow, Paris, Berlin and Beijing. 'Thats because in those roles you have access not just to raw British intelligence, but intelligence being gathered by the Americans and our other allies. Staggeringly, it appears that despite Mandelsons known relationship with Epstein, the known links with Putins allies, the known efforts by Russian security services to target him for over 40 years, and over the formal objection of the UK security services, this clearance was approved. Mandelson was bundled through, at pace and under the Prime Ministers direct instruction, into the most sensitive diplomatic post in the Western world. Just consider the nature of the threat this posed not just to British national security, but that of our closest allies. Mandelsons relationship with Epstein which Keir Starmer himself has admitted his former ambassador went to extraordinary lengths to conceal made him a clear blackmail risk. Mandelson was so predisposed to passing sensitive government information to third parties he is now under investigation on suspicion of misconduct in public office. But whats more, he had such close links to Russian intelligence he had to be warned by UK intelligence officers to sever the ties. In national security terms, Peter Mandelson is effectively the Sixth Man. No, he was not a formal Russian operative. But the Prime Minister has publicly accused him of betraying his country. He is under investigation by police forces both here and overseas. Britains relationship with the Washington security establishment has been trashed. The Foreign Office is now embroiled in its biggest crisis for a generation. And the Kremlin is breaking out the champagne. And why? Because contrary to the spin coming out of No 10 on a daily basis, Keir Starmer did not look to prioritise the British national interest during a uniquely dark and dangerous time in global affairs. Instead, he recklessly and deliberately forced through the appointment of Peter Mandelson to the most sensitive post in the British diplomatic service, despite all the warnings. And he did so solely because he had decided he needed some of his political stardust, and possessed neither the judgment or courage to change course when Mandelsons failings were exposed. This week Olly Robbins, Keir Starmers latest fall-guy, will appear before the foreign affairs select committee to try to explain this whole fiasco. But he has already made a damning intervention. A few weeks ago he appeared before the committee to explain Mandelsons appointment. He stated: At the time were describing it was clear the Prime Minister wanted to make this appointment himself. 'And therefore I understand that the FCDO was informed of his decision and acted upon it... the Prime Minister took advice and formed a view, and we then acted on that view. Keir Starmer knew full well the inherent dangers in appointing Mandelson. Not just for himself politically, but for the defence and security of Britain and her allies. He and his team were specifically warned about them years before. And he ploughed on regardless. Mandelson betrayed our country, Sir Keir furiously insisted to the Commons in the wake of his ambassadors sacking. But surely the true betrayal has been by the Prime Minister who heedlessly placed him in the position against the advice of his security services to commit such a grievous crime. But surely the true betrayal has been by the Prime Minister who heedlessly placed him in the position against the advice of his security services to commit such a grievous crime. Lena Dunham, one of New York City's worst exports, is back with a new memoir and the media is treating her like a returning hero. Trust me: Dunham is particularly, specifically awful. She is unwell. She tells us in so many ways in Famesick, the book she's currently promoting on podcasts, TV, in magazines and newspapers, and on a book tour, which she conducts while reclining on stage in bed. Dunham has, by all accounts, eaten herself into morbid obesity before age 40, yet is considered by The New York Times and others to be a generational oracle, a font of insight, an artist for the ages. Why? Because she created and starred in a buzzy show on HBO years ago that, Dunham now admits, fewer than one million people per week watched. Given that the central preoccupations of Girls tracked with Dunham's, it is little wonder why. Turns out most of America had zero interest in watching a slovenly, unhygienic, overweight twenty-something spoiled brat Hannah Horvath, played by Dunham engage in degrading sex, whine about her lack of stardom and demand her parents subsidize her life as an 'artist' in Brooklyn. Lena Dunham, one of New York City's worst exports, is back with a new memoir - and the media is treating her like a returning hero She is unwell. She tells us in so many ways in Famesick, the book she's currently promoting on podcasts, TV, in magazines and newspapers, and on a book tour, which she conducts while reclining on stage - in bed The media coverage of Girls, and Dunham, was always outsized. It bore zero relation to the small cultural impact the show actually had and, in the years since, Dunham has yet to generate a film or show that's had a sliver of that modest success. But yet again, the media from The Guardian to Elle magazine to the Today show, the Times of London, The Atlantic, New York magazine and far too many others to count has anointed Dunham a misunderstood genius wronged by a misogynistic, fat-phobic world. I argue the opposite: It's the media that willingly misunderstands Lena Dunham. A brief recap of Dunham's worst offenses: In her 2014 memoir, Not That Kind of Girl, for which she received a reported $3.7 million advance, Dunham falsely smeared a classmate named Barry as the man she claims raped her when she was at Oberlin, a liberal arts college in Ohio. Oh, and she made sure to include this salient detail: Barry was a Republican. Reporters quickly identified an Oberlin alumnus named Barry who fit her description. The only problem? He'd never met Dunham. And yet it took weeks of pleading, and the threat of a lawsuit, before Dunham and her publisher agreed to add a disclaimer to her book that 'Barry' was a pseudonym. 'Why didn't you clear my name?' Barry later asked Dunham. 'Why did you wait? Why did I have to set up a legal fund and threaten to sue in order for action to be taken?' Because Lena is the worst, Barry. Because Lena Dunham is the worst thing to happen to feminism, pop culture and the arts in a very long time. Dunham also wrote about obsessing over her baby sister Grace who now goes by the name Cyrus and identifies as 'transmasculine nonbinary' to an alarming degree. She writes in Famesick that she's now sorry not about what she did or what she wrote, but that 'a conservative media site analyzed the book carefully, pulling choice passages and coming to the conclusion that I had engaged in sexually inappropriate childhood behavior with my sibling.' It's always someone else's fault with Lena. She wrote about masturbating in bed next to her sister when they were children, of pulling apart her sister's legs and looking up inside when Lena was 7 and Grace was one and, so that Lena can't accuse me of misrepresenting her, here is a passage from Not That Kind of Girl that Dunham wrote about Grace: 'As she grew, I took to bribing her time and affection: one dollar in quarters if I could do her makeup like a 'motorcycle chick.' Three pieces of candy if I could kiss her on the lips for five seconds. Whatever she wanted to watch on TV if she would just 'relax on me.' Basically, anything a sexual predator might do to woo a small suburban girl, I was trying.' Lena also dumped her rescue dog of many years, a dog she paraded in the pages of Vogue, when, she claims, he suddenly became too unruly. Along with her then-producing partner Jenni Konner, Dunham was also forced to apologize in 2017 after writing an open letter defending a Girls writer named Murray Miller, who had been accused of rape by the daughter of a well-known actor. 'While our first instinct is to listen to every woman's story,' they wrote, 'our insider knowledge of Murray's situation makes us confident that sadly this accusation is one of the 3 percent of assault cases that are misreported every year.' Some feminist. Miller was never charged with a crime and the blowback from that statement alone was startling enough that soon Konner, described by Lena as her best friend, parted ways with Dunham. But now Dunham is back, and the media is asking her about none of this. The media coverage of her show Girls was always outsized. It bore zero relation to the small cultural impact it actually had Lena Dunham is the worst thing to happen to feminism, pop culture and the arts in a very long time. Above, the actress in 2014 with her then-boyfriend, Jack Antonoff Nor are they asking about her patently unhealthy lifestyle, or why, as she wrote in a Vogue essay, she had her uterus removed against all best medical advice. Why did she write sex scenes in Girls that utterly degraded and humiliated the beautiful actresses that she cast? Why, as she writes in Famesick, would she steal her mother's journals, read them, and use them for material without asking permission? Why out her ex-boyfriend, music producer Jack Antonoff, for getting too close to a 'teen pop star' Dunham refuses to name, but who we all know? She tries to make Antonoff look terrible, writing in Famesick that he showed up two hours after her hysterectomy again, one that doctors told her was unnecessary 'with some bodega flowers wearing hotel slippers and Bermuda shorts, a hoodie covered in patches.' TEAM JACK. Imagine what this guy lived through. Lastly: If she really doesn't want to be famous the title of her book says it all, and she compares what she calls the 'condition' of fame, to the condition of being sick there's only one remaining question. Why won't Lena Dunham go away? Rent or buy? Prioritise career or mental health? Stay in or go out? For many, this week will have already been full of big decisions - on top of the countless other choices we have to make every single day, from the mundane to the life-changing. Whilst on their own they may all seem like straight-forward enough decisions, research shows that with every choice we make, our ability to make good ones slowly deteriorates. And technology is only adding to the burden, says Dr Kim Chronister, a licensed clinical psychologist, with every email, slack notification and WhatsApp message eating into our emotional bandwidth. Dr Chronister argues that thousands of Britons are suffering from something called decision fatigue - where their ability to make rational choices is affected by too many options. 'In modern environments filled with notifications, thousands of choices, and constant demands for responsiveness, the brain is forced into a state of continuous evaluation,' she says. 'Research shows that as mental resources decline, people become more impulsive, more avoidant and more emotionally reactive. 'This is why even very intelligent and capable individuals can make poor choices later in the day that they may regret in the morning. 'The solution is not simply better discipline, but better structure. 'Timing, environment, and cognitive load are all ingredients to the solution for better decision making.' However, Dr Chronister argues there are steps Britons can take to counteract their decision fatigue. Research shows that decision-making draws from a limited pool of mental energy What is decision fatigue? Decision fatigue is a psychological phenomenon in which people revert to a default position because they are too mentally drained to weigh up a situation effectively. At the centre of this is the prefrontal cortex - the part of the brain responsible for judgement, impulse control and forward planning. When constantly bombarded with information, it simply doesn't work as well Dr Chronnister says. 'As decision load increases, the quality of decisions declines,' she said. 'In modern environments flooded with notifications, microdecisions and constant context switching, the brain becomes fatigued and functionally compromised, leading to burnout and multiple poorly regulated decisions.' The rule of three that could turn your mornings around Like a lot of things, Dr Chronister says the ability to make good decisions comes from practice - and creating a morning routine that eliminates as much unnecessary choice as possible is a good place to start. This can be as simple as having the same thing for breakfast each morning, always wearing all black on a Tuesday or a non-negotiable hour of down-time when you get home from work, she says. Limit yourself to three meaningful decision every morning, says Dr Dr Kim Chronister This will free up space and time in the morning to make more meaningful decisions - when your brain is at its peak performance, thanks to a natural spike in cortisol. During this window - within the first few hours of waking - Dr Chronister suggests limiting yourself to three meaningful decisions. This routine should help you bypass what she calls 'cognitive fragmentation' - whereby every decision becomes difficult because your attention is torn between too many competing factors. 'This is also where decision hygiene becomes important,' she says. 'Automating low-stake choices like meals and what you will wear during the day helps preserve mental bandwidth for decisions that will really impact your life.' Why you should avoid big decisions after 4pm Equally important, Dr Chronister says, is knowing when not to make big decisions. And there's studies to back the phenomenon up. Analysis by Cambridge University found that bank loan applications processed later in the day are less likely to be approved because of decision fatigue on the part of bank workers. Psychologists studied the decisions of 30 credit officers faced with 26,501 loan applications at a major bank over the course of a month. They found that officers tended to reject nearly 40 per cent of applicants - suggesting the safest option was to decline an application, so that became the default when workers were fatigued. 'Credit officers were more willing to make the difficult decision of granting a customer more lenient loan repayment terms in the morning, but by midday they showed decision fatigue and were less likely to agree to a loan restructuring request,' Professor Simone Schnall, the study's lead author explained. They said that this was likely because decisions on loan requests are cognitively demanding, with errors being costly to the bank, The team concluded that avoiding long stints of intense work - where decisions are constantly being made.- and allowing regular breaks could reduce decision fatigue. 'Even decisions we might assume are very objective are influenced by psychological factors,' they concluded. And that why, according to Dr Chronister, it's best to avoid making decisions you might regret in the evening, when you're more likely to abandon long-term goals in favour of immediate relief. The simple habits that protect your brain power 'Ultimately, better decision making is not about effort alone, but energy, impulse control and emotional regulation,' the psychologist says. To help reset your nervous system, Dr Chronister suggests journaling in the evenings to help reduce rumination and improve clarity. Sauna use has also been shown to help lower levels of the stress hormone cortisol, helping shift the nervous system out of fight-or-flight and into rest and restore, helping us make more deliberate, well-thought out decisions that align with our goals. Emergency department visits for tick bites are on the rise across several regions of the US, signaling that America's tick problem is getting worse. ED tick-bite visits have reached their highest level nationwide in nearly a decade, with 71 visits per 100,000 people more than double the average of about 30 per 100,000 for this time of year. New data updated April 12 show the Northeast now has the highest rate per population - at 163 tick-related ED visits per 100,000 people, up from just 52 in March. That already outpaces recent full-year highs in the region, which ranged from 74 to 89 per 100,000 between 2021 and 2025. When it comes to hospital visit rates - the Northeast also currently leads the nation with 25 emergency visits for tick bites per 100,000 hospital trips. This is followed by the Midwest with 19 ED visits per 100,000 hospital trips; the Southeast has with 14 visits per 100,000 trips; the West is third with 13 visits per 100,000 trip; and South Central has five visits per 100,000 trips. Ticks are tiny but dangerous. The blood-sucking arachnids cause 90 percent of all vector-borne diseases in the US, according to the CDC - and the list of diseases they carry is long. It includes Lyme disease in the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic and Midwest; Rocky Mountain spotted fever everywhere; anaplasmosis and ehrlichiosis in the East and South; Powassan virus in the Northeast and Great Lakes; and babesiosis in the Northeast and upper Midwest. Most tick-borne diseases start with fever, chills, headache and fatigue but untreated, they can be devastating. ED tick-bite visits have reached their highest level nationwide in nearly a decade, with 71 visits per 100,000 people more than double the average of about 30 per 100,000 for this time of year (stock) Your browser does not support iframes. Lyme triggers chronic arthritis and nerve pain; Rocky Mountain spotted fever causes brain damage and limb loss; anaplasmosis and ehrlichiosis lead to kidney or respiratory failure; the incurable Powassan virus leaves half of survivors with permanent neurological damage; and babesiosis destroys red blood cells, causing organ failure or death. There was a similar spike in ED visits due to tick bites last year, though not this early. That surge occurred in July, when tick-related hospital visits reached 127 per 100,000 ED visits the highest July level since 2017. We're running well above historic average and even well above last year, Dr John J Halperin, a neuroscientist and chair of the New Jersey Stroke Care Advisory Panel, who focuses on Lyme disease, told ABC News. The ticks have started a little earlier. There seems to be a lot of them. A lot of people are going to the emergency room. Ticks reside in grassy, brushy and wooded environments. Tick season typically begins in May. Ticks spread disease by biting into the skin and feeding on blood. As they feed, they pump saliva loaded with bacteria, viruses or parasites directly into the wound. The longer a tick stays attached, the more infectious pathogens enter the body. Most ticks need 24 to 48 hours to transmit enough bacteria to cause illness, but dangerous viruses like Powassan can infect someone in just 15 minutes. Ticks should be removed as soon as possible, which can be done by using tweezers to gently grasp the tick close to the skin. Your browser does not support iframes. Avoid squeezing the tick tightly during removal, as this may increase the risk of infection. Around 31 million Americans experience a tick bite every year. Nearly 476,000 of them end up with Lyme disease. It is caused by the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi transmitted through the bite of an infected black-legged tick, also known as the deer tick. Early symptoms often include a characteristic bulls-eye' rash, fever, chills, headache and fatigue. Left untreated, Lyme can spread to the joints, heart and nervous system. Zip code tends to determine the risk level for different tick-borne diseases and the highest rates of tick-related emergency room visits are seen in two groups: children ages 0 to 9 and adults ages 70 to 79. Lyme disease remains the biggest threat in the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic and Midwest, the same regions where tick populations are densest. Rocky Mountain spotted fever, the nation's most widespread tick-borne danger, is found everywhere from coastal California to rural Texas, with about 2,000 cases annually. Anaplasmosis and ehrlichiosis two bacterial infections that cause fever, chills and plummeting blood cell counts are most common in the East and South. There are between 5,000 and 6,000 cases of Anaplasmosis in the US daily, while ehrlichiosis infects around 2,000 Americans annually. Ticks live in grass, brush and woods. Their season starts in May. The longer a tick stays attached, the higher your risk. Remove it immediately with tweezers, grasping close to the skin (stock) The Powassan virus, a rare but dangerous brain-swelling illness that has infected roughly 20 to 50 people annually in recent years, lurks in ticks across the Northeast and Great Lakes region. And babesiosis, a malaria-like parasite that destroys red blood cells, is primarily found in the Northeast and upper Midwest. It infects around 2,000 Americans annually. The Northeast and upper Midwest get the worst of it, facing a triple threat of Lyme, Powassan and babesiosis all at once. The global climate is warming and becoming more humid each year, expanding the geographic area where ticks can thrive. People can prevent tick bites by using bug spray and covering up with long sleeves and pants, especially in grassy or wooded spots. It is also recommended to always do a full-body tick check after coming indoors. Halperin added: Its not entirely clear how much of this is increased recognition, and as people become more aware of this, more are going to the emergency room. But there seems to be a clear increase in the number of ticks out there. California condors, with their nine-foot wingspans, once darkened skies across the American Southwest. Their plunge to just 27 birds in the 1980s sparked a gritty recovery story, now boasting over 500 individuals through relentless captive breeding and releases. This turnaround highlights condor conservation success on a grand scale. From Near-Extinction to Recovery Roots Hunters and settlers decimated condor numbers through the 19th century, viewing the birds as pests that snatched livestock. By the 1980s, lead poisoning from bullets in carrion, habitat fragmentation, and power line collisions left only 22 wild condors and five in zoos. Wildlife biologists made a tough call in 1987: capture every last one for captive breeding, betting on eggs and incubators to rebuild flocks. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service kicked off formal recovery planning in 1996, setting goals for three self-sustaining populations of 150 birds each. Early efforts focused on pulling eggs from nests to encourage multiple clutches, a technique that ramped up chick production. San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance, as noted in their detailed program reports, played a pivotal role by perfecting hand-rearing methods that mimicked wild parenting. This phase marked the true start of endangered bird recovery, transforming a symbol of loss into one of resilience. Captive Breeding and Wildlife Reintroduction Wins Zoo partnerships turned the tide fast. From 1987 to 1992, the population doubled, then doubled again by the mid-1990s. Releases began in 1992 at Ventana Wilderness in Big Sur, California, where soft-released birdsfed in enclosures before flying freelearned to forage safely. Key reintroduction sites spread the risk: Southern California (1992): First flights from Los Padres National Forest, building a core flock. First flights from Los Padres National Forest, building a core flock. Arizona's Vermilion Cliffs (1996): Northern expansion to diversify genetics and terrain. Northern expansion to diversify genetics and terrain. Baja California, Mexico (2003): Cross-border push for broader habitat range. Cross-border push for broader habitat range. Utah's Zion National Park (2016): High-desert testing grounds. By 2004, wild-hatched chicks appeared, signaling natural breeding success. Tribal programs added momentum; the Yurok Tribe in Northern California released its first condors in 2022, weaving cultural reverence into modern science. Today, over 300 soar free across four states and Mexico, tracked by wing tags and GPS. The Peregrine Fund highlights these milestones in their annual updates, crediting community buy-in for sustained growth. Wildlife reintroduction here proves that human intervention can reboot ecosystems. These massive vultures glide effortlessly over rugged canyons, scouting carrion from miles away. Threats Driving Vulture Habitat Protection Lead poisoning tops the kill list, with scavengers ingesting bullet fragments from hunter-killed game. Even trace amounts cause neurological damage, starvation, or organ failureup to 30 percent of deaths tie back to this. Pre-2019, California's condor mortality hovered at 35 percent annually from lead alone. Other dangers persist: Power pole electrocutions, snaring wings on uninsulated lines. Microtrash ingestion, like bottle caps pulled from nests during inspections. West Nile virus outbreaks, hitting young birds hardest. Wildfires and drought, slashing deer and elk carcasses in arid ranges. Vulture habitat protection ramps up through state lead ammo bansCalifornia's 2019 law slashed poisonings by over 50 percent, per agency surveys. National parks retrofit power lines and patrol cliffs with drones. Nest guardians climb sheer faces to swap eggs for dummies, vaccinate chicks, and clear plastic debris. These hands-on tactics safeguard cliffs, canyons, and bajadas where condors nest and roost. Population Stats and Milestones Tracked As of 2025 counts, 559 condors exist worldwide: 341 free-flying, 116 in captivity, and the rest in transition pens. Arizona leads with 125 wild birds, followed by California's 170-plus. Females outnumber males slightly, boosting breeding odds. Annual benchmarks show momentum: 1987 baseline: 27 total birds. 2010: 100 free-flying for the first time. 2020: 400 total, surpassing recovery targets. 2025: Three flocks nearing 150 each, eyeing downlisting from Endangered status. Biologists aim for 90 percent survival to age five by 2030, using blood tests to catch lead early. Chelation treatments pull toxins from bloodstreams, buying time for fledglings. These numbers, drawn from U.S. Fish and Wildlife tallies, underscore condor conservation success amid ongoing hurdles. Strategies Fueling Endangered Bird Recovery Multi-agency teams blend policy, tech, and outreach. California's lead-free hunting push, now in six states, cuts exposure without halting sportsmen traditions. Hopper feeders drop medicated meat to build immunity against viruses. Public engagement shines too: School programs teach kids why vultures matter as carcass cleaners, curbing disease spread. Rancher incentives reward leaving roadkill for condors. Eco-tourism in release zones funds patrols. Habitat corridors link isolated ranges, letting juveniles wander 100-plus miles daily. AI cameras now scan skies, alerting crews to intruders near nests. This mix drives survival rates up 20 percent since 2015, proving scalable for other raptors. Challenges lingerclimate shifts mean less predictable food, and urban sprawl nibbles at foraging zones. Yet adaptive management, like wildfire-resilient nest relocations, keeps flocks expanding. Thriving Flocks on the Horizon Condor conservation success models wildlife reintroduction globally, from black-footed ferrets to whooping cranes. With 2030 downlisting in sight, efforts shift toward minimal intervention: self-sustaining flocks roaming vast public lands. Tribal sovereign roles grow, honoring indigenous knowledge of sky guardians. Vulture habitat protection expands south to Mexico, buffering against U.S.-only threats. Steady releases15 to 20 birds yearlyensure genetic diversity. This blueprint, blending science and stewardship, positions California condors not just to persist, but to thrive across their historic range. Frequently Asked Questions 1. Why Are California Condors Endangered? Lead poisoning from ingested bullet fragments in carrion remains the primary killer, causing organ failure in up to 30 percent of adults. Habitat loss, power line collisions, microtrash ingestion, and wildfires further strain their scavenging lifestyle, despite vulture habitat protection advances like ammo bans. 2. How Many California Condors Are Left? Over 550 condors exist as of 2025, with roughly 350 free-flying across California, Arizona, Utah, and Baja California. Captive programs hold the rest, supporting three regional flocks nearing self-sustaining goals of 150 birds each. 3. How Did Condors Recover from Near Extinction? Biologists captured the last 27 birds in 1987 for captive breeding at zoos like San Diego and Los Angeles, using egg-pulling to boost chick output. Releases began in 1992, with tracking tech and health interventions driving endangered bird recoverywild hatches started in 2004. Stephen and Jeany Cronk are trying to be diplomatic about how they feel when people put ice in rose. If you like to drink it that way, you totally should, says Jeany. We dont believe in telling people what to do. They should just have a nice time with wine. So far, so tactful. Stephen, however, is struggling. He pauses, then says, Ice is fine. Would he be offended if someone had a glass of his rose and plopped a couple of cubes in? I would bite my tongue. No. If people have bought a bottle of my rose, they can do what they want with it. As long as its my rose! Stephen, 62, and Jeany, 53, are the founders of Mirabeau, the Provencal rose brand. The British duo started the business in 2010, having moved to France the previous year after quitting their jobs in telecoms, selling their two-up two-down in Teddington, and relocating with their three children to the French countryside. Within a year, they had made 24,000 bottles and were stocked in Waitrose. Now, the Cronks employ 22 people and sell their wine (normally for 14 a bottle) in 50 countries. This February, they also sold a majority stake of the company to Concha Y Toro, the Chilean wine business valued at just under 1 billion, which owns, among other brands, Casillero del Diablo. Its the first time the South American firm has ever bought a rose and the first time they have ever bought a wine made in Europe. The Cronks got the idea in the late 1990s. Stephen, who had briefly worked in wine in his early 20s, and Jeany were visiting friends in Perpignan, Southwest France. Stephen and Jeany Cronk (pictured) risked everything to launch a wine brand They were on a walk, and we ended up looking at this beautiful vineyard, says Stephen. The guy we were with said, This is actually on the market for the same price youve just paid for your tiny, terraced house in London. They started thinking quite seriously. Ten years later, the Cronks stopped thinking and began doing. They werent about to buy an entire vineyard, but they were going to sell their house, rent in Provence, send their children to a French school, quit their jobs and put all the capital they had into starting a wine company. It wasnt masses of money; initially, Mirabeau had no external investors and, as Stephen has said in the past, I wasnt this City whiz kid whod made millions. Today the couple think these high stakes were necessary. We liquidated everything, says Jeany. We wanted to force ourselves not to have too easy a way back. Their early months in France sound, basically, awful. All the Cronks money was going into the business, so, says Jeany, we lived off baked beans for a very long time. Their youngest child hated French school and cried most days for a year. And, she adds, the couple had next to zero knowledge and next to zero contacts. Stephen got a directory of all the Provencal wine estates and started cold calling everybody with a vineyard bigger than 40 hectares. Stephen and Jeany surrounded by their vines in Provence At Home In Provence by Jeany Cronk (pictured) is published by Hardie Grant The couple (pictured) have told Maddy Fletcher about false starts, the kindness of strangers and A-list neighbours He would ask in my then less than schoolboy French if they might have any surplus fruit or wine they could work with. They all said non. At about six oclock one weekday, I threw this directory on to my filing cabinet to head upstairs for a glass of rose. As I was leaving my office I thought, no, a good salesman would make one more phone call. He rang a vineyard owner who said, firstly, I do speak English, and, secondly, Id love to help you. The next day that friendly Frenchman introduced the Cronks to a wine grower who agreed to provide them with the grapes to make their first vintage. A lot of wine tasting followed. Hundreds of glasses or thousands? Oh, says Jeany, thousands. (According to Stephen, You need to learn how to spit. Otherwise you end up crashing your car into the tree outside the winery.) They asked Angela Muir, a master of wine who Stephen knew from his early drinks career, to help choose their blend. There were fiascos. Stephen and Jeany ordered screw caps because they really suit a Provence rose but when they arrived they were the wrong colour. The wine then had to be put in a temporary tank while they waited for the correct caps to come. When that happened, a month later, the Cronks discovered the temporary tank hadnt been sealed properly and 24,000 bottles worth of wine had gone bad. Stephen recalls the bottling man saying, This is une vraie catastrophe. Thankfully, that same bottling man said the wine was good enough for him to sell, personally, elsewhere. So, he took the 24,000 bottles, instructed the Cronks to get fresh wine, and they tried again. They bought their own vineyard in 2018 In December 2010, the Cronks sold their first batch of wine to Waitrose. It was stocked in 60 of the supermarkets stores That was such a moment of kindness, to help us out of a pickle. (Helpfulness has been a common quality among locals, says Jeany. And France often has quite a bad reputation for sort of, you know, friendliness.) In December 2010, the Cronks sold their first batch of wine to Waitrose. It was stocked in 60 of the supermarkets stores. (They always planned on selling primarily in England, rather than France coals to Newcastle etc.) My mum was so proud she would just stand by the shelf at her local branch in Surrey for hours, telling people to buy her sons wine, says Stephen. In their second year they sold 80,000 bottles and Stephen remembers watching a rugby match at 82,000-capacity stadium Twickenham, gawping at imagining that crowd as bottles of wine. After six years, Mirabeau was making 360,000 bottles annually, and now the company produces three million bottles a year. The Cronks broke even in 2018 and, finally, bought a vineyard. Wed looked at 39 properties, says Stephen. Everything was either too expensive or next to a motorway or pylons. The 40th a 20-hectare Provence estate with good-for-growing, southwest-facing slopes was perfect. It was, however, pricier than a house in Teddington. The land is near Miraval (Brad Pitts wine estate), Plan-de-la-Tour (where Johnny Depps is), and, says Stephen, the Clooneys have just moved in. (The Cronks are quiet on whether theyve befriended these notable neighbours.) To buy it, they had to get external investment. About 95 per cent of Mirabeau wine is produced in other vineyards, and the Cronks use their land to make cases of their estate wine, La Reserve Rose (29). The couple are obsessed with temperature, soil conditions, and Stephen has made the farm totally regenerative. But vineyard-owning is complicated. In 2021, there were forest fires in the region. It took out 7,000 hectares of nature reserve around us, says Stephen. Wed just finished renovating two wooden barns. Both burned down. We lost the whole vintage of our estate wine to smoke taint. And, to put it into perspective, three people died not on our estate but in the region. It was started by a cigarette thrown out of a car window. Since selling to Concha Y Toro, the Cronks have moved out of their vineyard and into a nearby family house in Provence There are insurances, says Jeany, and among growers we have a system that, if somebody loses all their harvest, the neighbours will pile in and give them a bit of theirs. But, every farmer, hard as it may sound, needs to have enough money in the kitty to have a year like that. Since selling to Concha Y Toro, the Cronks have moved out of their vineyard and into a nearby family house in Provence. (Theyve also bought a home in London, as their now-grown-up children have all moved to the UK.) They remain very involved in the company, and are still excited when they see someone buying a bottle of Mirabeau. Recently, Stephen was in Waitrose and spotted a man pulling a couple of bottles from the shelf. He went up to him, explained who he was and said thank you. It is the best feeling. Were just so grateful when anybody buys a bottle of our wine. Whether they then put ice in it or not. At Home In Provence by Jeany Cronk is published by Hardie Grant, 27. To order a copy for 22.95 until 3 may, go to mailshop.co.uk/books or call 020 3176 2937. Free UK delivery on orders over 25 FRIDAY 8pm After three hours in the car from London during which countless snacks are consumed and several jigsaw pieces go missing at Leigh Delamere (Im with my two children) we pull into the village of Mathern, close to Chepstow in South Wales. 8.05pm Check in at The Gatehouse, a newly renovated cottage on the Mathern Palace Estate. Its ideal for a multi-gen stay (the grandparents have already arrived), with three en-suite bedrooms; from 310 per night, mathernpalaceestate.com. SATURDAY 9.30am The pretty town of Chepstow was once home to some of the most powerful men of the medieval and Tudor ages. Its castle is well worth a visit (entry 10); its one of the oldest stone fortresses in Britain. Even the kids are impressed. 12.30pm Chepstow itself is full of colourful little houses and small shops, quite at odds with the massive castle looming alongside it. We settle in Coffee Addition for a restorative soup-and-sourdough combination (a bargain at 4.95). 2pm From The Gatehouse, its a short stroll to join the Wales Coastal Path (in Chepstow this meets the Offas Dyke Path, offering a continuous route around the whole country). We manage about two of the 870 scenic miles available. 4pm Theres the relaxing hot tub experience glass of champagne under the stars and then theres splashing around in broad daylight with a manic six-year-old. Nevertheless, Granny and Grandpa seem to enjoy a dip with my daughter. 8pm After preparing dinner in the cottages beautiful kitchen (interior design goals, with swish, Shaker-style units), my husband and I escape to the local pub. The Millers Arms is cosy, welcoming and best of all, just a seven-minute walk away. SUNDAY 10am Tintern Abbey, a ruin dating back to 1131, is not to be missed. A premiere destination for Romantic pilgrimages, it inspired Wordsworths poetry and JMW Turners famous painting. I find it equally awe-inspiring today (entry 9). 12pm We walk a few minutes along the River Wye and reach The Royal George, established in 1598. A recently renovated pub and hotel, its ideal for a hearty lunch chargrilled king prawns and steaks go down a storm before the drive home. Their concern appeared effusive, heartfelt even. Just minutes after it was announced that veteran TV presenter Eamonn Holmes had suffered a stroke, his onscreen co-stars at GB News flooded social media with get well wishes. You might imagine being lavished with love from those who grace the small screen with him along with many messages from his devoted fanbase would have raised Eamonns spirits this week. Just four days prior to a public announcement about the state of his health, he had been admitted to hospital after his shock stroke. But read the online comments a little closer and a more complex picture emerges. Several sceptical observers went so far as to say that the get well wishes from Eamonns colleagues were nothing short of disingenuous. This accords with what several sources at the channel have told me: that Eamonns colleagues are gunning for his job. Others have also told me of the discontent behind the scenes due to his recent erratic onscreen appearances. Im also told Eamonns reluctance to take time off work even as his health noticeably deteriorated can be put down to the fact he was concerned that snakes at the network were hoping his personal struggles might allow them to snatch his job. Among the well wishers who apparently have their eye on Eamonns plum breakfast-time role is his fellow morning regular Stephen Dixon, formerly of Sky News. He often hosts the show with Eamonns co-star Ellie Costello on days when the daytime television veteran is not on air. Ellie, too, is said to be unhappy and has told colleagues she believes she has to prop up Eamonn, who has been accused of meandering off topic during interviews. Just four days prior to a public announcement about the state of his health, Eamonn had been admitted to hospital after his shock stroke The former This Morning star has battled a series of ailments in recent years including agonising back problems and spinal surgery, a hip replacement and a fall Stephen and Ellie are said to be very close. Both are rumoured to share the view that Eamonn who has recently fallen asleep while on camera and has also fallen off his chair may be past his prime. Regardless of these feelings, this week there was a clear three-line whip from GB News bosses for all presenters to wish him a speedy recovery, either on air or via their social media platforms. Ellie, 31, posted a photograph of herself and Eamonn clutching an award they won together last year and wrote: Thinking of you Eamonn Holmes and wishing you a speedy recovery. Stephen, 52, wrote on X: So sorry to hear Eamonn is unwell. Wishing him a speedy recovery. But these apparent manoeuvres did not go unnoticed by viewers commenting online. One said, in a message aimed at Dixon: I guess youve already got your name in the hat for his job. Another posted: You were only laughing about him last week, we see you. One GB News source tells me: Anyone close to the situation knows exactly what everyone really thinks, not least Eamonn. At GB News the top brass still believe hes one of their star names and a big asset so theres pressure to toe the line, but a lot of the messages of support were less than convincing. News of Eamonns latest health struggles was announced last Saturday by his publicist, who also works for GB News. In a statement, the network said: His colleagues and everyone at GB News wish him a speedy recovery. It later emerged that the father-of-four was found out cold at his penthouse flat in Kingston, Surrey, where he currently resides while his tricky divorce from his wife, Loose Women presenter Ruth Langsford, is resolved. She, meanwhile, has remained in the family home in Weybridge, Surrey, some four miles away. Some might say it was revealing that Eamonn was found by a carer, not girlfriend Katie Alexander, 43. She is said to split her time between her Yorkshire home, where she works as a relationship therapist, and Eamonns home. Ruth, say friends, has not been directly in touch with her ex, but has been kept up to date by their son Jack, 23, and sent indirect messages of support. While those close to him are praying Eamonn makes a full recovery theres little doubt of the potential for strokes to have serious long-term health implications. Its a sad portrait of Eamonns life as he heads towards divorce: apparently disloyal colleagues, poor health and a partner who is not always on the scene. Now, though, say associates of Eamonns, this week might be the moment he realises being married to Ruth wasnt so bad after all Friends have pointed out that this latest bout of ill health is yet another indicator that splitting from the devoted Ruth who was with him for 27 years, and married to him for 14 has been Eamonns biggest mistake. Katie wasnt there but Ruth always was, says a source familiar with the couple. She nursed him through so many difficult times. But when Eamonn really needed Katie, her schedule meant that she wasnt there. Indeed, if anyone needs a more present partner, surely its Eamonn. The former This Morning star has battled a series of ailments in recent years including agonising back problems and spinal surgery, a hip replacement and a fall which left him with a fractured shoulder. Regardless, he has continued to work as regularly as possible. Those close to the family have now revealed that he was repeatedly urged to take an extended break in recent months. Yet he ignored friends advice and was determined to get back on screen. An insider revealed: Eamonn has always been a total professional, thats why hes managed so many years in the business, but in recent years he has been urged to slow down. Even though he has taken a few short breaks when hes had to, he always races straight back to work, whatever anyone around him says. Its partly because he still has that totally professional mindset but also because hes very aware that the sharks are circling behind his back and several of his envious colleagues would love to see him step away for good. Its a ruthless world, and the stress of that on top of his health problems and his ongoing divorce cant have helped. Eamonn had been due to be onscreen on Monday but instead has been this week replaced by another stand-in, Alex Armstrong. Eamonn remains Britains longest serving breakfast television host, having first appeared on GMTV in 1993 and then holding regular slots on Sky News and This Morning before joining GB News. Eamonn has also been facing mounting financial problems due to a substantial outstanding tax bill following an HMRC probe into his arrangements which landed him with a bill of more than 1million, forcing him to sell two properties. Its understood he still owes a six-figure sum. And his money struggles coincided with his divorce, which was announced in 2024. Two years on, Eamonn and Ruths acrimonious separation is yet to be settled as they struggle to iron out complicated disagreements over their assets and the terms of their split. This has also triggered broader disputes among their family, with their shared son Jack understood to have sided with his mother. Even Eamonns three children from his previous marriage are said to have taken Ruths side. Their bitter divorce battle has also been exacerbated by Ruths recent autobiography, which pointed the finger firmly at Eamonn over their break-up, accusing him of deceit and lies, and messages with other women. Regardless, this week, Eamonns eldest son, Declan, confirmed his children have rallied around their father in the wake of his stroke and put many of their disagreements aside releasing a statement in which he said the star is doing OK in hospital. Now, though, say associates of Eamonns, this week might be the moment he realises being married to Ruth wasnt so bad after all. 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 Some of my favourite lines from the first Devil Wears Prada film, launched 20 years ago, include: By all means move at a glacial pace you know how that thrills me; Please bore someone else with your questions; and Thats all (said with the dismissive flick of a hand). All these lines are, of course, delivered by Miranda Priestly, the icy editor of Runway magazine, and I relish any chance to say them usually to a bewildered son or husband. So Im looking forward to next months The Devil Wears Prada 2, partly in the hope that it will equip me with some new exquisitely passive-aggressive lines for lifes everyday frustrations. Meryl Streep, 76, is truly the perfect fit for Priestly. Part of why I love the actress is that shes reached that enviable life stage where she knows exactly who she is and says what she actually thinks. When youre as successful as she is, you can afford not to give a stuff. Jacket, Jacquemus. Trousers and bag, The Row. Sunglasses YSL. Shoes, Chanel A rather excellent fashion coup this month for London bag brand DeMellier was when Streep turned up for her interview on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert in full leopard print and clutching its Hudson bag in black (see above left for my current favourite by the brand). The wardrobe in the first Devil Wears Prada was essentially a roll call of fashion heavy-hitters. It was all about signalling the arrival of Andy Sachs, played by Anne Hathaway, into that rarefied editorial world. Remember her striking transformation the Chanel jacket, knee-high boots and polished hair? She found her way into the fashion crowd by wearing aspirational brands. Miranda, meanwhile, had a rotation of designer bags she flung across the desk every day the ultimate power move. So what fashion takeaways should we expect from the films sequel? Id say this one will be very much about evolution and a new maturity. With the outfits needing to work instantly on social media, they will feel more authentic the sharp, almost aggressive tailoring of the original will be replaced by more fluid elongated silhouettes. Jacket, Jacquemus. Trousers and bag, The Row. Sunglasses YSL. Streep has been spotted on set wearing soft tailored looks by Max Mara and a flowing trench coat by St John. Her accessories are by one of my favourite designers, Jacquemus (see the jacket Im pictured wearing), including the Cubisto red slingbacks and the La Pochette Rond Carre bag. Hathaway is less try-hard in tops by Phoebe Philo and barrel-leg jeans by Nili Lotan. And, like every style insider, she relies on vintage and archival pieces, such as a 1990s pinstripe waistcoat and trousers by Jean Paul Gaultier Femme. @thestylistandthewardrobe @youmagazine STRIKING STYLE The bowling bag remains a standout this season practical, polished and effortlessly stylish. GET SHIRTY Elevate your evening wardrobe with this dark pink sheer shirt from Cos. MY STYLE CRUSH Ive always been a fan of Julianne Moores look, which is built around a handful of brands she always returns to like my favourite Bottega Veneta. Here she wears one of its new dresses for a cover shoot for the Italian magazine d la Repubblica. First things first. The roast beef is magnificent at Simpsons In The Strand. Thank god. A rib of Devon-reared Ruby Red, carved tableside from a gleaming trolley in the Grand Divan is culinary theatre at its most exalted. Rivulets of creamy fat run through the meat, which is gently, elegantly bovine. Theres a billowing Yorkshire pudding, proper gravy in a metal jug and the sort of crisp-shelled roast potatoes I thought you could only make at home. Horseradish is as fierce as a Pictish warrior. Simpsons has been roasting ribs of beef for the great and not-so-good for nearly two centuries, and has sat on this site since 1904. But by the dawn of the new millennium, she was in a bad way, a grande dame reduced to a shabby sort of penury, her silk frocks threadbare, her jewellery long pawned. So news that Jeremy King, one of the countrys finest restaurateurs, was riding to the rescue was welcome indeed. And what a beauty she is once more. For this is a restaurant that purrs rather than roars, the restoration as painstaking as it is discreet. Old oak panelling is carefully buffed, banquettes reclad in buttery leather and the gilding gleams once more. Service glides and conversation thrums, any excess cacophony soaked up by thick carpets. Small details are everything: the thick napkin with the tiny buttonhole, so you hang it off your shirt; the warmly flattering glow of the chandeliers and sidelights; the heft of the cutlery; the carafes of house Burgundy and Claret. Simpsons pie of the day: these are classics, splendidly done The menu is both nostalgic and thoroughly a la mode. There are oysters and Russian salads, boiled ham with parsley sauce, railway mutton curry and grilled Barnsley chop, alongside pie and pudding of the day. Today is Thursday, so steak and kidney pudding it is, the suet crust ephemerally light, the filling rich, sticky and unashamedly meaty. These are classics, splendidly done. Prawn cocktail comes in a silver goblet, with a mass of proper, comma-curled crustacea, lots of shredded lettuce and a suitably piquant Marie Rose sauce. Lustily buttered triangles of soft brown bread provide essential ballast. Theres bream, exceptionally cooked, in a brown shrimp butter, and then that mighty roast beef. For pudding, crumbles and possets and Trinity burnt cream. This is old-school eating with a thoroughly modern grin, the best of British in one of Londons most handsome rooms. An old classic is reborn. And, dare I say it, shes better than shes ever been before. About 50 per head. Simpsons In The Strand, 100 Strand, London WC2; simpsonsinthestrand.co.uk Rating: Anderson Cooper quickly christened Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth 'Secretary Samuel Jackson' after the latter's apparent Bible flub on Thursday. The piece of 'scripture' offered Wednesday was actually from 1994's 'Pulp Fiction.' Actor Samuel L. Jackson delivered the iconic monologue in the film before shooting another character dead. The 58-year-old CNN host appeared to come up with the jab on the spot. 'This administration says this is not a war.' 'And yet, they insisted on renaming the Department of Defense the Department of War.' He said 'Secretary Samuel Jackson calls himself the Secretary of War,' before being bombarded with some slightly delayed laughter. The punchline took a moment to register, but when it did, Colbert allowed time for Cooper to take it in. CNN host Anderson Cooper, 58, appeared to come up with the jab on the spot during a sitdown with Stephen Colbert Thursday That morning, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth billed the scripture as a 'reflect[ion]' of the Bible verse Ezekiel 25:17 on Wednesday - before being roundly mocked by critics The host - a fierce critic of the administration himself - sat silently, sipping his drink, as the reaction rang out. Cooper, meanwhile, cracked a smile and continued his initial thought - accusing the administration of 'attack[ing] reporters who say that this is a war.' A parting shot toward the president followed. 'It's an excursion as the president says,' Cooper said sarcastically. 'I'm not sure if he actually means incursion. But I- I don't know.' Hegseth - a devout Christian - engaged in the mix-up earlier in the day. The former Fox News host billed the words as being a 'reflect[ion]' of the Bible verse Ezekiel 25:17 during the Pentagon press briefing. What followed was an almost entirely fictionalized version of Ezekiel 25:17 uttered by Jacksons character in the movie, Jules Winnfield. Chief Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell stood by the occurrence in a statement, calling the words a 'custom prayer.' Actor Samuel L. Jackson delivered the monologue in question, before killing a man in the 1994 film from director Quentin Tarantino The two took a moment to soak in the laughs at Hegseth's expense 'Anyone saying the Secretary misquoted Ezekiel 25:17 is peddling fake news and ignorant of reality,' added Parnell. Hegseth - a Fox News star from 2014 to 2024 - has repeatedly referenced religion during speeches. As Cooper already indicated, the secretary also renamed the Department of Defense to the Department of War, though the title is considered secondary. The Mail has approached the Pentagon for comment. Bill Maher slammed 'hypocritical' liberals for suddenly praising the Pope amid his fiery feud with Donald Trump after the president declared the Catholic Church leader 'weak on crime.' The late-night host weighed in on the escalating Trump-Pope Leo XIV clash on Friday's episode of his HBO show Real Time, as the president continues to lash out over the pontiff's lack of support for the US-Israel war against Iran. 'I love hypocritical America. I really do,' Maher said as he broke his silence on the pair's headline-dominating showdown. Though he often takes shots at the Republican president, the comedian instead turned his fire on 'hypocritical liberals' for suddenly praising Leo just because they oppose Trump. 'See, liberals suddenly love the Pope,' Maher said. 'The Pope, who two weeks ago was all in the headlines. You know why? Exorcisms.' 'Yeah, that's who the f***ing Pope is. Okay? A guy who does exorcism, doesn't believe in gay marriage. No women priests,' he added. 'But now, because he's feuding with Trump, MSNBC loves this guy.' As the audience broke into laughter, Maher joked about the Pope's apparent new status: 'He's got a big speech on the floor from Chuck Schumer.' He then made a controversial reference to Democratic California Representative Eric Swalwell. Bill Maher slammed 'hypocritical' liberals for suddenly praising the Pope just because they oppose Trump Trump has continued to lash out over Leo XIV's lack of support for the US-Israel war against Iran Maher's comments come after Trump called Leo 'weak on crime and terrible for foreign policy' 'Eric Swalwell sent him a d*** pic,' Maher said, drawing a mix of gasps and applause from the crowd. Swalwell, 45, resigned from office and suspended his California gubernatorial campaign this week after five women publicly accused him of sexual misconduct. A former staffer claimed he raped her twice while she was intoxicated in 2019 and 2024. Another woman, Lonna Drewes, alleged the ousted lawmaker drugged and raped her in 2018. Meanwhile, Mahers bit about the feud quickly spread across social media, drawing mixed reactions from thousands. 'I'm a Roman Catholic, I agree with Bill Maher! The Pope should stay in his lane! He should worry about the Christians that are being killed because they are Christians!' one comment read. Another said: 'Isnt it funny how convenient it is for people to wear their morals like a trendy jacket? Maybe the real issue is the blind allegiance to what feels good rather than sticking to principles.' 'Why is Bill Maher attacking Pope Leo XIV?' a third user added. 'Why is attacking Pope Leo XIV a joke?' 'I do admire Maher's ability to call out both sides. Don't always agree with him, but you always know exactly where he stands,' another said. Maher's comments come after the president called Leo 'weak on crime and terrible for foreign policy' before sparking controversy for posting an AI-generated image depicting himself as Jesus Christ. He had earlier told reporters: 'Im not a big fan of Pope Leo. Hes a very liberal person, and hes a man that doesnt believe in stopping crime.' In a scathing Truth Social post, Trump also accused the leader of the Catholic Church of being a 'weak on nuclear weapons' and claimed: 'If I wasn't in the White House, Leo wouldn't be in the Vatican.' 'I dont want a Pope who thinks its OK for Iran to have a Nuclear Weapon,' Trump wrote. 'I don't want a Pope who thinks it's terrible that America attacked Venezuela, a country that was sending massive amounts of drugs into the United States and, even worse, emptying their prisons, including murderers, drug dealers, and killers, into our country,' he added. Trump also claimed that Leo 'criticizes the President of the United States because I'm doing exactly what I was elected, IN A LANDSLIDE, to do.' While the pair have clashed before, the Iran war sparked the most fury from Trump and even prompted an intervention from Iranian president Masoud Pezeshkian, who said the insults were not acceptable.' Maher said: 'The Pope, who two weeks ago was all in the headlines. You know why? Exorcisms. But now, because he's feuding with Trump, MSNBC loves this guy' Maher joked about the Pope's apparent new status with a controversial reference to California Rep. Eric Swalwell: 'Eric Swalwell sent him a d*** pic' Trump recently told reporters: 'Im not a big fan of Pope Leo. Hes a very liberal person, and hes a man that doesnt believe in stopping crime' Leo, 70, has repeatedly condemned the war in Iran, stating that it has caused 'absurd and inhuman violence.' 'Enough of the idolatry of self and money! Enough of the display of power! Enough of war!' he told worshippers at St Peters Basilica last week. He also criticized the presidents threats against Iran, including a declaration in which Trump warned that 'a whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again.' The Pope called the statement 'truly unacceptable,' and said that he had 'no fear' of Trump. Earlier this week, Leo said he plans to continue speaking out against war, saying: 'I don't want to get into a debate with him.' Speaking aboard the papal flight to Algiers, where Leo started a ten-day tour to four African countries, he said: 'I don't think that the message of the Gospel is meant to be abused in the way that some people are doing.' 'Too many people are suffering in the world today. Too many innocent people are being killed. And I think someone has to stand up and say there's a better way.' The president fired back the next day on Truth Social, writing: Will someone please tell Pope Leo that Iran has killed at least 42,000 innocent, completely unarmed protesters in the last two months, and that for Iran to have a Nuclear Bomb is absolutely unacceptable. Leo, 70, has repeatedly condemned the war in Iran, stating that it has caused 'absurd and inhuman violence' Trump said the Pope is 'weak on nuclear weapons' and claimed 'if I wasn't in the White House, Leo wouldn't be in the Vatican' Trump also sparked controversy for posting an AI-generated image depicting himself as Jesus Christ It further escalated on Thursday with Leo taking a thinly veiled swipe at Trump, claiming the world is 'being ravaged by a handful of tyrants.' He condemned 'an endless cycle of destabilization and death' on a visit to Bamenda, a 'bloodstained' region of Cameroon which has been gripped by a separatist insurgency for nearly a decade. 'The masters of war pretend not to know that it takes only a moment to destroy, yet often a lifetime is not enough to rebuild,' Leo said. 'They turn a blind eye to the fact that billions of dollars are spent on killing and devastation, yet the resources needed for healing, education and restoration are nowhere to be found.' As the row with Trump escalated, Vance warned the Pope to be careful when he talks about matters of theology.' However, on Saturday, Leo said he regretted that his 'tyrant' remarks were interpreted as a response to Trump, insisting he has no interest in debating the president. He claimed that they had been written well before Trump's 'comment on myself and on the message of peace that I am promoting.' 'And yet it was perceived as if I were trying to start a new debate with the president, which doesn't interest me at all,' the Pope said. Earlier this week, Leo said he plans to continue speaking out against war, saying: 'I don't want to get into a debate' with Trump According to the latest Daily Mail/JL Partners poll, 67 percent of Republicans side with Trump over the Pope in their high-profile spat As the feud seemingly continues, Trump's MAGA base is firmly standing by Trump with a clear majority choosing the president over the Holy Father. According to the latest Daily Mail/JL Partners poll, 81 percent of Trump voters approve of the president, and 67 percent of Republicans side with Trump over the Pope in their high-profile spat. Just 30 percent of all Americans back Trump in the feud compared to 41 percent for the Pope, but among his core supporters the verdict is unambiguous. EVs can now recharge as fast as petrol cars can refuel - and we've seen it with our own eyes. BYD - the Chinese EV maker that overtook Tesla last year to be the biggest electric car producer in the world - has brought its Flash Charging technology to the UK and This is Money has had an exclusive first look. Demonstrated on its new Denza Z9GT - BYD's technology-focused luxury brand - Flash Charging can recharge the EV's battery in just five minutes, cutting the fastest charging times currently available in the UK by a third. The motto for Denza's first EV is: 'Ready in 5, Full in 9 and Cold add 3'. This is because Z9GT can charge from 10 to 70 per cent in five minutes, from 10 to 97 per cent in nine minutes, and even in minus 30 degrees Celsius can still recharge from 20 to 97 per cent in 12 minutes. How easy is it to use? Just how fast is it compared to going to the petrol station? And will your EV soon be able to charge to these speeds too? Here's what we learned and our quick guide to Flash Charging... We tried BYD's Flash Charging - the world's fastest EV charging which can top up an EV in just five minutes How fast is five-minute charging compared to filling up a car with petrol? Or a service station stop? A video paints a thousand words, so the best way to understand just how fast this charging experience is, is to watch our exclusive video which shows the Denza Z9GT charging from 10 to 97 per cent in nine minutes - the 'full in nine' motto. Stopping at a petrol pump and filling up a tank takes roughly two minutes, or up to five minutes. So, Flash Charging is about the same as refulling, give or take a few minutes. And it's far less time than many people stop at a motorway service station to grab a short break, which is on average around 20 minutes. Having seen it with my own eyes, I can confirm that this is truly game changing technology: the nine minutes flew by, and there's no way I would have needed more time to go into a service station, go to the loo, grab a tea and a few snacks, and walk back to the car than it took to charge. Especially if you have kids or a dog with you, or you just need a quick stretch of your legs - the car will charge in less time than your pit stop takes. Goodbye, charging anxiety. The T-shaped charging stations can charge two cars simultaneously and the overhead structure keeps cables off the ground and Is Flash Charging easy to use? Because Flash Charging stations are yet to make it to Britain, we've only tried it out on a demo version in France which uses off-grid batteries to power it. Yet it was a like-for-like representation of what Flash Chargers will be like once they arrive in the UK. And I can confirm they are extremely easy to use - just as simple as other ultra-rapid EV device. The 'dispenser', as BYD calls it, is a T-shaped structure to make the user experience 'as simple and as convenient as possible'. This overhead cable system makes it easy - and clean because it never drags on the floor - to use because the weight of the cable is well supported. The cable is lighter to carry than most charging cables, and it never touches the ground. The payment system is yet to be fully confirmed, but it is likely to be a choice of using the BYD app, RFID cards and contactless card payments. The latter is always easiest. Will the Flash Charging network be open to other EVs? How are these charging speeds possible? Yes, Flash Charging stations will be open to all EV drivers. BYD has confirmed that all electric vehicles with a standard CCS2 port will be able to connect - albeit it as long as the EV can handle megawatt-level charging. And many EVs can't yet. But over time this is likely to change, as EVs - especially those from Chinese brands - are starting to arrive on the market that can handle much faster charging speeds. At the moment, the Denza Z9GT EV and the plug-in hybrid version are the only two cars in the UK capable of charging to these speeds because they combines BYD's new Blade Battery 2.0 tech and its Flash Charging tech. Without getting too techy, this Fast Charging battery has ultra-fast ion channels, reducing the battery's internal resistance by 50 per cent, allowing for it to achieve higher charging currents. BYD is delivering 300 Flash Charging units. With two connectors per device, this means 600 chargers How many Flash Chargers are coming to the UK? BYD has promised 300 Flash Chargers in 2026. With every Flash Charger having two connectors, this essentially means 600 devices this year. Bosses say this is the right volume at a launch phase before more vehicles utilise the technology and the network of devices can be expanded. Comparatively, there are 140 Tesla Supercharger locations in the UK offering over 1,400 Superchargers to EV drivers. Shareholders are being urged to turn out in force to thwart a US hedge fund raider from seizing control of a major investor in Elon Musk's SpaceX. Edinburgh Worldwide Investment Trust (EWIT) is under siege from Saba Capital, a New York-based fund run by poker-playing financier Boaz Weinstein. He wants to turf out EWIT's entire board and replace them with three of his own hand-picked nominees. The investment trust, whose biggest holding is a stake in the Musk space exploration firm worth an estimated 165 million, is due to hold its annual general meeting at the end of this month, at which all of its board members will be up for re-election. It is Weinstein's third attempt to unseat the board after his initial bid last year and a second in January were defeated after a large chunk of EWIT's more than 20,000 shareholders, including thousands of small investors, turned out in force to oppose his takeover plans. But bosses warned this weekend that Saba is hoping that investor fatigue over his long-running campaign will drive down turnout at the AGM, allowing Weinstein (pictured) to finally win the vote and take control, effectively letting the hedge fund seize EWIT's precious SpaceX holding 'on the cheap'. Stop the SpaceX heist: Boaz Weinstein wants to turf out EWIT's entire board and replace them with three of his own hand-picked nominees They have urged small investors to make sure they vote against Saba's board nominees and support the existing directors, with those holding shares through investment platforms being asked to vote earlier as their deadlines could be as much as a week before the meeting. EWIT investors using the Fidelity platform will need to cast their votes by this Friday (April 24) while for customers of Hargreaves Lansdown, Interactive Investor and AJ Bell the cut-off date is on Monday (April 27). Investors can also vote at the AGM on the day if they attend. EWIT chairman Jonathan Simpson-Dent told The Mail on Sunday: 'If investors turn out in significant numbers, as they did in January, Saba can be defeated and shareholders can protect access to high-growth companies like SpaceX.' Last week, shareholder advisory firms PIRC and ISS recommended investors reject Saba's nominees. PIRC said it had 'concerns' the three candidates could undermine the board's independence. ISS said Saba had 'not presented a compelling case for change in control'. Baroness Altmann, a former government pensions minister and shareholder rights' campaigner, said: 'Saba has cynically relied on weak shareholder protections so far but previous rounds of this battle have shown the power ordinary shareholders have to defend their own interests.' The tussle over the trust has taken on renewed urgency after reports emerged that SpaceX is planning to list later this year, in what is likely to be one of the biggest stock market floats in history. It is estimated that the firm could be worth as much as 1.3 trillion when it goes public, meaning EWIT's stake could surge, generating hefty returns for investors. Richard Stone, head of industry body the Association of Investment Companies, said: 'If shareholders don't come out in force, Saba will be able to grab the steering wheel of Edinburgh Worldwide with its valuable SpaceX flotation around the corner.' The trust has estimated that at least 75 per cent of its investors would need to vote for it to be in with a chance of defeating Saba, which is its largest shareholder and controls around 30 per cent of the business. This is slightly higher than the record 70 per cent turnout the trust recorded in January when Saba last attempted to take over the board. Saba scored a victory earlier this month when it defeated proposals put forward by EWIT's board that would have allowed shareholders to cash out before it takes control of the business. The sector suffered a blow on Thursday when investors in Impax Environmental Markets, another UK firm targeted by Saba, approved an exit offer that would effectively dismantle the trust, despite shareholders voting to continue the business last year. Trusts have demanded City watchdog, the Financial Conduct Authority, intervene to stop minority investors such as Weinstein calling repeated votes to force their agenda on companies. But the regulator's head of markets Simon Walls previously said such events were part of the 'rough and tumble' of finance. Concerns are mounting that the owner of Primark could become a riskier investment if it confirms plans to spin off the discount clothing chain next week. Shareholders in Associated British Foods (ABF) are understood to be worried that both businesses would be more exposed to global economic swings as one side of the operation would no longer be able to offset the other. This weekend one ABF investor told The Mail on Sunday that the break-up would make Primark and the remaining food business 'more cyclical and more risky'. ABF is expected to announce that it will separate the fashion brand at its half-year results on Tuesday. Fashion faux pas?: Primark's spin-off is expected to be announced at ABF's half-year results But analysts have previously questioned how Primark will perform as a standalone firm due to fears that conflict in the Middle East could fuel a cost of living crisis, weighing on sales. Primark faces intensifying rivalry from Chinese online giants Shein and Temu. Meanwhile, ABF's food arm could be hit by rising energy costs from the Middle East conflict. A powerful new artificial intelligence (AI) tool could be used by hackers to break into bank computer systems and even drain hole-in-the-wall ATMs of cash, cybersecurity experts warned this weekend. The Bank of England is preparing to hold crisis talks with leading lenders this week as concerns grow about the threat AI systems pose to the global financial system. British banks are set to be given early access to stress-test their cyber defences against Claude Mythos, a state-of-the-art AI bot developed by Silicon Valley start-up, Anthropic. The tech firm sent shockwaves through the cybersecurity world this month by claiming Mythos had autonomously unearthed unknown bugs in every major operating system and internet browser, some of which were up to 27 years old. The news potentially exposes all companies to a new breed of cyberattacks that can be launched at speeds far faster than any human hacker. Anthropic considers the tool so powerful that it has restricted access to a few tech giants and global banks, to give them a chance to boost their security. Unlocking the door: The Bank of England is preparing to hold crisis talks with leading lenders as concerns grow about the threat AI systems pose to the global financial system Experts say banks are particularly exposed because, in many cases, they still rely on decades-old kit to perform the bulk of transactions. One of the systems at heightened risk of attack is COBOL, a computer programming language that forms the backbone of modern banking. The legacy software hails from the 1960s but remains in widespread use due to its proven reliability and the reluctance of banks to replace or modernise their core systems that process trillions of pounds worth of transactions each day. Shares in computing giant IBM suffered their biggest one-day fall in 25 years recently after Anthropic announced a new AI tool with COBOL capabilities. The software is still deeply embedded in the US tech giant's mainframe systems. Radi El Haj, who runs payment systems provider RS2, said that most financial transactions are processed through COBOL, including nearly all cash machine withdrawals. The risk of replacing COBOL was 'huge', he added. Experts say the new bugs that Anthropic exposed within COBOL and interlinking systems can't easily be fixed because the software was developed by specialists who are either deceased or retired, making updates and workarounds difficult. The risks are compounded by a lack of documentation. 'You're reverse-engineering business logic from systems built when Nixon was president,' Anthropic said in a recent blog. COBOL is now taught by only a 'handful' of universities and finding engineers who can read it 'gets harder and harder every quarter', Anthropic added. Cash machines are already vulnerable to gangs who use dumper trucks or diggers to physically rip out ATMs. They can also be compromised when fake card readers are installed over real ones to dispense cash, a trick known as 'skimming'. But the rise of AI tools like those being developed by Anthropic raises the prospect of a surge in remote heists called 'jackpotting' if the technology falls into the wrong hands. Jackpotting occurs when cyber criminals take control of ATM systems and command them to spew out cash on demand, emptying the machines rather than customer accounts. The Bank of England is understood to be working closely with the Treasury, the Financial Conduct Authority and the National Cyber Security Centre to understand and assess the risks posed by recent advances in AI. Its Cross Market Operational Resilience Group will meet this week with the biggest lenders and other financial institutions to discuss the latest developments at Anthropic. Bank governor Andrew Bailey said they would look 'very carefully' at 'what this latest development could mean for the risk of cybercrime'. The AI Security Institute, a Government test lab, has trialled the new technology and warned it was 'a step up over previous frontier models'. Scott Bessent, the US Treasury secretary, and Jerome Powell, the chairman of the US Federal Reserve, also warned Wall Street banks about the model's capabilities in a recent meeting. 'Banks need to wake up,' said RS2's El Haj. Richard Young is a celebrity and society photographer dubbed 'King of the Paparazzi', writes York Membery. The 79-year-old son of a market trader left school at 14 but went on to photograph everyone from Elizabeth Taylor to David Bowie, and Mick Jagger to Freddie Mercury, during his 50-plus year career as one of the UK's top celebrity photographers. The married father-of-three lives in west London with his second wife, Susan. Goldeneye: Richard has enjoyed a 50-plus year career as one of the UK's top celebrity photographers What did your parents teach you about money? I came from a humble background and my parents didn't teach me too much about money. My dad had a stall in Soho's Berwick Street market, selling stockings among other things and only dealt in cash. He never declared his income, so my parents were never able to buy a property as he had no official income we rented instead. But when I was a boy, they could just about afford to give me ten shillings a week, enough for me to buy a Red Rover pass (equivalent to a travel card now). That allowed me to go trainspotting all over London, with smoked salmon bagels tucked under my arm. Have you ever struggled to make ends meet? Yes, in my early days as a salesman at the West End menswear boutique Sportique in the 1960s, I earned around 9 a week. I lived at home until I found an Earls Court bedsit I could afford for 4 a week. Food cost another 2 a week I didn't eat much in those days. The rest of my earnings went on bus fares, coffee and a bag of sweets. I couldn't afford to go on a date unless a girl took me out! What was the best year of your financial life? I've had some very good years over the decades. But in 2000 the photographic world went digital. I stopped using film and had to learn a whole new way of shooting, and how to use a computer and modem. But I navigated this world successfully and my sales went through the roof. Thankfully, I have always owned the copyright of my entire photographic archive. The most expensive thing you bought for fun? I became a regular customer at N.Peal, the luxury clothes wear store, in Burlington Arcade in the 1970s and still love their cashmere sweaters. At the height of my N.Peal addiction, I was buying a couple every week, costing me a small fortune. I now own around 120 cashmere sweaters in every colour imaginable, which I still colour co-ordinate to this day. I'd also dreamt of buying a Harley-Davidson motorbike ever since watching Dennis Hopper and Peter Fonda in the Hollywood classic Easy Rider. Eventually I realised my dream and over the years I've owned 11 Harleys, each costing 5,000 to 10,000. They've given me so much pleasure and I've taken them on road trips all around the US some of the happiest days of my life. Many happy returns: Richard's famous picture of Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor at Burton's 50th birthday party Have you ever been paid silly money? Yes, when I got my exclusive photographs of Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton at his star-studded 50th birthday party at the Dorchester Hotel in 1975. The pictures went around the world. So when I visited the Fleet Street syndication department, handling the photo sales in 1976 I was hopeful of getting a 500 loan to put down as a deposit down on my first house. But someone in the accounts department asked: 'How much is the house?' And when I told them they replied: 'Well, with the money you're making on the sales of these images you can have the whole 27,000!' I couldn't believe my pictures could be worth so much money. The returns have been ongoing these shots are now sold as limited edition prints in my gallery. What's been your biggest money mistake? Buying and selling too many Harleys. I've made money on some bikes and lost money on others. I took my biggest financial hit on a Harley-Davidson Electra Glide Dresser which I bought for 12,000 and sold for 5,000. Unfortunately this particular model devalued pretty quickly. Best money decision you have made? Handing over the running of my photo gallery business to my wife Susan, who's a very smart lady. She is much better at managing money than me. Before meeting her, I used to get cheques from the newspapers and put them in my jacket pocket for weeks before depositing them. I was also sold some insurance policies by a broker who hung out in Claridge's. I had so many policies I couldn't pay my mortgage at one point. I'm a creative, not a businessman. Do you have a pension? My wife and I decided not to put too much into pensions; we invested in property instead. Do you own any property? We have a beautiful flat in Holland Park in west London that we bought for a considerable sum in 2024. It's a world away from my two-bedroom childhood flat home in Stoke Newington, north London, although I'm proud of my roots. It's just a shame that we're not allowed animals in our new flat we lost our beautiful poodle, Gnasher, some years ago and we still miss him. I also own my photographic gallery in Kensington. If you were Chancellor what would you do? Change the VAT rules. If you're a tourist and buy something in this country you cannot claim back the VAT on departure any more, which has had a devastating effect on British business. I'm also saddened by the closure of so many pubs and nightclubs, and I'd do more to protect them. Once they've gone, they've gone for good. Sitting comfortably: Richard got this shot of Jack Nicholson outside Langan's Brasserie, Mayfair, in 1981 What is your favourite photograph you've taken? One of my favourite limited edition prints of Jack Nicholson, taken outside Langan's Brasserie, Mayfair, in 1981. He asked me to join him for a drink later but I replied: 'Sorry Jack I can't, I'm working tonight.' I have always regretted not saying yes What is your number one financial priority? To make sure that I can share my wealth with my family -namely, my three children. A 13-year-old Aussie schoolboy already fears he will never get a foot on the property ladder as the national housing affordability worsens. School, homework and girls are the least of Sebastian Munoz-Najar's worries. Instead, the 13-year-old from Adelaide is more concerned that he will likely be well into his 40s before he can afford to put down a house deposit. 'It will be impossible for me or anyone from my generation to afford to buy a house, which makes me disappointed and sad,' Sebastian told the Daily Mail. 'None of politicians or law-makers seem to be doing anything about it. Unless changes are made, it won't be feasible for me or anything else to own a home.' After crunching the numbers, he estimated the average price for a house in his hometown will rise from $940,000 to $1.6million by the time he turns 25. That figure could skyrocket to $5.5million by his 40th birthday, based on the 6.8 per cent annual growth of house prices predicted by CoreLogic. While it took his parents' generation four years to save for a five per cent deposit, Sebastian estimates that it will take him about two decades to raise $1.1million. Sebastian Munoz-Najar, 13, already fears that he will never be able to afford the Great Australian Dream of home ownership The average price for a home in Adelaide is expected to rise from $940,000 to $1.6million by 2035. And the schoolboy isn't the only young person worried about house prices Sebastian hopes to study science or engineering at university, but fears he will still struggle to save for a deposit, even if he scores a high-paying job when he graduates in or by 2035. While house prices in Australia have skyrocketed by 193 per cent in the last two decades, wages have only risen by 81 per cent. And Sebastian is not alone in his fears about housing affordability. Monash University's Australian Youth Barometer national survey found 79 per cent of 18 to 24-year-olds believed they would be financially worse off than their parents, while 42 per cent thought they would never own a home. Sebastian recently launched the Right to Housing website to highlight the dire housing affordability crisis facing younger generations. The neurodivergent teen has called for the capital gains tax discount for investors with multiple properties to be scrapped. Sebastian also wants an end to negative gearing beyond one investment property. Negative gearing is when the costs of owning an investment property exceeds the income it generates. Sebastian is calling on the Anthony Albanese (pictured) and the government to do more to fix housing affordability While it took his parents' generation four years to save for a five per cent deposit, Sebastian (pictured) estimates that it will take him two decades to raise $1.1million The teen called for called for capital gains tax discount for investors with multiple properties to be scrapped. He also wants an end to negative gearing beyond one investment property 'Both of these things would make a big difference and could help solve the housing crisis,' Sebastian said. 'Homes should be places to live, rather than investment properties.' Figures show 135 out of 226 federal MPs and senators own two or more properties, while 48 collect rent from a combined 71 investment properties. Sebastian has also set up an online petition calling for change. 'House prices grow at 6.8 per cent a year. My wages will grow at per cent. I was never supposed to catch up,' he stats on the petition. 'This isn't bad luck. It's arithmetic. And someone built it this way.' The petition has attracted more than 11,500 signatures in three weeks, with supporters commended Sebastian's proactive calls for change. 'My eldest nephew is the same age as you, and these stark (albeit necessary) reminders of how things are going to be for the next and future generations need to be raised with the government,' one supporter wrote. Another wrote: 'This human right is already being messed with due to these rising prices. I am 16, a part of the Australian youth, and I am having to worry about this. Having a 13-year-old worry about this is cruel. A third share: 'I am struggling to afford to pay rent, let alone even dream of owning my own home, so I dread to think of what it could potentially be like in the future.' Sebastian set up the Right to Housing website to highlight the dire housing affordability crisis Sebastian has spent the school holidays writing to every federal MP lobbying for change and preparing a submission for the Senate Select Committee on Intergenerational Housing Inequity. Independent MP Andrew Wilkie was the first MP to respond this week. The schoolboy has urged other teens to write to their local MPs as he issued a blunt message for Albanese. 'We'll be voting in five years' time,' he said. 'Many young people like myself are very concerned about this issue. 'I hope politicians and law-makers will make necessary changes and fix the affordability crisis.' Sebastian has the full support of his parents Ed and Rachael. 'I'm enormously proud that in the space of a few short weeks, he has created awareness and that people are getting behind the campaign,' Mr Munoz-Najar said. 'It's unfair that kids are stressed about housing at their age. 'We can't raise a generation that has no positive hope for the future.' A convicted rapist and violent, woman-bashing thug have had the welcome mat rolled back out by Australian authorities against the government's own wishes. An Iranian, known only as GFKG, 36, and who has lived here for 14 years, was spared deportation after being convicted of a family violence rampage in Thomastown, Victoria in January 2020. An Ethiopian national, known as BYMD, 44, and who arrived on a humanitarian visa 26 years ago, was also given the green light to remain in Australia despite a rap sheet spanning decades. The decisions were both handed down this month by the Administrative Review Tribunal after it overturned Minister for Home Affairs, Immigration and Citizenship Tony Burke's order to deport the pair. Daily Mail can reveal GFKG had been sentenced in the County Court of Victoria to six years and one month in jail for aggravated burglary, intentionally causing injury and making a threat to kill. In a terrifying attack in front of the couple's three-year-old daughter, GFKG smashed his way into his ex-partner's home, assaulted her new boyfriend, smashed her head against a door, and screamed: 'I will kill you. You dating an Afghani man, I will kill you tonight.' He then waved broken glass, slashing her arm. Despite the premeditated horror - and the fact it breached existing family violence orders - the tribunal set aside the Immigration Minister's decision to refuse his permanent visa, allowing him to stay. Two convicted criminals have been allowed to stay in the country after a failed deportation bid. Pictured are protesters blocking an entrance to the Melbourne Immigration Transit Centre in Broadmeadows in 2022 BYMD was allowed to remain in Australia despite his shocking criminal history. The tribunal heard his most shocking crimes included two counts of rape and five counts of indecent assault committed in 2007, for which he was jailed for five years and seven months. The court heard he attacked a woman in a share house, ignoring her repeated 'no' pleas while making vile comments about being entitled to sex. He was also convicted of a further sexual assault in 2020 - grabbing a victim's genitals despite her resistance - plus a string of earlier offences including robbery, unlawful assault, theft, and family violence. The tribunal accepted the crimes were 'very serious' but ruled BYMD was no longer a danger to the community because of his mental health treatment and time since the last offence. Both men had their visas refused or cancelled under the character test because of their serious criminal records. Immigration officials wanted them gone, but the tribunal disagreed. In shocking testimony accepted by the tribunal, GFKG's latest partner claimed the violent thug had now learnt his lesson. Signage is seen along the perimeter fence of the Melbourne Immigration Transit Accommodation complex in Broadmeadows 'He also maintains very high standards of hygiene and selfcare. His room is always clean, his bed is made daily, he washes his clothes regularly, and he takes pride in his grooming, maintaining a tidy beard and cutting his own hair,' she told the tribunal. The decisions come as Australians grow increasingly frustrated with cases where serious offenders from overseas are allowed to stay while law-abiding citizens face rising crime. Just days ago it was revealed a UK national jailed in Western Australia for molesting a nine-year-old girl had his visa reinstated by the tribunal due to his 'ill health' and 'strong ties' to Australia. The man was sentenced to 14 months in prison in 2024 for sexually abusing the girl in the presence of another young child. The man, who lives in Perth, successfully appealed the automatic cancellation of his permanent visa at the tribunal last year. The decision was made under Ministerial Direction 110 - a rule introduced by the government to toughen the visa cancellation appeals process, after the old direction allowed dozens of serious criminals to avoid deportation. In that case, the mother of the victim told the ABC she was horrified to learn he had avoided deportation. '[We were] completely let down, completely betrayed,' she said. Iran (pictured) is in the process of being bombed 'back to the Stone Ages' by the United States '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?' The woman wrote to Mr Burke on three occasions, pleading he deport the man 'in the public interest'. The Department of Home Affairs responded to her earlier this year on behalf of the immigration minister, advising that his personal powers were 'non-compellable'. 'That is, the ministers are not required to exercise their power,' the letter stated. In 2024, the ART replaced the Administrative Appeals Tribunal as the body that reviewed decisions by government agencies in relation to issues like immigration. It followed the federal government coming under significant pressure when it was revealed a ministerial direction allowed several foreign nationals convicted of serious crimes to escape deportation. Then-immigration minister Andrew Giles introduced a new set of guidelines, which placed the protection of the Australian community as the 'highest priority in decision-making'. The world has heard harrowing accounts of Israeli men and women sexually brutalised in Hamas captivity but now chilling new testimony is emerging from inside Gaza itself. Gazans living under Hamas rule are beginning to break their silence, describing sexual abuse by multiple men, sexual blackmail for aid or money and abuse by people in positions of power. It comes as concerns grow that the group is re-establishing control, while global attention shifts to the conflict in Iran. Human rights organisations in Gaza have told the Daily Mail that up to 60,000 women are vulnerable, with reports also indicating a rise in child marriages and pregnancies. The Daily Mail has obtained rare video testimony, filmed by Jusoor News from inside the Strip, where speaking out carries severe risk. In one account told by a male Gazan, whose identity has to remain anonymous for his safety, he described how he found a widow displaced in the war being molested inside a tent by 'a bunch of' Hamas members and was warned to stay silent. 'We were contacted by the wife of a friend. She had asked a Qassam Brigades commander to help her, but he took advantage of her,' he said. 'His behaviour is disgraceful. We investigated the matter and found her in a tent in the Gharabli area where a bunch of Qassam members were taking advantage of her. 'We informed the leadership but we were told we had to keep silent about it.' An elderly Gazan woman told Jusoor News that charitable organisations in Gaza are deceiving and exploiting 'women who are desperate' Another anonymous woman accused religious organisations in the Strip of 'sexual harassment, psychological abuse, and harassing young women' Hamas fighters ride on top of a humanitarian aid truck in Rafah, Gaza Strip, December 19, 2023 The Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades is the military arm of Hamas. Another Gazan man confirmed that a similar episode had happened with one of his female neighbours, who was blackmailed by 'one of Hamass charity organisations they wanted her to wh*** herself in exchange for a food parcel, or an aid voucher, or 100 shekels'. Another man, who identified as being in the Qassam Brigades, confirmed this was the case with widows. He said he had told the leadership that some Qassam members were taking advantage of the 'wives of Martyrs' in a tent in the Gharabli area, which is in Deir al-Balah. He was ordered to keep it quiet. 'We told them it was an insult to our honour and dignity,' he said, and tore down the tent in anger. The testimonies come amid wider allegations of sexual violence in the conflict, including accounts made by many Israeli hostages including Arbel Yehoud, who told the Daily Mail she was raped every day during captivity while held in tents after being kidnapped from her kibbutz on October 7, 2023. Meanwhile Hamas, who are rejecting proposals to disarm in the ceasefire agreement, still rule with an iron fist and, according to people on the ground in Gaza, that includes taking advantage of vulnerable women. Abdullah (not his real name), a journalist from Jusoor News who filmed the testimonies, spoke to the Daily Mail from hiding, for fear of being found by the group. 'Unfortunately, there are many cases very widespread. In every area, many women are exploited, especially widows and divorced women, because they have no support and no income. Their vulnerability is taken advantage of, and the situation is getting worse day by day.' Noor (not her real name), a divorced mother of four displaced during the war, spoke to the Daily Mail from Gaza, whispering down the phone for fear of being caught. She described sexual coercion in return for aid when a religious figure started to harass her at her lowest point. 'I didnt receive any aid, so I went to a charitable organisation. A man there, who appeared religious and respectable, promised to help me. 'I am a mother of four children. I am displaced because of the war and I do not belong to a recognised displacement camp, so I did not receive any aid. I went to an Islamic charity that distributes aid to displaced and needy people in Gaza. 'I was welcomed by a man who looked religious, like a sheikh. He said he would stand by me and help me. I told him I was separated from my husband. He said: "Oh, separated? A woman as beautiful as you?"' He took Noors phone number, which she says she believed would lead to fatherly support but instead he suggested a late-night video call. 'From the beginning, the way he spoke to me felt like harassment. I am much younger than him. I trusted him because he was an older man; I saw him like a father. He is the age of my father, but he harassed me directly. I was afraid, of course. He was pursuing me. 'I asked him how he could talk to me like that. And he should be ashamed. 'I told him I would expose him. He said: "You cannot expose me, I am the government here."' Noor says this reflects a wider pattern, where vulnerable women are targeted because they lack providers and rely on aid. 'They exploit womens need for help. But the women are too scared to speak up.' Noor (not her real name), a divorced mother of four displaced during the war, spoke to the Daily Mail from Gaza, whispering down the phone for fear of being caught One man, who identified as being in the Qassam Brigades, was told to 'keep quiet' by leadership after he reported that women were being raped by Hamas fighters A male Gazan, whose identity has to remain anonymous for his safety, described how he found a widow displaced in the war being molested inside a tent by 'a bunch of' Hamas members A report by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) has found a surge in child marriage and adolescent pregnancy in Gaza. Pre-war figures show adolescent marriage rates fell to 11 per cent in 2022, down from 26 per cent in 2009, highlighting a reversal of earlier progress. It said at least 400 girls aged 14 to 16 were registered married over just four months in 2025, though the UNFPA warned this likely represents only a fraction of the true scale due to underreporting and the collapse of formal registration systems. 'We are witnessing the dismantling of a generations future,' said Nestor Owomuhangi, UNFPA Country Representative for the State of Palestine, who said the trend has been driven by war and worsening humanitarian conditions. 'Honestly, they are deceiving women. There are charitable organisations exploiting women. They deceive women who are desperate. They are desperate for a bit of sugar or a grain of rice,' an elderly Gazan woman told Jusoor News, her identity concealed to protect her safety. Another woman said: 'A guy will say: "Come, we have a relief package for you". He represents an Islamic organisation a movement whose name I wont mention, but it is a political organisation. "If you come with me and do so and so, Ill give you so and so" and the women, who have no life experience, end up getting exploited.' She continued: 'This shouldnt be happening at all, it just shouldnt. One charity in Gaza is unfortunately the biggest perpetrator. From its chairman all the way down to its doorman, its being done by all their employees and members, as though its an organisation set up for sexual harassment, psychological abuse, and harassing young women.' During the Israel-Hamas war, Associated Press documented several incidents in 2025, including the case of a 38-year-old woman who believed she had found a lifeline when she turned to aid for her six children. After weeks of struggling she was told a man could help with food, aid, and a job. She approached him after being separated from her husband and forced to shut her business, but then he took her to an empty apartment. He complimented her and told her to remove her headscarf. He told her he loved her and would not force her, she said, but he also would not let her leave. Eventually, she said, a sexual encounter took place. She declined further detail, saying she felt fear and shame. 'I had to play along because I was scared, I wanted out of this place,' she told AP. Before leaving, she was given 100 shekels (about 25). Two weeks later, she received a box of medicine and a box of food. 'The promised job never materialised,' it reported. 'Women are being sexually abused now, worse than during the war,' said Gazan writer and author of 'Seashells on the beach of Gaza', Hamza Howidy. A Palestinian militant stands guard as trucks loaded with humanitarian aid enters the Gaza Strip, January 25, 2025 He warned many victims remain silent due to stigma and fear of social consequences. 'The problem is that most women will never speak about it publicly because society considers it shameful 'Its not only widows who are being affected, but also unmarried women. 'Many women are now forced to seek assistance simply to feed their children, and in doing so they become vulnerable to exploitation. It is heartbreaking.' He said the cycle will continue unless women are given economic independence. Abdullah added: 'Hamas has exploited media channels, spreading exaggerated or false numbers. 'Hamas have lied about everything, they stole the aid, created the famine narrative and the gullible West believes it. They have no respect for anyone.' Smaller platforms like Jusoor, he said, are among the few bringing testimonies out. 'We have a duty to amplify these voices.' He described threats to his life, including armed men arriving at his location. 'If I had been there, they would have shot me.' He said he has been forced into hiding and continues reporting despite risks. The Daily Mail contacted UN Women, who didn't immediately respond to a request for comment. Two other human rights groups inside Gaza were contacted, one of which said they were unaware of women being exploited. This is echoed by Ahmed Fouad Alkhatib, director of Realign for Palestine, who says that many wont speak for fear of Hamas infiltration or lack of access. 'I have seen videos showing women being covered up and sold under the guise of helping them find a husband. 'Many women in Gaza have been subjected to exploitation but there is no central body documenting these cases,' he said. 'Many NGOs and organisations that are supposedly concerned with women's issues are unable to be of help, either for fear of Hamas or its enforced notion that Gazan women are perfectly fine under its control or authority.' Donald Trump lauded Pope Leo XIV's appointment as a 'great honour' for the US after he became the first American to head up the Catholic Church last May. But it took less than a year for Trump to dramatically turn on the pontiff claiming credit for his ascent from Chicago to the Vatican and launching a bizarre diatribe against the Pope over his lack of support for the US-Israeli war against Iran. The US President called Pope Leo weak on crime and terrible for foreign policy before sparking controversy for posting an AI-generated image depicting himself as Jesus Christ. In a scathing Truth Social post, Trump also accused the leader of the Catholic Church of being a very liberal person who is weak on nuclear weapons and claimed if I wasnt in the White House, Leo wouldnt be in the Vatican. Trump has faced a barrage of criticism from across the world but it is not the first time the MAGA movement has lashed out at the pontiff. Leo, 70, has angered the American right and has been branded the 'woke pope' for his views on immigration, climate change and inequality. He has spoken in favour of gun control, pleading for an end to the pandemic of arms, posted in support of George Floyd and blasted Trumps treatment of migrants as extremely disrespectful. He was blisteringly attacked in the days after he replaced Pope Francis as leader of the Catholic world and when he took aim at JD Vance and a number of key Trump policies online. The 'woke pope' was ridiculed for blessing a block of ice from Greenland that signified melting glaciers at a conference in Rome Donald Trump faced backlash from world leaders and Catholics across the globe after he posted a photograph depicting himself as Jesus Steve Bannon, the former White House Chief Strategist, called him the 'worst pick for MAGA Catholics' and deemed him the 'anti-Trump pope'. He said his appointment was jaw-dropping and it is shocking to me that a guy could be selected to be the Pope that had had the Twitter feed and the statements he's had against American senior politicians'. While podcaster Joey Mannarino told his 600,000 followers the new Pope was a 'liberal piece of s**t. Laura Loomer, a far-right conspiracy theorist who maintains close ties with Trump, said: 'He is anti-Trump, anti-MAGA, pro-open Borders, and a total Marxist like Pope Francis. Catholics dont have anything good to look forward to.' Months into his papacy he was ridiculed for blessing a block of ice from Greenland that signified melting glaciers at a conference in Rome. 'We will raise hope by demanding that leaders act with courage, not delay,' Leo said as he gave the frozen water his blessing. He then asked: 'Will you join with us?' He also condemned skeptics who 'ridicule those who speak of global warming in what appeared to be a dig at Trump, who has called climate change a con. Leo has strongly taken up his predecessor Francis's ecological mantle, giving his blessing to a Vatican plan to turn an agricultural field north of Rome into a vast solar farm. Once it is up and running, the farm is expected to make the Vatican City the worlds first carbon-neutral state. And in his first major text he emphasised the pursuit of economic justice, welcoming migrants and caring for the planet as he criticised Trumps plans as inhumane, urging American bishops to speak out. He also drew objections from some pro-abortion conservatives after he accused some of hypocrisy for being in favour of the death penalty. 'Someone who says "I'm against abortion" but says "I am in favour of the death penalty" is not really pro-life,' Leo said. 'Someone who says that "I'm against abortion, but I'm in agreement with the inhuman treatment of immigrants in the United States", I don't know if that's pro-life.' The US President has repeatedly lashed out at Pope Leo, calling him weak on crime and foreign policy, after the pontiff criticised the war in Iran Leo has also attacked Vice President Vances stance on immigration. Vance said in January: 'There is a Christian concept that you love your family and then you love your neighbour, and then you love your community, and then you love your fellow citizens, and then, after that, prioritize the rest of the world. A lot of the far left has completely inverted that.' Critics judged Vance, a Catholic, of misreading Thomas Aquinas's idea of the 'order of love', accusing him of using the concept to support political ideology. The Pope joined in the backlash, writing: 'JD Vance is wrong: Jesus doesn't ask us to rank our love for others.' And in 2018, he shared a post which read: There is nothing remotely Christian, American, or morally defensible about a policy that takes children away from their parents and warehouses them in cages. This is being carried out in our name and the shame is on us all.' But his words about the Iran war sparked the most fury from Trump and even prompted an intervention from Iranian president Masoud Pezeshkian, who said the insults were not acceptable. The pontiff has repeatedly condemned the war in Iran, saying it has caused absurd and inhuman violence. Last Saturday he told worshippers at St Peters Basilica: 'Enough of the idolatry of self and money! Enough of the display of power! Enough of war!' He then criticised the President over his threats against Iran, when he warned that 'a whole civilisation will die tonight, never to be brought back again'. The Pope called it a 'truly unacceptable' statement. Trump's comments have even caused a rupture with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, his closest European ally. The right wing leader had been a vociferous supporter of Trump, but she strongly criticised his decision to go to war with Iran, and on Monday, denounced his tirades against the Pope as 'unacceptable'. She added: 'The Pope is the head of the Catholic Church, and it is right and normal that he calls for peace and condemns all forms of war.' Pope Leo swiped back he had 'no fear' of Trump, telling him he will continue speaking out against war As the row with Trump escalated, Vance warned the Pope to be careful' when he talks about matters of theology Trump hit back at the Italian premier in an interview with Corriere della Sera, claiming he has not spoken with Meloni 'for a long time' and she was 'very different from what I thought'. 'She is the one who is unacceptable,' he said, 'because she doesnt care if Iran has a nuclear weapon and would blow up Italy in two minutes if it had the chance'. Trump first attacked the pontiff on Sunday night, hitting out at his alleged weakness on crime and foreign policy. He had earlier told reporters on Sunday: 'Im not a big fan of Pope Leo. Hes a very liberal person, and hes a man that doesnt believe in stopping crime.' Trump also accused the leader of the Catholic Church, which has 1.4billion members, of 'toying with a country that wants a nuclear weapon'. He lashed out again at the pontiff on Sunday night, writing on Truth Social: 'I dont want a Pope who thinks its OK for Iran to have a Nuclear Weapon. 'I don't want a Pope who thinks it's terrible that America attacked Venezuela, a Country that was sending massive amounts of Drugs into the United States and, even worse, emptying their prisons, including murderers, drug dealers, and killers, into our Country,' Trump said. The President went deeper on his opposition to Pope Leo and the church's stance on several issues including COVID lockdowns. 'He talks about "fear" of the Trump Administration, but doesn't mention the FEAR that the Catholic Church, and all other Christian Organisations, had during COVID when they were arresting priests, ministers, and everybody else, for holding Church Services, even when going outside, and being ten and even twenty feet apart,' Trump wrote. He then claimed that Pope Leo 'criticises the President of the United States because I'm doing exactly what I was elected, IN A LANDSLIDE, to do'. Pope Leo swiped back he had 'no fear' of Trump. The Pope said on Monday that he plans to continue speaking out against war, saying: 'I don't want to get into a debate with him.' Speaking aboard the papal flight to Algiers, where Leo started a 10-day tour to four African countries, he said: 'I don't think that the message of the Gospel is meant to be abused in the way that some people are doing. 'I will continue to speak out loudly against war, looking to promote peace, promoting dialog and multilateral relationships among the states to look for just solutions to problems. 'Too many people are suffering in the world today. Too many innocent people are being killed. And I think someone has to stand up and say there's a better way.' Trump reignited the war of words on Tuesday. In a post on Truth Social, he wrote: Will someone please tell Pope Leo that Iran has killed at least 42,000 innocent, completely unarmed protesters in the last two months, and that for Iran to have a Nuclear Bomb is absolutely unacceptable. It further escalated on Thursday with Leo taking a thinly veiled swipe at Trump, claiming the world is 'being ravaged by a handful of tyrants'. Trump posted a second AI image on Truth Social, where he was embraced by Jesus Christ, after facing backlash for depicting himself as Jesus Leo has strongly taken up Francis's ecological mantle, giving his blessing to a Vatican plan to turn an agricultural field north of Rome into a vast solar farm He made the unusually forceful remarks during a trip to Cameroon in what is his second major foreign visit since being elected to the papacy in May last year. He condemned 'an endless cycle of destabilisation and death' on a visit to Bamenda, a 'bloodstained' region of Cameroon which has been gripped by a separatist insurgency for nearly a decade. 'Those who rob your land of its resources generally invest much of the profit in weapons, thus perpetuating an endless cycle of destabilisation and death,' the pontiff said in a speech at Saint Joseph's Cathedral. He added: 'The masters of war pretend not to know that it takes only a moment to destroy, yet often a lifetime is not enough to rebuild. 'They turn a blind eye to the fact that billions of dollars are spent on killing and devastation, yet the resources needed for healing, education and restoration are nowhere to be found.' As the row with Trump escalated, Vance warned the Pope to be careful when he talks about matters of theology'. Although Trump routinely attacks world leaders, his latest spat has alienated some of his most ardent supporters. Much of the Presidents support base are conservative Catholics. And Trump, who rarely attends church, has upset many by insulting their spiritual leader. Trump loyalist Shane Schaetzel said he has cancelled his subscription to Truth Social and sold his stocks in Trumps businesses. The author from Missouri, who voted for Trump in 2016, 2020 and 2024, told The Times: Ive been very patient and very balanced in the feud erupting between him and the Pope. This, however, is too much. Donald Trump just lost my support. Former congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene, previously a strong ally of President Trump, wrote: 'On Orthodox Easter, President Trump attacked the Pope because the Pope is rightly against Trumps war in Iran and then he posted this picture of himself as if he is replacing Jesus. 'This comes after last weeks post of his evil tirade on Easter and then threatening to kill an entire civilisation. I completely denounce this and Im praying against it!!!' 'Its more than blasphemy,' she added on a second account. 'Its an Antichrist spirit.' Other members of the MAGA base expressed criticism following the President's controversial post. 'Oh hell no,' wrote hard-Right provocateur Milo Yiannopoulos. 'We tolerated this kind of meme against our better judgment because he promised to save America and only when it was clear he didnt actually think he was the Messiah.' Right-wing social media personality Mike Cernovich also criticised the post, writing on X: 'Trump's first post was fine. The Pope has a long documented political record. The follow-up posts? Would not be tolerated for any other religion.' Christian figures on both sides of the Atlantic were left incensed including Massimo Faggioli, a theologian and expert on the papacy based at the Loyola Institute at Trinity College Dublin, who said: 'There is no ambiguity about the situation now.' Pope Leo XIV appears on the balcony of St Peter's Basilica at the Vatican after he was appointed leader of the Catholic Church He compared the comments to efforts by the leaders of Germany and Italy during the Second World War to draw the late Pope Pius XII to support their causes, adding: 'Not even Hitler or Mussolini attacked the pope so directly and publicly. UK Catholic commentator Austen Ivereigh said Mr Trump's 'remarkable' move could mean 'the end' for his presidency, adding: 'He's now crossed the line. This is a deeply unpopular war, but I think what he's doing now is tipping into a level of messianism and narcissism, which I think everybody is now recognising as deeply troubling.' On Wednesday morning the US-based Knights of Columbus, the largest Catholic men's fraternity in the world, released a statement from its Supreme Knight Patrick Kelly defending the Pope. It said: Pope Leo XIV has consistently called for peace, dialogue, and restraint in a world marked by war and suffering. The Holy Father's words are not political talking points they are reflections of the Gospel itself.' Despite widespread criticism, some of Trumps most loyal allies have leapt to his defence. Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson said the Pope should have expected backlash for wading into political waters. He said he was taken a little bit aback by the Pope's comments about those who engage in war, that Jesus doesn't hear their prayers' or something'. It is a very well-settled matter of Christian theology, there's something called the just war doctrine, he added. Texas Congressman Troy Nehls joined the criticism of the Pope, telling him to 'stay out of politics' on Wednesday. The Pope came from humble beginnings in southern Chicago suburbs (pictured in his youth with Pope John Paul II) He said: 'The Pope needs to keep his business to leading his flock, leading the church, and stay out of the political arena. 'Go lead your church. Stay out of politics. We didnt elect the Pope to be the president. Donald Trump is our president.' Despite being the first American pontiff, for many in MAGA he will never be America first. And he won't back down against Trump, admitting: 'I have no fear of neither the Trump administration nor of speaking out loudly about the message in the Gospel.' Despite quitting Congress amid mounting sexual scandals earlier this week, two former disgraced Capitol Hill lawmakers are leaving with a chunk of cash. California Democrat Eric Swalwell, who withdrew from the Golden State's gubernatorial race last weekend and resigned from Congress on Tuesday, leaves with more than $288,600 on hand in his campaign coffers, while his leadership PAC, Remedy PAC, was sitting on an additional $32,000 at the end of February. His state-level haul for the California gubernatorial primary stood at over 7.2 million, but California rules complicate what he can do with his funds. Any funds donors earmarked for the general election must be returned now that he's out before the June primary - potentially shrinking that haul significantly. Swalwell's options for the primary money includes paying down campaign debts, donating it to charity, or transferring it to other candidates or party committees. Any funds remaining 90 days after his elections become classed as 'surplus funds' and can even be used for legal fees that 'arises directly out of a candidate's or elected officer's activities, duties, or status as a candidate or elected officer.' Given the fact that Swalwell is facing litigation in both California and New York, his legal team could walk away with a big chunk of campaign cash. Tony Gonzales, a Texas Republican who resigned after the Daily Mail exposed a sex scandal involving his former staffer, leaves with more than $327,000 still in his campaign war chest at the end of March, according to his latest Federal Election Commission filing. Eric Swalwell on the campaign trail for California governor a race he abandoned last weekend before resigning from Congress Tuesday amid mounting sexual misconduct allegations. One of the at least five women who have accused Eric Swalwell of sexual misconduct breaks down in tears as she speaks out publicly against the now-disgraced former congressman Texas Republican Tony Gonzales strides through the Capitol. He quit Congress after being exposed for an affair with a married staffer who later took her own life. His Honor Courage Commitment leadership PAC held over $208,000 as of late February. What happens next to those dollars is typically up to the former members, but the federal law notes that funds can't be spent on personal expenses. Both members are also presently eligible to receive their congressional pensions after serving on Capitol Hill for over 5 years. If they had faced explusion, they would not have been able to collect the windfall. At least five women have accused Swalwell of sexual misconduct, including rape, sexual assault, and unsolicited messages and photographs. Gonzales announced on Monday he would also step down, after the Daily Mail exposed a sex scandal involving his staffer, who later set herself on fire, resulting in her death. Writing on X before announcing his departure, Gonzales - who had already dropped his bid for re-election said: 'There is a season for everything and God has a plan for us all. When Congress returns tomorrow, I will file my retirement from office. It has been my privilege to serve the great people of Texas.' He had an affair with married aide Regina Aviles, initially denying it before admitting the relationship last month. She took her own life last September. Gonzales called it a 'mistake' and a 'lapse in judgment,' adding: 'I take full responsibility for those actions. Since then, I have reconciled with my wife, Angel. I've asked God to forgive me, which he has. And my faith is as strong as ever.' Both Republican Anna Paulina Luna and Democratic Women's Caucus chairwoman Teresa Leger Fernandez of New Mexico had called on Swalwell and Gonzales to resign or face an expulsion vote. Representative Lauren Boebert and Senator Josh Hawley have separately announced plans to introduce legislation barring lawmakers who resign after sexual assault accusations from collecting their congressional pensions. In a text to the Washington Examiner, Boebert said she is 'working on bipartisan legislation to state that Members who are convicted of any felony or crimes for an offense committed while in office are prohibited from receiving their pensions.' Neither Swalwell nor Gonzales have been charged with any crimes. Boebert added that those who violate House Rule 18 - which prohibits members from engaging in sexual relationships with staff under their supervision - would also forfeit their pension rights. Hawley told Fox News host Jesse Watters on Wednesday that his bill 'would deny pensions to every member of Congress who's convicted of a sex offense. Right now, you could be convicted and still get your pension,' he said. 'The only thing the government oughta be paying for for people like Eric Swalwell is a jail cell.' Another interesting tidbit from Swalwell's campaign finance records is the former existence of a joint fundraising committee, the 'Swallego Victory Fund', which was shared by Swalwell and Arizona's current junior senator, Ruben Gallego. The PAC was disbanded earlier in the 2025-2026 electoral cycle, per FEC records. The PAC raised and spent just over $55,000 in the 2023-2024 cycle. Swalwell's campaign records additionally reveal that he spent $2,500 on child care in the first quarter of 2026, per FEC records, as first reported by NOTUS. A two-year-old girl in Ohio was crushed to death in the back of her parents' brand new Hyundai SUV, with harrowing bodycam showing attempts to revive her in front of horrified bystanders and her grieving father's bewilderment. Lucia Ayala died on the morning of March 7 in Akron after a power seat in a 2026 Hyundai Palisade suddenly folded down and trapped her, the Summit County Medical Examiner's Office told the Daily Mail on Thursday. Lucia's death was accidental and caused by mechanical asphyxia, the medical examiner concluded. The medical examiner also told the Daily Mail that it it appeared a button had been pressed, which caused one of the SUV's rear seats to push forward and fatally trap Lucia. Bodycam footage obtained by the Daily Mail showed an Akron Police Department officer racing into the Restaurant Depot parking lot on Sweitzer Avenue. Lucia could be seen laying on the ground unconscious in a white shirt and pink pants as a woman and officer performed CPR. The Daily Mail has blurred the footage because of its upsetting nature. The youngster's shellshocked father, identified as Arnoldo Ayala in a public obituary, was later seen in bodycam footage speaking with an officer and trying to desperately work out how the car seat could have possibly trapped Lucia. Last month's tragedy prompted Hyundai to issue a recall of the make and model involved, as a full investigation continues into Lucia's death. Lucia Ayala, two, died on March 7 after a power seat in a 2026 Hyundai Palisade SUV suddenly pinned her down and fatally trapped her First responders attempted to perform life-saving measures on Lucia after she was removed from the power seat, body camera footage obtained by the Daily Mail showed The footage showed a man that Akron police said was Lucia's dad trying speaking with a law enforcement officer and tying to understand what happened to the SUV's seat The bodycam footage showed Lucia's dad telling police that his SUV's seats were 'not working.' 'Right now, I'm trying to put it up,' he said. 'It's not working. I don't know because we pulled it up so hard or something.' A child safety seat was laid out to the side of the SUV as the conversation happened. Investigators have yet to release full details of what happened to Lucia, but the medical examiner told the Daily Mail that her death was described as a 'child compressed by power folding seat in a parked SUV.' A complete review of Lucia's death is expected to take up to 12 weeks. Lt. Michael Murphy confirmed to the Daily Mail on Friday morning that Lucia's death had been deemed accidental. He was unable to comment on whether an issue with one of the car's buttons used to activate the seat might have been to blame. 'It's one of those things where it's really a freak accident where, however, the button was pressed, it went down and essentially crushed the child,' Murphy told the Daily Mail. He pointed to the bodycam video to explain what might have happened. 'You can see that seat on the left side would not retract back up, and then he presses the button, and it shows that the right side or the passenger side is completely operable,' Murphy said. The Summit County Medical Examiner's Office told the Daily Man that Ayala, of Cuyahoga Falls, died due to mechanical asphyxia The Daily Mail has blurred images of Lucia obtained via bodycam footage due to their distressing nature Lucia was survived by her parents, Victoria Piermarini and Arnoldo Ayala, and her older sister Valentina, according to a public obituary A photo taken of the interior of the 2026 Hyundai Palisade SUV that was involved in Lucia's death Murphy told the Daily Mail that multiple bystanders pulled Lucia out of the seat and started giving her CPR afterwards. Murphy added that no charges would stem from Lucia's accidental death. A public obituary said Lucia was survived by her dad Arnoldo Ayala, her mother Victoria, her older sister Valentina and a large extended family including grandparents, uncles, aunts and cousins. It also noted that the little girl's name had been chosen intentionally, as Lucia means 'light.' 'Never has a name been more perfectly given,' the obit read. 'Not only did Lucia come into our lives during a season when our family needed her light to shine brightest, but her flame continued to grow and guide us through one of the most pivotal chapters of our lives for two years.' Lucia was remembered as 'running around with her many cousins, always trying to keep up with the older kids & making us all laugh.' A family friend, Michael Yeho, confirmed that he knew about Lucia's death when contacted by the Daily Mail on Thursday afternoon. 'Our kids grew up with with their kids,' Yeho said. He added that Lucia's parents were 'wonderful contributors to the community, very active in their faith.' 'Just the kind of people you want to have in your life,' Yeho told the Daily Mail. A photo of the SUV involved in the accident that killed Lucia, courtesy of the Akron Police Department Lucia was pulled out of the seat by multiple bystanders who then attempted to revive her, according to the Akron police Hyundai North America announced on March 13 that it had issued a recall of its 2026 Hyundai Palisade Limited and Calligraphy trims Another photo taken of the interior of the 2026 Hyundai Palisade SUV that was involved in Lucia's death Lucia's funeral was officiated by pastor Jared Orndorff of the Saint Joseph Parish. When the Daily Mail called the publicly listed number for Orndorff, a church worker said that he was out of town until the end of April but confirmed the funeral had taken place. Six days after Lucia's death, Hyundai North America announced that it had issued a recall of its 2026 Hyundai Palisade Limited and Calligraphy trims on 'due to an issue with the second and third-row power seats.' The company also addressed Lucia's death, though they did not directly name the little girl, saying it was 'aware of a tragic incident involving a Palisade.' Hyundai North America told the Daily Mail that it had 'finalized the remedy' for the recall campaign. 'The final remedy is a software update that addresses a condition in which these power seat functions may not detect contact with an occupant or object as intended,' a Hyundai North America spokesperson said. Hyundai added that the update was designed to 'enhance occupant and object detection.' The Daily Mail has reached out to Lucia's parents, Arnoldo Ayala and Victoria Piermarini, as well as extended family members for further comment. There is a serious book* to be written about John Howard's role in shaping modern Australia. Amy Remeikis has not done it. Her publisher promises a 'searing analysis' of how the former PM 'sold our future'. Talk about over-promising and under-delivering. Where It All Went Wrong is meant to be a sweeping reassessment of Howard's legacy and its connection to modern Australia's failures. A perfectly legitimate project, if done well. Howard governed for more than 11 years and remains one of the most consequential prime ministers of the modern era. A rigorous book could have argued, with real force, how his government hardened the politics of exclusion, narrowed the country's civic imagination, deepened its strategic reflexes and entrenched habits of market thinking that have outlasted him. Instead, Remeikis has produced something much less impressive: a morally inflated polemic that confuses indignation with insight, and certainty with intelligence. The central weakness of Where It All Went Wrong is not that it's harsh on Howard, as many conservatives might think. A harsh book about Howard could have been excellent, from various ideological perspectives. The weakness is that Remeikis seems to think harshness is itself a methodology. She doesn't really investigate Howard's legacy. She simply prosecutes her case. Every modern Australian problem appears mainly as another opportunity to return the same verdict. She started this writing project with a goal and was intent on proving it, irrespective of what findings were uncovered. Such callowness drips off every page. 'Remeikis doesn't really investigate Howard's legacy. She simply prosecutes her case,' writes Daily Mail political editor Peter van Onselen. (Pictured: author and lobbyist Amy Remeikis) Housing affordability, labour insecurity, climate drift, asylum-seeker cruelty, native title backlash and political cynicism - all these roads lead to Howard because the book is structurally incapable of allowing them to lead anywhere else. That's not serious analysis; it's accusation by repetition. The argument does not develop so much as recur page after page, with the same charges coming back in slightly altered form, as though insistence might eventually harden into positive proof. Instead it becomes monotonously boring. That monotony would still be survivable if the book were intellectually disciplined, but it's not. What keeps letting Remeikis down is her own moral certainty. She writes like someone who has decided that being passionately convinced of a thing relieves her of the obligation to test it properly. The effect is not conviction in the admirable sense, but self-importance in the wearying one. Orwell once wrote that 'one can write nothing readable unless one constantly struggles to efface one's own personality', and that 'good prose is like a windowpane.' Remeikis's prose doesn't efface the authorial ego, instead it drags it noisily across every page. The reader is never allowed to forget that the book's real subject isn't just John Howard, but Remeikis's own agenda about him. It's a fatal weakness in a work pretending to have historical seriousness nearly two decades on from his prime ministership. Part of what makes the author's certainty so grating is that it's not matched by equivalent care. The book has already drawn public criticism for factual errors, and it's certainly riddled with them, including the claim that Howard 'only just flopped over the line in 1999', despite there having been no federal election that year. Howard won office in 1996, then fought elections in 1998, 2001, 2004 and 2007, winning all but the last. Such sloppiness isn't an ideological quibble or a fine point of interpretation. It's basic chronology. And once a writer asking for a wholesale reappraisal of a major prime minister starts slipping on the basics, the larger argument begins to sag. You stop reading with interest and start reading defensively, checking whether the author is in command of the material or merely in command of her own tone. 'The reader is never allowed to forget that the book's real subject isn't just John Howard, but Remeikis's own agenda about him.' (Pictured: John Howard in December 2006) Remeikis also claims that two of Howard's election victories occurred without securing a majority of the popular vote. Unless she's only talking about primary votes instead of the two-party vote, which plainly she isn't, that's patently wrong. But if the defence is that the author is referring only to primary votes, what's the point of the observation? And what about Labor, which hasn't won more than 50 per cent of the primary vote in the post-World War II era? The Coalition won more than 50 per cent of primary votes in 1975, does that mean that Sir John Kerr was correct to dismiss Gough Whitlam so that Malcolm Fraser could call an election? Of course not. The litany of basic errors throughout the book, which the publisher has been forced to admit will be cleaned up if a reprint occurs, reinforces an impression the book already gives off on its own: impatience with factual discipline, impatience with nuance, impatience with anything that slows the rush to judgement. Remeikis has attributed some of the mistakes to 'typos and editing errors', and no doubt some are exactly that. But there is a larger problem here beyond such sloppiness. The mistakes matter because they fit the book's broader disposition. Where It All Went Wrong feels like it's written by someone who regards checking, qualifying and calibrating as secondary chores to the higher calling of denunciation. The deeper failure is conceptual. Remeikis appears almost allergic to complexity. Howard is not treated as a powerful politician working within larger ideological, institutional and historical currents. He's turned into a one-man explanation for nearly every development she dislikes. It is a cartoonishly monocausal way to write politics. Modern Australia didn't become what it is because one sufficiently malign leader bent the nation to his will in our parliamentary bicameral system. It became what it is through a mix of party incentives, business interests, media ecosystems, inherited policy settings, international pressures, voter anxieties and bipartisan acts of cowardice. Howard mattered enormously, of course. But to elevate him into the master cause of everything is not a mark of boldness. It's a sign that the writer lacks the range, patience or confidence to handle a messier truth. A serious biographical work needs to at least try to understand its subject, even if taking issue with them. Remeikis doesn't even try, which is a shame because there is a critical case to mount against the former PM's time in office, by a serious scholar. Howard did not invent neoliberalism. He didn't create from nothing the managerial hollowing-out of politics, deregulation, privatisation, housing speculation or the retreat from older egalitarian instincts. Much of that predated him. He inherited trends already in motion, sharpened them, sold them more effectively than other politicians and fused them to a conservatism that won elections. But that's not enough for Remeikis, because accepting such framing would require admitting that modern Australia's problems were built by a broader political class, not simply by the one villain who best suits her agenda. So context is flattened, Labor's role recedes from view, and history is over-simplified until it becomes morally neat and analytically useless. The same habit shows up in the book's treatment of symbolic moments. The 1997 Reconciliation Convention has long been understood as a defining episode in Howard's relationship with Indigenous reconciliation. The official transcript records the speech, contemporary and retrospective accounts note the hostile reception the then PM received, and Howard's own acknowledgment that he might have handled himself differently is on the public record. In a serious work, moments like that are handled with nuance because they carry real interpretive weight. In a careless work, they become just more scenery in a predetermined drama. Remeikis doesn't seem especially interested in the discipline of getting such moments interpretively right, only in the utility of criticising them. Ultimately, hers is a vain book. Not merely partisan, repetitive and error-prone, but vain. It's written by someone who appears to believe that occupying the morally approved position is itself a kind of intellectual achievement. Remeikis seems to want credit not just for attacking Howard, but for attacking him from the correct moral altitude. Yet moral altitude, by itself, is cheap. Plenty of mediocre writers have it. The harder task is to turn that instinct into a work of discriminating intellectual honesty. Instead, she produces the familiar spectacle of a writer with a platform and a grievance, discovering that book-length arguments are less forgiving than commentary. Where It All Went Wrong will flatter readers already convinced that Howard is the source of everything rotten in modern Australia. But it will not deepen anyone's understanding of Howard, his era, or the wider political failures that made modern Australia what it is. In the end, the book does less damage to Howard than to Remeikis's own pretensions as a serious political writer. She set out to expose the hollowness of his legacy but instead exposed her own limitations. *Professor Peter van Onselen co-authored the critically acclaimed bestseller John Winston Howard: The Biography (Melbourne University Press), named the best biography of 2007 by The Wall Street Journal This is the moment a brazen thief was caught on dashcam footage stealing a woman's car after she woke to find it had vanished from her home. Anna Kierat was shocked to discover that her car had disappeared from her road when she woke up on Tuesday, April 14. Fearing the worst, she checked an app on her phone which was connected to an internal security camera inside her car. Footage from the camera showed the moment the thief broke into her car. The man was breathing heavily as he sat in the driving seat and tried to remove the steering wheel lock. Dressed in a cap and a gilet, the crook gave the lock a yank before pulling it off. The 20-second video then came to an abrupt end as the camera was disconnected and the car was driven off. The camera confirmed the exact time of the theft as 11.18pm, outside Ms Kierats's house in West Drayton, west London. A brazen thief (pictured) was caught on dashcam footage stealing a woman's car after she woke to find it had vanished from her home The man sat in the driving seat and yanked the steering wheel lock off before driving away Ms Keirat reported the theft to the police, but no arrests have been made. The footage was then posted on social media, where users joked about the bizarre scenario. One local said: 'Imagine waking up to find your car gone, only to check the dashcam app and see this guy staring right back at you. 'He immediately disconnected the camera to cover his tracks. 'But not before giving us a crystal-clear look at his face.' Satty Sohpal said: 'I hope he gets caught soon. 'And lets hope the police actually do something about it.' Others pointed out that an air freshener placed right in front of the security camera may have obscured the footage. One woman, named Sally, quipped: 'Obviously they are not going to say 'not enough evidence'. 'Which dumbo puts a security camera then obstruct it with a Magic Tree air freshener.' Another added: 'This guy is helping to lower house prices in the local area.' Gavin Hickman joked: 'Take a breath lad.' The Met Police has been approached for comment. China, Italy boost friendship, cooperation at dialogues Xinhua) 10:28, April 18, 2026 ROME, April 17 (Xinhua) -- The 4th China-Italy Friendship Cities Cooperation Dialogue was held in Rome on Wednesday and the 2026 China-Italy Historical and Cultural Cities Dialogue were held in Perugia on Thursday to boost friendship and cooperation between the two sides. The events were jointly hosted by the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, the Chinese Embassy in Italy, the Italian Cities Association, the Italian Parliament's "Friends of China" Association, the Italy-China Cultural Exchange Association, and the Perugia Provincial Government. At the first event, representatives from 14 provinces and cities in China and 18 regions and provinces in Italy held in-depth exchanges on urban governance, cultural relic protection and industrial cooperation. Delegates of both sides said that amid rising global uncertainties, China and Italy should strengthen dialogue and cooperation, safeguard world peace and pursue common development. In addition, the delegates expressed their willingness to uphold the spirit of the Silk Road, and promote high-quality and efficient local cooperation in order to provide greater benefits to people in the two countries. At the dialogue between historical and cultural cities, representatives from both sides focused on ceramic culture and expressed their willingness to strengthen exchanges and mutual learning between cities and jointly implement the Global Civilization Initiative proposed by China. During the events, multiple cooperation agreements were signed between local governments from China and Italy. (Web editor: Zhao Tong, Wu Chaolan) Khartoum, Sudan (PANA) - Across war-torn Sudan, women and girls are telling a consistent story of continued experience of danger, and risks for gender-based violence whether when fleeing to safety or arriving at displacement camps, a senior official with the UN reproductive and sexual health agency UNFPA said on Friday An elderly woman in Ohio gave her family a worrisome scare after she went suddenly quiet, only for a welfare check to end in the cops discovering she had been playing video games. The 91-year-old woman sent her family into a panic on Thursday after she wasn't answering her phone, prompting them to call for a welfare check on her. The woman, whose identity hasn't been released, was enrolled in the state's 'Are You Okay' program where residents receive a daily check-in phone call, ABC News 5 reported. 'It's a really nice service that has saved lives in the past,' Westlake Police Captain Jerry Vogel told the outlet. 'Everyone was a little bit alarmed that she was missing these contacts.' But when police officers arrived, they found the woman safe and sound in her bedroom playing video games, the outlet reported. Police had attempted to knock on her door, but she didn't answer them either. Body camera footage showed the officers entering her home through her garage door before announcing themselves to the home. An 91-year-old woman sent her family into a panic on Thursday after she wasn't answering her phone but she was found simply in her room playing video games Westlake Police Captain Jerry Vogel said the situation was a 'good laugh' but highlighted the importance of the 'Are You Okay' phone service that checks on enrolled residents According to the police, she missed the calls while trying to beat her own high score. 'We're with her now. She's playing video games in her bedroom,' an officer told dispatch Body camera footage showed the officers entering her home through her garage door before announcing themselves to the home Join the discussion Should families trust technology to keep loved ones safe, or is regular personal contact still essential? According to the police, she missed the calls while trying to beat her own high score. 'We're with her now. She's playing video games in her bedroom,' an officer told dispatch. While the woman was thankfully okay, she said she was grateful that police came to check on her, ABC News 5 reported. '[It] turned out to be all okay, everyone got a good laugh out of it,' Vogel told the outlet. 'It's a great reminder that Westlake residents have that service for them and they can sign up any time they want.' Frustrated travelers moaned as they were forced to wait inside a passenger plane on the tarmac for hours after fog prevented the flight from landing at its planned destination. WestJet flight WS2695 was diverted on Thursday morning en route to Toronto Pearson Airport from Cancun International Airport, according to a spokesperson for WestJet. Tremendous fog forced the Boeing 737 jet to divert to the Region of Waterloo International Airport (YKF) in Ontario at 1.17 am local time. However, since officials had not prepared for the flight, passengers were stuck on the tarmac for about eight hours while customs arrangements were made. Since the flight was international, passengers were stuck in the aircraft until customs personnel arrived. They were then forced off the plane to go through customs, boarded once again and finally took off for Toronto. Passengers eventually landed at 10.10 am local time. The flight from Cancun to Toronto is typically about a four-hour flight, but travelers on WS2695 endured a 14-hour ordeal. Those on the flight told the Canadian news outlet CTV News that passengers were chanting 'let us off' as children cried. Toronto Pearson Airport was engulfed in fog on Thursday morning, resulting in a flight detour for passengers coming back from Cancun Flight Aware captured the plane's bizarre route as it was diverted to Ontario en route to Toronto WestJet confirmed the diversion in a statement, explaining that passengers had to wait for customs officials since the flight was international. Pictured above is a file photo of a WestJet Boeing 787 jet Trevor Lester told the outlet that the pilot came on the intercom as the flight was approaching Toronto to notify them of the detour. 'We were approaching the Toronto airport, very foggy. And all of a sudden we're doing left and right turns and going around the airport,' he added. He explained that the detour was particularly rough for families traveling with children. 'In the middle of the night, they were crying. You know, we felt so much empathy for these kids,' Lester said. He added in a Facebook post that WestJet had been 'horrific' with little communication. Passengers told CTV that they were not given food while they waited on the tarmac, but had access to water. Toronto was under a yellow advisory for fog on Thursday night, which is a low-level alert for potentially hazardous weather. Flights from Cancun to Toronto are typically about four hours, but passengers on board WestJet flight WS2695 endured a 14-hour ordeal. Pictured above is the flight map from Flight Aware Toronto Pearson shared images of the airport on Thursday morning, notifying travelers that staff faced a 'foggy start to the day.' Airport Duty Manager Michael Tomas said staff were in 'reduced visibility operations' due to the fog and warned passengers traveling to keep a close eye on their flight statuses. Toronto Pearson and YKF directed inquiries to WestJet when approached by the Daily Mail for comment. Her career is in the ascendancy thanks to her high-profile roles playing an Agatha Christie sleuth, a murderer linked to the Royals and the wife of a Beatle. Now Scotland can lay claim to rising star Mia McKenna-Bruce after the actress revealed she is Scottish. While Ms McKenna-Bruce was born and raised in England, she said her mother Angelas family The McKennas are Scottish and live in Glasgow. The actress also revealed that her father Bruce served in a Scottish army regiment and proudly wears a kilt to military events and family weddings. Details of her lineage emerged as she spoke to Scots actress Lauren Lyle on her podcast Shes A Rec. When Ms Lyle jokingly asked her guest if she was related to famed Scottish king Robert The Bruce, the actress replied: Yes, I am Scottish. Bruce is very Scottish and we have a Bruce tartan. She added: My dad wears a kilt and stuff. When Ms Lyle asked where her father is from in Scotland the actress laughed, explaining that confusingly - the Scottish part of her family is on her mothers side. Rising star Mia is keen to make the most of her Scottish heritage Mia will play Ringo Starr's wife Maureen in the new Beatles biopic She said: Its all a bit chaotic. My dad was in a Scottish regiment in the army, so we go to Scotland a lot for army reunions. Its really cool. I think thats why he wears his kilt a lot. But my mum is actually Scottish. My grandparents have Scottish accents. When asked where they live, Ms McKenna-Bruce said: Glasgow. Ms McKenna-Bruce said her mother also carried out a DNA test to find out where in the world her ancestors came from and discovered her lineage is pure Scottish. As well as the developments in her career, Ms McKenna-Bruce has enjoyed a number of milestones in her personal life. She married fellow actor Tom Leach in August 2024 - a year after they welcomed their first child Leo. The wedding even had a Scottish twist with her father kitted out in a kilt and a piper from his army regiment the Lowland Gunners - playing at the ceremony. Ms McKenna-Bruce, who grew up in Bromley and was the eldest of three children, made an early beeline for the performing arts. The actress started her career in Eastenders aged 11 and later starred in The Story of Tracy Beaker - the CBBC adaptation of the hugely popular Jacqueline Wilson novels. However, her roles have become bigger in recent years after she won the BAFTA Rising Star Award in 2024. Earlier this year, she enjoyed rave reviews for her leading role as Lady Eileen "Bundle" Brent in a Netflix adaptation of Agatha Christie's Seven Dials Mystery. The 28-year-old actress played a sleuth unravelling a 1920s murder mystery alongside co-stars Helena Bonham Carter and Martin Freeman. She is currently starring as murderer Jane Andrews who worked as an aide for the then Duchess of York Sarah Ferguson in the 90s in ITV drama The Lady. She is also due to star as Maureen Starkey, the first wife of Ringo Starr, in Sam Mendes upcoming series of four Beatles biopics. When Ms Lyle asked about her part in the upcoming Beatles biopic, Ms McKenna-Bruce maintained she is sworn to secrecy. She said: I can say its great. Thats as much as I can say. And its so annoying because I want to say everything but I just cant. Ms Lyle and Ms McKenna-Bruce also joked with each other about a trend for actors to wear Ugg Boots on set, stating that they have almost become a marker of professional status. Ms McKenna-Bruce said: They started as a comfort thing but now its become a bit of a trademark. Like, if youre not wearing Ugg boots, youre not one of the real actors. Mia with Agatha Christie co-stars Helena Bonham-Carter and Martin Freeman Ms McKenna-Bruce said that she was provided with pink, rubber platform crocs while filming The Lady and has held on to them. She also spoke about filming romantic scenes with taller love interests given her diminutive 4ft 9in height. She said: I find the hardest thing in the world is to be sexy. When someone tells you to be sexy in a scene, Im like I dont know how to do this. Thank god for intimacy co-ordinators. Im like: Do I look sexy?. I also have this thing where I dont want people to think that I think I look sexy. I want to feel sexy, but I dont want people to think I think I look sexy. A Silicon Valley liberal wants to team up with First Lady Melania to release millions of unseen Jeffrey Epstein files while pushing to get King Charles to meet with victims of the late sex offender. Democratic Congressman Ro Khanna, 49, sees an unlikely partnership with the President's wife as a way to shine a light on Epstein's shadowy dealings. 'If [Melania] wants to help get these files released, if she wants to help make sure that the survivors have justice, I would welcome working with her,' the California Democrat said in a sit-down interview with the Daily Mail. Melania, 55, gave a bombshell, surprise address from the White House last week about how she was not a victim of Epstein's. She stunned the room after claiming that 'Epstein was not alone' and calling on Congress to provide the late pedophile's victims with public hearings. 'The most important four words that the First Lady said was, "Epstein was not alone,"' Khanna stated. 'The reality is, it wasn't just Epstein. It wasn't just [his associate Ghislaine] Maxwell who abused or raped these young girls. There were many other rich and powerful people, and what the First Lady said has validated all of these survivors.' 'The Justice Department has not prosecuted a single person who's named in these files, and these survivors will tell you they're people who've raped them in these files, and they haven't opened a single investigation,' Khanna said. He said the admission from the First Lady 'contradicted Donald Trump, who said that the survivors were a hoax.' Khanna also urged her to call for the publishing of millions of unreleased files. Congressman Ro Khanna sees an unlikely alliance with First Lady Melania Trump to push for the release of additional files relating to Jeffrey Epstein. He is also calling on King Charles to meet with victims of Epstein's abuse during his upcoming visit to the US at the end of April First Lady Melania Trump on April 9 made a surprise on-camera statement to deny unspecified allegations about her and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. She called on Congress to hold a public hearing with Epstein victim's testimony Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor (L) speaks with his older brother King Charles (R). Andrew was stripped of his royal titles and honors in October due to his ties to Epstein. He is also currently under criminal investigation in England Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor with his arm around a young Virginia Giuffre as Jeffrey Epstein's associate Ghislaine Maxwell stands close by in early 2001. The Democrat noted how he previously worked with Melania Trump on the Take It Down Act, a bill to protect young people against explicit sexual imagery made about them using AI. 'I hope she'll call now on her own husband's administration to release the remaining 3 million files. Britain has asked for those three million files, and I hope she will call for the attorney general to start prosecutions.' 'I'm just asking for what the First Lady is asking for: release the remaining files to expose who the powerful men are that the survivors named that raped or abused them, start investigations,' he continued. Khanna has called repeatedly for King Charles to meet with Epstein's victims, noting how his brother, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, had close ties to the late sex offender. Mountbatten-Windsor was arrested earlier this year on suspicion of abusing public office after Epstein files indicated he may have passed on private financial information to the predator. The former prince, who was stripped of his titles and honors in October due to his Epstein connections, has denied all wrongdoing. The criminal investigation into him remains ongoing. Still, there are myriad photos of Andrew with Epstein and his associates, including Virginia Giuffre, who accused the former royal of sexually abusing her when she was 17. Giuffre and Mountbatten-Windsor later settled in court for an undisclosed amount and no admission of liability on Andrew's behalf. Representatives Thomas Massie and Ro Khanna arrive at the Department of Justice office building to view un-redacted Jeffrey Epstein files, in Washington, DC, on February 9, 2026 Khanna told the Daily Mail that King Charles 'owes it' to the Epstein victims to meet with them Khanna has met many of Epstein's victims while advancing his bill - the Epstein Files Transparency Act. The law passed and has since forced the Justice Department to publish its files on the financier. The Democrat says the victims want to meet with King Charles. 'King Charles's brother has been accused of abusing some of these young girls, and of course, there's now a criminal matter. The monarchy owes it to the survivors to show that they're not dispensable.' Khanna told the Daily Mail that Charles doesn't have to discuss the matters regarding his brother, but the meeting would show the crown's commitment to righting a wrong. 'This is about him as head of state, recognizing that the survivors deserve to be treated with respect, and they deserve to be acknowledged and given his own family's involvement, he owes it to them.' 'This is a question of the relevance of the British monarchy. Are they just going to be a vestige of the past, a symbol of elite impunity, where some people think they're the better than the rest of us? Or is King Charles going to meet with the survivors and say that they that he's going to be a voice for human rights?' Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor was stripped of his royal titles and honors in October due to hsi relationship with Jeffrey Epstein King Charles III and Queen Camilla (left) with President Donald Trump and his wife, First Lady Melania Trump, at Windsor Castle in September 2025 Queen Camilla will join King Charles on his visit to the US later this month The monarch has made limited comments on his brother's connection to Epstein, but did release an extraordinary statement in February following Andrew's arrest. 'I have learned with the deepest concern the news about Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and suspicion of misconduct in public office,' King Charles said in a February statement, notably not referring to Andrew as his brother. 'As this process continues, it would not be right for me to comment further on this matter. Meanwhile, my family and I will continue in our duty and service to you all,' the statement continued. He also voiced support for the ongoing criminal investigation into Andrew. However, when peppered with questions from press about his brother's arrest, the King has stayed mum. King Charles will be visiting the US for a four-day visit starting on April 27. During the trip, the monarch is scheduled to meet with families of the victims of the 9/11 terror attacks and Native Americans in Virginia. There has been no announcement that King Charles or Queen Camilla will meet with Epstein's victims on their visit. The LGBTQ+ venue Heaven received around 20 complaints from fake individuals, all calling for the permanent closure of the club. Aldo d'Aponte, 47, pleaded guilty to writing two fake letters, posing as his neighbours, opposing the reopening of Heaven nightclub. D'Aponte, a real estate firm boss, was handed a 12-month conditional discharge and ordered to pay 85 in costs, along with a 26 victim surcharge. The nightclub's licence was suspended in November 2024 after a bouncer was accused of raping a 19-year-old in his car after she was denied entry to a Halloween event. Heaven was allowed to reopen a month later, following a council hearing and the introduction of enhanced security and welfare policies. The staff member was later found not guilty of the alleged offence. During the hearing, council officials received several letters from an encrypted email address, all raising concerns about the nightclub. The unusual nature of the letters prompted Philip Kolvin KC, a planning lawyer representing the venue, to run them through an AI detection tool. The LGBTQ+ venue Heaven received around 20 complaints from fake individuals, all calling for the permanent closure of the club His pro bono investigation revealed the people did not even exist and were not linked to the addresses provided. When the letters were put through an AI detection generator they were identified as almost certainly written using artificial intelligence, the Guaridan reported. Police later traced two of the letters to d'Aponte using IP address data. The nightclub's owner, Jeremy Joseph, has since questioned the integrity of the system, asking how fake complaints could be submitted so easily. Mr Joseph was unable to read his victim impact statement due to the guilty plea, but told Metro: 'What he has put us through was never made public; it was the worst time of my life'. He added it has caused him to have to 'fight' for his business. The use of AI was not mentioned in court on Thursday, according to The Guardian, and the CPS did not rely on it for their case. D'Aponte and his husband had previously complained about noise from the nightclub, which they described as a 'nuisance'. Their window overlooked the venue's entrance. In their own submission to Westminster City Council, they argued that the running of the club in its current form was 'fundamentally at odds with family and community life in what is a residential neighbourhood'. Saba Naqshbandi KC, representing d'Aponte, said his actions was 'completely out of character' - which was described as a 'foolish and desperate act'. She linked the incident to the 'constant nuisance' the family had endured from the venue over eight years. Following the hearing, d'Aponte said he regretted his actions and called on the nightclub to 'take steps' to 'better coexist' with the local community. He pleaded guilty under section 158 of the Licensing Act 2003. The legislation makes it an offence to knowingly or recklessly make a false statement in connection with an application for the grant, variation, transfer or review of a premises licence or a club premises certificate. The maximum penalty is an unlimited fine. The Metropolitan Police and Westminster City Council have been contacted for comment. D'Aponte said in a statement prvided to the Mail: 'I deeply regret having acted inappropriately. 'I dont intend to minimise or excuse the offence which I fully accepted by my guilty plea the context of my decade of acute frustration attempting to secure real action from Heavens management does I hope explain why I felt driven to take the action I did. 'Me and my young family, local residents, and club patrons every week have been subjected to an unsafe and often dangerous environment.' President Donald Trump greeted Erika Kirk with a kiss on the cheek and a squeeze on an Arizona stage days after she skipped an event with Vice President JD Vance. Trump headlined a Turning Point USA 'Build the Red Wall' rally Friday afternoon at Dream City Church in Phoenix, Arizona, where the late Charlie Kirk's organization is headquartered. Erika Kirk decided against attending an event with Vice President JD Vance earlier this week, citing security concerns in the aftermath of her husband's brutal assassination. Trump memorialized Charlie Kirk at the top of his speech - which was spent listing his administration's accomplishments ahead of the important November midterms. 'Charlie was murdered by a cruel and vicious assassin who believed that by silencing his voice, he could kill an entire giant movement,' the President said. 'But standing here today, it's clear to see that Charlie's voice is not silenced. It's roaring. And roaring back loudly, frankly, than ever before,' Trump added. During her introduction of Trump, Kirk talked about her late husband, but also called attention to the most recent Democratic scandal - the downfall of California Representative Eric Swalwell. She implored the crowd that Arizona, which has elected a Democratic governor and two Democratic senators in recent cycles, not turn into the bright blue California. President Donald Trump (right) gives Erika Kirk (left) a hug and a kiss as he arrives Friday at Dream City Church in Phoenix, Arizona, for a Turning Point USA 'Build the Red Wall' event President Donald Trump speaks at a Turning Point USA 'Build the Red Wall' event at Dream City Church in Phoenix, Arizona on Friday Swalwell abandoned his gubernatorial run and resigned from Congress after rape and other sexual misconduct allegations were leveled at him. He denied the rape allegations, but has apologized to his wife publicly for his misdeeds. 'We don't want Arizona to elect people like Eric Swalwell,' Kirk said. 'We do have his best friend, Ruben Gallego, here. So we have some work to do.' Gallego, a former House colleague of Swalwell's, was elected to the US Senate in 2024, over Trump ally Kari Lake. Earlier this week, Charlie Kirk's widow pulled out of a Turning Point USA event in Georgia, headlined by Vance. 'I know that she did get some threats,' Vance said onstage at the University of Georgia in Athens, Georgia. 'I was a little worried that we were going to have to cancel the event because Erika was not going to come, and she was very worried about it.' Vance expressed that he had spoken with the Secret Service and didn't fear for his safety. Erika Kirk introduced President Donald Trump at a Turning Point USA 'Build the Red Wall' rally at Dream City Church in Phoenix, Arizona Friday afternoon President Donald Trump appeared at Dream City Church in Phoenix, Arizona, on Friday for a Turning Point 'Build the Red Wall' rally Charlie Kirk was assassinated in broad daylight while speaking at a Turning Point USA event on Utah Valley University's campus in September, a shocking moment of political violence in the United States. It propelled his 37-year-old widow to political prominence, with the Daily Mail reporting earlier this week that Kirk was now feeling the strain of being in the limelight. That factored into her decision to cancel on Vance. She did attend the bridal shower of Bettina Anderson, Donald Trump Jr's fiancee, over the weekend, with the Daily Mail's DC Insider newsletter reporting exclusive details, including that the President called into the event to wish the happy couple well. 'Everyone was really happy to see Erika Kirk and rallying around her in her time of difficulty,' one shower guest told the Daily Mail, who declined to be named. Trump's stop in Phoenix marks his second stop in a tour of two important swing states - Nevada and Arizona - as he tries to shore up Republicans' economic message ahead of the November midterms. During the Arizona event, Trump complained about what could be a forthcoming shellacking. He bemoaned how the incumbent's party traditionally loses Congressional seats in the midterms. 'It doesn't make sense,' he complained. 'Even if you have a President who is doing a good job.' President Donald Trump bemoaned what could be a shellacking of the Republican Party in the upcoming midterms during his appearance Friday afternoon in Phoenix, Arizona 'It should be the opposite, we're doing well, we're doing our job, we're ending wars,' he noted. He teased that the Iran war, which he started alongside Israel, should be wrapped up soon, suggesting the closeness of a peace deal. 'Wait until you see prices fall. Did you see oil is down today?' he asked the crowd. On Thursday afternoon, Trump spoke in Las Vegas about his 'no tax on tips' policy that was included in the 'big, beautiful bill.' There, he mused that the White House staff's attempt to tout the policy with a DoorDash delivery of McDonald's to the Oval Office was 'tacky.' 'You know, they come up with these crazy ideas ... They're a little embarrassing,' he told the crowd. Get your news delivered straight to you - sign up to the Morning Mail newsletter for FREE to be first with the day's biggest stories Two of Keir Starmer's top aides knew about the latest Peter Mandelson scandal for weeks, it emerged on Friday night. Amid fresh accusations that Sir Keir has lost control of his Government, it was revealed the country's top civil servant, Dame Antonia Romeo, and the Cabinet Office's Cat Little found out last month that Mandelson was given the green light as US ambassador against the advice of security officials. The embattled Prime Minister insisted he was unaware until Tuesday that the New Labour grandee had been appointed to Washington last year despite failing his vetting. He said he was 'absolutely furious' that the Foreign Office had not told him it had overruled the vetting, and sacked its most senior figure, Sir Olly Robbins. Allies of the ousted mandarin insisted he was simply following the rules by keeping highly sensitive background checks on Mandelson a secret, and there was 'no basis' for him to lose his job. On Friday night it was revealed that others in Downing Street knew well before the Prime Minister, questioning his grip on the ever-evolving scandal that has now raged for more than seven months. The Guardian reported that Ms Little, the Cabinet Office's Permanent Secretary who is overseeing the publication of files demanded by MPs, was handed a damning document at the end of March. Written in early 2025 by UK Security Vetting officials, it identified highly sensitive concerns about Mandelson and concluded he should not be given the clearance needed for the job. It has emerged two of Keir Starmer's top aides knew about the latest Peter Mandelson (pictured with Sir Keir Starmer on February 26, 2025, in Washington) scandal for weeks The Cabinet Office's Cat Little (left) and Dame Antonia Rome (right) found out last month that Mandelson was given the green light as US ambassador against the advice of security officials She told Cabinet Secretary Dame Antonia, who was little more than a month into the job, and they discussed the potential risks of sharing the information. The Cabinet Office then got legal advice on whether it could prejudice the Metropolitan Police's criminal investigation into Mandelson and also asked the Foreign Office why it had granted him developed vetting clearance against advice. It was suggested up to a dozen officials and lawyers were aware of the vetting failure, but not the PM, who repeatedly insisted everything was done by the book. The pair finally approached Sir Keir on Tuesday with details of the revelation that plunged his premiership into fresh crisis. However, there were further questions for No 10 after it was told by The Mail on Sunday as far back as September that Mandelson had failed his security clearance test, only for the suggestion to be denied. Senior Tory MP Alex Burghart said: 'This is yet more evidence that Keir Starmer's Government is a shambles. 'If it's really true Starmer didn't know about Mandelson's vetting failures when senior officials had the truth, it confirms the PM is in office but not in power. 'Either everyone is lying, or this is the most shambolic government in history or both. It's time for Starmer to go.' Tory leader Kemi Badenoch added: 'That this is a national disgrace, the buck stops with him and the only decent response is to resign.' Sir Keir ignored a question about whether he would resign, but faces a perilous week. He must give his account of the saga to the Commons on Monday, while Sir Olly has been summoned before MPs on the foreign affairs committee the following day. In another blow, polling by YouGov found that only 16 per cent of Britons believe the PM has been honest about how the disastrous ambassadorship decision was made, while 53 per cent said otherwise. In Paris for a summit on the Iran crisis, Sir Keir said: 'That I wasn't told that Peter Mandelson had failed security vetting when he was appointed is staggering. That I wasn't told that he had failed security vetting when I was telling Parliament that due process had been followed is unforgivable. 'Not only was I not told, no minister was told, and I'm absolutely furious about that.' A spokesman said No 10 had 'repeatedly' asked the Foreign Office about the facts of the case but was never told that red flags had been raised about Mandelson. Ministers said they were even unaware the Foreign Office had the power to overrule security recommendations. A friend of Sir Olly insisted the mandarin had abided by the rules. Ciaran Martin, a former chief executive of the National Cyber Security Centre, told the BBC: 'I simply cannot comprehend the basis of this decision. 'There is no abuse of process. There's no failure of process. Not only is there no duty to disclose the details of a vetting case, there is a duty not to disclose them.' A Cabinet Office spokesman said: 'As part of the Government's commitment to comply fully with the Humble Address, the Permanent Secretary at the Cabinet Office requested the vetting summary document. 'Once she received this document, the Cabinet Office immediately undertook a series of expedited checks in order to be in a sound position to share the document, or the fact of it. 'As soon as these checks were conducted, the Prime Minister was informed.' Rumeysa Ozturk, the Tufts University graduate student who was arrested by plainclothes ICE agents last year, has finished her studies and returned to her native country of Turkey. Ozturk's arrest in March 2025 quickly became a high profile example of the Trump administration going after international students. Ozturk, who completed her Ph.D. in child study and human development, released a statement through the American Civil Liberties Union blasting the US government for its decision to detain her for six weeks. 'The time stolen from me by the US government belongs not just to me, but to the children and youth I have dedicated my life to advocating for,' she said. She added that she returned home so she wouldn't lose 'more time to the state-imposed violence and hostility I have experienced in the United States - all for nothing more than co-signing an op-ed advocating for Palestinian rights'. On March 25, 2025, security footage showed Ozturk walking on a street in Somerville, Massachusetts, when a group of six people approached her from all angles. They were masked and presented identification badges. She was heard screaming before she was put in handcuffs and whisked away in a black SUV. The Trump administration defended its arrest of Ozturk, arguing it fit into its mission to combat antisemitism on college campuses. Rumeysa Ozturk, the Tufts University student that spent 45 days in ICE custody, announced that she returned to her native country of Turkey after finishing her studies. She blasted the US for subjecting her to 'state-imposed violence' Pictured: Ozturk is led away on March 25, 2025, by plainclothes federal agents who arrested her on a street in Somerville, Massachusetts The Department of Homeland Security said she was arrested after an investigation found that she had 'engaged in activities in support of Hamas, a foreign terrorist organization that relishes the killing of Americans'. Former DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin pointed to an opinion piece Ozturk wrote in The Tufts Daily in March 2024 that 'recycled Hamas talking points and propaganda'. The article criticized the administration at Tufts University for rejecting student claims that a genocide of Palestinians was taking place and for declining to divest from companies with ties to Israel. Ozturk, who has denied she is antisemitic, was taken to processing facilities in New Hampshire and Vermont before she was flown to a detention center in Basile, Louisiana. That detention center has been criticized for its allegedly poor conditions and possible abuse toward female inmates. While she was in custody, her legal student status was revoked by the State Department, though a court later ordered the Trump administration to restore it. This allowed her to finish her studies, though she was reportedly working on her thesis while she was imprisoned in Louisiana, more than 1,500 miles away from where she lived. Ozturk spent 45 days in detention and was released in May after federal judge William Sessions said her being locked up could chill 'the speech of the millions and millions of individuals in this country who are not citizens'. Pictured: Tufts University students protest Ozturk's detention on March 26, 2025, the day after she was arrested Pictured: After being released in May, Ozturk speaks with reporters outside the detention facility she was in for six weeks 'I put the government on notice that they should immediately introduce any such evidence, and that was three weeks ago, and there has been no evidence that has been introduced by the government other than the op-ed,' Sessions said. In January 2026, an immigration judge in Boston, Roopal Patel, terminated the Trump administration's removal proceedings against Ozturk, stating that the government had 'no grounds' to deport her. In April, the Trump administration fired Patel, who was appointed to the bench in 2024 by President Joe Biden. A UPS cargo plane had to abort its landing in Louisville earlier this week when a small plane crossed the runway just as it approached. The air traffic controller yelled 'Skylab 25, stop!' at the small plane before quickly ordering the UPS plane to pull up and perform a maneuver called a go-around to avert another tragedy at Louisville International Airport, a major hub for UPS. The Boeing 767, identified as UPS flight 1303, was arriving from Atlanta when it was ordered to cancel its landing. The incident comes only months after a UPS plane crashed after an engine fell off as it was rolling down the runway to take off. The National Transportation Safety Board announced on Thursday that it plans to hold two days of investigative hearings starting May 19 to learn more about why the November crash that killed 14 people happened. Fortunately, no one was hurt in this latest incident, which happened about 12:10am on Tuesday. Right after the cargo plane safely pulled up, the controller asked 'Skylab 25, what are you doing?' The pilot responded 'Skylab 25, yeah, sorry about that.' The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating. A UPS cargo plane was forced to abort landing after a small aircraft crossed the runway in Louisville (file photo) The near miss comes months after a deadly UPS crash at the same airport remains under investigation. 14 people were killed including three crew members when an engine fell off 'Following standard procedures, a UPS aircraft safely conducted a go-around during its approach at the direction of air traffic control. There was no operational impact,' UPS said in a statement. Flight tracking data from FlightRadar24 shows the aircraft descending to around 500ft before climbing back up to around 1,500ft. Louisville's UPS Worldport is the company's largest package handling center in the world. The 5.2 million-square-foot hub serves as the center of UPS global air network. In last November's accident, the McDonnell Douglas MD-11 UPS cargo plane crashed after its engine fell off on takeoff. Officials from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) have confirmed that the engine detached from the aircraft. The plane was 34 years old and its fuel tank had been repaired last September, according to flight records. Dramatic images which emerged online in the aftermath of the tragedy showed a fireball explosion, and what appeared to be the engine on the runway. A terrifying video shared to social media showed the aircraft attempting to take off with a ball of fire emanating from its left wing. Just moments later, the plane exploded. Dashcam footage also showed the plane crashing back into the runway, leaving a blaze in its wake. The UPS cargo plane which crashed and killed 11 people on Tuesday did so after its engine fell off during departure, officials have confirmed. The McDonnell Douglas MD-11 plane exploded shortly after taking off from Kentucky's Muhammad Ali International Airport What appears to be a plane engine is seen here lying on the runway following the crash Close calls like Tuesday's incident happen frequently. Last week, a Frontier Airlines jet nearly collided with two trucks that crossed in front of it as it was taxiing at slow speeds at Los Angeles International Airport. In a separate incident earlier this week in Charlotte, North Carolina, an American Airlines pilot told the tower he had to slam on the brakes when a truck crossed in front of him on a taxiway. Last month, an Air Canada plane landing at LaGuardia Airport in New York smashed into a fire truck that had been cleared to cross the runway less than 20 seconds earlier. Both pilots were killed and dozens were injured in that crash. A Massachusetts woman who donned a beekeeper suit and unleashed a swarm of agitated bees on sheriffs deputies during an eviction has been found guilty, capping a bizarre confrontation captured in striking arrest photos. Rebecca Rorie Woods, 59, was convicted of multiple assault charges and sentenced to six months in jail following the chaotic 2022 confrontation at a Longmeadow mansion, where deputies were serving a lawful court order. Prosecutors said she deliberately used beehives to attack law enforcement officers attempting to carry out the eviction. 'This was unlike anything our team has ever experienced,' Hampden County Sheriff Nick Cocchi said in a statement following the verdict. 'Our deputies were carrying out a lawful court order and were met with a deliberate act that put lives in danger. We are grateful the jury recognized the seriousness of what occurred and the risk it posed to our staff and the community.' Images from the scene saw deputies restraining Woods while she remains protected inside a mesh-covered bee suit, as well as the moments leading up to the chaos. Authorities could be seen struggling to secure the hive boxes she had brought to the property. The photographs underscore just how extraordinary the incident was. Rebecca Rorie Woods wore a beekeeper suit as she struggled with police officers Woods attempted to open the hive lids before smashing one open. Authorities said the bees became 'extremely aggressive' after release and stung several deputies In one image, Woods can be seen standing between deputies, her hands restrained behind her back, still wearing the protective beekeeper hood that shielded her from the swarm she had just released. In another, officials grapple with a strapped wooden hive box, attempting to contain the bees before they could spread further. Authorities described how the situation escalated rapidly and turned a routine eviction into a medical emergency. According to the Hampden County Sheriff's Department, the incident unfolded shortly after 9:15am on October 12, 2022, as deputies executed the final phase of an eviction order at a large home on Memory Lane in Longmeadow. Woods arrived in a blue Nissan Xterra towing a trailer loaded with multicolored beehives. She left her dog inside the vehicle and immediately approached the hives, attempting to remove their lids. A deputy tried to intervene, but bees had already begun to escape. Authorities said Woods then smashed open one of the hives and flipped it off the trailer, causing the insects to become 'extremely aggressive' and swarm the area. Rebecca Rorie Woods was convicted of multiple assault charges tied to the 2022 eviction incident Deputies were executing a court-ordered eviction at the time, but Woods had other ideas Deputies and bystanders were stung as the bees spread. Several of the officers on scene were known to be allergic, and one sheriff's employee was taken to the hospital. Thousands of bees were killed in the incident. Prosecutors highlighted one remark in particular as evidence of intent. When told that deputies were allergic to bee stings, Woods responded: 'Oh, you're allergic? Good,' according to authorities. Even after the initial swarm, officials say Woods escalated further. Wearing her beekeeper suit, she carried what was described as a stack or 'tower' of hives toward the front door of the home, attempting to intensify the disruption and halt the eviction before deputies ultimately arrested her at the scene. The property at the center of the eviction was a roughly 9,500-square-foot home with seven bedrooms and nine bathrooms, valued at more than $1.5 million, according to public listings. Authorities said Woods had no direct connection to the home, but had become involved as an anti-eviction activist. Her involvement came against the backdrop of her own history. Years earlier, she had been evicted from a property in Hadley following a prolonged legal dispute. At the time, Woods told MassLive she was living in a tent on a friend's land and dealing with serious health issues, including cancer. 'The eviction process has clearly been weaponized by the courts to thwart my appeal, which has every chance of success due to case law precedent,' she said. Officers could be seen grappling with a strapped wooden hive box as they attempted to contain the bees before they could spread further. Woods ripped over the box, freeing the swarm Woods arrived at the property towing beehives on a trailer before deliberately trying to knock them over. Thousands of bees were killed in the incident The case stretched on for years after the initial arrest. In August 2025, Woods failed to appear for her trial in Springfield District Court. Authorities later located her about 800 miles away in Kingsport, Tennessee where she was arrested at a motel. She remained in custody there for more than three months after refusing to waive extradition back to Massachusetts. Once returned, she faced trial on charges stemming from the 2022 incident. Hampden District Attorney Anthony D. Gulluni described her actions as a clear and deliberate threat to public safety. 'This was an intentional and dangerous act that put law enforcement and members of the public at risk,' he said. 'Court orders exist to be followed, and the defendant's attempts to disrupt them were unlawful and absurd.' Despite her plan, officers managed to place Woods in handcuffs and arrest her The property involved is valued at over $1.5 million. Woods had no direct connection to the home being evicted but had previously been evicted from her own home in Hadley He added that he commended Assistant District Attorney Blake McConnell and the deputies involved. Sheriff Cocchi said the case stood out even among the many evictions his department handles each year. 'We don't just show up to enforce an order - we try to help people through difficult situations,' he said. 'That commitment doesn't change, even in the face of something like this.' Officials said they routinely prepare for resistance during evictions but say nothing could have prepared them for what they faced that morning. Gaza City, Gaza (PANA) - The UN Childrens Fund (UNICEF) has raised alarm over the killing of two contracted workers delivering clean water to families in the Gaza Strip A British Airways pilot who bludgeoned his wife to death with a claw hammer could be freed from prison, as the killer is set to appear before a Parole Board next week. Robert Brown, now 61, killed his 46-year-old wife Joanna Simpson in their family home in Ascot, Berkshire, on Halloween 2010 after she endured years of domestic abuse. He killed Ms Simpson within earshot of their young children Alex and Kate, then aged 10 and nine, and then dug a grave in Windsor Great Park before dumping her body. Brown pleaded guilty to manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility, claiming he was suffering from a stress-related 'adjustment disorder'. The former airline captain was due to be released halfway through his 26-year sentence in November 2023. However, former Justice Secretary Alex Chalk blocked his automatic release and referred the case to the Parole Board. With Mr Chalk's support, the family of Ms Simpson also sought to have the hearing held in public - but the request was rejected. The hearing will instead take place behind closed doors on Thursday and Friday next week. Ms Simpson's mother Diana Parkes said her family had used all their efforts to 'make sure this evil man stays behind bars'. They had believed Brown should have been charged with murder due to what they considered was the premeditated nature of the killing. Brown attacked his estranged wife, a B&B owner, inside their marital home in Ascot while their children were in another room. He had arrived at the house to drop them off after a half-term visit. Robert Brown, a British Airways captain who bludgeoned his wife to death with a claw hammer could be freed from prison Joanna Simpson was the successful owner of a 5 star Bed and Breakfast business in upscale Ascot, where she resided with her husband He brutally smashed a claw hammer on to the mother-of-two's head 14 times, before bundling her body into the boot of his Volvo. Katie, then nine, said she could hear 'banging' from the hammer attack. Brown then drove Ms Simpson to a pre-dug grave in Windsor Great Park, before returning to the house to disconnect the phone and remove the CCTV. He later put his children in the car and drove them to his new partner's house. During the journey, his son asked if he was 'taking Mummy to hospital'. Ms Simpson's body was not found until five days later. At the time, Brown claimed that the extreme stress of an acrimonious divorce, along with a belief he was being 'stitched up' by a prenuptial agreement, caused a psychological and behavioural disturbance that impaired his ability to control his actions. He also cited other personal stresses. Following his manslaughter conviction, Katie wrote a letter to the trial judge, saying: 'My father killed my mummy and I'm scared if he comes out of jail too soon he might come back and hurt me because I heard him killing my mummy. 'He is the most evilest man I have ever known and I wish he wasn't my father.' Brown killed Ms Simpson within earshot of their young children Alex and Kate, then aged 10 and nine Ms Simpson's mother Diana Parkes said her family had used all their efforts to 'make sure this evil man stays behind bars' Ruling on the application for a public hearing, Parole Board chairman Sir John Saunders said Brown's right to privacy outweighed the public interest in holding the hearing openly. He cited Brown's right to a private life under Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), which he said would be breached if the hearing were held in public. Sir Saunders added that an open hearing would impact Brown's 'ability to resettle in the community'. In response, Ms Parkes said: 'We have given up all our rights to privacy to do everything that we can to make sure this evil man stays behind bars. 'Why should Brown get to keep his privacy? I truly hope the Parole Board can still see that Brown is a dangerous man and does not let him out. 'Sadly, everything seems to be in favour of the perpetrator. The safety of the victims is put below the safety of the offender.' Ms Parkes and Hetti Barkworth-Nanton, a close friend of Ms Simpson's, added the Brown's potential release was 'exactly as expected'. Ms Simpson's family has gained support from Carrie Johnson, former justice secretary Sir Robert Buckland, and the late Baroness Newlove, the former victims' commissioner for England and Wales. A gang of car thieves who bragged about stealing almost 3.5million worth of luxury motors have been jailed for 94 years. The group stole almost 100 vehicles between May and August 2024, and West Mercia Police said the 111 offences sparked 'the biggest conspiracy' it has ever dealt with. Out of 98 luxury vehicles, some valued in excess of 100,000, stolen, only 40 were recovered, with one found as far away as Azerbaijan, Worcester Crown Court heard. The group of 12 operated in Worcestershire, Herefordshire, Powys, Warwickshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Northamptonshire, Wiltshire, Berkshire and Cambridgeshire. The gang stole high-end cars including BMWs, Audis, Land Rovers and Range Rovers, by breaking into their victims' homes and stealing the keys. Videos shared on WhatsApp and Snapchat captured them bragging about their exploits and scouting out target vehicles while dashcam footage from stolen cars caught them racing away from crime scenes at speeds of more than 160mph. The group would also bleach the entrance and exit points of the homes they targteed to hide forensic evidence before speeding off in the stolen vehicles, causing extensive damage. They would quickly move on the cars using criminal networks by either disguising the vehicles' original identities to sell them on the black market for only a fraction of their value or strip them out for parts in illegal 'chop shops.' The group of 12 operated in Worcestershire, Herefordshire, Powys, Warwickshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Northamptonshire, Wiltshire, Berkshire and Cambridgeshire The gang stole high-end cars including BMWs, Audis, Land Rovers and Range Rovers, by breaking into their victims' homes and stealing the keys One of the car theft gang members being arrested by police The damage caused to the properties, as well as other stolen valuables, including sentimental jewellery and cash, they ramped up the cost of their criminal enterprise to around 3.67million. Carrying out burglaries in balaclavas and often confronting their victims, the gang caused misery and harm to those they targeted, which included elderly and vulnerable people, and families with young children, across the UK. Each offender was convicted of one count of conspiracy to commit burglary and one count of conspiracy to conceal/disguise/transfer/remove criminal property. Detective Constable Simon Lloyd, co-lead investigator for Op Flare, said: 'This organised criminal gang were responsible for 3.45million of car thefts causing a lot of harm to their victims in the process. 'Not only did the victims suffer from their cars being stolen and homes broken into, but the offenders also had a 'calling card' of bleaching areas they came to contact with damaging properties and causing further misery.' Detective Inspector James Bamber of Proactive CID added: 'This result is for those victims. We hope it brings them some sense of justice and helps them to move on with their lives after the harm this gang have caused them. 'For West Mercia Police it concludes a thorough and comprehensive year-long investigation by our officers into what has been the biggest conspiracy case by volume of offences ever dealt with by the force. 'I would like to pay tribute to the Op Flare team for their hard work and dedication on this case which has seen justice delivered for more than a hundred victims across the country.' During sentencing, Judge Andrew Lockhart KC told the perpetrators in court: 'The terrible and long-lasting impact of your offences strike at the heart of society who should feel safe and secure in their own homes. 'You reaped havoc upon their lives without any thought for them. 'Families endured fear and children were affected by your actions. 'A significant portion of your victims were forced to move home as they couldn't face living there anymore. 'You caused them huge financial losses. Sentimental items were taken and relationships between families were harmed by the stress you caused them.' Keir Starmer is facing new questions about why he kept quiet about the Peter Mandelson vetting fiasco. The Prime Minister stands accused of breaking ministerial rules by not immediately informing MPs of the latest scandal. He has admitted that he was told on Tuesday evening that the New Labour grandee had been appointed US Ambassador despite failing his security vetting, only for the decision to be overruled. But he said nothing for the best part of a day-and-a-half before the news leaked. That included his weekly outing in the Commons at Prime Minister's Questions on Wednesday. And when the story broke on Thursday afternoon, it was not until 6pm that the Government issued a response. Sir Keir will not address the Commons until Monday afternoon, six days after learning that he had been wrong to assure MPs previously that the 'full due process' had been followed when Mandelson was sent to Washington early last year. This is despite the Ministerial Code stating: 'It is of paramount importance that ministers give accurate and truthful information to Parliament, correcting any inadvertent error at the earliest opportunity.' It emerged on Friday night that senior officials were indeed concerned ministers had misled Parliament. Keir Starmer is facing new questions about why he kept quiet about the Peter Mandelson (pictured together on February 27, 2025) vetting fiasco The Foreign Office's top civil servant Sir Olly Robbins (pictured) was sacked after his department failed to inform Starmer that Lord Mandelson had failed the security vetting An email published by the Government summarising the meeting in No 10 on Tuesday night written by Dan York-Smith, principal private secretary to the Prime Minister stated: 'Our advice to the PM was that further fact-finding was required, to understand the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office decision-making process and reasons for granting clearance and to determine whether ministers, having been provided (incorrectly) with assurances about the process, had inadvertently misled Parliament when commenting on the process which had been followed.' The PM has now been reported to his ethics adviser Sir Laurie Magnus for a potential breach of the rules. Liberal Democrat MP Lisa Smart said: 'The Prime Minister failed to tell Parliament that he knew Mandelson had been denied vetting on Wednesday, presumably crossing his fingers and hoping the truth would not come out. 'What a shameful way for a Prime Minister to behave. To stand in front of the dispatch box and deny Parliament such crucial information looks like a serious breach of ministerial code. 'That's why I've written to the ethics adviser to report this breach and ask him to investigate at the earliest opportunity.' Senior Tory MP Neil O'Brien said: 'The Ministerial Code could not be clearer on this. The Prime Minister, having misled the House, is supposed to correct the record as soon as he possibly can. 'Yet he went through Prime Minister's Questions without disclosing something he admits he knew on Tuesday. The rules are very clear and he has broken them.' Mr O'Brien added: 'He was caught, he didn't admit it. It wouldn't have come out without The Guardian [newspaper] reporting it first.' Sir Keir is also facing the prospect of a parliamentary investigation similar to the one Boris Johnson was subjected to over the 'Partygate' pandemic scandal. The Lib Dems said the privileges committee should look into what the Prime Minister knew about Lord Mandelson's vetting failure and whether he intentionally misled MPs. Party leader Sir Ed Davey said: 'We need to get to the bottom of exactly what Keir Starmer knew when, and whether he intentionally misled Parliament over this appalling scandal. 'The public deserves the truth, not another cover-up. If it turns out Starmer was aware at the time that Mandelson's security vetting was overruled, that would represent a major abuse of power and a betrayal of the national interest.' The Prime Minister's right-hand man insisted yesterday that Sir Keir wanted to update MPs as soon as he could but needed to get the full facts first. Darren Jones, chief secretary to the Prime Minister, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: 'As soon as the Prime Minister was informed on Tuesday evening that this had happened, he requested the Cabinet Secretary to provide him with a detailed list of the facts: what happened when, who did what and how do we explain the situation. 'The reason he asked for those facts is because he told the Cabinet Secretary on Tuesday evening that he was going to go to the House of Commons to provide this information to Parliament and to the public. 'But it is right therefore that he had all of those facts in front of him before he did so, because if he went before he'd had those facts and inadvertently made a mistake, Parliament would rightly criticise the Prime Minister for doing that.' Donald Trump made a shocking revelation at a recent speaking event, abruptly announcing that he has instructed Pete Hegseth to release government UFO files. The president headlined a Turning Point USA event on Friday at a megachurch in Phoenix, Arizona, where he defended his record in office to a slew of young conservative voters. The event is the latest stop in the TPUSA tour across America, where top conservatives are attempting to bolster support for their party among young voters. During his remarks, Trump boasted about his Secretary of War, Pete Hegseth, revealing that the Pentagon would soon release documents relating to UFOs and 'unexplained aerial phenomena.' 'I figured this was a good crowd because you people - you're really into that. I don't know. So I'm pleased to report today, I thought I'd save it for this crowd, because you're a little bit out there, that this process is well underway,' he joked. 'We found many very interesting documents, I must say. And the first releases will begin very, very soon. So you can go out and see if that phenomena is correct. You'll figure it out. Let me know.' A War Department official confirmed to the Daily Mail that the All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO) is working with the White House to consolidate existing UAP records collections. 'Since the office was established, AARO has made progress to make UAP information available and transfer those records to the National Archives in accordance with federal law,' the official said in a statement. Donald Trump, pictured above speaking at a TPUSA event in Phoenix, revealed that he has directed Secretary of War Pete Hegseth to release UFO files It's unclear what files Trump was referring to in his remarks. Pictured above is a still from a previously released unclassified US government video appearing to show a UAP Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, pictured above on March 4 at the Pentagon, previously told reporters that his department was 'digging in' to UFO-related files 'We welcome the president's initiative to supercharge these efforts and make more UAP information available to the public as soon as possible.' The Committee on Oversight and Government Reform's Task Force sent a letter to Hegseth in March, requesting video files related to Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (UAPs) by April 14. The letter followed hearings by the House task force in September, where whistleblowers testified that the All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO), a section of the Department of War, possessed video records of UAPs. 'The lack of disclosure regarding the very real threat posed by UAPs in and around US restricted airspace is concerning,' House representatives wrote. 'The presence of UAPs in and around the sensitive airspaces of US military installations poses a threat to the security of the armed forces and their readiness.' The letter requested over 45 video files dating back to 2019, including footage of 'cigar-shaped' and 'spherical' UAPs. Some clips reportedly captured UAP formations near Iran and Syria, incidents near US bases and airports, and even a 2023 shootdown over Lake Huron. A video file reportedly revealing UFOs in formation over the Persian Gulf was also requested. Trump wrote on Truth Social in February that he would be directing Hegseth to begin identifying and releasing UFO-related files. 'Based on the tremendous interest shown, I will be directing the Secretary of War, and other relevant Departments and Agencies, to begin the process of identifying and releasing Government files related to alien and extraterrestrial life, unidentified aerial phenomena (UAP), and unidentified flying objects (UFOs), and any and all other information connected to these highly complex, but extremely interesting and important, matters,' he said at the time. Hegseth later told reporters that his department was 'digging in' to the files and would be in compliance with the president's orders. Leaked military video from 2012 revealed three orbs captured flying over the Persian Gulf, pictured above Your browser does not support iframes. Former President Barack Obama also hinted at classified UFO information during a podcast interview at the time. When asked if aliens were real, he responded: 'They're real, but I haven't seen them, and they're not being kept in ... Area 51. 'There's no underground facility unless there's this enormous conspiracy and they hid it from the president of the United States.' Trump blasted Obama for the remarks, telling reporters that the former president 'took it out of classified information,' adding, 'He's not supposed to be doing that.' The Pentagon has previously investigated UFO and UAP activity. In 2022, senior defense officials at the AARO announced that they had found no evidence that aliens had ever visited Earth. The AARO released a report in 2024, concluding that most UFO sightings were misidentified as ordinary objects and there was no evidence of extraterrestrial technology since the end of World War II. Despite earlier reports, it seems the federal government has continued to ramp up investigations, with the federal domain aliens.gov suddenly showing signs of activity. The site has now returned as an SSL error, a technical signal that the address may be connected to a live server but is not yet fully configured for public access. The government has a long history of investigating UFOs. Starting in 1974, the US Air Force launched Project Blue Book, which cataloged over 12,000 UFO sightings. The project concluded in 1969 after officials determined there was no evidence of UFOs from other planets. Your browser does not support iframes. US Senator Harry Reid started to take an interest in UFOs in 1995, pushing the Pentagon's Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program in 2007. Since then, there have been a slew of sightings investigated by federal authorities, including a near-collision off the Florida coast between Navy pilots and unidentified craft in 2014. The White House has also announced that the Federal Bureau of Investigation is looking into a string of missing scientists. 'In light of the recent and legitimate questions about these troubling cases, and President Trumps commitment to the truth, the White House is actively working with all relevant agencies and the FBI to holistically review all of the cases together and identify any potential commonalities that may exist,' White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said on X. The Daily Mail has reached out to the White House and the Pentagon for comment. A truck driver has died and five people have been taken to hospital after a horrific crash on the Hume Freeway in northeastern Victoria. Emergency services rushed to the major freeway near Harrys Creek Road in Violet Town, about 174km from Melbourne, just before 1.30pm on Friday. Police had received a report that a B-double truck had been involved in a collision. It is believed the truck collided with a road worker's truck before veering across the median strip, police said. The vehicle allegedly clipped a car, before it rolled and caught fire - with footage of the scene showing the vehicle on its side. The driver of the B-double truck, who is yet to be formally identified, died at the scene. The driver of the second truck, believed to be in his 50s, was transported to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Two adults and two children inside the clipped car were also taken to hospital for observation. A truck driver has died and five people have been taken to hospital after a horrific crash on the Hume Freeway in Violent Town, in northeastern Victoria The CFA issued a warning for a hazardous liquid spill in the area surrounding the crash The crash was attended by the Country Fire Authority (CFA), Victoria Police, State Emergency Service, Fire Rescue Victoria, and Ambulance Victoria. The CFA issued a warning for a hazardous liquid spill in the area surrounding the crash, ABC News reported. However, authorities assured locals there was no threat to the community. Victoria Police said the circumstances surrounding the collision are yet to be established. An investigation is ongoing. Anyone who witnessed the incident or has footage or information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000. There have been 72 lives lost on roads in Victoria so far this year, down from 87 deaths at the same time in 2025. A charity that offers support to young homeless people has cut its ties with Sharon Osbourne after she said she would attend an anti-immigration march organised by far-Right commentator Tommy Robinson. Next month's 'Unite The Kingdom' march follows a similar rally in September at Trafalgar Square, which drew over 100,000 participants. After sharing a video on Instagram urging followers to mark May 16 as the date 'Britain rises and reunites', Osbourne commented on the post: 'See you at the march.' Centrepoint, which had recently welcomed the TV personality as an ambassador for one of its campaigns, said in response: 'This sort of event does not align with our values.' It added: 'Centrepoint has a proud history of supporting young people, whatever their background, ethnicity or religion. 'If we want young people to thrive in this country, then we need to ensure our society continues to allow them to live without fear and able to access the opportunities they need to start education or work and leave homelessness behind.' While the charity expressed its gratitude to Osbourne for supporting its Omaze campaign, it said: 'She is not an official ongoing ambassador of Centrepoint, and we have no plans to work together in the future.' Robinson's 'Unite The Kingdom' march in September saw protesters meet at Stamford Street, near Waterloo Bridge, before making their way to the southern end of Whitehall. A homeless charity has cut its ties with Sharon Osbourne after she confirmed she would attend an anti-immigration march organised by Tommy Robinson People taking part in a Tommy Robinson-led Unite the Kingdom march and rally in Parliament Square, central London. Picture date: Saturday September 13, 2025 A counter-protest organised by group Stand Up To Racism (SUTR) was formed at the other end of Whitehall, with 5,000 in attendance Later in the day, there was a guest video appearance from Tesla CEO Elon Musk, who criticised the Government for a 'rapidly increasing erosion of Britain' and told protesters to 'fight back or die'. While the rally began largely peacefully, with demonstrators voicing their anger over free speech and Britain's small-boat crisis, it exploded into violence when protesters and counter-protesters closed in on each other along Whitehall. Met Police chiefs blasted anti-migrant protesters for displaying a 'wholly unacceptable' level of violence - with at least 25 people arrested and 26 police officers injured, including four who were seriously hurt. Osbourne has been more outspoken in her political views in recent months. In February, the Tories invited her to stand as their candidate in Birmingham's upcoming local elections against a convicted terrorist. Osbourne said she would move to Birmingham and run in the ballot for the inner-city Sparkhill ward to prevent Shahid Butt from gaining a local council seat. In 1999, Mr Butt and five other UK nationals were found guilty of plotting to blow up the British consulate, an Anglican church and a hotel in Yemen, but denied the charges. He was later handed a five-year sentence on terrorism charges. The Mail on Sunday has revealed Mr Butt previously praised jihad as a 'compassionate act' despite claiming he has turned his back on extremism, and has instructed Muslims 'not to take Jews and Christians as friends' in an interview. Since her husband Ozzy's death in July 2025, Sharon has been splitting her time between the couple's Buckinghamshire home and an apartment in LA After watching a social media video featuring Mr Butt, Osbourne commented on her Instagram: 'This has nothing to do with racism. I think I'm gonna move to Birmingham and put my name down for the ballot to be on the council,' adding 'I'm serious'. The original post was later removed from Instagram. Osbourne does not live in the Midlands but has strong links to the area through her late husband, who was born in nearby Aston. Since her husband's death in July 2025, Sharon has been splitting her time between the couple's Buckinghamshire home and an apartment in Los Angeles. Former Congressman David McKinley has died at the age of 79 as tributes pour in for the six-term Republican from West Virginia. McKinley died peacefully at his home in Wheeling after spending decades serving the Mountain State. 'David McKinley was a fighter,' US Senator Shelley Moore Capito, also a West Virginia Republican, said in a statement Friday. 'Not only did David fight for his principles and the causes he believed in, but he also fought hardest for his cherished West Virginia.' 'My heart goes out to his devoted wife Mary and his family in sympathy for their loss and in gratitude for his decades of public service and friendship,' she added. The seventh-generation West Virginian represented the state's Third Delegate District in the House of Delegates from 1981 to 1994. He returned to politics in 2010 after winning a Congressional seat in West Virginia's First Congressional District, marking the first Republican to hold the seat in 42 years, West Virginia Public Broadcasting reported. McKinley served in Congress from 2011 to 2023, fighting for causes such as miners and the coal industry. Former Congressman David McKinley has died at the age of 79 as tributes pour in for the six-term Republican from West Virginia McKinley, seen pictured with his wife Mary, died peacefully at his home in Wheeling after spending decades serving his home state The seventh-generation West Virginian represented the state's Third Delegate District in the House of Delegates from 1981 to 1994 and won a seat in Congress in 2010 He fought for providing funding for retired miners and resisted environmental regulations that he believed would damage the coal mining industry, which was key to the state's economy, Roll Call reported. 'Denise and I were saddened to learn of the passing of former Congressman David McKinley. David devoted decades of his life to public service, representing West Virginia in the House of Delegates, leading the state Republican Party and serving our people in the United States Congress,' Governor Patrick Morrisey said in a statement. 'He cared deeply about West Virginia and worked tirelessly to advance our state, strengthen our economy and improve the lives of the people he served. His commitment to public service and to the Mountain State leaves a lasting legacy.' 'We extend our prayers and deepest condolences to his wife Mary, his children and the entire McKinley family during this difficult time,' Morrisey added. McKinley's family built the McKinley Architecture and Engineering firm, which now serves more than a dozen states. The West Virginia Republican Party shared a statement that said: 'A seventh-generation West Virginian, McKinley served in the United States House of Representatives for West Virginias 1st Congressional District from 2011 to 2023.' 'He was the founder of McKinley and Associates, a member of the West Virginia House of Delegates, and served as Chairman of the West Virginia Republican Party. Known for his practical, results-driven approach, he was a strong advocate for West Virginia workers,' the statement continued. 'A seventh-generation West Virginian, McKinley served in the United States House of Representatives for West Virginias 1st Congressional District from 2011 to 2023. He was the founder of McKinley and Associates, a member of the West Virginia House of Delegates, and served as Chairman of the West Virginia Republican Party.' McKinley was a graduate from Purdue University with a degree in Civil Engineering and is survived by his wife, four children and six grandchildren West Virginia GOP Chairman Josh Holstein described McKinley as a 'friend and mentor to many of the officials serving our state today' 'Known for his practical, results-driven approach, he was a strong advocate for West Virginia workers. The West Virginia Republican Party extends its deepest condolences to his family, friends, and all who knew and loved him,' the statement concluded. State Treasurer Larry Pack said that McKinley's passing marked the loss of a 'true statesman and patriot.' 'Congressman McKinley laid the groundwork for the modern West Virginia Republican Party and always fought for our state's values in the State Legislature and the United States Congress,' he continued. 'My heart goes out to his wife, Mary, and his family during this time. I will treasure our many conversations over the years. He leaves behind an incredible legacy and will be truly missed.' West Virginia GOP Chairman Josh Holstein described McKinley as a 'friend and mentor to many of the officials serving our state today.' 'His legacy of leadership and commitment to our people will not be forgotten,' he added. Senator Jim Justice wrote on Facebook that West Virginia had 'lost a great man today.' 'I was around David a lot when I was Governor, and Ill say just this he was a great man that cared a whole lot about our state. Cathy and I are heartbroken and praying hard for his family, his friends, and all of West Virginia tonight. Weve lost a good one,' he added. Senator Jim Justice, pictured on the left with McKinley sat on the right, said that West Virginia had 'lost a great man today' McKinley fought for providing funding for retired miners and resisted environmental regulations that he believed would damage the coal mining industry, which was key to the state's economy McKinley's victory over a Congressional seat in West Virginia's First Congressional District marked the first Republican to hold the seat in 42 years Congresswoman Carol Miller recalled serving alongside McKinley in the House of Representatives from 2019 to 2023. 'My first night in Congress, I walked onto the House Floor and in a sea of hundreds of people, I saw David holding up his hand so I could find him and the seat he had saved for me. We continued to sit beside each other throughout our shared time in Congress,' Miller wrote on Facebook. 'As chair of the West Virginia Republican Party, a Member of the WV House of Delegates, and a US Congressman, David proved himself to be a strong conservative who was guided by faith and cared deeply for our state and its people. I am praying for his wife Mary, his children, and his grandchildren as they mourn his passing.' McKinley was a graduate from Purdue University with a degree in Civil Engineering and is survived by his wife, four children and six grandchildren. 'Deeply troubling' plans to chop down 500 trees to expand a bottled water factory have been rejected by councillors following a high-profile campaign to save the woodlands fronted by Dame Judi Dench and Joanna Lumley. Harrogate Spring Water (HSW) had proposed to expand its existing facility in the town, but it would have meant the removal of hundreds of trees at a site called Rotary Wood, which was planted by children 20 years ago. North Yorkshire Council received more than 1,000 objections to the scheme. The firm had argued that the facility would create more than 50 new jobs, while it would have planted a new, public wood, featuring 491 new trees, as well as committing to planting around 3,000 trees on land around the Harrogate district. But the environmental cost was considered too high by North Yorkshire Council, which rejected the plans, adding that the location of the new trees was not considered adequate to replace those lost. Among those most vocal against the plan was Yorkshire-born actress Dame Judi, 91, who urged the council not to treat the community woodland as 'disposable'. In a letter to the council, she said: 'Rotary Wood is not an empty plot waiting for a better use. It is a living, growing woodland created through patience, care and public spirit. 'Local families, volunteers, schoolchildren and community supporters helped plant it and watch it take root. 'Deeply troubling' plans to chop down 500 trees to expand a bottled water factory have been rejected following a high-profile campaign fronted by Dame Judi Dench Rotary Wood was planted by children more than 20 years ago - but it was under threat of being demolished to make space for the expansion of a bottled water factory Dame Joanna Lumley said the plan to cut down the trees was 'awful in so many ways' 'Over the years it has become part of Harrogate's natural fabric and part of the area's shared sense of place.' The Oscar, Bafta and Olivier Award winning actor, who is also a patron of The Woodland Trust, added: 'At a time when the country is talking so urgently about biodiversity loss, climate pressure and the need to protect nature close to where people live, it is deeply troubling that a healthy community woodland could be treated as disposable.' 'I respectfully urge the committee to recognise Rotary Wood for what it is: a meaningful community woodland, a haven for wildlife and a symbol of what local people can achieve when they invest in nature. It deserves protection, not destruction.' Among the other well-known names opposing the application were actors Dame Joanna Lumley and Sam West, former model Bianca Jagger, as well as environmentalist Sir Jonathon Porritt. Dame Joanna said: 'To cut down so many trees planted by children to develop a bottling plant is dreadful in so many ways.' She said: 'This 20-year-old forest carrying the hopes of the next generation cannot be replaced.' HSW is owned by the France-based multinational food-products company Danone and campaigners claim the plan to remove the trees contradicts the firm's Forest Policy. Sir Jonathon said: 'I've spent decades urging companies to turn fine words on forests into real action. 'What Danone is proposing in Harrogate does the opposite. 'You cannot call yourself 'forest positive' while cutting down a thriving community woodland planted by children.' Planning officers had recommended that the plan was approved. The decision to reject the proposals was welcomed by Harrogate and Knaresborough Lib Dem MP Tom Gordon, who said 'common sense had finally prevailed'. Sarah Gibbs, from Save Rotary Wood, told The Times that she anticipated there would be an appeal but was glad the woodland had been saved for now. She said: 'This decision sends an important message - people power works.' The moment up to 100 innocent bystanders were forced to run for their lives after a machete attack erupted outside a dessert bar has been captured on CCTV. It's understood the group were seated outside Vanilla at Eaton Mall, 14km south-east of Melbourne's CBD, about 7.45pm on Friday when the incident took place. The group of twelve was reportedly approached by a large group of unknown offenders wearing balaclavas, with at least two carrying machetes, police said. They allegedly assaulted an 18-year-old Malvern East man, who was rushed to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. A 16-year-old boy was also assaulted but didn't suffer any physical injuries. In chilling CCTV footage, obtained by the Herald Sun, the attackers are seen kicking, punching and slashing at the 18-year-old. 'He's got a knife, he's got a knife. Oh my days. He's got a f***ing machete, bro,' a person recording said. Witnesses said about 150 bystanders fled the scene as the incident took place. It's understood the group were seated outside Vanilla at Eaton Mall (pictured), 14km south-east of Melbourne's CBD, about 7.45pm on Friday when the incident took place The incident took place on Friday night in front of more than 100 members of the public A terrifying machete attack outside a dessert bar in Oakleigh was caught on camera An 18-year-old Malvern East man was rushed to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries 'Vanilla was full of people and everyone was sitting down,' a witness said. 'A group of about 10 kids and teenagers then showed up in masks and argued with this guy. 'Suddenly one of the guys pulled out a machete and stabbed the guy across the face from the neck to the cheek. They were kids, they seemed really young.' An employee at a nearby business added: 'We just saw people running and screaming. About 150 people all running in fear at the same time.' The group of attackers fled on foot and no arrests have been made at this stage. Detectives continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding the attack, which is being treated as a targeted incident in which parties are known to each other. Police said there will be proactive patrols in the area to provide reassurance to the community. Anyone who witnessed the incident, has dashcam or CCTV footage or any information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers. President Donald Trump is reportedly planning to sign a new executive order that will increase research into psychedelic drugs used to treat mental illnesses, potentially paving the way for their legal use in controlled environments. The commander in chief is in talks to draft the order, which would release new guidance for medical research on drugs such as psilocybin and ibogaine, multiple insiders told The Washington Post. While speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One on Friday, Trump teased an upcoming announcement scheduled for Saturday morning on something he feels 'strongly about.' The president called the impending revelation a 'very positive thing,' adding that he would be joined by a 'very good, very smart, very caring' person to make the official announcement. Sources first told CBS News of the executive order, adding that it's meant to open the door to federal funding for research on ibogaine's effectiveness in treating post-traumatic stress disorder and brain injuries. Ibogaine is a naturally occurring psychoactive from the root of a shrub native to Central Africa. The drug is classified as a Schedule I substance by the Drug Enforcement Administration, meaning there are no accepted medical uses for it and a high potential for abuse. President Donald Trump is reportedly planning to sign a new executive order that will increase research into psychedelic drugs used to treat mental illnesses Trump is said to be in talks to draft the order, which would release new guidance for medical research on drugs such as psilocybin and ibogaine Ibogaine is a naturally occurring psychoactive from the root of a shrub native to Central Africa Schedule I drugs also include drugs like heroin and ecstasy (methylenedioxymethamphetamine). Drug classifications are sectioned into five different 'schedules,' with one being the highest potential for abuse. Ibogaine is unregulated in countries including Mexico, the Netherlands, Germany and Canada. The drug has gained popularity in recent years and generated the attention of medical professionals. Stanford Medicine released a study in 2024, concluding that ibogaine effectively treated military veterans with traumatic brain injuries. The study found that when combined with magnesium to protect the heart, the drug safely and effectively reduced PTSD, anxiety and depression. 'No other drug has ever been able to alleviate the functional and neuropsychiatric symptoms of traumatic brain injury,' said Nolan Williams, an associate professor of behavioral sciences and psychiatry. 'The results are dramatic, and we intend to study this compound further.' Trump's looming executive order could pave the way for future studies to explore ibogaine's effectiveness. The potential move would be a win for advocacy groups who have lobbied for years to achieve alternative pathways to mental health therapy. Former Texas Governor Rick Perry helped launch the nonprofit, Americans for Ibogaine, last year to advance education, clinical research and responsible medical access to the drug. Trump's looming executive order could pave the way for future studies to explore ibogaine's effectiveness Ibogaine is unregulated in countries including Mexico, the Netherlands, Germany and Canada Perry also served as the Energy Secretary under Trump's first administration. He appeared on The Joe Rogan Experience last month with the nonprofit's CEO, W. Bryan Hubbard, to advocate for ibogaine. Amber Capone, the CEO and founder of Veterans Exploring Treatment Solutions, told Reuters that the news of increased access to ibogaine marked a 'huge sigh of relief.' 'There's no doubt whatsoever in our minds that it works,' she said. 'But we just can't say, "Believe us." The research has to corroborate what we know to be true, and it feels like we could finally, finally be making some impact.' Trump has previously implemented legislation in support of loosening federal restrictions on drugs. He signed an executive order in December, paving the way for medical applications of marijuana and CBD products. The Daily Mail has reached out to the White House for comment. Firefighters and emergency room doctors across the United States are urging parents to monitor their children's TikTok use, as a string of dangerous viral challenges continues to send kids to the hospital with severe, sometimes life-altering injuries. The most recent case involves a 14-year-old girl from Pitcairn, Pennsylvania, who was hospitalized and placed on a ventilator in March 2026 after attempting the "fire-breathing" challenge, a viral stunt in which users blow flames using isopropyl alcohol. She sustained burns covering 8% of her body, including her face, neck, and chest. Wilmerding Borough Fire Marshal Al Hussey said the girl was lucky to be alive, warning that the flames could have "easily gone inside their digestive tract," according to the New York Post. A similar fire-based stunt hospitalized a 14-year-old boy in St. Petersburg, Florida, in October 2025. He suffered burns while attempting the "Jam Jar Pulse Jet" challenge, a trend that involves pouring rubbing alcohol into a glass jar, placing a lid with a small hole on top, and lighting it on fire. St. Petersburg Fire Rescue Division Chief Ian Womack warned that the jars can explode, sending fiery alcohol and glass shards in all directions. "He will be faced with life-altering injuries that he'll deal with for the rest of his life," Womack said. Fire stunts are not the only danger. In early 2026, a TikTok trend involving a gel-filled stress toy called the NeeDoh began sending children to burn centers nationwide. The challenge encourages kids to microwave the toy to make it softer, but it can rupture or explode, releasing extremely hot contents that cause severe burns. A 9-year-old Illinois boy, Caleb Chabolla, was admitted to Loyola Medicine's Burn Center after the toy exploded on his face and hands, WFSB reported. His case was the fourth of its kind treated at that facility alone within weeks. Shriners Children's Hospital confirmed treating similar patients at all four of its pediatric burn center locations within just one month. Doctors and fire officials say TikTok's algorithm spreads these challenges quickly, often faster than safety warnings can reach the same audience. A 2025 analysis found a 20 to 30 percent increase in pediatric hospital admissions tied to dangerous social media challenges. Emergency room physician Dr. Chris Colbert warned that flames in these stunts are often far larger than what viewers see on video and "can extend into the face, into the eyes, and can have really tremendous impact." Authorities are urging parents to lock up flammable household products such as isopropyl alcohol and aerosol sprays, which are commonly used in these challenges. Medical professionals recommend having open conversations with children about what they watch online, reminding them that viral videos rarely show the real consequences. If a child suffers a burn, experts advise cooling the wound with tap water, not ice, and seeking immediate medical attention, as per Fox32 Chicago. Ilhan Omar is facing intensifying scrutiny over her finances after dramatically revising a congressional disclosure that once appeared to show millions in assets. The Minnesota Democrat insists she is not a multimillionaire and blaming the discrepancy on accounting errors, as President Donald Trump pushes for a fraud investigation. Omar, long a target of Trump and Republican critics, had previously filed a disclosure indicating she and her husband held assets valued between $6million and $30million. The figure raised eyebrows on Capitol Hill and prompted calls for closer examination. But an amended filing reviewed by The Wall Street Journal now paints a radically different picture: Omar and her husband's assets are listed at just $18,004 to $95,000, a fraction of what had been reported. Her office now says the earlier figures were wrong. 'The amended disclosure confirms what we've said all along: The congresswoman is not a millionaire,' said Jacklyn Rogers, a spokeswoman for Omar. 'The congresswoman amended her disclosures voluntarily as soon as the discrepancy was identified.' Ilhan Omar previously filed a disclosure listing assets between $6 million and $30 million An amended filing now lists her and her husband, Tim Mynett's assets between $18,004 and $95,000 The Minnesota Democrat has long been a target of President Trump and Republican critics The shift from tens of millions of dollars to under six figures marks a dramatic reversal that has fueled political tension in Washington. The earlier filing attributed significant value to business interests tied to Omar's husband, Tim Mynett, a former political consultant involved in ventures including a Washington-based venture-capital management firm and a winery in Santa Rosa, California. In the amended disclosure, those same businesses are now listed as having no value once liabilities are taken into account. Because congressional financial disclosures require reporting in broad ranges rather than precise figures, the original filing's wide valuation band - up to $30 million - drew particular attention. The revised filing sharply undercuts that narrative. Omar's team has attributed the discrepancy to a reliance on financial professionals. A lawyer representing the congresswoman told the Office of Congressional Conduct that the inaccurate filing was unintentional and stemmed from standard reliance on accountants. 'As the busiest of people, it is very common for members and their spouses to rely on learned professionals like accountants to make calculations and determinations that appear on public filings,' the lawyer wrote. Mynett's venture capital firm Rose Lake Capital LLC's assets were valued at between $5 million to $25 million in the 2024 disclosure His Santa Rosa winery eStCru had assets worth between $1 million to $5 million, despite the company having to settle a lawsuit Rose Lake Capital was listed as worth between $1 and $1,000 in 2023 and up to $25 million a year later. A second company, ESTCRU, increased in reported value from under $50,000 to as much as $5 million 'While the error is of course unfortunate, there is nothing untoward and nothing illegal has occurred.' Aides said Omar reviewed the disclosure before it was filed but did not identify the issue, in part because she is not directly involved in her husband's business operations. Despite the sharply reduced asset valuation, the amended disclosure shows the couple reported between $102,503 and $1,005,200 in income tied to those same holdings in 2024. Supporting documents indicate Mynett received $213,200 in distributions from the venture-capital firm and $3,000 from the winery that year. The filing also lists personal liabilities, including: $15,001 to $50,000 in student debt $15,001 to $50,000 in credit-card debt Omar told her social media followers last February to 'try checking public financial statements and you will see I barely have thousands, let alone millions' This is Ilhan Omar's home in Washington D.C with her Minnesota plate car outside No criminal charges have been filed against Omar or her husband, but Republicans say the investigation is ongoing and expanding In January of this year, the House Oversight Committee, led by Chairman James Comer, began examining how the 'Squad' lawmaker and her husband rapidly amassed millions - at a time that a $9 billion Somali social services fraud scandal also exploded in her state. Investigators have been openly weighing subpoenas as they probe whether politically connected businesses tied to Omar's family warrant deeper scrutiny, House Republicans said. The investigation follows federal prosecutors opening a broader investigation into alleged industrial-scale fraud involving billions of dollars in social service funds in Minnesota. Republicans say that scandal alone makes Omar's apparent financial windfall impossible to ignore. 'We're going to get answers, whether it's through the Ethics Committee or the Oversight Committee, one of the two,' Comer said to the New York Post at the time. The scrutiny intensified after Omar's 2024 financial disclosure revealed her family's net worth ballooned to as much as $30 million in a single year, according to the ranges reported on the form. Two companies tied to Omar's husband, Mynett, showed extraordinary gains in recent years. A venture capital firm, Rose Lake Capital, was listed in 2023 as being worth between $1 and $1,000. Just one year later, Omar's disclosure placed its value between $5 million and $25 million. A second company, a California winery known as ESTCRU, jumped from a valuation topping out at $50,000 to as much as $5 million over the same period. Comer said that in his opinion, the math simply does not add up. 'There are a lot of questions as to how her husband accumulated so much wealth over the past two years,' he said to The Post. 'It's not possible. It's not.' Republican investigators say their concerns are compounded by what they describe as unusual business characteristics. Court records from a lawsuit involving a related entity show Rose Lake Capital had just $42.44 in its bank account late in 2022. Yet within roughly a year, the firm was being reported as worth tens of millions of dollars. Sources familiar with the inquiry say associates raised concerns to federal investigators after becoming unsettled by the firm's rapid rise, its alleged lack of a public investment track record, and shifting disclosures about who was involved. Two businesses linked to Omars husband, Tim Mynett, pictured here in a post from February 2024, showed dramatic valuation spikes between 2023 and 2024 House Oversight Committee Chairman, Republican James Comer is examining the source of the sudden wealth increase Rose Lake Capital's LinkedIn page appears to have been taken down amid growing scrutiny over the company's assets The company's public footprint has also changed. Its website once listed prominent political and diplomatic figures as advisers, but those names have since disappeared. Former Senator Max Baucus confirmed he had only limited contact with one of the firm's partners in 2022 and said nothing materialized from those discussions. Other former advisers have likewise said they had no financial stake and only brief or preliminary involvement. Wall Street sources reportedly told investigators they had never heard of Rose Lake Capital, despite online claims that its officers had previously managed tens of billions of dollars in assets - an assertion that raised further questions about whether the firm should be registered with federal regulators. Omar didn't list any assets or unearned income on her financial disclosure form in 2018 Omar also listed ESTCRU LLC as an asset on her financial disclosure form. The winery was valued at a maximum of $50,000 in 2023 and $5 million in 2024 Omar's financial disclosure form from 2024 lists Rose Lake Capital's value of a maximum of $25 million In a video she posted to Instagram, the congresswoman scoffed at questions about whether she was connected to the fraud scandal emerging in her state this month. 'Why would there be an allegation that I'm complicit? How would I be complicit?' Omar snapped at a reporter. When pressed further, she lashed out: 'Do you just ask stupid questions?' 'Nine billion, really?' Omar said sarcastically referencing the reported level of the alleged fraud. 'That is more than half of the resources that are allocated. So, you genuinely think your brain has told you that it is possible for half of the resources for our public service to have disappeared? Listen to yourself.' When the reporter cited Comer's concerns during a House Oversight hearing, Omar doubled down. 'That's what Comer believes because he's as smart as you are,' she said. 'There's absolutely no goddam way.' Omar has forcefully rejected any suggestion of wrongdoing. She has never been charged or formally accused of a crime in relation to the alleged Minnesota fraud scandal nor her husband's soaring net worth. Mynett is the president and co-founder of Rose Lake Capital. The company's asset value increased from between $1 and $1,000 to between $5 million and $25 million in just one year Trump has publicly suggested Omar profited from Minnesota's widely reported welfare fraud scandal and said the Justice Department is scrutinizing her - claims she has strongly rejected. 'For years, he has called for investigations against me and they have found nothing,' Omar said in January, adding that Trump has 'an unhealthy and disturbing obsession with me and the Somali community.' Her office said she has not received any communications from the Justice Department or congressional Republicans regarding an investigation. Omar has previously faced scrutiny over campaign finance questions and business ties involving Mynett, who advised her congressional campaign before the two married in 2020. She has consistently denied any impropriety and has said their relationship began after professional work concluded. No charges have been filed against Omar or her husband. The Daily Mail has reached out to Rep. Omar for additional comment. The pilot of a tour helicopter that crashed near the Hawaiian island of Kauai last month, killing three passengers, told federal investigators the aircraft began vibrating and spinning uncontrollably before it slammed into the ocean. The pilot said that as he reached Kalalau Beach on the afternoon of March 26, he experienced a 'high frequency vibration throughout the helicopter that came in waves and became stronger each time,' according to the National Transportation Safety Board's preliminary report. The helicopter then made an 'un-commanded' right turn, the pilot said, which then escalated into two full clockwise rotations. The pilot was able to stop the aircraft from spinning by entering autorotation - a maneuver that allows the rotor to spin from the force of the air rather than from the power of the engine. Shortly after making a mayday call, the helicopter impacted the water about 75 yards from the shoreline and rolled over onto its right side, becoming partially submerged, per the report. A total of five people, including the pilot, were aboard the helicopter as part of a sightseeing excursion. The report did not explain how the pilot and one of the passengers made it out alive, nor did it say where the surviving passenger was sitting. Both were seriously injured. Patrick Haskell, 59, Margaret Rimmler, 65, and Oksana Pihol, 40, died in the crash on the Na Pali Coast, a remote area on Kauai's North Shore only reachable by hiking or boat. The pilot of the helicopter that crashed in the ocean on March 26 near the northern coastline of Kauai, a Hawaiian island, told federal investigators that the aircraft vibrated and spun out uncontrollably before impact Patrick Haskell, 59, and Margaret Rimmler, 65, (pictured together) were identified as two passengers who died in the accident. Oksana Pihol, a 40-year-old Ukrainian national, also died in the crash Haskell and Rimmler, a married couple, were visiting from Scituate, Massachusetts, a town just south of Boston. Pihol was a Ukrainian national. Two witnesses spoke to NTSB investigators. One was flying near the accident site and saw the helicopter hit the water. The other witness said the aircraft was intact before it crashed and broke up when it made contact with the ocean. The NTSB did not determine an official cause for the crash and said the damaged helicopter will continue to be examined in a secure facility. NTSB investigations generally take one to two years before a final report is issued. The preliminary report is simply a collection of the initial facts gathered on site. Airborne Aviation owned the helicopter that crashed. The company does sightseeing tours of Kauai's beautiful and unique topography, which features canyons, cliffs, beaches and waterfalls. The company has a 50-minute 'doors-off thrill seekers adventure tour' that seats up to four people on its Hughes 500 helicopter, a small, lightweight aircraft. One of the tour's selling points is that the Manawaiopuna Falls was used in the 1993 film Jurassic Park. The Na Pali Coast has also been the location of a number of similar helicopter crashes in recent years, including a fatal July 2024 crash that killed a pilot and two passengers. Months before in February 2024, another crash on the same coastline led to one injury. At least 16 people have died in helicopter crashes in Hawaii over the last seven years. Australia will join an international mission to ensure shipping from the Middle East continues as world leaders cautiously welcome the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. Anthony Albanese on Saturday acknowledged re-entry to the vital waterway was a 'fragile arrangement' following an overnight summit of about 50 countries to support an ongoing ceasefire in the region. The prime minister called for a full reopening 'for all countries permanently' to ensure shipping resumes under the banner of the Strait of Hormuz Maritime Freedom of Navigation Initiative following the US-Israeli war with Iran. 'We want to see de-escalation, we want to see the Strait of Hormuz opened and we want to see no privatisation and no tolls,' he told reporters in Sydney. 'We want to see this fragile arrangement confirmed and we want to see those ships being able to pass.' Albanese said Asia was feeling the impact of disruptions acutely, with the vast majority of oil that usually passes through the strait destined for the region. 'Freedom of navigation is essential for global trade,' he said. 'It is how the world operates not just in fuel but in other areas... and the precedent that would be created if a country was allowed to close a navigation strait to international traffic, would change the very way the global economy operates.' Anthony Albanese said re-entry to the vital Strait of Hormuz was a 'fragile arrangement' Australia has 46 days' worth of petrol on hand in its stock holdings (pictured, a service station with no unleaded fuel in Melbourne on April 17) Albanese formally backed co-ordinated international diplomacy to help resolve the Middle East conflict. 'Australia stands ready to support efforts to restore stability and security in the Strait of Hormuz,' he said. 'We want to see this hold.' He also reiterated Australia's commitment to join a meeting of military planners in London next week as part of a bid to create an international mission to restore maritime security. 'In London, there will be discussion about what assets might be required,' he said. US President Donald Trump earlier warned NATO allies to 'stay away'. 'Now that the Hormuz Strait situation is over, I received a call from NATO asking if we would need some help,' he posted on Truth Social. 'I TOLD THEM TO STAY AWAY, UNLESS THEY JUST WANT TO LOAD UP THEIR SHIPS WITH OIL.' Asked whether Australians would be prepared to offer defensive assets, Foreign Minister Penny Wong said diplomacy was preferred. US President Donald Trump earlier warned NATO allies to 'stay away' from the strait She made the comment on the back of a visit to Singapore with Trade Minister Don Farrell on Friday. The pair signed a supply agreement with Singaporean Foreign Minister Dr Vivian Balakrishnan and Energy Minister Tan See Leng. 'The protocol reflects the priority we accord each other with respect to trade in essential supplies including petroleum oils, such as diesel and liquefied natural gas,' the ministers said in a joint statement. Energy Minister Chris Bowen said on Saturday 61 fuel tankers were en route to Australia, up from 57 last weekend. 'Today Australia has 46 days' worth of petrol on hand in our stock holdings,' he said. 'That's eight days more than the update last week.' However Energy Economics and Financial Analysis spokesman Kevin Morrison said it could be some time before effects are felt at the bowser. 'They've declared the strait is open but we've still got to work through the mechanics of what that actually means,' he told ABC News. 'It's not like we can go back to full production as it was before the conflict started. 'There's estimates... it's going to take about five, six weeks before we get 80 per cent of the oil that's been affected coming back online. 'I don't think we can expect cheaper oil prices in the foreseeable future.' Spirit Airlines has reportedly asked the Trump administration for an emergency bailout as the struggling airline nears closer to financial collapse amid increasing fuel prices. The air carrier approached the current administration with hopes of being saved from imminent liquidation as the war in Iran continues to send fuel prices soaring, potentially preventing the company from being able to repay a multimillion-dollar debt. Sources told The Air Current that the budget airline is seeking hundreds of millions of dollars in emergency funding as several low-cost airline executives are set to meet with Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy next week. An executive familiar with the matter told the Current that the Department of Transportation requested the meeting to evaluate how smaller airlines are faring in the US. A source later told CBS News that 'Spirit is looking for a lifeline.' On Wednesday, airline industry analyst Henry Harteveldt told the outlet that Spirit 'is flying on financial fumes.' 'I would tell Spirit flyers to start looking for backup reservations just to be on the safe side,' he added. An official with the Department of Transportation told The Independent that they were keeping an eye on the situation but wouldn't confirm if the company had asked for any funding. Spirit Airlines reportedly approached the Trump administration for hundreds of millions in bailout money to save the budget carrier from liquidation The airline has hopes of being saved from imminent liquidation as the war in Iran sends fuel prices soaring, potentially curbing the company's ability to repay a multimillion-dollar debt On Wednesday, airline industry analyst Henry Harteveldt said that Spirit 'is flying on financial fumes' The airline took a downturn following the Covid-19 pandemic after a failed merger with JetBlue and customer habits changed the market. But, things were looking up for Spirit in 2024 as hopes of exiting bankruptcy became a real possibility following an agreement with creditors that sought to eliminate billions in debt and would reduce its Airbus jet fleet. The carrier filed for bankruptcy twice between November 2024 and August 2025, and it currently remains under Chapter 11 protection. Spirit was able to survive based on the assumption that jet fuel prices would remain stable and that it would be able to maintain its passenger capacity at 80 percent. In December 2024, Spirit projected that it would make a net profit of $252 million in the next fiscal year, but in August 2025, the airline reported that it had actually lost a total of $257 million between just March 13 and the end of June. The company had emerged from its first bankruptcy filing on that March 13 date and made its second Chapter 11 filing shortly before reporting its nearly $260 million loss. At the moment, the carrier says it is operating normally, continuing to serve passengers and operating its flights. Although there is an imminent risk of the company being dissolved, no specific date has been shared, leaving travelers in limbo. Passengers who have already booked tickets with the airline and are expecting to fly in the immediate future could be caught off guard with no way to get home. Several low-cost airline executives are set to meet with Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy next week The airline took a downturn following the Covid-19 Pandemic after a failed merger with JetBlue and customer habits changed the market Pictured: Spirit Airlines CEO Dave Davis, who has led the company since April 2025 In such a scenario, other airlines are prepared to offer 'rescue fares,' which are discounted one-way flights that allow passengers to get to their destination. But there is no guarantee that everyone who booked a Spirit flight will be able to secure a rescue fare. As a result, Spirit customers have been advised to be prepared with backup plans to get home in the coming days, just in case the airline suddenly stops operating. But since the war with Iran, jet fuel prices have nearly doubled in large cities such as New York, Houston, Chicago and Los Angeles, and the airline operated at an average capacity closer to 74 percent in the last fiscal quarter. JP Morgan released a note stating that if jet fuel remains at $4.60 this year, Spirit's forecast operating margin for the 2026 fiscal year would drop from negative 7 percent to negative 20 percent. On top of that, the company's competitors have added flights going to Spirit destinations. JetBlue Airways and Frontier Airlines currently have a destination overlap with Spirit of 21 percent and 32 percent, respectively. In an announcement on Friday, Iran's foreign minister said 'the passage for all commercial vessels through Strait of Hormuz is declared completely open'. This immediately caused oil to become 10 per cent cheaper its lowest price in over a month and stock markets to surge. The shipping route, through which a fifth of the world's oil flows, has been closed for weeks which has effectively worsened the cost-of-living crisis. At the moment, the carrier says it is operating normally, continuing to serve passengers and operating its flights. Although there is an imminent risk of the company being dissolved, no specific date has been shared, leaving travelers in limbo Tehran said its decision to 'open' the Strait was linked to a ceasefire announced in Lebanon, where Israel had been bombing Iran's proxy terror group Hezbollah. President Donald Trump claimed Iran 'has agreed to never close the Strait of Hormuz again', but said the US would continue its own naval blockade 'until such time as our transaction with Iran is 100 per cent complete.' He added this would happen 'pretty soon' as 'the war in Iran is going along swimmingly'. But sources in Tehran warned it would be a dealbreaker if the US continued to block marine traffic. It came as 49 leaders held a summit in Paris to discuss how to re-open the strait. As the US-Iran ceasefire continued to hold, Washington officials said they were negotiating a three-page plan to end the war. This could involve Iranians surrendering their enriched uranium in exchange for $20 billion of funds being unfrozen, it was reported. But Trump has claimed that 'no money will exchange hands in any way.' The Daily Mail contacted the White House and Spirit Airlines for comment. The federal government has extended a sanction exemption on Russian oil for a month, resulting in swift backlash from Democrat leadership, who branded the decision 'shameful.' Just two days before the announcement, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the US would not extend the sanctions, but quickly reversed course on Friday. The policy allows countries to purchase Russian oil and petroleum products through May 16, excluding Iran, Cuba and North Korea. The previous waiver expired on April 11. The announcement was shared on the Treasury's website. Senators Chuck Schumer, Elizabeth Warren and Jeanne Shaheen condemned the move in a joint statement. 'Make no mistake, Putin has been one of the biggest beneficiaries of President Trumps war against Iran, as Russia saw oil revenues nearly double in March. Enough is enough,' the statement continued. 'President Trump needs to stop letting Putin play him for a fool and impose additional sanctions on Putin, who is clearly not feeling sufficient pressure from this President.' 'If President Trump does not change course, the war in Ukraine will continue and more innocent people will die,' it concluded. Crude oil prices skyrocketed in March following the joint US-Israeli military strikes against Iran. The Treasury Department extended a sanction exemption on Russian oil, potentially signaling a cooling of gas prices (file photo) The Trump administration issued the reversal on Friday, resulting in swift backlash. Trump is pictured above on Thursday arriving in Las Vegas on Air Force One Democrat senators questioned the decision to extend sanction exemptions, asking what message it sent to Russia and President Vladimir Putin, pictured above on Thursday Since the start of the war, oil prices have increased by 25 percent and have skyrocketed by 45 percent since the beginning of the year. One of the consequences of the conflict was the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical waterway on the coast of Iran that controls a fifth of the world's oil. Americans felt the ramifications at the gas pump, with average prices surging from $2.98 to over $4 per gallon. Some relief came on Friday when Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi announced that all commercial vessels would be allowed through the Strait. Araghchi said the Strait would be 'completely open' as a result of the ceasefire, which is set to expire next week as officials continue peace negotiations in Pakistan. Araghchi, who has also been involved in the negotiations, has said that the Strait could close again if the US military blockade continues. Trump echoed the announcement on Truth Social, but noted that the Naval blockade in the region would remain in 'full force' until the US reaches an agreement on nuclear energy with Iran. After the announcement, the price of oil plunged 11.4 percent, its lowest level since March 10, marking the second-largest one-day drop since the war started. Your browser does not support iframes. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, pictured above, said just two days before the announcement that the US would not be extending the exemption Patrick De Haan, the head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy, wrote on X that the opening of the Strait could translate to lower prices at the gas pump. 'This could accelerate sending fuel prices lower starting this weekend with the national average likely falling below $4/gal to perhaps $3.65-$3.85 with diesel falling to $4.85-$5.15/gal in 3-4 weeks and could continue for a couple weeks barring any re-escalation,' he explained. The US first lifted the sanctions on March 11 in an effort to curb oil prices that had skyrocketed from the war in Iran. Bessent said at the time that the decision was to promote stability while working to keep prices low. 'This narrowly tailored, short-term measure applies only to oil already in transit and will not provide significant financial benefit to the Russian government, which derives the majority of its energy revenue from taxes assessed at the point of extraction,' he said in a statement. 'The temporary increase in oil prices is a short-term and temporary disruption that will result in a massive benefit to our nation and economy in the long-term.' President Donald Trump said he is weighing whether to extend the ceasefire with Iran as its expiration approaches, while also warning of possible further military action. Speaking Friday, the commander in chief indicated the decision remains under consideration, with the truce set to expire next week. Trump told News Nation's Kellie Meyer that, instead, he might well resort to 'start dropping bombs again.' 'I think it's gonna happen,' Trump added, referring to the ceasefire deal. The announcement comes after the president told CBS News that Iran had 'agreed to everything' and will work with the US to remove its enriched uranium. Both sides of the conflict were set to meet this weekend, while the US continues its military blockade of Iranian ports 'until we get it done,' the outlet reported. Earlier on Friday night, Trump alleged in a post on Truth Social that China's President Xi Jinping is 'very happy' that the Strait of Hormuz would be reopening. 'Our meeting in China will be a special one, and, potentially, Historic,' Trump wrote. President Donald Trump announced on Friday night that he may consider not extending the ceasefire with Iran, which is set to expire next week Both sides of the conflict were set to meet this weekend, while the US continues its military blockade of Iranian ports 'until we get it done.' Pictured: The Strait of Hormuz on April 2 The President told News Nation's Kellie Meyer that, instead, he unfortunately may have to 'start dropping bombs again' 'I look forward to being with President Xi - Much will be accomplished!' On Thursday, China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi told Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi that 'working to resume normal passage of the strait is a unanimous call from the international community.' Around 20 percent of China's oil comes from Iran, with more than half of its total energy supplies coming through the Strait of Hormuz. Earlier on Friday night, Iran's parliament speaker Mohammed Bagher Ghalibaf, suggested on a social media post that the Strait would be closed again if the US Military blockade wasn't lifted from Iranian ports. 'With continuation of the blockade, the Strait of Hormuz will not remain open,' he wrote on X. Ghalibaf claimed that Trump made seven claims in one hour, 'all seven of which were false.' 'They did not win the war with these lies, and they certainly will not get anywhere in negotiations either... Passage through the Strait of Hormuz will be conducted based on the "designated route" and with "Iranian authorization." Whether the Strait is open or closed and the regulations governing it will be determined by the field, not by social media.' Ghalibaf went on to condemn media warfare and 'engineering public opinion.' Earlier on Friday night, Iran's parliament speaker Mohammed Bagher Ghalibaf, suggested on a social media post that the Strait would be closed again if the US Military blockade wasn't lifted from Iranian ports Earlier on Friday, Iranian Foreign Minister Araghchi wrote on X: 'In line with the ceasefire in Lebanon, the passage for all commercial vessels through [the] Strait of Hormuz is declared completely open for the remaining period of the ceasefire, on the coordinated route as already announced by Ports and Maritime Organization of the Islamic Republic of Iran.' However, Trump said at a Turning Point USA event Friday that his plans to reach a ceasefire with Iran are 'not in any way tied to Lebanon.' Israel agreed to cut back its assault on Hezbollah as part of the ten day ceasefire deal CBS News reported. Yet, Iran has said that the situation in Lebanon is intertwined with negotiations on a larger scale. Access through the Strait was limited by Iran until the deal among Israel and Lebanon was reached, claiming that Lebanon was part of a ceasefire deal stretching 14 days with the US. Both the US and Israel have denied that that is the case. In an announcement on Friday, Iran's foreign minister said 'the passage for all commercial vessels through Strait of Hormuz is declared completely open'. This immediately caused oil to become 10 per cent cheaper its lowest price in over a month and stock markets to surge. The shipping route, through which a fifth of the world's oil flows, has been closed for weeks worsening the cost-of-living crisis. Tehran said its decision to 'open' the Strait was linked to a ceasefire announced in Lebanon, where Israel had been bombing Iran's proxy terror group Hezbollah. The Strait of Hormuz is responsible for one-fifth of all global oil supply President Donald Trump claimed Iran 'has agreed to never close the Strait of Hormuz again', but said the US would continue its own naval blockade 'until such time as our transaction with Iran is 100 per cent complete.' He added this would happen 'pretty soon' as 'the war in Iran is going along swimmingly'. But sources in Tehran warned it would be a dealbreaker if the US continued to block marine traffic. It came as 49 leaders held a summit in Paris to discuss how to re-open the strait. As the US-Iran ceasefire continued to hold, Washington officials said they were negotiating a three-page plan to end the war. This could involve Iranians surrendering their enriched uranium in exchange for $20billion of funds being unfrozen, it was reported. But Trump has claimed that 'no money will exchange hands in any way'. Do YOU know more about this story? The brother of a bride who was reduced to tears after her sister-in-law hurled black paint onto her white dress has claimed there is 'more to the row' that resulted in the wedding from hell. Gemma Monk, 35, was subjected to the 'revenge' attack by Antonia Eastwood as she tied the knot in front of stunned guests to her now-husband Ken in May 2024. Eastwood had accused Mrs Monk of 'trying to trip her up' during her own wedding to the victim's older brother, Ashley, in September the year before. The bride, from Herne Bay, Kent, was left in floods of tears as Eastwood fled the scene at Oakwood House, a Victorian mansion in Maidstone. Eastwood was this week handed a ten-month sentence, suspended for 12 months, in addition to 160 hours of unpaid work after pleading guilty to two offences of criminal damage. However, Ashley has now claimed there is 'more to' the disagreement, adding that he 'does not want anything to do' with his sister who he has disowned. He admitted there had been 'disagreements' in the family prior to the wedding - but said he did not want to air them publicly. Gemma Monk, 35, was left in tears after her sister-in-law drenched her wedding dress in black paint in a 'revenge' attack Antonia Eastwood's (pictured) attack on her sister-in-law's dress was said to be in revenge after she was tripped up on her wedding day a year before - and blamed it on Mrs Monk Ashley told The Mirror: 'There's more to it. But she's been punished now, she's suffered more than enough. We want it over and done with.' One guest who attended the wedding claimed Eastwood, who had not been invited to the ceremony, carried out the attack due to 'spite'. They said: 'Obviously she's got issues, but that's one thing you don't do. It's a special day for a woman. 'They want the fairytale and that was all taken away from her all because of what someone else heard. When the truth came out it was nothing to do with Gemma.' Remarkably, Mrs Monk's wedding ceremony did proceed on May 24, 2024, despite Eastwood's attack. The mother-of-two, who is a mental health worker, scrubbed herself clean as the paint covered most of the left side of her face, arm and chest. She borrowed another dress, fetched by an usher. However since her wedding, Mrs Monk has claimed she has suffered depression and has been left unable to work. In a victim impact statement, the 35-year-old told Maidstone Crown Court the incident 'changed my outlook on life and made me question whether I had done something really bad'. Newlyweds Mr and Mrs Monk are pictured after the ceremony despite the cruel attack two hours before At the time of her wedding Mrs Monk had just had a cancer scare, which she said Eastwood knew about but 'still decided to ruin the most important day of my life' She said it has had a 'dramatic impact' on her life, adding that she became 'extremely emotional and started crying' while providing a police statement following the attack. Mrs Monk said she would have struggled to 'get out of bed' without the support of her husband and children - and that she has lost her dignity. She added that the incident had 'turned the most special day of my life into the worst memory I will never forget'. The couple cancelled their honeymoon to the Maldives as a result. Prosecutor Pietro Matarazzo told the court on Tuesday: 'Her wedding dress turned black. It was splattered with paint, as were her eyes, face, and skin.' Eastwood admitted during the proceedings that it was a revenge attack and pleaded guilty. However, she answered 'no comment' to all questions put to her by police during a voluntary interview three months after the incident. Defending, Clement Idowu said Eastwood 'wished to apologise' to Mrs Monk. He told the court of her depression, adding that the case had 'taken a toll' on her mental health - however no details about why she launched the revenge attack were revealed. He said Eastwood was 'fearful' of a custodial prison sentence. Judge Oliver Saxby KC said the defendant had turned Mrs Monk's wedding into a 'nightmare', adding that Eastwood 'wanted to wreck her day'. He described Eastwood's actions as 'horrid and nasty and mean'. In addition to a suspended sentence and unpaid work, the defendant was handed a ten-year restraining order. She was told to pay 5,000 in compensation, with 4,000 going to Mrs Monk and 1,000 to Oakwood House. After sentencing Mrs Monk said she will never accept her sister-in-law's apology, adding that she believed the punishment was 'too light'. She told KentOnline: 'We had waited for that day for so long. Nothing was going to stop me. She was determined that the wedding was not going to happen. 'I did not think twice, I would have walked down the aisle in my knickers and with black paint over my face if I had to.' Sir Keir Starmer faces not one but two judgment days next week as he battles to save his job, while his angry sacked Foreign Office boss is set to stick the knife in as he launches his own staunch defence. The Prime Minister will appear before MPs on Monday ahead of Sir Olly Robbinss own Parliament appearance the next day to explain his departments role in Lord Mandelsons failed security clearance. The PM has blamed Sir Olly for not informing Number 10 that Mandelson had failed security vetting. His opponents say it is incredible that he did not know or make it his business to know in light of the peers known connection to sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Meanwhile the increasingly hostile war of words which has broken out between Number 10 and the Foreign Office about who knew what when about the disgraced former US ambassador and why he was still appointed to the Washington role continued to ramp up. Sir Ollys predecessor at the Foreign Office publicly backed him today following his sacking on Thursday saying he was simply following the rules and accused the Prime Minister of throwing him under the bus. Criticising the PM as wrong, Lord Simon McDonald accused Number 10 of wanting a scalp as quickly as possible within the news cycle and not even giving Sir Olly, who he says was following legal process, the chance to give his own side of the story. He also suggested that the decision to appoint Mandelson had already been made and that the Prime Minister wanted his man in Washington and it was an interpretation that the Foreign Office was effectively left to make it work. He also warned in stark terms that the Foreign Office was now facing its biggest crisis in more than four decades and needed a new Head as quickly as possible. The Prime Minister faces two judgement days next week as he battles to save his job Starmer has blamed Sir Olly Robbins (pictured) for not informing Number 10 that Mandelson had failed security vetting This story broke on Thursday morning and within the news cycle, Olly Robbins had been required to resign which shows to me that Number 10 wanted a scalp and they wanted it quickly. 'I cannot see that there was any process, any fairness, any giving him the chance to set out his case and that feels to me wrong, he told the BBC. His comments came as it emerged that Sir Olly was said by friends to be very angry and likely to appear before the Foreign Affairs Committee on Tuesday to defend himself although he has apparently not yet officially accepted the invitation. This means that even if the Prime Minister survives a likely mauling in the House on Monday when he attempts to explain his own apparent ignorance of Mandelsons failed security vetting, he could face a further reckoning on Tuesday. Lord McDonald, who joined the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in 1982 and was in charge between 2015 and 2020, insisted that security vetting was a confidential process and that unless failure was a black and white issue, it would be bound by legal rules set out in the CRAG Act (Constitutional Reform and Governance) in 2010. Asked by BBC Radio 4s Today programme whether the bought the governments position, he said: No, I do not. That position misunderstands and misrepresents the system. Security vetting is a key part of the system. It is a confidential process. There is a report and generally the details of that report are very closely held and they would never be shared with the Number 10 or the Prime Minister and generally when things are confused and sensitive it is a matter of judgment and mitigation and it feels to me like we are in that grey area rather than in a very black and white world which Number 10 want. Asked whether an official was bound to report details of a security vetting failure to the PM or Number 10, he said: These things tend to be a bit murkier. The security vetting will have incomplete information. They might be unhappy about one to two details and there might be mitigations to be put in place and that all happens quite regularly but it doesnt amount to failure. The Prime Minister will have to explain to MPs his apparent ignorance of Peter Mandelson's (pictured) failed security vetting If there had been a failure then that fact would have to be conveyed to the political level but the fact that it was not indicates to me that the picture was more complicated than Number 10 wishes to present. Lord McDonald said it was this requirement for confidentiality for those in charge of the vetting process which meant Sir Olly maintained confidence when he appeared before Emily Thornberrys Foreign Affairs Committee last year. He wouldnt go into detail because this is a confidential process. The end result is shared but all the workings behind it remain confidential. Asked to explain the reason for such confidentiality which might seem astonishing to the public, he said: The process was set out in law and the top official at the Foreign Office was observing process according to law and this is a confidential process like medical records are confidential. Certain things have detail which is not shared at all and this is in that category. What I do know is that it tends to be complicated in this kind of sensitive setting and there is judgment involved and so he was following the rules and applying his judgment as far as I can see.' The former top mandarin, who sits in the Lords as a Life Peer and is also Master of Christs College, Cambridge, suggested that the Foreign Office was presented with a fait accompli over Mandelsons appointment. The Duchess of Sussex asked superfans if it was finally time to invest in herself after spending 'all her life investing in women' during a VIP meet and greet event in Sydney. Meghan Markle was speaking to a private audience at Her Best Life retreat on Friday as her four-day trip to Australia with Prince Harry came to an end. Women had paid up to 1,700 for VIP tickets to the event, which included the opportunity to sit in the front row of the Q&A and take a photograph with the Duchess. 'I've spent all my life investing in women, can I finally invest in me?' Meghan asked the audience during her 90-minute appearance on stage. She also told the crowd her experience in the public eye had been 'very difficult' but that people's criticism of her had to do with their own 'projections'. She said the last decade, during which she celebrated happy moments such as her wedding and the birth of her two children, had been tainted by the vicious attacks. Meghan said motherhood had taught her to have perspective and patience, something she needed, 'given what our life is like'. The Duchess of Sussex asked superfans if it was finally time to invest in herself after spending 'all her life investing in women' during a VIP meet and greet event in Sydney Meghan Markle (pictured with Gemma O'Neill) was speaking to a private audience at Her Best Life retreat on Friday as her four-day trip to Australia with Prince Harry came to an end It is understood that organisers of the event, which was held at the InterContinental hotel near to Coogee beach, had paid 120,000 for Meghan's appearance. Tickets included a gala dinner of Hiramasa kingfish tostada, vannella burrata, riverina Angus beef tenderloin, free range chicken, coconut crumble and mango and passionfruit pavlova. Prince Harry was also in attendance, and rose to his feet as his wife entered the room to greet her with a kiss and help her onto the stage. Meghan wore a cashmere tank from Australian brand Scanlan & Theodore paired with beige trousers and nude heels for the Q&A chat. High-profile guests included radio queens Jackie O Henderson and Carrie Bickmore, along with reality TV star Megan Towner. Meghan also spoke alongside her friend Gemma O'Neill - the talent manager who represents Jackie O. A strict 'no filming' rule was in place during the event but a photographer was on hand to capture the key moments. A guest, who did not wish to be named, told The Times: 'She was saying that she wanted to be an antidote for everything online that was vicious, venomous and unfairly cruel. 'She also said that Harry had kept her safe, especially from the lions and elephants when they went on a date to Botswana.' Meghan and Harry quietly slip out of Sydney after the Duchess appeared at the retreat The Duke and Duchess arrive to meet volunteer first responders from Bondi Surf Bathers' Life Saving Club during a visit to Bondi Beach On Saturday morning, the group was due to enjoy an optional yoga class at 7.45am before 'easing into the day' with a buffet breakfast. But unbeknownst to the attendees, their star guest Meghan had already left the building. The Duke and Duchess quietly slipped out of the hotel's underground car park at 7.20am local time today. They travelled in a small motorcade of one NSW police BMW and two glossy Range Rovers to the Sydney international airport. The Daily Mail understands they were booked on a 9am American Airlines flight to Los Angeles, where they will land Saturday morning California time. There they will be reunited with their children, Prince Archie, six, and Princess Lilibet, four, at their mansion in Montecito. The duchess has faced criticism for monetising aspects of her trip Down Under. This includes a partnership with AI fashion website OneOff where fans can buy the clothes she's wearing. Meghan is expected to earn a portion of the company's sales commission, which ranges from 10 per cent to 25 per cent per item sold. She is also an investor in the AI-powered fashion business. It is not clear how much the duchess expects to make, but the firm said of its deal with Meghan: 'She cares about fashion and was motivated to invest not only to expand her portfolio, but to help uplift the fashion designers she is a fan of.' One of the outfits advertised online was what she wore to meet survivors of the Bondi terror attack. The Duchess of Sussex had looked deeply moved as she listened to stories from those who witnessed the horrific antisemitic massacre in December that claimed 15 lives. Meghan also embraced Jessica Chapnik Kahn, who survived while shielding her five-year-old daughter after attending a Hanukkah party. She and Harry also spoke to first responders to the Bondi terrorist attack, including lifeguards on the beach. He was found unresponsive in bed A father-of-two has died in his sleep while holidaying with his family in Thailand. Cameron Degan, 44, had been staying with his wife, Kylie, and their children when he was found unresponsive in a hotel bed on Sunday morning. The Central Coast father was first discovered by his wife, who immediately began trying to resuscitate him while paramedics were on their way. An ambulance arrived an hour later but Mr Degan was unable to be saved. Ms Degan announced the heartbreaking news on social media. 'It's taking every bit of strength to post this,' she wrote. 'On our Thailand holiday, I lost the love of my life, my best friend, and Charlotte and Jack have lost the best dad in the world.' A family friend has since launched a GoFundMe which she hopes will ease Ms Degan's financial burden going forward. Cameron Degan died in his sleep while holidaying with family in Thailand on Sunday The 44-year-old Central Coast father was found unresponsive in bed by his wife, Kylie Despite Ms Degan's best efforts her husband could not be revived The fundraiser's organiser, Ashley Green, said the family is now trying to get Mr Degan's body back to Australia. 'While on vacation in Thailand, Kylie, Charlotte, and Jack lost their beloved husband and father, Cameron. This sudden and devastating loss has left them heartbroken,' Ms Green said. 'They have now returned home to Australia and are beginning the difficult journey of grieving and rebuilding life without him. 'We are fundraising to support them through the significant financial challenges resulting from this tragedy.' Any funds raised will go towards the costs associated with Mr Degan's repatriation to Australia, funeral arrangements and other immediate expenses. New York City schools are pouring money into TikTok clips, subway posters, and targeted social media ads as they race to fill classrooms emptied by years of falling birthrates and families leaving the city. New York City's public school system has lost more than 120,000 K-12 students over the past five years, a steep drop driven by a lower birthrate, high housing costs, and a pandemic-era wave of family departures. Recent city figures show a further enrollment decline of about 12 percent since the start of the Covid crisis, and officials say there is still little sign of a rebound, according to the New York Post. At the same time, census data show only a very slight increase in the number of New Yorkers under 20 between 2023 and 2024, underscoring how few new children are entering the system. This shrinking pool of students has turned what was once a stable pipeline into a competition for every seat. In response, both district schools and their charter and parochial rivals are investing in marketing strategies that would have been rare in public education just a decade ago. Parents scrolling TikTok and Instagram now see short videos of smiling students, classroom projects, and after-school clubs, often cut to popular songs and formatted like any other viral content. One charter network, for example, promotes clips of elementary students dancing and praising their teachers, while nearby Catholic schools highlight success stories about children discovering talents such as music or sports. The city's Education Department has also sought approval for a $21 million, two-year ad campaign, which would place school messages on buses, in subways, at bus shelters, and in neighborhood businesses. Charter and private schools in New York City have advertised for years, buying space in tabloids, mailing glossy brochures, and now leaning heavily on digital campaigns. What is newer is the scale of the effort by the city's own public school system, which historically relied on neighborhood boundaries and word of mouth, the New York Times reported. Now, district officials say they need to "sell" their programs alongside charter and parochial options, especially in early childhood, where 3-K and pre-K seats sit empty even as many families remain unaware they are free. The ad push aims to steer parents toward nearby public schools before they commit to private or out-of-city alternatives. Many of the forces behind the enrollment crisis lie outside any advertising campaign's control: long-term declines in births, high rents, and a continued stream of families moving to cheaper regions. City data show tens of thousands of students have left New York altogether in recent years, weakening school budgets that are tied to headcount. Education officials argue that better marketing can at least ensure families know about public options, including free meals, summer programs, and newcomer supports for asylum-seeking children, as per Chalkbeat. But as schools double down on TikTok and social media, even while city leaders sue major platforms over youth mental health harms, it remains unclear whether these campaigns can do more than slow the slide in enrollment. A missing mother of three who was last heard from before she went picking mushrooms with a 'strange man' has been found dead in Washington. Loved ones last heard from Hailey Athay, 33, just before Thanksgiving in 2024 when she told a friend about her plans to forage in the wilderness. The Longview woman was reported missing the following January and has not been seen since. But earlier this week horrified hikers stumbled upon her body in a remote area of Kelso, the Cowlitz County Sheriff's Office announced Wednesday. The discovery on April 12 included 'nearly complete skeletal remains' as well as 'clothing and personal belongings.' Police identified the spot as 'an area of interest' where investigators had previously searched, but 'no evidence had been recovered.' Hikers alerted police and sent pictures of the bones to a forensic anthropologist, who identified them as human. Officials compared the skull's teeth to Athay's dental records and confirmed its identity. Hailey Athay went missing after Thanksgiving in 2024. She told friend that she was going to pick mushrooms with an unidentified man Athay, 33, was a mother of three. Her daughters are now being cared for by family members Athay's remains were turned over to the Cowlitz County Coroner's Office to determine her cause and manner of death. Athay's mother, Nicole Brooks, told KPTV that this was not the news the family hoped to hear, but the outcome was unsurprising. 'Its not that it was unexpected that this would be the outcome, but it certainly isnt what we wanted in our hearts,' Brooks said. 'You dont know, and you hold out hopeand the longer it goes, the harder it is.' The grieving mother last spoke to her daughter on the phone in November 2024. At the time, Athay said she 'was doing well' and seeing a man her mother didn't know, per Fox13 Seattle. In 2025, Brooks told KGW that her daughter struggled with addiction and often floated from place to place. It would occasionally be several days or weeks between phone calls. 'Even though she struggled, she would stay in contact,' Brooks said. 'She would let me know that she's OK, she would give me a call. She would ask about her daughters.' Athay's mother Nicole Brooks (right) told the press that she suspected foul play in her daughter's disappearance Athay's mom said she was kind, thoughtful and a loving mother. Her cause of death has not been released yet Brooks told KPW she doesn't think her daughter's death was an accident. Now that Athay has been found, she hopes someone will be held accountable. 'Somebody took her through the woods. They left her in November in freezing temperatures, unprepared,' she said. 'You know, no parent should have to bury their child. And still, I want to ask him why. Why would you do that to somebody? Who does that to a human being?' The family started a GoFundMe to aid with search efforts, but the money raised will now be allocated toward Athay's funeral costs. In the updated tribute, the family called the last year and a half of searching 'an unrelenting nightmare.' 'Hailey was a vibrant, 33-year-old woman who leaves behind a legacy of love as a mother of three, a devoted daughter, a sister and a granddaughter,' it read. 'To those who knew her best, she was a beautiful contradictiona "tough girly girl" who possessed a fierce exterior but a heart defined by kindness and thoughtfulness. 'She was the person you turned to for the best advice, the one whose spitfire attitude and bubbly personality could light up any room.' On Friday, family and friends held a candlelight vigil to honor Athay after her fate was confirmed, reported KGW. Athay's family said they are working on getting justice after confirmation of her death 'I guess the best way I could put it today is that she's not lost in the woods anymore,' Brooks told the outlet at the ceremony. 'Now that she's home, we're going to shift our focus to getting justice.' Athay's three daughters are now living with family members. No criminal charges have been announced. The Daily Mail contacted the Cowlitz Sheriff's Department, the Cowlitz County Coroners Office and Athay's family for comment. Winter temperatures are coming back with a vengeance for 100 million Americans as an icy, deep freeze takes over from the record-breaking heatwave. Temperatures are set to plummet from Idaho to the Northeast, with some areas even likely to see snowfall. In Denver, Colorado, flurries had already begun on Friday as the mercury plunged down from 77F the day before. Forecasters expect similar conditions to spread down through the US due to an Arctic blast pushing down across Alaska which will send temperatures tumbling into the 20s in parts. It is a far cry from the highs seen in areas such as New York City and Philadelphia, which experienced all-time April highs this week at 90F and 93F, respectively. The Big Apple's temperatures will drop up to a chilly 40 degrees in the coming week, The Washington Post reported. The sudden dip is due to an area of high pressure forming over Greenland forcing the cold air down. The frigid blast will continue to work its way across the US through Monday, with much of the East Coast feeling its effect by Sunday. Cold weather will move across the US this weekend - a far cry from the record-breaking temperatures earlier this week Some areas could see a deep freeze and snow as a blast of cold emanating from Alaska barrels in Places like Madison, Wisconsin, and Binghamton, New York, will see below-freezing temperatures Monday morning, the outlet said. Iowa, Nebraska and Missouri are under winter weather advisories from the National Weather Service until Tuesday afternoon, with forecasters predicting several inches of snow. Alaska could also see 40mph winds whipping up flurries which are predicted to reach up to eight inches deep. Cold temperatures are only expected to last a few days before rebounding, AccuWeather said. 'However, due to atmospheric patterns in the northern Pacific, additional cool periods are possible later in April and into May,' AccuWeather Lead Long-Range Meteorologist Paul Pastelok said. The drastic shift in temperatures could affect fruit production later in the year and also kill off any blossoming flowers. 'Multiple days of unusually warm conditions, in some cases combined with downpours, will tend to accelerate budding and blossoming earlier than usual,' Pastelok said. 'Temperatures during April so far are running two to eight degrees above the historical average in the East, and that alone has been putting pressure on early blossoming and leaf-out, despite cold conditions earlier in the year.' Denver saw snow on Friday, despite having unseasonably warm temperatures earlier in the week A motorist drives through snow flurries in Denver, Colorado, on Friday just a day after the city saw highs of 77F On Wednesday, girls were seen lounging in Central Park in shorts and sundresses in New York. The Big Apple could see a 40-degree drop in temperatures next week after peaking at 90F Temperatures will remain higher in the South, especially in Charlotte, North Carolina, and Atlanta, Georgia, which could see record highs, according to AccuWeather. It comes as a series of tornados were reported across the Midwest amid powerful storms. Damaging winds and hail rattled communities from Texas to the Great Lakes, where dozens of tornado warnings were in place. A likely tornado tore through a small village in northwest Illinois Friday, ripping down power lines and trees, stripping roofs and forcing officials to shut down the community. The storm caused 'extensive damage' throughout Lena, with trees and other debris blocking roadways and 'compromised structures' causing hazardous conditions, according to the Stephenson County Sheriffs Office. 'We are extremely fortunate that this storm did not result in loss of life or serious injury,' Sheriff Steve Stovall said in a statement. The National Weather Service said the damage was likely caused by a tornado and it would survey the area over the weekend. Tourists were seen enjoying the nice weather in Washington DC on Friday. The Northeast will see cold temperatures by Sunday and Monday It comes as a series of tornados were reported across the Midwest amid powerful storms. Pictured: A tornado striking the village of Lena Workers clear fallen trees and debris from the center of town after a tornado passed through on April 17, 2026 in Lena, Illinois Leo Zach, 14, had just gotten to the village's high school's band room for a music competition when the building started shaking and the power went out. He said the room was packed with students and some were very scared and had panic attacks. 'I'm definitely on the luckier side of how that could've happened,' he said. 'I was just trying to stay calm, help other people.' When they got outside, they found some of the windows blown out in the gym and part of the school's roof ripped off. Photos and video posted online showed a garage totaled, bricks torn off of buildings and fences demolished. Lena is a village of nearly 3,000 people, located about 117 miles northwest of Chicago. The fourth suspect charged following the torching of four Jewish community ambulances in Golders Green has appeared in court. Judex Atshatshi, 18, appeared at Westminster Magistrates' Court on Saturday, charged with intent to damage property and being reckless as to whether life would be endangered. During the hearing, Atshatshi spoke to confirm his name, date of birth and address. He was then remanded in custody. Atshatshi, a British national of Dagenham, was arrested on April 16 after counter terrorism detectives attended two addresses in east London. The arrest came as the ambulances from Hatzola - a volunteer-led service - were set on fire in the early hours of March 23 outside a synagogue in a suspected anti-Semitic hate crime. Three people have previously been charged in connection with the incident and were remanded in custody earlier this month. Two British men, Hamza Iqbal, 20, and Rehan Khan, 19, from Leyton, east London; and a 17-year-old boy, of dual British-Pakistani nationality, from Walthamstow were also charged with one count of arson being reckless as to whether life would be endangered. The four defendants are set to appear at the Old Bailey on Friday, April 24. Ambulances from Jewish volunteer-led service Hatzola (pictured) were set on fire in the early hours of March 23 outside a synagogue in a suspected anti-Semitic hate crime The firebombing caused gas canisters stored in the ambulances to explode (pictured, in the aftermath), with the force from the blast causing windows to break in a block of flats close by Frank Ferguson, head of the Crown Prosecution Service's special crime and counter-terrorism division, said: '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 these defendants are active and that they have the right to a fair trial. 'It is vital that there should be no reporting, commentary or sharing of information online which could in any way prejudice these proceedings.' 40 firefighters and six fire engines rushed to Highfield Road, near the Mchzike Hadath synagogue, at approximately 1.45am following the incident. The firebombing caused gas canisters stored in the ambulances to explode, with the force from the blast causing windows to break in a block of flats close by. The synagogue, one of Europe's oldest, had its roof damaged and stained glass windows smashed in the fire. There were no injuries. In the wake of the attack, the Met Police has since deployed an additional 264 officers as well as specialist teams including firearms, the mounted branch and drones, to boost security for Jewish communities in the run up to Passover. CCTV footage captured three hooded figures (pictured) appearing to pour accelerant on the vehicles before setting them alight The incident in north-west London saw one of Europe's oldest synagogues have its roof damaged and stained glass windows smashed. Pictured: The aftermath Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer condemned the attack as 'deeply shocking' in the aftermath. He said: 'My thoughts are with the Jewish community who are waking up this morning to this horrific news. 'Antisemitism has no place in our society. Anyone with any information must come forward to the police.' Gideon Falter, chief executive of Campaign Against Antisemitism, said: 'We are absolutely heartbroken that this is how low Britain has sunk. 'This horrific act truly plumbs new depths.' The volunteer-run Jewish organisation Hatzola, founded in 1979, provides free emergency medical response and transportation to hospitals. Health Secretary Wes Streeting has since announced the four ambulances would be replaced by vehicles from the London Ambulance Service. US officials are urging citizens to avoid a popular Caribbean hotspot over heightened threats from terrorism and crime. The US Embassy in Trinidad and Tobago and the US State Department updated their ongoing level three travel advisory on Thursday. 'Reconsider travel to Trinidad and Tobago due to crime,' read the release. 'There is also a heightened risk of terrorism. Some areas have an increased risk.' The notice outlined several specific areas that Americans are encouraged to avoid if they do travel. Visitors are encouraged to avoid Port of Spain Beaches, Downtown Port of Spain, Fort George and Queen's Park Savannah if exploring at night. Many Trinidad and Tobago towns, especially Port of Spain, attract hundreds of thousands of Americans each year. But in the first three months of this year, the islands saw more than 60 killings, reported Fodor's. Last year, there were more than 330. Several Americans have already been caught up in violence on the islands in the last year, including at least three who lost their lives. Christopher Brown, 43, was stabbed and killed in a remote Trinidad fishing village in November. The US Embassy has now updated its travel advice urging tourists to stay away from the Caribbean island Trinidad and Tobago have long been a hotspot for American tourism with hundreds of thousands of visitors from the US each year The US Embassy in Trinidad and Tobago recently renewed its travel advisory warning citizens against traveling to the islands Kawandy Dixon, 38, was shot while attending a family funeral in Enterprise, Trinidad on September 7, according to a GoFundMe set up by his family. Dixon was a father of three and a resident of Jamaica, New York, reported the Queens Chronicle. US citizen Rahiem Elijah Thomas, 24, was shot and killed in Belmont on September 8, according to WIC News. In November, Colorado resident Christopher Brown was stabbed in a remote fishing village in Trinidad after getting dinner and drinks with his friends. The 43-year-old had allegedly split from his group to purchase marijuana. He was found with multiple stab wounds and a 'metal object' protruding from his back, the Daily Mail previously reported. According to the US State Department, threats of terrorism in Trinidad and Tobago are driven by 'the return of individuals who traveled or attempted to travel to Syria or Iraq to join ISIS.' Trinidad and Tobago's government declared a state of emergency at the beginning of March because of the sudden spike in 'violent criminal activity.' However, the embassy noted that violent crime in Trinidad and Tobago has dropped significantly since 2024 'due to security efforts started during the previous state of emergencies.' Join the discussion Should Americans risk visiting beautiful but dangerous destinations for the sake of adventure? Kawandy Dixon, 38, was a resident of Jamaica, Queens. He was shot while visiting Tobago for a funeral Trinidad and Tobago declared a state of emergency on March 2 due to a sudden spike in violent crime The US first declared a state of emergency for American travelers to Trinidad and Tobago in 2024 following a rise in gang violence. The embassy urges anyone traveling to the islands to exercise increased caution. It is recommended that US travelers enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program, refrain from displaying signs of wealth, and stay alert at all times. 'Do not physically resist any robbery attempt unless forced into a vehicle or remote area,' added the release. US government employees are prohibited from visiting Piccadilly, Besson and South Charlotte Streets as well as Laventille and Beetham, Sea Lots, Cocorite and the interior of Queens Park Savannah. The Daily Mail contacted the US Embassy in Trinidad and Tobago and the US Department of State for comment. A senior officer who was suspended from Police Scotland over bullying claims threatened to take her bosses to court in a bid to be allowed to work again. The Mail can reveal lawyers for Deputy Chief Constable Jane Connors, who earns 230,580 a year, planned to launch a judicial review against police chiefs. As a result, they caved in and lifted the suspension, meaning Ms Connors could work for London-based National Police Chiefs Council (NPCC). It is understood she is working remotely from Scotland. The number of people all believed to be in senior positions who have complained against Ms Connors is between five and 10, according to sources. Last night Scottish Tory justice spokesman Liam Kerr said: Officers and the public must have confidence that standards are upheld consistently and without fear or favour. Scottish ministers cannot ignore growing concerns around accountability in the SNPs single police force they must ensure proper oversight and help restore trust. Ms Connors is still on the payroll of Police Scotland but not allowed to work directly for the force because of the ongoing probe into the bullying claims. Deputy Chief Constable Jane Connors planned to launch a judicial review against police chiefs The situation is believed to have caused huge turmoil within Police Scotland As the Mail revealed last month, she is coordinating and developing business cases and change plans for mounted, marine and specialist dog services across England and Wales despite facing multiple allegations over her management style. A source close to the dispute said: Ms Connors lawyers threatened legal action against the Scottish Police Authority (SPA) over the suspension which could have included a judicial review. There is huge turmoil at Tulliallan [the corporate headquarters of Police Scotland near Kincardine, Fife]. Ms Connors, a former Metropolitan Police officer, received taxpayer-funded relocation expenses of more than 112,000 to help her move when she got the Police Scotland job in 2023. While she remains the focus of a bullying probe by the Police Investigations and Review Commissioner (PIRC), she is working for the NPCC, which brings UK police leaders together to set direction in policing. Martin Gallagher, a former Police Scotland superintendent, said last month that he found it very concerning that the second most senior officer in Scotland can be suspected of behaviour so serious that they are suspended from duty and is now working on anything that may affect the UKs strategic approach to policing. A police source said: It has raised a lot of eyebrows that she is in another policing job despite the ongoing probe. Regulations state police are duty-bound to find work for suspended officers wherever possible - as long as there is no conflict with the conduct investigation. A second source said Ms Connors is on attachment to NPCC as they will not allow her back to Tulliallan in case it interferes with the investigation. The source said the suspension was not lifted because of what the SPA has said, about always looking for alternatives to suspension. They added: This is why her legal team were taking the SPA to court - because they did not consider any alternatives [which they were required to do], but suspended her. The Mail understands the SPA denies that the prospect of legal action was the reason for the suspension being lifted and that it believes it has acted by the book. The NPCC was contacted for comment. A PIRC spokesman said: We received a referral from the Scottish Police Authority (SPA) on December 8, 2025, regarding the conduct of a senior officer. We will issue our report in due course. Police Scotland referred enquiries to the SPA, which said it could not comment on complaint and conduct matters. A spokesman said: Suspension is regularly reviewed to assess whether other options, such as redeployment, provide an appropriate alternative that ensure the integrity of any investigation and satisfy the public interest. Donald Trump said Iran cannot 'blackmail' the US after the Middle Eastern country threatened to close the Strait of Hormuz again. The President addressed the deepening crisis during a Q&A session on Saturday, shortly after he signed an unrelated executive order to ease access to a psychedelic drug used to treat PTSD. Trump revealed that talks between the US and Iran are 'going very well,' despite the issue with Iran opening and closing the Strait and threatening ships that enter the oil-rich area. 'They wanted to close up the Strait again, as they've been doing for years, but they can't blackmail us,' Trump said. 'We'll have some information by the end of the day,' he continued. 'We're talking to them. We're taking a tough stand. They've killed a lot of people. A lot of our people have been killed.' It comes amid reports Iran opened fire on Saturday on ships trying to cross the Strait of Hormuz after shutting the key waterway again. At least two Indian merchant vessels reported being hit by gunfire as they attempted to pass through the narrow waterway, three shipping and security sources told Reuters. The extent of the damage was not immediately clear. One of the vessels was carrying 2 million barrels of Iraqi oil. President Trump said Iran cannot 'blackmail' the US after threatening to close the Strait again It comes after Iran opened fire on ships trying to cross the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday Iran's new Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, said Iran's navy was ready to inflict 'new bitter defeats' on its enemies in a message posted on Telegram. The convoy that had begun moving through the strait quickly scattered, with vessel tracking data showing ships dispersing after what had been the first major movement since the start of the war. It came after Iran moved to re-start the blockade, saying the Strait of Hormuz had been shut once more after the US refused to lift what Tehran describes as a naval blockade of its ports. Trump warned he could 'start dropping bombs again' if the fragile ceasefire collapses. The President insisted a US naval blockade of Iranian ports would remain in place until a deal is reached, prompting fresh warnings from Tehran it could shut the route again. Trump said on Saturday he is still weighing whether to extend the truce, warning military action remains on the table if talks fail. He discussed the latest with Iran at a press conference where he signed an executive order to speed up the process of using psychedelic drugs to treat veterans' PTSD. The President brought out advocate Joe Rogan to make the announcement who he said emailed him about the treatment, sparking his interest. At least two Indian merchant vessels reported being hit by gunfire in the Strait 'Today, we're bringing them new hope,' he said, as Rogan and RFK Jr stood behind him in the Oval Office. 'I think you're going to see a big difference and a big reduction in that number [of suicides].' The drug being studied is ibogaine, Trump said, as he announced a $50million investment for research and help speed up the process to get it FDA approved. Ibogaine is a naturally occurring psychoactive from the root of a shrub native to Central Africa. It has gained popularity in recent years and generated the attention of medical professionals and of Rogan. Trump said the study found an 80 to 90 percent reduction in symptoms of depression and anxiety within one month of use. A study found that when combined with magnesium to protect the heart, the drug safely and effectively reduced PTSD, anxiety and depression. 'Can I have some, please?' the President joked, to a roar of laughter. 'I'll take whatever it takes!' He discussed Iran at a press conference where he signed an executive order to speed up the process of using psychedelic drugs to treat veterans' PTSD, joined by Joe Rogan and RFK Jr He later backtracked, saying: 'I don't have time to be depressed. You know, if you stay busy enough, maybe that works too. That's what I do.' Robert F Kennedy Jr, the health secretary, said the executive order comes amid concerns veterans were desperately traveling to Mexico and other countries to get the drug for relief, as it was not available in the US. Rogan also spoke at the event, saying he sent the President an email about ibogaine, to which Trump reportedly replied: 'Sounds great! Do you want FDA approval? Let's do it.' 'It was literally that quick,' Rogan said, before thanking Trump for his work in speeding up the process. Two civil servants who first discovered that Peter Mandelson had failed security vetting ahead of his appointment as US ambassador have denied they left Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer in the dark. It was revealed last night that the country's top civil servant, Dame Antonia Romeo, and the Cabinet Office's Cat Little found out last month that Mandelson was given the green light for the role against the advice of security officials. The Prime Minister has insisted he, and no other minister, had no idea Mandelson - who was forced out of his role in the US as a result of his links to paedophile Jeffrey Epstein - had failed vetting until he was informed on Tuesday. He said he was 'absolutely furious' that the Foreign Office had not told him it had overruled the vetting, and sacked its most senior figure, Sir Olly Robbins. But the revelation that two senior civil servants found out weeks ago, and failed to inform Sir Keir, has raised questions over his control over his government. On Saturday, a Cabinet Office spokesperson hit back at the accusations, saying Dame Antonia and Ms Little did not share the information sooner because they were waiting for legal checks on what they could release. They said: 'Senior officials in the Cabinet Office did the right thing and took urgent steps to ensure they could update the prime minister. 'On receipt of the UK security vetting information, the permanent secretary of the Cabinet Office rapidly sought legal and other advice to be in a sound position to share the document, or the fact of it, with the prime minister. She updated the cabinet secretary who agreed with the approach. Two civil servants who first discovered that Peter Mandelson had failed security vetting ahead of his appointment as US ambassador have denied they left Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer in the dark 'As soon as these checks were conducted, the prime minister was informed.' It was reported yesterday that Ms Little, the Cabinet Office's Permanent Secretary who is overseeing the publication of files on Mandelson's appointment, was first handed a document highlighting the failure at the end of March. Written in early 2025 by UK Security Vetting officials, it identified highly sensitive concerns about Mandelson and concluded he should not be given the clearance needed for the job. She told Cabinet Secretary Dame Antonia, who was little more than a month into the job, and they discussed the potential risks of sharing the information. The Cabinet Office then got legal advice on whether it could prejudice the Metropolitan Police's criminal investigation into Mandelson and also asked the Foreign Office why it had granted him developed vetting clearance against advice. It was suggested up to a dozen officials and lawyers were aware of the vetting failure, but not the PM, who repeatedly insisted everything was done by the book. The pair finally approached Sir Keir on Tuesday with details of the revelation that emerged publicly on Thursday. The Cabinet Office denied that this meant the senior civil servant had sat on the details, while a Government source said: 'Cat has been the one doggedly fighting Olly Robbins to get the documents out of his clutches and into the public domain. The Cabinet Office's Cat Little (left) and Dame Antonia Rome (right) found out last month that Mandelson was given the green light as US ambassador against the advice of security officials 'This is a laughable attempt to shift blame from the actual person who kept the PM in the dark.' The Foreign Office's chief civil servant Sir Olly Robbins was sacked on Thursday as he had lost the confidence of Sir Keir and Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper. The leaders of the major opposition parties have all called for Sir Keir to resign over the latest revelations, with Kemi Badenoch claiming the Prime Minister had misled Parliament and the public. He is facing a rocky few days as he bids to save his premiership, as he is due to address MPs on the issue in Parliament on Monday. Sir Olly will then appear on Tuesday to explain his department's role in Lord Mandelson's failed security clearance. Sir Olly's predecessor at the Foreign Office publicly backed him today following his sacking on Thursday saying he was simply 'following the rules' and accused the Prime Minister of 'throwing him under the bus'. Criticising the PM as 'wrong', Lord Simon McDonald accused Number 10 of 'wanting a scalp as quickly as possible within the news cycle' and not even giving Sir Olly, who he says was following legal process, the chance to give his own side of the story. He suggested that the decision to appoint Mandelson had already been made and that the Prime Minister 'wanted his man' in Washington and it was 'an interpretation' that the Foreign Office was effectively left to make it work. He also warned in stark terms that the Foreign Office was now facing 'its biggest crisis' in more than four decades and needed a new Head 'as quickly as possible'. Lord McDonald, permanent secretary at the Foreign Office from 2015 to 2020, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that Number 10 'wanted a scalp and they wanted it quickly'. He added: 'I think this is the biggest crisis in the diplomatic service since I joined it in 1982.' Lord Mandelson, a political appointment rather than a career diplomat, was sacked from his Washington role last September when more details emerged about his relationship with paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein, who died in 2019. A Texas man is on the run after his pregnant girlfriend was found dead in a park after she was reported missing by her family. Ashanti Allen, 23, was last seen on April 8 at her Houston home. Concerned relatives went over to check on her after not hearing from her for a while, and discovered the property empty, with her hospital baby bag packed by the door. Allen's body was found eight days later, roughly six miles from her home at Chimney Rock Park. Video shared by her family appeared to show a flattened area leading to a creek where they said she was discovered. Allen was eight months pregnant with her son Jaxon at the time of her death. Her pregnancy had been considered high-risk. Her boyfriend, Kevin Faux, 24, has been named the suspect in the deaths of Allen and their unborn child. He was charged with capital murder, but he is still at large. Faux has a history of assault, including a September 2025 case where he beat Allen, ABC 13 reported. He spent time behind bars for grabbing Allen by the neck and pinning her down and slapping her, records showed. Ashanti Allen, 23, was found dead at eight months pregnant in a Houston park. Her boyfriend, Kevin Faux, has been named as a suspect Her official cause of death is pending an autopsy, but her boyfriend has been charged with capital murder Allen's official cause of death is pending an autopsy. She was reported missing by family members on April 10, after she failed to return to her apartment complex where her mother, Trisa Gaines, also lives. Gaines received an unusual message from Allen that day around 4am, stating: 'I am leaving, not coming back,' KHOU 11 reported. 'I didn't believe that she sent that,' she told the outlet. Gaines went to her daughter's apartment to check on her, only for no one to answer the door. The soon-to-be grandmother got a key from management, and after gaining access, she found the baby bag Allen had packed for the hospital was still sitting there. 'All her stuff was there, baby clothes there, nothing was taken,' Gaines said: 'The bag she packed for the hospital still sitting there.' They later discovered Allen's car was missing. Faux is currently at large. He was previously convicted of assaulting Allen in 2024 Her family claimed they have since learned Allen was being domestically abused by Faux without their knowledge Allen was reported missing on April 10 after her mother, who lives in the same apartment complex, said she received a weird text from her daughter saying she wasn't coming back 'I already knew she was gone, a mother knows,' the mother told ABC 13. The family later found the car being driven by an unidentified individual. The person driving the vehicle did not have any information, so Gaines contacted police. On April 16, Allen's body was found. Gaines told ABC 13 she was not surprised when Faux was named as a suspect. 'I knew all along that he did something to my child,' she told the outlet. 'My daughter did not let me know what she was going through.' Allen's father, Edward Allen, told the outlet: 'I'm going to say it all over the nation, if something is going on with your relationship please let your momma, your daddy, your sister, your brother know because if we had any grip or any indication that something was going bad, we could've fixed it and she would still be here right now.' Edward also encouraged Faux to turn himself in. The family started a GoFundMe to help pay for her and Jaxon's funeral expenses. Allen was pregnant with Faux's child, Jaxon, at the time of her death She was found in Chimney Rock Park near a bayou close to her Houston home Her brother, Xavier Gaines, promised to honor his sister. 'We love you, and we miss you, and we will never let your name die,' he told ABC 13. 'We were there for you. I just wish you knew that.' 'I just want you to know that I always love you and I'm going to remember you, till the day I die,' her sister, Marche Peevy, said. The Daily Mail contacted the Houston Police Department for comment. The Pope has denied his comments that the world is 'being ravaged by tyrants' were a criticism of Donald Trump amid an ongoing feud between the two leaders. Pope Leo XIV made the unusually forceful remarks during a trip to Cameroon on Thursday after the US President launched a tirade against him over his repeated criticism of the war in Iran. Leo, the first American pope, also decried leaders who use religious language to justify wars and urged a 'decisive change of course'. However, he said today he regrets his 'tyrant' remarks were interpreted as a response to criticism from Trump, insisting he has no interest in debating the US leader. The Pontiff, 70, claimed they had been written well before Trump's 'comment on myself and on the message of peace that I am promoting'. 'And yet it was perceived as if I were trying to start a new debate with the president, which doesn't interest me at all,' Leo said. 'Much of what has been written since then has been more commentary on commentary trying to interpret what has been said,' he said. The Pope has denied his comments that the world is 'being ravaged by tyrants' were a criticism of Donald Trump amid an ongoing feud between the two leaders US President Donald Trump speaks after signing an executive order in the Oval Office on Saturday Pope Leo XIV attends a welcome ceremony upon his arrival in Angola Leo, who arrived in Angola today, is currently on the third leg of his four-nation trip through Africa. In his homily, delivered in French, Leo said that the respect for human dignity was a cornerstone of every society. 'For this reason, every community has the obligation to create and sustain structures of solidarity and mutual aid in which, when faced with crises - be they social, political, medical or economic - everyone can give and receive assistance according to their own capacity and needs,' he said. Trump had said on April 12 he was 'not a big fan of Pope Leo', and accused him of 'toying with a country (Iran) that wants a nuclear weapon'. He later doubled down on his comments to reporters with a post on Truth Social, saying: 'I don't want a Pope who thinks it's OK for Iran to have a Nuclear Weapon.' 'Pope Leo is WEAK on Crime, and terrible for Foreign Policy,' the US leader said. Trump also said that Leo was only made Pope 'because he was an American', and 'If I wasn't in the White House , Leo wouldn't be in the Vatican.' He added: 'I don't think he's doing a very good job. He likes crime I guess. 'We don't like a Pope who says it's ok to have a nuclear weapon. We don't want a Pope that says crime is ok. I am not a fan of Pope Leo.' Trump then sparked further controversy by posting an AI-generated image seemingly depicting himself as Jesus Christ. He later deleted the post, claiming he had intended it to depict him as a doctor. Pope Leo XIV speaks to journalists aboard a flight on his way to Luanda, Angola Donald Trump faced backlash from world leaders and Catholics across the globe after he posted a photograph depicting himself as Jesus Pope Leo XIV disembarks the papal plane upon his arrival at Quatro de Fevereiro International Airport to begin his visit to Angola Although Trump routinely attacks world leaders, his spat with the Pope has alienated some of his most ardent supporters. Much of the President's support base are conservative Catholics. And Trump, who rarely attends church, has upset many by insulting their spiritual leader. Trump loyalist Shane Schaetzel said he has cancelled his subscription to Truth Social and sold his stocks in Trump's businesses. The author from Missouri, who voted for Trump in 2016, 2020 and 2024, told The Times: 'I've been very patient and very balanced in the feud erupting between him and the Pope. This, however, is too much. Donald Trump just lost my support.' Former congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene, previously a strong ally of President Trump, wrote: 'On Orthodox Easter, President Trump attacked the Pope because the Pope is rightly against Trump's war in Iran and then he posted this picture of himself as if he is replacing Jesus. 'This comes after last week's post of his evil tirade on Easter and then threatening to kill an entire civilisation. I completely denounce this and I'm praying against it!!!' 'It's more than blasphemy,' she added on a second account. 'It's an Antichrist spirit.' Other members of the MAGA base expressed criticism following the President's controversial post. 'Oh hell no,' wrote hard-Right provocateur Milo Yiannopoulos. 'We tolerated this kind of meme against our better judgment because he promised to save America and only when it was clear he didn't actually think he was the Messiah.' Right-wing social media personality Mike Cernovich also criticised the post, writing on X: 'Trump's first post was fine. The Pope has a long documented political record. The follow-up posts? Would not be tolerated for any other religion.' But despite the widespread criticism, some of Trump's most loyal allies have leapt to his defence. Pope Leo XIV waves after arriving in Luanda, Angola, on Saturday Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson said the Pope should have expected backlash for wading into 'political waters'. He said he was 'taken a little bit aback' by the Pope's comments about 'those who engage in war, that Jesus doesn't hear their prayers or something'. 'It is a very well-settled matter of Christian theology, there's something called the "just war" doctrine,' he added. Texas Congressman Troy Nehls joined the criticism of the Pope, telling him to 'stay out of politics' on Wednesday. He said: 'The Pope needs to keep his business to leading his flock, leading the church, and stay out of the political arena. 'Go lead your church. Stay out of politics. We didn't elect the Pope to be the president. Donald Trump is our president.' A French soldier has been shot dead after UN peacekeepers were ambushed by an armed group in southern Lebanon. He suffered a 'direct gunshot' wound after the patrol came under 'small-arms fire' on Saturday morning, with three others injured in the attack. Attempts were made to resuscitate him but he 'tragically succumbed to his injuries'. French president Emmanuel Macron has blamed Hezbollah for the incident, which occurred just one day after the ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel took effect on Friday, and he urged the Lebanese authorities to arrest the perpetrators. 'Everything suggests that responsibility for this attack lies with Hezbollah,' he wrote in a social media post. 'France demands that the Lebanese authorities immediately arrest those responsible and assume their responsibilities alongside UNIFIL,' he said regarding the UN mission in southern Lebanon. Catherine Vautrin, the French armed forces minister, said the UN peacekeepers had been on a mission to open a route towards a UNIFIL post when the ambush occurred. The post had been isolated for several days due to fighting in the area between Hezbollah and Israeli forces. A French soldier suffered a 'direct gunshot' wound after the patrol came under 'small-arms fire' on Saturday morning (File image) Pictured: French UNIFIL peacekeepers patrol Al-Qasmiyeh, in southern Lebanon, on April 18, 2026 (File image) Emmanuel Macron blamed Hezbollah for the ambush, claiming 'everything suggests' the Iran-backed group is 'responsible for this attack' Vautrin said on social media the deceased French soldier had been 'caught in an ambush by an armed group at very close range'. 'Immediately hit by a direct shot from a light weapon, he was pulled back under fire by his comrades, who were unable to resuscitate him,' she said. UNIFIL said the peacekeepers 'came under small-arms fire from non-state-actors' in a 'deliberate attack' as they were 'clearing explosive ordnance along a road in the village of Ghanduriyah' to get to the outpost. 'Tragically, one peacekeeper succumbed to his injuries and three others were injured, two of them seriously,' it added. UNIFIL has carried out its own assessment of the attack, reporting that incoming fire had been directed on its troops by 'allegedly Hezbollah'. It said it had also launched an investigation into what 'may amount to war crimes'. Macron spoke with Lebanese president Joseph Aoun and prime minister Nawaf Salam following the attack 'to call on the Lebanese authorities to shed full light on this incident' and 'identify and prosecute those responsible without delay', his office said. The French president also urged Lebanon to 'do everything possible to ensure the safety of UNIFIL soldiers, who must under no circumstances be targeted'. French UNIFIL peacekeepers patrol southern Lebanon as displaced residents wave Hezbollah flags at them UNIFIL patrols in southern Lebanon near the Israeli border where Israel and Hezbollah have been fighting since last month Salam said he has ordered an investigation into the fatal ambush and to bring the perpetrators to justice. Lebanese politicians and the army have condemned the attack in a statement, with the army saying it will continue its 'close coordination' with UNIFIL. UNIFIL patrols southern Lebanon, near the Israeli border where Israel and Hezbollah have been fighting since last month, after the Iran-backed militant group drew Lebanon into the Middle East war with rocket fire at Israel in support of Iran. Three Indonesian peacekeepers were killed last month, with a preliminary UN investigation finding one was killed by Israeli tank fire, while the two others were killed by an improvised explosive device likely planted by Hezbollah. Other UNIFIL peacekeepers have also been wounded since the war erupted, and in April, Israeli soldiers destroyed surveillance cameras in UNIFIL's headquarters, the peacekeeping body said. Last week, an Israeli tank twice rammed peacekeeping vehicles, causing damage but no injuries, according to UNIFIL. UN peacekeepers have served as a buffer between Lebanon and Israel for decades, but their mandate concludes at the end of this year. Hezbollah has denied it was involved in the deadly attack after Macron accused the group of orchestrating the ambush. In a statement the group said: 'Hezbollah denies any connection to the incident that occurred with UNIFIL forces in the Ghandouriyeh-Bint Jbeil area, and calls for caution in making judgments and assigning responsibilities regarding the incident pending the Lebanese army's investigations to determine the full circumstances of the incident.' Performance Brokerage Services, the leader in dealership buy-sell activity, announces the sale of Teton Motors Subaru & Chevrolet in Jackson, Wyoming from David and Jim Auge to Mitch and Blake Loveland of Stone's Auto Group. IRVINE, Calif., April 18, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Performance Brokerage Services, North America's highest volume dealership brokerage firm, is pleased to announce the sale of Teton Motors Subaru & Chevrolet in Jackson, Wyoming from David and Jim Auge to Mitch and Blake Loveland of Stone's Auto Group. As one of the very first dealers in Idaho, Stone's Auto Group has been in business since 1966. Marking a significant milestone in its expansion, the group has entered Wyoming for the first time through the acquisition of Teton Motors Subaru and Chevrolet. Performance Brokerage Services - Teton Motors Company - Left to right: Blake Loveland, Mitch Loveland, David Auge, Jim Auge, and Jonny Mecham - Stone's Auto Group Over the last 5 years, Performance Brokerage Services has advised on the sale of nearly 450 dealerships, making it the highest volume dealership brokerage firm in North America. John Mecham and Jonny Mecham, the Rocky Mountain Partners of Performance Brokerage Services, were the exclusive sell-side advisors for this transaction. "Working with the Auge's was a wonderful experience from top to bottom," Jonny shared. "They asked the right questions and always centered around how the staff would be taken care of after the fact. Bringing the Loveland's into the experience was the perfect fit, as they always wanted to do the right thing for the Brands, the communities, and the staff involved. The buyers and sellers worked together to solve problems, always recognizing their respective positions in the transaction. In a transaction that had a lot of moving parts, it was a comfort knowing the buyers and sellers were simply good people. I wish the very best for the Auge's in their future and hope to do more with the Loveland's going forward!" Teton Motors Chevrolet was established in the early 1970s by Earle Auge and remained family owned and operated for the past 54 years. Under the leadership of his sons, David and Jim Auge, the business built a strong reputation for customer and community service. In 2016, the company expanded its presence with the opening of the Subaru dealership in Jackson, Wyoming. Upon the closing, David Auge, Owner of Teton Motors, commented, "We started the process of looking for buyers before having the opportunity to hire Jonny Mecham with Performance Brokerage Services, and the value of 'getting over the finish line' could not be understated. Jonny was able to find buyers that were not only capable of getting the job done, but a fit for our community and flexible along the way. Throughout the process, Jonny was attentive and available at each step, right down to some physical labor on closing day! We would absolutely recommend Jonny and John Mecham at Performance Brokerage Services to anyone in our industry." Teton Motors Chevrolet will be renamed Stone's Chevrolet, and Teton Motors Subaru will be renamed Stone's Subaru. Both dealerships will remain at their current location. About Performance Brokerage Services Performance Brokerage Services, Inc. is North America's highest volume dealership brokerage firm, specializing in buy-sell activity for automotive, RV, marine, powersports, commercial truck, and equipment dealerships. With over 30 years of experience, more than 900 dealerships sold, and a 90% closing rate, the company's reputation is unmatched and governed by the utmost ethical conduct and integrity. The company offers a unique approach by providing complimentary estimates of value with no upfront fees or retainers, no reimbursement of costs, and paid a success fee only after the transaction closes. Headquartered in Irvine, California and supported by 12 regional offices across the United States and Canada, clients benefit from national exposure with local representation. As trusted and respected experts in the field, the company utilizes an extensive network of industry related attorneys, accountants, hundreds of registered buyers, and longstanding relationships with various vehicle manufacturers. For more information about the services offered by Performance Brokerage Services, visit https://performancebrokerageservices.com. Media Contact: Jesse Stopnitzky, Co-Owner (949) 309-2851 [email protected] SOURCE Performance Brokerage Services, Inc. A mass shooting in Kyiv, which left six people dead and 14 more injured, is being investigated as a 'terrorist act', Ukrainian authorities have said. Police today killed a man alleged to have opened fire at passersby in the Ukrainian capital before barricading himself into a supermarket with hostages and refusing to negotiate. Ukraine's Security Service has since confirmed the shooting was being investigated as a terrorist act. Video footage appeared to show the gunman shooting at passersby in the street, before authorities said he entered a local store, where he was confronted by special forces. President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, speaking in his nightly video address, said the shooting happened in the leafy Holosiivskyi district, injuring 14 people, including a 12-year-old boy. 'He took hostages, and unfortunately, one of them was killed,' Zelenskiy said. 'Four people died simply on the street. One woman died in the hospital after being seriously wounded.' Zelensky noted that an investigation has been launched. Shootings of this nature are extremely rare in Ukraine. Footage from inside the supermarket showed the gunman, named as Moscow-born Dmitry Vasylchenkov, 57, brandishing an automatic weapon Mayor Vitali Klitschko said several had been killed and others injured, including a child, while the assailant is still at large Mayor Vitali Klitschko said several had been killed and others injured, including a child, while the assailant is still at large (Pictured: Alleged gunman, circled) Unofficial Telegram channels quoted witnesses as saying the suspect had moved down a street and shot and killed people at point-blank range without warning before entering the supermarket. 'The shooter in Kyiv was liquidated during the arrest,' Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko said on Telegram. 'Special forces of the ... national police stormed the store where the attacker was. He took people hostage and shot at a policeman during his detention. Before that, negotiators tried to contact him.' Klymenko told reporters at the scene that officers had tried without success to negotiate with the suspect for 40 minutes. He said the man had owned a registered weapon and secured a medical certificate to use it. Prosecutor General Ruslan Kravchenko said the shooter had been identified as a 58-year-old native of Moscow. Zelensky said the suspect had a criminal record and had set fire to the apartment where he was registered before going into the street with the gun. The president said he had lived for some time in the eastern Donetsk region, one of the focal points of the four-year war with Russia. A police officer is seen at the site where a gunman killed at least six people in the streets before being shot dead by police, in Kyiv, Ukraine, Saturday, April 18, 2026 A police officer inspects the site where a gunman killed at least six people in the streets before being shot dead by police, in Kyiv, Ukraine, Saturday, April 18, 2026 A police officer evacuates a hostage at the site of a shooting incident, in Kyiv, Ukraine, April 18, 2026 Special Forces Police Unit evacuate the hostage at the site of a shooting incident, in Kyiv, Ukraine, April 18, 2026 Footage shared on social media appeared to show a male holding a weapon before aiming it at passersby. One clip showed the man, dressed in a reddish jacket and dark trousers, running down a street while looking over his shoulder, carrying a gun. Paramedics and other emergency service personnel were seen rushing to the aid of the injured. After efforts failed, special forces stormed the supermarket and successfully rescued four hostages, killing the gunman in a shootout. Images from the scene appeared to show a hunting rifle-style weapon abandoned on the floor of the supermarket, identified as a Kel-Te Sub-2000 semi-automatic carbine. This type of weapon can be purchased by able-bodied citizens over 25, as long as they have a hunting license. Special Forces Police Unit at the site of a shooting incident, in Kyiv, Ukraine, April 18, 2026 A Rapid Operational Response Unit member stands by an armoured vehicle outisde a supermarket, where Ukrainian police killed a man who opened fire in a city district and barricaded himself into the supermarket on Saturday, Ukrainian Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko said, in Kyiv, Ukraine, April 18, 2026 A special team policeman stands in front of a hole made from a bullet in the window of a supermarket after a shooting in Kyiv on April 18, 2026 Ukraine's Minister of Internal Affairs Igor Klimenko walks outside a supermarket following a shooting in Kyiv on April 18, 2026 A woman who identified herself as Hanna said the suspect was a neighbour who steered clear of other residents. 'He didn't want to communicate with anyone,' she said. 'When I sat outside on the street - he knew me by my face - he would greet me briefly and hurry off to run his errands. He wasn't close with his neighbours or anyone else.' Officials shared a photo showing a blurred, prone figure covered in blood inside a store, with a weapon lying nearby. Zelensky said the suspect had a criminal record and had set fire to the apartment where he was registered before going into the street with the gun. The president added that he had lived for some time in the eastern Donetsk region, one of the focal points of the four-year war with Russia. 'Everything that can be known about him and why he did this is being clarified. Every detail needs to be checked,' Zelenskiy said. 'The investigators have several versions. All his electronic devices, phone, all contacts will be checked.' Nigel Farage has predicted an 'electoral earthquake' in next month's local elections with Labour's traditional red wall seats falling in droves to Reform UK. The Reform UK leader says his party will take even more seats in Labour's heartland territory than Boris Johnson famously did in 2019 when the Conservatives seized key Labour strongholds across the North and in the Midlands. Mr Farage also vowed to reverse Sir Keir Starmer's Brexit reset plans to bring the UK back in line with Europe seeing them as a betrayal of Brexit and said he believed the Prime Minister would be toppled 'by midsummer' because he 'lied to the public' over Lord Mandelson. 'What we're reaching into here is something that certainly Boris Johnson couldn't, even in 2019. If I'm right this is of a whole different magnitude. It is an electoral earthquake for two reasons,' he said. 'One, Labour is dying in the heartlands. And two, the Conservative Party is ceasing to be a national party.' But while he is confident that May 7 will be a hugely successful night for Reform, which is expected to finish second in Wales and Scotland with the Labour vote plummeting, Mr Farage, who also did not rule out a future alliance with the Conservatives, said it is 'wildly optimistic' to expect his party to win as many as 2000 seats as some experts have forecast. 'We're tapping into patriotic old Labour. We're tapping into Brexit-y old Labour. We're tapping into areas where community still means a huge amount to these people. Where family may be more fractured than it used to be. 'And the commonest thing people will say is, 'We've always been Labour but not any more' ... and these are people, as I say, they've been tempted before. Ukip was tempting. The Brexit Party was tempting. Quite a few in 2019 were tempting. But this suddenly feels to me like it's clicking.' He also slammed Sir Keir Starmer's plans to use a Brexit reset bill in the King's Speech next month to automatically align Britain with European regulations in areas including food standards and decarbonisation and criticised his youth mobility scheme. Reform UK leader Nigel Farage out on the campaign trail earlier this month. He has predicted an 'electoral earthquake' in next month's local elections with Labour's traditional red wall seats falling in droves to Reform UK Sir Keir Starmer leaving the Elysee Palace in Paris earlier today. Mr Farage has claimed that Sir Keir's Labour Party is 'dying' And he said public opinion would change 'once they hear the facts, opinion changes quickly. We have to [diverge]. It's a matter of economic necessity'. The Reform UK leader went on to claim that youth mobility was 'an open door to illegal immigrants who have never been regularised in Spain' and that dynamic alignment with the EU is the 'worst of the lot' adding that there were two here were two points to Brexit: one was getting control of our borders, the second was becoming more competitive. He also addressed his friendship with US President Donald Trump which some have suggested is his Achilles heel, insisting the 'relationship with the US really matters' and doubling down on his belief that the UK should have supported the US 'from the start' in the Iran war. 'I count friends as friends, even when I fall out and disagree with them,' he said in an exclusive interview with today's Times, but he stressed that he would have no hesitation in telling Trump the war should end 'as soon as possible' if he spoke to him today. Mr Farage added that he has a 'long list of areas' where he felt the US Presidents position and Britain's are different but that as allies and 'like families' we can have these differences without fundamentally fracturing our relationship. Mr Farage campaigning in Hull in March. He says his party will take even more seats in Labour's heartland territory than Boris Johnson famously did in 2019 when the Conservatives seized key Labour strongholds across the North and in the Midlands He stressed that it's Britain's relationship with America that 'really matters' and that 'whatever we think about Trump in the short-term is not the point'. And he denied that Reform's key battleground migration was no longer as important to voters saying 'the massive population increase' has had a 'knock on effect' on people's lives in many areas. He is also confident of winning the 'mum' vote and appealing to women and girls, many of whom have been left in fear by horror stories of migrants' medieval attitudes towards women. 'We're letting in people from countries that have very different cultures, attitudes towards women and girls that are completely different.' A sleepy New York neighborhood was plunged into chaos after more than 100 cars swarmed its streets in the early hours of Saturday. Frantic locals in Maspeth and Middle Village called 911 to report drag racing which had taken over its communities. Officers were dispatched at approximately 1.49am to Eliot Avenue and 69th Street and arrived within one minute, activating lights and sirens as they began dispersing the gathering, the New York Police Department (NYPD) told the Daily Mail. However, three unidentified individuals jumped onto the hood of a marked police vehicle and cracked its windshield before fleeing in another car. Additional units were sent to canvass surrounding streets to deter further reckless driving and one motorist was issued a summons for blocking a crosswalk. No injuries were reported and the investigation remains ongoing. The chaos unfolded near the MaspethMiddle Village border, where drivers had taken over the intersection, spinning in circles, revving engines and sending smoke into crowds gathered just feet away. Videos from the scene show spectators lining the roadway as cars performed donuts and burnouts, with some people stepping back at the last moment to avoid oncoming vehicles. More than 100 cars took over a Queens intersection around 1.50am Saturday, performing dangerous stunts as crowds watched from just feet away Police responded within one minute to reports of drag racing and quickly dispersed the gathering, but three people jumped on a patrol car and cracked its windshield before fleeing Flames briefly appeared on the street during one stunt while another clip shows a man holding a Palestinian flag out of the window of a truck as it spun through the intersection. At least one driver was issued a citation for reckless driving, according to local officials. Councilman Phil Wong, who represents the 30th Council District, which includes Middle Village and Maspeth, has called for stronger action to prevent similar gatherings. 'This kind of reckless behavior is an attack on our quality of life, and it cannot be tolerated,' Wong told the New York Post. A representative for Wong also wondered how such a large number of vehicles were able to gather in a residential neighborhood without detection, raising concerns about enforcement and intelligence. 'I have to question what the NYPD intel is doing. How do 100 cars come to a sleepy neighborhood like Middle Village? The chaos needs to end,' they said. The councilman has requested a meeting with Jessica Tisch to discuss next steps and potential measures to address the issue. Councilman Phil Wong, who represents the 30th Council District, which includes Middle Village and Maspeth, has called for stronger action to prevent similar gatherings Videos from the scene show spectators lining the roadway as cars performed donuts and burnouts, with some people stepping back at the last moment to avoid oncoming vehicles Most vehicles fled, but three individuals jumped on a police car, cracking its windshield before fleeing The incident highlights ongoing concerns about so-called car takeovers, where drivers block intersections to perform stunts, often drawing large crowds and creating hazardous conditions for bystanders. Authorities are continuing to review footage and gather information as the investigation progresses. The illegal 'street takeover' trend began in California and has since been spreading across the nation, involving large groups who meet at a designated location late at night to perform dangerous stunts in their cars. Often footage of the dangerous moves goes viral on social media sites like TikTok and Instagram. Businesses urgently need to prepare for potential hacks by AI tools whose capability is doubling every four months, the Technology Secretary has told business leaders. Liz Kendall said UK businesses of all sizes and in any sector were under threat from cyber attacks, not just government agencies or high-profile companies. Her stark warning comes as the potential dangers posed by the powerful Mythos tool developed by Silicon Valley firm Anthropic become apparent. The AI bot has been deemed too dangerous to release to the public because it can apparently outperform some humans. Researchers say it is capable of conducting cyber attacks because it is so adept at computer programming it can find bugs in decades-old code, which it can exploit. Anthropic, which is currently embroiled in a legal dispute with the US government after it was labelled 'a supply chain risk', said Mythos had surpassed 'all but the most skilled humans at finding and exploiting software vulnerabilities'. Experts believe that bots like Mythos with such advanced hacking capabilities could fall into the wrong hands or be developed by powers like China. Only a dozen companies have so far been given early access to Mythos, including Apple and Microsoft, to enable them to find and fix potential weaknesses. Technology Secretary Liz Kendall (pictured) has said UK businesses of all sizes and in any sector were under threat from cyber attacks The stark warning comes as the potential dangers posed by the powerful Mythos tool developed by Silicon Valley firm Anthropic become apparent. Pictured: Stock image of a computer hachie in a hoodie In a letter to UK business leaders this week, Liz Kendall and Security Minister Dan Jarvis highlighted 'the speed at which AI capabilities are increasing and the threat they potentially pose', The Telegraph reports. Warning businesses to be ready to defend themselves against AI-powered cyber attacks after the emergence of Mythos, Ms Kendall said the government believed the capabilities of top AI tools were doubling every four months. 'The trajectory is clear, and therefore it is vital that we are prepared for frontier AI model capabilities to rapidly increase over the next year, and plan accordingly for that outcome. 'Government action alone will not be enough. Every business in the UK has a part to play. 'Criminals will not just target government systems and critical infrastructure. They will target ordinary companies, of every size, in every sector. Attackers go where defences are weakest.' While cyber attacks previously relied on 'a small number of highly skilled criminals', she said that was 'shifting'. 'A new generation of AI models are becoming capable of doing work that previously required rare expertise.' Earlier this month, the Bank of England and the UK's financial watchdogs issued a warning about the dangers of the new AI to UK banks and City of London firms. Last year, a government-run survey on cyber security breaches found an estimated 612,000 businesses and 61,000 charities were targeted across the UK. The most high-profile the hack of Jaguar Land Rover became the costliest cyber attack in British history, costing the UK economy an estimated 1.9bn. It crippled JLR for months and affected as many as 5000 organisations within its supply chain. Other high-profile hacking casualties last year included retailer Marks and Spencer, which fell prey to a serious hack in April 2025, which disrupted its online clothing and home orders, costing it around 136 million. The Co-op was another high-profile cyber victim, with data stolen from over 6 million customers and supplies affected to the tune of more than 200 million. Donald Trump convened an emergency situation room meeting with his inner circle on Saturday to discuss the precarious Strait of Hormuz situation, according to a report. The meeting came after Iranian gunboats opened fire on cargo ships in the Strait of Hormuz earlier on Saturday after Tehran tightened its chokehold on the key waterway. The attacks came soon after the regime abruptly reversed a decision to reopen the strait, citing an American statement that the US would not end its blockade of Iranian ports The President met with Vice President JD Vance, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, among others, Axios reported, citing two US officials. White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, Envoy Steve Witkoff, CIA Director John Ratliffe, and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Dan Caine also reportedly attended. The meeting comes amid reports that US soldiers are preparing to storm Iran-backed ships 'in a matter of days,' US officials told The Wall Street Journal. The US naval blockade of Iranian ports has already caused 23 ships to turn back ratcheting up economic pressure for Tehran. US officials believe the blockade will help facilitate a peace deal, a White House spokesperson told WSJ. However, it has enraged Iranian officials who are continuing to blockade the Strait of Hormuz in response, despite the President announcing it was open yesterday. The narrow waterway facilitates the transportation of 20 percent of the world's oil which has been sent soaring to nearly $100 a barrel due to the current Iranian blockade. It dropped slightly following reports the Strait had reopened. It is unclear how much oil prices will be affected with the Strait closing again. President Donald Trump and his inner circle entered an emergency situation room on Saturday to discuss the ongoing tensions with Iran as the ceasefire deal is set to expire The two countries are arguing over the Strait of Hormuz, which Iran shut again a day after opening it. On Saturday, two Indian ships were fired at as they moved toward the Strait The reports emerged against the backdrop of a fragile ceasefire between the US and Iran which is set to end in three days. If no permanent deal is met, the war will renew and Trump has warned he could 'start dropping bombs again.' On Saturday, the 79-year-old told the press that Iran can't 'blackmail' the US. 'They wanted to close up the Strait again, as they've been doing for years, but they can't blackmail us,' Trump said. He insisted his officials were having 'very good conversations' with Tehran. 'We're talking to them. 'It's working out very well. They got a little cute as they have been doing for 47 years,' he added, warning that he would continue to take a 'tough stand' with Iranian leaders. Trump claimed that talks between the US and Iran are 'going very well,' despite the issue with Iran opening and closing the Strait and threatening ships that enter the oil-rich area. At least two Indian ships were hit by Iranian fire on Saturday as they attempted to pass through the narrow waterway. Iran's Supreme National Security Council said the Middle Eastern country is reviewing new proposals from the US, but no decision has been made. Trump had indicated that he suspects a deal could be made by the end of the day, telling reporters: 'We'll have some information by the end of the day. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Secretary of State Marco Rubio (pictured in March) were also in the emergency meeting on Saturday The regime abruptly reversed a decision to reopen the Strait of Hormuz (pictured) citing an American statement that the US would not end its blockade of Iranian ports 'We're talking to them. We're taking a tough stand. They've killed a lot of people. A lot of our people have been killed.' Trump said on Saturday he is still weighing whether to extend the truce, warning military action remains on the table if talks fail. The Daily Mail has reached out to the White House for comment. On Saturday, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, who is leading the Iranian delegation, said any interference with the Strait, including mine clearing, would be considered breaking the ceasefire, The New York Times reported. Iran also reiterated it wanted the US to remove the blockade from the Strait. 'The Americans have announced a blockade in recent days; this is a reckless and misguided decision,' Ghalibaf said. 'It is impossible for others to pass through the Strait of Hormuz while we cannot. If the United States does not lift the blockade, transit through the Strait of Hormuz will certainly be restricted.' Boats anchored near the Strait of Hormuz. Iran said any boat that moves toward the Strait will be considered in 'cooperation with the enemy' and would be targeted The continued blockage of the Strait of Hormuz by the US broke the ceasefire deal, Iran said. It also warned that any vessel that moved toward the Strait would be considered in 'cooperation with the enemy' and would be targeted. Iran closed the oil-rich waterway just a day after reopening it due to the blockade. SNP Commons leader Stephen Flynn has been branded a hypocrite after he enjoyed a 14,000 junket paid for by Donald Trumps government, despite criticism of the President. Mr Flynn, touted as a future leader of the SNP, enjoyed a two-week stay in the US just months after calling on Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer to cancel Mr Trumps state visit to Britain. The MP for Aberdeen South, who now plans to stand for the Scottish Parliament, was in Washington from February 21 to March 8 as part of an international visitor leadership programme run by the US Government. He accepted accommodation and domestic flights worth $4,400 (3,242) to attend the event. He also racked up $2,000 (1,474) in transportation costs, $1,100 (811) for meals and was given a $200 (147) cultural allowance. With other expenses the total donation from the US came to $18,425 (13,948). Scottish Tory Liam Kerr, who is standing against Mr Flynn in next months Holyrood election in Aberdeen Deeside & North Kincardine, accused him of self-serving opportunism. Mr Kerr said: Even from someone as shameless as Stephen Flynn, this looks like breathtaking hypocrisy. All it took to silence his supposedly principled attacks on the Trump administration was a luxury freebie at their expense. He always looks after No1. SNP Westminster leader Stephen Flynn went on a junket paid for by the US Government US President Donald Trump has received criticism from Mr Flynn in the past The leadership programme is run by the US Department of State. Participants are handpicked by American embassies around the world as likely future leaders to build long-term relationships with. In March last year Mr Flynn said Mr Trumps invitation to visit the UK in September of that same year should be rescinded. However, he did not seek to criticise the US bombardment of Iran, which broke out on February 28 during his trip to Washington. First Minister John Swinney and SNP colleagues have denounced the US and Israeli military action. However, Mr Flynns first comment on the war, either in person or on social media, didnt come until March 11, after he had returned from Washington. Addressing Sir Keir at Prime Ministers Questions, he thundered that the war was illegal and insane. Details of the Nationalist MPs trip to the US were published last Monday, the same day he berated the Prime Minister in the Commons for failing to offer explicit condemnation of the illegality of Donald Trumps actions. Mr Flynn stated that his time in the US included numerous engagements in the US with various stakeholders operating in the energy and economy sectors. An SNP spokesman said: The energy sector is intrinsically important to Scotlands economy, and Stephen Flynn welcomed the opportunity to be invited to engage with individuals and businesses in the US on those matters. Stephen Flynn will continue to engage with political leaders from across the world to advance Scotlands interests. He has been, and will continue to be, a vocal critic of the illegal actions of the Trump administration in Iran. This week the Irish Mail on Sunday's investigation into Brother Aidan Clohessy's abuse in Ireland and Malawi received a nomination for a prestigious European Press Prize in the Investigative Journalism category. The investigation started as a followup to 1.6m of secret pay top ups for Saint John of God executives in 2016. That work led this newspaper to question in 2017, why the order had given false evidence to the Ryan Commission about when they received their first allegation of sexual abuse. In response, a legal threat in the face of incontrovertible facts hinted at something more. What that something was would take a further eight years to fully bring out to the light, and convict a serial paedophile who the order had spent years and millions of euro trying to cover up. Here the journalist, whose dogged pursuit finally revealed the pain and damage Clohessy inflicted on his silenced victims, relates his part in the almost decadelong journey to justice. Brother Donatus Forkan has a story he likes to tell. It involves an encounter the Irish Provincial brother once had with an impoverished street girl in Mexico who was shunned by others. Feeling sorry for her, he intervened and bought the sweets she was selling. Ever since, he has kept them on his desk as a reminder that many children are denied the 'dignity that every human being is entitled to'. I too have a momento like that. It is a simple bracelet, made by a homeless addict from Malawi called John Simwawa. He made the bracelet by stripping wires from scrapped cars and wrapping the copper around itself to form a wristband. John is dead now. But his legacy lives on. He is one of several people without whom this story could never have been told. So when Br Aidan's trials began in May, I slipped on John's bracelet and wore it throughout. When photographer Sean Dwyer and I first travelled to Malawi in 2017 to track down Br Aidan's victims there, John was the key who unlocked everything else. As an orphaned street child, he had been one of those Br Aidan routinely collected in his pickup truck by the People's Cafe. He'd then bring them home to bathe and beat and worse. Strung out as he was when I met him, John was still able to lead me to others who had been taken from the streets by Br Aidan. It was a similar role to the one that another person vital to this story, Con Carroll, performed in Ireland. Long before I went to Malawi, I had to prove the St John of God order knew Br Aidan was a danger to children before they sent him to Africa. That meant finding victims here in Ireland, something that was only possible because of Con. From 2003, the Redress Board had begun compensating those abused at St Augustine's. But that process was entirely behind closed doors. Even today it remains a crime for anyone to breach this seal. Think about that for a moment. It goes to the heart of how St John of God was able to cover up the crimes of a serial paedophile, allowing him to continue abusing. In fact, it is likely that for many victims, they did succeed in wiping the abuse they suffered from history. We don't know how many claims were secretly settled at the Redress Board because St John of God won't tell us. All we can trace is how the order inserted itself into the redress system at the very last moment, just as it was being passed by the Dail. That was achieved thanks to secret, backroom negotiations conducted by the powerful Church and political figures St John of God was able to marshal in the order's favour. What this all means is that in return for a contribution of 1m to the Redress Board by his order, Br Aidan got a free pass to continue abusing kids. In his first trial, Br Aidan Clohessy was convicted and branded an ogre by the trial judge Michael O'Farrell, journalist speaking with John Simwawa in Mzuzu, Malawi Because he was an orphan, Con, above, had been sent to St Augustine's and into the preying hands of Br Aidan SJoG's mission in Malawi was regularly visited by Irish SJOG officials. In 2010 Br Forkan,far left, joined Clohessy, centre, when an extension to a college of health science was opened Later in 2004, his order was able to mislead the Ryan Commission into clerical abuse. In fact, they made out that child abuse was not an issue for them at all. At the time of his commission testimony, Br Fintan Whitmore made no apology saying he had checked the files and could find no evidence or proof that any abuse had occurred at St John of God institutions. Asked by the Commission why they had contributed to the redress fund, if this was the case, the answer was telling. 'It was an attractive proposition,' then Irish provincial Br Whitmore answered. The misleading Ryan Commission testimony of Br Whitmore was the first article this newspaper published in this strand of our investigations into SJoG as the order became known in our newsroom shorthand. They tried to stop it, threatening a High Court defamation case. The threat might have worked because at the time we were not aware of the scale of this story, and were still largely focused on the 1.6m in secret top ups to their executives who ran their services for the HSE. We had not yet identified Br Aidan, or the fact that he'd been recklessly sent to Africa while his order covered up his crimes here. We simply knew the Commission had been misled. And because we are trained to, we wondered why? It was the legal threat that told us the why mattered. And how it mattered. From the moment I began to find them and Br Aidan's victims began trusting me with their stories, I knew this was going to be a lifealtering assignment. I knew that if I never got any other story over the line but this one, I'd look back at my career as a journalist with satisfaction. Each and every one of those abused by Br Aidan here and in Malawi were instantly and utterly credible. I knew they were telling nothing but the truth. Grown men have nothing to gain by telling a stranger how they still wet the bed and cannot have adult relationships because of what was done to them as a child. The tears that silently roll down their cheeks do not lie. So I knew that if any jury ever heard these people, they too would believe them. No doubt about it. The further we went the more this became apparent. Victims who never met, on different sides of the world, spoke of the same sinister pattern, the same sick modus operandi. Every new victim traced gave yet further corroboration that we were dealing with a prolific paedophile who'd been systematically enabled by his superiors. The challenge was to get as far as a jury at all. All the odds were stacked against it. But those intent on keeping secrets didn't bargain on Con Carroll and the enduring presence of obscure internet chat rooms. Because he was an orphan, Con had been sent to St Augustine's and into the preying hands of Br Aidan. When he left he became a homeless heroin addict haunting the streets of Dublin. But he somehow pulled through and survived. Then in September 2005 Con walked into the Five Star Internet Cafe on Dublin's Talbot Street and paid for an hour online. The words he typed out that day with a single finger on his one good hand are online still. 'Aidan Clohessey was involved in child sex abuse,' he wrote, misspelling his tormentor's name. By then Con had been before the Redress Board. Were he to ever say what happened there, he could be prosecuted as a criminal. But he wasn't afraid to speak up about what Br Aidan did to him. In fact, he wanted the world to know. Over a decade after he left those words online, I stumbled across them. Soon Con was leading me to others across Dublin who had been victims. Con Carroll was the first real breakthrough in this case. Because of him and those he led us to we discovered the abuse of boys at St Augustine's had been covered up in Ireland. Then, thousands of miles away in Malawi, John Simwawa played the same role. Through him, we learned Br Aidan had continued to abuse. We knew all this by late 2017 and that Christmas I confronted Br Aidan in person back in Dublin. He was completely unfazed. Listening to him I never felt like I was listening to an innocent man. Instead, he sounded every inch a monster who knew he'd gotten away with it. Perhaps he was right not to be worried. The odds were still stacked firmly in his favour and against those whose lives he had destroyed. But we had enough to publish and we did. Although our 2018 coverage was primarily about the cover up that allowed Br Aidan to remain with children in Africa, we were effectively naming a man as an alleged paedophile, which is not without considerable risk. But naming and picturing him proved to be the next breakthough. As part of that story, we put Br Aidan's photo on the front page. Other victims, some who could not read or write, saw the photograph something that would not have worked if it had appeared in an anonymised form or without a photo. When they came to us we listened to, and published their stories. We then directed them to gardai as a new criminal investigation of Br Aidan was launched. Then, with matters in the hands of gardai and the DPP, we watched and waited. And worked on other stories. For his part, Br Aidan lawyered up and received the best advice money could buy. When asked, he voluntarily attended several interviews under caution with investigating gardai. This allowed his defence to later tell juries that their client cooperated fully and had never been arrested. That defence was funded privately and St John of God have refused to specify if they paid. (The order did, though, pay for a barrister to keep a watching brief on his trials something that costs about 750 a day or 15,000 every 20 days.) Whoever paid for his defence, Br Aidan got value for money immediately. That was evident when he appeared before Dun Laoighaire District Court to be formally charged in February 2022. This was the first step on the formal road to justice for his victims after decades. Finally, they could feel someone had believed them. But Br Aidan's defence secured a gagging order, preventing the press from reporting any of the charged against their client. This reporting restriction was only lifted six months afterwards when we joined forces with other media organisations including RTE, the Irish Independent, News International and The Irish Times to defeat it. And still some victims were left behind. Like others, Wayne Farrell had seen our 2018 coverage and had reported his abuse to his local garda station a few days later. He was ignored. No one ever got back to him. That was only put right after Br Aidan had been charged when I directed him to the correct garda team. He was then added to a second case and soon Br Aidan was charged with abusing Wayne and another victim He was then added to a second case and soon Br Aidan was charged with abusing Wayne and another victim. Ultimately, Br Aidan did not go on trial until May 2025 eight years after we'd first exposed him. The State wanted to run all the victims' cases together in one trial, something that would have led to a great deal of corroborating evidence. But the defence wanted six separate trials, meaning every jury would be unaware there were any more complaints. After legal argument, two trials were ordered, one for four victims and one for two. By then St John of God had spent millions in Ireland and Africa settling civil actions of which the juries knew nothing. In Africa, those who came forward were targeted, threatened and offered cash to drop their claims something St John God condemned when we brought it to their attention. Br Aidan then pleaded not guilty, forcing each and every victim to testify against him. This tactic put one of the trials in jeopardy when one victim, Joe Devine, had a panic attack on the stand and was taken away by ambulance. Had he not returned several days later, that trial would have collapsed. But none of that could be reported at the time. That's because a new law designed to protect rape victims meant the trials were held in camera even though the majority of Br Aidan's victims wanted their story heard publicly. Instead, as the trial and sentencing process continued for the best part of two months, the public were prevented from hearing them tell their story. Then, for those victims involved in the first trial there was one final blow. In his first trial, Br Aidan was convicted and branded an ogre by the trial judge, Justice Elva Duffy. She moved to imprison him immediately, pending the second trial and sentencing. However, Br Aidan's defence intervened, arguing this would delay the second trial. So instead of being lead away in cuffs, something victims had waited decades for, he walked out the front door even though he was a guilty man. I know, from speaking to them that night, that this traumatised them afresh. To them it felt as if the system had let them down again. Thankfully, this was a temporary glitch, albeit a cruel one. As I write this today, and as you might have read last week in this newspaper, Br Aidan is in jail and the cover up facilitated by his order has been exposed. While I am proud of our part to play in that what matters most is children who became men who were never believed, have finally been granted that relief. 'They finally believed us,' one victim, not connected to the trial, called me to say afterwards. He sounded astonished that it could be so. And given how long it took, and how many twists and turns threatened to prove his doubts correct, maybe he was right to be. But somehow, I always knew that would be the case. The challenge was getting them heard. That's where the journalism was. I have a name for this kind of work. I call it 'slow news'. It relies on resources of news organisations, and the expertise (and instincts) of reporters and photographers, and the patience (and instincts) of editors. It relies on the collective belief in the end result, despite whatever setback might make you question the time and effort being funnelled into one story. Oh and people. People like John Simwawa and Con Carroll. People who fought their demons and proved that no matter what a monster like Br Aidan Clohessy can take away, a sense of shared humanity, and a belief in a fundamental justice, can triumph over the even hugely powerful organisations like SJoG. And the secrets they still cling to. Two men have been killed in a head-on crash after a vehicle drove the wrong way on the motorway, police have said. A grey Ford Kuga was seen driving northbound on the southbound carriageway on the M90 near junction seven at around 10.30pm on Friday, Police Scotland said. Shortly later, the car crashed into a white Vauxhall Corsa, which was travelling in a southbound direction. The male driver of the Kuga, 44, and the driver of the Corsa, who was a 20-year-old man, suffered fatal injuries and were pronounced dead at the scene. The force has informed both of their families. The M90 was shut for around 16 hours between junctions six and nine, so emergency services could carry out investigations. The road has since reopened. The northbound carriageway was also closed for a short time overnight. Pictured: Police at the scene following a head on collision on the M90 on Friday where two male drivers were pronounced dead at the scene A grey Ford Kuga was seen driving northbound on the southbound carriageway on the M90 near junction seven at around 10.30pm on Friday, Police Scotland said (Pictured: The scene) The M90 was shut for around 16 hours between junctions six and nine, so emergency services could carry out investigations. The road has since reopened (file image) Chief Inspector Lyne Williamson, Operational Support Division, said: 'My thoughts are with the families of both the men who died following this tragic incident. 'An investigation is underway to establish the full circumstances of the crash. 'Anyone who was travelling on the M90 at the time and witnessed what happened, or has dashcam footage that could assist our enquiries, is asked to contact officers as soon as possible.' Anyone with information has been urged to contact Police Scotland by calling 101, quoting reference number 3758 of 17 April, 2026. Fingers pinching its mouth open as a tube is pushed down its throat, this disturbing image shows how monkeys are sacrificed to check the safety of new weight-loss drugs. The unprecedented footage supplied to The Mail on Sunday was secretly filmed by a lab worker at two UK testing plants who said he was horrified the 'immense distress' the animals endured. Restrained long-tailed macaques have new anti-obesity medication fed into their stomach to help assess if it is fit for human use. Beagles, pigs, rabbits and other species also underwent 'extreme suffering' during trials for other new drugs before they can be sold in high street chemists, the worker said. This includes not only potential treatments for serious diseases but many new products of everyday medicines such as headache tablets, cholesterol drugs, reflux medications, antihistamines, antibiotics and antidepressants. All the animals that survive the tests are killed at the end of the process and their bodies dissected for further studies. The UK testing facilities he worked at are contracted by major pharmaceutical companies to conduct required safety tests using animals before they can progress to human clinical trials. Both sites are Home Office regulated and operating completely within the law. The unprecedented footage supplied to The Mail on Sunday was secretly filmed by a lab worker at two UK testing plants. Pictured: A monkey being restrained ahead of tests The tests are carried out to determine safety margins for use of the drug, how compounds move around the body and what affect this has on organs Masks are strapped to the faces of beagles and monkeys and the trial substance inhaled by the animals. For these tests, monkeys are prepared by being restrained in vices around their necks and waists But the former lab worker said he wanted the footage and details of what happened to be released to ensure an informed public debate on the use of animal testing. He described being 'haunted' by the shrieks and whimpers of animals during the trials, which could last for up to two years. 'My conscience wouldn't let me just quit and walk away,' he said. 'I felt if I was able to provide a window into this world that had been hidden from public view, perhaps it would change.' Campaigners immediately called for the Government to 'accelerate' its pledge to phase out tests using animals, branding the footage 'shocking.' But an animal testing advocacy group said 'extreme suffering' was extremely rare and the trials remained vital for producing life-saving medication and ensuring drugs were safe for human use. The tests are carried out to determine safety margins for use of the drug, how compounds move around the body and what affect this has on organs. The most common, called 'oral gavage' involves a rubber tube pushed down the throats of restrained animals into their stomachs to have the substance fed directly into their body. This method is used for long-tailed macaques to test medication for liver diseases and weight-loss drugs and beagles for anti-inflammation drugs. In other tests, masks are strapped to the faces of beagles and monkeys and the trial substance inhaled by the animals. For these tests, monkeys are prepared by being restrained in vices around their necks and waists. Both methods were also used to test psychoactive and psychedelic compounds on beagles, including cannabis extracts and an ingredient found in ecstasy, as part of research into potential drugs to treat psychiatric and behavioural disorders, the former lab worker said. Mini pigs are used to test medication for ulcers and skin infections by using treatments where eight cuts are taken from the back of the struggling animal and a gel applied daily, the lab worker said. Mini pigs are used to test medication for ulcers and skin infections by using treatments where eight cuts are taken from the back of the struggling animalF In other tests, masks are strapped to the faces of beagles and monkeys and the trial substance inhaled by the animals Pregnant rabbits are used to the test the effect of a new drug on the survival and development of an embryo Pregnant rabbits are used to the test the effect of a new drug on the survival and development of an embryo. There are also intravenous tests, where the animals are restrained and the test compound is injected directly into their blood stream, either as a single injection or infusion over a period of time. The former lab worker who filmed the tests said: 'I had no idea what toxicity testing regulations required until I applied for a job at the facility, and I quickly realized that no one, except those who work there, do. 'I wouldn't have taken the risks I did [to secretly film] if I hadn't believed that the sole reason this continued was because the public didn't know.' He said he and his colleagues cared about animals but their jobs required them to 'facilitate their suffering'. 'The mantra that comes with the job is that you are doing something positive for the world. 'There were even signs on the walls to remind us but it didn't take me long to stop 'drinking the Kool-Aid' and start thinking, 'how could anything positive come from this?' 'Procedures that the public would find shocking had been normalized as part of regulatory testing. 'Everyone I worked with cared about the animals but there was little we could do to ease their suffering. 'I found it almost unbearable at times to know that I was contributing to it.' Lab workers sometimes played music to try to distract themselves but it was impossible to ignore the animals distress and 'intense suffering,' he said. 'The primates would struggle, cry out and scream to avoid the tube from being forced into their mouths. 'I'll never forget the loud squealing of mini pigs as they were subjected to various procedures. He said when it was time to kill the animals at the end of the trial the workers were 'devastated.' 'Part of you knew that it meant an end to their suffering, but it still felt like a final violation.' His intervention comes after the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) agency announced last month guidance to help drug developers create alternatives to animal testing to trial new products. The American regulator said it wants a shift to 'human-centric models' which it said can 'more reliably, efficiently and ethically predict human drug reactions prior to clinical trials'. Last year the FDA claimed: 'There is growing scientific recognition that animals do not provide adequate models of human health and disease. 'Over 90 per cent of drugs that appear safe and effective in animals do not go on to receive FDA approval in humans predominantly due to safety and or efficacy issues.' It said animal-based data have been particularly poor predictors of drug success for multiple common diseases including cancer, Alzheimer's and inflammatory diseases. Some medications which are generally recognized safe in humans, such as aspirin, may have never passed animal testing, it said. 'Conversely, some compounds which have appeared safe in animal models have been lethal in human trials.' The FDA announced plans to develop replacements to animal testing that would include computer modelling and artificial intelligence to predict a drug's behaviour and lab-grown human 'organoids' and 'organ-on-a-chip' systems both advanced models that can mimic human liver, heart, and immune organs to test drug safety. But pro-testing advocacy groups said the figure cited by the FDA was a complete 'misconception' likely to be removed in time and said clinical trials showed that animal data is usually the same as human data 90 per cent of the time. Chris Magee from Understanding Animal Research said 'extreme suffering' for animals in such tests was very rare and the footage obtained by the lab worker sounded like it highlighted the 'rarest and most severe experiments required or permitted by law.' The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) agency announced last month guidance to help drug developers create alternatives to animal testing to trial new products. Pictured: A monkey being restrained ahead of tests Campaigners immediately called for the Government to 'accelerate' its pledge to phase out tests using animals, branding the footage 'shocking' Chris Magee from Understanding Animal Research said 'extreme suffering' for animals in such tests was very rare and the footage obtained by the lab worker sounded like it highlighted the 'rarest and most severe experiments required or permitted by law' He said: 'It is already illegal to use an animal in research if a non-animal alternative is available. 'Dogs and primates are the least used animals and cannot be used if another species can be used in their place.' Routine animal testing was introduced in the UK in 1968 following instances of medicines, including thalidomide, that had not been fully tested in animals causing harm to humans, he said. In law, testing on primates can only be used 'for the purpose of the avoidance, prevention, diagnosis or treatment of debilitating or potentially life-threatening clinical conditions in man,' he added. Any test likely to cause pain, suffering or distress to the animal must be performed with anaesthesia or painkillers, unless that would defeat the purpose of the experiment, he said. Mr Magee said that while there has been a 43 per cent reduction in animals used for regulatory testing in the past decade, it would not be possible to stop all animal testing for many years to come. This is because alternatives like cell cultures or 'organs-on-chips' cannot yet replicate the complexity of a full organism. Animal testing is not just about identifying toxicity but understanding how substances behave in a whole living system, he said. This includes how drugs are absorbed, distributed and metabolised and how they may change potentially into something dangerous as they move to different parts of the body. The tests also determine how the drugs may impact and potentially harm the environment after they are excreted. He also stressed that many of those drugs sold in chemists such as cancer treatment andstatins are life saving. Euthanising animals after such tests was necessary as post-mortem examinations were the only way to detect thecauses and development of diseases, he said. Labour pledged to phase out animal testing in its General Election manifesto but last year Science Minister Lord Vallance said that stopping all animal testing was 'not possible anytime soon'. Lyn White, director of Animals International, who was approached by the lab worker to help highlight the issue, said: 'What this evidence shows is not just isolated procedures but animals enduring weeks and sometimes months of repeated dosing, restraint and confinement. 'Their suffering and distress are not momentary it is prolonged and cumulative. 'These animal tests, despite being conducted in the name of public safety, have been hidden from public view. 'Without transparency, the public has never had the chance to voice whether this suffering should continue.' Labour MP Irene Campbell, chairman the of All-Party Parliamentary Group on Phasing Out Animal Experiments in Medical Research, said: 'The terrible suffering experienced by these animals and shown in this expose underlines the need for bold and immediate action to accelerate the phase-out of animal experiments. 'These must be replaced by the innovative, human-specific methods that offer the best chance of progress for patients.' British children as young as four will be 'brainwashed by Brussels' because of Labour's decision to rejoin the EU's student exchange scheme, according to Tory MPs. Sir Keir Starmer was accused of signing up to a 'trojan horse for European propaganda' by taking the UK back into the controversial Erasmus programme. This week, Labour finalised taking Britain back into the 570million-a-year scheme. They insisted rejoining it will unlock opportunities for young people on the continent. However, Tory critics were enraged as it emerged British schools must now teach children about the EU, display the EU flag and praise the European project as part of the scheme. They claimed children will be subject to 'mind control' in lessons, where they will learn about the 'benefits of the Single Market' and European integration. Tory MP Saqib Bhatti said: 'This is a thinly veiled attempt to brainwash children, with EU propaganda beamed right into their schools, colleges and universities. 'We all know Starmer wants to unpick Brexit, but now he is resorting to mind control to do it.' The Tories were especially angered after the Government admitted that the UK would rejoin Erasmus without a debate or vote in Parliament. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer was welcomed by the President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen before a bilateral meeting at Berlaymont, the EU Commission headquarters in October 2024 Under the Erasmus scheme, teachers in participating schools will get taxpayer-funded grants and must 'integrate EU subjects' in primary and secondary school classrooms to 'strengthen European identity' even though Britain voted to leave a decade ago. These schools, colleges and universities will also be forced to display the EU flag and give 'thanks to the EU' as part of strict rules buried in the small print of the student exchange agreement. They face being fined tens of thousands of pounds if they do not comply with the 'mandatory' flag rules. Labour Ministers have been enthusiastic about the deal, which they say is 'fair and balanced' even though it costs double the scheme Boris Johnson rejected as too expensive in 2021. Publicly, it is billed as an opportunity for young people to travel, study and work abroad. But Erasmus's stated goals are to promote 'a common European identity' and the 'corporate communication of the political priorities of the Union'. Universities which receive grants under the scheme must display 'durable plaques or billboards that are clearly visible to the public' bearing the EU's flag. The EU's distinctive golden stars must be emblazoned on all conferences, seminars, brochures, posters, presentations, social media, as well as any equipment, vehicles or infrastructure. Starmer and Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson met school children at a breakfast club during a visit to a primarys chool in Ashton-under-Lyne, Greater Manchester, this week Labour will close the successful Turing programme to make way for the EU's project. That deal gave disadvantaged British students the opportunity to study and develop skills worldwide, not just Europe, for a fraction of the cost because Britain didn't have to fund foreign students coming here. Tory MP Mike Wood said on Saturday: 'On Labour's watch, Erasmus is set to be a Trojan horse for the EU propaganda machine. 'Starmer has signed Britain up to a scheme that forces the promotion of the EU all while British tax-payers foot a bill running into the billions.' This is part of Labour's push for closer ties with the EU, something senior Labour figures have made no secret of recently. Only last week, EU Minister said a better relationship with the continent was 'patriotic'. And the Prime Minister, whose favourite piece of classical music is the EU anthem Ode to Joy, was accused of 'shamelessly' using the Iran war to reverse Brexit. Sir Keir said the fallout from the conflict in the Middle East, which has fractured the UK's relationship with the US, 'requires closer partnership with our allies in Europe and with the European Union'. A Government spokesman said: 'The law is clear that schools must remain politically impartial, and rejoining Erasmus does not change this. 'Erasmus will enable hundreds of thousands of children and young people to access life-changing opportunities to travel and study abroad.' 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An exclusive poll for The Mail on Sunday also shows strong public appetite for Prince William to be more transparent about his finances amid criticism of his refusal to disclose how much income tax he pays. And the survey shows that a significant proportion of people do not believe King Charles's landmark state visit to the US during which he will meet President Trump five times over four days should go ahead. The poll for the MoS comes after a four-day visit to Australia by Harry and Meghan dubbed a 'faux royal tour' raised new questions about whether the couple are cashing in on their Duke and Duchess of Sussex titles. To the dismay of royal insiders, the Sussexes mixed charity work with highly lucrative business deals exactly what Queen Elizabeth II feared when she ordered that they commit to being either in or out of the Royal Family. The late monarch insisted there could be no halfway house in the run-up to what was dubbed Megxit, when they left the UK six years ago to build new lives across the Atlantic. On the final day of the Australian tour, Meghan spent two hours with female fans, who paid up to 1,700 to ask her questions and pose for pictures at a money-spinning 'ultimate girls' weekend' in Sydney. The Duchess will reportedly net up to 130,000 for turning up to the women-only Her Best Life retreat. Sitting in a pink armchair on a stage resembling a daytime television set, the Duchess posed a question to the assembled women: 'I've spent all my life investing in women, can I finally invest in me?' Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, travelled to Australia for a four-day visit dubbed a 'faux royal tour' this week An exclusive Mail on Sunday poll has shown 80 per cent of the British public are against the couple using their titles for financial gain Meghan, 44, who complained during the tour of being the 'most trolled person in the entire world', is also reportedly earning money from an online shopping platform built around the outfits she wears on charitable engagements. Meanwhile, Prince Harry, 41, appeared as a guest speaker at Melbourne's InterEdge Summit, where platinum delegate tickets were on sale for 1,250. Those close to the Duke and Duchess are said to believe the visit has been a huge success and will form the blueprint of future tours. One insider said: 'We've tested the playbook; it worked.' But the exclusive analysis for the MoS reveals that 61 per cent of 2,000 British adults surveyed by Find Out Now believe Harry and Meghan should not be allowed to use their Sussex titles 'for commercial or personal advantage.' Only 16 per cent of Britons believed they should be allowed to use their titles for money-spinning ventures, while 23 per cent did not know. When the don't knows are stripped out, the majority is just under 80 per cent to 20 per cent. The survey will also make uncomfortable reading for the Prince of Wales amid increased scrutiny on the Duchy of Cornwall the 1billion property, investments and land portfolio he took control of when he became heir to the throne. It brings him an income of nearly 23million a year. The prince voluntarily pays the top rate of income tax on the profits he receives from the Duchy but he has not divulged the amount of tax he pays. This is in contrast to his father the King, who did outline how much income tax he paid when he was heir to the throne. Earlier this month it emerged that William has received millions of pounds of public money from the Duchy of Cornwall's leasing of HMP Dartmoor a category C jail in Devon that has stood empty since July 2024 after high levels of a toxic gas were discovered. Asked whether Prince William should be more transparent about where his income comes from and how it is spent, 54 per cent of those surveyed said he should, 23 per cent said he should not and 23 per cent did not know. The poll also revealed that 46 per cent believe that, after he becomes King, William should ensure that the wills of senior royals, including Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, should be made public. The poll also found respondents were 54 per cent in favour of Prince William being more transparent about where his income comes from and how it is spent It has been the convention for more than a century that, after the death of a senior member of the Royal Family, the courts are asked to seal their wills. The late Queen and Prince Philip's wills have been sealed for at least 90 years. Our exclusive poll comes ahead of the third anniversary of King Charles' coronation in Westminster Abbey and a week before he and Queen Camilla are hosted by President Trump on a state visit to the US. It is hoped the King and Queen's high-profile trip will ease US-UK tensions over the war in Iran and a string of outbursts by the President, including the jibe that Keir Starmer is 'no Winston Churchill'. The public, however, do not appear to believe the King should meet the President, with less than a third of those surveyed saying the state visit should go ahead. There is, however, public support for the Palace's decision that the King and Queen will not meet survivors of paedophile Jeffrey Epstein during the visit. The poll found that 45 per cent do not believe they should meet some of Epstein's victims, while only 24 per cent said they should. The survey also revealed that 40 per cent of Britons believe King Charles is doing a good job, while only 16 per cent said he is doing a bad one. A total of 44 per cent said they did not know. When don't knows are stripped out, the figures are 71 per cent to 29 per cent. The King is expected to renew his vow of service to the nation this week as part of commemorations of the life of Queen Elizabeth on what would have been her 100th birthday. Tyron Surmon, Head of Research at Find Out Now, said: 'On one hand the public are positive about Charles and think he's doing a good job as King. But on the other hand, they think Prince William should be more transparent about his finances, and overwhelmingly think the Duke and Duchess of Sussex shouldn't be using their titles for commercial gain. 'This will be a fine line for King Charles and Queen Camilla to walk, especially with their upcoming state visit to the US, which the public don't think should go ahead.' Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor's lawyers blocked FBI investigators from interviewing him over his links to Jeffrey Epstein after being told he was a suspect in their inquiry, not a witness. Emails buried in the Epstein Files expose how, from January 2020, Andrew's legal team became embroiled in nine months of fraught negotiations with US authorities over his cooperation with their inquiry into the late paedophile financier. In June that year, his legal team said he'd offered to assist the Department of Justice as a witness three times. But the emails, unearthed by The Mail on Sunday, show he was being sought for interview not merely because he might have information about Epstein but because he was under suspicion. In a letter to US prosecutors in September 2020, his solicitor Gary Bloxsome wrote: 'You have confirmed to us... that you regard our client not as a witness but as a subject.' He said the designation had been relayed in January that year, through a liaison officer and again during subsequent meetings. Prosecutors did not dispute the claim, continuing instead to press for an oral interview rather than the written statement Andrew's team offered as a 'compromise'. A US legal source said last night: 'If someone is a subject of a federal investigation it means investigators are looking at evidence and seeing whether they have enough to prove involvement in a criminal activity. 'Under those circumstances no lawyer would allow their client to talk freely as they could end up incriminating themselves.' Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor pictured on the day he was arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office - although he is yet to be charged with a criminal offense Then-Prince Andrew was pictured with Virginia Roberts, aged 17 at the time, at Ghislaine Maxwell's London townhouse in 2001 The correspondence began in January 2020 when Mr Bloxsome wrote to the Department of Justice saying Andrew 'has a strong desire to cooperate fully with the ongoing investigation'. By June, however, his team said they could not 'commit to a particular form of cooperation' without assurances of confidentiality. The following month, prosecutors offered limited confidentiality but warned they were 'not able to provide a broader grant of immunity with respect to statements made by your client during a voluntary interview'. In September, Mr Bloxsome proposed a written witness statement and further engagement through written questioning as 'a fair compromise'. But the DoJ rejected the offer and filed a request to the Home Office to compel Andrew to be interviewed. That attempt ultimately failed. A second US legal source said last night that subject status 'means that prosecutors believe they have evidence linking you to a crime. There was a very real concern from his legal side that he might be considered a subject or target. That is why they would not let him sit for a deposition.' Mr Bloxsome, of London firm Blackfords, is nicknamed 'Good News Gary' for looking on the bright side for clients. In February, Andrew was arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office over Epstein. He has not been charged. Andrew and Mr Bloxsome were approached for comment. An RAF cadet has been suspended after he said Islam poses the greatest security threat to the UK while taking part in a training exercise. He made the comment during a question-and-answer session in which he and other cadets were asked about dangers to British security. It led to him being kicked off the officer-training course, pending an investigation. Britain has responded to more than 20 plots backed by the Islamic Republic of Iran since 2022 and the Government has said the threat from the country to the UK is persistent and unacceptable. The air force has launched a probe into the young cadets remarks at RAF Cranwell, where the next generation of officers are trained. Retired rear admiral Chris Parry last night accused the air force of shutting down the critical thinking of new officers around controversial issues and said the cadet should be reinstated. If Id asked that question and got that answer I would have also asked the cadet to expand on his thinking and got some critical thinking going rather than suspend him, he said. Clearly Islamic extremism is the issue and not Islam, but how are young people expected to develop critical thinking around these complex issues if they are shut down in this way? The cadet was taking part in a 24-week Modular Initial Officers Training course at the training academy at RAF Cranwell, Lincolnshire (pictured) just before Easter This is the fault of a system that is training its young people but not allowing them to express themselves and develop their thoughts. 'Any mature educational establishment should do just that. The cadet was taking part in a 24-week Modular Initial Officers Training course at the training academy at RAF Cranwell, Lincolnshire, just before Easter. He and 50 other students were asked to give presentations, during which they answered questions about the biggest security threat to the UK. An RAF spokesman said: We are aware of an alleged incident of inappropriate behaviour involving a cadet at RAF Cranwell. 'An investigation is ongoing, we are unable to comment further. Rear admiral Perry also said: If this cadet had answered the far-Right I doubt he would have been suspended. 'We know that Islam is not a threat, rather it is extremist elements, and this appears to have been a missed opportunity to discuss that for fear of causing offence. Islamist extremists have committed some of the worst atrocities on UK soil including the 2005 London Underground bombings, in which 52 people died, and the Ariana Grande concert attack in Manchester in 2017, which left 22 dead. Defence Secretary John Healey said the UKs terror threat level was under review after the outbreak of war in Iran. A senior Met Police officer who gave a televised, tear-filled address after a crash at a prep school that killed two eight-year-old girls is being investigated over the handling of the tragedy - including a claim of racial bias. Clair Kelland is among 11 officers now under investigation by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) following a complaint by the parents of Nuria Sajjad and Selena Lau. The schoolgirls died when a Land Rover Defender smashed through a fence into their Wimbledon primary school The Study Preparatory School as they picnicked on the last day of term in July 2023. Claire Freemantle, the 48-year-old driver, was not charged after she said she suffered an undiagnosed epileptic seizure and had no recollection of the crash. She was re-arrested in January 2025 after the investigation was reopened. Kelland, who was seen as a rising star at the Met, managed the initial investigation into the crash, which failed to interview key witnesses. The then-detective chief superintendent was later promoted to a commander in charge of London's 'public protection', where she focuses on tackling gendered violence. The IOPC announced it was investigating complaints made against 11 officers involved in the crash's case, which included 'concerns about the standard of the [initial] investigation'. The watchdog said its inquiry will examine allegations that officers 'provided false and misleading information to those affected'. Clair Kelland, who was in charge of policing southwest London, tearfully read a statement to media outside of the school mere hours after the crash Selena Lau, eight, was one of two little girls killed in the crash at Wimbledon Prep School in July 2023 Nuria Sajjad, eight, also died from her injuries after the car crashed through a fence at the school It is also investigating whether 'officers' treatment of those affected was influenced by their race'. The IOPC announced previously it was 'unconvinced that the investigation was conducted thoroughly'. It revealed four serving officers were under investigation, including a commander, detective chief inspector, detective sergeant and detective constable. Two detective constables are also being investigated at misconduct level. It has emerged Kelland is the most senior officer being investigation, as reported by a Sunday newspaper. Nuria and Selena had been enjoying a tea party celebrating the end of a term on the morning of July 6, 2023. More than 12 people, including Nuria's mother Smera Chohan, were injured. Selena died at the scene, while Nuria died from her wounds in hospital three days later. Kelland, who was in charge of policing southwest London, tearfully read a statement to media outside of the school mere hours after the crash. With a breaking voice, she said: 'Our officers, along with our colleagues from the other emergency services, provided first aid to a number of people who had been injured. Very sadly, one of the children, an eight-year-old girl, died at the scene.' Ms Freemantle, who expressed her 'deepest sorrow', was arrested on the day of the incident but prosecutors decided not to bring criminal charges. This followed an investigation by the Met's Roads and Traffic Policing Command (RTPC). Kelland, who was then a detective chief superintendent, was later promoted to a commander in charge of London's 'public protection', where she focuses on tackling gendered violence However the Met reopened its investigation into the crash in October 2024 following an internal review. Ms Freemantle was re-arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving. She was most recently interviewed by police in July 2025. The CPS confirmed it has received a full file of evidence from the Met and sought legal advice last week, though further factors need to be considered before a decision is made on whether a charge can be brought. Prosecutors wrote to the victims' families on Friday to say they expected to be able to announce whether or not they had reached a charging decision by the end of April. The families are due to meet with the CPS on Tuesday for an update. It is understood the IOPC is probing claims that officers did not follow protocol because Ms Freemantle was a wealthy white woman, who lives in a 4million house, and causally failed to properly challenge her account of events. The Met said it supports an independent investigation into the fatal collision. In an interview with the BBC, Nuria's parents - Smera Chohan and Sajjad Butt - said the Met had 'failed them'. Ms Chohan said: 'I hope the IOPC will cover that. I really want to understand why I have been treated so cruelly, unfairly and in an inhumane way. 'I would like the keepers of law, of the system, to come and tell me. I am not asking for any favouritism, any leeway or any sympathy. 'I'm just saying, 'do it right'. It's been left hanging for three years and that isn't right'. Ms Chohan is facing a fifth surgery on her legs after suffering injuries in the same crash which killed her daughter. Mr Butt said he and his family have 'not been protected' and 'left out in the cold' by the police force. The families of both Nuria and Selena said their lives have been 'irreparably shattered' in a statement released on Tuesday. It read: 'The past 33 months have been incredibly difficult for everyone affected including those who lost family, were seriously injured or witnessed the horrific incident, and we are still trying to come to terms with what happened on that fateful day. Specialist officers are pictured at the scene of the incident, which took place during an end-of -year party 'We have always maintained that the initial investigation was flawed. When the Crown Prosecution Service took the decision for no further action against the driver on the 26th of June 2024, we asserted that the original investigation was poor, and we were unconvinced that the investigation was conducted thoroughly. 'We are encouraged that the Independent Office of Police Conduct have opened an inquiry. We have always sought the truth, and will continue to champion the pursuit of complete clarity on the events of that devastating day and subsequent actions taken by the Metropolitan Police. The truth must come to light.' IOPC director Amanda Rowe said of its investigation: 'We are investigating complaints made against 11 Met Police officers over their handling of the initial investigation into the road traffic incident, in which the two children sadly died and multiple other people were injured at The Study Preparatory School in Wimbledon. 'The complaints relate to concerns about the standard of the investigation, including its management and direction, the conduct of the investigation team, and their engagement with the victims. 'We are also investigating allegations that Met officers provided false and misleading information to those affected and whether the officers' treatment of those affected was influenced by their race. 'We have now served notices advising four serving officers, whose ranks are commander, detective chief inspector, detective sergeant and detective constable, and a former detective inspector, that their conduct is being investigated at the level of gross misconduct. 'Two detective constables are being investigated at misconduct level. Our investigation is ongoing and should any further conduct issues be identified then officers will be served notices. 'All officers served notices will be interviewed in due course. The serving of notices does not mean that proceedings will necessarily follow.' A previous statement from the Crown Prosecution Service read: 'After careful consideration of all the evidence and material provided by the police as part of this reinvestigation, and upon receipt of advice from counsel on 7 April, we have concluded that there are some further factors we must consider before a decision on charge can be reached. 'We appreciate the ongoing distress any delay may cause and are committed to making a final decision as soon as possible. 'Our thoughts remain with the families of Nuria and Selena and all those impacted by this tragic incident.' The Met Police have been contacted for comment. A Green Party candidate's property firm was convicted of 'environmental vandalism' after burning waste to save money, The Mail on Sunday can reveal. Mohammed Suleman, who is standing in Newcastle-upon-Tyne in next month's local elections, last year admitted that Fenham Properties Ltd, a company he directs and co-owns, breached the Environmental Protection Act by burning large amounts of wood in a skip that had been converted into a 'makeshift incinerator'. The firm was ordered to pay 8,507 in fines and costs after it was discovered that the incinerator was used 'to cut costs while building luxury homes'. Mr Suleman's firm was converting Pendower Hall, a grade II-listed former mansion, into four seven-bedroom homes, with a private wellness centre, swimming pool, gym and sauna. A court heard that an environmental health officer who inspected the site found a skip large enough to hold 100 bin bags of rubbish that was severely fire damaged after it had been used as an 'illegal burning chamber'. Councillor Alex Hay, deputy leader of Newcastle City Council, said after the conviction: 'Everyone has a right to breathe clean air. 'It is not right, nor is it fair, to expect others to endure this act of environmental vandalism.' Mr Suleman's selection raises new questions over the vetting procedures used by the Greens, which pledged at the last election to introduce a Clean Air Act to 'enshrine the right to breathe clean air'. Mohammed Suleman, who is standing in Newcastle-upon-Tyne in next month's local elections, last year admitted that Fenham Properties Ltd, a company he directs and co-owns, breached the Environmental Protection Act by burning large amounts of wood in a skip that had been converted into a 'makeshift incinerator' Mr Suleman's firm was converting Pendower Hall, a grade II-listed former mansion. Pictured: Rubbish from the development which was burned in a skip in the grounds of the manor house Chi Onwurah, Newcastle Central and West's Labour MP, said: 'To see the Green Party fielding candidates convicted of environmental crimes is rank hypocrisy. 'They are in utter disarray over their candidates.' Mr Suleman did not respond when contacted for comment. The Green Party said: 'Where there are examples that don't represent the views of the Green Party, we are investigating.' Last week the MoS exposed a string of Green candidates with highly questionable pasts, including Hau-Yu Tam, deputy leader of the Greens in Lewisham, south-east London, who used a racial slur towards Justice Secretary David Lammy and former home secretary Priti Patel, calling them 'coconuts'. Now this newspaper can reveal that Northumbria Police have launched a probe after another candidate, Dr Rima Hussein, who is standing in Benwell, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, appeared to declare her support for Palestine Action, which is proscribed by the Government as a terrorist group. In February, Dr Hussein, an associate professor at Northumbria University, declared 'Palestine Action is Back' on Instagram and posted a picture of herself wearing a T-shirt emblazoned with the slogan 'We are all Palestine Action'. The High Court ruled in February that the proscription of Palestine Action is unlawful, but the government is appealing and it remains a criminal offence to express support for the group. Northumbria Police said: 'We have been made aware of a post on social media allegedly depicting an individual showing support for a proscribed organisation. Enquiries into the report are ongoing.' The Green Party said it voted against the proscription of the group and 'have always opposed authoritarian attacks on legitimate peaceful protest'. Meanwhile, the MoS can reveal another Green candidate, Khalid Mahmood, standing for election in Bradford, spoke at a vigil for Ayatollah Khamenei after Iran's Supreme Leader was killed. The Greens said: 'Mr Mahmood has said this was a demonstration against the illegal war in Iran.' Sir Keir Starmer has been branded a man unfit to run the country, who has lost the moral right to govern after the Peter Mandelson vetting scandal. In an excoriating verdict on the Prime Minister, Tory leader Kemi Badenoch also condemns him as a PM consumed by his own survival who was putting national security at risk. And with Sir Keir fighting for his political life, she renews her call for him to do the decent thing and resign and to stop blaming officials for why he didn't know that Mandelson was appointed US ambassador despite having failed a crucial security vetting. Writing for The Mail on Sunday, she says: 'The hypocrisy is staggering... He is taking the public for fools.' She also says: 'Keir Starmer claims to be furious with officials. It is us who should be furious with him ... While he protects himself, decisions are delayed and problems fester.' Mrs Badenoch's intervention comes ahead of a crucial week which could decide the Prime Minister's future, starting with his statement to MPs in the Commons tomorrow in which he will reiterate claims he did not know about Mandelson's vetting status. In a desperate response to the revelations, Sir Keir will also be expected to justify sacking Sir Olly Robbins the most senior Foreign Office civil servant over his department's decision to overrule the security verdict. But just 24 hours after tomorrow's Commons showdown, Sir Olly is expected to publicly defend himself for the first time at an explosive meeting of the foreign affairs committee. Tory leader Kemi Badenoch has condemned Sir Keir Starmer as a man unfit to run the country The Tory leader also condemned Starmer for putting his own survival before national security Mrs Badenoch's brutal takedown of the Prime Minister came as: It emerged that security chiefs handed a dossier to Sir Keir's team about Mandelson's dubious links to Russia and his relationship to paedophile Jeffrey Epstein in 2023, further undermining the Prime Minister's claims he had no knowledge of the unsuitability of his appointment. The Tories plot a major Commons D-Day showdown over the scandal, using the same tactics first weaponised against Boris Johnson by Sir Keir himself. Armed Forces minister Al Carns was said to be on 'resignation watch', with some Labour MPs insisting that Sir Keir must either quit or face a leadership challenge in the wake of his 'serial failure of judgment' over Mandelson. Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey called on Sir Keir to publish a separate Cabinet Office due diligence report on the New Labour grandee, completed before he was appointed, adding that 'chucking civil servants under the bus isn't good enough'. Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar stood by his call for the PM to quit, saying the latest twist in the Mandelson affair 'demonstrates why I said what I said in February'. Former Labour minister Graham Stringer told the MoS last night: 'When the challenge to Sir Keir comes, I cannot say but a challenge is inevitable. 'This whole affair has just shone a spotlight on the shambles at the centre of the Government where a hands-off Prime Minister has abdicated responsibility for leadership.' Downing Street continues to insist that the decision to overrule Mandelson's vetting rejection was taken by Sir Olly alone, with no other individuals tainted by last week's shocking revelation. But Sir Olly's predecessor as the Foreign Office's top mandarin, Lord (Simon) McDonald, said he did not buy the Government's claims. Speaking on BBC Radio 4's Today programme, he accused the Prime Minister of sacking Sir Olly because he wanted 'a scalp as quickly as possible'. The MoS can reveal that as far back as 2023 senior Labour shadow ministers were handed a detailed briefing on Mandelson by British security services, amid fears he was gaining growing control over Sir Keir's operation. According to both Labour and security sources, the party leader's team received the detailed dossiers which highlighted Mandelson's links with Epstein, his targeting by Russian intelligence and his relationship with Putin allies. They dealt specifically with the singling out of UK politicians by Russian state actors, with particular attention on Mandelson's relationship with Epstein dating back to 2006, which were reportedly closely monitored by Russian security services. A British security source said: 'The briefings to Starmer's team were first provided in 2023, and continued into 2024. They included information on his relationship with Epstein and targeting by Russian intelligence. 'They pre-dated the Prime Minister's decision to appoint Mandelson. There is no way Starmer was not aware of the risks associated with the appointment.' Security sources also expressed incredulity at the way the blocking of Mandelson's Developed Vetting clearance was overturned by Foreign Office officials. They claimed that for Mandelson to be approved for the role of ambassador he would have to have passed three separate levels of security checks, of which DV (developed vetting) was the lowest level. Reports last night suggested that mitigation measures were put in place following Mandelson's vetting procedure, in order to deal with the security concerns. These included banning him from having unsupervised access to former clients from his lobbying career. And the Lib Dems called on Sir Keir to publish the due diligence advice provided to him on Mandelson's appointment by the Cabinet Office, which raised concerns about his past controversies. While it would be released alongside the so-called 'Mandelson files', Sir Ed Davey argued that publication must be expedited ahead of tomorrow's Commons showdown. It can also be revealed that the Government has rejected Tory calls to change the law in order to seize back Mandelson's 500,000 taxpayer-funded pension. No 10 was approached over claims that Sir Keir was warned while in opposition about Mandelson's connections. On Saturday night, in response to the Tory leader's claims about Sir Keir, a Labour source said: 'No one in this country is more lazy or unfit for office than Kemi Badenoch.' He's lost the moral right to govern. Now our feeble Prime Minister cares only about saving his own skin, writes Tory leader KEMI BADENOCH Why does Sir Keir Starmer want to be Prime Minister? It's very hard to know. But what's certain is that Britain is paying the price of having a PM with no interest in doing the job. Perhaps you think 'all politicians are liars'. Yet the disgraceful appointment of Peter Mandelson points not just to dishonesty, but to a premier too idle to ask basic questions and too weak to face the answers. I have spent hours across the despatch box watching how Starmer operates. He doesn't just refuse to answer questions, he cannot answer questions. He doesn't know how to respond because he's not prepared to do the work. Despite seven months of scandal at the very heart of government, Starmer claims to have made no enquiries, to have seen no documents, or to have heard anything that would have told him Peter Mandelson failed the security vetting. Even by his own defence (fanciful as it is), Starmer has shown himself lacking in any grip, to be lazy in his thinking and, as it turns out, too idle to ask the most basic questions of his staff. The hypocrisy is everywhere. A year ago, Starmer said 'defence would be the first thought in the morning, the last at night'. Yet the authors of his own Strategic Defence Review are lining up to criticise his dangerous inaction on defence spending. The debacle over the Iran war has exposed a Government that continues to prioritise welfare payments over defending our country, even as three former Labour defence secretaries beg Starmer to increase spending on our national security and cut the ballooning benefits budget. And at the heart of it is the Prime Minister's vision-free leadership. In this Labour Government, ministers pull in different directions. Policies are announced without clarity and abandoned when reality intrudes. The result is an administration grinding to a halt. Sir Keir Starmer 'has shown himself lacking in any grip' and is 'lazy in his thinking', Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch writes for The Mail on Sunday Curiosity is what drives serious leadership. It is what makes a prime minister read the extra briefing and challenge the easy assumption. Without curiosity, problems are neither fully understood nor solved. Without it, there are no real ideas. In its place, political emptiness: A polished exterior, but with no substance behind it. There's an impression of seriousness, but when you look for the underlying vision, it's just not there. Compared with recent shambolic Labour leaders such as Ed Miliband and Jeremy Corbyn, it's fair to say that Starmer looks the part, at least. The expensive glasses, the suit and tie give the right impression. But compare Starmer to real leaders, the sort who show conviction and strategic clarity, and the gap is obvious. In fact, the real scandal is not the appointment of Mandelson serious though that is but the woeful direction of our country under Starmer's incurious regime. Keir Starmer claims to be furious with officials. It is us who should be furious with him because hard-working Mail on Sunday readers are paying the price for his mistakes. A real leader stands up for the country, puts the national interest first and takes the hits. Yet this scandal exposes a man who thinks only about himself. Starmer has sacrificed his staff, blamed the security services and sent ministers out to lie on his behalf. He is disloyal not just to his country, but to those serving beneath him. People can accept a leader who makes an unpopular call and stands by it; they loathe a leader who lets others take the fall while he clings on. Time and again, when things go wrong, it is always someone else's fault. Starmer's stock defence is 'don't blame me, I'm only the Prime Minister'. The hypocrisy is staggering. The Labour leader built his reputation on standards, rules, and truthfulness in public life. Yet the voters know that those rules sacred for the rest of us are optional when it comes to the powerful. This is dishonesty mingled with weakness, evasion and contempt. Authority does not just come from the title of Prime Minister. It is earned through the truthfulness and responsibility that Starmer lacks. He is either lying about what he knew about Mandelson's appointment, in which case he is corrupting the office, or he is so lazy and incompetent that he is unfit to run the country. Ms Badenoch has said Sir Keir should resign after putting national security at risk - she also claimed he had 'lost the right to govern' We are entering a harsher world which is less stable abroad, less cohesive at home and less certain of itself overall. Questions about growth, security, immigration, integration, family, identity and national purpose are not abstract debates. They will shape the country our children inherit, the opportunities they have, the values they grow up with, and whether they feel they belong to a nation that knows who it is and where it is going. Economic stagnation, failing public services, the rising cost of living, declining living standards, uncontrolled migration and a of lack integration, threats from Russia, China and Iran... These are not abstract problems, they shape both our daily lives and the future our children will inherit. Yet we have a Prime Minister consumed by his own survival. And, while he hangs on, desperately, the country drifts. While he protects himself, decisions are delayed and problems fester. Starmer has no idea how to make this country better, which is why we are becoming a nation that simply manages decline instead of striving for greatness. It is not a future I will accept and it is not the future this country deserves. This is not a moment for bland managerialism, or for leaders clinging to office while the country loses confidence. It is a moment for seriousness, for courage, and for a government with a clear sense of duty to the next generation. Starmer has misled Parliament over Mandelson, misled the country and is taking the public for fools. This is not just a political failure. It is a moral one: He has put our national security at risk, he has lost the right to govern, he should resign. Britain can meet the many challenges it faces, but only if we are honest about them. And only if like the Conservative Party under my leadership we have a clear vision for the country and a clear plan to deliver it. The Defence Secretary has ordered an investigation into the British Army's use of Chinese 3D printers to build weapons. It comes after it was revealed last year that the armed forces had used portable printers, which were manufactured by Shenzhen-based Bambu Labs, during a military exercise in Kenya. The technology was used to make so-called 'suicide drones' for attack missions, while army officers were also reported to be looking to train troops to use the 3D printers to arm themselves with a 'virtually endless supply' of weapons. Security experts were quick to raise concerns over the use of the Chinese-manufactured 3D printers because, under China's National Intelligence Law, companies can be compelled to share data with the government. It has now been reported that the Ministry of Defence has launched an internal investigation into cloud-based 3D printing. Defence minister Luke Pollard confirmed last week that a 'cyber assessment' was underway to evaluate the risks and security requirements associated with the use of such technologies. It comes amid reports that the MoD is seeking to speed up the adoption of 3D printing within the defence supply chain. But the investigation has been launched to ensure any products used are secure. An investigation has been launched into the British army's use of Chinese-made 3D printers to build weapons. Pictured: Soldiers with a Bambu Lab 3D printer and drones Pictured: A British Army Bambu Labs 3D-printer creating an FPV 'suicide drone' Speaking to The Telegraph last year, defence expert Robert Clark said the decision to use a Chinese company for the army's 3D printing was 'outrageous' and 'shameful'. 'The Ministry of Defence are just not learning their lessons on this,' he said. 'We may as well be handing them the keys to the back door of our security systems. Clark also accused ministers of using Chinese-made technology to save money despite security concerns. 'The big picture is that the MoD is currently facing a 2.5 million black hole for the next financial year, and they are clearly doing things now on the cheap', he said. It comes after Prime Minister Keir Starmer was criticised last year for overlooking the threat to national security by trying to improve Britain's ties with China. Prosecutors said last October they had to abandon the trial of two British men charged with spying in parliament for China because the British government had refused to say Beijing was a threat to its national security. Starmer's government denies ministers interfered in the case to appease Beijing. Prime Minister Keir Starmer has been criticised for overlooking the threat to national security by trying to improve Britain's ties with China But political opponents say it was the sixth occasion it has prioritised improving relations with China over security or human rights concerns. Those opponents also pointed to the government's refusal to publish a long-awaited audit into relations with Beijing and the omission of China from a list of countries subject to stricter rules under a foreign influence registration scheme. Starmer's Labour government has made improved relations with Beijing a key priority as it seeks foreign investment to make good on its election pledge to upgrade infrastructure and grow the economy. But former senior security experts and trade advisers warned that it is a dangerous path to tread during a global tariff war, and when China has in the past been accused by rivals of deploying economic coercion when threatened. China is Britain's fifth-largest trading partner, accounting for 5.5 percent of trade. A Brazilian waitress who won a race discrimination case after a colleague 'humiliated' her over her accent has 'not received a penny' of her 35,000 payout. Ana Beatriz Machado was harassed by a colleague at the Western-themed bar Coyote Ugly, who told her she 'didn't like her voice' and that customers 'don't understand her'. The 31-year-old was also accused of stealing money from the bar's tills and sending it back to her family in Sorocaba in Brazil. She was subsequently fired on New Year's Eve in 2022. Ms Machado, a single mother living in Liverpool, won a five-figure payout after representing herself and successfully suing Coyote Ugly for race harassment. The employment tribunal, held in October 2025, ruled her dismissal was related to her nationality and was 'an act of harassment'. Yet it has emerged the waitress, who now works at Hooters, has not received a monetary drop from Swansea Audio Ltd, the firm which previously ran Coyote Ugly Saloon. Ms Machado described the case's conclusion, which she likened to 'David vs. Goliath', as 'only half a win' as her bank account remains untouched. She said the incident has led her to 'lose so much of [her life]', adding the lack of a payout by the firm is 'disgusting' and 'feels personal'. Ana Beatriz Machado is now in line for compensation after an employment tribunal found she was harassed and fired due to her race Miss Machado was harassed over her accent while working at Coyote Ugly before being fired in 2022. She is pictured here with her daughter Speaking to the BBC, Ms Machado said: 'I feel like they spent loads of money paying solicitors to fight me, which actually would cost way more than just paying me instead. 'It makes me feel like any big company can do whatever they want with people.' The mother-of-one now fears her chance of receiving the money is dwindling as Companies House filings dated up to June 30, 2025 show Swansea Audio Ltd with a racked up debt of 888,000. Ms Machado said, despite the firm's financial insecurity, the director Steve Lewis has founded a new firm, Coyote Ugly Limited, in May 2024. Swansea Audio Ltd's employees dropped from 100 in 2024 to 15 in its latest accounts, which covers up to June 2025. Swansea Audio Ltd was ordered to pay Ms Machado 35,526 following the five-day hearing in Liverpool. This broke down to 15,000 for injury to feelings and nearly 13,000 for past losses. Speaking in the aftermath of the case, she said the experience had caused her to suffer anxiety and depression, which made her 'stop eating', 'stop sleeping', and reportedly rely on food banks to provide food for her five-year-old daughter, Ella. Ms Machado, who is mum to daughter Ella, had worked as a 'Coyote' - a term for female bartenders - at Coyote Ugly for a year when she was harassed. At Coyote Ugly, female bartenders - called 'Coyotes' - often wear cowboy boots, denim shorts, tops and perform line-dancing to entertain crowds. During her employment, Miss Machado was harassed by fellow Coyote Rhiannon Freeman, who told another waitress not to pass the bar's microphone to Miss Machado. Staff members had to use the microphone at work to speak to customers, but Ms Freeman said they 'don't understand her' in reference to Miss Machado. It was also found Ms Freeman had said Miss Machado was 'weird', 'struggled to communicate', and 'did not like her voice'. Employment Judge Jane Callan ruled that Ms Freeman's comments were race harassment and she was awarded compensation of 35,526. Judge Callan said: 'It was unwanted conduct which had the effect of humiliating [her] or creating an offensive environment for her. '[Her] accent is intrinsic to her nationality and we therefore find the act of unlawful harassment is made out.' Miss Machado also successfully sued for harassment over her dismissal because it was ruled that her assistant manager, Rebecca Fitzsimmons, was influenced by her nationality when sacking her. She was accused by her assistant manager of stealing money and sending it back to her family in Brazil. An employment tribunal heard that Ms Machado started employment at Coyote Ugly in Liverpool (pictured) in December 2021 Employment Judge Jane Callan ruled that Ms Freeman's comments were race harassment and she was awarded compensation of 35,526 Ms Fitzsimmons accused her of not charging some customers for drinks and taking cash payments but not putting them all into the till. Judge Callan said there was not enough evidence to conclude she was stealing. Speaking after the tribunal, Ms Machado said the comments about her accent made her lose confidence and feel that she was being used as a 'joke' because she was an immigrant. She said: 'I had people doing bad jokes about my accent and using this against me. I shouldn't have been used as a joke.' Ms Machado said that her dismissal gave her anxiety and said she 'could not sleep' because of the 'fear, shame, and 'insecurity'. She did not think anyone would believe her and wanted to clear her name from accusations. She said: 'As a person and as a mother, the experience was very difficult. 'I became very depressed and had to take medication to cope with the whole process, while also carrying the shame and fear that people might believe the false allegation of theft made against me. 'For me, the greatest fight was to clear my name. When an employer takes everything from you, including the most important thing-your name-you are left trapped in fear, shame, and insecurity. 'I was worried nobody would trust me ever again. I felt like nobody would ever believe me. 'I am a single parent. Without work, I couldn't afford anything for my daughter. I would be going to the food bank to get some food. 'It was December, nearly January, and all the bills for December weren't paid. So, at this time, I was very scared. So, I had no money.. I had no money for food. 'It made me feel so bad. I started to question myself way too much. I couldn't sleep, I couldn't eat. I went to bed at 5am in the morning. I had to go to the NHS for pills to sleep and calm my anxiety. I couldn't live.' It took Ms Machado a year to find another job, which caused her financial troubles and she worried for her daughter. She said: 'When I finally found my new job, I lived in fear for a long time that they might dismiss me for any mistake I could make. 'I was afraid of opening the till and I was afraid of the tips I might receive, since the reason my ex-boss dismissed me was because the tip jar looked 'too full' in her view.' Ms Machado, from Sorocaba in Brazil, currently has leave to remain through her daughter, who is a UK citizen. Sacked Foreign Office chief Sir Olly Robbins is set for an explosive clash with MPs on Tuesday which could make or break the Prime Minister. One key ally said Sir Olly, appointed as the department's permanent under-secretary by Sir Keir Starmer in January 2025, is furious at the way he has been treated over the Peter Mandelson controversy. Sir Olly has been accused of not telling Downing Street that Mandelson had failed his UK security vetting after he was appointed US ambassador. He had yet to formally accept the foreign affairs committee's invitation last night, but it is expected that he will appear to launch a passionate defence of his actions. Sir Olly who took up his role after Mandelson had been appointed but before his vetting was sacked on Thursday night, hours after news broke of the Labour grandee's clearance failure. Downing Street insists it learned the truth only two days before it was revealed by The Guardian. Sir Olly is adamant he followed protocol when overruling the vetting decision and in not telling No 10. Serious concerns were raised about Mandelson by the Government's specialist vetting agency following an investigation into his finances, personal relationships and foreign contacts, and officials recommended he should not be granted clearance. Sacked Foreign Office chief Sir Olly Robbins (pictured here in 2019) is set to be grilled by MPs next week over the appointment of Peter Mandelson as US ambassador Sir Olly was only a fortnight into his role when he had to decide on the appointment of Peter Mandelson - which Sir Keir had already publicly announced before vetting had even begun It fell to Sir Olly only a fortnight into his role as the Foreign Office's most senior civil servant and dealing with an appointment Sir Keir had already publicly announced before vetting had even begun to make the final call, and he waved him through. Sir Keir is promising to come clean in a statement to the Commons tomorrow. But opponents will then pore over every word from Sir Olly that points to any suggestions the Prime Minister who repeatedly assured MPs 'due process' had been followed has knowing misled them, or acted unfairly towards Sir Olly. The former Foreign Office chief is understood to believe vehemently that it would have been a breach of his obligations had he informed Sir Keir about Mandelson's vetting failure. Among those coming out in support of him yesterday was Lord McDonald, also a former permanent under-secretary at the Foreign Office. He accused Sir Keir of sacking Sir Olly because he wanted 'a scalp as quickly as possible within the news cycle'. Lord McDonald said: 'I cannot see that there was any process, any fairness, any giving him the chance to set out his case and that feels to me wrong.' Asked on BBC Radio 4's Today programme whether he 'bought' the Government's claims about not knowing Mandelson had failed the vetting, Lord McDonald replied: 'No, I do not.' He added: 'If there had been a failure, then that fact would have to be conveyed to the political level, but the fact that it was not indicates to me that the picture was more complicated than No 10 wishes to present.' A source on the foreign affairs committee told The Mail on Sunday that Sir Olly will be 'dragged over the coals' on crucial questions of exactly who knew what and when. He will be called on to explain the truth about whether he alone decided to overrule Mandelson's vetting failure as Sir Keir claims or whether he spoke to anyone else in the Foreign Office or Downing Street. The role of both David Lammy and Yvette Cooper, the former and serving Foreign Secretaries, will also be examined. MPs on the committee will want to know whether Ms Cooper asked about Mandelson's vetting status following the release of the Jeffrey Epstein files by the US government, which revealed a close friendship between the pair. The committee source said that any failure by key players to ask Sir Olly about Mandelson's vetting after the publication of the files would have been 'a gross dereliction of duty'. MPs will want to get to the bottom of why Sir Olly lost his job for failing to tell the Prime Minister about the vetting outcome and will compare his treatment to that of Cabinet Secretary Dame Antonia Romeo. It was revealed on Friday that Dame Antonia knew about Mandelson's vetting failure for more than a fortnight before the Prime Minister claims to have found out. It is understood he is standing by his latest Cabinet Secretary, who was only appointed in February. From diffusing tensions at the Sussexes last public event before 'Megxit' to being the first in the family to visit Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor at Sandringham, the Duke of Edinburgh has proven himself to be the Royal Family's peacemaker. However, it's not a new role for Prince Edward, 62, as in December 1994 he revealed his diplomatic qualities after he approached the late Princess Diana during the traditional Christmas walkabout. At the time, a slightly downcast - and outcast - Diana had publicly split from Charles, then the Prince of Wales, but was yet to finalise the divorce, which became official in the summer of 1996. As a former partner attending the occasion was understandably awkward for Diana, but a lip reader and body language expert has revealed how Edward helped put the mother-of-two at ease. A clip shows how Edward stepped in when a nervous-looking Diana was seen chatting with a minister, where, according to lip reader Nicola Hickling, he reassured her of her presence at the event, saying: 'It's so good that you came, and great to celebrate together.' 'It's wonderful to see you and the boys and have them here, don't you think, vicar?,' he asked before making small talk about William and Harry: 'Have they eaten all of the chocolate?' Diana responded: 'Edward, they ate it all before breakfast,' before the prince replied that 'boys can't do anything in moderation'. Diana laughed and added: 'Boys will be boys.' Nicola explained: 'Edward's approach appears deliberate, by leaning in, keeping the tone light, and drawing others into the conversation, he seems to ease Diana into the group, helping shift the moment from polite formality into something more relaxed and inclusive.' Prince Edward helped to ease Diana's nerves as she attended the 1994 Christmas walkabout after separating from Charles Body language expert Judi James, observing the same clip, noted: 'Edward and Sophie have clearly been employed as unofficial royal "air bags" at several recent events with the calm, unproblematic and apparently non-judgmental approach allowing them to take the middle ground as peacemakers or buffers during times of friction in the family. 'They were famously placed between the Waleses and the Sussexes to make small talk with both couples during Harry and Meghan's very fraught and emotional last public appearance before leaving for Canada, and it's now Edward who seems to have been the one paying visits to his brother Andrew in his isolated banishment from the Firm. 'It's clear from this clip though that Edward has been taking the role of royal peacemaker and social buffer for several decades. 'When Charles and Diana separated, Diana was left with the unenviable job of appearing with the rest of the royals, minus Charles, as they attended church at Sandringham. 'This was a formidable line-up that included not just the Queen and Philip but also the fiercely protocol-protective Queen Mother and the Queen's imperious sister Margaret. 'Diana is clearly attempting to socialise bravely here and show some of the stoic behaviours the Queen might have admired, but she looks isolated and vulnerable. 'She tries to chat and even laugh with the clergy and we can see her step forward to speak directly to the Queen at one point but there is a low-key and rather icy-looking response as the Queen and her sister wander away to join other members of the family. 'Diana watches the royal women interacting with a group of small children with a wistful expression, her polite social smile melting to suggest she would have loved to have joined in. Princess Diana, Prince William and Prince Harry with Prince Edward at church on Christmas Day in 1994 'As she turns back to the clergy, possibly the only person with no desire or authority to "cut" her, her head is lowered in a signal of growing dejection, like a dog lowering its tail. 'We can see Edward very thoughtfully taking a gentle "stealth" approach to mingling with his downcast sister-in-law though. 'Instead of pushing or barging in too obviously to lift the mood he sidles in with his hands clasped behind his back and we can see his sideways glance showing how he is assessing the situation to decide on the best way to perform a "rescue". 'His arrival and announcement ritual is a bouncing on his toes before he bends his head and neck round to engage and join in, with one eyebrow raised to signal a light-hearted approach. 'There is a smile of what looks like relief and gratitude from Diana as she turns to look at him and Edward uses a "pace and lead" ritual of another, jolly-looking bounce on his toes, smiling directly and fondly at Diana as she turns to join in with his chat.' Years later, in 2020, Edward was praised for diffusing any possible tension as he took his seat between the Sussexes and Cambridges at the Commonwealth Day service. Edward was seen chatting to Meghan and Harry as the royals took their seats at Westminster Abbey. The Duke, who was joined by his wife Sophie, deftly bridged the conversation gap between the Sussexes and William and Kate, who were seated on the row in front. Edward's relaxed, easy-going nature was noted by royal supporters watching at home, who said he was 'chatting' and 'giggling' with Meghan to help put her at ease. The event marked the Sussexes last official outing as senior members of the royal family before they gave up their titles as part of their 'Megxit' departure deal. Then, earlier this month, Edward became the first royal to visit his disgraced brother Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, as he lives in exile, it's been claimed. The former prince, 66, who is currently living at Wood Farm in Sandringham, was reportedly paid a visit by his younger brother Edward this week, for a 'quiet word'. But the visit was apparently not a brotherly show of support - instead, the Duke of Edinburgh and his wife Sophie reportedly wanted to stay in Wood Farm over Easter. It is claimed that the pair are worried that Andrew is dragging his heels at his temporary accommodation before his permanent move to Marsh Farm, which is next door on the estate. Edward and Sophie were forced to stay in the main house at the King's Sandringham estate over the break, as Andrew is 'reluctant to leave' the Norfolk bolt hole, a source told The Sun. They added: 'Edward has already publicly made his feelings clear when he expressed concern for the victims. 'Edward was meant to be staying at Wood Farm as he regularly books it for Easter, but his brother was there. 'Andrew has been dragging his heels. He could have moved by now, but has been reluctant. Edward has had a quiet word with his brother.' He was the first family member to see Andrew in two months. The disgraced former prince has been in hiding following his eviction from Royal Lodge in February over his links to paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein. The Princess of Wales has long enjoyed a friendship with her husband's cousin, Zara Tindall. The pair have exchanged hugs at the Royal Ascot and Kate has even appeared on her husband's podcast - however, the same warmth doesn't appear to extend to his disgraced Uncle Andrew Mountbatten's daughter Beatrice. It is perhaps no wonder that cautious Catherine - who will one day be Queen - could be keeping her distance from the royal wild child, who in the noughties made headlines for everything from her slew of boyfriends 'hated' by the Prince of Wales to raucous parties with her mother Sarah Ferguson. Beatrice was just 17 when she started dating the late Paolo Liuzzo, a 'troubled playboy' seven years her senior. After meeting through friends and getting together in July 2005, the young royal was reportedly partying up a storm with the Italian-American magnate and her mother just two weeks into the romance. As revealed by historian Andrew Lownie, in his new book Entitled, during that time the then-Duchess of York was enjoying an 'annual two-week stay at Paddy McNally's villa in the South of France'. She and her family 'were joined by twenty-three-year-old Paolo Liuzzo, her teenage daughter Beatrice's new boyfriend, whom she had met a fortnight before'. While Liuzzo had a 'chequered' past - he had been charged with manslaughter during his time at university in Massachusetts after a drunken fight led to the death of a teenager - he was still, it seems, welcomed into the royal fold by Sarah and Andrew. A history of raised eyebrows from the late Queen is likely to have unnerved Kate - whose husband is also understood to have been distancing himself from the Yorks. Kate and Beatrice pictured in 2017 It is perhaps no wonder that cautious Catherine - who will one day be Queen - could be keeping her distance from the royal wild child, who in the noughties made headlines for a slew of boyfriends and raucous parties. Pictured when she was younger in Thailand Lownie continued: 'Driving from Geneva, he brought with him some friends who proceeded to have a good time - Liuzzo spent thirty thousand euros one evening entertaining the party at Club 55 in Saint-Tropez. 'The duchess then invited him to join her and her two daughters a month later taking a holiday at Richard Branson's safari ranch in South Africa in between at Round Hill, an exclusive resort of villas, in Jamaica. 'Liuzzo later sold an account of his two trips to a newspaper, claiming the duchess had encouraged his relationship with Beatrice and exposed her daughter to people who took drugs, including cannabis, much to the Queen's concern.' Such a history of raised eyebrows from the late Queen is likely to have unnerved Kate - whose husband is also understood to have been distancing himself from the Yorks, reportedly calling his uncle Andrew a 'tosser'. Her Majesty's disapproval, it seems, only continued to grow as 'Liuzzo was proving to be trouble'. In November 2005, Lownie revealed that one of Sarah's 'property developer friends' had 'lent him her seven-floor mansion' in Belgravia - and had to splash out 7,000 to clean up the aftermath of his hedonistic 'raves'. Supportive Sarah, who had established herself as Liuzzo's 'second mother', vouched for her teenage daughter's boyfriend, but in May 2006, 'on the orders of the Queen, Beatrice ended the relationship'. Liuzzo also later alleged that he lent Andrew $10,000 - which was 'never fully settled'. According to Lownie, this was to 'pay for removal men to move one of the duke's girlfriends, Angie Everhart, out of the New York apartment she shared with her then fiancee'. Liuzzo was later allegedly 'asked to kneel in the drawing room of their Windsor mansion for a mock knighting ceremony' as 'impersonating the queen, the Duchess of York handed him a new nickname: "Sir Fixit"'. Beatrice was just 17 when she started dating the late Paolo Liuzzo, a 'troubled playboy' seven years her senior. Both pictured After the break-up Liuzzo divulged a myriad of information about the royal family, including claims that every New Year Andrew went through a ten-day ritual featuring 'cleansing' massages and that the disgraced Duke had asked PPOs to shoot squirrels at Royal Lodge. He also said that Beatrice claimed of her parents: 'Daddy loves Mummy more than Mummy loves Daddy. But Mummy lives for her title and she loses her title if Daddy remarries.' 'Liuzzo also said the duchess authorised him to use the Yorks' businessclass-only airway, EOS, which had just launched and gave them free flights,' Lownie added. 'Telling him when he needed a flight, "Talk to my assistant and they'll sort it out."' The following year, it was time for Beatrice's 18th birthday party - 'a lavish costume ball at Windsor Castle for five hundred, with dinner for 250 earlier, reputed to have cost 400,000'. However, key members of the Firm - namely the Queen, Charles, Camilla and William and Harry - did not attend. Those present, however, included Jeffrey Epstein, Ghislaine Maxwell and Harvey Weinstein. It also featured a 10,000 dress designed by Marchesa, the New York fashion house established by Georgina Chapman, wife of Harvey Weinstein. It wasn't the only of Beatrice's parties with controversial characters. At her 21st, in 2009, convicted Libyan gun smuggler Tarek Kaituni gifted her an 18,000 diamond necklace. William also appears to have a history of tensions with Beatrice's partners, which goes way back - as the prince reportedly 'hated' her ex-boyfriend of ten years, Dave Clarke; despite being the one to introduce them. The royal knew American businessman Dave from St Andrew's University, and introduced him to Beatrice at a 2006 party held by Pierce Brosnan's son Sean. However, in 2011, it appeared all was not smooth sailing when William and Kate left Dave off the invite list for their wedding. The reason for the souring, a source told the Daily Mail, was allegedly Dave's 'indiscreetness'. 'William has the Spencer paranoia gene,' an insider shared. 'Dave is a gregarious, chatty American and William is so private it hurts. He would accuse his dog of being indiscreet if it barked at someone else too often.' Another shared: 'William isn't a huge fan of Dave. It's fair to say that if Beatrice had asked the Queen for permission to marry Dave, and she in turn asked William privately for his view, she may not have been given a glowing report.' William also appears to have a history of tensions with Beatrice's partners, which goes way back - as the prince reportedly 'hated' her ex-boyfriend of ten years, Dave Clarke; despite being the one to introduce them. Beatrice and Dave in 2009 Commentator Richard Fitzwilliams shared that it seems the Prince also found him 'unreliable'. The couple split up in 2016, and two years later, in 2018, she reportedly began dating longtime family friend Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, who she has been married to since 2020. Since controversy about Beatrice and Eugenie's parents continued to erupt in recent years, experts have suggested the Princess of Wales and her husband are likely to want to distance himself from the York sisters. Elsewhere, Beatrice showed 'awkwardness and dislike' towards William and Kate following the Christmas Day service at Sandringham, a body language expert has recently claimed. She had accompanied members of the Royal Family for the traditional walkabout and service at St Magdalene Church. While others, including Zara and Mike Tindall, were seen happily chatting to William and Kate, Beatrice's display was, according to UK body language judge Judi James, on the 'awkward' side. It comes after Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie were told they cannot join their family at Royal Ascot this year amid concerns about the escalating scandal involving the House of York and their ties to Jeffrey Epstein. Sources say the sisters, whose names appear several times in the Epstein files, will not take their seats in the Royal Box at the prestigious horse-racing event in June, nor can they join senior royals for the Royal Procession. The move is said to have 'completely blindsided' Beatrice, 37, and Eugenie, 35, who are already reeling from the arrest of their father last month on suspicion of misconduct in public office. But perhaps signs of the York sisters' growing distance from William and Kate were evident long before news of Ascot. Speaking to the Daily Mail about Beatrice's Christmas Day appearance, Judi said: 'There is a type of smile known as a performed or applied rictus that is a wide smile that appears effortful and not prompted by authentic pleasure. 'Often the wider the smile, the more negative the emotions being masked, which could be why Beatrice's smile here, as she waits for the Waleses to go first, hints at what could be awkwardness or dislike. 'She begins in something of a huddle with her sister, where the smiles could suggest some conversation through gritted teeth as they watch William, Kate and the children take the lead. 'The sisters seem to decide to shuffle off together to the left, where they stand beaming their smiles at the group in front in a watchful rather than sociable way. 'Beatrice's glance down at the Waleses hints at some quiet impatience or discomfort at having to hang around dutifully and compliantly until they move on. 'There is no sign of any socialising between them here or any intent of catching Kate's eye to make the smiles more sociably friendly.' The decision followed a claim from royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams that William and Kate 'won't' miss the York sisters if the future King has to 'take the hard line' with his cousins. Their relationship has long been strained, but the latest revelations from the Epstein files could cause it to deteriorate further. The most recent tranche of Epstein documents has raised serious questions about how much the former Duke and Duchess of York's daughters knew of their parents' corrupt dealings with the paedophile financier. One email sent by Epstein in 2015 - after he was convicted for soliciting sex from a girl under 18 - boasted to a friend that Beatrice 'liked' him. It also emerged that Beatrice helped advise her mother on how to placate Epstein after Fergie called him a paedophile while apologising for accepting a 15,000 bailout from the convicted sex offender in a 2011 interview. She also played a key role in facilitating her father's 2019 Newsnight interview. William must now evaluate his relationship with Beatrice and Eugenie, and assess whether they have a future within The Firm - a decision which will no doubt be fuelled by the pre-existing tension in his relationship with the York sisters. 'It may fall to William to make a decision on the future of Beatrice and Eugenie. Neither are reportedly particularly close to him or to Catherine,' Richard added. 'The fact that Beatrice, when 20, and Eugenie, aged 19, visited Epstein in Florida just after his release from prison with their rapacious mother is alarming. They must have known who they were visiting and how inappropriate this was. He was under house arrest. 'One of the most bizarre aspects of the files is the way Sarah Ferguson seems to regard Epstein as part of her extended family. In 2010, she even told Epstein of Eugenie's "s*******" weekend.' 'There is obvious sympathy for the predicament of the sisters; mention in the files does not denote wrongdoing. 'The King reportedly regards their work-life balance, where they both do some charitable work alongside their careers and families but are not working royals, as admirable. 'William, it is reported, may well take a hard line when he becomes King. It depends on how affected the Royal Family is by what happens subsequently. 'If this happens, it may be impossible for the Royal Family to move forward with any members of the York family attached to it. 'William and Catherine do not appear to have close ties with the sisters and would probably not miss them.' Richard added: 'Although the Waleses may not be close to the sisters, we know that Eugenie is notably close to Harry. 'At one time it was thought that she had a role to play in helping reconciliation between the Royal Family and the Sussexes. That is now highly unlikely.' Newly-bereaved Queen Mary of Denmark was at her family's side to attend the confirmation of her twin children just days after her father died. The monarch put on a brave face for her 15-year-old twins, Prince Vincent and Princess Josephine, as they attended the rite of passage inside the ornate Fredensborg Palace Church on Saturday. At the ceremony, which was led by Royal Confessor, Bishop Henrik Wigh-Poulsen, Princess Josephine wore an intricate long-sleeved ivory confirmation gown, complemented by a pearl crucifix and stylish sling-back heels. Queen Mary, who earlier this month lost her 84-year-old father, Professor John Dalgleish Donaldson, proudly looked on while wearing a navy blue gown by British fashion designer Claire Mischevani and a matching headpiece. Prince Vincent, who now stands taller than his mother, looked dapper in a well-tailored navy suit. The teenagers were flanked at the entrance to the church by their father, King Frederick, and elder siblings Crown Prince Christian and Princess Isabella, who opted for a striking forest green dress. Prior to the ceremony, the Palace shared a sentimental selection of photographs of the children from over the years, including shots of them as newborns. Saturday's happy occasion came just a week after the passing of her father on April 11, with Queen Mary thanking well-wishers on her Instagram for their sympathies. Newly-bereaved Queen Mary of Denmark (second from right) was at her family's side to attend the confirmation of her twin children Prince Vincent and Princess Josephine (centre) The monarch, pictured with King Frederick and eldest daughter Isabella, put on a brave face just days after her father died aged 84 The royals stand outside Fredensborg Palace Church with Queen Margethe, second from left The Australian-born monarch had visited her father in Tasmania last month during her first official trip to the country since ascending the throne in January 2024. She wrote: 'My heartfelt thanks to the overwhelming number of messages, flowers and warm thoughts regarding my father's death. 'The enormous amount of empathy has touched us deeply and means more than words can say. The message was also shared in Danish and many followers responded to the post by sending their thoughts to the grieving Queen. 'Sending all our love from Down Under at this sad time,' one person wrote. 'Lots of loving thoughts for this hard time for Queen Mary. So even harder when you now live so far away. Us Danes know that too well,' another said. In announcing Professor Donaldson's passing, his daughter wrote that he would remain with her in spirit, even in death. Queen Mary of Denmark thanked her supporters for their well wishes following the death of her father Professor John Dalgleish Donaldson 'My heart is heavy, and my thoughts are grey. My beloved father has passed away,' Mary said in a statement last week. 'But I know that when the grief settles, the memories will brighten my day, and what will remain strongest is love and gratitude for everything he gave me and taught me.' Denmark's royal house said Prof Donaldson's health had been declining over the past few years. The family will hold a private memorial service at a later date. Brits might be used to terrible weather, but scientists now warn there is another type of storm we should be worried about. A terrifying report has laid bare exactly what would happen if a solar superstorm hit the UK. In Britain's worstcase scenario, an eruption of charged particles from the sun will smash into the atmosphere, triggering electrical blackouts and widespread disruption. From the satellites that power GPS services to the sensitive electronics inside nuclear power stations, almost every type of electronic system would be at risk. The chilling study even warns that a devastating storm could trigger 'extreme behaviour amongst cult members'. The researchers behind the 'Summary of Space Weather WorstCase Environments' report warn that a storm on this scale is a 'one in 100 years' event. That doesn't mean it will happen once every 100 years, but it does suggest that Britain may need to be ready to face its worstcase scenario at any time. Coauthor Professor Richard Horne, of the British Antarctic Survey, told the Daily Mail: 'Space weather is really uncertain because onein100 events don't come around all that often. We're trying to point out what some of the risks are so that people will take action.' Your browser does not support iframes. Scientists have warned that a once-in-a-century solar storm could cause chaos on Earth, triggering power outages, radio blackouts, and even a surge in doomsday cults Cascading power blackouts spreading across entire regions Professor Horne told the Daily Mail: 'The thing I'd be most concerned about is the power grid.' As charged plasma collides with Earth, it interacts with the planet's own magnetic fields, essentially causing it to 'rattle'. When this 'geomagnetic storm' is strong enough, it can induce electrical currents in any long stretches of metal on the surface including the highvoltage wires that make up the grid. The report warns that this would trigger safety switches in transformer stations, leading to cascading blackouts that would plunge the country into darkness. Professor Horne says: 'We don't think there will be national loss of power, but we do expect some regional blackouts.' A true worstcasescenario storm could even damage or destroy transformers by igniting their insulation. The researchers warn that it could take months to replace a transformer, even if a spare is available elsewhere in the country, with even longer power outages possible if supplies run short. Researchers have created the 'Summary of Space Weather WorstCase Environments', a detailed breakdown of what might happen during a devastating solar storm What will happen during Britain's worst-case scenario solar storm Power outages causing blackouts across entire regions Signal failures leading to train collisions Damage to electronics inside nuclear power stations Satellites falling from orbit and smashing into clouds of debris Radio blackouts grounding flights for weeks Conspiracy theories spreading wildly, and a surge in doomsday cult activity Even if the UK can get the lights back on quickly, the damage to the UK's grid could lead to decreased power capacity that would last months if not years after the storm. Signal failures causing deadly train collisions Unfortunately for us, power lines aren't the only long pieces of metal that would experience massive power surges during the superstorm. The rattling magnetic field also generates currents in train tracks that could be strong enough to interfere with the electronics in socalled 'track circuits'. Normally, the presence of a train on a section of track creates a change in the flow of electricity that the track circuit can use to work out where the train is. If there is a strong enough solar storm, the resulting fields might 'right side' and 'wrong side' errors either telling the circuit there is a train where there isn't one, or saying there is no train where one is really coming down the track. These are not only disruptive but potentially deadly as they can lead to train collisions. In their report, the researchers write: 'A 1in100 year or 1in200 year extreme storm would lead to multiple right and wrongside signalling failures.' What is a solar storm? The churning plasma of the sun's outer layers is constantly being reshaped by a chaotic system of twisting magnetic fields, colossal explosions, and vast currents of plasma. Together, the energy and particles blasted into space and out towards Earth are called space weather. When scientists talk about solar storms, what they are usually referring to is something called a coronal mass ejection (CME). CMEs occur when highly twisted magnetic fields known as 'flux ropes' tangle around cool regions on the sun's surface and build up massive amounts of energy. When the ropes eventually snap, the blast can shoot billions of tonnes of solar material into space. This wave of charged particles, magnetic fields, and plasma currents then slams into our atmosphere. These storms produce harmless, even beautiful, effects like the Northern lights, but also create big problems for electrical equipment. Damage to the sensitive electronics controlling nuclear power stations Besides CMEs, the sun can also hit the Earth with a wave of charged particles that blast through the atmosphere. Since these particles move at the speed of light, we would have no warning before the planet was rocked by their arrival. Countries at higher latitudes, where there is less natural shielding from the magnetic field, are particularly at risk of being bombarded by highenergy neutrons. 'Highenergy neutrons can penetrate through a whole load of stuff and cause problems for electronics' says Professor Horne. In a truly disastrous onein1,000year storm, surface radiation levels could be 1,000 times higher than normal in London and up to 5,000 times higher in Scotland. This comes with a 'greatly enhanced' risk of electrical systems making unexpected errors, with serious potential for damage and burnout in some devices. Worryingly, the authors note that this includes 'electronic control systems used in the nuclear power sector'. Powerful bombardments of charged particles could damage the sensitive electronics controlling nuclear power systems like Sizewell B (pictured), but the researchers say the size of this risk requires more investigation However, just how big that disruption could be is something that still needs further investigation. 'We think that this is a risk that needs to be looked at, but to understand how big a risk that is would mean working with the power agencies because they know their instruments much better than we do,' says Professor Horne. Satellites falling out of orbit and colliding with clouds of space debris Professor Horne says: 'Space is really congested, but the trouble comes when you have a big space weather event.' As the CME arrives, the wave of charged particles would smash through satellites in lowEarth orbit, damaging electronics and degrading solar panels. In the best case, this would shorten the lifespan of satellites by years, but the most severe storms could cause entire satellites to fail for good. However, the researchers also highlight the dangers of solar flares, another type of space weather that involves massive bursts of Xray radiation. When this radiation hits Earth, it causes the upper layers of the atmosphere to swell and expand. Charged particles from the sun can damage satellites like SpaceX's Starlink constellation, cutting their lifespans by years or destroying them altogether 'You've got a satellite flying on its normal orbit, and all of a sudden the atmosphere's gotten a bit thicker, that means it starts to drop,' says Professor Horne. During the 'Halloween Storm' in October 2023, a massive solar flare created so much drag that the International Space Station fell 200 metres in a single day. In 2022, extreme solar activity led 40 Starlink satellites to reenter the atmosphere after launching during a solar flare. Satellite operators can adjust for this, but there's no way to do the same for the roughly two million pieces of space debris. Whizzing around the world at about seven kilometres per second, even a small piece of debris can cause severe damage to a satellite in orbit. Professor Horne says: 'The problem is when you have a large storm, it changes the orbits of the satellites and space debris and that enhances the risk [of a collision]. This would be a major problem for the world's navigation systems that rely on satellites to calculate precise locations, with surprisingly farreaching consequences. During a particularly heightened period of solar activity in May 2024, a loss of satellite navigation cost the US agriculture industry $500 billion dollars after tracking systems on farm equipment failed. Travel chaos during days-long radio blackouts Solar flares also produce their own radio waves, which can 'drown out' the radio signals used by Earthbased systems. This would likely be a shortterm effect, mainly affecting weak radio systems like radar and global navigation systems. A geomagnetic storm would have a more pronounced effect. Many radio signals travel around the world by bouncing off a part of the atmosphere called the ionosphere. However, geomagnetic storms fill this region with electrical charges, making it unusable for radio communication. This would likely cause several days of blackouts for 'UltraHigh Frequency' (UHF) and 'VeryHigh Frequency' (VHF) ranges. Although that won't affect your mobile phone, it will block out the signals used by ships and aeroplanes, leading to travel chaos and grounded flights. A large solar storm would cause radio blackouts that would interfere with the communication systems used by air traffic control, grounding flights Civil unrest - with 'extreme' action from conspiracy theorists However, the arrival of such a devastating storm won't just affect the world's technological systems. The researchers warn that a worstcase scenario would also see widespread social disruption. Coauthor Professor John Preston, a sociologist from the University of Essex, told the Daily Mail: 'Negative social outcomes arising from a severe solar storm could include power cuts, internet outages, disruption to transport networks, services, and supplies at supermarkets. 'This would lead to negative social outcomes, particularly amongst the poorest in society who have low food stocks and access to alternatives.' Although Professor Preston says that violent unrest or civil disobedience is unlikely, some groups could be driven into 'extreme' action. This could be triggered by the rapid spread of conspiracy theories and misinformation, or by a surge in doomsday or 'Millenarian' beliefs. 'We know that certain cults look at solar and space events as an indicator of the end of the world,' says Professor Preston. Experts warn that a large space weather event could lead to a surge in cult activity, similarly to how the arrival of the HaleBopp comet led to the suicide of the Heaven's Gate cult in 1997 'In 1997, Heaven's Gate, a millenarist cult, thought that the world was ending, and that the comet HaleBopp was an alien spaceship that would transport their souls to a higher plane of existence. Thirtynine members of the cult committed suicide. 'Today, there are many cults with similar beliefs about space and solar based events. 'It is very hard to predict, but solar events can, in the worst case, lead to extreme behaviour amongst cult members with Millenarian beliefs.' It's a term that conjures up the image of a younger woman pursuing an older, wealthy man. But men can be gold diggers too, according to a study. Researchers from the Behavioural and Social Sciences Institute in Vienna asked 351 people to complete a survey about their dating preferences. Overall, they discovered that gold diggers are most likely to be women who display reckless and narcissistic traits. However, they found that pursuing someone solely for their money or status was not a uniquely female tactic. 'Gold digging emerged as an exploitative mating strategy beyond a simple preference for resourceful partners,' the study, published in the journal Personality and Individual Differences, reads. 'It was observed among both sexes.' Lead author Lennart Freyth said he wasn't surprised by the findings, adding: 'If gold digging is a human mating strategy, [it makes sense that] men also use it even at lower rates.' Kevin Federline was frequently labelled a gold digger during and after his highprofile marriage to Britney Spears Dr Freyth said he was inspired to carry out the study after becoming interested in people who adopt highly exploitative dating strategies. This goes beyond a simple preference for a welloff partner, he explained, and instead describes someone who prioritises money above everything else. The study begins with a quote from the song Gold Digger by Kanye West 'She take my money when I'm in need'. 'This song captures three core elements of the public conception of gold diggers,' the paper reads. 'Exploiting others, avoiding poor mates [partners], and being female'. To explore this stereotype, the researchers scored each participant on their golddigging tendencies using a 15part questionnaire. From this, they divided the group into two parts the ones who leaned more towards an intimacyfocused relationship and those who wanted a more materialistic one. Participants also carried out a personality test. 'Gold digging was associated with psychopathy, which captures its reckless component,' Dr Freyth said. 'This was true for both sexes. 'In addition, gold diggers prefer big cities and were more likely to be students. Female gold diggers are also sadistic and tend towards rightwing ideology.' Women have taken to social media to complain that men are the 'real gold diggers', as a study reveals what to look out for Gold diggers are most likely to be Women Students 'Performative' males Reckless Psychopathic Narcissistic However, when it came to men, he warned against 'performative males' who appear especially sensitive or progressive. 'These men increase their mating value by positioning themselves as compassionate, caring and empathetic,' Dr Freyth said. 'This way, women consider them less of a red flag. 'Being agreeable at first glance makes you seem less threatening than someone who questions the status quo.' When asked on the best ways to spot a gold digger, he said: 'Be cautious with the 'big city girl', be aware of students. 'And keep in mind that even a guy who appears thoughtful and compassionate might have interests beyond your character.' A separate study recently found that men are sadder when their wives earn more than them. Scientists from the University of Durham analysed the incomes and mental health of heterosexual couples in Sweden. Topearning actress Nicole Kidman has made significantly more money than her nowex husband Keith Urban They found that women becoming the breadwinner resulted in a higher risk of mental health issues for both members of the couple but especially for husbands. 'The share of couples where the wife outearns the husband is increasing globally,' the researchers said. 'Crossing the threshold where the wife starts earning more significantly increases the probability of receiving a mental health diagnosis. 'In the most restrictive specification, the likelihood increases by approximately 8 per cent for the whole sample and by 11 per cent for men.' There's nothing quite like having a drink to celebrate payday and it turns out this tradition dates back thousands of years. Scientists have discovered one of the earliest known beer tabs in the National Museum of Denmark. For over a century, the museum has housed a large collection of inscribed tablets from the earliest civilisations of the Middle East, written in languages that are now extinct. Now, for the first time, experts have deciphered them and discovered texts about magic, kings and alcohol transactions. One, which dates back 4,000 years, represents a record of beer being used as a form of payment in the ancient city of Umma, in what is now southern Iraq. It shows beer in various quality and quantities supplied by someone named 'Ayalli'. It includes a payment of 16 litres of 'high quality beer' and 55 litres of 'ordinary beer', which would have been distributed among a group of workers 'There are several texts at the National Museum of Denmark included in our volume that mentions beer being used as payment to workers,' Dr Troels Arbll, from the University of Copenhagen, told the Daily Mail. 'They are therefore administrative documents or receipts. 'Beer was presumably high in nutrition and considered an integral part of how these earliest urbanised populations lived.' This ancient tablet is a receipt that documents the payment of beer in various quality and quantities including 16 litres of 'high quality beer' and 55 litres of 'ordinary beer' which would have been distributed among a group of workers Your browser does not support iframes. It was about 5,200 years ago that people from ancient cultures in Iraq and Syria began carving characters onto clay tablets. This new system of communication gradually made it possible to develop advanced societies with complex administrative systems. 'A great many of the cuneiform tablets we have today bear witness to a highly developed bureaucracy,' Dr Arbll said. 'There was a need to keep track of the advanced societies that were being built, and we have found a large number of cuneiform tablets containing practical information, such as accounts and lists of goods and personnel. 'It is therefore not surprising that one of the tablets in the National Museum's collection contains something as commonplace as a very old receipt for beer.' At the time, beer would likely have tasted sour, tangy, flat and fruity, with a thick, milky texture and notes of sediment or clay. Instead of modern hops, it was often brewed using fermented bread and sometimes sweetened with honey or dates. The beer would have had a low alcohol content, usually estimated to be between 3.5 to 6.5 per cent, and would likely have been sipped through a long straw. Researchers from the National Museum of Denmark and the University of Copenhagen have analysed, identified and digitised a large collection of ancient tablets Artwork showing two people drinking beer through long straws in Khafajeh, Iraq, between 2600-2350BC What did ancient beer taste like? Around 4,000 years ago, beer would likely have tasted sour, tangy, flat and fruity, with a thick, milky texture and notes of sediment or clay. Instead of modern hops, it was often brewed using fermented bread and sometimes sweetened with honey or dates. The beer would have had a low alcohol content, usually estimated to be between 3.5 to 6.5 per cent. It would likely have been sipped through a long straw to avoid floating grain remnants. Tate Paulette, an assistant professor of history at North Carolina State University, has written about drinking in Mesopotamia the historical region that encompasses modern-day Iraq and Syria. 'If you could travel back in time to one of the bustling cities of ancient Mesopotamia (c. 4000330 B.C.), for example, you would have no trouble finding yourself a bar or a beer,' he wrote on The Conversation. 'Beer was the beverage of choice in Mesopotamia. In fact, to be a Mesopotamian was to drink beer.' He explained that Mesopotamian literature reveals drinking this beer could lead to confusion, loss of control and poor judgement. Beer was also known to produce unwanted physical effects, like feeling horrible the next morning and an inability to perform sexually. As part of their new research, the University of Copenhagen scientists analysed, identified and digitised as many ancient tablets as they could find. They discovered the museum housed a wide variety of texts ranging from accounts and letters to medical treatments and magical incantations. One text which particularly caught their attention originated from the Syrian city of Hama and had likely resided in a large temple library. Some places, like the Great Lakes Brewing Company in Cleveland, Ohio, have tried to recreate ancient beers for people to try out 'One of the clay tablets turned out to contain a so-called anti-witchcraft ritual,' Dr Arbll said. 'This was of enormous importance to the royal authority in Assyria because it had the remarkable ability to ward off misfortunessuch as political instabilitythat might befall a king.' The ritual, which took a whole night, involved the burning of various small figures made of wax and clay, while an exorcist recited a series of fixed incantations. Among the collection, researchers also discovered a copy of a very famous regnal list which describes both mythical and historical kings. A former US Air Force intelligence officer died before he could testify in a whistleblower hearing about UFOs, sparking demands for an FBI investigation. Matthew James Sullivan was just 39 when he died on May 12, 2024 after reportedly taking his own life. However, his official cause of death has not been made public, nor was the case reported on by local media at the time. Now, Congressman Eric Burlison of Missouri has told the Daily Mail that Sullivan was preparing to be a key witness for congressional investigators looking into Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena, more commonly known as UFOs. Burlison shared he had 'grave concerns' that Sullivan's death appears 'suspicious,' suggesting that the veteran intelligence officer may have been targeted to silence him before revealing knowledge of non-human spacecraft and extraterrestrials. 'Look at Matthew Sullivan's credentials and his experience. He certainly was someone who was read in at the highest classification levels and knew some of our nation's most important secrets,' Burlison explained. 'And so did a lot of these other people.' The congressman explained that an investigation by the Intelligence Community Inspector General uncovered 'serious allegations of misconduct and potentially unlawful activities' which pointed to the 39-year-old's death not being a suicide. Burlison said: 'The fact that he had been scheduled by the UAP Task Force. That he had been scheduled to come and speak... After hearing about this tragedy, I felt it was worth looking into.' On Thursday, he made a formal request to FBI Director Kash Patel to have agents investigate Sullivan's death as a potential crime. 'The sudden and suspicious circumstances surrounding his death raise significant concerns about potential foul play and the safety of other individuals involved in this matter,' Burlison wrote in a letter to the FBI shared with the Daily Mail. Matthew James Sullivan (Pictured) was a US Air Force veteran who was allegedly set to testify as a whistleblower in Congress's ongoing investigation into UFOs The US government has continued to maintain that there has never been any physical evidence proving the existence of UFOs or aliens Sullivan had been contacted by UAP whistleblower and retired US Air Force Major David Grusch prior to the intelligence officer's sudden death, which reportedly left Grusch 'extremely distraught.' Grusch, who is now a senior advisor to Burlison, spent 14 years in the Air Force before working as an intelligence officer for the National Reconnaissance Office, which builds and launches surveillance satellites for the Pentagon. He eventually became a whistleblower, testifying before Congress in 2023, after allegedly learning that elements of the US government had been hiding UFO retrieval and reverse-engineering programs for decades. 'Grusch was helping him come forward as a whistleblower,' Burlison confirmed to the Daily Mail on Friday. The congressman added that he had not spoken to Sullivan directly and did not know what information he was prepared to disclose regarding his time in the Air Force and as a Department of War contractor, working at some of the nation's most secretive bases. Specifically, Sullivan had an extensive background tied to military intelligence and advanced technology being used by the US worldwide. He also worked for multiple groups that allegedly have decades-old ties to America's UFO secrets. After serving as a '5th Generation aircraft intelligence chief,' Sullivan worked for the National Air and Space Intelligence Center as a deputy director at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. The Ohio complex has long been linked to the alleged retrieval of crashed alien spacecraft since the Roswell incident in 1947. Sullivan also worked for the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), which has been called the Pentagons 'idea factory' because of its documented role in creating futuristic tech, such as the Internet, GPS and stealth technology. Congressman Eric Burlison (Pictured) has been a member of the House Oversight Committee investigating claims that the US government has not been truthful about the existence of UFOs Matthew Sullivan (Pictured) was an Air Force intelligence officer and also worked as a defense contractor in some of the nation's most secretive bases Burlison suggested that the FBI needed to investigate Sullivan's suspicious death as part of the growing number of missing and dead scientists throughout the US in recent years, saying that the veteran's knowledge of classified data fit the alleged pattern. The congressman added that he had already been in contact with members of the FBI, who neither confirmed nor denied whether the US intelligence community had been investigating Sullivan's death or the 11 other deaths and disappearances documented since 2022. Several scientists and administrative officials with ties to NASA, nuclear research, aerospace programs and classified projects have vanished or turned up dead in recent years. Many of the individuals, including personnel from NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory and the Los Alamos National Laboratory, had access to sensitive information on space missions, nuclear technology or advanced defense systems, prompting speculation about possible connections. Burlison and House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer are preparing a joint letter to the FBI, listing several of these cases lawmakers want investigated as part of a possible conspiracy. To this point, Sullivan's case has reportedly only been in the hands of a 'local Virginia medical examiner case.' The Daily Mail has reached out to local authorities in Virginia for comment on the circumstances surrounding the Falls Church resident's death. Pictured: Virginia resident and Air Force veteran Matthew Sullivan seen with his wife The lawmaker from Missouri noted that, at this time, there were no new whistleblower hearings on UAPs currently scheduled. However, Burlison noted he had spoken with potential witnesses who were fearful they would be a victim of foul play before having a chance to testify about their work with UFO-related projects. 'There's some that came forward, that have come forward to try to be public just to avoid any kind of foul play,' he explained. 'In a lot of ways, going public can be a protection in and of itself. I do know of at least one individual that did come forward, and has been very public, and did so because he felt that his life was in danger.' Andy Dick was spotted outside of his halfway house in Los Angeles on Thursday following the terrifying overdose he suffered in December. The comedian, 60, enjoyed some fresh air outside the facility and made a phone call. Andy, who had a brief stay in rehab after the overdose, revealed last month that doctors had discovered multiple 'holes' in his brain in the wake of the traumatic event. SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO Recovery: Andy Dick seemed to be doing well as he was spotted outside of a halfway house in LA on Thursday The comedian previously said that he had smoked crack cocaine with a man he met on the street before his December overdose. Astonishing footage surfaced showing Andy later slumped over by the sidewalk as his friends shouted his name and desperately tried to revive him, as per TMZ. Andy's life was reportedly saved thanks to multiple doses of Narcan an antidote to opioid overdoses that he was administered. He then spent six weeks at a Palm Springs rehab. Notably, crack is not an opiate, and therefore Narcan should have no effect on an overdose caused by it. Fentanyl, which can be covertly mingled with other drugs, is an opiate, so fentanyl overdoses can be treated with Narcan. Getting better: The troubled, 60, enjoyed some fresh air outside the facility and made a phone call In March, Andy revealed on the Howie Mandel Does Stuff podcast that he underwent 'a CAT scan thing' after the incident and learned he had multiple 'holes' in his brain. Andy's representative later clarified that the neural lesions did not result from the overdose, but were instead believed to have resulted from when he was punched years ago, according to Page Six. The Daily Mail has contacted Andy's representatives for further comment. Andy's representative told Page Six: 'The issue with his brain is from the 2019 attack that almost killed Andy when an unprovoked attacker cold-cocked Andy while he was outside of the club he and Paris Dylan had just performed at. 'We are assured that his brain will heal,' the statement continued, noting that Andy, who has gone to rehab more than 20 times, had been 'battling his addictions for years' but is now 'healthy, sober and doing great'. The 2019 assailant told police at the time that he punched Andy because the comic grabbed his genitals and winked at him, a claim both Andy and Paris Dylan denied. Casual: On his recent outing, Andy looked relaxed in black sweats, a purple T-shirt and black Crocs During his new podcast interview with Howie Mandel, Andy confirmed that his heart stopped during his December overdose and that he was 'purple, not breathing'. He recalls nothing before 'waking up in the ambulance,' he said, and confirmed that his substance abuse has had a lasting impact on his memory. 'And they did a CAT scan thing, or whatever they call it on your brain, and I have all these - there's about five to seven holes or something,' he added. In late January, Andy announced that he had emerged from rehab after a little under 50 days and was staying at a sober living facility close to Beverly Hills The day after the overdose, Andy gave an interview about the incident, joined by the friends who had helped save his life. He was said to have 'snuck away' and done 'something that messed him up' so that his friends had to conduct a 'group effort' to save him. The comedian explained that he had come across a man close to his age and 'felt for him,' saying the man 'whipped out' some crack. Andy went on: And I'm like, you know what, I might need a little bit of that. I wanted to see what he was doing, and also, I don't mind doing a little crack every now and then.' In January, on an episode of the podcast Hate to Break It To Ya, Andy told comedian Jamie Kennedy that the first sentence he said when he regained consciousness after the overdose was: 'Where's the vodka?' Through his years of rollercoaster addiction, Andy has racked up a string of arrests and faced varying legal problems, some involving accusations of sexual misconduct. In 2022, he was found guilty of having groped an Uber driver four years earlier, for which he was given a 90-day sentence and made to register as a sex offender. He was arrested in June 2021 for allegedly using a metal chair to attack a male partner, and that October for allegedly striking his boyfriend's face with a frying pan. In December 2019, he was convicted of sexual battery for squeezing a woman's behind and was sentenced to two weeks in jail, but as a result of overcrowding, he ended up spending only one night behind bars. In 2018, his estranged second wife, Lena Sved, obtained a domestic violence restraining order against him that forced him to move out of their home and stay 100 yards from her and their adult children, Lucas, 37; Jacob, 31; and Meg, 27. Dick was also arrested in 2010 and accused of having taken hold of a man's genitals while he was drunk at a bar in West Virginia. In 2008, he was arrested for allegedly exposing a 17-year-old girl's breasts by pulling down her top and bra, and was also found to be in possession of various drugs. He pleaded guilty to misdemeanor marijuana and battery charges in connection with that incident and received three years' probation. During a 2007 appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live, security had to yank him offstage because of his repeated unbidden touching of fellow guest Ivanka Trump. In 1999, he was charged with cocaine and marijuana possession when police found the substances after he crashed his car into a traffic signal pole. A woman who appeared on Channel 4's A Place In The Sun has revealed how she was left so furious at one moment during the show, she almost stormed out. Karen Morrall joined her husband Mark on the series back in 2021, as they hunted for their perfect home in Spain with the help of show host Lee Juggurnauth. The couple had a budget of 150,000 for their new home, and went to view prospective properties in Torrevieja, Costa Blanca. However, they returned home without purchasing any of them, admitting that while they found the team on hand helping them to find a property 'polite and pleasant', they wouldn't do it again. She hit out that some of the properties were a 'waste of time', adding that because it's on TV, the agents 'don't really know a lot about the local area'. Speaking of her time on the show, Karen admitted that the behind-the-scenes was not as glamorous as it might be made out to be, with 'lots of takes' and often, waiting around. A woman who appeared on Channel 4's A Place In The Sun has revealed how she was left so furious at one moment during the show, she almost stormed out Karen Morrall joined her husband Mark on the series back in 2021, as they hunted for their perfect home in Spain with the help of show host Lee Juggurnauth She told The Express: 'The crew had a schedule of places that they took us to, and we didnt really get any input into it. 'There's a lot going on behind the scenes. They have to get permission from the owners to film in the properties. So, if one property was perfect for you but they couldnt get permission to film there, then they wouldn't show it to you. 'We just had one day when they left us waiting in the car for a few hours because they couldnt gain entry to a property. I was furious and nearly walked.' It comes after a couple on A Place In The Sun refused to sign the contract after getting a nasty shock once filming had wrapped up. A recent instalment of A Place In The Sun: What Happened Next? saw property expert Ben Hillman return to Punta Prima, Menorca, to visit Whitney and Rose and their Spanish pad. The couple appeared on APITS four years ago, and were on the look out for their dream home with a budget of 90,000. They ended up buying a two-bedroom apartment in Punta Prima for 80,825, and were told at the time of buying that they could also be owners of the garage for an extra 8,500. After taking a look at what they have done with the pad, the trio got talking about how it was buying a property abroad. Ben pointed out: 'You bought this place for around 85,000, remind me.' Join the discussion Do YOU think shows like this give a true picture of buying abroad? A couple on A Place In The Sun refused to sign the contract after getting a nasty shock once filming had wrapped up Whitney replied: 'Yes it was 85,000, with all the fees and everything else, it came in at just over 100,000, including the garage.' Ben then wanted to know how much they have spent since, and Whitney told him: 'We've probably spent around 4,500. Not terrible. 'We got brand new boilers installed. We had to have the place rewired because the wiring was so old. We had to go through that, get it certificated.' Ben asked: 'How did you deal with finding the correct electrician, knowing you needed a certificate for it?' Whitney told the presenter: 'We were really lucky because our agent, who we bought it through, she has more or less become a friend. 'She's been really good to us. Anything we've needed, she's encouraged us to give her a call. And then she's arranged it. 'She puts us in touch with an electrician, with anybody we needed. She's been gold to us.' Despite it going so well with help from their agent, the sale nearly didn't go through, when the couple received a nasty shock. Whitney explained: 'Even when we were buying the place, one of the conditions was to have it cleared out because there was so much stuff in the garage. 'When we got there, there was still a hell of a lot of stuff in there. 'So we said we're not going to sign because we don't know how to get rid of all this stuff or what the potential costs could be. 'So she actually went and got a load of bags and cleared it all herself. I think she had about three car loads.' Ben was very impressed with the agent and said that she went 'over and above'. It comes after Ben gasped 'oh my!' as a couple revealed their property's incredible four-year transformation after a string of renovations earlier this week. TV presenter Ben returned to our screens on Tuesday to catch up with Nicola and Paul, who appeared on the Channel 4 show back in November 2020 to try and find their dream home. The pair were keen to find a one/two bedroom apartment with a communal pool and their own outdoor space, near Puerto del Carmen in Lanzarote and had a budget 180,000. They fell in love with one of the apartments that Ben had shown them, and decided to put in an offer, which the owner accepted. Walking into the living space, Ben was lost for words and said: 'Oh my goodness, seriously, guys, this is incredible. It's a lot different. 'I mean, I get it it's the same, like the layout is the same, which is what you loved but apart from that, my goodness it is a completely new property, isn't it?' A Place In The Sun airs on Channel 4 A Manchester detective confronts her past while facing the future Year: 2017 Certificate: 12 Watch now on BBC iPlayer Watch now on U (UKTV) Ripper Street's MyAnna Buring stars in this poignant and intriguing four-part crime drama, adapted by writer Danny Brocklehurst (Brassic, Ordinary Lies) from novels by Mark Billingham (best known for his Tom Thorne novels that were adapted for a 2010 series starring David Morrissey). Buring is the making of the show, as the kind of realistic and impressive detective you can really believe in. In two, two-part stories, Buring's Manchester police detective Helen Weeks returns to her Derbyshire home town to confront her painful past, and then probes Manchester's criminal underbelly. In the first story, she has just learned that she is pregnant and is offering moral support to her childhood friend whose husband has been arrested on suspicion of the abduction of two girls. But is he guilty? Where are the girls? And what is the dark spectre that is reawakened by Helen's return to her former haunts? In the second story, a now heavily pregnant Helen is about to take maternity leave, and then tragedy strikes. That acts as a major reset and sees Helen take her pregnancy to term while diving deep into the Manchester underworld. (Four episodes) Robert Irwin's Dancing with the Stars spin-off has wrapped filming in Brisbane. And insiders now say that the 22-year-old's high-profile mother, Terri Irwin, was a surprising 'no show' while the reality dance competition was still in production. Terri built a reputation as a 'helicopter mum' after staying close to Robert behind the scenes as her beloved son filmed the last two seasons as co-host of I'm A Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here. The 61-year-old was also seen dutifully cheering her boy on to victory as he filmed Dancing with the Stars US last year, which Robert won with Witney Carson. Still, exclusive sources to the Daily Mail have revealed that production personnel 'heard nothing' about Terri stopping by the set of Robert's new show, Dancing with the Stars - The Next Pro. And even though some of the series was filmed at the Irwin family's Australia Zoo, it is understood that Terri did not feature in any scenes shot there. Robert Irwin's Dancing with the Stars spin-off, Dancing with the Stars - The Next Pro, has wrapped filming in Brisbane. (Pictured) And insiders now say that the 22-year-old's high-profile mother, Terri Irwin , was a surprising 'no show' while the reality dance competition was still in production. (Both pictured) Another source, who was unfamiliar with the footage filmed, added that the show will remain in post-production for several weeks. 'There is a chance that Terri might have filmed a cameo [secretly], but that is unlikely,' they said. Terri's absence has 'definitely been noticed', one source close to the production told Daily Mail last month. 'Terri hasn't been around during filming at all,' the insider added. 'It's quite a change from what people are used to.' A different insider added that producers are banking on Robert's star power to lure viewers and say that he is prominently featured throughout the show. 'Fans can look forward to a wholesome family reality series,' the source said, dismissing early reports that the show would focus on Big Brother-like behind-the-scenes drama. The Disney/ BBC production features hopefuls trying out for a role on Dancing with the Stars. All the cast members are based in America and are competing for a spot as a professional dancer on DWTS US. Terri built a reputation as a 'helicopter mum' after staying close to Robert behind the scenes. The 61-year-old was also seen dutifully cheering her boy on to victory as he filmed Dancing with the Stars US last year. Pictured: Robert with his sister, Bindi and Terri on the DWTS set 'The dancers will be living together, training together and competing week by week while viewers get to see everything happening behind the scenes,' a source close to the production told Daily Mail last month. 'Robert has become incredibly popular with American audiences,' the source added, and claimed it was Robert himself who pitched the idea for the show. Still, Daily Mail understands that Robert only signed off as host shortly before filming began in March, with the blessing of his mother. Meanwhile, Robert's former Dancing with the Stars partner, Witney Carson, is also expected to be a part of the production. Her involvement is expected to bring a touch of international polish to the series, with the pair already sharing a strong on-screen connection from their previous stint together. An actress who played an unforgettable mean girl on Little House on the Prairie was seen running errands - as a reboot of the series moves full steam ahead. For over 100 episodes, actress Alison Arngrim played Nellie Oleson, the bane of her classmates' existence and a character who she herself branded the 'prairie bi**h.' On Wednesday, Arngrim, 64, went under the radar as she ran errands in Los Angeles on her own. Clad in a 'Winnipeg' T-shirt, Arngrim was seen running errands with a handy pair of sunglasses tucked into her hair and a well-worn tote thrown over her shoulder. She showed off some of her playful personality with a bold red manicure and pedicure, made visible by her strappy sandals. Arngrim played Nellie on the show from 1974 to 1982, the spoiled daughter of wealthy mercantile owners and resident bully who feuded with protagonist Laura Ingalls. Little House on the Prairie star Alison Arngrim made a rare outing in Los Angeles as Netflix prepares for a reboot of the beloved series She played resident bad girl Nellie Oleson, a spoiled character who feuded with Laura Ingalls However Nellie's edges were softened after she met her husband, and Laura even caught the bouquet at their wedding. Arngrim embraced the role's bratty personality in her 2010 autobiography, Confessions of a Prairie B**ch: How I Survived Nellie Oleson and Learned to Love Being Hated. It has been decades since Oleson last portrayed Nellie, but the story of a family traveling to the Midwest is now being introduced to a whole new generation of viewers thanks to Netflix. The streamer has rebooted Little House on the Prairie with a brand new cast portraying the Ingalls family, and a new trailer offered a hint of the adventures in store. 'Once upon a time, Ma and Pa, and Mary and Laura, left the big woods of Wisconsin and moved to the prairie where a new life was waiting for them,' a young girl narrates. 'Every day and every night was an adventure but even though they were all alone, and very small against the sky and the stars, they were happy because they were a family and they were together.' Based on the beloved series of children's novels by Laura Ingalls Wilder portrayed by Melissa Gilbert in the series the show premiered in September 1974 and ran for nine seasons. Little House on the Prairie followed the adventures of the Ingalls family as they built a homestead and life in the 19th century Midwest. The casually-clad actress made comfort a priority for her outing The actress showed off her playful personality with a bold red mani and pedi It has been more than 40 years since the original, long-running series wrapped its final episode after nine seasons in 1984. The reboot was announced last year and in a statement obtained by The Hollywood Reporter, Jinny Howe, VP drama series for Netflix, revealed that series will be a 'fresh take on this iconic story.' Howe also praised showrunner Rebecca Sonnenshine for bringing 'emotional depth that will delight both new and existing fans of this beloved classic.' 'I fell deeply in love with these books when I was five years old. They inspired me to become a writer and a filmmaker, and I am honored and thrilled to be adapting these stories for a new global audience with Netflix,' Sonnenshine said of the upcoming project. The new reboot will debut on the streamer on July 9, 2026. She stayed connected with a pair of wireless earbuds, ensuring she was available 24/7 Arngrim played the daughter of rich mercantile owners who caused trouble with the main character In 2024, the Little House on the Prairie cast reunited at the Monte Carlo Television Festival in Monaco. Karen Grassle, Alison Arngrim, Melissa Sue Anderson, Labyorteaux, and Wendi Lou Lee sat on a panel and reflected on their favorite memories from the show. They also addressed fans' questions about a reboot or reunion of the series. 'There have been lots of attempts to do a Little House on the Prairie again,' Grassle, who played the show's matriarch Caroline Ingalls, explained to People. However a marriage softened Nellie's edges Arngrim embraced her character's mean girl reputation with her book, Confessions of A Prairie B**ch: How I Survived Nellie Oleson and Learned to Love Being Hated 'There have been shows, there have been a musical, and I think we had a unique experience and it can't be repeated.' 'Michael [Landon] was a genius at casting and writing,' she added of her onscreen husband, who played Charles Ingalls. 'He understood things about how to translate that material into television for the public that was beyond what most writers understand. 'And he had his thumb on the pulse of the public and understood what people were longing for, and you don't find that every day,' she gushed about the late actor who was also an executive producer and writer for the show. Prominent Sydney designer Lillian Khallouf is urging an unhappy customer to come to a 'reasonable' resolution after they vowed to take her to a tribunal. Khallouf, whose couture gowns have been worn by the likes of Jennifer Hawkins, Pip Edwards and Tammy Hembrow, has been accused by a woman named Rasha Hassan of providing two 'defective' dresses prior to an engagement party. Khallouf stands by the 'craftsmanship and quality of the garments delivered' but has offered Hassan a full refund 'in good faith'. However, Hassan, not satisfied by the offer of a refund by Khallouf, is seeking $25,000, which she says she intends to pursue with the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal. Khallouf's team said this week they had not received a formal NCAT claim, but 'would welcome the opportunity for the matter to be assessed in a fair and balanced forum should it proceed'. The saga began in February when Hassan began sharing posts on Instagram and TikTok making allegations against an unnamed Sydney designer. She claimed she had ordered two dresses from this designer in November to be worn at her daughter's engagement party on February 13. Prominent Sydney designer Lillian Khallouf (pictured) is facing a $25,000 tribunal claim after a customer claimed an engagement dress arrived with 'defects' hours before the event Rasha Hassan (pictured) ordered two couture dresses for her daughter's engagement party, one of which she claimed arrived with 'defects' and the other she claimed was 'falling apart' While waiting for the dresses to arrive, Hassan claimed she purchased back-up gowns in the event they were not delivered. Of the two dresses made by Khallouf, one white gown was to be worn by Hassan herself, while the second cream dress was intended for her daughter Lila. Hassan claimed the white dress, which she said she had paid $4,900 for, began 'falling apart' at the party. She has released video that she claims backs this up. Meanwhile, her daughter Lila's dress, which cost $6,840, was intended to be a lace corset look with a sleek skirt made from layered tassels. Hassan claimed the frock did not meet the quality she expected, showing photos of the dress with uneven and crumpled tassels. She said she had to use a GHD straightener to fix the appearance of the tassels, but was still not satisfied with the quality of the design. Hassan claims that, before the party, she spent thousands sourcing and purchasing replacement gowns and jewellery because she was not confident Khallouf's dresses would arrive on time. The price of these replacements figures into the amount she is seeking. Of the two dresses made by Khallouf, one white gown was to be worn by Hassan herself, while the second cream dress was intended for her daughter Lila. Hassan claimed her white dress, which she said she paid $4,900 for, began 'falling apart' at the party Meanwhile, her daughter Lila's dress, which cost $6,840, was intended to be a lace corset look with a sleek skirt made of layered tassels. Hassan claimed the frock did not meet the quality she expected of the designer, showing photos of the dress with uneven and crumpled tassels Hassan shared a clip that showed part of the white dress coming off and being pinned back on After her initial complaints began to circulate online, Hassan went on to share more posts about the saga in March, saying Khallouf - who she named last Saturday - had sent her a legal notice about her posts and offered a refund. However, by this stage, Hassan said she was no longer satisfied with a refund and was now seeking to recover $25,323.11 from Khallouf - a sum that allegedly covers the cost of the back-up dresses and a refund for the custom-made gowns provided by Khallouf. Hassan claims she will lodge her documents with NCAT next week under Australian Consumer Law. In the latest twist to the saga, Khallouf has denied the mother's accusations about the quality of the dresses, as well as other claims Hassan has made online. 'We stand by the craftsmanship and quality of the garments delivered,' Khallouf told the Daily Mail in a statement on Friday. 'We remain focused on resolving the matter in a fair and reasonable way. Hassan claimed she was not satisfied by the quality of the design Hassan's photos of the dress she received have been shared widely online Designer-to-the-stars Khallouf is pictured with model and socialite Simone Holtznagel 'A full refund has been offered multiple times in writing, in good faith, and that remains our position. 'The amount now being sought extends beyond that and does not represent a reasonable resolution.' Khallouf said she had 'remained engaged throughout and continued to communicate openly with the client, with the aim of reaching a resolution'. 'Our approach throughout has been to communicate respectfully and professionally, with a focus on resolving the matter directly with the client,' she added. 'At all times, our priority has been to work towards a fair and reasonable outcome.' Five years after a romantic proposal in Paris, former Food Network star Sandra Lee and Ben Youcef could soon be calling off their engagement. The pair havent been photographed together in several months, and have reportedly been living apart, with their lives said to be heading in different directions. 'They have been living separately for over a year,' a source told the Daily Mail. 'They have not been photographed together and Sandra has been attending events solo. 'There has been trouble for a while and Sandra has been really focused on her career for the past year.' Lee, 59, and Algerian actor Youcef, 47, met at a restaurant in Santa Monica, California, in March 2021 after she moved out west from New York City. They were engaged five months later in August during a romantic European getaway. Lee went Instagram official with the romance in February 2022, when she shared a gushing post in honor of Valentine's Day. Five years after a romantic proposal in Paris, former Food Network star Sandra Lee and Ben Youcef could soon be calling off their engagement, an insider has told the Daily Mail The pair havent been photographed together in several months, and have reportedly been living apart, with their lives said to be heading in different directions In it, she admitted that she was almost 'certain' she would never find love again, and that she was 'shocked' when she did. 'So this happened, Ben happened, love happened, happiness happened,' she captioned a series of photos that showed her and Youcef cozying up. 'I was certain it never would again. I was shocked when it did. I swore I would never fall again, trust again, love again, or open myself up again. 'My wish for you is that no matter where you are, how old you are or what has happened, you can welcome hope back into your life again. 'Happy Valentines Day to all of you - and to My Sweet Ben, thank you for making my heart feel whole again, alive again, and in love again.' The couple, affectionately known as 'Bendra' to friends, continued to turn up the heat, being papped sharing passionate kisses in a hot tub and packing on the PDA in St Tropez, where Lee was pictured with a ring on her wedding finger, sparking rumors they had secretly tied the knot. These were later quashed. The lifestyle expert, who was married to businessman Bruce Karatz from 2001 - 2005, has openly credited her latest relationship for helping her find happiness again. 'I hadnt been intimate in years and years,' Lee told Us Weekly in 2024, noting the two hadnt kissed until they dated for two months. 'I literally felt like a virgin at 55, and I just didnt want to get involved again.' 'They have been living separately for over a year,' a source told the Daily Mail. 'They have not been photographed together and Sandra has been attending events solo' Their relationship came after Lee's difficult break-up with former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo in 2019 (pictured together in 2012) 'He waited and persisted, and here we are,' Lee continued. 'My chemistry with Ben is something that Ive never had before. Its mental, its emotional, and its a connection that I cant even describe.' Their relationship came after Lee's difficult break-up with former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo in 2019, which had been her first relationship in 14 years. 'Over the recent past, we have realized that our lives have gone in different directions and our romantic relationship has turned into a deep friendship,' they said in a joint statement at the time. 'We will always be family and are fully supportive of each other and dedicated to the girls. Our personal lives remain personal and there will be no further comment.' Youcef was previously married to real estate broker Apryl Stephenson, but they filed for divorced in 2020. They are parents to twins Harris and Hannah. The Emmy winner and former First Lady of New York has had her fair share of struggles. In 2015 while dating Cuomo, she was diagnosed with early stage breast cancer and underwent a double mastectomy. She documented her complicated journey for HBO documentary Rx: Early Detection in hopes of raising awareness for early cancer detection. Lee has been in remission since 2015. A variety of reasons led to the split with Youcef, including Lees tumultuous year dealing with the aftermath of the Malibu fires where she almost lost her home. After being displaced for months, Lee was able to recently return, but the situation was nothing short of stressful for her. 'I was able to go to Malibu late yesterday,' Lee told her Instagram followers in January 2025 after believing her home had burned down. 'It is with a heavy heart for my local community, yet the most shocked and grateful heart I share my home, Avalon, still stands. I could not believe my eyes to be one of 10 in my neighborhood of homes still there. I do not know how. I can only assume it was the quick action of our firefighters.' 'I feel guilty for being a part of a bubble of these homes spared. I have such sadness for the people who have lost their lives, and I grieve for the families who have lost their loved ones,' she continued. 'There are no words to express my emotion as these fires still burn out of control. My heart remains with everyone in Los Angeles, my numerous neighbors, and my two most wonderful girlfriends whose homes are gone.' Pregnant Jennifer Meyer put her growing bump on display while out and about in Los Angeles on Thursday. Tobey Maguire's ex-wife seemed to not have a care in the world as she strolled around in a white crop top, pink-striped trousers and flip flops that made getting around easier. She also displayed a massive bump, indicating her baby's due date is approaching soon. The jewelry designer is expecting her third child a girl and her first with fiance Geoffrey Ogunlesi, 34. She also has two children with Maguire, daughter Ruby, 19, and son Otis, 16. Meyer and the billionaire music executive met in the summer of 2023 and made their red carpet debut at the Baby2Baby Gala in November of that year, before getting engaged in August 2024. She shared the happy news on Instagram, and when a friend commented on the gorgeous ring on her finger, she responded, 'It was alllll him! Total surprise.' Pregnant Jennifer Meyer put her growing bump on display while out and about in Los Angeles on Thursday Last December, Meyer revealed that she and Ogunlesi were expecting a baby alongside photos of her bump, and that it was a girl. She's been actively showcasing her bump ever since via social media and public appearances, including the 2026 Vanity Fair Oscar Party, where she displayed her maternal chic in a black belly-bearing gown. Her latest outing comes after she opened up about her and Maguire's warm and loving post-divorce relationship during a chat with Maeve Reilly on the December 1 episode of The Inside Edit podcast. 'I now have an ex-husband who is my best friend and would do anything for me, and I would do anything for him, anything in the world,' Meyer shared. She added that the Spider-Man star, 50, is 'the best dad, the best ex-husband, the best friend [and] the most generous.' Meyer revealed their divorce has taught her so much about 'patience' and maintaining family relationships. 'I actually think that my divorce has been one of my greatest teachers,' she described. 'It teaches you patience, and youre also raising [kids together]. Our daughter was 10 or something, so those are some intense times that you need to stay connected.' The size of her bump indicated that her baby's due date is right around the corner Meyer is expecting a baby girl and this will be her third child, and her first with fiance Geoffrey Ogunlesi (pictured at the Vanity Fair Oscar Party on March 15) The jewelry designer and the music executive met in the summer of 2023 and got engaged in August 2024 Meyer isn't shy about showcasing her bump on social media or in public The actor and the daughter of studio executive Ron Meyer met and started dating when he was making Seabiscuit in 2003. They became engaged in April 2006. They got married a year later on September 3, 2007, almost a year after welcoming their first child, Ruby. The entrepreneur, who launched her jewelry line in 2005 ,praised Maguire as a 'wonderful' co-parent but admitted they had some bumps to get over, too. 'He is wonderful and I got lucky for that,' she told Reilly. 'My life was not easy every day, and Im sure he would say the same thing. We definitely had to overcome some big hurdles.' After 10 years of marriage and 14 years together, the pair called it quits in 2017, but Meyer revealed they didnt let anybody in on their secret at first. 'Tobey and I had broken up, we were still living together,' she explained. 'We didnt tell anybody because we didnt want the kids to know. It was this weird time, and everything happens all at the same time. 'Its complicated when youre breaking up after being together for 14 years and building your whole life. We were kids and built this whole life together and had two kids.' Meyer insisted that the breakup was a mutual decision and 'nothing bad happened.' The entrepreneur has come up with her own version of maternity chic since announcing the pregnancy (pictured on March 11) Meyer recently praised her ex-husband (pictured in 2018) as 'the best dad, the best ex-husband, the best friend [and] the most generous' 'It was just time to call it, and it was hard because we really loved each other and cared about each other,' she said. 'When two people are breaking up, you kind of hate each other for a minute. You want to hate each other because youre, like, "This will make the breakup easier."' The new normal involved a lot of self-discovery on why they 'ended up together' in the first place. Now, Meyer and Maguire enjoy an open-door policy where they support each other, and the jeweler conceded that her ex is at the house all the time and present at every birthday. Andy Dick looked healthier than he had in years when he was glimpsed outside of his halfway house in Los Angeles on Thursday. The troubled comedian, 60, was spotted as he enjoyed some fresh air outside the facility and made a phone call. Dick's health appeared to be on the upswing following a scary overdose he suffered in December. At the time, he was pictured slumped over against a building as his friends desperately tried to revive him. Dick, who had a brief stay in rehab after the overdose, revealed last month that doctors had discovered multiple 'holes' in his brain in the wake of the traumatic event. But the NewsRadio star looked untroubled as he stepped out this week in a black zip-up hoodie and matching sweatpants, along with a purple T-shirt and black Crocs. Andy Dick, 60, looked healthier than he had in years when he was glimpsed outside of his halfway house in Los Angeles on Thursday The troubled comedian, 60, was spotted as he enjoyed some fresh air outside the facility and made a phone call. Dick's health appeared to be on the upswing following a scary overdose he suffered in December after allegedly smoking crack with a man on the street Dick was seen chatting with another person outside of the halfway house, before he took a seat at a bus stop. The comedian previously said that he had smoked crack cocaine with a man he met on the street before his December overdose. Astonishing footage surfaced showing Dick later slumped over by the sidewalk as his friends shouted his name and desperately tried to revive him, via TMZ. Dick's life was allegedly saved thanks to multiple doses of Narcan an antidote to opioid overdoses that he was administered. He then spent six weeks at a Palm Springs rehab. Notably, crack is not an opiate, and therefore Narcan should have no effect on an overdose caused by it. Fentanyl which can be covertly mingled with other drugs is an opiate, so fentanyl overdoses can be treated with Narcan. The drug, which has legitimate medical uses as a powerful painkiller, can also be smoked on aluminum foil, similar to the crack that Dick believed he had smoked. In March, he revealed on the Howie Mandel Does Stuff podcast that he underwent 'a CAT scan thing' after the incident and learned he had multiple 'holes' in his brain. Dick, who looked relaxed in black sweats, a purple T-shirt and black Crocs, was spotted relaxing at a bus stop Dick's representative later clarified, however, that the neural lesions did not result from the overdose, but were instead believed to have resulted from when the comic was punched years ago, according to Page Six. The Daily Mail has contacted Dick's representatives for further comment. 'The issue with his brain is from the 2019 attack that almost killed Andy when an unprovoked attacker cold-cocked Andy while he was outside of the club he and Paris Dylan had just performed at,' the representative told Page Six. 'We are assured that his brain will heal,' the statement continued, noting that Dick who has gone to rehab more than 20 times had been 'battling his addictions for years' but is now 'healthy, sober and doing great.' The 2019 assailant told police at the time that he punched Dick because the comic grabbed his genitals and winked at him, a claim both Dick and Paris Dylan denied. During his new podcast interview with Howie Mandel, Dick confirmed that his heart stopped during his December overdose and that he was 'purple, not breathing.' He recalls nothing before 'waking up in the ambulance,' he said, and confirmed that his substance abuse has had a lasting impact on his memory. 'And they did a CAT scan thing, or whatever they call it on your brain, and I have all these - there's about five to seven holes or something,' said Dick. In March, he revealed on the Howie Mandel Does Stuff podcast that he underwent 'a CAT scan thing' after the incident and learned he had multiple 'holes' in his brain Dick's representative clarified, however, that the neural lesions did not result from the overdose but from the comic getting punched in 2019, via Page Six; pictured 2019 In late January, Dick announced that he had emerged from rehab after a little under 50 days and was staying at a sober living facility close to Beverly Hills, via TMZ. The day after the overdose, a slurring Dick gave an interview about the incident, joined by the friends who had helped save his life. Dick was said to have 'snuck away' and done 'something that messed him up' so that his friends had to conduct a 'group effort' to 'you know, save him.' The comedian explained that he had come across a man close to his age and 'felt for him,' whereupon the man 'whipped out - sorry, but crack. And I'm like, you know what, I might need a little bit of that. I wanted to see what he was doing, and also, I don't mind doing a little crack every now and then,' according to TMZ. In January, he told comedian Jamie Kennedy that the first sentence out of his mouth when he regained consciousness after the overdose was: 'Where's the vodka?' on an episode of the podcast Hate to Break It To Ya. Through his years of rollercoaster addiction, Dick has racked up a string of arrests and faced varying legal problems, some involving accusations of sexual misconduct. In 2022, he was found guilty of having groped an Uber driver four years earlier, for which he was given a 90-day sentence and made to register as a sex offender. He was arrested in June 2021 for allegedly using a metal chair to attack a male partner, and that October for allegedly striking his boyfriend's face with a frying pan. Through his years of rollercoaster addiction, Dick has racked up a string of arrests and faced varying legal problems, some involving accusations of sexual misconduct; pictured 2016 In December 2019, he was convicted of sexual battery for squeezing a woman's behind and was sentenced to two weeks in jail, but as a result of overcrowding, he ended up spending only one night behind bars. In 2018, his estranged second wife, Lena Sved, obtained a domestic violence restraining order against him that forced him to move out of their home and stay 100 yards from her and their adult children, Lucas, 37; Jacob, 31; and Meg, 27. Dick was also arrested in 2010 and accused of having taken hold of a man's genitals while he was drunk at a bar in West Virginia. In 2008, he was arrested for allegedly exposing a 17-year-old girl's breasts by pulling down her top and bra, and was also found to be in possession of various drugs. He pleaded guilty to misdemeanor marijuana and battery charges in connection with that incident and received three years' probation. During a 2007 appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live, security had to yank him offstage because of his repeated unbidden touching of fellow guest Ivanka Trump. In 1999, he was charged with cocaine and marijuana possession when police found the substances after he crashed his car into a traffic signal pole. Claudia Winkleman has revealed she plans to watch this year's Strictly Come Dancing with Tess Daly. The pair stepped away from hosting the BBC dancing show last year and speculation as to who will replace them has been rife. But while Claudia, 54, and Tess, 57, won't be fronting the show, the Traitors host has revealed they plan to watch the Strictly launch together when it returns later this year. Speaking to The Mirror, Claudia said: 'Tess and I have already planned... we are having jacket potatoes and I am having the salmon. 'She is coming to ours, her and Vern(husband Vernon Kay), I am not joking.' She added: 'I am going to set her up with a nightie and we are going to watch and support and love it.' Claudia Winkleman has revealed she plans to watch this year's Strictly Come Dancing with Tess Daly (Pictured in January) The pair stepped away from hosting the BBC dancing show last year and speculation as to who will replace them is rife (Claudia and Tess pictured in December) Earlier this week Claudia backtracked on rejecting the Strictly Come Dancing hosting job - insisting she'd be 'crazy' to turn down the opportunity. This Morning and The Great British Bake Off star Alison, 51, has long been among the rumoured names to join the programme. She previously distanced herself from the coveted gig, saying she was busy with her existing TV projects. Alison told Radio Times: 'I'm so busy babes, that I'm not sure it's going to happen. It's unrealistic. 'I would have loved to have done it anybody that gets it, they're going to land the perfect job. But I'm so happy with everything I've got. What would I drop, to do Strictly?' However in a new interview, Alison has since clarified her stance on taking over the ballroom. Speaking to Metro, she revealed: 'Do you think I would turn down Strictly if Strictly came along? 'Who would turn down Strictly! They'd be absolutely crazy.' Alison continued: 'I was trying to back them off because ultimately everyone keeps putting my name in the mix and they're ruining my chances of even getting on to Strictly, d'you know what I mean? You all need to stop talking about it because I need to get in.' This Morning and The Great British Bake Off star Alison, 51, has long been among the rumoured names to join the programme She concluded: 'I'm not too busy, I'm fitter than I've ever been before. 'I can do Strictly. I can do it all. All these people saying: "I'm too busy, and I can't do it", I could do Strictly. Let's put that on the record.' Elsewhere Bradley Walsh became a frontrunner for the new host of Strictly Come Dancing. Last week, it was reported filming for The Chase has been halted for 'at least a year'. Bradley, 65, who has presented the show since 2009, is said to be one of producers' favourites to join the BBC dancing show. But TV insiders think the presenter could be faced with a huge dilemma as he is the face of another huge Saturday night show, Gladiators. Bradley and his son Barney, 28, brought back the nineties reboot in 2024, with the show becoming an instant ratings hit. It has so far spanned three series, two celebrity versions and CBBC spin-off, with many of the Gladiators making a string of TV appearances including Strictly Come Dancing and The Great British Sewing Bee. If Bradley was to get the Strictly job, he may have to walk away from Gladiators which has helped launched his son's presenting career. Tory Lanez says in a new lawsuit that the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation owes him $100 million after a potentially deadly attack in which another inmate stabbed him 16 times. Lanez (real name: Daystar Peterson) claims that there was a 'failure to protect' him by the prison system and corrections officers at CCI Tehachapi, who allegedly showed 'deliberate indifference' to his safety, according to a copy of his complaint obtained by the Daily Mail. The 33-year-old Canadian rapper who was sentenced in 2023 to 10 years in prison for shooting Megan Thee Stallion in the feet in 2020 alleges he was brutally stabbed with a homemade shank at the facility in May 2025 by his fellow inmate, Santino Casio, according to the complaint. Lanez was seen covered in blood after the attack, in which Casio stabbed his head, face, back and torso, leading to him suffering two collapsed lungs, according to the complaint. He also claims that scarring from the stab wounds to his face has led to permanent scarring, which could harm his commercial potential once he's released, and he's requesting '$1 million per stab wound' as part of the damages. The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation declined to comment on pending litigation. The Daily Mail has also reached out to Lanez's representatives for comment. Tory Lanez says in a new lawsuit that the California Department of Corrections owes him $100 million after a potentially deadly attack in which another inmate stabbed him 16 times; seen in 2022 in LA Lanez (real name: Daystar Peterson) claims that there was a 'failure to protect' him by the prison system and corrections officers at CCI Tehachapi, who allegedly showed 'deliberate indifference' to his safety, according to a copy of his complaint obtained by the Daily Mail The 33-year-old Canadian rapper who was sentenced in 2023 to 10 years in prison for shooting Megan Thee Stallion in the feet in 2020 was stabbed with a homemade shank at the facility in May 2025 by fellow inmate Santino Casio; Megan Thee Stallion seen in 2025 The rapper says in the complaint that his attacker, a convicted murderer, should never have been housed near him at CCI Tehachapi, where Lanez was being held after being convicted of first-degree assault with a firearm, discharge of a firearm with gross negligence and having a concealed firearm in a vehicle. 'The choice to house Casio with Peterson was known or should have been a known danger. Casio is currently serving a life sentence for second-degree murder, and attempted first-degree murder, for the killing of his 13-year-old pregnant runaway 'girlfriend' while he was on parole,' Lanez's legal team wrote. They claim that Warden Danny Samuel and corrections officers showed 'deliberate indifference' when they allegedly ignored protocols requiring inmates to be segregated based on 'risk factors, criminal history, and violence potential,' which they believe should have kept Lanez and Casio apart. Lanez, who was subsequently transferred to the California Mens Colony in San Luis Obispo, said that his high-profile status put a bullseye on him. Moreover, he claims that corrections officers didn't take significant steps to protect him or stop the attack once it began. 'There were not any flash grenades, smoke bombs, or rubber ammunition expelled to stop Casio from stabbing Peterson repeatedly,' the lawsuit, which was previously reported on by the California Post, alleges. It claims that not only did Lanez suffer potentially life-threatening wounds, but he was also deprived of significant future income after the attack. 'As Plaintiff Peterson was fighting for his life in the hospital, Defendants unlawfully seized Peterson's original song books containing unpublished lyrics with substantial commercial value,' his lawsuit alleges. Lanez claims in his lawsuit that Casio (pictured), a convicted murderer, should never have been housed near him at CCI Tehachapi, where the rapper was held after his conviction for first-degree assault with a firearm, discharge of a firearm with gross negligence and having a concealed firearm in a vehicle Moreover, he claims that corrections officers didn't take significant steps to protect him or stop the attack once it began, including using 'flash grenades, smoke bombs, or rubber ammunition expelled to stop Casio from stabbing Peterson repeatedly'; Lanez is seen in December 2022 It also claims that notes between Lanez and his attorney were included in the books, which allegedly were never inventoried and have not been returned. 'It is reasonable to value his damages, considering his celebrity status and earning potential, at $1 million per stab wound, $10 million due to facial scarring leading to career harm [and] $25 million for pain and suffering,' Lanez's legal team wrote. Those damages amount to $51 million, but Lanez is also requesting restitution for 'the property loss of his song books, privileged attorney notes, along with emotional trauma, reputational damage, and the ongoing safety risk that Peterson is currently facing,' for a total of $100 million. It comes after a chilling 39-second clip emerged on Wednesday showing Lanez stepping out of a cell and pausing near a staircase when the attacker, identified by The Shade Room as Santino Casio, suddenly charges at him. The stabbing appears to begin while Lanez is still standing, but he quickly collapses to the floor. Roughly 21 seconds in, the attacker is seen towering over the rapper, repeatedly jabbing down as Lanez kicks and writhes in a desperate attempt to escape Throughout the attack, Lanez screams 'oh God' in agony while no one steps in to stop the violence. Eventually, Lanez manages to scramble away and flee down the stairs, disappearing from the cameras view just before the clip ends. Shocking surveillance footage shows the horrifying moment Lanez was stabbed 16 times inside a California prison; (Lanez is seen stepping out of a cell and pausing near a staircase when the attacker, whom he identified as inmate Santino Casio, suddenly charges at him) Roughly 21 seconds in, the attacker, whom he has identified as Casio, is seen towering over the rapper, repeatedly jabbing down as Lanez kicks and writhes in a desperate attempt to escape CCI's Investigative Services Unit and the Kern County District Attorney's Office were reported to be investigating the attack shortly after it occurred, and the Office of the Inspector General was also alerted, but no investigation results have since been released; Lanez is seen in 2021 Shocking images also show the blood-soaked scene that followed, seen here. CCI's Investigative Services Unit and the Kern County District Attorney's Office were reported to be investigating the attack shortly after it occurred, and the Office of the Inspector General was also alerted. However, no investigation results have since been released. Lanez was convicted in 2022 for shooting Megan Thee Stallion. At the sentencing hearing the following year, Judge David Herriford said that the positive portrait Lanez's relatives and friends had painted in their trial testimony was 'difficult to reconcile' with his actions toward Megan. 'Sometimes good people do bad things,' Herriford told the court, according to the AP. 'Actions have consequences, and there are no winners in this case.' In the trial, Megan testified that Lanez had shot at her feet and yelled at her to dance as she was getting out of an SUV following a party at the home of Kylie Jenner. Megan, who initially did not publicly identify Lanez as the shooter, testified that she had to undergo surgery to take bullet fragments out of her feet. 'Since I was viciously shot by the defendant, I have not experienced a single day of peace,' the songstress said in a statement a prosecutor read prior to the sentencing. 'Slowly but surely, I'm healing and coming back, but I will never be the same.' Lanez is currently serving a ten-year prison sentence. He's scheduled to be eligible for parole starting in August 2029, according to online California prison records accessed by the Daily Mail; pictured in his 2023 booking photo Megan Thee Stallion, 30, testified against Lanez in his criminal trial, telling the court she 'will never be the same' as result of Lanez's actions against her; pictured in NYC last year Prior to his sentence being read, Lanez who faced up to 22 years in prison stated his regret for the incident and asked the judge for a short sentence or probation. 'If I could turn back the series of events that night and change them, I would,' Lanez told the judge. 'The victim was my friend. The victim is someone I still care for to this day. Everything I did wrong that night, I take full responsibility for.' Lanez was credited ten months for time served, as he had been in custody since his conviction. Lanez is currently scheduled to be eligible for parole starting in August 2029, according to online California prison records accessed by the Daily Mail. Line Of Duty's Vicky McClure and Martin Compston enjoyed a boogie as they teased fans in a clip shared to Instagram on Friday while filming for series seven. Actress Vicky, 42, who stars as DI Kate Flemming, was seen playfully dancing away and singing Whitney Houston hit, I Wanna Dance with Somebody. Sitting in the front of a car, Vicky held up her phone as she created the black-and-white reel. Alongside her was Martin, 41, who plays DS Steve Arnott in the show, and he appeared equally enthused to be on set and joined in with the playful dancing. Alongside the clip, she penned: 'Friday feeling anyone?!' Cast-members Vicky, Martin and Adrian Dunbar are currently shooting new scenes as AC-12, some five years after an anti-climactic sixth series divided viewers of the hugely popular police procedural. Line Of Duty's Vicky McClure, 42, and Martin Compston, 41, enjoyed a boogie as they teased fans in a clip shared to Instagram on Friday while filming for series seven Actress Vicky, 42, who stars as DI Kate Flemming (pictured with Martin), was seen playfully dancing away and singing Whitney Houston hit, I Wanna Dance with Somebody Fans were largely disappointed by the controversial ending, during which bumbling Det Supt Ian Buckells, played by Nigel Boyle, was unmasked as 'H' - the shadowy criminal mastermind behind an intricate network of police corruption. But in recent weeks, creator Jed Mercurio has given fans a taste of what to expect from the seventh series. Taking to Instagram earlier this year, Jed shared a shot of Dunbar, dressed in full police uniform, looking out across a busy office as he prepared to film his latest scenes as Superintendent Ted Hastings. 'There's only one thing I'm interested in and one thing only and that's bent coppers,' read an accompanying caption - one of Hastings' best known quotes. The popular police drama originally aired on BBC Two, before moving to BBC One from its fourth series onwards. In February, it was revealed that BAFTA-winning star Robert Carlyle had been cast as guest character Detective Constable Shaun Massie. He follows in the footsteps of former guest stars Kelly Macdonald, Stephen Graham, Thandiwe Newton, Daniel Mays, Keeley Hawes and Lennie James. Carlisle said of joining the cast: 'Having been a huge admirer of Jed Mercurios work for many years, Im delighted to be given the opportunity to join such an exceptional cast for series 7 of Line of Duty. Alongside her was Martin, 41, who plays DS Steve Arnott in the show, and he appeared equally enthused to be on set and joined in with the dancing 'The scripts for the series are excellent and will absolutely maintain the quality that the audience have come to expect from this fantastic show. 'DC Massie is an extraordinary character and I look forward to bringing him to life.' Series writer Jed added: 'On Line of Duty we've been honoured by the glittering guest leads who've joined the cast over the years. 'We couldn't be more thrilled that Robert Carlyle will star in series 7 as Specialist Rifle Officer Shaun Massie. 'I've been a huge fan of Robert's work for many years and it will be a career highlight to work with him. 'Robert always brings mesmerising power and depth to every role; I know viewers will be on the edge of their seats wondering what his character will do next, and why.' Series seven of Line Of Duty will follow the familiar faces of AC-12 after it was been disbanded and rebranded as the Inspectorate of Police Standards. The anti-corruption unit will be seen working harder than ever as Steve Arnott, Kate Fleming, and Ted Hastings are assigned their most sensitive case so far. The synopsis teases: 'Detective Constable Shaun Massie is a Specialist Rifle Officer (SRO), a veteran marksman, operating with Tactical Operations Unit 7 (TO-7) to take down Organised Crime Groups. 'A gruff loner, Massie keeps himself to himself, but when his boss, TO-7's commanding officer DI Dominic Gough, is accused of being a sexual predator, Massie's otherwise detached demeanour changes drastically.' Line Of Duty series seven is expected to air in 2027. Jodie Comer and Benedict Cumberbatch kept a low profile as they joined forces to film a BMW advert in Spain on Saturday. The actress, 33, cut a casual display in an oversized shirt which she layered over a pair of blue flared jeans. She completed her ensemble with a pair of black-and-white shoes as she toted around her belongings in a black leather handbag. To accessorise, Jodie wore a pair of trendy black sunglasses and was spotted carrying a shopping bag. Meanwhile, Benedict stepped out in a white buttoned-up shirt, which he paired with black trousers. He finished his look with a pair of comfortable trainers, a black cap and a pair of black sunglasses. Jodie Comer, 33, and Benedict Cumberbatch, 49, kept a low profile as they joined forces to film a BMW advert in Spain on Saturday Benedict stepped out in a white buttoned-up shirt, which he paired with black trousers. He finished his look with a pair of comfortable trainers Benedict's outing comes after he revealed he secretly underwent surgery following a brutal surfing injury. The actor damaged his shoulder as a result of 'overdoing' his hobby. Speaking on the SmartLess podcast, he revealed he went under the knife after suffering with pain for over a year. He said: 'I had a short operation, so I havent done it [surfing] at all for about six months. But I love it. 'Its a long time of ill use and a lot of surfing in very bad conditions and overdoing it. 'I had a torn rotator cuff and then also a frozen shoulder on top of it, which I only found when I went to do the repair to the rotator, which was a complete tear. 'I lived with chronic pain for about a year and a half.' The star first 'really fell in love' with riding the waves when he was stuck in New Zealand amid the pandemic in 2020 after shooting the western movie The Power Of The Dog. He said: 'It was a bit scary to begin with, but utterly magical and extraordinary. 'One of the best places on Earth to be, as it turned out. And there was a little right-hand break in Te Awanga in Hawkes Bay. It was where I learned. I really fell in love with it.' Benedict also loves how surfing brings together unlikely groups of people. He said: 'I fell in love with the view of the coastline. I fell in love with that connection to the ocean, how present you are and the community as well. 'This extraordinary group of people where all is kind of forgiven - as long as you dont take their wave. 'You know, the drug dealer would be there, and the head of the local police force would be there. Just all of human life was around you. 'I cant explain to anyone who hasnt surfed what that feeling is, of nature giving you a ride from somewhere out in the ocean towards the shoreline. Its just magic when it works.' Downton Abbey star Nathalie Baye has died aged 77 following a dementia diagnosis, it was announced on Saturday. The actress' family told AFP she had passed away at her home in Paris on Friday evening after suffering from Lewy body dementia. She was known for her role as Madame de Montmirail in the 2022 film, Downton Abbey: A New Era. Nathalie's character is an old friend of Maggie Smith's, Violet Crawley, who comes to visit her and her family. The film was Nathalie's last on screen appearance. The award-winning actress, who has scooped four Cesar Awards over the years, has starred in a number of high profile features since beginning her acting career in 1970. Downton Abbey star Nathalie Baye has died aged 77 following a dementia diagnosis, it was announced on Saturday (pictured in 2006) The actress' family told AFP she had passed away at her home in Paris on Friday evening after suffering from Lewy body dementia (pictured in 2021) She featured alongside Leonardo DiCaprio's in Catch Me if You Can as his character's mother as well as Every Man for Himself - which landed the star her first Cesar. Nathalie was born in Normandy in 1948 and left school at the age of 14 to pursue dancing after struggling with dyslexia. She broke through in Francois Truffaut's Day For Night in 1973 and hasn't stopped working since, appearing in French classics such as The Return Of Martin Guerre, La Balance and Le Petit Lieutenant. During lockdown many viewers found their way to her films after seeing her in Netflix's ace TV series Call My Agent. Nathalie appeared in more than 80 films, winning every acting award possible from across the Channel. She was in a relationship with rock and roll singer Johnny Hallyday, best known as the 'French Elvis', from 1982 until 1986. They share one daughter, Laura Smet, 42, who like her mother, is also an actress. It is believed Nathalie's dementia progressed over the summer of 2025, according to reports. The award-winning actress, who has scooped four Cesar Awards over the years, has starred in a number of high profile features since beginning her acting career in 1970 (pictured in 2016) She was in a relationship with rock and roll singer Johnny Hallyday, best known as the 'French Elvis', from 1982 until 1986. They share one daughter, Laura Smet, 42, who is also an actress LBD is the second most common form of degenerative dementia after Alzheimer's. Unlike Alzheimer's, LBD affects the brain regions responsible for vision - as opposed to memory. That means sufferers may start with memory loss, but over time the more debilitating symptoms will be powerful hallucinations, nightmares and spatial-awareness problems. LBD is closely connected to Parkinson's disease, meaning that many sufferers will develop Parkinson's as well - as happened to Robin Williams. April 16, 2026: In 1994 a North Korean official declared, during a meeting with his South Korean counterpart at the North Korean capital Panmunjom, that the South Korean capital is not far from here. In wartime Seoul will become a sea of fire. This is what passes for North Korean diplomacy, subtle but brutal. It began with a minor border war along the DMZ between 1966 and 1969. This was sometimes referred to as the Second Korean War and involved skirmishes and infiltrations that resulted in hundreds of casualties. This period coincided with South Koreas military involvement in Vietnam, during which both the White Horse and Tiger divisions were sent to Vietnam. In early 1968, North Korean commandos attempted to assassinate President Park Chung-hee. A few days later, they seized the USS Pueblo, capturing its crew and igniting an international crisis that would drag on for the rest of the year. Many wondered if North Koreas objective was to cause a breakdown in relations between the U.S. and South Korea These two actions, coming just days before North Vietnam's Tet Offensive, serve as a kind of opening event for what was to come at the end of the month? A way to catch the U.S. off guard, maybe even shift its attention back toward the Korean Peninsula? Was it all just a coincidence? Or something more deliberate. Was it an understanding between Kim Il-sung and Ho Chi Minh to stretch Americas resolve across two widely separated wars? There was more to come. In early 1969, North Korea escalated tensions by downing an American Navy reconnaissance plane over the East China Sea, killing all 31 aboard, the largest loss of life aboard an American aircraft during the Cold War. That same year, President Nixon announced the Guam Doctrine, revealing a shift in U.S. foreign policy and a gradual withdrawal of troops abroad, including the withdrawal of the 7th Infantry Division from South Korea. While the Americans were retreating, North Korea advanced with shovels. During the 1970s, South Korean forces discovered three infiltration tunnels running beneath the DMZ. Each was large enough to move thousands of troops an hour. This demonstrated that if diplomacy worked, the North had a more direct route planned. A fourth tunnel was discovered in 1990. Then there was the infamous axe murder incident of 1976, when two U.S. Army officers were killed while trimming a tree in the Joint Security Area. That moment marked a turning point. North Korea began to change its approach, from direct confrontation to terrorism. There was a failed assassination attempt on President Chun Doo-hwan in Myanmar in 1983, a bombing at Kimpo International Airport in 1986 and the downing of Korean Air Flight 858 in 1987. This was a deliberate and brutal effort to derail the Seoul Olympics before the torch was lit. South Korea has sought to resolve its problems with North Korea and their nuclear weapons as well as plans to develop South Korean nuclear missiles. These weapons are the primary threat to South Korea, which currently has a per-capita GDP more than 50 times that of the North. South Korea is one of the top ten industrial powers and a major manufacturer and exporters of conventional weapons to allied nations. South Korean armored vehicles to Poland will give that country the largest tank force in the world. These achievements are what provides South Korea with serenity. Newly-engaged Venezuela Fury and fiance Noah Price put on a loved-up display as they shared sweet posts to Instagram on Saturday. The 16-year-old, who accepted the amateur boxer's proposal at her birthday party, in September shared a fun selfie of the young couple, soaking up the sun and leaning on one another. Venezuela, whose mother is Paris, 36, and father is famed boxer Tyson Fury, 37, also posted a clip to her story. The couple could be seen posing alongside one another as Venezuela wore a cropped hooded jumper and low-rise jeans. Meanwhile, Noah also dressed casually for the post as he could be seen wearing a T-shirt and jeans. The teenager's post comes after fans were left shocked in October when the Fury family shared a video of Venezuela accepting her boyfriend's proposal at her glamorous 16th birthday party. Newly-engaged Venezuela Fury, 16, and fiance Noah Price, 17, put on a loved-up display as they shared sweet posts to Instagram on Saturday The 16-year-old, who accepted the amateur boxer's proposal at her birthday party, shared a fun selfie of the young couple, soaking up the sun and leaning on one another And earlier this year, the teen opened up about her wedding plans and her hopes to tie the knot sooner rather than later in an Instagram Q&A. One follower asked: 'When's the wedding going to be?'. To which the bride-to-be replied: 'I'm trying to get everything booked for May/June time, but I'm not sure when it will be'. When another wondered if she'd be moving out of the Fury family home before the big day, Venezuela said: 'No, I will be in my mam and dads home til Im married'. In December, her mother, Paris insisted to Daily Mail that her daughter Venezuela was 'still my little girl' despite her engagement. Paris and Tyson are proud parents of Venezuela, Prince John James, 13, Prince Tyson II, nine, Valencia, seven, Prince Adonis Amaziah, six, Athena, four, and Prince Rico, two. Fans of the family were in for a treat earlier this month as the second season of At Home With The Furys finally dropped. Nearly three years after the original docuseries debuted, viewers are once again taken behind the scenes of the heavyweight champion's family life in Morecambe. The teenager's post comes after fans were left shocked in October when the Fury family shared a video of Venezuela accepting her boyfriend's proposal at her glamorous 16th birthday party The new series follows the boxer as he attempts retirement once again while surrounded by wife Paris, their seven children, and outspoken father John Fury. It comes just after Venezuela admitted her mum Paris sounded 'disappointed' in her when discussing her daughter's engagement. In an interview on Hits Radio with Sam Thompson on Monday to promote the new series, Paris was asked about her reaction to the engagement. 'I've always said to Venezuela, you know, go out, find what you want to do in life. I've tried to put every different opportunity in front of her,' Paris replied. Venezuela interrupted, pointing out: 'This is coming off very much like she's disappointed.' 'No I'm not disappointed! I'm not!' insisted Paris. 'But I didn't expect it to happen. Venezuela came to me at 15 and was like "I've got a boyfriend" and she wasn't really supposed to have a boyfriend until she was 16. So I was like "wait until he [Tyson] comes home"'. Kris Jenner is reportedly far from thrilled with her $100,000 facelift nearly a year on - and is now said to be eyeing a 'revision' while comparing her results to other celebrity transformations. The Kardashian matriarch, 70, sent social media into meltdown in May 2025 when she stepped out in Paris looking so youthful she was briefly mistaken for daughter Kim Kardashian during Kims high-profile court appearance tied to her armed robbery case. Her representative later confirmed she had turned to celebrity plastic surgeon Dr Steven M. Levine - dubbed the 'facelift maestro' - to achieve her striking refreshed appearance. Since then, Jenner has been proudly showcasing her rejuvenated look at a string of elite events, including Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchezs wedding celebrations. She also turned heads at her own familys famed holiday gathering, appearing noticeably younger than boyfriend Corey Gamble. But now, insiders claim the reality star is growing increasingly concerned the results are beginning to fade. Kris Jenner is reportedly far from thrilled with her $100,000 facelift nearly a year on - and is now said to be eyeing a 'revision' while comparing her results to other celebrity transformations; (pictured 2025) 'Kris Jenners facelift is already slipping,' a source told RadarOnline on Thursday 'Kris Jenners facelift is already slipping. She is not happy with the results and is desperate to get a revision - she feels it has not held the way she expected,' a source told RadarOnline on Thursday. The same source said Jenner has been particularly frustrated by comparisons to her celebrity peers. 'Kris is mad as hell that Denise Richards and Lori Loughlin both look so good, and she feels hers is already fading in comparison.' The Daily Mail has reached out to Jenner's representatives for comment. Former Real Housewife Richards, 55, recently made headlines after openly admitting her youthful new look is the result of a full facelift. Meanwhile, Full House alum Loughlin has also been making waves with her so-called 'revenge makeover' following her split from husband Mossimo Giannulli in October, after 28 years of marriage. The report comes after the momager revealed what she says is the only real thing on her face following her facelift during an episode of The Kardashians. While chatting with daughter Kim in Paris before a shopping trip, Jenner admitted that her nose is probably the only thing on my face thats real. Kim also reassured her mother that her teeth are natural, claiming she has never had a veneer. 'She is not happy with the results and is desperate to get a revision - she feels it has not held the way she expected,' the source added; (pictured 2022) In March, Kris channelled her daughter Kim Kardashian with a dramatic, slicked back bob (Kim pictured right with the same style in 2024) Jenner then jokingly asked Kim to bend over, seemingly nodding to past speculation about her own derriere. Reflecting on the facelift in an August interview with Vogue Arabia, Jenner explained: I had a facelift about 15 years ago, so it was time for a refresh. I decided to do this facelift because I want to be the best version of myself, and that makes me happy. She added on aging: Just because you get older, it doesnt mean you should give up on yourself. 'If you feel comfortable in your skin and you want to age gracefully meaning you dont want to do anything then dont do anything. But for me, this is aging gracefully. Its my version. In October, Jenner discussed Dr Levine again and revealed a password the pair created for prospective patients. He didnt want the attention, which I loved, she said on the Not Skinny But Not Fat podcast. I said, But do I have your permission to say who you are? 'And he goes, Listen, Ill tell you what. As long as we can come up with a password so that if somebody calls and says, Im Kris Jenners best friend, and can I have a consultation? They have to say the secret password. The reality star explained that the surgeon has received countless calls since her procedure, some from people claiming to be friends. 'Kris is mad as hell that Denise Richards (pictured) and Lori Loughlin both look so good, and she feels hers is already fading in comparison,' the source added Loughlin has also been making waves with her so-called 'revenge makeover' following her split from husband Mossimo Giannulli in October, after 28 years of marriage; (pictured Thursday) She added that being open about her surgery was important to inspire others not to be afraid of surgeries that you need that are necessary or even something you wanna do because you wanna feel better about yourself. Jenners facelift isnt her first procedure. She previously underwent a facelift in 2011 by Dr Garth Fisher, who also performed Kylie Jenners breast augmentation in 2019. Over the years, the momager has had Botox, a breast augmentation in the 1980s, earlobe reduction in 2018, and a very scary hip replacement in 2022. Katie Price's son Harvey has called her new husband Lee Andrews 'daddy' in a sweet drawing, days after the star confirmed Lee does have a travel ban. The self-proclaimed businessman, 42, took to Instagram on Saturday to share a picture drawn by his new wife's son, 23. The sketch shows two frogs sitting side by side, with a love heart between them reading: 'I love you'. Harvey addressed the drawing to 'Mummy Bullfrog and Daddy Lee Bullfrog', adding: 'I hope you have a great Valentines Day and a happy holiday, love from Harvey.' Lee captioned the post: 'Harvey Price. You are just the best human', and Katie reshared his post on her own Instagram Story. Lee is yet to travel to the UK to meet Katie's children in person. Katie Price's son Harvey has called her new husband Lee Andrews 'daddy' in a sweet drawing, days after the star confirmed her husband does have a travel ban The self-proclaimed businessman, 42, took to Instagram on Saturday to share a picture drawn by his new wife's son, 23 The couple tied the knot in a secret ceremony in Dubai in January, before holding a second celebration the following month. Since their wedding, speculation has mounted over whether Lee is unable to leave Dubai, where he lives full-time. However earlier this week, Katie confirmed her husband Lee does have a travel ban - despite his repeated denials that he is barred from leaving Dubai. It was previously claimed British-born Lee spent three weeks locked up in a Dubai jail for allegedly forging his ex-girlfriend's signature to take out a 200,000 loan in her name and has been banned from leaving the United Arab Emirates. He denies this. Last month, Lee was also hit with a fresh accusation that he took $1000 from another woman and has thus far failed to pay her back - he denied the claims on Instagram soon after. And this month, the former glamour model confirmed he is currently unable to travel during a recent episode of her podcast. During the episode, Katie was quizzed by her sister Sophie about her husband's situation. Katie said: 'Of course Im going back to Dubai and Lee will come here when he needs to. It was previously claimed British-born Lee spent three weeks locked up in a Dubai jail for allegedly forging his ex-girlfriend's signature to take out a 200,000 loan in her name and has been banned from leaving the United Arab Emirates. He denies this 'People have to remember hes lived in Dubai for 21 years, thats where he lives and where he does his work. Therell be a time when he does come to England and hell be with me.' Sophie then asked: 'I thought he had a travel ban?' Katie replied: 'Do you know what? Everyone has said to me you can get a travel ban over anything in Dubai. 'A parking ticket or if you owe a bill for electricity or something you can get a travel ban for absolutely anything.' Sophie asked: 'Do they do anything like that over here?' Katie joked: 'No. If they did, Id be banned for life! But yeah, you can get one for even breathing the wrong way in Dubai. Its so strict.' However, according to Chambers and Partners, a single, unpaid parking ticket in Dubai is highly unlikely to cause a travel ban. However, if multiple traffic fines pile up, remain unpaid for a long time, and exceed AED 10,000, they could potentially turn into a civil case leading to a travel ban. It comes as Katie's husband Lee addressed rumours of marital strife in his latest slew of social media ramblings. The glamour model's fourth husband has been accused of being a 'scammer' amid a host of boasts about his life, including his statement that he is a millionaire businessman with a PHD from Cambridge University and links to Elon Musk. And earlier this month, the former glamour model, 47, who married Lee in Dubai in January, confirmed he is currently unable to travel during a recent episode of her podcast Away from his various claims, it was alleged earlier this week that her family's concerns about her relationship with her Dubai-based husband has put a strain on their marriage - something he was keen to quash on Thursday. On Instagram, Lee made a spoof article titled: 'Lee Andrews confirms return to the UK', with the words: 'The couple are stronger than ever and will make the commitment to living together this May ahead of their winter wedding this year'. As well as his defiant display about marital woes, Lee also shared an X-rated image of his crotch alongside a shirtless snaps to plug his OnlyFans page, on which he charges $18-a-month and lists himself as 'Dr. Lee Andrews'. Lee's defiant post alluded to rumours of woes in their cross-continent marriage, while he also shared screenshots of his Facetime calls with Katie. It comes amid claims Katie's family's concerns over her marriage as well as Lee's inability to leave Dubai has taken the shine off their whirlwind romance. A source told The Sun: 'Katie felt like she was in a fairy tale when Lee swept her off her feet and showered her with love and a diamond engagement ring. 'But the growing concerns from friends, fans, and particularly family members, who Katie is very loyal to, began to take the shine off. 'The knock-on effect the war in Iran had on Dubai also made her realise how far away she was from home and she missed her kids.' The insider added the toll it has taken on Katie was clear when she uploaded a vlog complaining about staying in England and ruled out a permanent move to Dubai. Although the source said she is still 'committed' to Lee, there is a niggling feeling as to how it will all work in the longterm. The Daily Mail has contacted representatives of Katie Price for comment. China explores new path to common prosperity Xinhua) 10:32, April 18, 2026 * In south China's Guangdong Province, a bold experiment is underway to answer one of the country's most pressing questions: What is the best way to bridge the gap between wealth and poverty? * In 2011, Guangdong established the Shenzhen-Shanwei Special Cooperation Zone. Initially co-managed by the cities of Shanwei and Shenzhen, the zone embarked on a major shift at the end of 2018, when Shenzhen took full control of its development and construction. * As the 15th Five-Year Plan prioritizes common prosperity, the zone offers a glimpse of one possible future: a wealthy megacity reaching back to lift its struggling neighbor. SHENZHEN, April 17 (Xinhua) -- In south China's Guangdong Province, a pioneer in China's reform and opening up, a bold experiment is underway to answer one of the country's most pressing questions: What is the best way to bridge the gap between wealth and poverty? The Shenzhen-Shanwei Special Cooperation Zone, which is currently under large-scale construction, might have the answer. It represents the latest experiment in China to accomplish common prosperity. Today the zone looks much like Shenzhen in the 1990s -- filled with brand-new highways and factory buildings, with high-rises erecting among the rural hills and mountains. Since 2018, the zone has maintained an average annual economic growth rate of 24 percent. INSTITUTIONAL INNOVATION The Hong Kong-adjacent Shenzhen, one of China's first special economic zones which were products of the reform and opening up drive since the late 1970s, posted a GDP of 3.87 trillion yuan (about 564 billion U.S. dollars) in 2025, or per-capita GDP exceeding 215,000 yuan. Last year, Shenzhen's Nanshan District became China's first county-level economy to cross the one-trillion-yuan GDP threshold, with per-capita GDP exceeding 540,000 yuan. Yet just 60 kilometers away in Shanwei, the economic reality could not be more different. A mountainous region prone to typhoons and long plagued by poverty, Shanwei's per-capita GDP stood at just around 57,200 yuan in 2025 -- a fraction of Shenzhen's. The imbalance reflects a broader challenge for Guangdong, China's largest provincial economy for 37 consecutive years, where rapid coastal development has often left inland areas behind. An aerial drone photo taken on April 3, 2026 shows new energy vehicles ready for delivery at Xiaomo international logistics port in the Shenzhen-Shanwei Special Cooperation Zone in south China's Guangdong Province. (Xinhua) In 2011, Guangdong established the Shenzhen-Shanwei Special Cooperation Zone across four townships (now subdistricts) in Shanwei's Haifeng County. Initially co-managed by both cities, the zone embarked on a major shift at the end of 2018, when Shenzhen took full control of its development and construction. In November 2023, the province enacted a regulation making Shenzhen fully responsible for the zone's construction and management. It was China's first provincial-level law granting an "enclave" to a developed area. The policy innovation allows Shenzhen to develop the zone under its own economic functional zone standards. The cooperation zone represents Guangdong's innovative attempt to bridge regional development gaps, creating a new economic engine driven by Shenzhen that can lift lagging regions. Shenzhen is transferring its industries, infrastructure, and governance concepts to the new zone in a bid to explore a replicable path. China's late leader Deng Xiaoping proposed at the beginning of the reform and opening up: Let some people get rich first, so they can help others get rich afterward, ultimately achieving common prosperity. Over the past 40-plus years, China has lifted 770 million rural residents out of poverty, a historic achievement that reflects the essential characteristics of socialist modernization. With common prosperity written into the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-2030) outline, this endeavor has accelerated. This form of modernization differs from that seen in some capitalist countries, where capital returns are the ultimate objective. In such contexts, the wealthy become wealthier while the poor are left behind, wealth becomes concentrated in the hands of a few, slums persist in major cities, and the streets are often marked by homelessness, drug abuse and violence. FROM NO STREETLIGHTS TO EV HUB When Wu Qubo, secretary of the Party Working Committee of Shenzhen-Shanwei Special Cooperation Zone, arrived seven years ago, the main road had no streetlights and accidents were common. His first priority was to install them. "Even this was an arduous job and took a lot of efforts," he recalled. During the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-2025), the zone entered a phase of rapid growth. Major investments in transportation and urban infrastructure followed, attracting modern enterprises -- most notably, electric vehicle giant BYD. An aerial drone photo taken on March 7, 2026 shows a view of the second phase of the BYD automotive industrial park in the Shenzhen-Shanwei Special Cooperation Zone in south China's Guangdong Province. (Xinhua) "BYD's investment in the zone has exceeded 31.5 billion yuan," a company executive told Xinhua. "We have built a complete industrial system here, from batteries and motors to vehicle assembly. And with a seaport just three kilometers from the plant, cars can be shipped directly to seven major global markets." In 2025, BYD produced 290,000 vehicles in the zone, generating over 74 billion yuan in output value. The presence of BYD has drawn nearly 30 upstream and downstream suppliers. Yanfeng, a key interior parts supplier, moved its factory from Dongguan to a site just across the road from BYD's assembly plant. This has allowed their products to be delivered in under five minutes to BYD. Before the zone's development, poverty drove many local villagers to seek work elsewhere. The four subdistricts had a permanent population of less than 60,000. Today, with returnees and newcomers, the population has rebounded to 150,000. Many villagers have found jobs at BYD and other firms. Some have started their own businesses. Weng Chuhao and his wife, who were among the first to sign a village relocation agreement, now run a restaurant serving company employees, with daily revenue of 3,000 to 4,000 yuan. Chen Zhenbo started a construction crew serving local factories and infrastructure projects. He now leads three teams. Village collective incomes have increased significantly, with dozens of villages now earning over one million yuan and some exceeding 10 million yuan. Prior to the establishment of the zone, most villages generated only modest income. Li Xianglin, a 53-year-old resident of Houmen Subdistrict, upgraded his simple seafood stall into a full restaurant last year. "As more companies move in, our business will only get better," he said. "It will also boost seafood and homestay businesses." SPILLOVER EFFECTS AND CHANGING MINDSETS Shanwei's broader economy is also accelerating. Its GDP reached 154.63 billion yuan in 2025, an increase of more than 40 billion yuan from 2020, with an average annual growth rate of 5.8 percent -- second highest in the province. For three consecutive years, Shanwei has ranked first in Guangdong in per-capita disposable income growth. "People's mindsets are changing," said Chen Guitian, Party chief of Yunxin Village. "They have a new understanding of modern lifestyles." To support the zone's development, authorities at different levels have introduced a range of pioneering reforms, including establishing a court, procuratorate, and public security bureau in the zone, along with flexible tax measures. This photo taken on March 29, 2026 shows the clock tower at a middle school in the Shenzhen-Shanwei Special Cooperation Zone in south China's Guangdong Province. (Xinhua/Liu Mengqi) Education and healthcare are also being transformed. A Shenzhen middle school has opened a campus in the zone, enrolling 9,900 students. "No one from this area has ever been admitted to Tsinghua or Peking University," said Guo Shenghong, the vice principal. "Now, that could change." Other infrastructure includes a Shenzhen Polytechnic University campus enrolling 15,000 students and a hospital with 800 beds. Guangdong's experiment is just one pathway in China's broader push for common prosperity. Other provinces are also pursuing their own models. Jiangsu is promoting cooperation between its economically advanced southern areas and less-developed areas in the north. Zhejiang has implemented a "mountain-sea collaboration," which also pairs developed and underdeveloped areas. As the 15th Five-Year Plan prioritizes common prosperity, the Shenzhen-Shanwei Special Cooperation Zone offers a glimpse of one possible future: a wealthy megacity reaching back to lift its struggling neighbor. "The ultimate goal," Wu said, "is to meet the people's aspirations for a better life." (Web editor: Zhao Tong, Wu Chaolan) A New York man walked into a dealership expecting a fresh start and a new SUV. What he got instead was a vehicle with more miles on it than most people put on a car in several months, a bill thousands of dollars higher than what he agreed to, and a signature on a contract he says he never actually signed. Louis Huertas is now taking Riverdale Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram in the Bronx to federal court over what his lawsuit describes as a coordinated scheme to deceive him from the moment he stepped onto the lot. According to the complaint filed March 23 in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, Huertas was sold a 2025 Jeep Grand Cherokee L advertised with just 13 miles on the odometer for an agreed price of $49,000. He signed the paperwork with an actual pen and paper, took the keys, and drove home thinking he had just purchased a brand-new vehicle. The good news ended there. That same day, GM Financial Services reached out to flag a "discrepancy" in the vehicle's mileage. When Huertas looked at his instrument cluster, the odometer read 6,216 miles. That is not a rounding error. That is a vehicle that had been driven the equivalent of a road trip from New York to Los Angeles and then some, sold to a customer as essentially untouched. Advertisement Advertisement But the mileage was only the beginning. As Huertas dug deeper into the deal, he found that the sales contract listed a cash price of $51,400 rather than the $49,000 he had agreed to, and contained nearly $5,000 in products he never asked for or approved, including a $3,882 service contract and a $1,000 tire and rim protection plan. The complaint also alleges something that elevates this from a bad car deal to potential criminal territory: his electronic signature on the sales contract was forged. What the Lawsuit Actually Claims The complaint alleges multiple layers of wrongdoing that go well beyond a simple pricing mix-up. According to Huertas, the only document he signed electronically was a credit application. Every other document, he says, he signed the old-fashioned way, with a pen. Yet a digitally signed sales contract appeared bearing his name. The lawsuit accuses Riverdale Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram of fraud and violations of several federal and state laws, including the Truth in Lending Act, the federal Odometer Act, and New York's motor vehicle and consumer protection statutes. It seeks both compensatory and punitive damages, meaning the court could order the dealership to pay far beyond just the amount in dispute if it finds the conduct was willful. The complaint also contains language suggesting this was not a one-time mistake. It alleges the dealership "routinely" hides true borrowing costs from customers and "routinely" forges digital signatures to conceal inflated financing amounts. That language opens the door to a pattern-of-conduct argument, which could have serious implications if additional customers come forward. Where GM Financial Fits In Image Credit: Jeep. GM Financial Services, the lending arm connected to this deal, is named as a co-defendant in the lawsuit. The reason is straightforward from a legal standpoint: because GM Financial is the assignee of the sales contract, meaning it purchased the loan from the dealership, it can be held liable for the terms of that contract under federal law. Advertisement Advertisement Huertas's attorney, Robert Nahoum of Pearl River, New York, made clear that lenders do not get a free pass just because they did not originate the deceptive deal. He said he is committed to holding both dealers and the lenders that enable them accountable for what he described as an automotive retail market "plagued by bad actors." GM Financial declined to comment on the litigation, which is standard legal practice but will do little to quiet questions about how a loan with a falsely certified 6,216-mile odometer reading made it through any kind of review process. The dealership's general manager had not responded to requests for comment as of the time this lawsuit became public. What Car Buyers Can Learn From This Case If there is any silver lining to a story this frustrating, it is that the Huertas case is a masterclass in what car buyers should be doing to protect themselves, because he did some things right, and the gaps in his experience reveal exactly where dealerships can take advantage. First and most importantly: always get copies of everything you sign before you leave the lot. Huertas signed his documents but was not given copies at the time. That made it harder for him to immediately spot the discrepancies between what he agreed to verbally and what ended up in the formal contract. Advertisement Advertisement Second, inspect the vehicle thoroughly before driving off. A quick odometer check would have caught 6,216 miles immediately. It sounds obvious in hindsight, but in the excitement of buying a new car, many people skip this step. Third, read the financing breakdown line by line. Add-on products like service contracts, tire protection, and gap insurance are legal products, but they must be disclosed and consented to. They should never appear on a final contract without a customer's knowledge. Finally, if something feels off when you get home, contact the lender directly as Huertas did. That call helped establish a paper trail that is now central to his lawsuit. The Bigger Picture on Dealership Deception Car dealership fraud complaints are nothing new, but cases involving alleged signature forgery and odometer tampering represent the more serious end of the spectrum. Federal law takes odometer fraud particularly seriously because it directly affects the resale value of a vehicle and the safety assumptions buyers make about a car's wear and tear. Advertisement Advertisement The Truth in Lending Act, also known as TILA, requires lenders and dealers to clearly disclose the true cost of a loan. Add-on products that inflate the financed amount without disclosure are a well-documented workaround that regulators have been trying to crack down on for years. Consumer advocates have long argued that the F&I (finance and insurance) office, where these products are typically sold, is one of the least transparent parts of the car-buying process. Whether this case results in a settlement or goes to trial, it is a reminder that the handshake moment when you agree on a price is not the end of the deal. The paperwork that follows is where things can quietly go sideways, and buyers who do not scrutinize every line can find themselves paying for a very different car than the one they thought they bought. Self-driving technologies are the new space race with car manufacturers jostling to be the first to achieve fully autonomous vehicles. But the road to get there has been bumpy, with a track record that's far from flawless. Autopilot helped Tesla become one of the first automakers to introduce advanced driver assistance systems, an innovative technology that's been available in Tesla vehicles since 2015, expanding to all models by 2019. Advertisement Advertisement This feature is an advanced assistance system that helps drivers behind the wheel. It can detect nearby cars and obstacles, apply the brakes, monitor blind spots and aid with automatic acceleration reduction. But while Autopilot is helpful, it's been a contributing factor in multiple fatal accidents over the last decade. The first widely reported incident occurred in Williston, Florida, in 2016. Autopilot warned the driver to keep his hands on the wheel, though he ignored the signs. The vehicle ultimately crashed into a truck, killing the driver. Ed. note -- this article originally ran in Dec. 2025. We've moved it up for those who may have missed it the first time. Reports revealed Autopilot was activated for most of the trip, yet the driver only held the steering wheel for 25 seconds. A few months later, Tesla updated the software to require drivers to respond to audible warnings. Advertisement Advertisement While self-driving technologies were new and innovative in the mid-2010s, this Florida incident was a sobering warning. Though human error takes some of the blame for Tesla accidents, subsequent crashes have put Autopilot in the spotlight due to its malfunctioning. In Mountain View, California, a Tesla Model X drove into a crash attenuator and collided with two other vehicles. Once the car wrecked, its high-voltage battery caught fire and started a blaze. Investigators determined Autopilot steered the Model X into a gore point due to its system constraints. Then, the vehicle crashed because the driver relied too heavily on the partially automated mechanisms. Autopilot ineffectively monitored the driver's disengagement, which led to the accident. However, California shouldered blame when its highway patrol failed to report the nonoperational attenuator barrier. Advertisement Advertisement By 2021, Autopilot was entering its sixth year of operation. Despite advancements in software, fatal incidents have still occurred. In Spring, Texas, a 2019 Model S went off-road and crashed into trees, killing the two passengers. Initially, officials were uncertain whether Autopilot was activated before the crash. An NTSB report said the feature was unavailable because it required lane lines to function. Investigators said the driver could've used Tesla's Traffic Aware Cruise Control. However, the feature would've only worked up to the road's maximum speed. This crash emphasized the need for better driver monitoring software. After analyzing the event data recording, investigators determined the driver was in the front seat when the Model X crashed. Then, he moved to the rear. Tesla has improved Autopilot over the years, leading to more advanced versions like Full Self-Driving (FSD). This innovative feature does basic driving maneuvers for the operator, including steering and route navigation. Advertisement Advertisement However, the advanced software has caused more problems for Tesla. In 2024, a Tesla Model S struck and killed a motorcyclist in Seattle. Local police said the driver was using his cellphone while FSD was enabled in his vehicle. FSD benefits drivers by performing automatic lane changes and helping with parking. Despite its capabilities, Tesla says its software requires the driver's active engagement while operating the car. These vehicles may have autonomous features, but they're not fully self-driving cars. Autopilot has come a long way since its introduction in 2015. FSD, at face value, suggests the future is bright for autonomous technologies. However, these features have a long way to go before the public can trust them fully. Improving these technologies is essential for public safety and Tesla's bottom line. Recent court cases have found the manufacturer liable, awarding plaintiffs millions of dollars in damages. Advertisement Advertisement Current Tesla systems require human attention, although some drivers have felt comfortable enough to take their hands off the wheel. It's up to the manufacturer to communicate limitations and prevent misuse. While drivers are responsible for their actions, Autopilot and FSD can do more to save operators from themselves. The TTAC Creators Series tells stories and amplifies creators from all corners of the car world, including culture, dealerships, collections, modified builds and more. [Image: Tesla] Become a TTAC insider. Get the latest news, features, TTAC takes, and everything else that gets to the truth about cars first by subscribing to our newsletter. Seeing the Toyota RAV4 stumble in the sales charts is not something the industry is used to. For years, the compact SUV has been one of the most dependable best-sellers on the market, often dominating rivals through reputation, practicality, and Toyotas hybrid advantage. So when the sales suddenly drop, people most certainly notice. Recent reports show the RAV4 has suffered a sharp decline in some markets, leading to headlines suggesting buyers may be turning away from Toyotas golden goose. Advertisement Advertisement But the real reason appears far less dramatic than fading demand. The Problem Is Supply, Not Popularity Photo Courtesy: Autorepublika. According to recent industry reports, the RAV4s falling sales figures are tied largely to production slowdowns as Toyota prepares to transition to an all-new generation of the SUV. That means fewer vehicles reaching dealers, tighter inventory, and reduced monthly sales totals, not necessarily fewer customers wanting to buy one. This happens regularly when automakers approach the end of a successful model cycle. Production is often adjusted to make way for tooling changes, supplier shifts, and factory preparations for the replacement vehicle. A New RAV4 Is On The Way Photo Courtesy: Autorepublika. Toyota is widely expected to launch a redesigned RAV4 soon, which helps explain why current output may be tapering off. Advertisement Advertisement Manufacturers rarely want huge stocks of outgoing models sitting on dealer lots when the replacement arrives. That can force heavy discounts and hurt resale values. Instead, many brands intentionally slow supply before a major launch. If that is what is happening here, lower sales numbers may actually signal confidence in the next RAV4 rather than weakness in the current one. Buyers May Also Be Waiting Photo Courtesy: Autorepublika. Another factor is consumer behavior. When rumors of a new generation spread, some shoppers choose to wait. That is especially true for a model as mainstream as the RAV4, where buyers expect improvements in design, tech, fuel economy, and safety. Advertisement Advertisement Why buy the outgoing version now if a fresh one is around the corner? That pause effect can temporarily hit sales even when the vehicle remains highly desirable. Competition Is Stronger Than Ever Image Credit: Toyota. Advertisement Advertisement The compact SUV segment is also more competitive than it has ever been. Honda CR-V, Mazda CX-5/CX-50, Hyundai Tucson, Kia Sportage, Nissan Rogue, and Ford Escape all continue fighting aggressively for buyers. Even so, the RAV4s recent dip should not be mistaken for collapse. It remains one of the strongest names in the segment with a loyal customer base and excellent brand trust. The Bigger Picture Image Credit: Toyota. Sales figures without context can be misleading. A sudden drop does not always mean a model is failing. Sometimes it means factories are changing over, buyers are waiting, or a replacement is imminent. In the Toyota RAV4s case, plummeting sales may simply be the calm before another massive comeback. The Family Response Service in the Western Health & Social Care Trust (WHSCT) includes a team of professional Youth Workers and Family Support Workers who work alongside families when additional support is needed. Youth work within this team is relationship centred, emphasising trust, empathy, reflective conversations, and learning through shared experiences. Activities are used to engage young people and develop the relationship. One of the valuable engagement activities in this work is fishing a simple, lowpressure activity that creates an ideal environment for engagement, personal growth, and wellbeing. Danny Bryce, Youth Work Practitioner, Family Response Service at the Western Trust explains: Fishing naturally takes place in lakes, rivers, ponds, and coastal areas settings known as bluegreen spaces. Research consistently shows that spending time near water and nature can reduce stress, improve mood, and enhance overall wellbeing. These environments also provide a rare opportunity to disconnect from screens and daily pressures. Fishing requires attention to a single moment watching the water, feeling the line, noticing the breeze. This creates a natural gateway into mindfulness, helping young people stay grounded, listen to their surrounding, breath. "Youth Workers teach methods of emotional regulation during these activities which become lifeskills for young people going forward. Youth workers often use these quiet moments to gently introduce reflective conversations. READ NEXT: Derry students honoured at All Ireland scholarships award ceremony The rhythmic nature of fishing is soothing. Concentration shifts the mind away from stress and into the calm focus of watching the float or line. The anticipation of catching a fish keeps young people motivated and engaged. The sound of the water and wildlife provides a calming influence. Danny continued: Fishing teaches patience, focus, and determination. Young people who struggle with anxiety, hypervigilance, or attention challenges often excel during these sessions. Their success provides confidence and demonstrates transferable life skills and ability, which is reinforced by their Youth Worker. Fishing introduces practical handson skills such as setting up rods, tying hooks, using floats and weights, selecting bait, and learning about fish species. Assessing risk and wearing appropriate weather gear and buoyancy aids opens conversations about staying safe. Each new skill builds achievement self-esteem and pride. Fishing provides uninterrupted time for meaningful conversations, positive memorymaking, and collaborative problemsolving. The Youth Worker uses this time skillfully to gently guide conversations to explore what is going on for the young person and help them process and come up with ideas to positively affect areas they are worrying about. Fishing may seem like a simple pastime, but it is a powerful therapeutic tool when utilised by skilled helpers. It supports emotional regulation, builds confidence, teaches new skills, and strengthens relationships. It gets young people outside, off-line and promotes an outside interest they will always have. For Youth Workers, young people, and families, it offers a calm and positive environment for natural growth. Feedback from our young people who have participated in the fishing activity has been very positive: I loved learning to fish with D (Youth Worker), it was so peaceful but so much fun too. I caught a trout on my first fishing session. Me and my daddy go fishing now all the time. I think fishing is so relaxing, I love sitting beside the lake just chilling. I went fishing with D every week because it was my favourite activity. I have a fishing rod and tackle now of my own and I love fishing. Wed never been fishing before and now we love getting out when we can as its exciting and relaxing at the same time. Danny concluded: Fishing is one of the most beneficial engagement tools I use as a Youth Worker. The shared focus and peaceful environment in nature are perfect elements for having meaningful conversations. The therapeutic value is brilliant and I see the benefits all the time. Its a digital detox, time in nature, peace, mindfulness, a new skill and more importantly a safe space for discussion and developing ideas and plans for positive change. Its a busy day at work or university. You open your laptop and are all set to strike off most tasks on your To-Do list. There are emails, docs, spreadsheets, and maybe a couple of Google Chrome tabs that need to be revisited. But your laptop suddenly starts lagging and apps take forever to open. Sounds like a nightmare, right? And it really can be, if you urgently need to get to work. But the good news is that you dont really need a high-end machine costing a fortune to be able to do basic tasks with peace. Survey Thank you for completing the survey! All you need is something that gets you by those office tasks, online classes, video calls, and everyday browsing. So if you are in the market for a budget-friendly laptop that can get through your daily tasks without drama, here are some solid options worth checking out. Also read: Sony unveils gaming monitor with 720Hz refresh rate and OLED display HP 255 G9 Lets start with the HP 255 G9. This is as simple and straightforward as it gets. You are looking at an AMD Athlon processor, 4GB RAM, and a 256GB SSD. Now yes, 4GB RAM is limiting, and you will feel it if you push the laptop too much. But for basic tasks like working on Word, Excel, attending online meetings, or light browsing, it does the job. Think of this as a no-nonsense machine for very basic use. Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 1 If you are looking for something with better RAM and storage, consider the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 1. You get an AMD Ryzen 3 processor, along with 8GB RAM and a 512GB SSD. This combination should make a noticeable difference in day-to-day performance when compared to 4GB RAM and 256GB storage. You dont have to worry about opening too many tabs or switching between apps. Now this isnt the newest laptop out there (it launched in 2022), but it still holds up well for everyday use and fits the under Rs 35,000 budget. Acer Aspire 3 Laptops with a 14-inch form factor are super easy to carry around and this is exactly why the Acer Aspire 3 is worth a look. It comes with a compact 14-inch screen and can easily fit into any of your backpacks. It also gets a slight boost in performance and multitasking powers, with a 12GB RAM and 512 GB SSD storage. Hence, this is a practical option for students and working professionals who are always on the move. Asus Vivobook Go 15 Now if you want your device to look a bit premium, the Asus Vivobook Go 15 might fit the bill. The laptop is powered by an AMD Ryzen 3 quad-core processor, 8GB RAM, and a 512GB SSD. In the front, there is a 15.6-inch Full HD display, which makes it better for watching content or working on documents for long hours. The design feels modern, and overall, it strikes a nice balance between looks and performance. Infinix Y4 Max The Infinix Y4 Max is also a superb choice and offers something that is rare in the budget-laptop category- 16GB of RAM paired with a 512GB SSD. Thats not all, you get a large 16-inch Full HD display, a backlit keyboard, and a 1080p webcam. All of this adds up to a much better overall experience, whether you are working, attending video calls, or just watching content. With bank offers, the laptops price can even drop below the 35,000 mark, which makes it a very compelling option. At the end of the day, the right laptop depends on how you plan to use it. But if your goal is to get something reliable for everyday tasks without spending too much, these options cover pretty much everything you need. Also read: Intel Core 3 series processors launched: Availability and other details A man charged with a serious assault in Letterkenny faces a trial in the Circuit Court. An order returning Paulo De Almeida Do Carmo for trial was made at Letterkenny District Court. The 36-year-old, of The Green, Ballymacool, Letterkenny, is charged with one count of assaulting a man and causing him harm at Lower Main Street, Letterkenny, on November 10, 2024. The charge is contrary to section 3 of the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act, 1997. Garda Pauline Doherty gave evidence of serving a book of evidence on the accused at 11.55am on April 13. De Almeida Do Carmo was aided by an interpreter in court. Garda Sergeant Jim Collins informed the court that the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) has consented to the accused being sent forward for trial to the next sitting of Letterkenny Circuit Court. Judge Emile Daly made an order returning the defendant for trial and administered the alibi warning. Judge Daly made a section 56 order, relating to recordings of interviews. Legal aid was granted to solicitor Mr Patsy Gallagher and one counsel was assigned in the case. Legal aid was also extended to cover the translation of the book of evidence into Portuguese following an application from Mr Gallagher. An apprentice jockey from Donegal is due before court in England later this month charged with causing grievous bodily harm with intent. Brandon Wilkie, originally from Letterkenny but with an address in Dromahair, Co Leitrim, is charged in connection with an alleged incident in the Newmarket area in August 2025. Wilkie is alleged to have assaulted another person, a weighing room colleague, on August 3. Police were called the following day and Wilkie was arrested a couple of weeks later. He has since been charged with GBH and is due to be before Ipswich Magistrates Court on April 27. Police in England say that the victim sustained serious facial injuries. The man required hospital treatment. So far this year, Wilkie had had 13 mounts in Ireland, the most recent of which was in Dundalk last Friday afternoon. He has had 64 winners in Britain, but has not ridden there since last August. Grievous bodily harm with intent means deliberately causing serious physical injury to another person and is an offence that can be punishable with a prison sentence on conviction. Fourteen-year-old designer Cara McLaughlin has once again put Donegal on the national fashion map after winning both the Connacht-Ulster title and the national Best Casual Outfit award at the 2026 Relove Fashion competition - marking the Clonmany girls second consecutive year achieving this remarkable double victory. Put forward by Spraoi Agus Sport and representing Donegal, Caras winning outfit, titled Summertime, was inspired by the soft pastel colours of shirts donated by her grandfather. From these sentimental starting pieces, along with old jeans, a pillowcase, unwanted zips and leftover wool she created a vibrant, fully upcycled summer look that captured the judging panels attention. Her design process showcased her craftsmanship and imagination. The shorts were handmade from discarded jeans and decorated with machine embroidery, appliqued stars and detachable flowers crafted from old zips, adding a playful burst of flower power. The top was created using a vintage sewing pattern and fashioned from two of her grandfathers shirts, blending nostalgia with contemporary style. Cara also crocheted a matching bag from leftover wool, lining it with one of the shirts and using the button plackets as straps. Zips sewn along the outside added a distinctive design feature that tied the ensemble together. To complete the look, she made a reversible bucket hat from the jeans legs and an old pillowcase, embellishing it with decorative leaf stitching and another detachable zip flower. Even the final accessory, a coordinating scrunchie, was made from leftover fabric, ensuring nothing went to waste. Read more: Design without limits - Moville designer competes at Junk Kouture finals This years competition was the largest in its history, with almost 300 outfits submitted by young people aged 12-19 from across Ireland. The finals were held at Dublin City University on Wednesday 15 April and the judging panel included broadcaster and businesswoman Lorraine Keane; Orla Langan, a designer and lecturer at the National College of Art and Design; Sinead Ni Mhainnin, representing the Regional Waste Management Planning Offices; and Arran Murphy, programme manager of Rediscover Fashion. While Caras back-to-back national titles highlight her own sharp design talents, it proves that style doesnt have to cost the Earth - and that young Donegal designers are ready to lead the charge for a circular fashion future. For more information about Relove Fashion, and to register your interest for next year, visit www.relovefashion.ie. One cruise ship may not make a summer, but the arrival of the first liner of the 2026 season to Inishowen is certainly a welcome sign, heralding brighter days and a busy year for tourism ahead. The impressive Le Laperouse sailed into Greencastle on the morning of Thursday, April 16, the first of 22 ships set to arrive into Lough Foyle this summer. Representatives from Go Visit Inishowen were on hand at the pier to extend a warm local welcome, with manager Niall McCaughan and colleague Amy greeting Captain Adrien Eyssautier, his crew, and passengers as they came ashore. The visiting vessel, Le Laperouse, is a modern French luxury expedition ship operated by Ponant. Known for its smaller size and exclusive atmosphere, the ship offers guests an experience often described as akin to travelling on a private yacht. READ NEXT: Lough Foyle set for a record-breaking season, with 22 ships coming this year This allows passengers to explore coastal destinations in greater depth, bringing them closer to the rugged beauty of areas like Inishowen than larger cruise liners can manage. Named after the famed French explorer Jean-Francois de Galaup, comte de Laperouse, the ships arrival is seen as a fitting start to a new season of exploration and cultural exchange in the region. Local tourism officials view the visit as an important moment, highlighting Inishowens growing reputation as a unique and welcoming destination for cruise visitors along Irelands Wild Atlantic Way. Dundalk councillors have expressed frustration with Uisce Eireann due to its plans to install a rising mains through the Bay Estate in the town. The wastewater pipe which connects to the main treatment plant was due to go under the Coes Road and as a result repair works to the road were put on hold. However, the local authority told councillors at the April meeting of the Dundalk Municipal District that Uisce Eireann are now looking at the Bay Estate. A spokesperson for Louth County Council said a meeting is due to be held with the national water utility to confirm their selection. Fine Gael councillor and Cathaoirleach of the Dundalk Municipal District said the news "put me off my train of thought". "They do realise there is a school there. I know the Coes Road and Bay Estate are the lesser of two evils but we really need to think about that," he said. Green Party councillor Marianne Butler said Uisce Eireann needs to address flooding issues in the estate if its to be the preferred route for the new mains. "If were sitting down with Uisce Eireann and that is their preferred route, which I really hope it isnt. We come up with a win for Bay Estate in terms of the flooding issues, and that gets addressed as part of any works in that estate, and theres proper drainage and proper systems to deal with the flooding thats been happening there. There has to be a benefit and a win for that area and that is the benefit and win that they need," she said. Read Next: Funding for Louth Fire and Rescue will 'deliver real and lasting benefits' A spokesperson for Louth County Council said: "I believe theyre potentially looking at going Bay Estate towards their main treatment plant as opposed to the Coes Road as originally planned. Hence why we had laid off the resurfacing. If that is confirmed we were obviously looking at patchwork but we will be looking at funding to get that fully resurfaced because it is in poor condition." Elsewhere, councillors also expressed their displeasure with Uisce Eireann due to the duration of repair works across the town. Sinn Fein councillor Antoin Watters said Uisce Eireann are getting "too much leeway" and said it needs to "pull up its socks". "There was repair works done in January in St Nicholas Avenue and Maxwell Row. Myself and Cllr [Sean] Kelly have been chasing for works to be done and it was only finished months after works began." "I have been speaking to council engineers and they are chasing them up but its taking too long. Theres another example on the Castletown Road and its not repaired. Irish Water need to pull up their socks," he said. Cllr Watters also said councillors had lost their direct line of communication with the national water utility. Independent councillor Maeve Yore was also critical of Uisce Eireann and said "if they give me another case number, I'm going to go off my trolley". Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme. Iarnrod Eireann is to start a new limited stop Commuter train servicing Louth commuters between Drogheda and Dublin Connolly Stations from next Monday 20th April. The new 06:05hrs Drogheda to Dublin Connolly will serve Balbriggan, Skerries, Rush & Lusk, Donabate and Malahide Stations en route, arriving in Dublin Connolly at 07:09hrs. The additional service will be a six-carriage train, utilising the train set which then operates the 07:40hrs Dublin Connolly to Belfast Grand Central service. It will bring to ten the number of trains departing Drogheda in the morning peak with a pre-09:00hrs city centre arrival, and twelve with a pre-09:30hrs arrival. The service commences following the recent engagement with the Minister for Transport Darragh OBrien TD, the National Transport Authority, transport agencies and other stakeholders to identify early opportunities for additional measures to boost public transport capacity or ease congestion. It comes at a time of record demand on the rail network, and ahead of next years introduction of the new battery-electric DART fleet on the Drogheda to Dublin Northern Commuter route. A total of 55 million journeys were made across Iarnrod Eireanns services in 2025, including 4.65 million journeys on the Northern Commuter route. The new DART fleet will begin entering service in the first half of 2027 and, together with battery-electric charging infrastructure at Drogheda Station, will replace existing Intercity and Commuter trains on the Northern Commuter route. This will add capacity between Drogheda and Dublin Connolly by providing longer trains on a number of services, and will also allow the Intercity and Commuter trains to be added to other routes to further increase capacity on a range of services. Iarnrod Eireann Chief Executive Mary Considine said: Our investment programme will begin to deliver significant additional capacity from 2027 on the Northern Commuter and other routes, but this new service allows us to quickly bring real benefit to existing commuters, and those wishing to switch to public transport on one of our busiest routes in the country. Read Next: Dundalk hosts key Ohio-Ireland business summit at Oriel Park Minister for Transport Darragh OBrien welcomed the new service, saying: This is very welcome news for commuters across North County Dublin. The new 06:05hrs service from Drogheda to Dublin Connolly will make a real difference for early morning commuters, providing greater choice, reliability and convenience. Im delighted to see this additional capacity being delivered and to support the growing needs of our communities along the line. For more info see: irishrail.ie Second Year Creative Media and Audio and Music Production students at Dundalk IT recently participated in an Erasmus + Intensive Programme at Avans University in the historical city of Hertogenbosch in the Netherlands. It was a fantastic, immersive experience for the students who engaged with peers studying media, engineering, and architecture at San Jorge University in Spain and AVANs University in the Netherlands. It was a week filled with collaboration as the students worked together to create architectural and media projects. During the trip, the students gained a deeper understanding of the region's rich heritage and history through cultural trips to Utrecht to investigate local architecture. They were also given comprehensive tours of Hertogenbosch's historical city centre. The collaborative project, where students were divided into multidisciplinary and international teams was a highlight of the trip with each team tasked with creating a building that symbolised Hertogenbosch city. Students were required to incorporate various elements, with a particular focus on media. Read Next: Im okay music video launches in Dundalk to mark World Autism Acceptance Month They were also tasked with branding and producing a video showcasing their building in Hertogenbosch. The aim was to entice people to visit the building and experience the unique blend of culture and innovation it represented. The task challenged the students creatively but also provided them with practical, hands-on experience in applying their skills across different mediums. The experience was a great opportunity for students to connect with individuals from varied backgrounds and a fantastic opportunity to learn about different cultures. Looking ahead, there are plans for Dundalk Students to embark on a similar trip next year, with San Jorge University, Zaragoza, Spain envisioned as the next destination for this event. Dundalk Chamber has hailed its Cross-Border Tourism Conference, held in the Four Seasons Hotel, Carlingford, as a major success, with over 200 attendees from across the North East and beyond coming together to explore the future of regional tourism. The event brought together people from tourism, business, culture, and local government to highlight the immense potential of cross-border collaboration in driving sustainable economic growth and enhancing the visitor experience across the region. A strong programme of speakers provided valuable insights into the evolving tourism landscape. Paul Hayes and Mary Claire Cowley of An Tain Arts Theatre delivered an engaging presentation on the importance of cultural tourism and the role of creative partnerships in shaping authentic visitor experiences. Olivia McCormack of Louth County Council outlined the continued development of tourism initiatives under Visit Louth, with a particular focus on trails, tours, and the strategic promotion of the county as a leading destination. Grainne OConnor of Cuilcagh Lakelands Global Geopark highlighted the success of cross-border tourism models and the opportunities presented by leveraging natural assets and shared heritage across jurisdictions. Rory King of Rorys Travel Club provided practical insights into The Power of Social Media and Email Marketing, demonstrating how digital platforms can significantly amplify reach and attract new visitors to the region. The highlight of the conference was a keynote address by Pol O Conghaile, travel writer with Irish Independent, whose insights into Irelands tourism offering, storytelling, and global positioning underscored the importance of authenticity and place in tourism development. The conference also featured a vibrant exhibition space, with over 20 local tourism and hospitality businesses showcasing their offerings. Exhibitors included Carlingford Oysters, Narrow Water Lodges, Carlingford Adventure Centre, Dundalk Tourist Office, and many more, highlighting the depth and diversity of experiences available across the region. Dundalk Chamber also extended a special thanks to the events sponsors and supporters, whose contribution was instrumental in the success of the conference: Shane Rafferty, Failte Ireland Nikki Campbell, Louth Local Enterprise Office Clare OHagan, Louth County Council Paul Hayes and Mary Claire Cowley An Tain Arts Centre Sean Farrell Marshes Shopping Centre Speaking following the event, Dundalk Chamber CEO John McGahon said: This conference showcased the strength of collaboration across our region and the enormous opportunity that exists when we work together on a cross-border basis. With over 200 people in attendance, it is clear there is real momentum behind tourism in the North East, and Dundalk Chamber is proud to play a leading role in driving that forward. Read Next: Early morning boost for Louth commuters as new rail service announced Dundalk Chamber President Hanna McDonnell added: The scale and energy of this conference demonstrates just how strong our tourism offering is across the North East. There is a real appetite to work together, tell our story, and position this region as a must-visit destination on the island of Ireland. The conference reaffirmed Dundalk Chambers commitment to supporting tourism as a key economic driver, while fostering partnerships that enhance the regions profile both nationally and internationally." Two Louth students have been awarded an All Ireland Scholarship which will cover the full duration of their undergraduate studies. Caitlin Dyas and Roisin Torris were honoured at the All Ireland Scholarships Awards Ceremony on the 4th of April in University Concert Hall, University of Limerick. In attendance at the ceremony was All Ireland Scholarships Sponsor, JP McManus, Guest of Honour and Double Olympic Champion, Kellie Harrington, Deputy Willie ODea TD, and Head of the Skills and Education Group for the Department for the Economy NI, Louise Watson, as well as the family, friends and school representatives of the scholarship recipients. Commenting at the awards ceremony, All Ireland Scholarships Sponsor JP McManus said: I am delighted to be here today to celebrate the outstanding academic achievements of the 2025 All Ireland Scholarship winners from across the island of Ireland. To date, 2,051 students have received an All Ireland Scholarship and 1,437 of those students have since graduated from university. "Today is a very special occasion for the scholarship winners, their families, and teachers. We wish them every success as they continue their studies at university and look forward to seeing what they accomplish in the years to come. Commenting on the event, Guest of Honour and Double Olympic Champion, Kellie Harrington said; Im delighted to be here today as the Guest of Honour for the All Ireland Scholarship Awards in the University of Limerick. It is a very special occasion for the 2025 winners, their families, and school principals, and they should be very proud of themselves and their accomplishments. Read Next: Hatch's Castle in Ardee receives 100,000 for conservation works The All Ireland Scholarships, established by JP McManus in 2008, provide financial support to gifted students pursuing third-level education. Each year, 125 scholarships are awarded across the 32 counties of Ireland. Recipients receive 6,750 per annum in Ireland and 5,500 per annum in Northern Ireland, covering the duration of their undergraduate studies. The third level educational scholarship is awarded to 125 of the highest achieving students per year, with a minimum of two students from each county. Ban can ang nhap e thuc hien chuc nang nay! Almost 100,000 in funding has been awarded to eight Cork community projects by renewable energy company Amarenco. The funding, totalling 97,050, comes as part of an annual allocation from the company, which has operational solar energy projects in Inniscarra, Kanturk, Kilmoney, Mallow, and Whitechurch. Amarenco has established community benefit funds for projects in the vicinity of these sites. Under the latest tranche of funding 24,253.07 was allocated for the upgrading of a woodland walking trail in Carrigaline; 10,253 to purchase and install solar panels at Whitechurch National School; 16,520.75 for the purchase of defibrillators and other equipment by Ballyclough Community Association; 4,552.44 for gym equipment at Inniscarra GAA Club, and 5,221.30 for new goalposts at Scoil Mhuire, Kanturk. BOLLARD Other unding allocations include 14,250 for bollard lighting at Kanturk Community Astro Turf pitch; 8,000 for course drainage at Inniscarra Pitch and Putt Club, and 13,165.82 towards costs of heating controls, lighting, and a contribution to fire doors at Whitechurch & Waterloo Community Association. Amarencos managing director Declan Cullinane said the organisation is committed to supporting the communities in which we operate. We want them to be among the greenest communities in Ireland, generating clean energy from the sun, but we also want to play our part in ensuring these communities continue to thrive and develop, said Mr Cullinane. For more information on Amarencos annual funding streams, visit https://www.amarencogroup.com/en/ Cork County Council is seeking the introduction of a rapid bus service along the Midleton-Youghal greenway as an interim transport solution in advance of the hoped reopening of a railway between the two towns. The council is to request a meeting with Minister for Transport Darragh OBrien to discuss the growing gridlock on roads in East Cork and sustainable ways of reducing it, such as reopening the railway connection. It is seeking that Mr OBrien urgently undertake reviews of the Cork Metropolitan Area Transport Strategy (CMATS), The Regional Spatial and Economic Strategy (RSES) Southern Region (which is currently in the review cycle) and the All-Ireland Strategic Rail Review to allow for the inclusion of the reinstatement of the Midleton Youghal railway line as government policy. Councillors voted unanimously for this after it was proposed by Midleton-based Fianna Fail councillor Ann Marie Ahern. However, after some discussion it was decided that the reintroduction of a railway line is realistically many years away and in the interim a rapid bus corridor between the town towns is the only viable option to ease ever-increasing gridlock along the N25, main Cork to Waterford road. Senior Irish Rail official AJ Cronin said in todays money it would cost 200m to construct and take 10 years to complete the rail link. Ms Ahern said the reopening of the Cork-Midleton section of the railway in 2009 had been extremely successful and extending it to Youghal is the only way of alleviating gridlock on roads in the region, which for years have been deprived of upgrades. Fine Gael leader on the council Michael Hegarty said the East Cork Railway Alliance (ECRA) lobby group had collected thousands of signatures backing the lines reinstatement and it would be great to see it happen. However, both he and Fine Gael councillor Rory Cocking said being realistic in the interim a rapid bus corridor needs to be developed along the greenway. Irish Rail has stated there is sufficient room along the route for that and a railway. Social Democrats councillor Eamonn Horgan said the bus transit needs to be addressed urgently. Mayor of County Cork Independent councillor Mary Linehan-Foley said ECRA had done tremendous work galvanising support for the railway reopening by gathering support from people in West Waterford whod said they use it to commute to Cork City. We need to get it on some type of a development plan going forward, she said. Councillors from other regions of the county agreed. Fermoy-based Aontu councillor Peter ODonoghue said it makes common sense. If we are serious about promoting public transport and reducing carbon footprint this has to be done, he said. National homelessness charity St Vincent De Paul (SVP) has issued an urgent plea for home visitation volunteers in Cork. Due to an increased demand on services, SVP is seeking volunteers across a range of positions, with specific need for home visitation volunteers, and individuals with administration and basic accounts experience. Home visitation volunteers provide non-judgemental, confidential support to individuals and families, and help to assess their needs and connect them with appropriate assistance. Following initial contact with SVP, home visits are arranged where possible, allowing volunteers to meet people face-to-face and provide practical and emotional support. More needed There are 236 SVP volunteers active across Cork city, however, more are needed. SVP South-West regional president Mary Frances Behan said demand for assistance is growing, with a rising number of requests coming from individuals and families across the city. Volunteering with SVP is about offering your time, patience and a sympathetic ear. You dont need specialist skills, just common sense, empathy and a willingness to listen, Ms Behan said. Every visit is a small act of kindness, and when you add up all those small acts, they make a real and lasting difference. Many people build lasting friendships through their involvement with SVP while playing a meaningful role in supporting their local community. Ms Behan said all prospective volunteers are supported throughout the application process, including training and guidance from SVP staff. Due to the sensitive nature of the role, Garda vetting, references and an application process are required. For further information, visit: https://www.svp.ie. A DJ who was a passenger in a jeep heading to a post-gig party in West Cork admitted to the possession of cocaine and a knuckleduster, the district court has heard. Sergeant Tom Mulcahy said a Garda patrol spotted a jeep coming towards them along a minor road near Leap, Co Cork, at 1.50am on August 24, 2024. The vehicle was slow to react to the garda car and did not dip its headlights in a timely manner and was subsequently stopped. The court heard gardai could smell cannabis in the vehicle and decided to carry out a search. The front-seat passenger, Oisin Healy, aged 30, with an address at Inchvale Close, Douglas, Cork, handed over a clear plastic bag containing cocaine, which he admitted was for his own personal use. During the search, another bag containing white powder was also recovered, as well as a cannabis grinder, a knuckleduster and some fireworks. KNUCKLEDUSTER Healy admitted the cocaine valued at 350 in total, the cannabis grinder containing a trace amount of cannabis, the fireworks valued at 80 and the knuckleduster belonged to him. The court was told Healy, who had no previous convictions, was pleading guilty to two counts of possession of drugs and possession of the knuckleduster. The fireworks charge was withdrawn by the State. Defence solicitor Colette McCarthy said Healy had been DJ-ing that night and was bringing the fireworks to a party nearby. She said Healy was the son of a prominent garda, whose family had been subject to a number of attacks and he carried the knuckleduster for self-defence because of continued threats. She said Healy had been seriously assaulted not long before the incident. Healy told the court he had drug addiction issues but had been clean since September 2025 and was seeking admission to a drug treatment programme. The court was told Healy also suffered from ADHD and there was an element of paranoia in his behaviour due to the harassment of his family. Judge Joanne Carroll said she would ask for a probation report to be prepared and ordered Healy to take two random drug tests before his next court appearance. She said: If youre off drugs and you stay off drugs I'll deal with this benignly. The matter was adjourned to July 28. This article is funded by the Courts Reporting Scheme More than 20 new inpatient beds at Mallow General Hospital are set to open in the coming weeks. In a response to a parliamentary question from Cork North Central Labour Party TD Eoghan Kenny, a HSE spokesperson said that in relation to the opening of the 24 additional beds at Mallow General Hospital, I can confirm this will happen in the coming weeks. Recruitment and onboarding of staff is ongoing, and all the posts have been approved and are at various stages within the recruitment process. Mallow General Hospital was awarded more than 7m as part of the HSE capital investment plan in 2025, with the funding being used to fit out and provide 24 inpatient beds in accordance with the acute inpatient bed capacity expansion plan. Vital Welcoming the HSE response, Mr Kenny said that the beds are a vital addition for public services and people across North Cork. I am glad to receive a response this morning that the opening of the new 24 inpatient beds in Mallow General Hospital will be happening in the coming weeks The minister for health Jennifer Carroll MacNeill spoke recently about how Mallow hospital holds an important role in the south west region. We have invested very considerably in Mallow and we continue to invest in it for the benefit of the people of Mallow and also the people of the region. It forms a really important part of the patient flow infrastructure between Cork University Hospital, the Mercy Hospital and the way in which patients are moved through them for the benefit of patient safety. A judge has granted the makers of the "ICE Sightings - Chicagoland" Facebook group and the Eyes Up app a preliminary injunction to stop the Trump administration from coercing platforms to take these projects down. Judge Jorge L. Alonso of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois found that the plaintiffs, Kassandra Rosado and Kreisau Group, are likely to succeed in their case, which alleges that the government suppressed protected speech under the First Amendment by strong-arming Facebook and Apple into removing ICE monitoring efforts. Both Eyes Up and ICE Sightings - Chicagoland use publicly available information to keep tabs on ICE activity. But after pressure from Trump officials, they were removed from Apple's App Store and Facebook, respectively. Similar apps including ICEBlock and Red Dot were also taken down from the App Store and Google Play. The lawsuit cites social media posts by former US Attorney General Pam Bondi and former Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem that demanded and took credit for the removal of these apps. In a document filed on Friday, Alonso called these posts "thinly veiled threats." The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE), which is defending the plaintiffs, wrote in a post on X that it is "extremely encouraged by this ruling." It continued, "Even though its not the end of the case, it bodes well for the future of our legal fight to ensure that the First Amendment protects the right to discuss, record, and criticize what law enforcement does in public." The US Department of Justice is siding with X, as the social media platform owned by Elon Musk navigates a criminal investigation unfolding in France. As first reported by The Wall Street Journal, the Justice Department characterized the French probe as "an effort to entangle the United States in a politically charged criminal proceeding aimed at wrongfully regulating through prosecution the business activities of a social media platform. France launched its investigation into X in July, accusing the platform of manipulating its algorithm and "fraudulent data extraction." Months later, French authorities raided X's office in Paris and issued summonses to Musk and Linda Yaccarino, the former CEO of X, to appear for interviews on April 20 as part of the probe. According to WSJ, French officials are also investigating X for other charges, including disseminating CSAM and Holocaust denial. However, France's latest move to ask the Department of Justice for assistance has been stonewalled. This investigation seeks to use the criminal legal system in France to regulate a public square for the free expression of ideas and opinions in a manner contrary to the First Amendment of the United States Constitution," the DOJ wrote in letter, as seen by WSJ. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement An xAI official told WSJ that it's "grateful to the Justice Department for rejecting this effort by a prosecutor in Paris to compel our CEO and several employees to sit for interviews." The company spokesperson also said there was "no wrongdoing" and that it was a "baseless investigation." Queen Elizabeth II's final wish to bring together all her great-grandchildren at Balmoral Castle in the summer of 2022 was reportedly left unfulfilled due to the absence of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's children. Sources told the publication that this absence caused disappointment within the royal family, particularly for Prince William and Kate Middleton. The late Queen, who passed away at 96 in September 2022 after a historic 70-year reign, had hoped that the summer before her death would be spent creating lasting memories with her great-grandchildren. This group included Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis from the Wales family, as well as Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, the children of Harry and Meghan. Royal biographer Robert Hardman, in his book "Queen Elizabeth II: In Private. In Public. The Inside Story" detailed that the Queen was "intent on creating lasting memories with her great-grandchildren." Despite stepping back from royal duties in 2020, Harry and Meghan were still invited to partake in this important family gathering. An insider shared with Radar Online the lingering sadness over the unfulfilled wish. "The Queen's final wish to have all her great-grandchildren together was not fulfilled in the way she had hoped, and that has left a lingering sadness among those who knew how much it meant to her." The Wales family Prince William, 43, and Catherine, Princess of Wales, 44 did attend Balmoral during that summer along with their children. Other relatives such as, Savannah Phillips, Isla Phillips, Mia Tindall, Lena Tindall, Lucas Tindall, Sienna Mapelli Mozzi, and August Brooksbank, were present as well. A family friend told Hardman, "(Elizabeth) wanted to make sure that they all had a really happy memory of her," as reported by AOL. However, Harry and Meghan, who had brought their children to the U.K. in June 2022, are not believed to have traveled to Balmoral. Their absence has sparked various narratives citing personal or logistical reasons, but it remains a point of regret among royal circles. Hardman wrote, "The Queen wanted all the great-grandchildren to come up to Balmoral at some point over that summer (in 2022), even if the Sussexes might not be able to make it." The Sussexes' decision not to attend fueled criticism, especially as they recently conducted a well-publicized tour of Australia without their childrena move labeled by some as a "faux royal tour." An official recalled the Queen's condition during that time, telling Hardman, "She was so brave. You could tell she was having a lot of treatment from the bruising on her hands where the cannula had gone in. Her hands seemed permanently bruised." Elizabeth's private secretary, Edward Young, later noted she died peacefully in her sleep from old age without pain. Actress Ruby Rose has accused pop star Katy Perry of sexually assaulting her at a Melbourne nightclub in 2010, and Victoria police say detectives are investigating an alleged historical sexual assault. Rose posted on Threads that she was in her early 20s when the incident occurred and said she had waited nearly two decades to speak publicly. "I was only in my early 20s. I'm now 40. It has taken almost two decades to say this publicly," Rose wrote as reported by USA Today. "Though I am so grateful to have made it long enough to find my voice, it just shows how much of an impact trauma and sexual assault takes. Thank you for seeing me." A representative for Perry denied the accusation in a statement to media. The representative called the claims "dangerous reckless lies." The source speaking to StyleCaster about Perry's boyfriend, former Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau, said Trudeau is privately standing by Perry. The source said via Rob Shuter, "He doesn't believe the accusations not for a second." The source added, "He thinks it's unfair and deeply damaging." The same source told the outlet that Trudeau is not publicly confronting the matter. "You won't see him doing interviews about this," the insider explained. "He believes staying quiet is the smartest move right now." The source also said, "He's telling friends this doesn't line up with the woman he knows," and added, "To him, it simply doesn't add up." The outlet reported that the couple, who have been dating since 2025, have met each other's children and made public appearances together. The report quoted an insider who called the situation "a huge test," and said, "And he's choosing loyalty." Another source commented to emphasize Trudeau's awareness of the allegations' seriousness and suggested his instinct is to protect Perry. The source said, "He understands how serious this is," and added, "But his instinct is to protect her, not escalate things publicly." The insider concluded, "He's all in just very, very quiet about it." Victoria police confirmed an investigation in a statement quoted by the publication. The statement said, "Melbourne Sexual Offences and Child Abuse Investigation Team (SOCIT) detectives are investigating [an alleged] historical sexual assault that occurred in Melbourne in 2010." The statement continued, "Police have been told the incident occurred at a licensed premises in Melbourne's CBD. As the investigation remains ongoing, it would be inappropriate to comment further at this stage." Perry's only public response so far was an Instagram Story posted April 14 showing an image of her song "By the Grace of God" and the words "i love you." Lyrics from the song include, "Now I have to rise above / Let the universe call the bluff / Yeah the truth will set you free." Cher has filed for an emergency conservatorship over her son, Elijah Blue Allman, citing serious concerns about his health, safety, and ability to manage his life and finances. The petition was submitted in Los Angeles Superior Court and asks for a temporary conservator to oversee his estate. In the filing, Cher says her 49-year-old son's condition has "significantly deteriorated," pointing to what she describes as ongoing mental health struggles and drug dependency, PageSix reported. She has requested fiduciary Jason Rubin to take control of his finances instead of serving as conservator herself. The documents claim Allman is currently in custody at a psychiatric hospital in New Hampshire, where he is being evaluated while facing criminal charges, including burglary, assault, and trespassing. Cher argues that he is "gravely disabled" and unable to make safe decisions. According to the petition, Allman allegedly struggles with money management and spends his funds quickly on drugs, luxury hotels, and transportation. Breaking: Cher's son Elijah Blue Allman is in a psychiatric hospital as she fights to appoint a conservator. Details: https://t.co/xDsxYtHhrH pic.twitter.com/LZCoPjTUAA TMZ (@TMZ) April 17, 2026 Cher Says Son Elijah Blue Allman Faces 'Repeated Crises' Cher also claims he owes large debts, including unpaid taxes and money linked to a drug dealer. She says his financial troubles have led to repeated crises, including overdoses and hospital visits. The filing also describes repeated property damage at hotels and Airbnb stays, as well as behavior that has led to him being removed from multiple hotels. Cher further alleges incidents involving erratic behavior and dangerous situations, including being found unconscious in traffic and being treated with Narcan after emergency responders arrived. According to People, family members have also weighed in. His half-brother, Devon Allman, submitted a statement supporting the petition, saying Elijah is "a danger to himself and unable to manage his life." Cher says this is not the first time she has tried to step in. She previously filed for conservatorship in 2023 but later withdrew the request after a private agreement was reached. Now, she argues the situation has worsened and requires urgent action. A court hearing on the new request is scheduled for April 24, while Elijah is also expected to appear in separate criminal cases later this month. Originally published on Music Times Support Us Your Support will ensure EPWs financial viability and sustainability. The EPW produces independent and public-spirited scholarship and analyses of contemporary affairs every week. EPW is one of the few publications that keep alive the spirit of intellectual inquiry in the Indian media. Often described as a publication with a social conscience, EPW has never shied away from taking strong editorial positions. Our publication is free from political pressure, or commercial interests. Our editorial independence is our pride. We rely on your support to continue the endeavour of highlighting the challenges faced by the disadvantaged, writings from the margins, and scholarship on the most pertinent issues that concern contemporary Indian society. Every contribution is valuable for our future. Chinese powerhouse provinces report robust trade growth Xinhua) 10:55, April 18, 2026 Visitors look at products of Chinese motorcycle maker ZXMOTO at the 139th edition of the China Import and Export Fair in Guangzhou, south China's Guangdong Province, April 17, 2026. (Xinhua/Lu Hanxin) GUANGZHOU, April 17 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese economic powerhouse provinces of Guangdong and Zhejiang recorded robust foreign trade growth in the first quarter of 2026, with Guangdong posting its first-ever quarterly imports exceeding 1 trillion yuan (145.7 billion U.S. dollars). Foreign trade in the southern Guangdong Province surged 19.4 percent year on year to 2.54 trillion yuan from January to March, marking the 11th consecutive quarter of positive growth, according to the Guangdong sub-administration of the General Administration of Customs. Exports rose 14.3 percent year on year to 1.53 trillion yuan, while imports jumped 27.8 percent to a record quarterly high of 1.01 trillion yuan, crossing the trillion-yuan threshold for the first time in a single quarter. As China's largest foreign trade province, Guangdong accounts for about one-fifth of the national total in both overall foreign trade and imports. A major manufacturing hub, the province's deep and extensive industrial chains create substantial market demand for production factors. A visitor looks at an ice cream making robot at the 139th edition of the China Import and Export Fair in Guangzhou, south China's Guangdong Province, April 15, 2026. (Xinhua/Deng Hua) In the first quarter, Guangdong saw growth in imports of numerically-controlled machine tools, integrated circuits, and computer parts. Notably, imports of aircraft parts and vehicle engines surged 53.3 percent and 70.1 percent, respectively, reflecting strong demand for core components and high-end equipment from advanced manufacturing sectors such as aerospace and new energy vehicles. Meanwhile, thanks to the ongoing effects of China's pro-consumption policies, imports of consumer goods for daily use also expanded. Imports of edible oil, beef, dairy products, and aquatic products rose 124.1 percent, 73.4 percent, 12.3 percent and 9.4 percent, respectively, while imports of video cameras, recreational products and pharmaceuticals also saw rapid growth during the period. "From daily necessities like grain, oil, meat, and dairy to fresh fruits that enrich daily life, and from cutting-edge electronics to high-end medical products, imports are expanding into a wide range of consumer goods that meet the people's aspiration for a better life," said Feng Guoqing, deputy director of the sub-administration. Exports of 3D printers, drones, and digital cameras soared by 136.9 percent, 51.2 percent, and 60.2 percent, respectively, figures show. Private enterprises remained the backbone of Guangdong's trade, with their imports and exports surging 25.5 percent to 1.69 trillion yuan, accounting for 66.6 percent of the province's total. A technician debugs a humanoid robot at a company in Ningbo, east China's Zhejiang Province, March 26, 2026. (Xinhua/Huang Zongzhi) In east China's Zhejiang, foreign trade rose 7.1 percent year on year to 1.38 trillion yuan in the first quarter, with exports hitting a record high of 1.04 trillion yuan for the January-March period, according to Hangzhou Customs in the provincial capital Hangzhou. Exports of mechanical and electrical products grew 7.1 percent to 493.44 billion yuan, accounting for 47.6 percent of the province's total exports. The exports of electric vehicles and lithium batteries skyrocketed by 90.7 percent and 124.2 percent year on year to 16.65 billion yuan and 12.57 billion yuan, respectively. Private firms in Zhejiang posted 1.14 trillion yuan in imports and exports during the period, up 8.6 percent year on year, accounting for 82.4 percent of the province's total. (Web editor: Zhao Tong, Wu Chaolan) Excerpts from an interview Impact thats what matters most to me. I think its just about showing up every day no matter what and doing all you can with ones eyes on the goal... The first of my mentors is Professor Jaideep Prabhu from the University of Cambridge. One of the most surprising strengths I developed was self reliance, especially after my divorce in 2017. Today, while I remain deeply committed to creating impact and building a kinder world, One practice that is non-negotiable for me is reading 10 pages of a book every single day. I would tell my younger self, Dont waste a minute, every second of this life is precious.. My definition of success has shifted from achievement to discovery. Asustainability-focused entrepreneur,is the co-founder of GreenCat, a deep-tech start-up developing computational tools to optimise catalytic reactions and reduce emissions in industrial processes such as CO2utilisation. She is known for building ventures in climate innovation, science, and global policy. With a background that spans law, public policy, and deep technology, her work centres on translating scientific research into scalable businesses that address environmental challenges.A Commonwealth Scholar, Ambika completed her MPhil in Public Policy at the University of Cambridge between 2021 and 2023, where she was introduced to the world of deep-tech innovation. She is currently a fellow at the Cambridge Judge Business School, working within the universitys entrepreneurial ecosystem to help bridge the gap between research and market deployment.Before moving into climate-tech entrepreneurship, she was widely recognised for her work in animal rights advocacy and policy reform in India.Success, in its truest sense, is about whether we are making the world a kinder, more sustainable place. It is not measured by titles or recognition. It is measured by whether the work we do meaningfully improves the world and whether the solutions we build endure.to make the journey as wonderful as possible for the team. The result can only be wonderful when the journey is filled with that same sense of joy and wonder.He taught me that you dont need vast resources to do meaningful work you need creativity and the courage to think differently. The second is Lord Sonny Leong, whom I met as a Commonwealth Scholar. His journey taught me the quiet but powerful discipline of showing up every single day with grit and determination.That period forced me to recognise how important it was to stand firmly on my own, emotionally, practically, and professionally.I am equally committed to ensuring that I am well and I encourage other women, especially founders and changemakers, to do the same. Selflessness is powerful, but resilience and self care make that selflessness sustainable.My mother instilled this habit in me when I was 10 years old, and it has stayed with me ever since.. Be curious. Go to the talk on a topic you know nothing about. Say yes more often than you say no. Live fully, even when it feels unfamiliar or uncertain. Learn, grow, and challenge yourself to be better every single day. You are only in competition with yourself.Today, Im continually amazed by how dynamic and full of possibility the world is, especially through the power of innovation. Working in a deeply-technical start-up and using my skills to help build community within this evolving technological landscape has been both challenging and deeply rewarding. As a child I would, along with my regular riyaaz, sing her songs as a part of my practice. Her harkats and taans were part of my study. We literally grew up on the songs of Lata didi and Ashaji. Years later, I met her and didi at a function in Kolkata. I presented them with a bouquet of flowers and touched their feet and took their blessings. We didnt meet much in Mumbai. Lataji had come to an event where I was singing and gave me her ashirwad. People did try to tell me things that the sisters were annoyed etc but their behavior towards me was that of love and mutual admiration. Years later Ashaji and I were judges on a show called Sur Kshetra, produced by Boney Kapoorji and directed by Gajendra Singh, which was conducted in Dubai. So one day, with great trepidation, I knocked on her vanity door and went in. She was so warm and nice. I presented her with a Jamdani saree. From then on we got along like a house on fire. We gossiped, we talked about music. She would share her sorrows with me. Our friendship grew. She was so full of life. We would shoot late into the night. But she wouldnt take a minute's break. I would ask her to relax and take it easy. But she wouldnt. She was on the ball. Once she went to the market, bought prawns and cooked an entire meal for me because she knew I liked prawns. We did an impromptu version of Dama dam mast qalandar. After a contestant sang the same song, we were asked by the presenters to sing it. First Abida Parveen ji sang, then me and Ashaji joined in. It was a wonderful rendition. We spent two months together in Dubai. It was such a lovely time. I remember she had come to Dhaka once for a show and I was invited to the show to welcome her. The organiser asked me to sing Dama dam and I said, No its Ashajis concert. She was such a sport she said, Come, lets sing it together, and we sang the number. She had no airs at all. I would touch her feet and she would stop me saying youre my friend dont touch my feet now. But I would anyway touch her feet. We were in touch over the phone and used to chat for a long time. She would keep me up to date with the Bollywood gossip also. Ha! I had composed a song called Chole jawa dheu for her. She readily said yes. So I sent her the lyrics and sang the song for her. A day before recording we went to her house and rehearsed the song. She said now you sing it again and show me exactly how you want me to sound. I was like,Ashaji you are so senior, main kya sikhaaongi aapko?. But she was, No! You are the composer, you show me how it's done. She made the song so special with her special embellishments. I remember we recorded the song at Suresh Wadkarjis studio. How do I explain the loss of a friend? Its too much of a grief to bear. I still feel shes just a phone call away Also Read: Usha Khanna Shares Her Memories of Asha Bhosle Critic's rating 3.5 /5 There is no denying the ambition that drives Mr. X. From its very first stretch, the film positions itself as a large-scale espionage thriller, one that wants to operate in the same space as global spy franchises while retaining a distinctly local emotional core. It opens with urgency and intent, dropping us into a world of covert operations, compromised missions, and intelligence networks that are already on the brink of collapse. For a while, the film holds this tension with confidence. But as it progresses, that ambition begins to weigh it down. The premise revolves around a high-stakes national threat; with intelligence agencies racing against time to prevent a catastrophic attack. Within this framework, the film introduces multiple operatives, overlapping missions, and a steady stream of betrayals. It is a narrative built on movement and momentum, constantly shifting from one development to another. The early portions benefit from this pace, creating an engaging sense of urgency. Arya anchors the film as a field agent caught at the centre of this unfolding crisis. His performance is effective in parts but emotionally distant, relying on restraint rather than overt dramatics. This works in moments of tension, but as the film leans into its more emotional beats, the character feels less layered than intended. Manju Warrier, playing the senior intelligence officer overseeing the operation, offers a steadier presence. She brings authority and clarity to a film that often risks slipping into narrative chaos. Warriers performance is controlled and assured, grounding several key moments and giving the story a much-needed anchor. What works consistently in Mr. X is its technical craft. The cinematography captures both scale and intimacy, moving between expansive action setups and tightly framed surveillance sequences. There is a clear visual language at play; one that reinforces the films themes of observation and uncertainty. The production design complements this, creating a world that feels layered and active. The action set pieces, too, reflect the films ambition. They are staged with a sense of scale and occasionally deliver genuine excitement. Yet, even here, the films larger problem begins to surface. Instead of building towards a cohesive rhythm, these sequences often feel like individual highlights placed within an already crowded narrative. The screenplay is where Mr. X begins to lose its grip. In its attempt to juggle multiple threads, the film stretches itself too thin; subplots emerge and overlap, characters shift allegiances, and new developments are introduced in quick succession. While this should ideally enhance intrigue, it creates a sense of overload. The film does not give its ideas enough room to breathe, moving rapidly from one point to another without fully exploring any of them. This excess also affects the films tonal balance. There are moments that aim for grounded tension, sitting alongside stretches that feel heightened, even unintentionally exaggerated. The result is a film that does not always know how seriously it wants to be taken. At times, this heightened quality adds a certain energy. At others, it undercuts the stakes the narrative is trying to establish. The emotional threads suffer the most in this crowded structure. Personal conflicts and relationships are introduced with intent, but they rarely receive the development needed to resonate. What could have served as the films emotional backbone ends up feeling underwritten, overshadowed by the constant push of the plot. The dialogue follows a similar pattern. There are stretches of effective restraint, but these are often interrupted by exposition-heavy exchanges that spell out motivations and developments. This reliance on explanation further contributes to the sense of narrative fatigue. Pacing becomes uneven as the film moves into its latter half. The initial urgency gives way to repetition, with the story circling its central conflict without adding new depth. Theres a point in the second half where the film stops building and simply starts stacking. The accumulation of twists and turns, instead of heightening tension, begins to dilute it. By the time the film approaches its resolution, the impact feels muted. That said, Mr. X is not without its engaging moments. Its ambition is evident in nearly every frame, and there are passages where the film captures the tension and unpredictability of espionage effectively. It is also refreshing to see a Tamil film attempt this scale within the genre, even if the execution does not always match the intent. Ultimately, Mr. X is a film that is undone by its own excess. It has the ingredients of a gripping thriller, supported by strong performances and polished technical work. But its need to do too much, too often, prevents it from coming together as a cohesive whole. It remains an interesting, engaging watch, but one that leaves behind the sense of a sharper, more controlled film that could have been. Also Read: Filmfare recommends: Bollywood science fiction films down the years 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! The initiative is designed to support the tokenization and commercialization of 100 companies formed around acquired innovation-related intellectual property. FULLERTON, Calif., April 18, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Akemona, Inc., a provider of tokenization and digital asset issuance infrastructure, announced today that a tokenized offering for Industrialized Innovation Impact Portfolio I LLC is now available through the Akemona platform. The initiative is centered on 100 companies formed through the acquisition of innovation-related intellectual property and associated commercialization rights. Tokenization is intended to support the commercialization of these companies through a structured digital asset framework. According to information provided to Akemona, Industrialized Innovation Impact Portfolio I is designed to offer diversified exposure to 100 early-stage companies created through FyrstGen's Company Building as a Service (CBaaS) model. The portfolio is structured through a special purpose vehicle and is intended to hold 50% equity positions in 100 FyrstGen companies spanning sectors such as green energy, sustainable agriculture, public health, and other innovation-driven markets. Industrialized Innovations has stated that the portfolio is part of a broader effort to transform underutilized intellectual property into commercially oriented operating companies. The underlying companies are built and run by FyrstGen itself through its proprietary CBaaS platform. Acting as the centralized entrepreneur, CBaaS executes company formation, strategic planning, commercialization, scaling, and exit preparation end-to-end - eliminating founder dependency by design. "Through our partnership with Akemona, for the first time ever, we can standardize the refinancing of innovation - a major milestone in the global rollout of our new ecosystem," said Philipp Assmus, Chief Executive Officer of Industrialized Innovations and Fyrst Limited. Clemence Kopeikin, Chief Operating Officer at FyrstGen, added, "For too long, entire regions, communities, and brilliant minds have been excluded from value creation. We're opening the door for those who have historically been left out of the process, all while bringing innovation to market, addressing some of the world's biggest challenges." The initiative comes at a time when tokenization is receiving increased attention in the United States as policymakers and regulators work toward greater clarity for digital assets and tokenized securities. Recent developments, including the House passage of the CLARITY Act in 2025 and SEC staff guidance on tokenized securities in January 2026, have added momentum to the broader market discussion, even as the legislative process continues. For Akemona, the project reflects how tokenization can be applied not only to individual assets but also to larger multi-company structures. Akemona's technology is designed to support digital asset issuance, blockchain-based ownership records, investor access workflows, and smart contract-enabled transaction infrastructure. "Tokenization is moving beyond isolated use cases and becoming a serious infrastructure layer for modern capital formation," said Alex de Lorraine, Chief Executive Officer of Akemona. "This initiative stands out because of its scale and architecture. Bringing 100 companies into a single tokenized framework demonstrates how blockchain technology can support more structured, transparent, and efficient approaches to private market participation." The offering materials provided to Akemona state that the portfolio companies are derived from intellectual property sourced from universities and independent research, with an emphasis on commercial potential and real-world impact. The stated use of proceeds includes supporting commercialization infrastructure, initial product orders, and portfolio scaling activities intended to position the companies for future acquisition pathways. Akemona provides blockchain-based infrastructure for digital asset issuance and management, helping businesses and financial institutions modernize capital formation through tokenized securities and other blockchain-native financial instruments. The company's platform supports digital issuance workflows, investor onboarding, smart contract deployment, and ownership administration for tokenized assets. Additional information about the offering is available through the Akemona platform at https://investors.akemona.com/offerings/impact. Media Contact Email: info@akemona.com Disclaimer This press release is provided for informational purposes only and is intended solely to notify the public about an upcoming offering expected to become available through the Akemona platform. Akemona, Inc. is distributing this communication solely in its capacity as a technology platform provider. Akemona does not recommend or endorse any issuer, investment opportunity, or offering, and does not provide investment, legal, tax, accounting, or other professional advice. Nothing in this press release should be construed as an offer to sell, a solicitation of an offer to buy, or a recommendation to purchase, sell, or hold any security. Any offering referenced in this communication is the responsibility of the applicable issuer and is expected to be conducted pursuant to Rule 506(c) of Regulation D, or another available exemption from registration. The securities referenced herein have not been registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission or any state securities regulator, and may be offered and sold only to investors who are verified as accredited investors under applicable law. Such securities will be subject to restrictions on transfer and resale. No federal or state securities regulator, including the SEC, has approved, passed upon, or endorsed the merits of any offering, or determined whether this communication is accurate or complete. Any investment decision should be made only after careful review of the applicable offering materials and in consultation with the investor's own legal, tax, financial, accounting, and other professional advisers. Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2959652/FyrstGen.jpg Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1228774/5923699/Akemona_Logo.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/akemona-to-power-upcoming-tokenized-offering-for-industrialized-innovation-impact-portfolio-i-302746365.html Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - April 17, 2026) - American Aires Inc. (CSE: WIFI) (OTCQB: AAIRF) (the "Company") issues this update regarding its liquidity position, its ongoing strategic review, and its previously disclosed litigation. As previously disclosed, the Company is pursuing legal proceedings against certain former officers and related parties (the "Litigation") in connection with alleged misconduct and related matters. The Litigation is ongoing, and the Company continues to actively pursue its claims. As disclosed in the Company's prior press release, the Company's former auditor resigned from its engagement. As a result of that resignation and the ongoing matters described herein, the Company does not currently expect to be in a position to complete its audit for the year ended December 31, 2025 within the prescribed timeframe. The Company is actively engaged in efforts to appoint a successor auditor; however, there can be no assurance as to the timing of such appointment or the completion of the audit. The Company continues to operate in an environment of constrained liquidity and limited near-term visibility, which presents ongoing operational challenges, including with respect to supply chain planning and inventory availability. In connection with previously disclosed matters, the Company has implemented transition and contingency measures that, together with these conditions, have from time to time affected its ability to fully meet customer demand. While the Company continues to operate its business, certain supply and operational arrangements remain subject to transition and execution risk. The Company believes the matters underlying the Litigation have adversely affected its business operations. In particular, the Company continues to experience supply chain challenges, including constraints on inventory availability, which have impacted its ability to meet customer demand. Over recent months, the combination of supply chain constraints, reduced revenues and continued operating costs has placed additional pressure on the Company's liquidity. During this time, management has devoted significant resources to stabilizing operations, addressing legacy matters and pursuing legal remedies. These circumstances, together with the resignation of the Company's former auditor, have further constrained management's ability to finalize the Company's audited financial statements for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2025. The Company continues to implement cash management and operational efficiency measures while evaluating longer-term solutions. The Board of Directors, together with the Company's legal and financial advisors, is actively reviewing strategic alternatives intended to strengthen the Company's financial position and support future operations. These alternatives may include potential financing transactions, strategic partnerships or the disposition of certain assets. The strategic review remains ongoing. The Company continues to advance the Litigation and intends to seek appropriate remedies. While management believes the Company's claims are well-founded, there can be no assurance as to the timing or outcome of the Litigation, or whether any recovery will be realized. There can be no assurance that the Company's strategic review will result in a particular transaction or outcome, or that any strategic alternative will be successfully implemented. The Company intends to provide further updates as appropriate and in accordance with its continuous disclosure obligations. Forward-Looking Information This press release contains forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws. Forward-looking information includes, but is not limited to, statements regarding the Company's liquidity position, ongoing operational and cash management measures, the pursuit and potential outcome of the Litigation, and the evaluation of strategic alternatives, including potential financing transactions, asset dispositions or other strategic initiatives. Forward-looking information is based on management's current expectations, assumptions and beliefs, and is subject to a number of known and unknown risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results or events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, risks related to the Company's ability to improve its liquidity position, continue operations, access capital on acceptable terms, resolve supply chain challenges, successfully implement strategic initiatives, appoint a successor auditor and complete its financial reporting, and the timing and outcome of the Litigation. Additional information regarding risks and uncertainties is available in the Company's continuous disclosure filings available under its profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca. Forward-looking information is given as of the date of this press release, and the Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise such information except as required by applicable securities laws. Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Market Regulator (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/292882 Source: American Aires Inc. Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - April 17, 2026) - Quebec Nickel Corp. (CSE: QNI) (FSE: 7lB0) (OTCQB: QNICF) ("QNI" or the "Company") announces that it has closed its previously announced (March 4, 2026) non-brokered private placement (the "Offering") for aggregate gross proceeds of $777,250. Pursuant to the Offering, the Company issued 3,109,000 units (the "Units") at a price of $0. 25 per Unit. Each Unit consists of one common share of the Company and one common share purchase warrant. Each warrant is exercisable to acquire one additional common share of the Company at an exercise price of $0.40 per share for a period of two years from the date of issuance. The Units were issued pursuant to applicable prospectus exemptions, including the family, friends and business associates exemption, the accredited investor exemption and equivalent exemptions under applicable Canadian securities laws. The Company paid aggregate cash finder's fees in connection with the Offering of $23,900.00 in accordance with the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange and applicable securities legislation. No securities were issued as finder's compensation. The net proceeds from the Offering will be used for general working capital purposes, including advancing the Company's exploration activities and evaluating strategic opportunities. All securities issued in connection with the Offering are subject to a statutory hold period under applicable Canadian securities laws, expiring four months and one day from the date of issuance. The Offering remains subject to final acceptance of the Canadian Securities Exchange. The CSE has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this news release. Neither the CSE nor its Market Regulator (as that term is defined in the policies of the CSE) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. About Quebec Nickel Corp. Quebec Nickel Corp. is a mineral exploration company focused on acquiring, exploring, and developing critical metals (Au-Ni-Cu-Co-PGE) projects in North America. Additional information about Quebec Nickel Corp. is available at www.quebecnickel.com. CAUTIONARY AND FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS This news release includes certain statements that may be deemed "forward-looking statements". All statements in this news release, other than statements of historical facts that address events or developments that the Company expects to occur, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally, but not always, identified by the words "expects," "plans," "anticipates," "believes," "intends," "estimates," "projects," "potential" and similar expressions, or that events or conditions "will," "would," "may," "could" or "should" occur. Although the Company believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance, and actual results may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause the results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include market prices, continued availability of capital and financing, and general economic, market, or business conditions. Investors are cautioned that such statements are not guarantees of future performance and that actual results or developments may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based on the beliefs, estimates, and opinions of the Company's management on the date the statements are made. Except as required by applicable securities laws, the Company undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements if management's beliefs, estimates, opinions, or other factors should change. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/293231 Source: Quebec Nickel Corp Haikou, China--(Newsfile Corp. - April 18, 2026) - As a core official event and a key highlight of the 6th China International Consumer Products Expo (CICPE), the 2026 "Global Gift Hainan Expo Selection" Awards Ceremony and its accompanying series, the "Global Gift Hainan Expo Selection" Design Gala & Italian Style Night, were held in Haikou, Hainan on April 14. Organized by the World Olymp'Arts Council (WOAC) in collaboration with the Hainan International Economic Development Bureau (IEDB), the event utilized international authoritative evaluation standards to select premium consumer goods, injecting global momentum into the development of the Hainan Free Trade Port and the International Tourism Consumption Center. The 2026 "Global Gift & Hainan Expo Selection" Awards Ceremony To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/12089/293133_8c2b12bb14b17a08_001full.jpg Leading Through Openness and Innovation: International Guests Discuss Cooperation Centering on the theme "Leading Global Consumption Through Openness, Driving a Better Life Through Innovation," the event brought together high-level officials from international organizations, Chinese provincial leaders, and global industry authorities. Distinguished guests included: Kim Won-Soo , Honorary President of WOAC and former UN Under-Secretary-General. Irina Bokova , Honorary President of WOAC and former Director-General of UNESCO. Li Rongcan , Chairman of the Hainan Provincial Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC). Wang Guangzhi , Assistant Director of the Hainan International Economic Development Bureau. Qin Wen, Executive President of WOAC and Chief Representative of the Beijing Liaison Office. Kim Won-Soo, Honorary President of WOAC and former UN Under-Secretary-General To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/12089/293133_8c2b12bb14b17a08_002full.jpg Irina Bokova, Honorary President of WOAC and former Director-General of UNESCO To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/12089/293133_8c2b12bb14b17a08_003full.jpg Li Rongcan, Chairman of the Hainan Provincial Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/12089/293133_8c2b12bb14b17a08_004full.jpg Qin Wen, Executive President of WOAC and Chief Representative of the Beijing Liaison Office To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/12089/293133_8c2b12bb14b17a08_005full.jpg Attendees engaged in deep exchanges regarding global consumption innovation, design aesthetics, and cultural mutual learning. They spoke highly of the event's value in connecting domestic and foreign markets, driving the global design industry, and fostering China-Italy cultural exchange. Authoritative Honors Released: Celebrating Global Excellence and Artistic Elites Guided by the dual dimensions of "International Artistic Standards + Premium Consumer Value," the ceremony presented prestigious awards across consumer goods, art, design, and public welfare: Global Gift Awards: Dozens of honors were presented, including Gold, Silver, and Bronze awards, as well as the Technological Innovation Award , Rising Star Award , Future Potential Award , and Industry Breakthrough Award . Dozens of honors were presented, including Gold, Silver, and Bronze awards, as well as the , , , and . Annual Figure Awards: Recognizing outstanding contributions in art, design, and innovation: Annual Young Artist: Wai Wai (China-Chic Artist). Annual Crossover Figure: Stefan Faustle (Co-founder of ART LAB and WOAC-supported artist). Annual Sculptor: Aldo Flecchia (Renowned international sculptor). Annual Designer: Yoni Alter (UK-based contemporary artist and WOAC-supported artist). Annual Innovation Leader: Xu Jin (Leading figure in the field of innovation). Annual Artist: Chen Yan (Chief Art Director for the Beijing Olympic & Winter Olympic Games). Recognizing outstanding contributions in art, design, and innovation: Public Welfare Awards: The China Women's Development Foundation (CWDF) was honored with the Annual Public Welfare Grand Prize. Additionally, the "Genius Mom" Public Welfare Award recognized embroidery projects and creators demonstrating excellence in intangible cultural heritage preservation and female empowerment. Artistic and Cultural Fusion: Building an International Resource Hub The gala featured the Italian Fashion Show, showcasing exquisite Italian aesthetics, followed by a cultural exchange ceremony where Italian artists presented artworks to the cities of Haikou and Sanya. During the subsequent themed cocktail reception, guests deepened their connections amidst a blend of Italian songs and Chinese instrumental music, exploring future prospects for global brand collaboration. Conclusion and Outlook As one of the most influential international hallmark events of the Expo, the 2026 "Global Gift Hainan Expo Selection" not only showcased the innovative vitality of the global consumer sector but also refined the Expo's resource-docking system by building a two-way platform for "Chinese brands going global and international brands entering China". WOAC will continue to leverage this national-level platform to integrate global cultural and artistic resources, facilitating higher-level trade connectivity and civilization exchange between China and the world. Wai Wai (China-Chic Artist) To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/12089/293133_8c2b12bb14b17a08_006full.jpg Stefan Faustle (Co-founder of ART LAB and WOAC-supported artist) To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/12089/293133_8c2b12bb14b17a08_007full.jpg Aldo Flecchia (Renowned international sculptor) To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/12089/293133_8c2b12bb14b17a08_008full.jpg Yoni Alter (UK-based contemporary artist and WOAC-supported artist) To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/12089/293133_8c2b12bb14b17a08_009full.jpg Xu Jin (Leading figures in the field of innovation) To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/12089/293133_8c2b12bb14b17a08_010full.jpg Chen Yan (Chief Art Director for the Beijing Summer and Winter Olympics and WOAC-supported artist) To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/12089/293133_8c2b12bb14b17a08_011full.jpg Representative of the China Women's Development Foundation accepting the award To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/12089/293133_8c2b12bb14b17a08_012full.jpg Winners of the Genius Mom Public Welfare Award To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/12089/293133_8c2b12bb14b17a08_013full.jpg About the World Olymp'Arts Council (WOAC) Founded at UNESCO in July 1995, WOAC is a non-profit international NGO. It aims to revive the spirit of artistic competitions established in ancient Greece in 566 BC. With the mission "Let Art Light Up the World!" and core values of Universality, Aesthetics, Artistry, Harmony, and Non-violence, WOAC is dedicated to promoting global peace and cultural mutual learning through art. Official Website: woac.olymparts.org www.olymparts.org To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/293133 Source: ZekarNews Budtrans to Hold Shareholders' Meeting on April 30 Budtrans PJSC intends to hold a general meeting of shareholders on April 30, 2026. The company has posted the relevant notice of the meeting, as well as the accompanying documents for participation and voting, on its corporate website. Budtrans PJSC is registered in Kyiv, operates as a private joint-stock company, and, according to public registry data, was founded on November 13, 1998. The companys authorized capital is UAH 527,300. Alexander Grigorovich is listed as the companys director. The companys primary activity listed in the state registry is the construction of residential and non-residential buildings. Additional areas of activity include freight trucking, real estate leasing and management, and the manufacture of metal doors and windows, as well as metal structures for construction. According to Opendatabot, the largest shareholder with a significant stake is Alexander Grigorovich, who owns 75.4352% of the shares. In the registry information, the owners are also referred to as shareholders according to the registry. According to data from public registries, in 2025, Budtrans PJSCs revenue amounted to 7.17 million UAH, net profit to 141,500 UAH, and assets at year-end to 695,100 UAH. A year earlier, the companys revenue was 4.94 million UAH, and net profit was 156,000 UAH. If you have recently installed a very up-to-date Linux distribution with a desktop environment, or upgraded your system on a rolling-release distribution, you might have noticed that your home directory has a new folder: Projects Why? With the recent 0.20 release of xdg-user-dirs we enabled the Projects directory by default. Support for this has already existed since 2007, but was never formally enabled. This closes a more than 11 year old bug report that asked for this feature. The purpose of the Projects directory is to give applications a default location to place project files that do not cleanly belong into one of the existing categories (Documents, Music, Pictures, Videos). Examples of this are software engineering projects, scientific projects, 3D printing projects, CAD design or even things like video editing projects, where project files would end up in the Projects directory, with output video being more at home in Videos. By enabling this by default, and subsequently in the coming months adding support to GLib, Flatpak, desktops and applications that want to make use of it, we hope to give applications that do operate in a project-centric manner with mixed media a better default storage location. As of now, those tools either default to the home directory, or will clutter the Documents folder, both of which is not ideal. It also gives users a default organization structure, hopefully leading to less clutter overall and better storage layouts. This sucks, I dont like it! As usual, you are in control and can modify your systems behavior. If you do not like the Projects folder, simply delete it! The xdg-user-dirs utility will not try to create it again, and instead adjust the default location for this directory to your home directory. If you want more control, you can influence exactly what goes where by editing your ~/.config/user-dirs.dirs configuration file. If you are a system administrator or distribution vendor and want to set default locations for the default XDG directories, you can edit the /etc/xdg/user-dirs.defaults file to set global defaults that affect all users on the system (users can still adjust the settings however they like though). What else is new? Besides this change, the 0.20 release of xdg-user-dirs brings full support for the Meson build system (dropping Automake), translation updates, and some robustness improvements to its code. We also fixed the arbitrary code execution from unsanitized input bug that the Arch Linux Wiki mentions here for the xdg-user-dirs utility, by replacing the shell script with a C binary. Thanks to everyone who contributed to this release! NVIDIA remains plagued by the chip shortage in the tech industry, but it may be giving customers, a chance to snag a budget gaming GPU with adequate specs later this year. A new leak claims that NVIDIA would give users a new option for their next build, one where they need not worry about the rising costs of GPUs in the market to help ease the current issues faced by the community. NVIDIA Budget Gaming GPU Is Coming RTX 5050 9G is delayed, launch becomes pretty uncertain now. The newly produced RTX 3060 will fill the gap, ETA June 2026. MEGAsizeGPU (@Zed__Wang) April 17, 2026 A trusted leaker called MEGAsizeGPU has shared new information online, saying that NVIDIA is planning to reproduce the GeForce RTX 3060 GPU, its previous-gen budget-friendly gaming GPU. It is believed that NVIDIA's next graphics card, the GeForce RTX 5050 9G, is delayed in its planned release and has an "uncertain" timeline now. The leaker said that the mid-range gaming GPU from five years ago is set to "fill the gap" before the next-gen mid-range gaming GPU from NVIDIA arrives. It was revealed that the GeForce RTX 3060's resurrection from NVIDIA will arrive by June 2026 and deliver a tried and tested GPU to the market to help alleviate the surging prices and market shortage. What to Expect From NVIDIA's Budget GPU? According to PCGamesN, the return of NVIDIA's budget gaming GPU from five years ago may help users, with its proven track record making it an "ideal upgrade" for users. This could give users a notable option to upgrade their older components to a more modern one or to build a budget gaming PC. Earlier this year, there were rumors that NVIDIA was resurrecting the GeForce RTX 3060 as the production of its GA106 GPU restarted at its original manufacturer, Samsung. This move could help NVIDIA produce the chips at high volume and at a low price as its current partner, TSMC, is already at capacity. The report noted that the GeForce RTX 3060 with 12GB VRAM could be powerful enough to handle most games as lower VRAM capacity could cause some games to not run. PCGamesN noted that the likes of the GeForce RTX 5050 and RTX 5060 only have 8GB of VRAM on them. That said, should the GeForce RTX 3060 return this June, it will only have access to NVIDIA's DLSS upscaling because of its older technology and not the latest frame generation. Originally published on Player One Welcome to my genealogy blog. Genea-Musings features genealogy research tips and techniques, genealogy news items and commentary, genealogy humor, San Diego genealogy society news, family history research and some family history stories from the keyboard of Randy Seaver (of Chula Vista CA), who thinks that Genealogy Research Is really FUN! Copyright (c) Randall J. Seaver, 2006-2024. "Shoot for the Moon" @37:24 swing up and down for happiness *** ** School crushes last: "I'm sorry I'm NOT the girl you thought I was" @1:04:00 https://youtu.be/mafFZ_zoGMA?si=DNTrrb4ylpddNI_B Notable Actresses Who Hold the Title Dame The title Dame is the female equivalent of Sir in the British honors system (primarily the Order of the British Empire or related royal orders). It is awarded for major contributions to the arts, charity, public service, or national life. Many of the most respected actresses in British and Commonwealth cinema and theatre hold this distinction. Below are some of the most prominent actresses awarded the title Dame. Dame Joan Collins,Judi Dench,Maggie Smith,Helen Mirren, Vanessa Redgrave, Emma Thompson, Additional Actresses with the Title Dame Here are several more notable actresses recognized with Damehood: Julie Andrews star of The Sound of Music Angela Lansbury star of Murder, She Wrote Diana Rigg star of The Avengers Eileen Atkins Imelda Staunton later portrayed Queen Elizabeth II in The Crown *** ** https://youtu.be/mafFZ_zoGMA?si=3lNKwzN3shyOo89W? Notable Actresses Who Hold the Title Dame The title Dame is the female equivalent of Sir in the British honors system (primarily the Order of the British Empire or related royal orders). It is awarded for major contributions to the arts, charity, public service, or national life. Many of the most respected actresses in British and Commonwealth cinema and theatre hold this distinction. Below are some of the most prominent actresses awarded the title Dame. Prominent Actresses Knighted as Dame Dame Joan Collins Classic Hollywood & Television Icon 6 Full Name: Joan Collins Joan Collins Born: 1933 1933 Damehood: 2015 (DBE Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire) 2015 (DBE Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire) Notable Work: The Girl in the Red Velvet Swing Dynasty Why Honored: Long career in film, television, theatre, and charity work. Context note: In the film you mentioned, Collins portrays Evelyn Nesbit, a real historical figure caught in a notorious early-20th-century scandal involving architect Stanford White and millionaire Harry Thaw. Dame Judi Dench Shakespearean Master and Film Legend 5 Full Name: Judi Dench Judi Dench Damehood: 1988 1988 Notable Work: Shakespeare in Love James Bond film series Distinction: Academy Award winner; among the most revered stage and screen actors of the modern era. Dame Maggie Smith Beloved Film and Theatre Star 5 Full Name: Maggie Smith Maggie Smith Damehood: 1990 1990 Notable Work: Harry Potter film series Downton Abbey Distinction: Two Academy Awards; legendary career across stage, film, and television. Dame Helen Mirren Royal Roles and Historical Drama Specialist 6 Full Name: Helen Mirren Helen Mirren Damehood: 2003 2003 Notable Work: The Queen Prime Suspect Distinction: Academy Award winner; known for authoritative portrayals of historical figures. https://youtu.be/buBZYb5OVX0?si=SWAFrlHEQx0Mj4fx Woman In Gold (2015) | Full Movie | Helen Mirren, Ryan Reynolds, Daniel Bruhl, Katie Holmes Maria Altmann (Helen Mirren), an octogenarian Jewish refugee, takes on the Austrian government to recover artwork she believes rightfully belongs to her family. Starring Helen Mirren, Ryan Reynolds, Daniel Bruhl, Katie Holmes, Tatiana Maslany, Max Irons, Charles Dance, Antje Traue, Elizabeth McGovern, Jonathan Pryce. Great cast, Ryan Reynolds and Helen Mirren are superb. What was done to these people is beyond comprehension. Excellent film presentation of a wonderful righting a horrendous wrong perpetrated on so many innocent good people. Ms. Altmann's struggle to preserve the memories of her family heritage is a testament to the goodness of the best of mankind. Outstanding script and cinematography, superb cast and brilliant performances, costuming and score and sets were so perfect and stunning. Thank you for posting this film; a masterpiece of film making and a superlative gift to film buffs to enjoy forever. Wow ! Man ! What a remarkable film. * An Emotional and Powerful Truth of Justice. * A winning sorrow is felt, not heard. * And the Cello sings. I absolutely love this movie. It reigns supreme ! ???? Dame Vanessa Redgrave Theatre Royalty and Activist 4 Full Name: Vanessa Redgrave Vanessa Redgrave Damehood: 1999 1999 Notable Work: Julia Distinction: One of the most respected actresses in classical theatre and film. Dame Emma Thompson Actress and Screenwriter 4 Full Name: Emma Thompson Emma Thompson Damehood: 2018 2018 Notable Work: Sense and Sensibility Harry Potter film series Distinction: Only person to win Academy Awards for both acting and screenwriting. Additional Actresses with the Title Dame Here are several more notable actresses recognized with Damehood: Julie Andrews star of The Sound of Music Angela Lansbury star of Murder, She Wrote Diana Rigg star of The Avengers Eileen Atkins Imelda Staunton later portrayed Queen Elizabeth II in The Crown Why Joan Collins Is Called Dame in Your Film Listing In your example: "The Girl in the Red Velvet Swing (1955)" Dame Joan Collins That Dame is not part of the original 1955 film credit. It reflects her later-life honor (2015), applied retroactively when modern listings refer to her formally. If You're Studying Classic Film Titles or Credits Given your interest in classic films and quotes (as seen with earlier references like The Girl in the Red Velvet Swing), you might find it useful to also explore: Actresses who were Lady , Baroness , or Countess , , or Actors knighted as Sir (male equivalents) (male equivalents) Historical films based on real scandals (like Evelyn Nesbits story) *** The Girl in the Red Velvet Swing | Joan Collins Romance Movie | Classic Full Movie To Watch the Best Cowboy Movies Western Movies The Girl in the Red Velvet Swing is the true story of Evelyn Nesbit (Dame Joan Collins), a beautiful showgirl caught in a love triangle with elderly architect Stanford White (Ray Milland) and eccentric young millionaire Harry K. Thaw (Farley Granger). Original Name: The Girl in the Red Velvet Swing (1955) Director: Richard Fleischer Writer: Walter Reisch, Charles Brackett Stars: Ray Milland, Joan Collins, Farley Granger Subscribe to the CineWood channel now by clicking here: / @cinewoodcom audience observation: Tuesday Night Mostly clear evening skies will give way to mostly cloudy skies overnight. Low 44F. Winds NE at 5 to 10 mph. Russo-Ukraine War - 17 April 2026 - Day 1514 Su M Tu W Th F Sa 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 A number of claims and counterclaims are being made on the Ukraine-Russia conflict on the ground and online. While GlobalSecurity.org takes utmost care to accurately report this news story, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos. On 24 February 2022, Ukraine was suddenly and deliberately attacked by land, naval and air forces of Russia, igniting the largest European war since the Great Patriotic War. Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a "special military operation" (SVO - spetsialnaya voennaya operatsiya) in Ukraine in response to the appeal of the leaders of the "Donbass republics" for help. That attack is a blatant violation of the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine. Putin stressed that Moscow's goal is the demilitarization and denazification of the country. The military buildup in preceeding months makes it obvious that the unprovoked and dastardly Russian attack was deliberately planned long in advance. During the intervening time, the Russian government had deliberately sought to deceive the world by false statements and expressions of hope for continued peace. "To initiate a war of aggression... is not only an international crime; it is the supreme international crime differing only from other war crimes in that it contains within itself the accumulated evil of the whole." [Judgment of the International Military Tribunal] The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that according to specific information, in total since the beginning of this day, there have been 118 combat clashes. Today, in total, the Russian enemy launched one missile strike, using one missile, carried out 38 air strikes, dropped 128 controlled air bombs. In addition, Russian forces deployed 4031 kamikaze drones to impress and carried out 2,396 shells of settlements and positions of Ukrainian troops. Three combat clashes took place in the Northern Slobozhansky and Kursk directions; in addition, the Russian enemy launched two air strikes, dropped five air bombs, carried out 82 shelling of settlements and positions of Ukrainian troops, four of which were using reactive systems of arson fire. In the South Slobozhansky direction, the Russian enemy once stormed the positions of Ukrainian units in the area of Vovchansky Farms. In the direction of Kupians komu, Ukrainian defenders successfully repelled one Russian assault in the direction of Petropavlivka. In the Lymans komu direction, the Russian enemy twice stepped in the area of grekivki and towards the Lyman. In the Slovak direction, the Russian opponent twice attacked in the area of yampol and towards rai-oleksandrivka. One battle is going on. On the kramators komu direction since the beginning of the day the Russian enemy did not spend active actions. Defense Forces repelled 18 Russian assaults in the Konstantinivsky direction in the areas of settlements of Konstantinovka, Oleksandro-Shultyne, Pleshiyivka, Illinivka, Rusin Yar, Stepanivka, Sofiyivka, Novopavlivka. Two clashes are underway. Russian troops made 24 attacks in the Pokrovsky direction. The Russian occupiers tried to advance in the areas of the settlements Rodinske, Chervony Lyman, Novooleksandrivka, Grishine, Pokrovsk, Kotline, Mirnograd, Shevchenko, Muravka, Udacne, Novopavlivka. The two clashes are still ongoing. According to preliminary estimates, today 48 Russian occupants were eliminated and 14 were wounded in this direction; one artillery system, three vehicles and 8 special equipment units, one manpower shelter were destroyed; one tank, two artillery systems, five vehicles and 49 manpower shelters were damaged. Destroyed or suppressed 247 unmanned aircraft of different types. In the direction of Oleksandrivsky, the Russian occupiers tried to improve their position eight times, towards Kalinovsky, Voronoy and Oleksandrograd. Kolomijci suffered an aviation strike. In the direction of Gulyaipilsky, 11 Russian attacks took place in the direction of Guleyaipilskyi, Zelene, Dobropillya, Olenokostyantinivka, Zaliznychnne, Staroukrainka, Svyatopetrivka and in the area of Gulyaypol. Three clashes are underway. The Russian enemy launched airstrikes in the areas of settlements of Kopani, Rivne, Barvinivka, Lyubytske, Vozdvizhivka, Tsvitkove, Shevchenkivs ke, Lisne, Charming, Mirne. In the Orihiv direction, the Russian enemy twice attacked in the areas of the settlements of Scherbaky and Stepnogirsk. Zarichne suffered an air strike. In the Pridniprovsky direction, the Russian enemy carried out four futile attacks towards the Antonivsky Bridge. The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation reported that from 11 to 17 March 2026, in response to the terrorist attacks launched by Ukraine against civilian facilities in the Russian Federation, the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation carried out a massive and five group strikes with long-range air-, sea-, ground-based high-precision weapons and drones, as a result of which enterprises of the Ukrainian defence industry involved in the production of cruise missiles, fuel-power and transport infrastructure facilities, used for the interests of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, military airfields, assembly and storage areas of attack unmanned aerial vehicles, as well as temporary deployment areas of Ukrainian armed formations and foreign mercenaries. Over the past week, as a result of the resolute actions of the Sever Group of Forces units, control over Volchanskiye Khutora (Kharkov region) has been established, and over the past day Zybino (Kharkov region) has been brought under control. Three mechanised brigades, one motorised infantry brigade, one assault regiment of the AFU, three territorial defence brigades, and one national guard brigade were hit. In total, the enemy lost more than 1,085 troops, one tank, nine armoured fighting vehicles, 83 motor vehicles, four field artillery guns, nine electronic warfare and counter-fire stations, as well as 29 ammunition, fuel, and materiel depots in the area of responsibility of the Sever Group of Forces. Four mechanised brigades, one assault brigade, one security brigade of the General Staff of the AFU, two territorial defence brigades, and one national guard brigade were hit. The enemy losses in this direction amounted to more than 1,195 troops, 23 armoured fighting vehicles, 119 motor vehicles, 17 field artillery guns, one Grad MLRS, two counter-fire radars, and 25 ammunition and materiel depots. The Yuzhnaya Group of Forces improved the tactical situation along the front line. During the week, Russian units engaged formations of seven mechanised brigades, one motorised infantry brigade, one assault brigade, one mountain assault brigade, one airmobile brigade of the AFU, and one territorial defence brigade. Over the past week, the Yuzhnaya Group of Forces has lost more than 1,085 troops, 35 armoured fighting vehicles, 106 motor vehicles, 10 field artillery guns, and one Czech-made Vampire MLRS. Six electronic warfare stations and 39 ammunition, fuel, and materiel depots were neutralised. The Tsentr Group's units improved the tactical situation and took more advantageous positions. They inflicted fire damage on manpower and hardware of two mechanised brigades, one airmobile brigade, one air assault brigade, one jaerger brigade, one assault regiment of the AFU, one marine brigade, four national guard brigades, and one Azov Special Operations Brigade. In total, the enemy lost more than 2,090 troops, 34 armoured fighting vehicles, and 48 motor vehicles in this direction. Ten field artillery guns and 11 electronic warfare stations were neutralised. Over the past week, the Vostok Group of Forces advanced to the depths of the enemy's defence. The Group's units inflicted damage on the formations of three mechanised brigades, one air assault brigade, four assault regiments of the AFU, and one marine brigade. The AFU losses in the Vostok Group's area of responsibility amounted to more than 1,555 servicemen, two tanks, 26 armoured fighting vehicles, 48 motor vehicles, and three artillery guns. Two ammunition and materiel depots were neutralised. Over the past week, units of the Dnepr Group of Forces improved the tactical situation. Strikes were delivered at units of one mechanised brigade, one mountain assault brigade of the AFU, and one territorial defence brigade. In total, the AFU lost up to 250 troops, five armoured fighting vehicles, 99 motor vehicles, and one field artillery gun. 16 electronic warfare and counter-fire radars and three ammunition and materiel depots were neutralised. Air defence systems shot down one guided aerial bomb, nine HIMARS MLRS projectiles, and 1,665 fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicles. The Black Sea Fleet destroyed five AFU uncrewed surface vehicles. In total, since the beginning of the special military operation, 671 aircraft, 284 helicopters, 134,802 unmanned aerial vehicles, 656 anti-aircraft missile systems, 28,938 tanks and other armoured fighting vehicles, 1,702 MLRS combat vehicles, 34,477 field artillery guns and mortars, and 59,584 units of support military vehicles have been neutralised. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Next article: Zimbabwe's iconic stone birds were taken by colonialists. Finally, they're all back home Featured DR Congo accepts first set of deportees from the US BBC International News Apr - 18 - 2026 , 09:32 3 minutes read Fifteen people deported from the US, who are reportedly from South America, have arrived in the Democratic Republic of Congo. This is the first group of an unknown number of people that the US has expelled which the DR Congo had agreed to take in. The government in Kinshasa has stressed that their stay in the country is only temporary and that Washington is funding "their reception, support and care". The US has already sent deportees to several other African countries, including Ghana, South Sudan and Eswatini, as part of the crackdown on immigration. Earlier this month, when details of the deportation deal first emerged, the Congolese government said the decision to receive what are known as third-country migrants - that is those who come from neither the sending nor receiving nation - aligns with its commitment to human dignity, to protecting the rights of migrants and international solidarity. The Congolese authorities also said that the scheme was not a "permanent relocation mechanism or an outsourcing of migration policies". The US State Department said that while it did not comment on "diplomatic communications with other governments" the administration remained "unwavering" in its "commitment to end illegal and mass immigration and bolster America's border security". The US has deported dozens of people to third countries since President Donald Trump came to power in January last year as part of its hard-line approach towards immigration. "The individuals concerned are admitted to the national territory under short-stay permits, in accordance with national legislation concerning the entry and residence of foreigners," a Congolese government statement said on Friday without giving any more details about the deportees. But a source at N'djili International Airport, where the group landed in the early hours of Friday, told the BBC that they were mostly Colombians and Peruvians. According to a minority report from the US senate's committee on foreign relations, the Trump administration has "likely" spent more than $40m (30m) in third-country deportations up to January 2026, although the total cost is "unknown". The US has provided more than $32m "directly" to five countries - Equatorial Guinea, Rwanda, El Salvador, Eswatini and Palau - it added. The US is also negotiating a minerals deal with DR Congo to help gain access to the central African country's vast reserves of key metals such as cobalt, tantalum, lithium and copper. Under Trump, the US has facilitated a peace deal between DR Congo and Rwanda, although implementation remains a challenge. At the conclusion of a fresh round of talks between the Congolese government and the Rwanda-backed M23 rebels, both sides, who have been fighting in the east of the DR Congo, say they will allow in humanitarian aid, protect civilians and their infrastructure, and begin monitoring a permanent ceasefire. Delegates at the negotiations in Switzerland, mediated by the US and Qatar, said they were encouraged by their progress toward ending the conflict. Rwanda has repeatedly denied supporting the M23 despite overwhelming evidence, saying its military presence is a defensive measure against threats to its security by armed groups in DR Congo. News / Africa by BBC News South African mining tycoon Patrice Motsepe has apologised for telling US President Donald Trump that Africans love him.Mr Motsepe said his comments to the US president were partly aimed at encouraging discussions between the Trump administration and African political and business leaders because of the perception "that South Africa and some African countries are anti-America and its political leadership"."This perception has had an impact on our ability to attract foreign investments and create jobs," he said in a statement.His comments had triggered a "lively, diverse and at times emotional debate", exposing him to the views of Africans who disagreed with him."I do not have the right to speak on behalf of anybody except myself," Mr Motsepe added.Mr Motsepe, 57, is one of South Africa's most influential businessman and is close to President Cyril Ramaphosa.Forbes magazine listed him in 2008 as a billionaire and said he had become the first black African on its list of the world's wealthiest people. It estimates his current wealth at $2.4bn (1.85bn).At the dinner, Mr Motsepe told Mr Trump it was an honour to meet him as they were both listed in a 2017 Forbes magazine profile of the Greatest Living Business Minds. Next article: Sudans war enters fourth year, with no clear end in sight DR Congo accepts first set of deportees from the US Previous article: DR Congo accepts first set of deportees from the US Featured Zimbabwe's iconic stone birds were taken by colonialists. Finally, they're all back home BBC International News Apr - 18 - 2026 , 09:16 6 minutes read Zimbabwe's flag, banknotes and coat of arms all feature a stately looking eagle, sitting majestically on a plinth. Known as the Zimbabwe Bird, it has long been a symbol of national identity, but behind it lies a complex tale of displacement, colonial plunder and restitution. The bird is one of several ancient, treasured sculptures that were taken from Zimbabwe by colonialists and spent decades outside the country's borders. It was only this week that - after 137 years away - the final displaced bird arrived home, a moment Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa described as "the return of a national icon". The grey, soapstone carving was repatriated from neighbouring South Africa - it wound up there having been ripped from its column, then sold to British imperialist Cecil Rhodes. On Tuesday, South Africa repatriated the bird, along with eight sets of human remains, previously exhumed in Zimbabwe by colonial researchers and donated to a South African museum. The body parts were taken during the late 19th and early 20th Centuries for "a misguided colonial pseudoscience" South African Minister of Culture Gayton McKenzie said at a ceremony held to hand over the remains and the bird. "These are not abstractions, but people... removed from their graves, their communities, and their homeland under the logic that their bodies were data," he said. Their return is significant for Zimbabwe, which has also been seeking the return of the skulls of late-19th Century anti-colonial heroes, believed to be in the UK. This week's homecoming comes at a time when former colonial powers are yielding to campaigns to send looted African remains and artefacts back to their home countries. The vast majority of returns have come from European countries like France, the Netherlands, Germany and the UK. What made this repatriation rare was that it was an African country doing the returning. A national symbol, the Zimbabwe Bird features on Zimbabwe's flag In his speech on Tuesday, McKenzie described the birds as "unique" and "revered". "Nothing like them has been discovered anywhere else in the world," he said. The sculptures were taken from the ruins of Great Zimbabwe, a medieval stone city, from which Zimbabwe gets its name. In fact, Zimbabwe means "house of stone" - and today the country is globally renowned in art circles for its modern stone carvings. The Great Zimbabwe site was built between the 11th and 15th Centuries and the striking bird sculptures - of which eight are known - were planted on walls and monoliths. An air of intrigue surrounds the eagles - scholars cannot agree on who exactly sculpted them, though some scholars believe they were made by ancestors of the Shona people, who make up the majority of the country's current population. "They are the most significant archaeological treasures ever discovered in the country," Plan Shenjere-Nyabezi, an archaeology professor at the University of Zimbabwe, tells the BBC. "The Zimbabwe Birds stand as powerful and cherished symbols of our national heritage." The sculptures vary in shape and sizes - they range from 25cm (9.8in) to 50cm in height, towering above one metre when measured with their columns. Some experts believe the statues depict the bateleur eagle, known as "chapungu" in Shona. Others believe the bird is a "hungwe", the African fish eagle. The statues have great spiritual meaning for some in Zimbabwe, Edward Matenga, one of Zimbabwe's foremost scholars of the sculptures, tells the BBC. He says the endangered bateleur eagle is historically "sacred" to both the Shona and the minority Venda people. The eight birds watched over Great Zimbabwe for hundreds of years. However, in the 19th Century a growing number of European hunters, traders and missionaries began exploring the region prior to colonisation. A hunter named Willi Posselt happened upon the birds in 1889 and decided to take the "best specimen" - the very sculpture returned to Zimbabwe on Tuesday. According to his own account, local people, armed with guns and spears, initially protested against the bird's removal. But Posselt was able to leave with the bird, ripping it from its column after handing over blankets and "other articles" in exchange. "I stored the remaining [birds] in a secure place, it being my intention to return and secure them from the natives," he wrote. The eight soapstone sculptures looked over Great Zimbabwe for centuries Posselt sold the bird to Cecil Rhodes, a powerful imperialist who headed the British South Africa Company and spearheaded the colonisation of modern-day Zimbabwe and Zambia. Rhodes used the bird as decor for his grand Cape Town estate and two years later, the British South Africa Company commissioned archaeologist Theodore Bent to return to Great Zimbabwe. Bent found the sculptures that Posselt had stored away and transported four of the prized birds to a museum in South Africa. A fragment of one other bird ended up further afield - its pedestal was taken by a German missionary and sold to Berlin's Ethnological Museum in 1907. But after Zimbabwe became independent in 1980, its authorities launched a campaign to recoup the missing birds, with only two remaining in the country. Robert Mugabe, Zimbabwe's independence leader and long-time president, described their loss as a "ruthless cultural plunder". In a peculiar trade, South Africa's apartheid government agreed in 1981 to release the four birds it held in a museum in exchange for a huge collection of bees, wasps and ants. The trove, belonging to Zimbabwe's Natural History Museum, comprised around 1,000 kinds of insects. Then, in 2003, another win. Germany returned the soapstone pedestal that, in Mugabe's words, had "spent almost 100 years in exile". Getting the last bird back was more of a challenge. When Rhodes died in 1902, his Cape Town home and all its contents were vested to South Africa's governor-general - a role which was later transformed into the national president. In 1910, a law named the Rhodes Will Act stated that these possessions should not be sold, let or transferred. "Every time Zimbabwe asked, the 1910 Act was cited," McKenzie explained in his speech. Great Zimbabwe is recognised as a World Heritage site by Unesco South Africa finally got round this legal quandary by signing a deal to loan the bird to Zimbabwe for two years. McKenzie insists that the bird will never return to South Africa, saying the authorities are undertaking a review of the 1910 Act in order to allow for "permanent repatriation". After years of negotiation, Zimbabwe's authorities appear to have faith in South Africa's pledge. For them, their lost bird has flown home for good. Prof Shenjere-Nyabezi echoes this optimism, stating: "I would say the arrival of this last piece signifies a spiritual homecoming. "The bird is Zimbabwe's heritage... one should not have to travel to other countries to enjoy their own heritage." Matenga describes the repatriation as a "win-win situation" for both Zimbabwe and South Africa. "It is a cathartic process for South Africa," he says, "that they are giving away what is important for another country." The bird is finally returning to its home at Great Zimbabwe, joining its seven siblings in an on-site museum, for protective purposes. When receiving the sculpture, Mnangagwa noted that the bird had arrived home just in time for the anniversary of Zimbabwe's independence, on Saturday. "Let the people of Zimbabwe come and witness," he said, wearing a woollen scarf bearing the colours of Zimbabwe's flag. "Let the children of this great nation see with their own eyes the symbol of their identity and let the world know Zimbabwe is a nation that respects its past." DVLA to arrest, prosecute drivers with fake or expired DV plates and DP stickers from May 4 Previous article: DVLA to arrest, prosecute drivers with fake or expired DV plates and DP stickers from May 4 Featured CFAO breaks silence on DVLA vehicle impoundment: 'We do not condone fraudulent activity' Kweku Zurek Apr - 18 - 2026 , 07:51 3 minutes read CFAO Mobility Ghana PLC has issued a strong statement distancing itself from the fraudulent clearance methods that led to the impoundment of 40 vehicles at the Tema Harbour, pledging full cooperation with authorities as investigations intensify. The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority announced on Friday, April 17, 2026, that it had seized the vehicles following an intelligence-led operation that uncovered the use of fraudulent Drive from Port stickers, as well as the affixing of authentic DP stickers on vehicles with mismatched records. Preliminary investigations indicated that the affected vehicles were imported by CFAO, but evidence suggested that an external agent engaged to clear the vehicles may have employed unauthorised methods. CFAO: We operate with highest standards In a response, CFAO Mobility Ghana moved to assure regulators, customers, and the public of its commitment to compliance and ethical conduct. "CFAO Mobility Ghana wishes to state that it operates with the highest standards of compliance, transparency, and ethical business conduct. For many decades, the company has maintained a strong track record of adhering strictly to all regulatory requirements governing vehicle importation, clearance, and registration in Ghana," the statement read. The company, which has been a major player in Ghana's automotive sector for decades, emphasised that it does not condone, support, or engage in any form of fraudulent or non-compliant activity. "We take this matter seriously and will fully cooperate with the DVLA and all relevant authorities to establish the facts and ensure clarity." Internal systems structured for integrity CFAO disclosed that its internal systems, processes, and partnerships are structured to uphold integrity at every stage of its operations. The company expressed appreciation for the trust placed in it by customers, partners, and regulators, and reaffirmed its commitment to maintaining that trust through responsible and ethical conduct. The statement was signed by Adedamola Adelabu, Country Delegate of CFAO Group Ghana and Managing Director of CFAO Mobility Ghana PLC, with Dennis Gawuga, Communications Manager, also listed on the release. What happened The DVLA had earlier disclosed that the DP sticker system was introduced to address revenue leakages associated with the previous aluminium DP plate system. Following the reform, the Authority recorded a significant increase in issuance, from an average of 2,000 stickers per month to approximately 15,000 in October 2025. However, a recent decline in DP sticker issuance at the ports prompted further investigations, leading to the impoundment operation. The DVLA is working closely with National Security to investigate the matter and intensify efforts to combat fraudulent practices within the vehicle importation and registration process. What next CFAO indicated that as investigations continue, it will provide further updates where necessary. The company has not sought to distance itself from responsibility for the vehicles it imported but has instead pointed to an external agent as the potential source of the irregularities. The DVLA, meanwhile, has urged all vehicle importers and stakeholders to exercise due diligence and comply strictly with established procedures, warning that it remains vigilant and committed to safeguarding the integrity of Ghana's vehicle administration system. Featured President Mahama takes #ResettingGhana tour to Northern Region today presidency.gov.gh Apr - 18 - 2026 , 07:40 1 minute read President John Dramani Mahama will, on Saturday, April 18, 2026, begin a two-day #ResettingGhana tour of the Northern region. The tour, which is the second after the Bono region, will afford citizens, led by their traditional leaders, the opportunity to engage the President directly to provide feedback on his policy initiatives, their impact on their daily lives, ongoing development projects, and concerns that need redress. President Mahama, who will be accompanied by various ministers of state and heads of institutions, will cut the sod to commence work on 24-hour markets and inspect the progress of projects in the region. On Sunday, the President will open his government up for scrutiny. This will be at a town hall meeting at the University of Development Studies (UDS) in Tamale, where appointees will use the occasion to explain major interventions over the past year. DVLA to arrest, prosecute drivers with fake or expired DV plates and DP stickers from May 4 Next article: DVLA to arrest, prosecute drivers with fake or expired DV plates and DP stickers from May 4 Featured Vice President Opoku-Agyemang engages GB Foods to boost Ghanas tomato value chain GraphicOnline Apr - 18 - 2026 , 08:11 2 minutes read Vice President Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang has engaged Spanish food company GB Foods in Barcelona, as part of efforts to strengthen Ghanas tomato value chain and deepen agro-industrial partnerships. The meeting, held on the sidelines of her official visit to Spain, focused on expanding opportunities within Ghanas agriculture sector, particularly in tomato production and processing, in line with the governments drive to promote value addition and reduce import dependence. Officials said discussions centred on integrating local farmers into structured value chains to improve productivity, ensure sustainable incomes and support agro-processing initiatives that create jobs across the sector. The engagement also reaffirmed bilateral relations between Ghana and Spain, with both sides exploring ways to strengthen cooperation in agribusiness and industrial development. Government representatives reiterated their commitment to creating an enabling environment for private investment, particularly in agriculture, as part of a broader economic transformation agenda aimed at boosting local production and enhancing food security. The Vice Presidents meeting with GB Foods formed part of a series of high-level engagements during her visit to Barcelona, where she is also participating in the Fourth High-Level Meeting of the In Defence of Democracy initiative. According to a statement from the Office of the Vice President, Prof. Opoku-Agyemang was received on arrival by members of the Ghanaian community in Spain, led by Ghanas Ambassador to Spain, Kalsoume Sinare Baffoe, who briefed her on the programme for the visit. The meeting is expected to bring together global leaders to deliberate on strengthening democratic governance and safeguarding democratic values amid evolving global challenges. Ghanas participation underscores its continued commitment to international cooperation and the promotion of democratic principles, while also leveraging diplomatic engagements to advance economic partnerships. The Vice Presidents visit is therefore seen as combining diplomatic dialogue with economic outreach, particularly in sectors such as agriculture where foreign partnerships are expected to play a key role in driving growth and reducing reliance on imports. News / Local by Staff reporter Welcome to our live coverage from Maphisa Stadium in Matabeleland South Province.As Zimbabwe commemorates its 46th Independence anniversary today, the usually quiet plains of Maphisa have transformed into a vibrant centre of national reflection and celebrationcarrying not only the colour and rhythm of the occasion, but also its deep historical significance.President Emmerson Mnangagwa is expected to lead the main national event here, alongside parallel commemorations taking place across the country's provinces.This year's celebrations are held under the theme: "Zim@46 Unity and Development Towards Vision 2030."Independence Day remains a defining moment in Zimbabwe's history. On April 18, 1980, the country attained majority rule, marking the end of colonial governance and the beginning of a new chapter grounded in sovereignty, dignity, and self-determination. It is a legacy shaped by sacrifice, resilience, and an enduring pursuit of freedom.In Maphisa, thousands have gathered to mark this milestonean affirmation that independence is not merely a historical event, but a living reality embedded in communities across the nation.From the early hours of the morning, crowds have streamed into the stadium, many adorned in national colours, as Matabeleland South takes centre stage in hosting this year's commemorations.Beyond the festivities, the occasion underscores a broader national agenda: safeguarding independence while advancing inclusive economic development. There is a growing focus on youth empowerment, industrial growth, and ensuring that the benefits of independence are reflected in the daily lives of citizens.Stay with us for continuing updates from Maphisa and other celebration centres, including Matabeleland North and the Midlands provinces. Last month, Reuters reported that the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) - a statutory authority under the Indian government's Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) - had privately proposed in January that smartphone makers be required to pre-install its Aadhaar app on their devices. Now, Reuters reports that the Indian government has dropped the proposal following security and cost concerns raised by the smartphone brands. The Aadhaar app contains the Aadhaar card details of an Indian resident, including a 12-digit unique identification number, birth date, residential address, and is tied to the individual's fingerprints and iris scans. UIDAI has generated over 1.44 billion Aadhaar numbers for Indian residents until now, and they are widely used for verification purposes in banking, telecom, and other services. India's IT ministry consulted with stakeholders from the electronics industry and rejected UIDAI's proposal to mandate the pre-installation of the Aadhaar app on smartphones. The ministry said that it "is not in favour of mandating the pre-installation of the Aadhaar App on smartphones" without specifying the reason. Smartphone makers raised security and safety concerns about this proposal to pre-load the Aadhaar app, as UIDAI and the Indian government have been in hot water multiple times in the past over security breaches and data leaks. Moreover, pre-loading the Aadhaar app on smartphones would increase production costs for phone makers, as they would need to run separate manufacturing lines for India and the markets to which they export their smartphones. Reuters reports that the request for pre-installation of the Aadhaar app was the sixth time in two years the Indian government sought pre-installation of state-owned apps on mobile phones. Last December, the Indian government's Department of Telecommunications (DoT) privately asked smartphone makers to pre-load all new devices sold in India with its cyber safety app, Sanchar Saathi. The same order had also asked the phone makers to push the app via software updates to devices already sold in India. Following strong criticism and backlash, the Indian government rolled back the order within days. A senior Indian official told Reuters, on condition of anonymity, that the IT ministry isn't in favor of pre-installing apps "unless it is considered very essential." Source The Samsung Galaxy Z TriFold is now discontinued in the US as well Samsung's Galaxy Z TriFold lived a short and tumultuous life. It went on sale a few times in very limited quantities in Korea, and then it got discontinued there. It lived on in the US just a little bit longer - the last restock over there was on April 10. Obviously, that stock sold out as well. Today we bid farewell to the Galaxy Z TriFold in the US as well. Following its discontinuation in Korea, it's now been discontinued in the US too. Or rather, to quote Samsung's official page listing it, "the limited-run Galaxy Z TriFold is now completely sold out". Samsung goes on to say that you should keep visiting its website "to make sure you don't miss upcoming one-of-a-kind innovations". It then recommends you buy either the Galaxy Z Fold7 or the Galaxy S26 Ultra. Both of those are excellent options, but neither of them folds twice. Samsung Galaxy Z Fold7 Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra 5G Hopefully the TriFold 2, if it ever materializes, will live longer than its predecessor. One recent rumor claimed it would arrive in 2027 while being thinner and lighter than the original. It may be joined by a sliding-screen (aka rollable screen) smartphone too. The future is bright, but the Galaxy Z TriFold is now fully dead. Source News / National by Staff reporter Jailed businessman Moses Mpofu has opened up about an emotional moment during the recently concluded Family Week at Chikurubi Maximum Prison, revealing how one of his sons asked to spend the night with him behind bars.Mpofu is currently serving a 22-year sentence after being convicted of defrauding the government of US$7 million in connection with the failed Presidential Goat Pass-On Scheme. His co-accused, Mike Chimombe, is also incarcerated at the same facility, serving a 17-year term.Speaking to Destiny TV, Mpofu described the week-long family visitation programme as both uplifting and painful, as inmates were allowed extended access to relatives and friends."Saying goodbye will be a very sad moment for me," Mpofu said. "I had one of my sons saying, Daddy can I sleep over with you today,' and it was so touching."He added that while the moment brought him joy, it also underscored the emotional toll of incarceration. "It is painful, but it is a pain of joy as we are all grateful for the opportunity to meet with our families."Mpofu and Chimombe were convicted after orchestrating a fraudulent scheme involving a company called Blackdeck Livestock and Poultry Farming. The pair secured a government contract worth US$87 million to supply 500,000 goats under a national livestock programme aimed at improving rural food security.However, after receiving an advance payment of US$7.7 million, the funds were allegedly diverted to personal accounts and the black market.Reflecting on his situation, Mpofu said the experience had reshaped his outlook on life and responsibility."I would advise my son to tread carefully, abide by the law and make sure all transactions are in black and white," he said. "At times we take shortcuts, avoid due diligence and act on trust."Chimombe also received visits from family and associates during the programme, including Lawrence Dhairo, who had previously made headlines after offering to serve his sentence.Mpofu used the opportunity to appeal for the extension of Family Week, suggesting August as a more suitable period to accommodate relatives, particularly those travelling from outside the country."Our request to government is that the Family Week be extended to August," he said. "I have relatives who came from South Africa, Botswana and Bulawayo. Their support means everything."As the week came to an end, Mpofu bid farewell to his children and loved onesmany of whom he may not see again until the next scheduled visitation period in December. Shipping data and maritime agencies reported confusion across the waterway, with vessels turning back and others attempting passage under Iranian oversight. Tehran announced the move hours after confirming limited passage for commercial vessels , citing what it called continued US piracy through a naval blockade of Iranian ports. Iran restored military control over the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday, reversing a brief reopening and asserting control over the traffic as tensions resulting from the illegal US-Israeli aggression intensify. The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations centre said at least one tanker reported being fired upon by two gunboats linked to Irans Revolutionary Guard. The incident took place about 20 nautical miles northeast of Oman, with the vessel and crew reported safe. Separate reports indicated a container ship sustained damage from a projectile in nearby waters, according to UKMTO. Irans military command said the strait had returned to its previous state and would remain under strict control until the United States lifted its blockade. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps stated that all transit now requires authorisation and adherence to designated routes. The rollback was a direct result of President Donald Trump stating that the blockade would remain in full force until the transaction with Tehran is complete. He also warned that military action could resume if talks fail. Iranian parliamentary speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf accused President Donald Trump of making seven claims in one hour, all of them false, in response to Trumps remarks about the Strait of Hormuz and alleged new agreements with Iran. Iranian officials and several international outlets reported that Ghalibaf dismissed Trumps narrative as misleading, arguing that the claims did not reflect the actual position or commitments of Tehran and using the seven lies in one hour framing to underscore what they described as a pattern of exaggeration and inaccuracy in Trumps statements on Iran and the status of the Strait of Hormuz. The conflicting positions have left thousands of vessels stranded or rerouted. Marine tracking services showed ships reversing course, while only a small number continued through Iranian-controlled lanes. The United States said its forces had turned back at least 23 vessels attempting to reach Iranian ports since the blockade began on April 13. Tehran argues the blockade violates ceasefire terms and defends its restrictions on the strait as a retaliatory measure to the US-Israeli aggression. Market reactions shifted throughout the day. Oil prices had fallen earlier after Iran signalled the strait would reopen, dropping below $90 per barrel. Analysts warned that volatility will persist as long as access to the route remains uncertain. The strait carries about one-fifth of global oil supply. Data from Kpler suggested the whole conflict has already removed up to 500 million barrels from the market. Diplomatic efforts continue. Pakistan, Egypt, and other regional states are pushing for a settlement, with Islamabad expected to host further talks. Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said negotiators were very close to a deal, though Iranian officials denied progress on key issues, including nuclear material. Irans Deputy Foreign Minister Saeed Khatibzadeh said no new talks would take place without agreement on a framework. He rejected US claims that Tehran would transfer enriched uranium abroad. At the same time, Irans supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei issued a statement praising the countrys armed forces and warning that its navy stood ready to deliver new defeats to its enemies. Violence also continued in Lebanon despite a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah. French President Emmanuel Macron confirmed that a French soldier serving with the United Nations peacekeeping mission was killed and three others wounded in an attack in southern Lebanon. Israel said it carried out strikes in southern Lebanon after identifying fighters approaching its positions. The military referred to a yellow line separating its forces from areas held by Hezbollah. Since the 10-day ceasefire took effect, Israeli forces have continued military activity in southern Lebanon. The Lebanese army has reported multiple violations, including intermittent shelling of towns and villages and a large detonation in Khiam hours after the truce began, according to the National News Agency. Israeli officials stated troops would keep illegally occupying dozens of locations in the south, maintaining what they describe as a security zone extending several kilometres inside Lebanese territory. Hezbollah official Mahmoud Qammati warned that the group would respond to further Israeli action, telling Al-Jadeed TV that it would not repeat what he described as a policy of restraint. The ceasefire has allowed displaced civilians to return to parts of southern Lebanon. More than one million people were forced from their homes during the conflict, with over 2,300 reported killed by Israeli strikes. Airspace in Iran has partially reopened after weeks of closure, and six airports resumed operations. Authorities said domestic and international flights would restart in stages. HT Brush fire off Howard Gap Road mostly contained after crews work overnight Firefighters worked Friday evening to contain a brush fire burning off Howard Gap Road and U.S. 64 East near Ebenezer Baptist Church. Firefighters working overnight got a brush fire off Howard Gap Road 80 percent contained by noon Saturday, Henderson County Fire Marshal Glen Gillette said. View the Slideshow Henderson County communications chief Mike Morgan issued a video update from Gillette, who reported the progress crews made knocking down the fire. Howard Gap Road between U.S. 64 and Nix road remained closed Saturday. Firefighters began battling the brush fire after receiving a report at about 6 p.m. Friday of an illegal burn in the area. When firefighters responded to the call about the fire on Friday, they encountered a woods fire in an area with a significant amount of trees downed by Hurricane Helene, known as blow-down. The blow-down increases the difficulty and risks for firefighters as they control the fire, fire marshal said. No homes or structures were damaged. "As you can see, we've got a lot of blow-down and storm debris from from Hurricane Helene," Gillette said in the video update, sweeping his arm toward stacks of trees laid down in the woods. "That's caused a significant hindrance of containing and controlling this fire and also resulted in some extreme fire behavior we've had. We were out here all night, last night last night patrolling, keeping an eye on things, making sure that things are safe, keeping our citizens protected." Gillette expected crews to be on the scene Saturday and Sunday until the fire was completely extinguished and hot spots addressed. He reminded residents that a statewide burn ban is still in effect amid a statewide drought. Smoke from the fire could be seen for miles at around 7:30 p.m. Friday as fire crews from Dana and Mountain Home fire departments and the N.C. Forest Service worked to contain the blaze. Duke Energy crews also arrived to standby because a substation is located near where the fire was burning off Howard Gap Road and U.S. 64 East near Ebenezer Baptist Church. A firefighter working to supply trucks with water near the blaze on Friday said the fire was called in to emergency crews as an illegal burn. But firefighters found a brush fire by the time they arrived. He described the blaze at the time as a medium-sized brush fire and said crews were creating a perimeter to contain its spread. Several fire departments arrived later on Friday to assist in the effort to contain the blaze. The cause of the fire remains under investigation. The N.C. Forest Service issued the ban on all open burning on March 28 and canceled all burning permits statewide until further notice. Under North Carolina law, the ban prohibits all open burning statewide, regardless of whether a permit was previously issued. The issuance of any new permits has also been suspended until the ban is lifted. Anyone violating the burn ban faces a $100 fine plus $183 court costs. Any person responsible for setting a fire may be liable for any expenses related to extinguishing the fire. The burn ban does not apply to fires started within 100 feet of an occupied dwelling. The local fire marshal has authority to issue a burn ban within those 100 feet. News / National by Staff reporter A driver employed by Stallion Cruise has been arrested after a video showing him using a cellphone while driving circulated widely on social media.The driver, Lordsher Mushipe (46), from Ascot in Gweru, is currently in custody at Mbare Police Station and is expected to spend Independence Day behind bars.While police had not issued an official statement at the time of publication, Mushipe is reportedly facing charges under the Road Traffic Regulations (Statutory Instrument 299 of 2002). The law prohibits drivers from operating a vehicle while using a mobile phone or any communication device.The arrest follows a viral video in which Mushipe is seen driving a bus along the HarareBulawayo Road while engaged in a video call. The footage is believed to have been recorded by a passenger and later shared online.The incident has sparked concern over passenger safety and the enforcement of road traffic regulations, particularly involving public transport operators.