The statement noted that “on Tuesday (October 3), Parliament will discuss the difficult situation in Karabakh,” and added that parliamentarians will “condemn the unprovoked attack carried out by Azerbaijan.”

According to the information, on October 3, the European Parliament will hold a discussion of the situation with representatives of the Council of the European Union, the European Commission and the Spanish Presidency, and a vote on the decision is expected on Thursday, October 5.

The European Union previously held Azerbaijan responsible for respecting the rights and safety of Armenians in Karabakh, and stated that it would take measures against Baku if they were subjected to repression.

On Tuesday, September 19, Azerbaijan announced the launch of “local measures to combat terrorism” in Karabakh, setting the goal of these “measures” as the disarmament and withdrawal of Armenian forces, while Armenia confirms that there are no military personnel on the territory of the Republic of Karabakh, and the restoration of “ Territories liberated from occupation" and "Restoration of the constitutional structure of Azerbaijan".

The day before yesterday, Wednesday, September 20, the two parties reached a complete cessation of hostilities, as part of an agreement stipulating the dissolution and disarmament of the army of the Republic of Karabakh and the imposition of the withdrawal of the remaining units of the Armenian armed forces from the area of ​​​​deployment of Russian peacekeeping forces.

The two parties also agreed to discuss issues of reintegration and ensuring the rights and security of the Armenian population in Karabakh at  a meeting of representatives of the local Armenian population and the Azerbaijani authorities in Yevlakh yesterday, September 21 .

The Polish General Staff denies violating Belarusian airspace

The General Staff of the Polish Armed Forces denied that a National Air Force helicopter violated Belarusian airspace.

A statement from the Operations Command of the General Staff said: "We inform you that today's statement by the Belarusian side regarding a Polish helicopter that allegedly crossed the border is incorrect. This is confirmed by the records of the flight control system and radar stations - such an incident did not occur."

The Belarusian Ministry of Defense announced on Thursday that a Polish plane violated the borders of Belarus twice, and the information was confirmed through objective monitoring data.

The ministry said in a statement: “Today at 15:02, radar detectors of the Air Force and Air Defense Forces recorded the approach of a Polish plane to the Belarusian border.”

On September 26, a statement issued by the Special Rapporteurs of the UN Commission on Human Rights stated:

"We are deeply concerned that boarding schools in Xinjiang almost exclusively teach in the national language and do not use Uyghur as the medium of instruction, and that the separation of Uyghur-based minority children from their families will result in their forced assimilation into Chinese language and culture. »

UN experts also pointed out that these discriminatory policies violate the educational rights, family life and cultural rights of minorities.

Experts also said: "It is known that Uyghur and other minority children in tightly controlled boarding schools do not have much contact with their parents, relatives or society. This inevitably leads to a loss of contact with their family and community, and breaks their ties to their cultural, religious and linguistic identity. »

The statement said that the UN experts have prepared the above conclusions based on the review of the submitted materials and reports. Dr. Adrian Zenz, a German researcher and a researcher at the "Victims of Communism Memorial Museum" in the United States, was one of the researchers who met with the UN experts. Dr. Zensin told our radio station that although it had been a long time since UN experts had spoken to him about this, he was happy that this statement had finally come out. He said:

"I am very pleased that the UN experts have finally issued this statement. Because this problem has been reported to us for several years. I first published my report on this in 2019. Later, Free Asia and Zimistan Network reported on the issue. In 2020, the Economic Journal and I published another report. We have been saying for several years that the Chinese government has been breaking up Uyghur families and sending children whose parents have been imprisoned in camps or gone abroad to child camps as orphans. The UN experts issued this statement late. »

The American Uyghur Human Rights Foundation also welcomed the statement. They evaluated the conclusion of the UN experts as the official international recognition of the crimes committed by the Chinese government against Uyghur children. Louisa Grieve, head of the Uyghur Human Rights Foundation, said in a speech to our radio station:

"The statement of the UN experts is an acknowledgment by the international community that what is happening to Uyghur children is wrong and that it is a human rights crime. We welcome the belated release of this statement. »
The conclusion that the separation of Uyghur children from their mother tongue rights and families leads to assimilation was made by UN Special Rapporteur on Minorities, Mr. Fernand de Varennes, and Ms. Alexandra Xanthaki, Special Rapporteur on Cultural Rights. ) and Ms. Farida Shaheed, Special Rapporteur on Education Affairs, etc., in the Uyghur Human Rights Statement, thanked the above experts for seeing this truth happening to the Uyghur community, recognizing it and revealing it to the world.

In a statement released by the UN Special Rapporteurs, they have received information that Uyghur children are being forcibly separated from their families, including those who are imprisoned in camps or those who have gone abroad. There have been cases where Uyghur children in resettlement have almost no opportunity to study in Uyghur, that these children are pressured to speak and read only in Chinese, and even teachers are punished for using Uyghur outside of special language classes.

Dr. Adrian Zenz pointed out that the above situation has been confirmed by the UN special rapporteurs, and now the international community should take urgent action. He said:

“The time has come for serious action. It is taking too long for the UN to take action. The Human Rights Council should prepare its own report on this topic and issue a resolution condemning the Chinese government. This is an important factor in the chronic genocide against the Uyghurs, and the international community should take urgent action on this issue. »

In a statement, the Uyghur Human Rights Foundation noted that, taking into account the above report, the Chinese government, which does not guarantee human rights to other countries, should not be allowed to be re-elected as a member of the Human Rights Council in October. Louisa Grieve says:

"The Human Rights Council should discuss the report published by the office of former High Commissioner for Human Rights Mrs. Bachelet in August last year together with this statement. The United Nations must recognize and condemn the genocide and crimes against humanity committed against the Uyghurs. We Uyghur Human Rights Organization also request that all member states refuse to be re-elected as members of the China Human Rights Council. »

In a statement issued by the president of the World Uyghur Congress, Sang Isa, the US and other western democracies and the governments and parliaments of the U.S. government and the Chinese Uyghur government have concluded that it is "genocide and a crime against humanity" that is "made to make China look bad" and "fabricated to stop China's development." At a time when some countries are saying this and making some countries believe it, independent UN experts said that this statement is very important. He also said, "This statement shows that despite China's pressure and lobbying actions in the UN, there are still people who love justice and stand on the side of truth in the UN."

North Korea clearly states in its constitution the use of nuclear weapons Korea, US and Japan “strongly condemn”

Korean Central Television reported on the 28th that the 9th meeting of the 14th Supreme People's Assembly was held at the Mansudae Assembly Hall in Pyongyang on the 26th and 27th with the attendance of North Korean State Affairs Commission Chairman Kim Jong-un.

North Korea constitutionalized its nuclear weapons policy at the Supreme People's Assembly and demonstrated its will to advance its nuclear weapons . In response, the South Korean government emphasized that if North Korea uses nuclear weapons, the North Korean regime will face the end . Reporter Jamin Anderson reports .  

At the 9th  meeting of the 14th Supreme People's Assembly of North Korea held over two days on the 26th  and 27th  , North Korea announced that it would constitutionalize its nuclear force policy .

Following the legalization of the nuclear force policy at the Supreme People's Assembly in September  last year , the extensive conditions for nuclear use and the intention to use nuclear weapons arbitrarily were specified in the Constitution .

Although the term  ' nuclear state ' was already specified in the preamble to the existing constitution , this time it is significant in that it specifies the goals and direction of nuclear weapons development in relatively detailed and specific terms .

The nuclear force policy includes provisions that North Korea can use a preemptive nuclear attack in a non-nuclear attack situation, or simply by judging that an attack rather than an actual attack is imminent, so North Korea's nuclear threat is expected to increase further.

In his speech at the Supreme People's Assembly, Secretary General Kim Jong-un claimed,  “ Regulating the policy stance of strengthening nuclear forces in the Supreme Law of the Nation is the most just and appropriate and important measure . ”

Secretary-General Kim went on to make clear his intention to build anti-American solidarity diplomatically, saying,  “ We will strengthen solidarity with countries that have rebelled against the hegemonic strategy of the United States and the West . ”

In response, the South Korean Ministry of Unification said,  “ With the overwhelming response of South Korea, the United States, and Japan and the cooperation of the international community, we will strengthen sanctions and pressure to deter and discourage North Korea from developing nuclear weapons. ”

The Ministry of Unification stated this in a statement that day, saying,  “ We believe that North Korea has shown its inability to give up its nuclear weapons and its strong will to advance its nuclear capabilities . ”

He added ,  “ I emphasize once again that if North Korea uses nuclear weapons, the North Korean regime will face the end . ”

The top nuclear envoys of South Korea, the United States and Japan also strongly condemned North Korea, saying it was a further blatant increase in its nuclear ambitions.

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Korea, Kim Kun, Director of the Korean Peninsula Peace Negotiation Headquarters , made this statement by saying that he discussed the recent situation on the Korean Peninsula through a  three- way telephone discussion with U.S. Special Representative for North Korea Sung Kim and Japan's Senior Representative for North Korean Nuclear Affairs Hiroyuki Namaz this afternoon .

The three senior representatives  expressed deep regret that North Korea, which has expressed its intention to strengthen its nuclear force without heeding the ruined lives of its people and is frequently threatening nuclear preemptive strikes and provocations, is shifting responsibility to South Korea, the United States, and Japan in a red-faced manner . The Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported .

He also strongly urged North Korea to immediately stop its threats and provocations and return to the path of denuclearization.

About 100 people were killed and hundreds of others were injured on Wednesday, as a result of a fire that broke out in a wedding hall during a wedding in the Al-Hamdaniya district in Nineveh Governorate, northern Iraq.

The Iraqi Ministry of Health stated that the fire claimed the lives of at least 100 people, while the Iraqi Red Crescent Society indicated that the total number of victims, including deaths and injuries, reached about 450.

Ministry of Health spokesman Saif Al-Badr told the Iraqi News Agency, "The situation is under control. Follow-up is accurate from the operations center in the ministry."

He added, "Support has arrived from all neighboring governorates and the Kurdistan region in the north of the country to the Nineveh Health Department," pointing out that there is "follow-up of the first aid provided to the injured, according to the type of injury."

He explained that "some cases of infection are simple to moderate, while others are difficult and are referred to specialized centers."

A source in the Iraqi Civil Defense told Reuters, “Initial information indicates the use of fireworks during the wedding ceremony, which led to a fire igniting inside the hall initially and the fire spread very quickly.”

According to the source, “the wedding hall is covered with highly flammable Ecobond panels that violate safety instructions and have been referred to the judiciary according to Civil Defense Law No. 44 of 2013, due to their lack of safety requirements for wet alarm and firefighting systems.”

He said, "The fire led to the collapse of parts of the hall as a result of the use of low-cost, highly flammable building materials that collapse minutes when the fire breaks out."

Israeli police are preparing for a "massive prayer" called by National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir in downtown Tel Aviv. While the Israeli Shin Bet announced the arrest of five Palestinians who planned to carry out operations, including attacks on public figures, under Iranian direction, including the assassination of Ben Gvir.

The Israeli police are preparing for a "massive prayer" called for by National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, Thursday evening, in the center of Tel Aviv.

The Israeli Broadcasting Corporation (official) said on Wednesday that the Tel Aviv police “declared a state of maximum alert in preparation for the mass prayer that Ben Gvir intends to organize, tomorrow evening, Thursday, in Dezenkov Square in Tel Aviv.”

She continued: "The police are preparing for all possible eventualities in such an event organized by Minister Ben Gvir, following the violent events that occurred during the Yom Kippur eve prayer in the same place."

Confrontations and riots broke out in the city of Tel Aviv in central Israel during Yom Kippur celebrations on Monday, as citizens confronted attempts by extremist groups to separate male and female worshipers during prayers in public squares.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, through the “X” platform, on Tuesday, accused the Israeli left of responsibility for the events, but Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid later responded to him by saying: “At the end of Yom Kippur, the prime minister should not increase incitement and conflict, but rather He should try to calm people down."

Ben Gvir called for prayer in Dizengoff Square in Tel Aviv in response to the Israeli left.

He wrote in a tweet on “X” on Tuesday: “On this Yom Kippur, we saw haters trying to keep Judaism out of the public sphere. Israel is a Jewish and democratic state! I will hold a prayer service next Thursday evening in Dizengoff Square and the public is invited to attend.”

However, on Wednesday, the Israeli Broadcasting Corporation quoted an official in the Tel Aviv municipality (which it did not name) as saying: “The massive prayer that Minister Ben Gvir intends to organize on Thursday is illegal because he did not obtain permission from the Tel Aviv municipality to hold such an event.”

However, Ben Gvir has not yet announced the postponement of the prayer he called for.

On the other hand, the Israeli General Security Service, "Shin Bet", announced on Wednesday, "the arrest of five Palestinians who planned to carry out operations, including attacks on public figures, under Iranian direction," including the assassination of National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir.

The Israeli Broadcasting Corporation (official) said: “The Shin Bet thwarted an Iranian attempt to carry out hostile activity in Israel, including intentions to harm National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir and Knesset member Yehuda Glick.”

Glick, a former member of the Knesset from the Likud Party, is known as the godfather of the Israeli raids on Al-Aqsa Mosque.

The broadcaster said: “Shin Bet head Ronen Bar spoke with Ben Gvir and informed him of the attempt on his life.”

It stated that the detainees “worked under the direction of an official (whose name was not mentioned) living in Jordan, who worked on behalf of Iranian security officials,” without immediate comment from Tehran on this.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan revealed his country's efforts to bring peace and stability to the region. He said that Turkey is working to increase its friends, and its friend will be a winner and its enemy will be a loser.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan affirmed that his country seeks to increase its friends, and said, “Whoever is a friend of Turkey wins, and whoever harbors enmity toward it loses.”

This came in statements he made on Tuesday following the government meeting in the presidential complex in the capital, Ankara.

Erdogan called on his people to support Turkey's medium-term economic program, the features of which he revealed on September 6, 2023.

He stated that by the end of the medium-term economic program, which extends to 3 years, "we will achieve an economy size exceeding 1.3 trillion dollars, and the per capita national product will reach about 15 thousand dollars."

Regarding the enactment of a new constitution for the country, Erdogan stressed that the Public Alliance (the Justice and Development Parties and the Nationalist Movement) will intensify its efforts to reach a “civil and liberal constitution.”

He added: "Although we are the ones who announced the Century of Turkey, this vision is the national goal for all of the country's 85 million people."

The Century of Turkey is a vision announced by President Erdogan in late 2022, which includes the programs and goals of the Turkish Republic in its second centenary, which the country enters on October 29.

He continued: "Strengthening Turkey's strength and growth is our common goal, regardless of our political opinions."

Erdogan touched on the visit of the President of the Sudanese Sovereignty Council, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, to Turkey, noting that they discussed ways to alleviate the pain of the Sudanese people.

He expressed his hope that stability would be achieved in Sudan as soon as possible.

Since mid-April, the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces have been engaged in clashes that a series of truces have not been able to stop, leaving more than 3,000 dead, most of them civilians, and more than 5 million displaced and refugees inside and outside the country, according to the United Nations.

Erdogan also touched on his visit to the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic of Azerbaijan yesterday, Monday, noting that the visit included important messages.

He expressed his pride in the success of the operation carried out by Baku against terrorist elements in the Karabakh region, reiterating his congratulations to the Azerbaijani army.

He wished mercy to the martyrs, a speedy recovery to the wounded, and patience to the Azerbaijani people.

On September 19, 2023, Azerbaijan announced the launch of an anti-terrorist operation “with the aim of establishing constitutional order in the Nagorno-Karabakh region,” which ended one day later with an agreement for Baku to stop its operation, and for the illegal Armenian armed groups and the Armenian armed forces present in Nagorno-Karabakh to disarm and evacuate their positions. Military.

Erdogan indicated that his country will work to implement the Zangzur Corridor as soon as possible to connect roads and railways between Turkey directly with Azerbaijan via Nakhchivan.

He added: "We want to transform our region into a basin of peace and prosperity through joint projects that will include our neighbor Iran, and we will manage this process without excluding or excluding anyone."

The Zangzur Corridor crosses the territory of the Armenian state of Zangzur, which separates the mainland of Azerbaijan from Nakhchivan, which borders Turkey.

Ports and grain silos in the Danube River region in Ukraine were damaged as a result of being targeted by Russian bombing, while Kiev said it was making progress in its counterattack that it launched about three months ago.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky indicated that there were “good details” from the front, without elaboration, but noted in a video speech that “there will also be more Ukrainian measures against the terrorist state. As long as the Russian aggression continues, Russia must feel its losses.”

For his part, Ilya Yevlash, spokesman for the Ukrainian forces in the east, said that the Ukrainian forces “achieved success” in the villages near Bakhmut, a major town that Russian forces captured in May after fighting one of the fiercest battles of the war.

The spokesman for the forces in the south, Oleksandr Stubon, told the Espresso TV news website that the Ukrainian forces are taking fortified positions and preparing to advance towards the village of Verbov as part of their advance towards the Sea of ​​Azov.

He added: "I think we will receive good news soon."

Bombing of ports

Oleh Kiper, the governor of the Odessa region in southern Ukraine, which includes the ports of Izmail and Reni on the Danube River, revealed that the Russian bombing damaged a checkpoint building, storage facilities, and more than 30 trucks and cars, and led to the injury of two people.

The Ukrainian military said that operations at an international checkpoint had been suspended and vehicles were being temporarily redirected.

The Russian attack is the latest on Ukrainian grain silos and port facilities since July.

Since Russia announced its withdrawal from the grain export agreement, about two months ago, Ukraine has begun to enhance its exports through the Danube River.

“The enemy targeted the port and border infrastructure of the Danube River,” the prosecutor’s office said, publishing photos of damaged grain silos and trucks on fire. He added: "Two truck drivers were injured as a result of the attack. Grain silos, administrative buildings, and shipping vehicles were damaged."

The Ukrainian army stated that it shot down 26 out of 38 Iranian-made drones in the attack launched by Russia on Ukraine overnight.

Suspension of vehicle traffic on Al Qurum Bridge

In another context, the Russian authorities announced that vehicle traffic on the Crimean Bridge had been suspended on Wednesday morning, a measure they often take due to drone or missile attacks launched by Ukraine.

The Russian authorities did not mention the reason for suspending vehicle movement, while there were no reports of operations in the area.

The German Interior Ministry directed its forces on Wednesday to raid the homes and headquarters of members of a right-wing extremist group, which was banned on charges of spreading Nazi ideology.

On Wednesday, German authorities launched a large-scale campaign across the country to pursue members and members of an extremist right-wing group.

German Interior Minister Nancy Weiser banned the group on charges of spreading Nazi ideology.

The Interior Ministry said in a statement that authorities raided the main headquarters of the group, called "Artgemeinschaft," and 26 homes of 39 members in 12 states early Wednesday morning.

“This is another strong blow against right-wing extremism and thought extremists who continue to spread Nazi ideology even today,” Weser said.

She added: "This far-right group tried to attract new enemies of the Constitution through its disgusting teaching to children and adolescents."

This month, the German authorities also banned another neo-Nazi group called Hammerskins Deutschland, which has roots in the United States. The authorities raided the homes of 28 members after conducting an investigation that lasted more than a year in cooperation with American officials.

Madrid: Sergio Ramos' house was robbed, while his four children were inside, while the veteran Seville defender was competing with his team in the first round of the group stage of the Champions League competition, according to what local police reported on Wednesday.

A Spanish police spokeswoman said: “The matter is being investigated,” adding that at the time of the burglary, there were people inside the house, without providing further details.

Local media said that Ramos's four children and the two nannies who took care of them were at home during the robbery that took place in the town of Bolillos de la Metación last September 20, but none of them were harmed. While Pilar Rubio, Ramos' wife, was absent.

The theft occurred during Ramos (37 years old)’s participation with Seville at its “Sanchez Pisjuan” stadium against French club Lens, in a match that ended in a 1-1 draw.

The thieves reportedly stole luxury watches, jewelry, international designer clothes, and cash.

Ramos joined a long list of players in Spain whose homes were robbed while participating in matches, including Frenchman Karim Benzema (currently a Saudi Al-Ittihad player), Alvaro Morata (Atletico Madrid), and retired Barcelona defender Gerard Pique.

Morocco had previously won the right to host the 2015 edition, but requested its postponement due to the outbreak of the Ebola epidemic, which prompted the African Union to withdraw it from it.

Morocco had previously won the right to host the 2015 edition, but requested its postponement due to the outbreak of the Ebola epidemic, which prompted the African Union to withdraw it from it.According to Agence France-Presse, Motsepe said that there is an agreement within the African Union to support the votes of its fifty members in support of the Moroccan bid in the race to win the 2030 organization, adding, “The Moroccan bid to organize the 2025 African Nations came in conformity with all the standards set by CAF, and we followed all the successes that it achieved.” Morocco achieved this recently in all the football events it hosted.”Motsepe expressed his “great pride” in Morocco, which surprised the world at the end of last year in Qatar after achieving the achievement of becoming the first African country to reach the semi-finals of the World Cup. He expected that “Morocco will organize the 2025 Africa Nations according to international standards, to present itself as a strong candidate to host the 2030 World Cup.” “In its joint file with Spain and Portugal.According to him, all 22 members present at the meeting voted in favor of Morocco.Motsepe considered that Morocco’s candidacy to host the 2030 World Cup “is not a candidacy for an African country, but rather a candidacy for all of Africa, and we are all seeking to help it within the framework of developing the game and the infrastructure within the continent.”The statement of the CAF President could raise controversy,and Motsepe’s words in claiming, as it appears, that Algeria’s withdrawal of its candidacy file is to “support Morocco’s candidacy to host the 2030 World Cup, along with Spain and Portugal,” would raise controversy in Algeria, since even though Algeria had previously voted in favor of Morocco to host the next World Cup in 2026, despite the political differences between the two countries, while other Arab countries did not vote for Morocco but rather supported the United States, Mexico and Canada hosting the occasion. However, Algeria’s decision to withdraw its candidacy to host the African Nations Football Championship in its two versions for the years 2025 and 2027, was not in accordance with The story of the President of the Confederation of African Football.

The President of the Algerian Football Federation, Walid Sadi, said yesterday, Tuesday, that his country had decided to withdraw its candidacy to host the African Nations Football Championship in its two versions for the years 2025 and 2027.

Algerian state television quoted Sadi as saying, “Algeria has officially withdrawn its candidacy to host the 2025 and 2027 African Cup of Nations,” without providing reasons for the decision.

The announcement of the decision came a few days after Sadi was installed as head of the Algerian Football Association in a ceremony at its headquarters in the capital.

Last Thursday, Sadi was elected president of the Algerian Football Federation, succeeding Djahid Zvezif after his resignation from his position in mid-July.

On Monday, the Algerian journalist for the Qatari “BeIN Sports” channels, Hafid Draghi, published a blog post on Facebook in which he said that “as was expected, the Algerian Football Federation officially addresses the CAF and announces the withdrawal of its candidacy file to host the 2025 and 2027 Africa Cup of Nations finals, because it is no longer... "One of his priorities."

Draghi added, “The Algerian Federation prefers to focus on cleaning the football house, reviving Algerian football, and striving to win continental titles wherever they are organized.”

Draghi previously stated that Algeria’s withdrawal of its files came “after confirming that the African Union had granted the organization of the 2025 edition to Morocco and the 2027 edition to Senegal, Nigeria and Benin equally in 2029.”

President of the Algerian Football Federation, Walid Sadi, said yesterday, Tuesday, that his country has decided to withdraw its candidacy to host the African Nations Football Championship in its two versions for the years 2025 and 2027.

In the fall of 2022, Algeria announced its candidacy to organize the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations after withdrawing the hosting of the tournament from Guinea due to its unwillingness to organize the continental event.

The Algerian Minister of Youth and Sports at the time, Abderrazak Sobkaq, said: “It is time for Algeria to organize major competitions and we will prepare the nomination file to host Cannes 2025.”

He added: “The delegation of the African Confederation of Football expressed its admiration for the existing structures and facilities in anticipation of the African National Championship scheduled for Algeria next January, which is almost the same as the conditions booklet for the African Cup of Nations.”

He continued: “In the recent past, Algeria has demonstrated its success in organizing major events such as the Mediterranean Games (Oran-2022), the Arab Swimming Championship, and the African Judo Championship.”

Morocco also previously announced the submission of its candidacy to host the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations finals, after officially withdrawing its organization from Guinea.

In October 2022, the President of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), Patrice Motsepe, announced the withdrawal of organizing the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations from Guinea, due to the lack of readiness of the country’s infrastructure.

2027 edition for Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda

As for the joint file of Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania, it surpassed the files of Senegal, champion of the last edition in 2021, and Botswana.

According to Agence France-Presse, Motsepe indicated that choosing the joint bid for Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania was aimed at supporting football financially and logistically, in addition to developing the infrastructure of stadiums, sports and medical facilities in that region of the central African continent, “and I believe that it will be a very successful tournament.” “It is an opportunity for investment and tourism in these countries and creating job opportunities.”

Last October, the African Confederation withdrew the organization of the 2025 edition from Guinea due to its delay in completing the facilities to host the tournament.Since then, the African Union has received requests for organization without deciding on the identity of the host country, before Motsepe announced last month that the host country would be revealed on September 27, while confirming that the assignment of organizing the 2027 edition will be decided on the same day.Before its withdrawal, Morocco and Algeria, in addition to a joint file from Nigeria and Benin, submitted requests to organize the 2025 edition of the largest African national team championship, which will be held with the participation of 24 teams.There were conflicting reports about the existence of an Egyptian file to run for organizing the 2027 edition, between confirmation by some sources and denial by officials of the Egyptian Football Federation.However, Motsepe resolved the existing controversy regarding Egypt’s file, confirming on Wednesday, “Egypt has not offered to run for hosting the 2027 African Nations, nor has it submitted a file to organize the tournament.”The African Union was scheduled to decide the identity of the two host countries at the beginning of this year, but it postponed its decision more than once before determining it on the 27th of this year.The 24 members of the Executive Committee voted after studying independent evaluations of each file, but politics and the promise of regional rotation complicated matters.Ivory Coast will host the 2023 edition, which was postponed from last June and July to next January and February to avoid the rainy season.

On Tuesday, the United Nations renewed its opposition in principle to imposing or banning certain clothing on women, in response to preventing French athletes from wearing the hijab during the Olympic Games that France will host next year in the name of secularism.

“In general, the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights believes that no one should dictate to women what they should or should not wear,” said Marta Hurtado, spokeswoman for the High Commissioner for Human Rights, in response to a question during the regular United Nations press conference in Geneva. Based on recent statements made by French Sports Minister Amelie Odea Castera.

The minister explained on the French public channel “France 3” on Sunday that the government “is committed to a strict secular system, which is strictly applied in the field of sports, What does that mean? It means banning any form of proselytization, it means absolute neutrality for public service, and therefore the people who represent our delegations In our French teams, they cannot wear the hijab.”

Hurtado recalled that the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women obligates all parties, in this case France, to take “all appropriate measures necessary to modify any social or cultural model based on the idea of ​​the inferiority or superiority of one sex over the other.”

“These discriminatory practices can have harmful consequences,” she stressed, which is why, “according to international human rights standards, restrictions on the expression of religions or beliefs, such as choice of clothing, are only acceptable in very specific circumstances that proportionately and necessarily address concerns.” legitimate concerns of public safety, public order, public health or morals.”

The French Minister acknowledged that the International Olympic Committee “follows a logic based on understanding wearing the hijab not as a religious factor but as a cultural factor,” noting that the French position was based on a decision issued by the State Shura Council, the highest administrative judicial authority in France.

At the end of June, the Shura Council maintained the ban on wearing the hijab in women's football.

In a judicial conclusion to a new case related to religious symbols in public places, which is the subject of frequent debates in France, the Shura Council ruled that the French Football Federation can enact rules that it deems necessary for the “proper conduct” of matches, which subsequently justifies it banning the wearing of the hijab in stadiums.

Millions of Americans are preparing to close government institutions and stop their salaries and social benefits, with Republicans and Democrats not reaching an agreement on the budget, months before the debt default.

The US Congress is moving towards closing government institutions after right-wing Republicans obstructed efforts to approve the budget.

Millions of Americans fear that their salaries and social benefits will stop within just days of this approval.

Four months after avoiding a catastrophic debt default, the world's largest economy is once again on the brink of crisis, with lockdown measures expected to begin appearing at the end of this week.

The Republicans, who have a majority in the House of Representatives, were unable to approve the usual set of bills that determine departmental budgets for the next fiscal year, which begins Sunday, after their efforts were hampered by right-wing Republicans demanding a significant reduction in spending.

The party leadership does not have the votes necessary to advance a short-term funding bill based on 2023 spending levels to ensure continuity of funding for federal institutions after midnight on Saturday/Sunday.

A closure would jeopardize the financial resources allocated to workers in national parks, museums and other federally funded sites, and could have serious political repercussions for Biden as he seeks to win a second term in the 2024 elections.

The US President said in a statement to reporters at the White House that "financing the government is one of Congress's primary responsibilities."

He continued: "If Republicans in the House of Representatives do not take the initiative to do their job, then we should stop electing them."

The Biden administration warned that 7 million people who depend on the Food Assistance Program for Women and Children may be cut off from funding.

In addition, another thorny issue is the request for additional aid for Kiev, after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky visited Congress last week and requested more weapons to fight Russian forces in the war that has been raging in his country for 18 months.

Both parties in the Senate support the $24 billion aid bill, but a group of Republicans in the House of Representatives threatens to block the approval of any financing measures, including aid.

"Unpaid employees"

The budget vote in Congress often turns into a confrontation in which one party uses the specter of a closure to extract concessions from the opponent, but these maneuvers usually fail.

The dilemma is usually resolved before it turns into a crisis, but the possibility of closing federal institutions this year is exacerbated by sharp polarization in Congress.

The specter of closure looms only four months after the country approaches a catastrophic default on its debts, with dire consequences for the economy in the United States and abroad.

The US government employs more than two million civilians, as well as military personnel and federal contractors.

“Non-essential” civil servants may be asked to stay home during the closure, and they will not receive their salaries until the closure ends and they return to work.

US President Biden is visiting striking auto industry workers, which is the electorate that Trump plans to address, as he will head to the region, which is the cradle of this industry. Biden is seeking to steal the spotlight from his Republican rival, who intends to head to the same state on Wednesday.

On Tuesday, US President Joe Biden will visit striking auto industry workers, an electorate that Donald Trump plans to address the next day, as he will head to the region, which is the cradle of this industry.

The Democratic president, who is conducting his election campaign, will be the first president to go to a sit-in site in Michigan, the central state of an unprecedented strike movement affecting three giant companies in the sector, namely General Motors, Ford, and Stellantis.

In this context, Biden seeks to steal the spotlight from his Republican rival, who intends to head to the same state on Wednesday to get closer to the workers on whom he is basing his hopes in order to regain the White House.

Donald Trump, who announced his trip before Biden announced a similar move, had accused the Democratic president of copying him. His spokesman, Jason Miller, described Joe Biden's visit as "nothing more than a bad photo shoot."

But according to White House spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre, the US President's trip was not affected "at all" by Trump's trip.

Pro-union

For Joe Biden, the challenge is to prove that he is the president of the working classes, the defender of unions, and the architect of America's industrial renewal.

Karen Jean-Pierre said on Monday, "His visit will be historic, and will highlight the extent to which the president is the most supportive of unions in the history of the United States."

But the octogenarian, who struggles in the polls and is focused on his physical condition on every trip, is walking in a minefield, as the current demand movement could be very destructive to the American economy.

The strike at the two automakers, General Motors and Stellantis, expanded due to the lack of progress in union negotiations, unlike Ford, where “real progress” was made.

Biden has stated several times that manufacturers should distribute their “record profits” to their workers.

In response to questions about whether the president was taking sides in the social conflict, the White House spokeswoman preferred to avoid answering, and stressed that Joe Biden wants, above all, to reach an agreement that “takes into account the interests of both sides.”

She added: “We do not interfere in the negotiations.”

"He wants to take your jobs."

Joe Biden has made his support for unions a hallmark of his state, and the UAW's support for his 2020 candidacy helped swing Michigan in his favor, while the state voted for Donald Trump in 2016.

However, one of the reasons behind the auto industry's historic turmoil is the Democratic president's government policy as it pushes toward more environmentally friendly vehicles.

Donald Trump said on the Truth Social website, “When he walks slowly to pretend he is at a sit-in, remember that he wants to take your jobs and send them to China.”

The Republican's hopes of returning to the White House are based largely on the labor votes he won in 2016 in key states such as Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.

But on the Democratic side, the billionaire real estate mogul's pro-union commitment is being called into question.

Donald Trump will speak on Wednesday in front of a spare parts manufacturing plant in Clinton, Michigan, according to his campaign team, a little more than 60 kilometers away from where Joe Biden will visit.

Imphal (Manipur) : Mobile internet services have been banned again in Manipur amid protests over the brutal murder of two minors. This ban will remain in effect till Sunday. The state government had recently lifted the ban on internet services that had been in place for five months following violent incidents between two tribes. More than 175 people have died in the conflict between Meitei and Kuki communities in this north-eastern state. While hundreds of people are injured.

Earlier, hundreds of students took to the streets in the capital Imphal on Tuesday to protest against the brutal murder of two minor students. They tried to march towards the residence of Chief Minister N Biren Singh, after which security forces fired tear gas shells to disperse the crowd. Many students were injured in this chaos.

There has been an uproar after pictures of dead bodies of two students went viral on social media when mobile internet was restored in the state after almost five months of ban.

Sources have said that the allegations of rape before the murder of the minor are also being investigated. In July, the two were seen in CCTV footage, but could not be traced at that time.

The young boy's parents spoke to NDTV and condemned the inhumane killings. The father said, "What was my son or daughter's fault that they were murdered? They didn't harm anyone. They were just roaming around." "Killing in cold blood is inhumane."

Both the children were going on a bike after the curfew (imposed due to caste violence) was relaxed, it is believed that they were kidnapped. The case sparked outrage and many people raised questions as to why the police were not able to trace the killers.

Meanwhile, the Manipur government has asked people to exercise restraint and allow authorities to investigate the kidnapping and murder of the duo. In a statement issued by Chief Minister N Biren Singh's secretariat late on Monday night, the state government said the case has already been handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

"Action on terrorism due to political convenience.": External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar gave 'reply' to Canada from UN

Foreign Minister S Jaishankar addressed the General Assembly of the United Nations (UNGA) on Tuesday. Amid the ongoing political standoff between India and Canada over the Khalistani issue, the Foreign Minister gave a befitting reply to Canadian PM Justin Trudeau from the UN platform. He said that political convenience cannot be the basis of any country's response to terrorism or extremism.

The Foreign Minister said, "Action on terrorism, extremism and violence should not be taken as per political convenience. There cannot be respect for territorial integrity and interference in internal affairs as per convenience."

 He said, "The world is witnessing an extraordinary period of turmoil. India's One Earth One Family One Future vision includes not just the small benefits of a few but the concerns of many people." Jaishankar has reiterated to the world India's demand for changes in the UNSC.

Speaking at the UN General Assembly, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said, "The days are over when some countries set the agenda and expected others to join them." 

He said that from the era of non-alignment, we have now reached the era of world friendship. When we aspire to be a leading power, it is not for self-praise but to take on greater responsibility, to contribute.

Jaishankar said, "Coming out of the era of non-alignment, we have now developed the concept of 'world friend'. The inclusion of the African Union in the G20 should also inspire the United Nations to modernize the Security Council."

He said that the world is going through challenging times. Times are changing, now we have to listen to other countries. Jaishankar said, "The agenda of a few countries cannot be imposed on the world."

He said, "India has entered the 'Amrit Kaal' When our Chandrayaan-3 landed on the Moon, the world saw a glimpse of what was to come. Our message to the world today is digitally enabled governance, growing infrastructure framework and our energetic start-up structure."

Jaishankar said, "Our latest claim is the pioneering legislation to reserve one-third seats for women in legislatures. I speak for a society where the ancient traditions of democracy have deep modern roots. As a result, our thinking, approach And the work is more grounded and authentic."

Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar said, "We have built developmental partnerships with 75 countries. We have also become the first responders in disaster and emergency situations. The people of Turkey and Syria have seen this."

Foreign Minister at UNGA S. Jaishankar said, "At a time when East-West polarization is so intense and the North-South divide so deep, the New Delhi summit also reaffirms that diplomacy and dialogue are the only effective solutions, those are the days Gone are the days when some countries set the agenda and expected others to follow suit."

The number of people infected with dengue fever and acute diarrhea has increased at an alarming rate in Sudan, where the war has caused the closure of 100 hospitals, leading to the death of hundreds, the Medical Syndicate announced Monday.

The union warned that the most affected state is Gedaref, located on the Ethiopian border, which is witnessing “a catastrophic spread of dengue fever throughout the state, resulting in hundreds of deaths and thousands of infections.”

The rainy season in Sudan, which witnesses the spread of malaria or dengue fever epidemics every year, has become more deadly this year after more than five months of war between the army led by Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and the Rapid Support Forces led by Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo.

A medical source in Gedaref told Agence France-Presse, refusing to reveal his name: “Hospitals are full and cases continue to increase, and the situation is complicated, especially for sick children, because while some are hospitalized, most of them are being treated at home.”

Amal Hussein, a resident of Gedaref, said, “In every house there are at least three people sick with dengue fever,” which is a disease transmitted by mosquitoes that causes a significant rise in body temperature and then bleeding, and can lead to death if not treated.

In the city of El Fasher, North Darfur State, “13 cases of malaria were recorded within one week,” according to the Ministry of Health. As for Khartoum, three people died due to acute diarrhea out of 14 people who were hospitalized on Sunday alone, in the Haj Youssef area, east of the capital, according to the Resistance Committee in this neighborhood.

The activist group, which has been organizing aid among residents since fighting began in Sudan on April 15, urged residents to "take the necessary precautions to avoid infection."

"Disaster imminent"

In addition to diseases, hunger is knocking on doors in Sudan, where more than half of the 48 million people need humanitarian assistance to survive, and six million of them are on the brink of famine, as humanitarian agencies have warned.

The second United Nations official in Sudan, Clementine Nkwita-Salami, said, “The disaster is threatening Sudan, and donor countries must immediately pay the promised funds for humanitarian assistance that could save lives.”

According to the media center of the Ministry of Health, “Rapid Support takes control of the main center for medical supplies, and medicines and medical equipment amounting to $500 million were lost, and 70% of the equipment of the specialized centers in Khartoum, such as the center for oncology treatment, laparoscopic surgery, heart and orthopedic surgery, and pediatric surgery, was lost.”

Since the outbreak of battles that centered in the Sudanese capital and the Darfur region in the west of the country, about 7,500 people have been killed, including at least 435 children, according to official data, a toll that is likely to be much lower than the actual number of victims of the conflict. About five million people were forced to leave their homes and flee within Sudan or seek refuge in neighboring countries, especially Egypt and Chad, in addition to 80% of the health sector facilities in the country being out of service.

The United Nations sounded the alarm about the impact of the current political crisis in Sudan on the health situation of children, and last week it expressed its fear of the death of thousands of children there due to acute malnutrition and the spread of diseases in light of the violence prevailing in the country, especially after about 1,200 children died as a result of measles. Malnutrition in nine refugee camps in Sudan since May

Istanbul: The invitation of the Libyan government, appointed by the House of Representatives, to the international community to participate in the Derna Reconstruction Conference, next October 10, reflects a desire to extract international recognition instead of the unity government, but from the gateway to the humanitarian crisis left by the hurricane that struck the city of Derna. (East), under its influence.

Despite the state of solidarity among the various groups of people with the Derna tragedy, which left thousands dead and missing, and the aid convoys departing from the cities of the West to the afflicted areas in the East, the situation on the political level hides a silent competition between the two governments regarding the “legitimacy of the status quo” and the management of reconstruction funds.

 Political rivalry

There is a political competition between the governments of Abdul Hamid Al-Dabaiba in the capital, Tripoli (west), and Osama Hammad in the city of Benghazi (east) over relief for the afflicted, reconstruction funds, and also over international aid that flowed from more than 20 countries and international relief organizations.

Because it enjoys international recognition, most international aid reaches Libya through the unity government, and the Central Bank of Libya, even after its unification, only recognizes the Dabaiba government, which has greater financial, material, and human resources, which gives it an advantage in terms of providing aid to the afflicted in the East. And thus new legitimacy outside its areas of control.

On the other hand, the government appointed by the House of Representatives is trying to compensate for its lack of material and financial resources by trying to “impose a fait accompli,” given that Derna and the areas affected by the hurricane and floods are all under its influence and the authority of the eastern forces led by Khalifa Haftar.

Based on this fait accompli, activists from the western region accuse Hammad’s government and Haftar’s forces of obstructing the entry of aid convoys sent by the unity government and volunteers from western cities to the stricken areas in the east.

In this regard, MP Ibrahim Al-Darsi, who supports the Hammad government, justifies the reasons for obstructing the entry of unity government convoys into the affected areas, saying, “The disaster occurred in the east, and therefore it is natural for the eastern government not to allow the Western government to intervene.”

In a television statement, Al-Darsi called on the Central Bank, after its unification, to liquidate funds for Osama Hammad’s government, saying, “We must deal with reality.”

While the government appointed by the House of Representatives, which is recognized only by Cairo, invited the international community to attend a conference for the reconstruction of Derna, in the stricken city.

This was considered by media activists in the western region to be an attempt by “an internationally recognized government to achieve political gains.”

 The puzzle of reconstruction “money.”

The House of Representatives’ adoption, during an emergency session, of a budget estimated at 10 billion Libyan dinars (more than two billion dollars) for the reconstruction of Derna, sparked a political crisis with the Supreme Council of State (the second chamber of Parliament), which objected to this decision.

It was strange for a legislative institution (the House of Representatives) to interfere in allocating funds that it did not own, even though that was within the powers of the executive institution (the government).

In the earthquake in Morocco and before that in Turkey and Syria, we did not hear any parliament that approved an emergency budget and asked the Central Bank to allocate it for reconstruction, bypassing the executive institution.

This was raised by the President of the Supreme Council of State, Mohamed Takala, in an official correspondence with the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aguila Saleh, in which he drew his attention to the fact that spending to meet emergency needs was allocated a clause in the budget law, for which the government is responsible for spending on those needs without legislative intervention.

Takala, Aguila warned that the budget law is to be prepared by the executive authority and presented to the Council of State, which has not been done, and that in such circumstances (the budget law) is considered “a national security that no one or entity can monopolize due to the exploitation, confusion, and confusion that may surround it.” .

But what Takala did not say is that with this huge budget, which exceeds two billion dollars, the House of Representatives seeks to convince the Central Bank, headed by Governor Al-Siddiq Al-Kabir, to disburse it to Hammad’s government, and to marginalize the unity government, under the pretext of reconstruction.

Activists in western Libya and those affected in Derna express their fear that “reconstruction funds” will be diverted to other than their intended destination, and they demand that international bodies such as the World Bank or the International Monetary Fund supervise the reconstruction process.

In this context, the Government of National Unity officially requested the World Bank to help manage reconstruction funds for areas and cities that suffered massive losses due to the hurricane.

This request came in a letter from the Minister of Finance of the Unity Government, Khaled Al-Mabrouk, to the resident representative of the World Bank Group in Libya, Henriette von Kaltenborn, dated September 12.

The unity government limited the request for assistance to three points: a rapid assessment of the damage, the establishment of programs for rapid and emergency cash transfers to those affected, and the management of prospective reconstruction funds.

Through this step, which came two days after the hurricane that struck Derna, the unity government had previously removed from the government appointed by Parliament the card “management of anticipated reconstruction funds.”

The Dabaiba government is well aware that it is difficult for it to manage reconstruction funds in areas outside its control, and therefore it is at the mercy of the Hammad government and its supporters (Aqila and Haftar), so it proposed to the World Bank to manage these funds.

Division hampers reconstruction

Although the damage caused by the hurricane and the floods that caused the collapse of the Derna dams is greater than the capacity of Libya and all its institutions, the division between two governments, one in the West and the other in the East, has made relief missions difficult, and has even prompted international parties to hesitate in providing aid.

The internationally recognized government is in the West, the afflicted areas are in the East, and in between are fields of military and political mines that hinder the delivery of aid with the required speed, at a time when any moment could save a human life.

The unity and solidarity among the members of the Libyan people, whether from the West or from the East, was not reflected to the same extent in the political scene that is still torn between two governments, despite the convoys of relief and technical aid that the unity government sent to the stricken areas, as well as a fleet of planes that were transporting aid. And volunteers are free.

This situation prompted the victims of Derna to organize protests in the city on September 18, in which they called on the Speaker of Parliament to leave, called for those responsible for the disaster to be held accountable, accelerated reconstruction, and achieved national unity, and denounced discrimination.

These protests raised the concern of officials in the east that they would spread to the rest of the cities of Cyrenaica, as happened in 2020. Therefore, the Municipal Council of Derna was sacrificed, as it was dismissed by the Hammad government, against which popular pressure is increasing, especially with calls to open a local and international investigation into those responsible and negligent in the dam collapse. tuber.

Obtaining reconstruction funds, whether from the Central Bank or from the international community, represents a necessity for the Hammad government, to absorb the anger of the afflicted and the Libyan people, especially since the state budget goes mostly to the unity government.

The repercussions of the Derna floods on the “frozen” political scene have not stopped, and perhaps they have not yet begun, with everyone busy recovering the bodies and relieving the afflicted, but the next stage will increase popular pressure to end the political division, as the reconstruction of Derna will not be completed with the required speed except with executive authority.

The ruling military junta in Niger demanded that the schedule for the withdrawal of French forces from the country be according to an agreed-upon deadline, after French President Emmanuel Macron announced the end of military cooperation between Paris and Niger’s coup leaders under the pretext of their unwillingness to fight terrorism.

Niger's coup leaders called for the establishment of a "negotiating framework" for the withdrawal of French forces from their country, after French President Emmanuel Macron announced that his country would withdraw its soldiers from this country.

The military regime in Niger said in a statement, on Monday evening, that the timetable for the withdrawal of French forces, consisting of 1,500 soldiers in Niger to combat terrorism, must “take place within a negotiated framework and joint agreement for better effectiveness.”

The military in Niger confirmed that they expect official measures issued by the relevant French authorities after Macron announced on Sunday evening that France would withdraw its ambassador, Sylvain Eté, from Niger “in the coming hours” and then the approximately 1,500 French soldiers.

“We are ending our military cooperation with the de facto authorities in Niger, because they no longer want to fight terrorism,” Macron said on Sunday.

Since the French announcement, no special movement has been recorded in the vicinity of the French embassy in Niamey that leads to the belief that Eteh left the country.

Immediately after Macron's statements were issued, the ruling military regime in Niamey celebrated "a new step towards Niger's sovereignty."

In recent weeks, Niamey has witnessed several demonstrations against the French presence, in which tens of thousands of people participated.

For its part, the United States of America, which sent 1,100 soldiers to Niger, announced that it is evaluating its options.

The US Secretary of Defense said that Washington "did not implement any tangible change in the conditions of our forces and we really want to see a diplomatic solution and a peaceful end" to the crisis.

Through this partnership, the giant group in the field of e-commerce and cloud computing will acquire a minority stake in the company “Anthropic”, which developed “Cloud”, a chatbot that competes with “ChatGPT”, the famous artificial intelligence tool developed by “Open”. A.I.”

For its part, Anthropic will use chips from Amazon Web Service (AWS), the world's largest cloud computing company, that were specifically developed to create machine learning models.

According to Amazon, this agreement aims to accelerate Anthropic’s future automated chat models, which AWS users will have access to.

“Generative” artificial intelligence, capable of generating new content based on learning data, is whetting the appetite of Internet giants.

A few days ago, Amazon announced that its virtual assistant, “Alexa,” will be equipped with artificial intelligence.

For its part, Microsoft indicated Thursday that it will integrate OpenAI's new generative artificial intelligence interface into its Bing search engine

Washington : Instead of having many tabs for Google services, the American company seeks to combine them into one tab that uses artificial intelligence to deal with emails, vacation plans, and other personal documents of the user.

Google wants to consolidate all tabs into one tab on the cool AI platform's user interface , which is quickly competing with the most popular platform, " GBT Chat ."

Google Director Jack Krawczyk said Bard could be useful when making vacation plans, or filling out forms that are sent to the user via email and other files saved on Google services such as Gmail and Google's cloud computing services.

He added that Bard can complete tasks that require 20 minutes in just 20 seconds by helping to fill out various forms that the user receives via email, and searching for and summarizing basic information, which is a particularly useful task for parents at the beginning of the school year.

Another example of the work that the Bard platform can do is answering a question that says, for example, “Search for my CV titled 2023 on the cloud computing service Drive and summarize it in a short personal paragraph.”

This function can also be more useful when planning vacations, “as you can ask Bard to determine the appropriate times for each person through emails, search for flight times and hotel information, then review the Google Maps service to find out the routes to the airport, and also watch videos on YouTube.” To find out things to do during the trip.

The Bard platform will be more useful when Google can access all of the user's personal data, but it will not be useful if some of the useful information that requires access is located on other applications such as WhatsApp, iMessage, or an email account other than Gmail.

Although the new function of the Bard platform that was announced last week is available worldwide, it currently supports only the English language, and other languages ​​will be added later.

At the same time, some believe that allowing the artificial intelligence platform to access the user's personal information and documents is scary, so Google says that cold access to personal information can be revoked at any time the user chooses.

At the same time, Krawczyk says that the content of the user's personal information and documents will not be used to train or improve the Bard language model, nor will anyone be allowed to see this information even when Bard processes the information contained in emails or the Dock and Drive services. It will also not be used to send any advertisements to the user in any way.

Google also wants to allow the user to combine his real voice with images uploaded over the Internet in the future. For example, the user can upload a picture of a bottle with the drink inside it written on it, so Park will suggest in detail the main meal that would best suit this drink. Bard chat archive can also be shared with other people.

In a statement issued by the Foreign Office on Monday, it was said that "Pakistan strongly condemns the recent senseless and highly provocative incident of desecration of the Quran outside the embassies of some OIC member countries, including Pakistan, in The Hague." Is.'

Pakistan's foreign office said in a statement that "this is a deliberately provocative and Islamophobic act that hurts the sentiments of Muslims around the world."

"Such acts cannot be hidden under the guise of protest, opinion and freedom of expression," the statement said.

According to Reuters, another desecration of the Quran occurred in The Hague on September 23, where the head of an anti-Islamic group desecrated the Quran in front of the embassies of Pakistan, Indonesia, Turkey and Denmark.

On the other hand, Saudi Arabia has also condemned the recent incident of desecration of the Quran in The Hague.

According to the Saudi Gazette, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Saudi Arabia has condemned the desecration of the Quran and said that "such actions are not acceptable in any case."

"Such actions clearly incite hatred and racism, and in addition to rejecting extremism, spread the values ​​of tolerance, moderation and necessary between people and countries," the Saudi Foreign Ministry said in a statement. are in direct conflict with international efforts to undermine mutual respect.'

Karanvir Singh is said to be the successor of Babbar Khalsa's senior terrorists Wadhwa Singh and Harvinder Singh Rinda. Wadhwa Singh and Rinda have also escaped from India and are hiding in Pakistan.

New Delhi : Interpol has issued a Red Corner Notice against the Khalistani terrorist hiding in Pakistan. Red corner notice has been issued against Babbar Khalsa terrorist Karanveer Singh. According to sources, Karanveer Singh, a resident of Kapurthala, Punjab, is currently present in Pakistan.

Karanvir Singh is said to be the successor of Babbar Khalsa's senior terrorists Wadhwa Singh and Harvinder Singh Rinda. Wadhwa Singh and Rinda have also escaped from India and are hiding in Pakistan. Both of them are spreading terrorism in India in collaboration with Pakistan's intelligence agency ISI. Cases of murder, explosive act, terror funding, terrorist conspiracy, Arms Act are registered against Karanvir.

Interpol has shared some details in the Red Corner Notice issued for Karanvir Singh Babbar Khalsa. According to the notice, his age is stated to be 38 years. Height is 1.77 meters, hair and eye color is said to be black. It has also been told in the notice that Karanvir Singh Babbar Khalsa can speak Punjabi, Hindi and English.

Babbar Khalsa Sikhs demand an independent state and India considers it a terrorist organization. Apart from this, countries like America and Canada have also banned it. Even America had called this organization a threat to the world. America said that this organization is going to break the country.

Zelensky meets Nato chief in Kyiv as Ukraine pushes for defence bloc membership

Three women were killed in the street after artillery hit a residential area in Kherson

Debate descends into chaos as moderators lose control over candidates far behind Trump in the polls

Ex-president’s claim to have organised an audience of ‘hundreds’ of union members remains unlikely

‘Troubling example of how disinformation can make its way into media reporting’

Former president and 18 other defendants have all pleaded not guilty in sprawling Fulton County Rico case

Without providing solid evidence, Republicans claimed Biden lied about his financial gains

The mother’s attorney claims the criminal charges are a retaliation for her lawsuit against the city

‘What was brought out from that fabricated image excluded critical context that changed the underlying meaning and allegation that was presented’

Four students were found brutally stabbed to death in off-campus house near University of Idaho last November

‘If y’all need to think about it, we can take a moment and think about it,’ Rep Greg Casar said

‘Vivek’s first business had a subsidiary in China’ which was closed ‘as the risks of doing business in China became apparent,’ Ramaswamy spokesperson says

On 28 September, House Republicans held the first impeachment inquiry hearing on Joe Biden and his potential connections to his son Hunter’s business.

Republicans in the House of Representatives began an impeachment inquiry hearing into President Joe Biden on Thursday

AN AIRBNB host has warned of the risk of being scammed after a nightmare guest tried to con her out of £2,000.

Zoey Berghoff had noted one key trait to look out for when renting a property out to strangers.

Posting to her TikTok account, Zoey explained how a man who requested to stay in her Airbnb became immediately unhappy upon his arrival.

She noted how the guest had “asked about 30 questions” prior to his stay, to which the host claims is the reason she now doesn’t “trust people who ask questions.”

Zoey recalls the man being unhappy with the positioning of the couch and not having enough dishes.

The duo spoke on the phone as the man requested a refund.

However, Zoey refused after arguing that the house matched the description on the website.

She took the case to Airbnb for them to deal with it professionally, as the guest started sending her threatening messages.

After hearing back from Airbnb, Zoey was informed that guests aren’t allowed a refund the day of the check-in.

She claimed that having photos taken of the house that day by the cleaners helped her with her case and avoided her having to refund the unhappy guest.

Eight weeks later, Airbnb contacted Zoey to inform her that as the host, she was correct in not refunding the guest.

This was due to the home being “100 per cent accurate and authentic to what the listing described”.

It was decided that the guest had made his decision based off his opinion of the property and nothing else.

As a result, Zoey was able to retain the £2,000 which the guest had paid for his stay at the property.

This proved even more crucial for the host as it was only her second month of running an Airbnb.

Following the ordeal, Zoey had advised fellow hosts to “always communicate with guests on Airbnb app & work with Airbnb for guest issues”.

She claims it is also “vital to ask for a video or photos from every clean from your team, for leverage of your homes status.”

One Airbnb host had their own nightmare when a guest trashed the property with a month’s worth of mess – despite only staying there for three nights.

But a guest ex[experienced their own nightmare after arriving at their Airbnb to find that it had already been rented out.

UKRAINE has fought tooth-and-nail to punch through Russia’s heavily mined frontline in the south – and is getting the edge over Putin’s brutes, a top war expert insists.

Heroic defenders in the war-torn country have been employing World War One-style tactics – leaving the red-faced tyrant aimlessly striking in a failing bid to bomb them into submission.

The Russian leader arrogantly thought he could sweep in and seize Ukraine‘s capital Kyiv within days.

But a year and half into the war, Russian troops continue to stall on their illegal mission.

In June, Putin‘s butchers crowed they took control of a large area of Zaporizhzhia in the south, as far as Robotyne.

But just three months later, the tables appear to have turned as Ukraine claims to have blown through Russian defence lines and reclaimed Robotyne as they power on with their counteroffensive.

Desperate Putin frantically threw up fortifications as Russia prepared for the feared Ukraine onslaught earlier this year.

Pictures showed a beach littered with concrete blocks, regions with defensive lines dug out and major roads lined with anti-tank ditches.

Close up, dragon’s teeth were seen – which are pyramidal anti-tank obstacles used to impede the movement of war machines.

But Ukraine has stormed Russia’s frontline using British tanks and “Tsunami” squads as their onslaught gathers pace.

John Spencer, Chair of Urban War Studies at the US military academy West Point, told The Sun that such a breakthrough is “significant” for President Zelensky and his warriors.

He revealed how Russia had spent months establishing bolstered lines of defence – with endless mines and “dragon’s teeth” tankbusters.

But Mr Spencer, an expert in urban combat, said Ukraine has “slowly but surely” figured out how to “penetrate then clear” mine fields and go through them.

He added: “That’s a breakthrough.

“If they’re able to surge a force into that breakthrough and then push all the way through, that would be significant for the Russian lines, which stretch 1,000 miles almost.

“But that one breakthrough is what we would call a decisive breakthrough where they could then push through and move forward rapidly.”

Mr Spencer said Ukraine’s ability to blast through Russian defences has highlighted weaknesses in their set up.

He added: “You want to do a defence in depth, have mini lines and be able to have the flexibility to then adapt to potential breakthrough if you’re on the defence.

“But what it looks like Russia did was just defend forwards and put everybody on the frontline.

“So then Russia doesn’t then have the ability to manoeuvre forces to stop that breakthrough, which is what you ideally want to do.”

Mr Spencer hailed Ukraine’s ability to adapt as the war has raged on – especially with it air power limitations.

He said: “What Ukraine is doing hasn’t been done since World War One.

“World War One at the end of it saw the tactics which would be successful in breaching mine-wired trench lines like this, by combining the tank, the airplane and the radio – which were all new technologies towards the end of World War One – into what we’d call the Blitzkreig.

“That’s what Ukraine has had to figure out what to do but without one of those vital components – air power. 

“So what Ukraine has done moved forward slowly but surely, they adapt to their lessons learned, more mine clearing equipment has been fielded, their ability to cover their forces with long range fires and artillery has increased. 

“And their ability to figure out how to do this without that overwhelming air power that any Western military would use, and then slowly move forces forward with engineers, armoured personnel carriers, and all the equipment they were fielded lately and then figured out how to push through this.”

Ukraine also appears to be inching towards retaking Bakhmut, one of the most highly contested battlefields of the war.

The blue-and-yellow flag has been raised in areas around the city, including Kllishciika and Andriivka.

Mr Spencer said: “Bakhmut has been a really curious battle for over a year – it has no real tactical or military value.

“But because war is politics it took on a strategic importance as a very known location.”

Up to 50,000 Russian soldiers are thought to have died taking the city – and Ukraine could play to this weakness.

Ukraine now has the potential to circle it and take it, which would be a “significant political information warfare win”.

Elsewhere, Ukraine launched a string of bold new attacks to blow up Putin’s prized £3billion bridge link to annexed Crimea.

And in the last week, Zelensky’s troops have blasted Putin’s Black Sea Fleet HQ in Sevastopol twice.

The fleet’s commander Viktor Sokolov is understood to be one of 34 officers who died after Storm Shadows blitzed the headquarters.

Mr Spencer noted how there had been a recent uptick in attacks in Crimea – which has been another breakthrough for the country as it is squashing Russia’s ability to conduct operations.

He added: “It is the key to the war, it is of strategic value to Russia with the Sevastopol naval base and the ability to influence the Black Sea to stop Ukraine’s main economic hub which is the grain exports.

“Ukraine’s ability to be able to strike into Crimea has been really significant.”

Mr Spencer believes Ukraine’s successes have led panicked Putin to lash out and attempt to parade his power in the form of missile strikes on populated areas in a twisted bid to bully the country into defeat.

He added: “We’ve seen the Russian tactic, when they get upset, they’re mad about Ukraine’s successes they start attacking Ukrainian civilian locations.

“But this idea that you can bomb a population into submission has been disapproved time and time again but still tyrannical leaders like Hitler or Putin they always try it for some reason.

“They think they can convince the population and their political leaders to give up. It’s proven never to work.

“We’ve seen Russian increase their attacks on Odesa because they’re mad.

“It has no military value what they’re striking, they’re just striking things they think they can hit.

“Ukraine is relying on this air defence capabilities the West has provided and needs to keep providing to take this terrorist tactic away from Putin.

“He is angered he can’t hit things, like in Kyiv even hypersonic missiles are getting shot down.”

Mr Spencer said as the winter months roll in, much of the landscape will turn into mud – which could work in Ukraine’s favour.

He added: “It can cripple the most advanced tanks, so it can limit the counteroffensive.

“I’m not saying it will stop it, I don’t think Ukraine will stop at all, but it will slow down operations for both sides.

“And hopefully Ukraine can capitalise on that and continue to have these major breakthrough and hold what they breakthrough.”

THIS adventurous woman has moved into her car rent free – and thanks to her clever method, there’s enough room for a bed and her dog.

Bri Walston left her old life behind and opted for a home on wheels, meaning she pays nothing for rent and gets to see the world.

The nomad documents her life on TikTok, and recently provided a glimpse into her renovated SUV.

She said: “This is my pantry, this is my stove, and this is where I cook.

“To give you an idea of how much space there is, this is my cargo box, where I keep all of my outdoor gear.”

By keeping the majority of her belongings in the box on the roof, Bri has enough room to sleep comfortably in the vehicle with her pooch.

In the passenger seat, she stores her camera, backpack, toiletries and fanny pack – keeping the essentials within reach, while tucking her clothes in drawers behind the driver’s seat.

Bri shimmied between other vehicles in the parking lot, joking: “Man, these property lines are tight around here!”

In total, the savvy spender only spent £18,800 on her Subaru Forester, £820 for the cargo hatch and £164 for her backseat conversion.

And living rent free means practically zero spent on anything except gas and food.

And she said the best part is she gets to travel around with her beloved dog: “She deserves to see the world, sniff all the tree trunks that have been peed on by other dogs, grab as many sticks along trails as she wants, swim in random lakes, and go potty with a view, too.

“Her backyard is anywhere we go.”

The real reason Bri looked into moving into vans is due to past trauma, she revealed.

She said: “I knew it was time to make my life mine, and experience the world the way that I wanted to.

“Free, unplanned, spontaneous, chaotic, exciting, romantic and full of love. The best way that I knew how to do this was by doing it on the road full time.”

And she’ recently upgraded from her Subaru forester to a larger white van, fit with built in storage, a desk and a stove top to cook on – something she calls “quite the upgrade”.

Bri isn’t the only person who’s opted to live life out of a van to save money and go on adventures – Liam Day lives full time with his wife in a camper van.

It comes after a woman who lives in a converted van with her partner revealed how they’re able to live a lifestyle spending hardly any money.

A KILLER who used a meat-grinder to dispose his lover’s body has been pardoned and released from jail by Vladimir Putin – because he fought in Ukraine.

Sadistic Dmitry Zelensky, 41, has been pardoned for the strangling and cruel dismemberment of his former lover, 27-year-old Tatiana Melekhina.

Tatiana was reported missing by her father in 2018, and was later found after Dmitry confessed to strangling her and putting her remains through a meat grinder. 

The cruel murderer has now been excused from his 11-year sentence in a penal colony due to Putin’s sickening “fight for freedom” scheme.

Under the agreement, hardened criminals must fight for six months in Ukraine – then are pardoned and permitted to return to normal life.

Upon the discovery of Tatiana’s murder, a law enforcement source said the “exceptional cruelty” of the murder had “shocked even hardened detectives”.

The source said: “He did not just dismember her body, he separated the meat and bones, and made mincemeat.

“Then he washed this mincemeat down the toilet into the sewage system. He threw the bones into the river.”

Tatiana’s surviving family was outraged after not being notified that her killer had been released after his service.

Her sister Oksana said: “At his trial, it was declared that we would be notified of where he was, and his movements.

“We were never told anything. My father has written to ask for details, but no-one answers us.”

Dmitry’s mother, Galina, said: “My son went to the war for many reasons – he wanted to atone for what he had done.”

Russia has already seen an increase in violent crime since Putin’s freedom for fighting scheme began, and worries are increasing as more and more fighters return from their time in Ukraine.

In August, a prisoner-turned-Wagner soldier who was freed after serving in Ukraine went on a killer rampage.

Igor Sofonov stabbed six people and set two homes on fire after returning home from the frontlines.

Inside one home, residents Konstantin Lonin, 42, his brother Dmitry, 47, and Vladimir Sergeenko, 76, were all reportedly stabbed to death.

A woman named Svetlana, 38, was also killed, and the bodies of Vladimir Tereshchenko, 70, and his son Artyom, 39, were found.

A FORMER tech boss remains on the run after he was accused of being part of a Bulgarian spy ring operating in the UK.

One of the world’s most wanted men, Jan Marsalek was named as a “tasker” for the group, accused of assisting in monitoring Kremlin targets for “potential abduction.”

The five Bulgarian nationals who were operating at their HQ at a seaside hotel in Great Yarmouth appeared at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday.

Orlin Roussev, 45, Bizer Dzhambazov, 41, Katrin Ivanova, 31, Ivan Stoyanov, 31, and Vanya Gaberova, 29, were acussed of conspiring to gather information for an enemy between August 2020 and February this year.

While he has not been charged, Marsalek was named as “a tasker on behalf of Russia” in a shocking twist.

But Marsalek, 43, is already among the world’s most wanted for his alleged involvement in one of Germany‘s biggest fraud cases.

Marsalek has been a fugitive since 2020 when Interpol issued a Red Notice for his arrest due to his alleged involvement in the Wirecard fraud scandal.

The Austrian tycoon, the former head of German tech firm Wirecard, has been on the run since the company’s collapse in June 2020.

Marsalek, 43, who was Wirecard’s chief operating officer for business in Asia, is believed to have fled to Russia amid the fraud allegations.

Marsalek and his team were sacked after the firm reported that £1.7 billion was missing.

Initially hired for his knowledge of WAP systems, Marsalek started working for Wirecard in 2000.

The charismatic and eloquent Austrian became the company’s chief operating officer after ten years.

But in June 2020, the firm reported that a whopping £1.7 billion (€2 billion) vanished from two accounts in the Philippines – a region under Marsalek’s supervision.

The company eventually collapsed following what it later described as an “elaborate and sophisticated fraud.”

But instead, he vanished without a trace, becoming one of the world’s most notorious fugitives.

In the note of Interpol’s Red list, Marsalek is pictured in one photo as a clean-cut executive while in the other one, he is shown with a thick beard that makes him look distinctively different.

Marsalek reportedly told colleagues he would be flying to the Philippines to prove his innocence, according to Bellingcat.

But that day he met Martin Weiss, a former member of Austrian intelligence, for pizza in Munich.

It is speculated that Weiss helped the ex-tycoon to fly to Belarus and then cross to Russia – the last time he travelled under his real name.

German Die Welt reported at the time that Marsalek was at a Russian FSB training centre in the Balashikha suburb.

And according to the Dossier Center, Marsalek, who had at least eight passports, received Russian citizenship and lived under FSB protection at the Meyendorff Castle.

The 43-year-old had always been a Russophile, with reports of him having links to key figures in the Russian government and the GRU, Russia‘s military intelligence.

His office in Munich was said to be decorated with Russian dolls and hates while his mansion was located right across the Russian consulate.

Marsalek was a frequent visitor to Russia having travelled to Moscow, Kazan, St. Petersburg, and Nizhny Novgorod in the past decade.

To all German inquiries regarding Marsalek’s whereabouts, Moscow has denied there is an Austrian citizen living in the country under that name.

A SELF-proclaimed “full-time mystic” has hit back at trolls who told her she was wasting her life by quitting the modern world.

Jasmine Mariposa has offered her followers a glimpse into her off-grid lifestyle, where she has no running water and instead bathes in a river.

Describing herself as a “jungle fairy”, Jasmine shows how she prepares food and how she created her own “outdoor office”.

She says she has proved a lot of people wrong who told her she was making a mistake.

In a video shared on her TikTok page Jasmine said: “You said I’m wasting my life following my dreams instead of going to school.

“Well that’s rich coming from you. Because you’re a passionless life that I do not envy.

“You will end up with a 9-5 until you’re 65, and you will most definitely wish you would’ve lived more freely.”

In another clip, she shows how she does her laundry without the luxury of a running water.

It shows her walking to a river barefoot clutching several large plastic bottles.

Jasmine then fills each up, before lugging them back to her humble home.

She then pours each into a washer before emptying her clothes in and later hanging them on a line between trees.

In another video, Jasmine reveals how she uses the river to bathe.

She has also cleverly fashioned herself an “outdoor office” using a wooden pallet.

Footage shows her positioning a number of bricks on the ground before putting the pallet on top – as well as a blanket for comfort.

She then pops a container on top, which she uses to balance her laptop on.

And a further clip shows her preparing a coconut to eat by banging it with a rock, while another shows her harvesting fresh cocoa.

Jasmine also used turmeric before to dye her clothes.

She wrote in a TikTok caption: “The process was super simple — all I did was put the clothes I wanted to dye in a pot with turmeric and boiling water.

“I let it simmer for about 20-30mins until I liked the colour, then rinsed in the stream.”

Many viewers have praised Jasmine for her bold lifestyle.

One wrote: “Off-grid homesteading is heaven.”

Another said: “I’m so grateful I came across you because I am about to drop off university, I’m done with the matrix.

“I’m in Africa, taking my role to heal the land.”

A third commented: “You’re living my dream”.

A THREE-YEAR-OLD girl accidentally shot herself in a horrifying ordeal after picking up an unattended firearm.

The nightmarish event was caught on CCTV and shows the tot – named Serenity – shoot herself in the hand.

The toddler sustained a serious injury and required surgery.

The alarming ordeal occurred in her Florida home, and just moments before it happened she had been watching TV with a relative.

Serenity was treated at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital where she stayed for three nights before returning home to recover.

The girl’s grandma, Robin Fuller, has posted the chilling video on Facebook and captioned it: “Video of when my granddaughter shot her self at her OTHER GRANDMA HOUSE.”

A 23-year-old relative Orlando Young – has been arrested in connection to the unattended gun.

Young is now facing charges of child neglect resulting in great bodily harm but was released on bond on Tuesday evening.

The relative was watching football on TV at a home in the 11000 block of Southwest 220th Terrace, according to WSVN. 

The shocking video shows Serenity running to the couch and grabbing the gun that was left on it.

Just seconds later it fires and she can be seen doubled over in pain and cradling her hand whilst her relative rushes over to console her.

Her four-year-old brother was close by and can be seen covering his ears after he hears the loud noise.

The toddlers were supposedly being minded by her other grandma, Fuller told WSVN, but only Serenity, Young and the disabled adult were witnessed in the video. 

In the video, Young can be seen jumping up off the sofa to celebrate a touch down when the gun catches Serenity’s eye.

The little girl then begins to play with the firearm before she accidentally pulls the trigger and it shoots into her hand.

Another woman features in the video and appears sitting on the sofa but she is disabled and reportedly cannot move.

The police were told by Young that he only left his gun on the seat for a short time period while he was watching the game.

Fuller has publicly shamed the other grandma who was responsible for Serenity that day and has accused her of negligence.

Despite her devastation Fuller recognises the outcome could have been far worse.

“It could’ve been worse than this,” she said.

She added: “They are trying to save the finger so we are just going to pray that the blood flow goes back through.

“The police arrived because I called the police myself when I received the phone call and eventually the police arrived and they asked, ‘Where is the baby?'”

Footage of Serenity shows her in a hospital bed smiling with a bandaged hand.

The traumatised grandmother said: “I don’t want them over there ever again.”

Young was in court on Monday and is expected to return again on a separate charge for fighting with a fellow prisoner, according to WSVN.

The Department of Children and Families (DCF) told WSVN: “The Department conducts investigations concerning all allegations of abuse, neglect, or abandonment.

“Information regarding investigations is confidential per section 39.202, Florida Statutes.”

Tragically this is one of many incidents in which curious children have stumbled upon an unattended gun.

According to The Trace this year 162 children under 13 shot themselves or another child with an unsecured gun.

A TEACHER was allegedly stabbed in the eye by a student who also knifed two other pupils at a school in Spain.

The 14-year-old reportedly pulled a large knife from his backpack and started “stabbing everyone who passed by” as classes began.

The teen then tried to hold his classmates hostage as staff were forced to restrain him.

Two teachers and two students were injured during the horror rampage this morning.

The female teacher who was stabbed in the face was rushed to hospital and is in a serious condition.

Another member of staff, who is uninjured, came to her aid during the rampage.

The condition of the other victims is not currently known.

The school was evacuated following the attack and the suspect is being held in custody.

The alleged attacker, who has not been named, is said to have autism according to some local reports.

Emergency services rushed to the scene to treat the injured as concerned parents waited for news outside the gates.

The attack happened at the Elena García Armada Institute in southern Spain, in the town of Jerez.

It began at around 8:30am as the school day began.

A WOMAN, whose husband bought a hell-hole house without asking her first, says she’s now thrilled about it.

US couple Steven and Ashley spent seven years transforming a cheap but hideously mouldy and crumbling former fire station into a stunning mansion.

That before and after! #housetour #housetransformation #beforeandafter #firestation

In a recent TikTok, Ashley explained how her husband had bought the house seven years ago “without asking” her.

“We closed on it the same week of our wedding,” she added.

The clip, shared with the couple’s 2.2million followers, charts the entire renovation from the first day they saw the inside to its total transformation into a huge family home.

Ashley said: “It was once an old fire station that was turned into a home in the 1980s.

“The house became a lot to manage and was eventually left for black mould to take over.”

Steven managed to scoop the house for $90,000 [£74,000], and Ashley said, “it’s been a labour of love ever since”.

The mum-of-one added: “People always say it must be nice to be rich, when in reality, it’s been a lot of hard work and renovating on a budget.”

“We wanted the home to be a place our children would love and we are so proud of the outcome so far.”

The massive house now boasts their own cinema, sauna, indoor football pitch, games room, ice hockey rink, gym and even a slide between floors.

However, not everyone online agreed that it looked like they renovated the old fire station on any kind of budget.

One user said: “This is definitely having money.”

Another said: “U had a great budget lol”.

“It’s been all hard work on a budget. Sadly our budget’s only $9 million,” quipped another.

But plenty of other TikTok users rushed to support the hard work that the couple put into their dream home.

“People don’t realise hardwork pays off,” said one.

“What a nightmare but man it was worth it,” wrote a second.

A third offered: “Wow you’ve accomplished a lot in 7 yrs. What a beautiful home you have made.”

It comes as a man took a gamble and bought a crumbling old house without ever seeing it – but says he can make a fortune flipping it.

The buyer from Houston, Texas found the property on Facebook for only $80,000 [£65,000] and believes he can over double that after he fixes it up.

Elsewhere, a woman took the bold step to buy her first house without seeing any photos – but she insists it’ll all pay off soon.

Chloe purchased a property in Sydney and plans to take it all apart to make into a dream home.

A HORRIFIED woman revealed she gave her poorly sister’s pet to the evil British dog rapist Adam Britton who tortured the animal on camera before it died within a week.

Britton, 51, pleaded guilty on Monday to raping puppies and brutally torturing around 42 dogs after luring owners on Gumtree Australia between 2020 and 2022.

The disgraced crocodile expert convinced families online that he would give their beloved pets a safe home before carrying out disturbing acts on them, and in some cases, murdering them.

The leading zoologist reportedly told sellers on Gumtree that he was “after a companion” in a bid to build their trust and hand him their puppies.

But Britton had sickening ulterior motives which included filmed sexual abuse and murder.

One of his several victims was a brown female dog called Kiki, who belonged to a woman who had become too sick to look after her, Daily Mail reported.

Her family, who have remained anonymous, revealed they were left feeling disgusted when cops phoned them last year and informed them of Britton’s abuse.

The woman’s sister explained that the Kiki was one of three abandoned puppies adopted by her family – and that Kiki lived with her owner until she ended up in hospital.

The sister was unable to take ownership of Kiki due to the fact she had her own female dog – resorting to her having to scour the internet for a good potential home.

Then Britton made his move on the family dog.

He allegedly reached out four weeks after the woman posted about rehousing Kiki and scrambled together a tale of how his dog had recently died and he was looking for a companion.

“I’m very interested to meet your 1.5-year-old girl with a view to giving her a good home,” he wrote in an email to the family.

He went on to explain that he lived in a five-acre block in Humpty Doo where there were was a scarcity of other dogs.

Britton then claimed he could help out the oblivious family by offering Kiki the perfect new home.

But the abuser’s dog hadn’t just died, as in reality, he already owned two Swiss Shepherds named Ursa and Bolt who he also reportedly sexually abused.

The woman replied to Britton’s email and explained she was only giving up Kiki as she had no other choice, and informed him she was a loving dog who was scared of people she hadn’t met.

Britton responded: “I’m sorry to hear that your health prevents you from continuing to keep Kiki, that can’t be an easy decision”.

He went on to reassure the woman that he would give Kiki a good home, while keeping her close in his empty house.

The woman revealed that four days later, Britton reached out to let her know that he and Kiki were “bonding already”.

According to court documents, Kiki didn’t survive the week with her new owner.

Daily Mail also reported that between September 26 and September 30, 2021, Britton took Kiki and two other large dogs named Rose and Marylou to a shipping container on his property where he filmed himself raping and torturing the animals to death.

A few weeks later, on October 16, the disgraced senior researcher replied to a message from the woman who was asking how Kiki was settling into her new home.

He then fabricated a web of lies about how Kiki was happy and doing well.

The woman revealed that she was left deeply devastated by Britton’s vile actions and called him a “sick twisted man”.

Kiki was just one of at least 39 dogs Britton raped and killed.

The sick ex-academic would share heinous videos and pictures of him abusing the pets online to forums under a series of pseudonyms.

On Telegram, he operated under two accounts called “monster” and “Cerberus” – the mythological name of a three-headed dog.

Prosecutors told the court his Telegram accounts were used to engage with “like-minded people”, and disseminate images and recordings of the abuse.

“Using these applications, the offender discussed his ‘kill count’,” prosecutor Marty Aust said.

Britton’s account had 114 threads where he described how he acquired the pets and how he abused them.

But his spate of disturbing acts came crashing to an end shortly after he uploaded a video called “1B****9Pups” to an abuse website on March 22, 2022.

Just a day later, an anonymous internet user noticed the adult female dog in the clip was wearing an orange City of Darwin leash with the slogan “great pets start with you”.

The individual sent the video to the NT Animal Welfare Branch via Gmail, who then informed the police.

A month later, in April 2022, NT Police and Australian Federal Police stormed his home in McMinns Lagoon, Darwin.

Cops seized 44 items including computers, mobile phones, cameras, external hard drives, tools, and weapons during a raid of his home, and also uncovered 15 child abuse material files on his laptop.

They also found severed dog limbs in a freezer, a decomposing puppy head in a pond on his property, and a severed dog head on a neighbouring property.

He has been remanded in custody after pleading guilty to 37 counts of animal cruelty, ten counts of raping or attempting to rape a dog, and four counts of possessing or transmitting child abuse material.

Chief Justice Michael Grant urged members of the public gallery, security staff, and media to leave the court before details of the crimes were read out.

He said: “These facts contain material that can only be described as grotesque and perverse acts of cruelty which is confronting and distressing and which in my assessment have the potential to cause nervous shock.

“Either way I’ll leave that up to you, but the potential has been described.”

In a message read to the court, Britton spoke about his urges to a stranger on Telegram: “I had repressed it. In the last few years, I let it out again, and now I can’t stop. I don’t want to.”

The esteemed researcher, who had previously appeared on BBC and National Geographic productions, had also reportedly kept his sick fantasies a secret from his wife Erin until he was arrested.

There is no suggestion that Ms Britton, a biologist and wildlife ranger, knew anything about her husband’s crimes, and she appears to have dropped his surname online.

The National Geographic website suggests she will be on international wildlife expeditions for the next six months, and there is no mention in her bio of her husband and former business partner.

Britton had also hosted David Attenborough while the veteran broadcaster filmed part of the Life In Cold Blood docuseries on his property.

He will return to court on December 13 for sentencing submissions.

YOU could be the “greatest of all time” if you can spot the hidden face among the clouds in this super challenging optical illusion.

At first glance, you may only notice a sky filled with fluffy white clouds, but there’s more than meets the eye.

If you squint your eyes and really focus your vision, you may be able to see something – or someone – else.

Hidden in this optical illusion, internet users are claiming to see the face of Argentina World Cup winner and Inter Miami star Lionel Messi.

The former Barcelona player’s face is made up of the strangely perfect array of clouds.

The head-scratcher has gone viral on X (formerly Twitter) and has left viewers and social media users in awe.

Firstly because it is a remarkable work of art, and secondly because they can’t believe what they’re seeing.

It’s raised many questions over how this could have possibly been created, but people are enjoying it nonetheless.

The image has been doing the rounds online, with people baffled by the picture.

One person commented: “I can’t see anyone.”

A second user joked: “I see a GOD.”

Another said: “I see the real goat.”

If you need help finding it, then there are a few standout details.

There are two eye-shaped holes in the centre of the cloud, which form his eyes.

Two oddly shaped small clouds on either side look like his ears, and below is a large open mouth.

And the rest of the face should become more apparent if you are able to identify these three features.

Can you see Messi?

And if you are able to identify the whole face in less than 10 seconds, then you are the “Greatest Of All Time”.

The bizarre picture follows in the footsteps of goat-related illusion showing the same legendary footballer.

With Messi being dubbed the “Greatest Of All Time” footballer, it is fitting that his face can be seen in all kinds of strange places.

If you want to try your luck at another optical illusion, and one that still involves Messi, then try and spot his former PSG teammate Neymar hidden among multiple versions of his face.

Alternatively, you can find out whether you’re an introvert or sociable depending on what animal you spot first in this optical illusion.

A WAITRESS has slammed two diners for allegedly leaving without paying for their meal after trying to trick her with a fake credit card.

But the server, who works at an American diner, managed to get her own back on the couple who seemed to leave their £40 tab unpaid.

Jenny Gutierrez, who is studying nursing at college, said: “They gave me a fake card.

“It didn’t go through and they had already left when I was trying to give them the card back.

“It had no money on it, it was a fake card.”

In a video posted online, the server describes her bizarre interaction with the alleged dine and dashers.

Footage shows them walking into the restaurant just before 6pm and seating themselves in a booth.

The man and woman can then be seen enjoying their meal leisurely before handing the waitress a credit card.

By the time she gets back to the table to return the fake card and take payment for the meal, they’re gone.

Jenny, who presumably works in the diner part-time while she studies, said the pair ordered “all the extras” with their meal.

“Avocado, bacon, all the extras… [it was a] $50 tab.”

But the waitress got her own back as the couple sneakily ditched the diner.

She can be seen in the footage hurrying after them, before apparently warning them of her plans to post them online.

“They literally ran out and I was walking and they were too far.

“But I heard them, I told them ‘We’re gonna post you on social media and we’re gonna find you guys’.”

And the CCTV footage of the sneaky pair has now circulated online.

One viewer even said: “Me personally I’m hunting them down”.

Another wrote that “karma will eat ’em up”.

Last month waiters at a new seafood restaurant in California were also the victims of a dine and dash scam.

A couple left without paying for their £120 meal after telling their server they were going to use the bathroom and then making a quick exit.

The server explained: “By the time I went to print their check and bring it to them, they were already gone… and then that’s when I realized that they just left without paying.”

The Oyster Bar, in Sacramento, also posted footage of the pair online in hopes of tracking them down.

A CRUEL mother has been convicted of starving her son to death after following her twisted husband’s beliefs that the baby should “live on sunlight” instead of food.

Newborn Kosmos died from pneumonia and emaciation after Oxana Mironova, 33, and her husband Maxim Lyutyi, 43, failed to properly feed the infant.

Oxana admitted her guilt and repented over the death of her son who was less than one month old, said a court spokesman in Armavir, Russia.

She was sentenced to two years “correctional labour” after being convicted of neglecting the child and failing in her maternal duties, leading to Kosmos’ horrific death.

Raw food blogger Maxim is facing a separate trial as he’s accused of torturing his newborn child.

Lifestyle trainer Maxim allegedly wanted to raise the newborn on prana-eating —  a diet in which people go without food and water for a long time and “feed on the sun.”

He is accused of barring Mironova from breastfeeding the child who was in desperate need of food.

Oxana’s mother Galina has accused him of running a “sect”, and said: “He wanted to experiment on the child, feed him purely with the sun, and then advertise it to others that this is how you can eat.

“I was against my daughter being in this sect. I felt everything, and told her that Maxim was crazy, but she didn’t listen to me. 

“Oxana lived there like a guinea pig.  Each time she became colder to me…. She was his slave.”

In his pre-trial detention centre, Maxim reportedly eats meat, with his favourite dish being pasta with stew. 

A video shows him in court earlier this year detained under suspicion of child torture. 

Another relative of Mironiva said: “Oxana told me that she was afraid of him. She wanted to leave him many times, but he held her back…

“He wanted to raise [his son into] a man who only eats the sun.”

Oxana’s cousin Olesya Nikolayeva said: “He forced her not to feed the baby. Her boyfriend believed that the sun was feeding the baby.

“Oxana was secretly trying to breastfeed the baby, but she was very  afraid of Maxim. How is it possible to feed the baby with sunlight?”

The disturbed father even delivered his child at home, refusing to let Oxana leave for a maternity hospital.

They eventually decided to take the emaciated child to doctors but it was too late and the baby died on the way.

A MYSTERIOUS skyscraper that towers over New York City’s iconic skyline has led to crazy rumours of what the huge building’s really used for.

The creepy 40-storey building has been called a vampire lair, and the headquarters for the Men in Black – and has even scared legendary actor Tom Hanks.

The menacing skyscraper is made of concrete and has no windows – making it stand out in bustling New York.

When Hanks saw it in 2017, he took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to say: “This is the scariest building I’ve ever seen!

“WTF goes on inside??”

Crazy conspiracies have spread online about the building with one person writing: “Gives off MI-6 vibes,” and another joking: “Lizard people don’t need windows.”

But the truth behind the eerie skyscraper is much simpler.

Once known as the Long Lines Building, the tower was built between 1969 and 1974 for the American Telephone and Telegraph Company- one of the most important telecommunications hubs in the US.

The equipment needed a unique space and a secure location, so the building’s floors are higher than normal.

This means the 40-story tower, actually only has 29 floors.

It’s also rumoured to be able to withstand a nuclear blast and holds enough food to keep 1,500 people alive for two weeks.

It was used until 1999, when the company moved away. 

Today, the skyscraper is still used by some local exchange carriers to store telephone switching equipment but it’s reportedly also a high security data centre. 

Renamed 33 Thomas Street, after its address, the building remains suspicious to some.

A 2016 investigation by The Intercept revealed that there’s more than meets the eye to the building.

Alongside a multitude of conspiracy theorists, they tried to prove that it’s a secret National Security Agency (NSA) base.

Their investigation, that includes leaked documents by whistleblower Edward Snowden, provides “compelling evidence” that the skyscraper is codenamed TITANPOINTE by the NSA.

Allegations of a major international “gateway switch” that routes phone calls between the US and countries across the world was also apparently inside the windowless structure.

If true it could be the most important NSA surveillance site in the US.

The leaked Snowden documents claimed the tower was used for spying on phone calls, fax messages and internet data under the name Project X.

The NSA declined to comment on any of the revelations and left what’s inside a mystery.

Social media has been left divided on what goes on behind the concrete walls.

One Redditor said: “It’s a telecom central office no big mystery at all, most major cities have several.”

Meanwhile X users had more wild theories: “So is this where all the vampires live now,” said one, while another put: “Looks like something that should be in Dune.”

The vampire theory has proved the most popular so far, with the lack of windows preventing sunlight coming through.

Lizard people, little green aliens, Men in Black and Batman have all also been thrown out online as people try to solve the mystery.

Creepy buildings are all over the world such as a 49-storey skyscraper in Bangkok.

The abandoned building, dubbed the “ghost tower” was never finished and is now just a lookout for birds and bats in Thailand.

Meanwhile, a hotel in the Spanish holiday resort of Tenerife has sat empty for half a century.

And a 25-storey tower block in Mexico City has been abandoned for the past 40 years, surviving six earthquakes during that time.

Elsewhere in Tenerife, an abandoned hotel has mysteriously sat empty for 50 years.

The 22-storey Añaza hotel sits on the shores of Los Pocitos village but has not had a single guest.

NORTH Korea has expelled an American soldier who bolted into the hermit kingdom in an apparent bid to defect to Kim Jong-un’s regime.

Travis King, 23, was handed back into American custody today after he darted across the North Korean border during a guided tour of the Demilitarised Zone (DMZ) in July.

US officials said King was transferred into their custody in China.

The Private 2nd Class soldier was with a group of tourists visiting the Joint Security Area on the border between North and South Korea when he unexpectedly sprinted across the heavily fortified frontier.

He had just been released from prison for assault in South Korea and was due to be transferred back to the States.

North Korean authorities agreed to remove King from the country after questioning him, state media KCNA reported.

His future remains uncertain after re-entering American custody after he was designated AWOL by the US government.

AWOL status can mean punishment by time in military jail, no pay or a dishonourable discharge from the military.

North Korea claimed King confessed to illegally entering the country because he harboured ill-feeling against “inhuman maltreatment and racial discrimination within the US Army”.

King was the first American to be detained in North Korea in almost five years.

At the time he crossed the border, he was supposed to be heading to Fort Bliss, Texas, following his release from prison in South Korea on an assault conviction.

A court fined him 5million won ($3,950) in February after convicting him of assaulting a 23-year-old at a Seoul nightclub and damaging a police vehicle last October.

After King fled into North Korea, his mum Claudine Gates, who lives in Racine, Wisconsin, said: “I can’t see Travis doing anything like that.”

A GIRL was allegedly kidnapped and gang-raped by 11 men in Bolivia after she was snatched from her family and plied with booze.

The men are said to have intercepted the 12-year-old at a cultural event she was at with her family and forced her to drink before raping her at a remote spot.

The horror attack happened around 1am on Monday in the city of Oruro, halfway between the capital La Paz and Sucre.

It lies around 12,000ft above sea level and is Bolivia’s fifth-largest city by population.

Only three of the suspects have been arrested so far, with police still hunting the other eight.

Bolivia’s state prosecution service said in a statement overnight: “The Departmental Prosecutor of Oruro, Aldo Morales Alconini, reported today that the Public Ministry is investigating an act of aggravated rape committed against an under-age girl aged 12, who was allegedly attacked by 11 individuals.

“The Prosecutor’s Office will also request at a court hearing the preventive detention of the suspects, while police continue to hunt the other individuals.

Mr Morales added: “Once we became aware of the attack, we began the corresponding investigation covering the victim’s psychological report, an identification parade and a forensic medical certificate that demonstrates the existence of the criminal act and helped to identify the first three suspects.

The girl’s forensic report showed obvious signs of violence and abrasions due to friction on her spine.

Morales went on to say: “We are going to continue working in a coordinated manner with the police to find the other people responsible and bring them to justice.

“We want to make sure those responsible receive a 30-year prison sentence.”

Earlier this month an Ireland rugby fan was allegedly abducted and gang raped by three men while in Bordeaux when she went to watch her beloved team play.

She was dragged into an alleyway and attacked as the public called the police.

Five tourists who reportedly gang-raped a British woman in Ayia Napa were recently jailed for just eight days.

The victim, 20, told cops in Cyprus she was attacked at the hotel she was staying at in the start of September.

This comes after a Brit, 18, was sent to jail for accusing men of gang raping her back in 2019.

The summer of fun quickly turned into a nightmare when she went through the traumatic ordeal.

The now 21-year-old still gets haunted by the alleged sex attack.

AN ONLINE sleuth rumbled sadistic dog rapist Adam Britton after spotting a clue in one of his sick torture videos.

The British crocodile expert, 51, filmed himself raping, abusing and murdering dogs for eight years, posting footage of the abuse online.

The twisted zoologist posted one of these videos in March last year, when an anonymous internet user spotted something.

The dog in the horror clip was wearing a distinctive bright orange City of Darwin leash, with the slogan “great pets start with you”.

The online sleuth contacted an animal welfare charity in the area, who then went to local police.

A month after Britton had posted the sick video, cops raided his Darwin home and arrested him.

At least 39 animals died in his care after suffering the horrific torture, which he posted on Telegram to engage with like-minded abusers.

In one chilling message on the site, the ‘world’s worst animal abuser’ spoke about his urges to a stranger: 

“I had repressed it. In the last few years, I let it out again, and now I can’t stop. I don’t want to.”

He plead guilty this week to the animal abuse, including charges of bestiality and rape as well as possession of child exploitation material.

Britton would use websites like Gumtree Australia to “adopt” dogs for his gruesome crimes.

He would often go to pet owners who had to give up their beloved animals because of work or travel commitments.

Cops seized computers, phones, cameras, external hard drives, tools, and weapons during the raid of his home.

His Telegram account had 114 threads where he described how he acquired the pets and how he abused them.

The twisted pet owner even shared photos of his two dogs, Ursa and Bolt, whom he regularly abused, on his Flickr accounts.

In one chilling photo, his dog Bolt was pictured as a puppy in 2015 – a year after Britton began regularly abusing his pets and other dogs.

The once well-respected zoologist is married to a biologist and wildlife ranger, Erin, and led a double life as he carried out the abuse.

There is no suggestion that she knew anything about her husband’s crimes, and she appears to have dropped his surname online.

Social media posts have revealed Britton’s wife even met Prince Harry when he visited Australia in 2015 and worked alongside saltwater crocodiles.

Photos showed Erin smiling next to the prince as he snared a crocodile – the animal which her disturbed former husband was an expert on.

She told news media at the time: “I was a little nervous at first when I was getting the snout rope on the croc, because Harry was observing so closely.”

Britton and his wife also hosted Sir David Attenborough at their home while he filmed the BBC documentary Life In Cold Blood.

He reminisced over the meeting online in 2016: “David Attenborough, it turns out, is even more remarkable in real life as he is on the screen.

“He’s not a big fan of hero worship, so we had to rein that in, but he’s just a normal, humble, down-to-Earth kinda guy who is incredibly smart and possessed of a razor-sharp wit.”

The British senior researcher at Charles Darwin University in Australia – pleaded guilty to the “grotesque and perverse” acts at Darwin’s Northern Territory Supreme Court on Monday.

Prosecutor Marty Aust said Britton’s crimes were too sick to be published, as he had a “sadistic sexual interest in animals and in particular dogs.”

He has been remanded in custody after pleading guilty to 37 counts of animal cruelty, ten counts of raping or attempting to rape a dog, and four counts of possessing or transmitting child abuse material.

Britton will return to court on December 13 for sentencing.

VLADIMIR Putin’s newest nightmare is Ukraine’s “invisible” underwater kamikaze drones that are capable of carrying 1,000lbs of explosives.

The newly-designed Marichka 20ft torpedo-like weapon will soon be unleashed against Russia’s fearsome Black Sea fleet.

Kyiv has unveiled footage of the suicide underwater drone being taken for a test swim as the country continues to develop unmanned marine assault weapons to threaten the Russian navy.

The £355k fearsome black weapon was being put to the test by servicemen with blurred faces in a top secret location.

It is the latest creation of Ammo.Ukraine – a volunteer organisation that is helping to the turn the tides in the so-called “War of the Drones”.

They say Marichka is immune to Russian radio-electronic warfare systems, meaning the pricey weapon is “invisible to the enemy”.

The Marichka has a range of over 620 miles, which means it should soon easily be able target Russian warships, subs and coastal fortifications in and around the Black Sea including annexed Crimea.

It’s likely to be aimed at the £3billion Kerch bridge, which has already been hit twice in daring attacks by Kyiv using experimental semi-submersible naval drones in both July and September.

The second attack wreaked havoc on Putin’s precious and not-yet-repaired 12-mile crossing, which links Russia to the occupied peninsula and is a major supply route for Vlad’s troops.

Ukraine announced that its newest naval drone has “a unique communication system with the operator, which makes it possible to control the submersible at great distances and depths”.

The high-tech weapon also has reconnaissance functions and has the capabilities to lurk on standby-mode before being unleashed on targets.

It is different from the “Sea Baby” drone, which can travel 500 miles and carry 600lb of explosives and is responsible for a spate of audacious attacks on Russian vessels in recent months.

The Marichka joins an arsenal of locally-produced, ambitious and experimental drones being pioneered in Ukraine after Kyiv dramatically stepped up manufacturing of the DIY weapons.

The nation’s drone revolution has produced some of the most devastating weapons of the war so far and provided a critical answer to Moscow’s superior long-range missiles.

Across Ukraine in bedrooms, garages and secret factories, the game-changing weapons are being cobbled together using 3D printers, off-the-shelf parts and donated materials.

And lately the newly designed seafaring drones have been taking centre stage in the war – striking fear in the once Russian-dominated waters of the Black Sea.

Ukraine’s sea drone pilots have even been dubbed the “new Dambusters” in their spectacular campaign to end Putin’s naval supremacy.

On September 16, a “Sea Baby” drone brutally struck a Russian missile hovercrafts – marking the fourth Russian vessel to be damaged in a three day stint.

The Black Sea vessel, called Samum, had to be towed into Sevastopol harbour after the strike which inflicted “significant damage.”

The very same model is credited with the crippling strikes on the Crimean Bridge, while other drones continue to terrorise Sevastopol.

And August saw two daring raids on two intelligence ships and strikes which blew up a military transport and an oil tanker.

A RED-faced cod enjoying some dental hygiene work from a shrimp is one of the prize winners in a prestigious photography competition.

The Dentist, captured in waters off a southern Japanese island by Takayuki Toriumi, came first in this year’s International Photography Awards.

Toriumu said: “A few years ago, I came across a cod enjoying the shrimp’s cleaning service on a southern Japanese island.

“I captured this delightful scene as if he were being examined by shrimp doctor.”

A shot of a polar bear enjoying a nap in a remote part of Canada earned Martin Gregus second prize.

Other favourites were two leopards pouncing on their dinner and a shot of a cowboy ducking to avoid a bull.

A MAN took a gamble and bought a crumbling old house without ever seeing it – but says he can make a fortune flipping it.

The buyer from Houston, Texas found the property on Facebook for only $80,000 [£65,000] and believes he can over double that after he fixes it up.

In a video posted to TikTok by @flipingahouse, the real-estate investor showed off his newest property – a decaying, dirty and weathered bungalow.

With its mouldy walls, boarded up windows and sunken roof it looks far from a money-maker.

However, the buyer believes he got it for a total steal and estimates it’s actually worth $140,000 [£115,000].

He told his followers that when he makes it pretty and adds a bed and bath it will be worth over $200,000 [£165,000].

“Good job bro see[ing] big potential in that people [should] look at the bigger picture,” a viewer replied.

“That would cost nearly $1million in San Diego,” said another.

However, not all his followers seemed to be convinced the house flipper had made a good investment.

One wrote: “Dude that is so risky isn’t it? you can get burned pretty easily.”

“What a state that doesn’t look like a bargain, probably needs a tear down,” another chimed in.

“You can get all that work done for 60k? Looks like a big project,” said one.

However, the real estate investor seems to know what he’s doing.

His TikTok is filled with before and after shots of the incredible work he does to turn cheap, old and abandoned homes into stunning properties.

In one video, he shares his five major rules when it comes to buying a house to do up.

He explains: “I teach this and tell everyone this, it’s the five majors.

“Your roof, electrical, plumbing, HVAC and your foundation.

“Those are the big five here in Texas and we will not buy a house that needs more than three of those.”

It comes as another TikToker took the bold step to buy her first house without seeing any photos – but she insists it’ll all pay off soon.

Chloe purchased a property in Sydney and plans to take it all apart to make into a dream home.

Meanwhile, a couple who also bought a house without viewing it first said it needed a lot of work – but a sweet edition made it feel like home.

247 News Around The World
247 News Around The World

Diners could see their favourite takeaway restaurants make changes to their orders…

The post Takeaway lovers will divisive new change to orders following new ban appeared first on 247 News Around The World.

247 News Around The World
247 News Around The World

For the residents of The Village at Sherman Oaks, a boutique senior…

The post ‘The Golden Bachelor’ Gerry Turner Surprises Retirement Home Residents appeared first on 247 News Around The World.

247 News Around The World
247 News Around The World

Ever pack workout clothes for a vacation — only to unpack them,…

The post Apps show where people do it appeared first on 247 News Around The World.

247 News Around The World
247 News Around The World

DENVER — With flames erupting from her wok and delicate flowers and…

The post Denver’s Carolina Zubiate could be next Hispanic Top Chef appeared first on 247 News Around The World.

247 News Around The World
247 News Around The World

A British terrorist who travelled to Syria intent on ‘martyrdom’ is set…

The post ‘Dangerous’ British terrorist who went to Syria intent on ‘martyrdom on the battlefield’ is set to be released from UK jail after serving just 10 years of his 12-year sentence appeared first on 247 News Around The World.

Cubs announcers slam the Braves for stopping game at a crucial moment to recognize Ronald Acuña Jr. for becoming the first 40-home run, 70-stolen base club member.

Ten miles up the road from where GOP presidential hopefuls gathered on a debate stage to battle over their differences, a cluster of Republican women gathered at a Simi Valley bar to cheer on their favorite candidates.

Missed the Republican presidential debate Wednesday night? Here's what you need to know about what happened.

The 2023 WGA strike lasted 148 days, making it one of the longest work stoppages in Hollywood history. Why did it last so long?

As Wednesday's GOP presidential debate at the Reagan library made clear, the Republican Party has moved a long way from Reaganism.

SoFi Stadium, home to Rams and Chargers games, isn't as dangerous for fans as many other NFL venues, but alarming incidents have occurred.

Armenians' fury over Azerbaijan's recapture of Nagorno-Karabakh has focused on Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan. Could his government go next?

Unsure how to vote in the 2024 Republican presidential primaries? Here's everything you need to know about tonight's debate among the GOP hopefuls (minus Trump).

Special counsel Jack Smith's team has asked Judge Tanya Chutkan to rein in the former president's incendiary rhetoric. His response is legally laughable.

The Powerball jackpot rose to $835 million after there was no big winner during Monday night's draw. The last jackpot was a $1-billion ticket sold in L.A. in July.

The Biden administration seeks to show how policies abroad affect Americans at home. Just in time for U.S. elections and as support for Ukraine sags.

One of America's reddest states is seeking 100% clean energy. But does hydropower count as clean?

Ethnic Armenians are fleeing Nagorno-Karabakh over the border to Armenia, as Azerbaijan asserts full control over the enclave Armenians call Artsakh.

Half the nation's federal wildland firefighters could quit if Congress fails to avert major pay cuts, according to the union representing federal employees.

The former president wants to deport millions of immigrants, send National Guard troops into cities, prosecute political opponents — and that's only the start.

Democratic Sen. Robert Menendez of New Jersey is accused in a new federal indictment of receiving money and gold from Egypt.

Here's a list of all the gifts the Detroit Tigers' Miguel Cabrera has received from MLB teams during his farewell tour. Most, but not all, are thoughtful.

Kevin McCarthy's rebellious extremists in the House seem to believe they have the leverage to force their far-right budget and policy demands into law. They don't.

Top surrogates including California Gov. Gavin Newsom will blanket the airwaves and meet with voters across L.A., with a focus on Latinos.

Lachlan Murdoch shares his father Rupert's right-wing politics and enthusiasm for the family media empire, leading analysts to believe the son's corporate direction won't depart much from what the elder Murdoch set forth.

An appeals court Thursday rejected Donald Trump's bid to delay a civil trial in a lawsuit brought by New York's attorney general, allowing the case to proceed days after a judge ruled the former U.S. president committed years of fraud and stripped him of some companies as punishment.

A Swiss Academy of Sciences panel is reporting a dramatic acceleration of glacier melt in the Alpine country, which has lost 10 per cent of its ice volume in the past two years.

U.S. House Republicans launched their impeachment inquiry Thursday against President Joe Biden, saying they intend to "provide accountability" as they make their case to the public, their colleagues and skeptics.

Veteran actor Michael Gambon, who was known to many for his portrayal of Hogwarts headmaster Albus Dumbledore in six of the eight Harry Potter films, has died, his publicist said Thursday. He was 82.

Donald Trump's rivals were quick to lay into him during the second presidential debate on Wednesday, ripping the former president for skipping the event as they sought to blunt the momentum that has seen him build a commanding early lead in the Republican primary.

A judge on Wednesday denied Donald Trump's request that she step aside from the federal case accusing him of illegally attempting to overturn the results of the 2020 U.S. presidential election, rejecting arguments that she has shown bias against him.

The U.S. soldier who sprinted into North Korea across the heavily fortified border between the Koreas two months ago was released into American custody, the White House announced Wednesday.

Donald Trump will have to report to face more charges, this time in a Georgia case related to the 2020 election and efforts to prevent a loss to Joe Biden. Here's the summary of Trump's legal exposure in major criminal and civil cases.

The idea that fossil fuels are largely responsible for climate change made its way through New York City last week, as the United Nations General Assembly, the UN Climate Ambition Summit and NYC Climate Week collectively drew in thousands of participants. But it wasn't only written on protest placards. 

It's messy days in world affairs. Now Canada has egg on its face. Ottawa has drawn a deluge of international criticism in its second foreign-affairs crisis in a week.

Victoria’s newly elected First Peoples’ Assembly has taken its seat in the Parliament of Victoria for the first time, with new members who will negotiate the historic statewide Treaty – giving Victoria’s First Peoples true self-determination in matters that affect their communities.

After First Nations Victorians voted in record numbers in the second Treaty Elections, Premier Daniel Andrews and Minister for Treaty and First Peoples Gabrielle Williams today attended the new Assembly’s first meeting on Wurundjeri Country, congratulating members and newly-elected co-Chairs, Ngarra Murray and Rueben Berg.

Ngarra Murray is a Wamba Wamba, Yorta Yorta, Dja Dja Wurrung, Dhudhuroa and Wiradjuri woman with extensive experience in human rights and community development, having led Oxfam Australia’s First Peoples’ programs for a decade.

Rueben Berg is a proud Gunditjmara man with experience in government through his role as the Commissioner for the Victorian Environment Water Holder and a member of the Heritage Council of Victoria.

Ms Murray and Mr Berg will lead the Assembly members’ work to represent Victoria’s First Peoples as equal partners in negotiations towards the statewide Treaty, which will begin by the end of 2023 – giving First Nations Victorians the freedom and power to make the decisions that affect their communities, culture and Country.

Victoria is the first Australian jurisdiction to commit to and action all elements of the Uluru Statement from the Heart—Voice, Treaty and Truth.

The Premier thanked and paid respect to all outgoing Assembly members, and former Co-Chairs Aunty Geraldine Atkinson and Marcus Stewart for their leadership and work towards Treaty during their time in the Assembly from 2019-23.

Quote attributable to Premier Daniel Andrews

“Treaty is our opportunity to create a future that is stronger and fairer for our entire state, and I’m honoured to work with the new First Peoples’ Assembly of Victoria as an equal partner to deliver this historic agreement.”

Quote attributable to Minister for Treaty and First Peoples Gabrielle Williams

“We’re working together with the First Peoples’ Assembly to implement the Uluru Statement from the Heart and its call for Voice, Treaty and Truth at all levels of government to ensure a stronger and fairer future for all Victorians.”

Quote attributable to First Peoples’ Assembly of Victoria Co-Chair Ngarra Murray

“We must make sure that Treaty respects our rights, dignity, and sovereignty as First Peoples, and leads to a healed and healthy country for all of us.”

Quote attributable to First Peoples’ Assembly of Victoria Co-Chair Rueben Berg

“The journey to Treaty will empower us as First Peoples to make decisions about our lives, our communities, our lands and our waters.”

New-First-Peoples%E2%80%99-Assembly-Elected-To-Lead-The-Way-On-Treaty.pdf

The rule, which comes shortly after the Netherlands crowned its first-ever transgender winner of a similar beauty pageant, comes in contrast to other beauty events seeking to generate media attention by including non-traditional participants, according to Miss Italy official patron Patrizia Mirigliani.

“Lately, beauty contests have been trying to make the news by also using strategies that I think are a bit absurd,” Mirigliani, the daughter of the late Miss Italy founder Enzo Mirigliani, said to Radio Cusano this week, as reported by Newsweek. Television personality Mirigliani added: “Since it was established, my competition has foreseen in its regulation the clarification according to which one must be a woman from birth.”

She further explained that Miss Italy’s decades-old rules took into account that “beauty could undergo modifications” and that “men could become women.”

Polling of 23 countries conducted in 2016 by the UCLA School of Law Williams Institute suggested that Italians have generally similar support for transgender rights compared to most other Western nations. Italy was among the 21 countries polled that “support policies banning discrimination against transgender people.”

The poll also scored Italy 57 out of 100 on a scale determining overall support for transgender issues. Spain scored the highest at 74, while Russia was in last place with 41.

Mirigliani’s statement follows the victory of 22-year-old transgender model Rikkie Valerie Kolle at the Miss Netherlands beauty pageant earlier this month. Throughout the competition, Kolle used the platform to campaign for transgender rights and for easier access to gender-affirming healthcare options for people in her country.

Kolle will next represent the Netherlands at the Miss Universe contest in El Salvador in December, following on from Spaniard Angela Ponce, who became the first trans competitor at the event in 2018.

The issue, which mirrors a similar one concerning transgender competitors in sports, has led to online backlash directed towards Kolle. “They see us as monsters, and my daily DMs are full of people wishing me dead,” she told Newsweek earlier this month. “Wishing me dead and telling me to suicide, those things are terrible to write, but at the same it’s only lifting me up because I get a bigger platform than I could ever dream of.”

Image by Lance from Pixabay

Each year since 2001 we have surveyed a geographically representative sample of 2,000 Australians about how satisfied they are with their lives as a whole, along with their satisfaction with seven key life areas to compile an overall measure: the Personal Wellbeing Index.

Our survey was conducted in May and June of 2022, by which time inflation was exceeding 6% and the Reserve Bank of Australia had delivered the first two of ten consecutive interest rate rises. There have now been 11 since May 2022.

In 2020, at the start of the pandemic, we actually saw an improvement in satisfaction with life as a whole. The decline since likely reflects pressures like cost of living but also conforms with a longer-term trend since 2010.

Our composite measure, the Personal Wellbeing Index, incorporates seven life areas: standard of living, relationships, purpose in life, community connectedness, safety, health and future security. We combine these using an internationally regarded method to generate an index score out of 100.

This composite has been pretty stable over the survey’s 21 years, with average scores ranging between 74 and 77.

But small shifts are significant because we do not expect to ever see big ones. This is due, principally, to a type of “psychological homeostasis” whereby most people will ride out the highs and lows of their lives and maintain a relatively positive outlook regardless of the circumstances.

Also, as an average, different factors can counterbalance each other. You can get a better sense of this from the following graph, which shows the constituent elements of the Personal Wellbeing Index.

This shows a long-term increase in feelings of personal safety but long-term declines in the average measures of health and purpose in life, with relatively steep declines since 2021 in standard of living, future security and community connectedness.

For Australia’s poor, 2020 unexpectedly had a silver lining when the federal government temporarily doubled JobSeeker payments. This likely explains the jump in wellbeing scores recorded in 2020 for those with household incomes of less than $30,000. But with those extra payments ending (in March 2021) and the increases in living costs since, the average wellbeing score for poor people has plummeted.

Those aged 76 and older reported the highest average wellbeing (78.7 out of 100), and those aged 18-25 the lowest – though not by much, with their score (72.5) being just below those aged 46-55 years (73.2).

The average wellbeing score for 18- to 25-year-olds was the lowest in 21 years. It likely reflects higher feelings of anxiety, stress, depression and climate worry (also measured in our survey) among this age group.

Given the ongoing uncertainties and cost-of-living pressures that we now face, there’s every reason to expect Australians’ wellbeing to now be even lower than when our survey was conducted.

It underscores the importance of considering wellbeing in policy decisions, particularly for groups that are struggling the most.

As Treasurer Jim Chalmers noted in his lengthy essay in The Monthly in February, we must “build something better” in the face of ongoing crises.

Kate Lycett, NHMRC Early Career Fellow, Centre for Social and Early Emotional Development, Deakin University; Georgie Frykberg, Project Coordinator, Centre for Social and Early Emotional Development, Deakin University; Mallery Crowe, Epidemiologist & Project Officer, Centre for Social and Early Emotional Development, Deakin University, and Tanja Capic, PhD candidate, Psychology, Deakin University

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

This is just the latest in a string of drag performances for children throughout Victoria being cancelled or postponed in response to protest.

The central message of these campaigns (accompanied by varying levels of vitriol) is the same: “let our kids be kids”, “protect our children” and “hands off our kids”, while simultaneously labelling performers and supporters of the events “paedophiles”.

This is part of a global backlash. Similar protests and cancellations have happened in New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States.

The argument in support of drag emphasises the impact on the performers at the centre of these events and queer community, arguing that the cancellation of these events is a form of discrimination and a contravention of human rights.

But the debate so far overlooks the agency and rights of the events’ intended audiences: children and young people.

Calls to “protect the children” from drag performers and trans people assume children are, in fact, in need of safeguarding.

Such messaging is rooted in a tendency for Western societies to reduce childhood to an idyllic innocence, which positions children as “in need of protection” and amplifies their constant vulnerability.

Children’s vulnerability played a critical role in motivating the adoption of the United Nations’ Convention on the Rights of the Child in 1989.

Since the adoption of the charter, new laws and policies have been established in Australia to criminalise forced marriage, to remove children from detention and to change the Family Law Act to better protect the rights of children.

The charter details children’s need for safeguarding and special care. But it also confirms the evolving capacity of children to assert their rights as cultural citizens and their need for freedom of thought and expression.

Drag as a form of creative, physical and spiritual expression has existed within theatre and cultural performance for millennia.

Drag and queer performance studies have given rise to understandings of gender as an everyday performance: from the clothes we pick out, to the products we gravitate towards in supermarkets, to our repeated physical and vocal gestures.

Drag pokes fun at the gender binary and, in doing so, it aims to blur the boundaries and expose the artificiality of gender roles.

While the success of television shows like RuPaul’s Drag Race have established drag as something more accessible and relatable for a range of audiences, the visibility of queerness that comes with drag – especially when moving outside designated queer spaces – is an apparent step too far.

But the way drag asks us to question the socially constructed nature of gender offers children a vision of self-determination. You can do what you want to do, you can be who you want to be.

The potentiality within the play of drag engages the power of children’s imaginations today to conceive better tomorrows.

Philosopher David Harvey refers to moments of “free play” as fertile ways of exploring and expressing a vast range of ideas, of taking on power structures and social practices, and imagining new possibilities for how we structure and support community.

In post-plebiscite Australia, the success of targeted campaigns against drag-themed events for children exposes certain conditions around what are “acceptable” encounters of queer expression for children.

The all-too-familiar campaign messages that swirled around the marriage debate – “protect the sanctity of marriage”, “protect families” – are rearing up again with only a minor rhetorical shift.

The more obvious difference now is that the messages have been co-opted by extreme groups who are targeting individuals and threatening violence.

The drag storytime event at the centre of the protests at Monash City Council remains scheduled to take place at Oakleigh Library on May 19. At the time of writing, an online petition to cancel the event has 820 supporters, while another in support of the event has over 3,300 signatures.

Perhaps, then, the social temperature is not as heated towards drag performers as recent cancellations suggest. Instead, a minority of vocal and visible dissenters are dictating the rights and freedoms of the majority.

The image of a drag performer in relation to a child elicits violent responses for some because it is an image of progress and change and of queer acceptance and love set against a long history of homophobia and transphobia in this country.

But there are two figures in this image and one has been kept silent.

In debating rights and agency, perhaps it’s time to ask and be guided by the insights of the child.

Sarah Austin, Lecturer in Theatre, The University of Melbourne and Jonathan Graffam O'Meara, Tutor in Theatre, The University of Melbourne

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

US President Joe Biden has formally announced his 2024 re-election bid, a move that had been widely expected for months. The announcement comes despite opinion polls showing that most voters, including a majority of fellow Democrats, did not want the 80-year-old to seek a second term.

In a video statement released on Tuesday, Biden touted his new campaign as a fight for democracy in the US. He said his pledge to fight “for the soul of America,” which was the core message of his 2020 run, remains valid.

“The question we are facing is whether in the years ahead we have more freedom or less freedom. More rights or fewer,” Biden said in the address. “I know what I want the answer to be and I think you do too. This is not a time to be complacent. That’s why I’m running for re-election.”

The video comes exactly four years after the launch of Biden’s previous presidential campaign. Vice President Kamala Harris joins him on the ticket again.

The announcement puts Biden on course for a possible rematch against former president Donald Trump, who is viewed as a frontrunner for the Republican nomination.

So far two Democratic challengers have confirmed their bids for the party nomination in 2024. Author Marianne Williamson declared her candidacy in late February, while Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the nephew of President John F. Kennedy, launched his campaign earlier this month.

As the sitting president, Biden enjoys the support of the party establishment and many leading media outlets. However, public opinion appears to be stacked against his second run.

An poll by NBC News, published on Sunday, showed that 70% of Americans and 51% of Democratic Party voters do not want Biden to seek re-election. His age, perceived unreliability and lackluster performance during his first term were cited among the reasons why people would prefer to have someone else in the race.

At age 80, Biden is already the oldest serving president in US history. Critics believe he no longer has the stamina required for his role, and cite his apparent reluctance to give lengthy interviews as evidence. Biden’s apparent press aversion has not been seen since the Ronald Reagan era. Source: rt.com

Liddell, in the New South Wales Hunter Valley, is Australia’s oldest coal station. It started operations in the early 1970s – about the same time the Datsun 180B was released, and before the Sydney Opera House officially opened!

In the same way a Datsun 180B was a great car in its day, Liddell was the cheapest and most reliable electricity generation technology in the 1970s and 1980s (at least if you ignore the long-term costs of carbon).

But like all coal-fired power stations in Australia, Liddell’s performance declined as it aged. It became unreliable and inefficient. One unit of the station closed last year, leaving three operating.

Governments must act to make sure our electricity grid doesn’t fall short when coal plants close. But the demise of facilities such as Liddell means Australia has a once-in-a-generation opportunity to become a global energy superpower.

AGL announced the decision to close Liddell in 2015. Virtually no one in the energy industry argued against the move, but it triggered endless political debate.

Some politicians are still railing against Liddell’s retirement. Federal Nationals leader David Littleproud this week said the closure should be delayed to prevent supply problems, and suggested Australia should have an urgent conversation about building nuclear energy.

But closing Liddell is unlikely to cause the lights to go off in NSW. For now, the state has enough remaining capacity to ensure reliable supply.

In the eight years since the decision to close Liddell, large-scale renewable capacity in NSW has ramped up, as has new rooftop solar.

Plenty of new “firming” capacity is also being developed – that is, flexible energy capacity to be activated if renewables aren’t producing energy or electricity demand suddenly increases. Projects under construction in NSW include the Kurri Kurri and Tallawarra gas-fired power stations, the Waratah “super battery” and the Snowy 2.0 pumped hydro project.

When electricity consumption in NSW is at its highest, about 14,000 MW of power is required. Without Liddell, about 13,500 MW of coal, gas and hydro generation is available.

Add in existing wind and solar capacity, plus energy that can be imported from Victoria and Queensland via transmission lines, and total generation capacity in NSW looks to be more than enough.

However, the reliability of some of this remaining capacity – namely, remaining coal-fired power stations – is becoming less certain. That’s why the energy industry is looking past Liddell, to the closure of the Eraring coal plant in 2025, and others to follow.

Modelling by the Australian Energy Market Operator shows the closure of Eraring puts pressure on remaining electricity supply. However, it says the market would still meet the grid “reliability standard”, even if no new projects are developed.

Under that standard, expected unserved energy needs (leading to blackouts) should be no more than 0.002% of total energy used in a region. The standard assumes that while the occasional blackout is inconvenient, eliminating them completely is unfeasible because it would require building expensive power stations that are rarely used.

Blackouts could become more common, if extreme weather hits or coal units fail – which happened at Queensland’s Callide C power station in 2021. But blackouts are still far more likely to be the result of a power line problem in your street than a lack of generation capacity.

No electricity supply shortfalls are projected for Australia in the near term. But to ensure the clean energy transition happens smoothly, we should develop new renewable energy and firming capacity ahead of coal closures.

The earlier-than-expected closure of coal units remains a possibility – as occurred with Victoria’s Hazelwood coal station due to unaffordable repair costs.

We have previously recommended a “waiting room” for capacity that can be brought quickly into the market when required. Batteries and pumped hydro would be developed ahead of coal closures and brought into the market as soon as coal exits.

The NSW Minns Labor government can also bring forward investment through an existing policy called the NSW Energy Roadmap. This involves asking the Australian Energy Market Operator to enter into long-term contracts to underwrite new renewable energy and firming projects, to help reduce the financial risks proponents face.

One tender round is already under way, but this could be accelerated. Given the global energy crunch, it may be worth commissioning projects now, even if delivery is not required until later. This is a much better way to manage reliability than, for example, the NSW government using taxpayer money to buy Eraring – an option NSW Labor left on the table ahead of last month’s state election.

In the longer term, the construction of renewable generation must dramatically scale up to ensure energy reliability and meet emissions reduction targets.

This will be challenging. But we can take heart from news this week that under the federal Albanese government, renewables projects are being approved at twice the rate of previous years.

There’s more work to be done to make sure the electricity grid can withstand coal plant closures.

Many new transmission lines must be built to carry electricity from renewables generators to the grid. And the ongoing development of renewable energy zones – clusters of large-scale renewable energy projects – will make establishing new projects quicker and simpler.

Importantly, local communities and First Nations people must be engaged and consulted throughout the transition.

But while adjusting to the exit of coal brings challenges, nuclear power in Australia is unlikely to be the answer.

Australia has world-class wind and solar resources – enough to eventually produce clean, cheap energy for ourselves and for export. Technologies such as batteries, hydrogen and hydro will fill the gaps when needed.

Producing energy from emerging nuclear technologies in the form of “small modular reactors”, as proposed by Littleproud, will still be more than twice the cost of Australian renewable energy firmed by batteries or other storage technologies, even under the most ambitious scenarios. This gives Australia a global competitive advantage.

Liddell’s closure is a historic moment in the Australian energy landscape. Now, with tweaks to existing policies, the new NSW government can increase reliability, lower electricity prices and get on the path to net zero.

Joel Gilmore, Associate Professor, Griffith University and Tim Nelson, Associate Professor of Economics, Griffith University

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

At its meeting today, the Board decided to leave the cash rate target unchanged at 3.60 per cent and the interest rate on Exchange Settlement balances unchanged at 3.50 per cent.

This decision follows a cumulative increase in interest rates of 3½ percentage points since May last year. The Board recognises that monetary policy operates with a lag and that the full effect of this substantial increase in interest rates is yet to be felt. The Board took the decision to hold interest rates steady this month to provide additional time to assess the impact of the increase in interest rates to date and the economic outlook.

Global inflation remains very high. In headline terms it is moderating, although services price inflation remains high in many economies. The outlook for the global economy remains subdued, with below-average growth expected this year and next. The recent banking system problems in the United States and Switzerland have resulted in volatility in financial markets and a reassessment of the outlook for global interest rates. These problems are also expected to lead to tighter financial conditions, which would be an additional headwind for the global economy.

The Australian banking system is strong, well capitalised and highly liquid. It is well placed to provide the credit that the economy needs.

A range of information, including the monthly CPI indicator, suggests that inflation has peaked in Australia. Goods price inflation is expected to moderate over the months ahead due to global developments and softer demand in Australia. Meanwhile, rents are increasing at the fastest rate in some years, with vacancy rates low in many parts of the country. The prices of utilities are also rising quickly. The central forecast is for inflation to decline this year and next, to around 3 per cent in mid-2025. Medium-term inflation expectations remain well anchored, and it is important that this remains the case.

Growth in the Australian economy has slowed, with growth over the next couple of years expected to be below trend. There is further evidence that the combination of higher interest rates, cost-of-living pressures and a decline in housing prices is leading to a substantial slowing in household spending. While some households have substantial savings buffers, others are experiencing a painful squeeze on their finances.

The labour market remains very tight. The unemployment rate is at a near 50-year low and underemployment is also low. Many firms continue to experience difficulty hiring workers, although some report an easing in labour shortages and the number of vacancies has declined a little. As economic growth slows, unemployment is expected to increase.

Wage growth is continuing to increase in response to the tight labour market and higher inflation. At the aggregate level, wage growth is still consistent with the inflation target, provided that productivity growth picks up. The Board remains alert to the risk of a price-wages spiral, given the limited spare capacity in the economy and the historically low rate of unemployment. Accordingly, it will continue to pay close attention to both the evolution of labour costs and the price-setting behaviour of firms.

The Board’s priority is to return inflation to target. High inflation makes life difficult for people and damages the functioning of the economy. And if high inflation were to become entrenched in people’s expectations, it would be very costly to reduce later, involving even higher interest rates and a larger rise in unemployment. The Board is seeking to return inflation to the 2–3 per cent target range while keeping the economy on an even keel, but the path to achieving a soft landing remains a narrow one.

The Board expects that some further tightening of monetary policy may well be needed to ensure that inflation returns to target. The decision to hold interest rates steady this month provides the Board with more time to assess the state of the economy and the outlook, in an environment of considerable uncertainty. In assessing when and how much further interest rates need to increase, the Board will be paying close attention to developments in the global economy, trends in household spending and the outlook for inflation and the labour market. The Board remains resolute in its determination to return inflation to target and will do what is necessary to achieve that

Attribution. rba.gov

Russian President Vladimir Putin may travel to Turkey for the inauguration of the country's first nuclear power plant, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan told local TV station A Haber on Wednesday. The Akkuyu facility was built in partnership with the Russian state nuclear development agency Rosatom.

The Russian leader will either attend the opening ceremony in person or via video link on April 27, Erdogan said, describing the plant as one of Turkey’s “indispensable investments” that would help the country “seriously store energy.” Akkuyu’s first reactor is set to become operational later this year, while the entire plant is due to go on-line by 2025. When complete, it will feature four reactors capable of generating 4,800 megawatts.

The Turkish and Russian heads of state spoke on the phone recently regarding collaboration between their two nations on strategic power engineering projects, including the Akkuyu plant and natural gas supplies. 

Erdogan thanked his Russian counterpart for his assistance in the aftermath of the deadly earthquakes in Turkey  last month, which included the donation of construction materials and the deployment of Russian rescue personnel and a field hospital in Hatay province. The quakes, centered near the city of Gaziantep, killed an estimated 50,000 people and injured many more.

The Turkish leader also praised Russia’s “positive stance regarding the extension of the Black Sea Grain Initiative,” according to a statement released by the Presidential Communications Directorate on Saturday. The two countries signed a deal with Ukraine and the United Nations last July, reopening grain exports from three of the Ukrainian ports that had been blocked with the start of Russia’s military operation last February, and the agreement was extended last week.

As a NATO member nation with strong economic ties to Russia, Turkey is caught in a difficult position regarding the conflict viewed by many as a proxy war between Russia and the military alliance, which has pumped tens of billions of dollars of weapons into the Ukrainian military over the last year. Ankara and Moscow nevertheless agreed in August to trade gas in rubles and hope to increase bilateral trade volume to $100 billion.

Source: rt.com

The Palaszczuk Government will slash land tax by up to 50 per cent for Build-to-Rent developments that feature at least 10 per cent of rental homes as affordable housing, driving more investment to deliver new rental supply.

The range of investment-attracting tax concessions for Build-to-Rent developments will include:

Queensland Treasury will consult with the property industry on the land tax concessions ahead of proposed 1 July 2023 commencement, to ensure they can support the delivery of more homes for Queenslanders. 

Quotes attributable to the Premier and Minister for the Olympic and Paralympic Games:

“My government is committed to delivering a fair go for renters.

“We know Build-to-Rent programs create more affordable housing in the areas where it is needed most.

“Driving new investment into social and affordable housing is key to ensuring we get more Queenslanders into the safe, secure homes."

Quotes attributable to the Treasurer and Minister for Trade and Investment Cameron Dick:

“The private construction sector is at capacity across Australia.

Our government is working with industry to identify innovative ideas that create new pipelines of housing supply.

“The Build-to-Rent projects that we’ve already brought to Queensland are already boosting rental supply.

Further information:

The land tax concessions will help unlock more investment into housing and build on three developments supported under the Palaszczuk Government’s Build-to-Rent Pilot Program.

Combined, these current developments in Newstead, Fortitude Valley and the Brisbane CBD will deliver more than 1,200 new dwellings, of which up to 490 rental homes will be provided at discounted rent thanks to a Palaszczuk Government subsidy.

The Palaszczuk Government also recently released a new invitation for Expressions of Interest under the $2 billion Housing Investment Fund on 9 February 2023.

This process is targeting proposals with ready-to-proceed social and affordable housing developments on privately owned sites, including affordable-only proposals.

More information on the Palaszczuk Government’s Housing Investment Fund Private Site Invitation is available at www.treasury.qld.gov.au/programs-and-policies/housing-investment-fund/, with Expressions of Interest due to close on 8 May 2023.

Attribution: Queensland Government

The Andrews Labor Government is cementing Victoria’s strong and enduring relationship with China, with Premier Daniel Andrews set to be the first Australian leader to visit the country since the onset of the pandemic.

As part of a four-day trip this week, the Premier will meet with senior officials from the Ministry of Education and Beijing Government to discuss our long-held trade and cultural ties, and the return of Chinese students to Victoria – continuing their studies at our world-class higher education institutions.

In addition to Beijing, the Premier will travel to Jiangsu and Sichuan, meeting with key senior officials from Victoria’s sister states – deepening our strong relationships with these provinces, and exploring ways to further strengthen partnerships.

Around 42,000 Chinese students are currently enrolled with Victorian providers, with the Labor Government recently announcing a $10 million investment in the Study Melbourne Hub in the CBD, which provides free help and advice to international students around accommodation, mental health and employment programs.

Additionally, Victoria’s first overseas Study Melbourne Hub was established in Shanghai in 2021 – offering a space for Victorian education providers to engage with prospective students.

China is Victoria’s main trading partner, with two-way trade valued at almost $40 billion in 2022.

This will be the Premier’s seventh visit to China since the Labor Government came to office, building on previous trips held in 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 and two in 2019.

Attribution: Premier of Victoria Dan Andrews

The thrill of victory pulsated through the veins of seven remarkable individuals; their triumphs in the CAMON Short Film Challenge are a testament to creativity’s enduring power. In its exhilarating third year, the CAMON Short Film Challenge, sponsored by TECNO, continues to be a beacon of opportunity for emerging filmmakers. TECNO’s unwavering commitment to nurturing […]

The post TECNO REWARDS CREATIVE ROYALTY AS WINNERS OF CAMON SHORT FILM CHALLENGE EMERGE appeared first on AkinBlog.

On a night of music and art extraordinaire, one thing was resonant and it is the fact that the new CAMON 20 Doodle is a device where art and technology intertwine in the most enchanting way possible. The CAMON 20 Doodle Edition launch in partnership with Android took place at the captivating art gallery in […]

The post TECNO CAMON 20 MR DOODLE EDITION IS UNVEILED IN ENCHANTING STYLE WITH ANDROID appeared first on AkinBlog.

As the curtains drew to a close on the enthralling Nigerian Idol Season 8, the seasons’s winner, Victory Gbakara and the 1st runner-up Precious Mac’s triumphant visit to the TECNO Store at Ikeja City Mall (ICM) illuminated a profound connection between the brand and the hearts of Nigerians. Beyond being a leading mobile technology company, TECNO […]

The post NIGERIAN IDOL SEASON 8 WINNER LIGHTS UP TECNO STORE AT ICM! appeared first on AkinBlog.

What is Carly.io Discover Carly.io, the latest entrant in the world of crypto investment websites, committed to delivering unparalleled revenue opportunities for its users. By joining the platform and fulfilling the necessary steps, users are rewarded with an impressive 500,000 $CATLY tokens as a sign-up bonus. With Carly.io, you can embark on a prosperous crypto […]

The post Catly.io Review: Can You Really Make Money on This New Crypto Investment Website appeared first on AkinBlog.

Yoruba actress Sidikat Odunkanwi, widely known as Iyabo Oko, has sadly passed away following a prolonged battle with an illness. Her daughter, Bisi Aisha, shared the heartbreaking news on her Instagram posts earlier today, accompanied by the captions, “It is well with your soul, mummy. RIP” and “Wurami, rest in peace.” Iyabo Oko had been […]

The post Popular Yoruba actress, Iyabo Oko Is Dead (See Details) appeared first on AkinBlog.

In today’s digital age, earning money online has become more accessible than ever. From freelancing and affiliate marketing to online surveys and cashback websites, there are countless ways to make a supplementary income or even a full-time living from the comfort of your home. One such platform that has gained popularity is FreeCash.com, a website […]

The post How to Earn Money from FreeCash.com, Playing Games, Testing Apps, and Taking Surveys appeared first on DIGITALIVE.WORLD.

Streamlining Urgent Care: The Benefits and Features of Electronic Medical Records (EMRs) What Is The Urgent Care EMR? If you or a loved one is in need of urgent medical care, the Urgent Care EMR is the perfect solution for you. This online system connects you with the best doctors and hospitals in your area […]

The post The Benefits and Features of Urgent Care Electronic Medical Records (EMRs) appeared first on DIGITALIVE.WORLD.

Tips for saving money on your insurance Insurance is a necessary evil in today’s world. We all need it to protect ourselves from the unfortunate events that can happen, but it can be expensive and difficult to afford. In this post, we are going to give you some tips on how to save money on […]

The post Tips for saving money on your insurance appeared first on DIGITALIVE.WORLD.

The Best and Worst Car Insurance Quotes Buying car insurance can be a difficult task, especially if you don’t know what to look for. In this post, we’re going to give you the lowdown on the best and worst car insurance quotes. We’re also going to share some tips on how to get the best […]

The post The Best and Worst Car Insurance Quotes appeared first on DIGITALIVE.WORLD.

10 overlooked facts about car insurance Car insurance is one of those things that most people take for granted. We just assume that we will be covered in the event of an accident, and that our premiums will be affordable. However, there are a few things you should know about car insurance that you may […]

The post 10 overlooked facts about car insurance appeared first on DIGITALIVE.WORLD.

CNN: A NATO country could soon have a pro-Russian leader 

Slovakia is getting ready to elect its fifth prime minister in just four years, and with Kremlin sympathizer Robert Fico’s opposition party leading the polls, it is one being watched with alarm in the West. 

 Since Russia invaded Ukraine last February, Slovakia has been one of Kyiv’s staunchest allies. The two countries share a border, Slovakia was the first country to send air defenses to Ukraine and it welcomed tens of thousands of refugees. 

But all that could change if Fico comes to power. The former prime minister makes no secret of his sympathies towards the Kremlin and has blamed “Ukrainian Nazis and fascists” for provoking Russia’s President Vladimir Putin into launching the invasion, repeating the false narrative Putin has used to justify his invasion.  

Read more

WNU Editor: Since the start of the Russia - Ukraine war a number of European governments have been defeated in national elections. My gut is telling me the same will happen with the current government in Slovakia. 

 Update: Russia is following this election very closely, and this assessment is probably correct .... NATO country's pro-Ukraine government to lose election – polls (RT)

 Is Slovakia About To Elect A Pro-Russian Government?  

Slovakia swamped by disinformation ahead of parliamentary elections -- France 24  

'Not a single round': Slovak election could see Kyiv lose staunch ally -- Reuters

Slovakia may be about to elect a government which plans to halt aid to Kyiv -- The Conversation  

Will Slovakia elect a pro-Russian premier? -- GZero

FOX News: US officials say Travis King is in American custody after months of detainment in North Korea 

A US official confirms to Fox News Digital that US Army Private Travis King is safely in US custody 

The North Korean government has released a U.S. serviceman after holding him in detainment since July, Fox News Digital has confirmed. 

The North Korean government returned U.S. Army Pvt. Travis King to U.S. custody in mainland China on Wednesday following months of imprisonment, according to North Korean state outlets and the U.S. National Security Council. 

"The relevant organ of the [Democratic People's Republic of Korea] decided to expel Travis King, a soldier of the U.S. Army who illegally intruded into the territory of the DPRK, under the law of the Republic," state media outlet Korean Central News Agency wrote early Wednesday, according to translations provided by Yonhap News Agency.  

Read more ....  

WNU Editor: There was no "upside" for the North Koreans to keep him. 

US Secures The Release Of Travis King A Soldier Who Crossed Into North Korea 2 Months Ago  

US secures the release of the soldier who crossed into North Korea 2 months ago -- AP  

Travis King, the U.S. soldier who crossed South Korea's border into North Korea, is back in U.S. custody -- CBS News  

American soldier who crossed into North Korea arrives back in U.S. -- Axios  

American Soldier Travis King Back in US After Fleeing to North Korea -- VOA  

North Korea Deports US Soldier Who Tried To Defect Over 'Racism' -- Zero Hedge

CBC: Trudeau apologizes after a Nazi veteran was praised by parliamentarians at Zelenskyy event  

Yaroslav Hunka was a member of the 1st Galician division, a unit of Adolf Hitler's war machine 

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has apologized on behalf of Canada's Parliament after a veteran of Adolf Hitler's Nazi forces was included in an event last week honouring Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

"This was a mistake that has deeply embarrassed Parliament and Canada. All of us who were in this House on Friday regret deeply having stood and clapped even though we did so unaware of the context," Trudeau said in a brief statement to reporters.

Read more ....  

WNU Editor: The damage has already been done. 

Canadian Prime Minister Trudeau Apologizes On Behalf Of Canada's Parliament After A Nazi Veteran Was Praised By Parliamentarians At Zelenskyy Event  

Trudeau offers ‘unreserved’ apology after tribute to man who fought with Nazis -- Global News  

Trudeau apologizes for presence, recognition of Nazi unit veteran in Parliament -- Canadian Press  

Trudeau apologizes for recognition of Nazi unit war veteran in Canadian Parliament -- AP 

Canada's House Speaker apologises for praising Ukrainian who fought for Nazis -- BBC  

Trudeau apologizes for tribute to vet who fought in WWII Nazi unit -- Politico  

Canada's Trudeau apologizes for honoring Ukrainian Waffen SS Nazi -- RT

DNYUZ/New York Times: Erdogan says Turkey’s parliament will ratify Sweden’s entry into NATO if the U.S. sells Turkey fighter jets. 

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey said in comments reported on Tuesday that Turkey would approve Sweden’s bid to join the NATO military alliance if the United States went ahead with a sale of F-16 fighter jets and related technology to Turkey.

“If they keep their own promises, our parliament will keep the promise given,” Mr. Erdogan told reporters while returning to Turkey from a trip to Azerbaijan.  

Read more ....  

WNU Editor: Eerdogan is always trying to find an angle to benefit his government and country. 

 Erdogan Says Turkey Will Support Sweden's NATO Bid If US Approves F-16s 

Turkey will back Sweden's NATO bid if U.S. keeps promise on F-16 sale -Erdogan -- Reuters  

Turkiye will support Sweden's NATO bid if US commits to F-16 sale: Erdogan -- The Cradle  

Erdogan says Turkey will keep promise on Sweden's NATO bid if US approves F-16s -- Al-Monitor 

Erdogan: Turkey to ratify Sweden's NATO bid if US approves F-16 sales to Ankara -- Kyiv Independent

CBC News: Anthony Rota resigns as Speaker after inviting former Ukrainian soldier with Nazi ties to Parliament  

Rota lost support of key Liberal ministers on Tuesday 

Liberal MP Anthony Rota is stepping down as House of Commons Speaker after inviting a Ukrainian veteran who fought in a Nazi division to Parliament — a dramatic turn of events that will be welcomed by MPs on all sides who said the embarrassing incident was unforgivable. 

Rota's resignation will take effect at the end of the sitting day on Wednesday. 

"This House is above any of us, Therefore, I must step down as your Speaker," Rota said at 2 p.m. ahead of Tuesday's question period. "I reiterate my profound regret for my error in recognizing an individual in the House.  

Read more ....  

WNU Editor: I have been watching in the past hour some Canadian commentators who are hoping this issue will go away. I do not think it will. It is now becoming international .... Poland moves to extradite Ukrainian SS veteran who was applauded in Canada (Politico).

Update: Yup .... A fitting humiliation for the Liberals, and for Canada (National Post).

Update #2: The Russian government and media are having a field day on this story .... Moscow reacts to Canada honoring Nazi veteran (RT). More here .... Canadian parliament speaker resigns after honoring Ukrainian Nazi veteran (RT). 

Canada's Speaker Resigns After Honoring Nazi Now-Wanted For Extradition By Poland  

House Speaker Anthony Rota resigns over Nazi veteran invite with 'profound regret' -- CTV News  

Canada’s House speaker resigns over inviting a man who fought for a Nazi unit to Parliament -- AP 

Canada parliament speaker resigns after calling Ukrainian Nazi veteran a ‘hero’ -- The Guardian  

Canada parliament speaker steps down after honouring Nazi -- Al Jazeera  

Canada's Speaker Resigns After Honoring Nazi Now-Wanted For Extradition By Polish Minister -- Zero Hedge

 The Guardian/AFP: France to withdraw ambassador and troops from Niger  

Emmanuel Macron says he will consult coup leaders on withdrawal after two months of defying their expulsion order 

France will withdraw its ambassador from Niger followed by the French military contingent in the next months, Emmanuel Macron has said in the aftermath of the coup in the west African country that ousted the pro-Paris president. 

The French president’s announcement appeared to end two months of defiance in which Paris’s ambassador had been kept in place in Niamey despite coup leaders ordering him to leave.  

Read more ....  

WNU Editor: They are next .... Niger: Germany, US watch and wait as France pulls troops out (DW). 

France To Withdraw Ambassador And Troops From Niger  

President Macron says France will end its military presence in Niger, pull its ambassador after coup -- AP 

France will end its military presence in Niger by the end of 2023, Macron says -- CNN  

France withdraws troops from Niger -- Politico  

France to withdraw ambassador, troops from Niger after coup: Macron -- Al Jazeera

CNN: South Korea showcases missiles, drones and tanks in rare military parade 

South Korea showcased an arsenal of advanced weaponry in a military parade on Tuesday, rolling tanks and missiles down the streets of its rain-soaked capital during the first event of its kind in a decade. 

The parade, held to mark the 75th Armed Forces Day commemorating the founding of the country’s armed forces, comes against the backdrop of rising tensions on the Korean peninsula, as South Korea draws closer to the United States and Japan against the threat of North Korea’s accelerating weapons program. 

Read more ....  

WNU Editor: South Korea is also issuing a warning to North Korea .... Seoul warns of N Korean regime termination, if nuclear weapons used (RFA). 

South Korea Holds Major Military Parade That Showcased An Arsenal Of Advanced Weaponry  

S. Korea holds rare military parade, warns NK against nuclear attack -- Korea Herald 

South Korea flexes military muscle with parade, issues dire warning about North's nuclear pursuit -- FOX News  

South Korea holds 1st major military parade in a decade -- DW

The Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany. (Photo courtesy U.S. Army).  

New York Times: U.S. Army Hospital in Germany Is Treating Americans Hurt Fighting in Ukraine 

A group of Ukrainian Army soldiers pierced by Russian grenades and mortar shells arrived at a hospital recently in need of surgery. It would have been a familiar scene from the bloody war grinding on in Ukraine, except for two crucial differences: Most of the wounded soldiers were American, and so was the hospital — the U.S. Army’s flagship medical center in Germany.

The Army has quietly started to treat wounded Americans and other fighters evacuated from Ukraine at its Landstuhl Regional Medical Center. 

Though the number so far is small — currently 14 — it marks a notable new step in the United States’ deepening involvement in the conflict.  

Read more ....  

Update #1: Army hospital in Germany caring for wounded American volunteers in Ukraine (Task & Purpose)  

Update #2: Growing Numbers Of American Volunteers Wounded In Ukraine Treated At US Army Hospital In Germany (Zero Hedge)  

WNU Editor: This should surprise no one. The U.S. has been treating wounded Ukrainian soldiers at this hospital since last year .... US military to treat wounded Ukrainian troops at Landstuhl hospital (Air Force Times).

One of several photos on a blog by an SS Galichina veterans’ group that shows Yaroslav Hunka, the Ukrainian immigrant honored by the Canadian Parliament during a visit by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Hunka is in the front row, middle.  

Politico: Nazi-linked veteran received ovation during Zelenskyy’s Canada visit  

House Speaker apologizes for leading tribute in Parliament: ‘This initiative was entirely my own.’ 

OTTAWA, Ont. — A ranking Canadian parliamentarian is apologizing to Jewish communities around the world for a blunder during Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s visit that led to lawmakers honoring a veteran accused of belonging to a Nazi division in WWII. 

It followed demands by Canadian Jewish organizations Sunday for an apology after it was revealed members of Parliament across party lines awarded a 98-year-old veteran on Friday with a standing ovation shortly after Zelenskyy addressed Canada’s House of Commons. 

Yaroslav Hunka stood and appeared to salute from the public gallery when he was recognized by House Speaker Anthony Rota, who introduced Hunka as a Canadian-Ukrainian war hero from his political district. 

Read more ....  

WNU Editor: There is some stuff that I cannot just make up.

Canadian politicians may have been clueless on Yaroslav Hunka's past, but I would not be surprised if some in Zelensly's delegation knew who he was. Many in Zelensky's government regard these former Nazi veterans as heroes, and their biggest hero is Stepan Bandera. 

And before I forget, there is also the issue of Canadian Deputy Prime Minister Freeland's grandfather .... Canada’s Future Prime Minister Needs to Come Clean About Her Nazi Collaborationist Grandfather (The Tablet). 

 Canada's Parliament Gave A Standing Ovation To A Ukrainian Veteran Who Fought With A Nazi SS Division In WWII  

Man who fought for Nazis honoured during Zelenskyy's visit to Parliament -- National Post/Canadian Press  

Zelenskyy joins Canadian Parliament’s ovation to 98-year-old veteran who fought with Nazis -- Forward  

Leader of Canada's House of Commons apologizes for honoring man who fought for Nazis -- AP 

House Speaker apologizes for honouring Ukrainian who fought in Nazi unit in WW II -- CBC  

Canada House speaker apologizes for recognition of veteran who fought for Nazis -- Reuters  

House Speaker Anthony Rota apologizes after inviting man who fought for Nazis to Parliament -- CTV News 

Who Is Yaroslav Hunk? Ex Waffen SS Member Gets Applauded in Canadina Parliament -- Times Now News

ABC News: Trump edges out Biden 51-42 in head-to-head matchup: POLL  

The president's job approval rating is 19 points underwater. 

President Joe Biden's job approval rating is 19 points underwater, his ratings for handling the economy and immigration are at career lows. A record number of Americans say they've become worse off under his presidency, three-quarters say he's too old for another term and Donald Trump is looking better in retrospect -- all severe challenges for Biden in his reelection campaign ahead. 

Forty-four percent of Americans in the latest ABC News/Washington Post poll say they've gotten worse off financially under Biden's presidency, the most for any president in ABC/Post polls since 1986. Just 37% approve of his job performance, while 56% disapprove. Still fewer approve of Biden's performance on the economy, 30%.  

Read more ....  

WNU Editor: The news media is downplaying this poll .... Washington Post says poll showing Trump beating Biden likely an ‘outlier’ (The Hill). More here .... Washington Post calls its own poll showing Trump beating Biden by 10 points an 'outlier' (FOX News). 

ABC/Washington Post Poll: Trump Leads Biden 52-42%  

Post-ABC poll: Biden faces criticism on economy, immigration and age -- Washington Post  

Poll showing Trump up 10 points over Biden for 2024 election criticized -- The Guardian  

Trump Leads Biden by 9 Points in New Washington Post/ABC News Poll -- National Review  

Trump leading Biden by double digits – poll -- RT

BBC: Nagorno-Karabakh: Thousands flee as Armenia says ethnic cleansing under way 

A growing stream of ethnic Armenian refugees are fleeing Nagorno-Karabakh following Azerbaijan's seizure of the disputed region last week. 

More than 13,000 people have so far crossed into Armenia from the enclave, which is home to a majority of some 120,000 ethnic Armenians.

They left after the government in Yerevan announced plans to move those made homeless by the fighting. Armenia's PM has warned that ethnic cleansing is "under way" in the region. 

"That's happening just now, and that is very unfortunate fact because we were trying to urge international community on that," Nikol Pashinyan told reporters.  

Read more ....  

WNU Editor: This is what ethnic cleansing looks like. Within a few months there will be no Armenians in Nagorno-Karabakh. 

Thousands Flee Armenia Amid Claims That Ethnic Cleansing Is Under Way 

 Exasperated residents flee Nagorno-Karabakh after Azerbaijan seizes control of breakaway region -- AP  

Dozens of Karabakh Children Reach Safety in Armenia in Back of a Truck -- Reuters  

Thousands flee into Armenia after Azerbaijan retakes enclave -- AFP  

‘We know we aren’t going back’: Nagorno-Karabakh Armenians face up to a life in exile -- Politico 

Ethnic cleansing fears as thousands flee Nagorno-Karabakh into Armenia after Azerbaijan seized the disputed enclave -- Daily Mail 

‘I will never go back’: death stalks the exodus from Nagorno-Karabakh -- The Guardian  

Long queues and traffic jams as ethnic Armenians flee Nagorno-Karabakh fearing persecution -- ABC News Australia 

In Photos: Refugees Fleeing Nagorno-Karabakh Arrive in Armenia -- Moscow Times

Photo Credit: Xinhua

DW: China, Syria announce 'partnership' after Assad-Xi talks  

Chinese President Xi Jinping said Syria and China would pursue a "strategic partnership" after meeting with Bashar Assad. China has been a stalwart defender of Assad's regime, despite Western human rights criticism. 

Chinese President Xi Jinping met with Syrian President Bashar Assad on Friday, and announced the establishment of a "strategic partnership," according to a readout of the meeting by Chinese state broadcaster CCTV. 

Xi said the partnership "will become an important milestone in the history of bilateral relations," without providing any further details. 

Read more .... 

Xi And Assad Announce The Launching Of A China-Syria Strategic Partnership  

China and Syria announce 'strategic partnership' -- Middle East Eye  

Xi, Assad announce launch of China-Syria strategic partnership -- The Cradle  

Assad seeks Xi's help to end Syria's isolation -- DW  

China's Xi offers to help war-torn Syria rebuild, regain regional status -- Jerusalem Post 

China to help reconstruct war-battered Syria -- Al Jazeera

Lamar Joseph Odom is an American former Professional basketball player. A Member of the Los Angeles Lakers in the National Basketball Association, Lamar Odom won championships in 2009 and 2010 and was named the NBA Sixth Man of the Year in 2011. Lamar Odom Net Worth As of 2023, Lamar Odom has an estimated net […]

The post Lamar Odom Net Worth: How Much is the NBA Star Now Valued At? appeared first on The Next Hint.

It’s time to don the Spartan armor and wield the iconic Gravity Hammer! Because Master Chief, also known as John-117, has just dropped into the world of Rainbow Six Siege. In an exciting collaboration, Ubisoft has introduced the Spartan-117 Elite Bundle. Bringing the beloved Halo character into close-quarters combat. This crossover merges the universes of […]

The post Master Chief Joins the Action in Rainbow Six Siege with New Sledge Elite Set appeared first on The Next Hint.

Starting a company is appealing for more than a few reasons. You’ll be your own boss, and you could make a decent income with it. It can even be easy to start up. Actually running your business can take a lot more work and effort to sort out. That’s especially true when it comes to […]

The post 3 Legalities To Sort Out When Running A Business appeared first on The Next Hint.

Starting a demolition job is a big undertaking that requires careful preparation, accuracy, and knowledge. Choosing the best demolition contractor, like Van’s Hauling, is essential for the project’s success, safety, and adherence to local laws, whether you’re tearing down a modest home property or a sizable commercial facility. Checking credentials is only one step in […]

The post The Questions You Should Ask a Demolition Contractor Before Hiring Them appeared first on The Next Hint.

Have you ever considered becoming a foster carer but worry that you lack the skills or qualifications to care for a foster child? If so, you’ve come to the right place. In this article, we’ll discuss the requirements for becoming a foster carer, including whether you need any formal qualifications: Who Can Foster? Before discussing […]

The post Do You Need Qualifications to Be a Foster Carer? appeared first on The Next Hint.

In recent times in Nigeria, there has been a notable influx of billionaires and…

Access Holdings has completed its bid to gain a foothold in Africa’s second-biggest oil producer,…

MINES and Mining Development permanent secretary Pfungwa Kunaka says China’s decision to lift electric…

Growth in Algeria is expected to accelerate further in 2024, at a sustained pace…

Sirius Africa, a pioneering Multi Channel Network with more than a decade of dedication…

The post Small Businesses Struggle to Adapt to Zimbabwe’s Frequent, Erratic Power Cuts appeared first on Global Press Journal.

The post What It’s Like to Look for a Home in Kathmandu as a Dalit appeared first on Global Press Journal.

The post Pregnancy and Childbirth Free of Violence: Argentina’s Unpaid Debt appeared first on Global Press Journal.

The post 93 and Still Working: Retirement Is a Luxury Few Haitians Can Afford appeared first on Global Press Journal.

The post Trouble Brewing: Conflict in Sudan Stirs Concern for Coffee Farmers in Uganda appeared first on Global Press Journal.

The post They Migrated From Chiapas When Opportunities Dried Up. Orchids Brought Them Home. appeared first on Global Press Journal.

Boeing CEO Optimistic About Strong Travel Demand Recovery Boeing CEO Dave Calhoun expressed optimism about the recovery of travel demand, stating that it is stronger than expected. He believes there is pent-up demand for passenger traffic, tourism, and business travel. According to Calhoun, order books and demand for proposals to meet this demand are at […]

This Article Boeing CEO Dave Calhoun Optimistic About Stronger-Than-Expected Travel Demand Recovery was first Published on World Weekly News

Effects of Estrogen on Women’s Brain Health Effects of Estrogen on Women’s Brain Health Introduction One study found that high levels of estrogen throughout life reduced the risk of cerebrovascular disease and dementia in women. Study Findings According to a new study published in the September 27, 2023 online issue of the journal Neurology, women […]

This Article High Estrogen Levels Reduce Risk of Cerebrovascular Disease and Dementia in Women, Study Finds was first Published on World Weekly News

Intrigue Surrounding X’s Subscription Model During a recent interview, Elon Musk suggested that X would begin charging users a small monthly fee to use its service in order to combat bots. However, when asked about this plan, X CEO Linda Yaccarino seemed uncertain and asked for clarification. It is surprising that she was unaware of […]

This Article The Intrigue Surrounding X’s Subscription Model: Uncertainty and Confusion Revealed in Interview was first Published on World Weekly News

Article Heading Dead Drop Studios Cancels Dino Break for All Current Systems Trailer Presents the Indwelling Evil and Dinosaur Crisis Inspired Survival Horror Title Dead Drop Studios cancels Dino break for all current systems. A trailer presents the of indwelling evil And Dinosaur crisis inspired survival horror title in more detail. Dino break is available […]

This Article Dino Break: Dead Drop Studios Cancels Indwelling Evil and Dinosaur Crisis Survival Horror Game was first Published on World Weekly News

Tiger Blade: A New Action-Packed Game Tiger Blade is an exciting new fast-paced action game developed by Ikimasho. It was first announced in June, and now we have an official release date to look forward to – November 17, 2023. This highly anticipated game will be available on both the PS5 and PS VR2 platforms. […]

This Article Tiger Blade: A New Action-Packed Game with Official Release Date and Exciting Gameplay was first Published on World Weekly News

Manchester City will make a midweek trip to the Newcastle United home St. James Park on Wednesday, in the third round of the Carabao Cup fixture.  The Magpies thrashed Sheffield United with a record-breaking 8-0 scoreline at Bramall Lane, their home ground. This match marked the first time that eight different players scored in a […]

Famous singer, Divine Ikubor has claimed that he isn’t making music just because of the financial benefits. The 21-year-old said he was financially buoyant even while he was doing freestyles and posting on social media which led to his record label discovering him. Speaking in an interview with Korty EO, Rema said if he didn’t […]

I’m not doing music because of money – Rema

Nigerian rapper, Azeez Adeshina Fashola, popularly known as Naira Marley, has said he would turn himself in to be investigated over allegations linking him to the death of his former signee, Ilerioluwa Oladimeji Aloba, aka Mohbad if the security agencies can guarantee his safety. DAILY POST recalls that there have been calls for Naira Marley […]

Mohbad: Naira Marley gives conditions to turn himself in for investigation