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ED arrests Nagpur lawyer, brother in money laundering case
He had also petitioned the Nagpur bench of the Bombay High Court seeking a police probe into the suspicious and untimely death of CBI judge B H Loya. Judge Loya, who was presiding over the trial in the Sohrabuddin Shaikh alleged fake encounter case, had died reportedly due to a heart attack in Nagpur in 2014.
- Country:
- India
The ED on Thursday arrested Nagpur-based lawyer Satish Uke and his brother Pradeep in connection with a money laundering investigation, officials said.
They said the brothers were taken into custody under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) and were expected to be produced before a court on Friday.
The lawyer had filed petitions against senior BJP leader and former Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis over the last few years.
His residence in the Parvati Nagar area of Nagpur was raided by the central probe agency around 6 am.
The raid team was escorted by a CRPF team.
Officials claimed the money laundering case against the brothers is related to the purchase of about 1.5 acre land in Nagpur sometime ago and the documents used for the land purchase were allegedly forged.
The land that was purchased was in the name of the brothers, they said.
The lawyer and his brother were later taken to the Enforcement Directorate's (ED) office in Seminary Hills area of the city for interrogation around 11 am.
A police official said the ED team took along Satish Uke's laptop, some documents and four cellphones belonging to his family members to the ED office for examination.
The lawyer has filed several petitions in courts against BJP leaders, especially Fadnavis.
In one of his applications, he had sought criminal proceedings against Fadnavis for the ''non-disclosure'' of criminal cases in his election affidavit. Uke has alleged that the BJP leader filed a false affidavit in 2014 by hiding two criminal cases - of cheating and forgery - registered against him in 1996 and 1998. He had also petitioned the Nagpur bench of the Bombay High Court seeking a police probe into the ''suspicious and untimely'' death of CBI judge B H Loya. Judge Loya, who was presiding over the trial in the Sohrabuddin Shaikh alleged fake encounter case, had died reportedly due to a heart attack in Nagpur in 2014. Satish Uke is also the lawyer for Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole, who has filed a Rs 500 crore defamation suit in a civil court here against IPS officer and former state intelligence chief Rashmi Shukla and others for alleged illegal tapping of his phone.
(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
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Congress president Sonia Gandhi urges government to end influence of Facebook, other social media giants on electoral politics in India. | https://www.devdiscourse.com/article/law-order/1985413-ed-arrests-nagpur-lawyer-brother-in-money-laundering-case | 2022-03-31T16:20:13 | en | 0.984167 |
The Associated Press
Wall Street is opening lower and oil prices are falling as President Joe Biden prepares to order the release of up to 1 million barrels of oil per day from the nation’s strategic petroleum reserve. It’s an effort to control energy prices, which have soared following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in late February. Crude oil prices fell about 3% in the early going on Thursday. Stock indexes were mostly lower in early trading. The market is heading for a gain in March but it’s still on track to close out the first quarter lower after a rocky start to the year.
THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP’s earlier story follows below.
NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. markets were uneven in premarket trading Thursday, while global markets fell after Chinese manufacturing weakened and Russian shelling around Ukraine’s capital shook hopes for progress in peace talks.
On Wall Street, futures for the Dow Jones Industrials ticked down about 0.1% while the same for the benchmark S&P 500 index wavered between small gains and losses a day after falling on weaker-than-forecast U.S. economic growth.
Oil prices fell more than 5% in New York following reports that President Joe Biden would release U.S. reserves to cool surging prices amid anxiety about possible disruption to Russian supplies.
OPEC and allied oil producers including Russia will be deciding Thursday how much crude to pump to the world. Analysts expect the group, known as OPEC+, to stay on its schedule of gradual increases to restore production cuts made during the depths of the coronavirus pandemic in 2020.
Russian forces were shelling areas near Kyiv and another city after Moscow said it would scale back operations there to promote trust. Virtual talks on trying to end the five-week-old war are expected Friday.
Russia is “pouring cold water on headlines of constructive cease-fire talks,” Stephen Innes of SPI Asset Management said in a report.
In early trading, London’s FTSE 100 lost 0.2%, Frankfurt’s DAX slipped 0.4% and the CAC 40 in Paris shed 0.6%.
In Asia, the Shanghai Composite Index lost 0.4% to 3,252.20 after an index of Chinese manufacturing activit y fell to a five-month low following the shutdown of much of Shanghai and two smaller industrial cities to fight coronavirus outbreaks.
The Hang Seng in Hong Kong sank 1.1% to 21,996.85.
“The near-term outlook remains highly uncertain,” Julian Evans-Pritchard of Capital Economics said in a report. “Even if the outbreak is brought under control soon, it will still take a while for the economy to get back on track.”
The Nikkei 225 in Tokyo shed 0.7% to 27,821.43 and Sydney’s S&P-ASX 200 lost 0.2% to 7,499.60.
The Kospi in Seoul gained 0.4% to 2,757.65 after data showed February industrial production improved.
India’s Sensex shed 0.2% to 58,560.02. New Zealand and Jakarta gained while Singapore and Bangkok declined.
Despite losses Wednesday, markets have mostly gained ground this week as talks between Russia and Ukraine seemed to show progress.
Investors already were worried about higher U.S. interest rates and a Chinese economic slowdown.
On Thursday, the Commerce Department is due to release its personal income and spending report for February. The Labor Department will release U.S. employment data for March on Friday.
Benchmark U.S. crude tumbled $5.68 to $102.14 per barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. It was down more than $7 at one point. The contract rose $3.58 on Wednesday to $107.82.
Brent crude, the price basis for international oil trading, fell $5.51 to $105.93 per barrel in London.
Biden is preparing to order the release of up to 1 million barrels of oil per day from U.S. reserves, according to two people familiar with the decision. That would come near to closing the U.S. production gap compared with February 2020 before the coronavirus caused a steep decline.
However, that supply is “simply not enough to offset Russian losses,” Francesco Pesole and Frantisek Taborsky of ING said in a report. “It does not seem likely that U.S. reserves will be able to drive oil prices structurally lower.”
The dollar declined to 121.61 yen from Wednesday’s 121.78 yen. The euro fell to $1.1104 from $1.1159.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. | https://wtmj.com/ap-news/2022/03/31/stocks-opens-lower-oil-slides-ahead-of-release-of-crude/ | 2022-03-31T16:20:17 | en | 0.954018 |
18-year-old arrested in fatal shooting at Chicago-area mall
Frightened shoppers ran for cover and the mall was locked down.Authorities said surveillance video shows the suspect pulling out a weapon and shooting at Valdes, striking him. Valdes was later pronounced dead at a hospital.After the shooting, the suspected gunman fled in a car with other people, police said.
- Country:
- United States
Police have arrested an 18-year-old Chicago man wanted in last week's fatal shooting of a man and wounding of a girl at a suburban Chicago shopping mall.
Rosemont police said the suspect was taken into custody Wednesday “without incident” in the March 25 shooting that killed Joel Valdes, 20, of Skokie, at the Fashion Outlets of Chicago in Rosemont, just northwest of Chicago.
A second shooting victim, a 15-year-old girl, was treated and released from a hospital, police said.
Authorities did not immediately announce formal charges against the suspect or say when he would be in court.
Rosemont Police Sgt. Joe Balogh also did not disclose details of the suspect's capture, but told the Daily Herald that the man was apprehended by Rosemont officers. A nationwide arrest warrant was issued Tuesday for the suspect.
Police said the shooting occurred near the mall's food court during an argument that escalated into violence. Frightened shoppers ran for cover and the mall was locked down.
Authorities said surveillance video shows the suspect pulling out a weapon and shooting at Valdes, striking him. Valdes was later pronounced dead at a hospital.
After the shooting, the suspected gunman fled in a car with other people, police said.
(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
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- Joel Valdes
- Joe Balogh
- Skokie
- Chicago
- Valdes
- Daily Herald
- Rosemont
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Soccer-Chicago Cubs owners and Citadel's Griffin team up for Chelsea bid | https://www.devdiscourse.com/article/law-order/1985419-18-year-old-arrested-in-fatal-shooting-at-chicago-area-mall | 2022-03-31T16:20:20 | en | 0.968089 |
WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. airport security procedures will become more gender-neutral, with changes to scanners used for screening and the use of an “X” for travelers going through Precheck who do not identify as male or female, the Biden administration said Thursday.
Transportation Security Administration officers will also receive new instructions on screening intended to make procedures less invasive, the Department of Homeland Security said in a statement.
They are among a series of travel-security measures announced by the department in conjunction with Transgender Day of Visibility. President Joe Biden is marking the day by advocating against what his administration terms “dangerous anti-transgender legislative attacks” that have passed in statehouses across the country.
“DHS is committed to protecting the traveling public while ensuring that everyone, regardless of gender identity, is treated with respect,” Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said in the statement.
The use of the “X” pronoun in the TSA Precheck advanced security program will begin April 11 and is intended to keep pace with identity documents that already include that option, DHS said. A new “X” gender marker on U.S. passport applications also begins April 11.
Later this year, TSA will begin using scanners with new technology that will replace gender-based systems and are intended to “advance civil rights and improve the customer experience.”
The TSA will work with airlines to promote the acceptance of the “X” gender marker and will also update the guidance for airport security screening officers to remove gender considerations when validating documents, DHS said.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. | https://wtmj.com/ap-news/2022/03/31/us-airport-security-screening-to-become-more-gender-neutral-2/ | 2022-03-31T16:20:24 | en | 0.95193 |
Putin's rouble gas payment order covers deliveries due after April 1 - source
Russian President Vladimir Putin's order for foreign gas buyers to use Gazprombank to make gas payments in roubles covers deliveries due after April 1, a source familiar with the situation told Reuters.
"Payments for 'April gas' on some contracts start in the second half of April, on others - in May," the source added.
(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
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- Vladimir Putin
- Russian
Advertisement | https://www.devdiscourse.com/article/law-order/1985423-putins-rouble-gas-payment-order-covers-deliveries-due-after-april-1---source | 2022-03-31T16:20:28 | en | 0.955832 |
NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. markets were uneven in premarket trading Thursday, while global markets fell after Chinese manufacturing weakened and Russian shelling around Ukraine’s capital shook hopes for progress in peace talks.
On Wall Street, futures for the Dow Jones Industrials ticked down about 0.1% while the same for the benchmark S&P 500 index wavered between small gains and losses a day after falling on weaker-than-forecast U.S. economic growth.
Oil prices fell more than 5% in New York following reports that President Joe Biden would release U.S. reserves to cool surging prices amid anxiety about possible disruption to Russian supplies.
OPEC and allied oil producers including Russia will be deciding Thursday how much crude to pump to the world. Analysts expect the group, known as OPEC+, to stay on its schedule of gradual increases to restore production cuts made during the depths of the coronavirus pandemic in 2020.
Russian forces were shelling areas near Kyiv and another city after Moscow said it would scale back operations there to promote trust. Virtual talks on trying to end the five-week-old war are expected Friday.
Russia is “pouring cold water on headlines of constructive cease-fire talks,” Stephen Innes of SPI Asset Management said in a report.
In early trading, London’s FTSE 100 lost 0.2%, Frankfurt’s DAX slipped 0.4% and the CAC 40 in Paris shed 0.6%.
In Asia, the Shanghai Composite Index lost 0.4% to 3,252.20 after an index of Chinese manufacturing activit y fell to a five-month low following the shutdown of much of Shanghai and two smaller industrial cities to fight coronavirus outbreaks.
The Hang Seng in Hong Kong sank 1.1% to 21,996.85.
“The near-term outlook remains highly uncertain,” Julian Evans-Pritchard of Capital Economics said in a report. “Even if the outbreak is brought under control soon, it will still take a while for the economy to get back on track.”
The Nikkei 225 in Tokyo shed 0.7% to 27,821.43 and Sydney’s S&P-ASX 200 lost 0.2% to 7,499.60.
The Kospi in Seoul gained 0.4% to 2,757.65 after data showed February industrial production improved.
India’s Sensex shed 0.2% to 58,560.02. New Zealand and Jakarta gained while Singapore and Bangkok declined.
Despite losses Wednesday, markets have mostly gained ground this week as talks between Russia and Ukraine seemed to show progress.
Investors already were worried about higher U.S. interest rates and a Chinese economic slowdown.
On Thursday, the Commerce Department is due to release its personal income and spending report for February. The Labor Department will release U.S. employment data for March on Friday.
Benchmark U.S. crude tumbled $5.68 to $102.14 per barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. It was down more than $7 at one point. The contract rose $3.58 on Wednesday to $107.82.
Brent crude, the price basis for international oil trading, fell $5.51 to $105.93 per barrel in London.
Biden is preparing to order the release of up to 1 million barrels of oil per day from U.S. reserves, according to two people familiar with the decision. That would come near to closing the U.S. production gap compared with February 2020 before the coronavirus caused a steep decline.
However, that supply is “simply not enough to offset Russian losses,” Francesco Pesole and Frantisek Taborsky of ING said in a report. “It does not seem likely that U.S. reserves will be able to drive oil prices structurally lower.”
The dollar declined to 121.61 yen from Wednesday’s 121.78 yen. The euro fell to $1.1104 from $1.1159.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. | https://wtmj.com/ap-news/2022/03/31/us-stocks-uneven-after-china-manufacturing-weakens-2/ | 2022-03-31T16:20:30 | en | 0.951915 |
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Adoption of Criminal Law Amendment Bill to be completed after SAPS approval
The committee also has concerns related to the use of minimum force when taking buccal samples in custodial settings.
- Country:
- South Africa
The Portfolio Committee on Police says the adoption of the Criminal Law (Forensic Procedures) Amendment Bill will only be completed once it is satisfied that the South African Police Service has the capacity and capability to implement the provisions contained in the bill.
Approved by Cabinet in November 2021 and signed by President Cyril Ramaphosa early this year, the bill [B25 – 2021] makes provision for the full implementation of certain transitional arrangements contained in the Criminal Law (Forensic Procedures) Amendment Act, 2013.
The bill also provides for the enforcement of the obligation to submit to the taking of a buccal sample (samples from cells taken from the cheek) from people convicted under Schedule 8 offences, and provides for matters connected therewith.
Schedule 8 offences include sexual offences, robbery, human trafficking and culpable homicide.
During deliberations on the bill on Wednesday, the committee reiterated that the amendment bill is an important tool in the criminal justice system, and is not stopped and does not face radical opposition, but rather "it needs further deliberations by the committee in the second term".
Committee chairperson, Tina Joemat-Pettersson, said the committee has noted the concerns raised in many public submissions questioning the capacity of the SAPS Forensic Science Laboratories to effectively implement the provisions of the bill.
She said the committee has, since the start of the sixth Parliament, committed itself to intensify oversight over the forensic sciences division of the South African Police Service (SAPS), and will continue to do so.
"The committee acknowledges the progress made by the SAPS in addressing the challenges faced in the forensic science laboratory division over the past couple of years. [It] further acknowledges the significant progress made in the reduction of the backlog in DNA analysis.
"Despite the progress made in this division, the committee is still not at ease with issues regarding the costing of the bill, funding of the FSL (Forensic Science Laboratory) division, maintenance of machinery and equipment, and procurement contracts to ensure the timely and effective delivery of forensic consumables," Joemat-Pettersson said.
The committee also has concerns related to the use of minimum force when taking buccal samples in custodial settings.
While the committee realises that the Bill deals only with already convicted schedule 8 offenders, the chairperson said the recent proclamation by the President to bring the Act into full operation places the amendments in a different light, and the committee needs to look "broader than just what is tabled before it".
"The adoption of the bill will only be completed once the committee is satisfied that it can be implemented. The committee will continue with this matter in the next term after recess," Joemat-Pettersson said.
The committee adopted its report on the public participation process on the amendment bill. The report details the public submissions received on the bill.
"The committee is satisfied with the positive and detailed discussions that took place during public hearings.
"It expresses its gratitude to the organisations and individuals that made submissions on the Bill and reiterates the importance of public participation when Parliament deals with legislation," Joemat-Pettersson said.
The public could comment on the bill until 11 March 2022.
(With Inputs from South African Government Press Release) | https://www.devdiscourse.com/article/law-order/1985424-adoption-of-criminal-law-amendment-bill-to-be-completed-after-saps-approval | 2022-03-31T16:20:35 | en | 0.949426 |
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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German official calls for more sanctions
- Country:
- Germany
Germany's economy minister says Europe should impose additional sanctions on Russia to prevent what he described as a “barbaric” war in Ukraine.
Robert Habeck said he discussed what further measures could be taken with his French counterpart during a bilateral meeting in Berlin on Thursday.
“The last package (of sanctions) doesn't need to be the final one, it should not be the final one,” he told reporters, adding that he and French Economy Minister Bruno Le Maire had “identified additional points that could be included in a (sanctions) package.” Habeck declined to elaborate on what those points might be.
Speaking ahead of Russian President Vladimir Putin's announcement on new rules requiring countries to pay for Russia's natural gas sales in rubles, Habeck insisted that contracts would be adhered to. These stipulate payment in euros or dollars.
(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
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French fishermen block fuel depots in protest at prices | https://www.devdiscourse.com/article/law-order/1985427-german-official-calls-for-more-sanctions | 2022-03-31T16:20:43 | en | 0.950124 |
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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Burkina junta resists pressure to return to democracy in less than 3 years
Burkina Faso's military junta on Thursday resisted pressure from West African regional union ECOWAS to relinquish power in less than three years, saying its priority was to restore security in the country. The military seized power in late January, deposing President Roch Kabore in a coup and citing what they described as his inability to contain Islamist insurgents who control swathes of territory.
Burkina Faso's military junta on Thursday resisted pressure from West African regional union ECOWAS to relinquish power in less than three years, saying its priority was to restore security in the country.
The military seized power in late January, deposing President Roch Kabore in a coup and citing what they described as his inability to contain Islamist insurgents who control swathes of territory. "To establish a viable democracy the first thing we need to do is to clear the territory (of Islamists), to allow peace to return," junta spokesman Lionel Bilgo told a news conference in Ouagadougou.
The junta had previously said it was aiming for a 36-month transition to democracy. ECOWAS leaders last week demanded that it shorten that period to "a more acceptable timeline", but there was little sign of that on Thursday.
Foreign Minister Olivia Rouamba, who was appointed by the junta, said 36 months was "realistic" given the stated objective to restore security. The junta also said discussions were under way about allowing Kabore, who has been under house arrest since the coup, to return to a residence of his choice. ECOWAS had called for his immediate and unconditional release.
"Talks ... are ongoing, with a view to allowing the former president to return to a family residence of his choice whilst guaranteeing his security," the junta said in a statement. It did not specify who was taking part in the discussions.
ECOWAS has imposed sanctions on Mali and Guinea, whose military rulers are dragging their feet over a return to constitutional order. Burkina Faso has so far been spared but could be next if it makes no concessions.
(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
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- West African
- Ouagadougou
- Burkina Faso
- junta
- Islamists
- Islamist
- Burkina Faso's
- Kabore
- ECOWAS
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U.S. issues sanctions on alleged arms dealers for Myanmar junta | https://www.devdiscourse.com/article/law-order/1985429-burkina-junta-resists-pressure-to-return-to-democracy-in-less-than-3-years | 2022-03-31T16:20:50 | en | 0.97584 |
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Strengthening ties with India more important than ever before: Liz Truss
- Country:
- India
Strengthening ties with India is more important than ever before in the context of the crisis in Ukraine, visiting British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said on Thursday.
Her comments came shortly after holding extensive talks with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar.
Truss said the Ukraine crisis highlighted the need for like-minded nations to work together and that developments in that country will have far-reaching implications for the globe.
''Strengthening relationship with India is more important than it has ever been precisely because we are living in a more insecure world, precisely because we have (Vladimir) Putin's appalling invasion of Ukraine,'' she said. ''I think it is very significant that sanctions are applied on Russia,'' she said addressing the India-UK Strategic Futures Forum along with Jaishankar.
In her opening comments at the talks, Truss said it is important to respect the principles of sovereignty, territorial integrity, and international law.
In his remarks, Jaishankar talked about the progress in the implementation of the Roadmap 2030 that was adopted in May last year to further broadbase ties.
Ahead of the talks, the British High Commission in a statement said Truss will convey to Jaishankar that Russia's invasion of Ukraine underlines the importance of democracies to work together to deter ''aggressors'' and reduce vulnerability to ''coercion''.
There has been a flurry of visits by foreign dignitaries to India in the last few days. US deputy national security adviser Daleep Singh arrived in India on Wednesday while Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov landed in the capital this evening.
According to the statement by the British High Commission, Truss wants to ''counter'' Russia's aggression and reduce global strategic dependence on the country ahead of key NATO and G7 meetings next week.
''Deeper ties between Britain and India will boost security in the Indo-Pacific and globally, and create jobs and opportunities in both countries,'' Truss is quoted as saying in the statement.
''This matters even more in the context of Russia's unprovoked invasion of Ukraine and underlines the need for free democracies to work closer together in areas like defence, trade and cyber security,'' she said.
The India-UK relationship was elevated to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership during the India-UK virtual summit held between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his British counterpart Boris Johnson in May last year.
In the summit, the two sides adopted a 10-year-roadmap to expand ties in the key areas of trade and economy, defence and security, climate change and people-to-people connections among others.
(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
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UK PM Boris Johnson calls on world to wean off Russian oil, gas | https://www.devdiscourse.com/article/law-order/1985433-strengthening-ties-with-india-more-important-than-ever-before-liz-truss | 2022-03-31T16:20:58 | en | 0.954094 |
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Raj CM expresses concern over deaths in police custody
Warning policemen against being negligent in their duty, the chief minister said it is the primary duty of the police to bring justice to victims.He said strict action should be ensured against hardcore criminals and organized crimes.He said the state government is strengthening and modernizing the police department with commitment.There is no shortage of resources.
- Country:
- India
Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Thursday expressed concern over deaths in police custody and asked district superintendents of police to ensure that no custodial deaths take place in their jurisdictions.
Addressing a meeting of the state’s top police officials, including inspector generals of police and superintendents of police, Gehlot also asked them to ensure that policemen do not have links with criminals.
The chief minister asked the top police brass to take strict action against any police personnel found having any connivance with anti-social elements or criminals, a government statement said.
He urged the police officers to ensure prompt and fair action in each case, saying no person is above the law. Warning policemen against being negligent in their duty, the chief minister said it is the primary duty of the police to bring justice to victims.
He said strict action should be ensured against hardcore criminals and organized crimes.
He said the state government is strengthening and modernizing the police department with commitment.
“There is no shortage of resources. Now it becomes the responsibility of the police to curb crime in the state and provide speedy justice to victims,” he said.
Speaking on the occasion, Minister of State for Home Rajendra Yadav asked police officials to work systematically to check the illegal smuggling of arms and illegal drug trade from neighbouring states.
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NEW YORK (AP) — Bobby Moynihan, the former “Saturday Night Live” star, is now a member of another inner circle of comedy: those writing children’s books.
Moynihan’s picture story “Not All Sheep Are Boring!” will be published Sept. 20 by Putnam Books for Young Readers. Julie Rowan-Zoch is providing illustrations for a book featuring adventure-seeking, jetpack-wearing sheep.
“I am pleased as punch to help this little Toad tell his story, Not All Sheep are Boring! Also, just a reminder to keep an eye on Pierre the Sheep. He’s shifty,” Moynihan, who currently appears in the sitcom “Mr. Mayor,” said in a statement Thursday.
Other comedians with picture books include Seth Meyers, Jimmy Fallon and Jimmy Kimmel. Moynihan and his wife, actor Brynn O’Malley, have a 4-year-old daughter.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. | https://wtmj.com/entertainment/2022/03/31/comedian-bobby-moynihan-has-a-picture-book-coming-out/ | 2022-03-31T16:21:11 | en | 0.956157 |
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HIGHLIGHTS
- Country:
- India
Following are the top stories at 9.00 PM NATION: DEL97 LDALL AFSPA Areas under AFSPA curtailed in 3 NE states, CMs hail move, civil society wants more New Delhi/Guwahati: In a major outreach to the Northeast, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday announced reduction of the disturbed areas under the contentious AFSPA in Assam, Nagaland and Manipur from April 1, a decision wholeheartedly welcomed by the political leadership of the three states but greeted with cautious optimism by others who wanted the ''draconian'' law repealed in entirety.
DEL39 DL-KEJRIWAL-LD ATTACK Kejriwal targets BJP over vandalism at his residence, says can lay down life for nation New Delhi: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday said he can lay down his life for the country, a day after members of the BJP's youth wing vandalised property outside his residence and the AAP alleged that a conspiracy was being hatched to ''assassinate'' its national convenor.
DEL21 CONG-FUEL 2NDLD PROTEST Rahul demands rollback in prices of fuel, leads protest against hike New Delhi: Stepping up the attack against the government over steep hike in fuel prices, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday said the rise in petrol and diesel prices has been unprecedented and demanded its roll back.
DEL92 VIRUS-CURBS-LD LIFTING Face masks to be no more mandatory in Delhi, Maharashtra New Delhi: With the COVID-19 cases declining significantly over the past few weeks, several states have decided to lift all the pandemic-related restrictions, including the mandatory wearing of face masks.
DEL88 RUSSIA-INDIA-LAVROV Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov arrives in India New Delhi: Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov arrived in India on Thursday on a two-day official visit, his first trip to the country since Moscow launched its invasion of Ukraine last month.
DEL38 STALIN-LD PM Stalin meets PM; seeks Centre's nod for providing humanitarian aid to Lankan Tamils New Delhi: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin on Thursday met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and sought the Centre's approval for the state government to provide humanitarian aid to Sri Lankan Tamils in the wake of an economic crisis in that country.
DEL76 RSQ-JUDGES-COMPLAINTS Over 1,600 complaints received against functioning of judiciary in past 5 years: Govt New Delhi: Over 1,600 complaints have been received against functioning of the judiciary, including corruption, in the past five years on a centralised system and they have been forwarded to the Chief Justice of India or chief justices of various high courts, Rajya Sabha was informed on Thursday DEL65 PAWAR-KASHMIR FILES BJP spreading hatred through 'The Kashmir Files': Pawar New Delhi: Hitting out at the BJP, NCP chief Sharad Pawar accused it on Thursday of creating a ''poisonous atmosphere'' in the country by spreading ''false propaganda'' about the exodus of Kashmiri Pandits from the valley through ''The Kashmir Files'', a film showcasing the plight of the community.
MDS8 KA-SHAW-LD CM Must not allow communal exclusion in Karnataka: Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw Bengaluru: With Biocon chief Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw requesting him to resolve ''growing religious divide'' in Karnataka, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Thursday called upon all sections of society to observe restraint before going public on social issues, as they can be resolved through discussions.
BOM16 GJ-CAG-GSDP Gujarat recorded lowest GSDP growth in five years during 2020-21: CAG Gandhinagar: Gujarat recorded its lowest Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) growth in five years in financial year 2020-21 -- when the coronavirus pandemic began -- the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) has noted in its report.
MDS14 KA-HALAL-LD HM Halal row: K’taka HM asks intellectuals to teach those who do not respect Constitution, court order Koppal: Amid the raging halal row with some right wing organisations asking Hindus not to use halal meat during 'Hosa Tadaku' festival in the state, Karnataka Home Minister Araga Jnanendra on Thursday said intellectuals who give sermon on secularism should teach those who did not respect the Constitution and honour the court verdict on hijab.
LEGAL: LGD25 DL-HC-MARKAZ Will give permission to re-open Nizamuddin Markaz for Ramzan: Delhi Police to HC New Delhi: The Delhi Police on Thursday informed the Delhi High Court that it will give permission for the reopening of Nizamuddin Markaz to enable devotees to offer prayers during Ramzan after it remained shut since March 2020 when a Tablighi Jamaat congregation was held amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
LGD24 UP-HC-BAIL Allahabad HC grants bail to Kashmiri students held for sedition Allahabad: The Allahabad High Court has granted bail to three Kashmiri students, who were arrested on the sedition charge after they allegedly raised pro-Pakistan slogans following a cricket match in Agra last year.
LGD8 DL-HC-VANDALISM-CM HOUSE (RPT) AAP MLA moves Delhi HC to constitute SIT to probe attack outside CM house New Delhi: AAP MLA Saurabh Bhardwaj Thursday approached the Delhi High Court seeking constitution of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) for a fair and time bound investigation into the alleged attack outside the residence of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal during a protest against his remarks on 'The Kashmir Files' film.
PTI VN VN VN
(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
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Alniche Lifesciences Bullish on Health Awareness Marketing Campaigns in India | https://www.devdiscourse.com/article/law-order/1985437-highlights | 2022-03-31T16:21:13 | en | 0.929294 |
By ISABEL DEBRE
Associated Press
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — The world’s fair in Dubai, a tech-saturated site teeming with talking robots and solar canopies, sought to be the future.
Now, it’s history.
The pandemic-delayed Expo 2020 in the United Arab Emirates closes on Thursday after eight years of anticipation, over $7 billion in investment, 240 million hours of labor and six months of festivities.
The fate of the fairgrounds is clear. Some national pavilions will be demolished. A few will remain, like an enormous lacework dome and the UAE’s soaring falcon-shaped pavilion. Other buildings will be rebranded for a new business district soon to rise from the site.
But the deeper legacy of the event proves more elusive.
When Dubai won the bid to host Expo in 2013, it felt like a rebirth. Just four years earlier, the glitzy city-state suffered a real-estate crash in the Great Recession, rescued by a $20 billion bailout from oil-rich Abu Dhabi.
As property prices roared back, the Expo — the first world’s fair in the Middle East — appeared to signal Dubai’s troubles were behind it. Officials offered bright predictions. The “world’s greatest show” would draw 25 million visitors. It would generate $33.4 billion in investment until 2031. It would help Dubai push into the top tier of global financial centers.
But, in the end, the billions of dollars, frenzy of fantastical construction projects and barrage of publicity proved powerless against the coronavirus pandemic, which forced Dubai to postpone the event a year.
“It definitely fell short of what officials would have wanted,” said James Swanston, an economist at Capital Economics. “There were extremely optimistic assessments about Expo driving the next five to 10 years of growth in real estate and business, and COVID disrupted that.”
Dubai raced to widespread vaccination so it could open its borders and relax virus restrictions — earning it a reputation as a party haven for tourists escaping lockdowns back home.
The fair since has logged a staggering, albeit murky, total of 23 million visits — fueled by repeated visits of those already living in the city. Public sector employees got six days paid leave to visit. Schoolchildren regularly descended on Expo for field trips.
While concert lineups included just a few starry names, such as Coldplay and Alicia Keys, culturally specific crowd-pleasers succeeded in drawing diverse and rabid fan bases. K-pop stars, Bollywood singers and a beloved Iranian pop diva lured thousands.
“It’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience for all of us,” said 37-year-old Samiya Awan, a Pakistani resident of Dubai and Expo fanatic who volunteered at three national pavilions. “I am coming here every day, even if I’m not volunteering, I’m coming with my kids.”
But the event brought scrutiny as well.
As the FIFA World Cup has for host Qatar, Expo has shined a light on the troubles of migrant laborers. Many low-paid Expo workers have told of plunging into debt to cover recruitment fees, having their passports confiscated and struggling to afford food while toiling at the multibillion-dollar fair.
However, no companies or countries ultimately heeded calls by the European Parliament to withdraw their involvement in Expo over human rights concerns. Dubai has counted on the event to raise its international profile and offer a jolt to its economy as it bounces back from the pandemic.
“Bringing the world to Dubai and showcasing Dubai to the world has been one of the successes of this event,” said Tarek Fadlallah, chief executive at Nomura Asset Management Middle East.
Other analysts note that while Dubai increasingly has elbowed its way onto the world stage in recent months, that may have less to do with Expo’s allure than the government’s pandemic response and major reforms.
The UAE has changed its weekend to align with the West, allowed unmarried couples to legally live together and eased visa restrictions and foreign investment rules. Gambling appears to be next. As hordes of well-heeled foreigners flock to the emirate, the prices of luxury properties and villas have surged.
“I wouldn’t give Expo all the credit for residential property price increases,” said Sapna Jagtiani, a director at S&P Global Ratings. “It was mostly driven by how the UAE managed the pandemic and high net-worth individuals moving to the country.”
Dubai may no longer have a major global event but observers say the city’s business-friendly rules and absence of sanctions and politics will buoy the emirate in its Expo comedown. That’s especially true as Russia’s war on Ukraine has pushed oil prices to multi-year highs and stirred economic turmoil in the region.
“We have a lot of oil money that finds its way to Dubai real estate,” Jagtiani added. “It’s considered a safe haven where investment flows whenever there’s conflict.”
However, concerns linger that the end of Expo could aggravate Dubai’s debt and oversupply problems if demand fails to materialize for the expected flood of new hotel and housing construction. Rising interest rates loom as well.
“It may not blow up in the same way as 2009, but it could raise concerns about debt repayments where Abu Dhabi has to step in again,” Swanston said.
But while uncompleted white elephant projects still litter Dubai, others more successful have propelled growth and transformed swaths of its vast deserts into gleaming new developments.
Whether the Expo site has a lasting impact remains to be seen, even as crowds rushed in for the final few hours of the party.
“I’ve heard a lot of mixed feedback about how good or how bad the Expo was, how it didn’t meet certain expectations,” said Khaled Iskandar, a Palestinian architect visiting the site for the fourth time this week. “Personally … I was in awe.”
___
Associated Press writer Malak Harb in Dubai contributed to this report.
___
Follow Isabel DeBre on twitter at www.twitter.com/isabeldebre.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. | https://wtmj.com/entertainment/2022/03/31/partys-over-dubais-monthslong-expo-2020-comes-to-a-close/ | 2022-03-31T16:21:17 | en | 0.952391 |
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Ukraine nuclear operator: Russian troops leave Chernobyl
The claim couldnt be independently verified.Energoatom said the Russians have signed a document confirming the handover of the Chernobyl plant and stating that the plants administration doesnt have any complaints about the Russian troops who were guarding the facility.
- Country:
- Ukraine
Russian troops were leaving the Chernobyl nuclear power plant and heading towards Ukraine's border with Belarus, the Ukrainian nuclear operator company said.
The operator, Energoatom said that the Russian military was also preparing to leave Slavutych, a nearby city where power plant workers live.
Energoatom also said reports were confirmed that the Russians dug trenches in the Red Forest, the 10-square-kilometer (nearly four-square-mile) area surrounding the Chernobyl plant within the Exclusion Zone, and received “significant doses of radiation.” The Russian troops “panicked at the first sign of illness,” which “showed up very quickly,” and began to prepare to leave, the operator said. The claim couldn't be independently verified.
Energoatom said the Russians have signed a document confirming the handover of the Chernobyl plant and stating that the plant's administration doesn't have any complaints about the Russian troops who were “guarding” the facility. “It turns out that the occupiers guarded' the station for more than five weeks, and even so well that there are no complaints,” Energoatom said in a statement on Telegram.
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Belarus exchange to begin trading in Chinese yuan on March 18 -c.bank | https://www.devdiscourse.com/article/law-order/1985438-ukraine-nuclear-operator-russian-troops-leave-chernobyl | 2022-03-31T16:21:21 | en | 0.960172 |
By CHRISTOPHER RUGABER
AP Economics Writer
WASHINGTON (AP) — An inflation gauge closely monitored by the Federal Reserve jumped 6.4% in February compared with a year ago, with sharply higher prices for food, gasoline and other necessities squeezing Americans’ finances.
The figure reported Thursday by the Commerce Department was the largest year-over-year rise since January 1982. Excluding volatile prices for food and energy, so-called core inflation increased 5.4% in February from 12 months earlier.
Robust consumer demand has combined with shortages of many goods to fuel the sharpest price jumps in four decades. Escalating the inflation pressures, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has disrupted global oil markets and accelerated prices for wheat, nickel and other key commodities.
The inflation spike took a toll on consumers, whose spending in February rose just 0.2%, down from a much larger 2.7% gain in January. Adjusted for inflation, spending actually fell 0.4% last month.
The Federal Reserve responded this month to the inflation surge by raising its benchmark short-term interest rate by a quarter-point from near zero, and it’s likely to keep raising it well into next year. Because its rate affects many consumer and business loans, the Fed’s rate hikes will make borrowing more expensive and could weaken the economy over time.
Michael Feroli of JPMorgan is among economists who now think the Fed will raise its key rate by an aggressive half-point in both May and June. The central bank hasn’t raised its benchmark rate by a half-point in two decades, a sign of how concerned it has become about the persistent surge in inflation.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. | https://wtmj.com/national/2022/03/31/a-key-inflation-gauge-sets-40-year-high-as-gas-and-food-soar-2/ | 2022-03-31T16:21:23 | en | 0.967526 |
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All Saints Episcopal School’s Learning Farm hold Spring planting day
TYLER, Texas (KLTV) - Pre-schoolers through 4th graders at All Saints Episcopal school had their spring planting day on Tuesday.
The All Saints learning farm has 20 plots with a variety of vegetables, herbs, and a chicken coop with 16 chickens.
Young farmers had a chance to get their hands dirty today by tending to their garden and planting spring vegetables.
Third grader Anya Kumar tells us what she enjoys the most about working in the learning farm.
“Getting all dirty on my hands. I like feeding all the chickens the earth worms we find; they just snatch it really quickly. It’s really fun,” said Kumar
The kids listen into the morning announcements for their daily farm report to understand what their farm duties are for the day.
“It’s just having fun enjoying being outside. A lot of kids, I don’t think, these days get to enjoy being outside. They’re like, ‘oh there’s a bug!’ I’m like, ‘we’re outside, there are going to be bugs,” said one student.
Anna Dickey is the science specialist who instructs the kids in the farm. Dickey says it’s all about having fun, work ethic, and learning that farming doesn’t come easily.
“You have to weed, you have to be out here regularly taking care of it,” Dickey said.
Chef Michael Brady is the director of food service and oversees the operations of the garden.
“It’s the whole cyclical process of a farm that’s the business side, and the money goes back into the farm to pay for feed to pay for plants for seasonal planting, so it’s really cool that I think they’re really getting to learn that whole cycle and full circle,” Brady said.
The kids harvest once a quarter and sell their harvest to the chef in the school cafeteria, also known as the “Garden of Eat’n.”
The kids also sell one dozen of chicken eggs for six dollars to parents in the carpool line.
This year before leaving for spring break, the kids placed faux eggs in the coop to encourage chickens to lay more eggs and were surprised to find 48 eggs this week when they returned.
Copyright 2022 KLTV. All rights reserved. | https://www.ktre.com/2022/03/29/all-saints-episcopal-schools-learning-farm-hold-spring-planting-day/ | 2022-03-31T16:21:26 | en | 0.971275 |
60 pictures of Torbay New Year's Eve before Covid
Incredible scenes and outrageous fancy dress as hundreds spilled out into the streets at the stroke of midnight
It seems almost incredible when you look back at these 60 pictures of New Year's Eve madness in Torbay in the years pre-Covid 19.
Huge, happy, carefree crowds hugging and kissing strangers and policemen filled the streets as giant conga lines danced in and out of all the pubs and bars around Paignton town centre and Torquay's harbourside.
The Mallock Clock Tower on The Strand was traditionally the place where late night revellers gathered as the clock struck midnight. In 2006 things got a bit out of hand as a couple in fancy dress climbed to the top of the tower - and the council had to fence it off to protect it during the following year's celebrations.
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Look back at our pictures as large groups went out in outrageous and inventive fancy dress outfits.
Hopefully New Year 2022 will be the beginning of the end in sight for the pandemic! | https://www.devonlive.com/whats-on/whats-on-news/gallery/nye-60-pictures-torbay-new-6382596 | 2022-03-31T16:21:26 | en | 0.943065 |
AP High Court punishes 8 IAS officers for contempt
- Country:
- India
Amaravati, Mar 31 (PTI): In an unprecedented event, a judge of the Andhra Pradesh High Court on Thursday sentenced eight senior officers of the Indian Administrative Service to two weeks imprisonment, holding them guilty of contempt of court, but remitted the punishment following an unconditional apology tendered by them.
Instead, as agreed by them, the judge asked the eight IAS officers to undertake social work by visiting welfare hostels on any Sunday in a month, for 12 months, and “spend some time with the students to motivate them and arrange lunch or dinner (a sumptuous meal) by spending their personal money.” “The contemnors gave an oral undertaking (to do social work) and it is placed on record,” Justice Battu Devanand said in the order.
“The apology tendered by the contemnors is accepted and the punishment is remitted. If any contemnor failed to fulfil the undertaking, the Registry shall reopen the contempt case and place before the Court,” Justice Devanand said.
Each officer has been assigned a district for taking up the social work as part of the punishment.
The case pertains to construction of village and ward secretariat offices, rythu bharosa kendras and health centres on the premises of government, mandal and zilla parishad and municipal schools.
On a writ petition, the High Court had in June 2020 issued an interim order directing the authorities concerned not to take up any construction activity that affects the healthy atmosphere of the schools.
In subsequent months, two more writ petitions were filed wherein the petitioners complained that construction activity unconnected with the schools and the students was on.
When the case came up for hearing in July 2021, the court observed that barring two, the other respondents in the case did not file counter-affidavits even after lapse of one year. The court came to an opinion that the respondents wilfully violated the (June 2020) order and on its own initiated contempt proceedings.
“There is wilful disobedience in implementing the order in true spirit. As such, the respondents are found guilty of contempt of court and they are liable for punishment under the provisions of the Contempt Court Act, 1971,” Justice Devanand said in the order on Thursday.
“It is clear that in total 1371 schools the Village Secretariats and other constructions/activities are being undertaken, which are not related to education and the schools. It is also proved from the averments made in the affidavits that they (officers) did not take any steps to implement the order till initiation of suo moto contempt case by this Court,” the judge observed.
“Due to deliberate violation of the orders of the court, the poor students who are studying in Government and local body schools suffered. This Court never expected such lethargic and lawless behaviour from the senior officers of All India Service. This is unfortunate and regrettable,” Justice Devanand remarked.
(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
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Peshawar High Court seeks progress report from Pak authorities on blocking of TikTok videos | https://www.devdiscourse.com/article/law-order/1985439-ap-high-court-punishes-8-ias-officers-for-contempt | 2022-03-31T16:21:29 | en | 0.963642 |
By CHRISTOPHER RUGABER
AP Economics Writer
WASHINGTON (AP) — An inflation gauge that is closely monitored by the Federal Reserve jumped 6.4% in February compared with a year ago, with sharply higher prices for food, gasoline and other necessities squeezing Americans’ finances.
The figure reported Thursday by the Commerce Department was the largest year-over-year rise since January 1982. Excluding volatile prices for food and energy, so-called core inflation increased 5.4% in February from 12 months earlier.
Robust consumer demand has combined with shortages of many goods to fuel the sharpest price jumps in four decades. Escalating the inflation pressures, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has disrupted global oil markets and accelerated prices for wheat, nickel and other key commodities.
The inflation spike took a toll on consumers, whose spending in February rose just 0.2%, down from a much larger 2.7% gain in January. Adjusted for inflation, spending actually fell 0.4% last month.
Yet Americans’ overall incomes rose 0.5% in February, the highest gain since November and up from just 0.1% in January. Wages and salaries jumped 0.8%, the most in four months.
Businesses have been raising pay to attract and keep employees — a trend that is benefiting workers but also giving employers cause to raise prices to offset their higher labor costs. That cycle is helping fuel inflation.
Last month, food costs climbed 1.4%, the most in nearly two years. Energy costs spiked 3.7%, the biggest such increase since October.
The Federal Reserve responded this month to the inflation surge by raising its benchmark short-term interest rate by a quarter-point from near zero, and it’s likely to keep raising it well into next year. Because its rate affects many consumer and business loans, the Fed’s rate hikes will make borrowing more expensive and could weaken the economy over time.
Michael Feroli of JPMorgan is among economists who now think the Fed will raise its key rate by an aggressive half-point in both May and June. The central bank hasn’t raised its benchmark rate by a half-point in two decades, a sign of how concerned it has become about the persistent surge in inflation.
On a monthly basis, prices rose 0.6% from January to February, up slightly from the previous month’s increase of 0.5% and matching the highest monthly figure since 2008. Core prices rose 0.4%, down from a 0.5% increase in January.
Gas prices have soared in the past month in the aftermath of Russia’s invasion, which led the United Kingdom and the Biden administration to ban Russia’s oil exports. The cost of a gallon of gas shot up to a national average of $4.24 a gallon Wednesday, according to AAA. That’s up 63 cents from a month ago, when it was $3.61.
On Thursday, President Joe Biden is expected to order the release of up to 1 million barrels of oil a day from the nation’s strategic petroleum reserve in an effort to reduce gas prices.
Thursday’s report follows a more widely monitored inflation gauge, the consumer price index, that was issued earlier this month. The CPI jumped to 7.9% in February from a year ago, the sharpest such increase in four decades.
Many economists still expect inflation to peak in the coming months. In part, that’s because price spikes that occurred last year, when the economy widely reopened, will begin to make the year-over-year price increases appear smaller. Yet Fed officials project that inflation, as measured by its preferred gauge, will still be a comparatively high 4.3% by the end of this year.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. | https://wtmj.com/national/2022/03/31/a-key-inflation-gauge-sets-40-year-high-as-gas-and-food-soar-4/ | 2022-03-31T16:21:30 | en | 0.96848 |
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Calif. group votes to limit reparations to slave descendants
(AP) - California’s first-in-the-nation task force on reparations voted Tuesday to limit state compensation to the descendants of free and enslaved Black people who were in the U.S. in the 19th century, narrowly rejecting a proposal to include all Black people regardless of lineage.
The vote was split 5-4, and the hours-long debate was at times testy and emotional. Near the end, the Rev. Amos Brown, president of the San Francisco branch of the NAACP and vice chair of the task force, pleaded with the commission to move ahead with a clear definition of who would be eligible for restitution.
“Please, please, please I beg us tonight, take the first step,” he said. “We’ve got to give emergency treatment to where it is needed.”
Gov. Gavin Newsom signed legislation creating the two-year reparations task force in 2020, making California the only state to move ahead with a study and plan, with a mission to study the institution of slavery and its harms and to educate the public about its findings.
Reparations at the federal level has not gone anywhere, but cities and universities are taking up the issue. The mayor of Providence, Rhode Island, announced a city commission in February while the city of Boston is considering a proposal to form its own reparations commission.
The Chicago suburb of Evanston, Illinois, became the first U.S. city to make reparations available to Black residents last year, although there are some who say the program has done nothing to right a wrong.
California’s task force members — nearly all of whom can trace their families back to enslaved ancestors in the U.S. — were aware that their deliberations over a pivotal question will shape reparations discussions across the country. The members were appointed by the governor and the leaders of the two legislative chambers.
Those favoring a lineage approach said that a compensation and restitution plan based on genealogy as opposed to race has the best change of surviving a legal challenge. They also opened eligibility to free Black people who migrated to the country before the 20th century, given possible difficulties in documenting family history and the risk at the time of becoming enslaved.
Others on the task force argued that reparations should include all Black people in the U.S. who suffer from systemic racism in housing, education and employment and said they were defining eligibility too soon in the process.
Civil rights attorney and task force member Lisa Holder proposed directing economists working with the task force to use California’s estimated 2.6 million Black residents to calculate compensation while they continue hearing from the public.
“We need to galvanize the base and that is Black people,” she said. “We can’t go into this reparations proposal without having all African Americans in California behind us.”
But Kamilah Moore, a lawyer and chair of the task force, said expanding eligibility would create its own fissures and was beyond the purpose of the committee.
“That is going to aggrieve the victims of the institution of slavery, which are the direct descendants of the enslaved people in the United States,” she said. “It goes against the spirit of the law as written.”
The committee is not even a year into its two-year process and there is no compensation plan of any kind on the table. Longtime advocates have spoken of the need for multifaceted remedies for related yet separate harms, such as slavery, Jim Crow laws, mass incarceration and redevelopment that resulted in the displacement of Black communities.
Compensation could include free college, assistance buying homes and launching businesses, and grants to churches and community organizations, advocates say.
The eligibility question has dogged the task force since its inaugural meeting in June, when viewers called in pleading with the nine-member group to devise targeted proposals and cash payments to make whole the descendants of enslaved people in the U.S.
Chicago resident Arthur Ward called in to Tuesday’s virtual meeting, saying that he was a descendant of enslaved people and has family in California. He supports reparations based only on lineage and expressed frustration with the panel’s concerns over Black immigrants who experience racism.
“When it comes to some sort of justice, some kind of recompense, we are supposed to step to the back of the line and allow Carribeans and Africans to be prioritized,” Ward said. “Taking this long to decide something that should not even be a question in the first place is an insult.”
California Assemblyman Reginald Jones-Sawyer, who voted against limiting eligibility, said there is no question that descendants of slaves are the priority, but he said the task force also needs to stop ongoing harm and prevent future harm from racism. He said he wished the panel would stop “bickering” over money they don’t have yet and start discussing how to close a severe wealth gap.
“We’re arguing over cash payments, which I firmly don’t believe are the be all and end all,” he said.
Reparations critics say that California has no obligation to pay up given that the state did not practice slavery and did not enforce Jim Crow laws that segregated Black people from white people in the southern states.
But testimony provided to the committee shows California and local governments were complicit in stripping Black people of their wages and property, preventing them from building wealth to pass down to their children. Their homes were razed for redevelopment, and they were forced to live in predominantly minority neighborhoods and couldn’t get bank loans that would allow them to purchase property.
Today, Black residents are 5% of the state’s population but over-represented in jails, prison and homeless populations. And Black homeowners continue to face discrimination in the form of home appraisals that are significantly lower than if the house were in a white neighborhood or the homeowners are white, according to testimony.
A report is due by June with a reparations proposal due by July 2023 for the Legislature to consider turning into law.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.ktre.com/2022/03/29/black-reparations-panel-could-decide-who-gets-compensation-california/ | 2022-03-31T16:21:33 | en | 0.974762 |
By CHRISTOPHER RUGABER
AP Economics Writer
WASHINGTON (AP) — An inflation gauge that is closely monitored by the Federal Reserve jumped 6.4% in February compared with a year ago, with sharply higher prices for food, gasoline and other necessities squeezing Americans’ finances.
The figure reported Thursday by the Commerce Department was the largest year-over-year rise since January 1982. Excluding volatile prices for food and energy, so-called core inflation increased 5.4% in February from 12 months earlier.
Robust consumer demand has combined with shortages of many goods to fuel the sharpest price jumps in four decades. Measures of inflation will likely worsen in the coming months because Thursday’s report doesn’t reflect the consequences of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which occurred Feb. 24. The war has disrupted global oil markets and accelerated prices for wheat, nickel and other key commodities.
Squeezed by inflation, consumers increased their spending by just 0.2% in February, down from a much larger 2.7% gain in January. Adjusted for inflation, spending actually fell 0.4% last month. The decline partly reflected a shift away from heavy spending on goods to a focus on services, such as health care, travel and entertainment, which consumers had long avoided during the worst of the pandemic.
Spending on such services grew 0.6%, the most since July, while purchases of autos, furniture, clothes and other goods dropped 2.1%. Many economists had previously suggested that a shift away from goods purchases might loosen supply chain snarls and cool inflation. But prices are still rising rapidly for goods, including a 1.1% increase in February.
Americans’ overall incomes rose 0.5% in February, the highest gain since November and up from just 0.1% in January. Wages and salaries jumped 0.8%, the most in four months.
Businesses have been raising pay to attract and keep employees — a trend that is benefiting workers but also giving employers cause to raise prices to offset their higher labor costs. That cycle is helping fuel inflation.
Last month, food costs climbed 1.4%, the most in nearly two years. Energy costs spiked 3.7%, the biggest such increase since October.
The Federal Reserve responded this month to the inflation surge by raising its benchmark short-term interest rate by a quarter-point from near zero, and it’s likely to keep raising it well into next year. Because its rate affects many consumer and business loans, the Fed’s rate hikes will make borrowing more expensive and could weaken the economy over time.
Michael Feroli of JPMorgan is among economists who now think the Fed will raise its key rate by an aggressive half-point in both May and June. The central bank hasn’t raised its benchmark rate by a half-point in two decades, a sign of how concerned it has become about the persistent surge in inflation.
On a monthly basis, prices rose 0.6% from January to February, up slightly from the previous month’s increase of 0.5% and matching the highest monthly figure since 2008. Core prices rose 0.4%, down from a 0.5% increase in January.
Gas prices have soared in the past month in the aftermath of Russia’s invasion, which led the United Kingdom and the Biden administration to ban Russia’s oil exports. The cost of a gallon of gas shot up to a national average of $4.24 a gallon Wednesday, according to AAA. That’s up 63 cents from a month ago, when it was $3.61.
Michael Pearce, an economist at Capital Economics, estimated that the gas price spike will cost Americans an annualized $100 billion in March.
Americans will likely dig into their savings to cover the higher gas costs in the near term, he said. “But if higher gasoline prices are sustained, that will eventually weigh on spending in other areas.”
On Thursday, President Joe Biden is expected to order the release of up to 1 million barrels of oil a day from the nation’s strategic petroleum reserve in an effort to reduce gas prices.
Thursday’s report follows a more widely monitored inflation gauge, the consumer price index, that was issued earlier this month. The CPI jumped to 7.9% in February from a year ago, the sharpest such increase in four decades.
Many economists still expect inflation to peak in the coming months. In part, that’s because price spikes that occurred last year, when the economy widely reopened, will begin to make the year-over-year price increases appear smaller. Yet Fed officials project that inflation, as measured by its preferred gauge, will still be a comparatively high 4.3% by the end of this year.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. | https://wtmj.com/national/2022/03/31/a-key-inflation-gauge-sets-40-year-high-as-gas-and-food-soar-7/ | 2022-03-31T16:21:36 | en | 0.969293 |
Great Indian Bustard: SC seeks status reports from Rajasthan, Gujarat on laying of underground cables
The committee shall assess the matter and arrive at a conclusion as to whether the underground power lines are feasible or not.
- Country:
- India
The Supreme Court directed the Rajasthan and Gujarat governments on Thursday to file their status reports on converting overhead electric cables into underground power lines, wherever feasible, within a year to protect the endangered Great Indian Bustard (GIB) from extinction.
A bench of justices DY Chandrachud, AS Bopanna and V Ramasubramanian directed both the states to file their compliance affidavits on an order of the court passed last year and the status reports within three weeks.
The top court also directed the committee constituted in accordance with the order dated April 19, 2021 to file a report on the progress made so far, the applications received on the issue of feasibility and the decisions taken on those.
The bench said the Centre's application for modification of the April 19, 2021 order and other intervention applications will be taken up for hearing after three weeks, once the court has an idea about what development has taken place since the passing of the order last year.
It listed the matter for further hearing after three weeks.
The apex court's order came on a plea moved by M K Ranjitsinh, a retired IAS officer, and others filed through advocate Sonia Dube, seeking the court's directions for an urgent emergency response plan to protect and ensure the recovery of numbers of the endangered species of GIB and Lesser Florican (LF).
On April 19 last year, the top court, in a bid to save the GIB, directed the Gujarat and Rajasthan governments to convert overhead electric cables into underground power cables, wherever feasible, within a year.
It had set up a three-member committee to assess the feasibility for the laying of high-voltage underground power cables.
The committee comprises scientists Rahul Rawat, Sutirtha Dutta and Devesh Gadhavi, deputy director of Corbett Foundation.
''The committee may also obtain technical reports, if need be, from experts in the field of electricity supply to arrive at their decision. The Government of India shall provide all assistance to the committee,'' the top court had said.
It had also directed that the work for laying the underground power lines shall proceed right away where there is no doubt about its feasibility.
''However, in cases where the respondents find that there are issues relating to feasibility, the matter shall be referred to the committee with all relevant material and particulars. The committee shall assess the matter and arrive at a conclusion as to whether the underground power lines are feasible or not. Based on the report to be rendered by the committee, further action shall be taken by the respondent,'' it had said.
The apex court had said in all such cases where it is found feasible to convert overhead cables into underground power lines, the same shall be undertaken and completed within a year.
''In all cases where the overhead power lines exist as on today in the priority and potential GIB area, the respondents shall take steps forthwith to install diverters, pending consideration of the conversion of the overhead cables into underground power lines.
''In all such cases where it is found feasible to convert the overhead cables into underground power lines, the same shall be undertaken and completed within a period of one year and till such time, the diverters shall be hung from the existing power lines,'' it had said.
The top court had said the states as well as the Centre have a duty to preserve the endangered species and as such, the expenses incurred will have to be provided by them either under the schemes available or by earmarking the same in such a manner.
''Needless to mention that in the instant case, the preservation is by undergrounding the power lines and in that context, if cost is incurred, it would also be permissible to pass on a portion of such expenses to the ultimate consumer, subject to the approval of the competent regulatory authority,'' it had said.
With regard to the conservation of the habitat to secure the safety of the eggs laid by the birds, the court had also directed that certain areas be fenced and protected from invasion by predators so that the eggs laid in these areas are protected.
''In addition to the death of the birds due to collision and electrocution, the conservation strategy also requires protecting the eggs of the said species of birds and the same being transferred to breeding centres for the purpose of hatching,'' it had said.
(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
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Gujarat HC notice to Rahul in 'Modi surname' remarks case | https://www.devdiscourse.com/article/law-order/1985445-great-indian-bustard-sc-seeks-status-reports-from-rajasthan-gujarat-on-laying-of-underground-cables | 2022-03-31T16:21:36 | en | 0.954188 |
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Strong to severe storms possible Wednesday morning
A First Alert Weather Day has been declared.
EAST TEXAS (KLTV/KTRE) - Late tonight our next storm system will be moving into North Texas, and storms will begin to move into our northwestern counties between midnight and 4 a.m. For our central areas; including Tyler, Longview, Jacksonville, Lufkin and Nacogdoches, storms will be moving through from 4 a.m. to 8 a.m.
A First Alert Weather Day has been declared for Wednesday morning due to the possibility of strong to severe storms moving through during the morning commute hours for many.
While most of us will not see severe weather Wednesday, the heavy rain will be enough of a disruption you’ll want to plan some extra time into your morning routine.
With any severe storms that develop, our greatest concern will be wind, but isolated tornadoes, quarter size hail, and flooding are not out of the realm of possibility. Once storms clear out Wednesday midday, we’ll be looking at a mostly sunny afternoon.
Copyright 2022 KLTV/KTRE. All rights reserved. | https://www.ktre.com/2022/03/29/first-alert-weather-day-strong-winds-hail-possible-tuesdaywednesday-storms/ | 2022-03-31T16:21:40 | en | 0.932974 |
By CHRISTOPHER RUGABER
AP Economics Writer
WASHINGTON (AP) — An inflation gauge closely monitored by the Federal Reserve jumped 6.4% in February compared with a year ago, with sharply higher prices for food, gasoline and other necessities squeezing Americans’ finances.
The figure reported Thursday by the Commerce Department was the largest year-over-year rise since January 1982. Excluding volatile prices for food and energy, so-called core inflation increased 5.4% in February from 12 months earlier.
Robust consumer demand has combined with shortages of many goods to fuel the sharpest price jumps in four decades. Escalating the inflation pressures, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has disrupted global oil markets and accelerated prices for wheat, nickel and other key commodities.
The inflation spike took a toll on consumers, whose spending in February rose just 0.2%, down from a much larger 2.7% gain in January. Adjusted for inflation, spending actually fell 0.4% last month.
The Federal Reserve responded this month to the inflation surge by raising its benchmark short-term interest rate by a quarter-point from near zero, and it’s likely to keep raising it well into next year. Because its rate affects many consumer and business loans, the Fed’s rate hikes will make borrowing more expensive and could weaken the economy over time.
Michael Feroli of JPMorgan is among economists who now think the Fed will raise its key rate by an aggressive half-point in both May and June. The central bank hasn’t raised its benchmark rate by a half-point in two decades, a sign of how concerned it has become about the persistent surge in inflation.
On a monthly basis, prices rose 0.6% from January to February, up slightly from the previous month’s increase of 0.5%. Core prices rose 0.4%, down from a 0.5% increase in January.
Gas prices have soared in the past month in the aftermath of Russia’s invasion, which led the United Kingdom and the Biden administration to ban Russia’s oil exports. The cost of a gallon of gas shot up to a national average of $4.24 a gallon Wednesday, according to AAA. That’s up 63 cents from a month ago, when it was $3.61.
Thursday’s report follows a more widely monitored inflation gauge, the consumer price index, that was issued earlier this month. The CPI jumped to 7.9% in February from a year ago, the sharpest such increase in four decades.
Many economists still expect inflation to peak in the coming months. In part, that’s because price spikes that occurred last year, when the economy widely reopened, will begin to make the year-over-year price increases appear smaller. Yet Fed officials project that inflation, as measured by its preferred gauge, will still be a comparatively high 4.3% by the end of this year.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. | https://wtmj.com/national/2022/03/31/a-key-inflation-gauge-sets-40-year-high-as-gas-and-food-soar/ | 2022-03-31T16:21:42 | en | 0.965779 |
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Telangana: Patient unconscious after rats 'bite' him in govt hospital
He has been put on artificial ventilation and was under treatment by physicians, the official added.The patients attendant complained in the early hours of Thursday that he observed bleeding in the ankles and heels of the patient.
- Country:
- India
In a shocking incident, rats allegedly bit a patient at a government hospital in Warangal district of Telangana on Thursday and the state government transferred the hospital superintendent, among other measures, following the incident.
The patient was admitted to the state-run MGM hospital in Warangal in a critical condition four days ago after being treated at a private hospital, a hospital official said.
The patient, diagnosed with multi-organ failure, has been unconscious since then. He has been put on artificial ventilation and was under treatment by physicians, the official added.
The patient's attendant complained in the early hours of Thursday that he observed bleeding in the ankles and heels of the patient. The attendant was asleep when the alleged incident happened.
Though the patient's attendant did not see rats, a rat bite is suspected, the official said.
A report has been sent to the higher officials after a preliminary investigation, he said.
The presence of rats could be due to leftover food being thrown around in the hospital premises in spite of requests to not do so and an old drainage system, among others, he said.
The sanitation agency has been issued a show-cause notice, he added.
State Health Minister T Harish Rao sought full details on the alleged incident and directed that the patient be taken care of with good treatment, an official release said.
Taking a serious note of the incident, the government transferred the hospital superintendent and suspended two doctors for alleged dereliction of duty, it said.
(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
- READ MORE ON:
- T Harish Rao
- Warangal
- Telangana
- MGM hospital | https://www.devdiscourse.com/article/law-order/1985446-telangana-patient-unconscious-after-rats-bite-him-in-govt-hospital | 2022-03-31T16:21:44 | en | 0.966242 |
Flamingo that escaped Kansas zoo in 2005 spotted in Texas
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — One of two flamingos that escaped from a Kansas zoo during a storm 17 years ago has been spotted on the coast of Texas, wildlife officials said.
The Coastal Fisheries division of Texas Parks and Wildlife confirmed Tuesday to The Associated Press that the African flamingo — known as No. 492 because of the number on its leg band — was captured on video shot March 10 by an environmental activist near Port Lavaca, Texas, at Rhodes Point in Cox Bay. Officials were able to make out the bird’s leg band on the video.
The bird and another flamingo escaped from the Sedgwick County Zoo in Wichita on a stormy night in June 2005. Employees had not yet clipped the birds’ wings to prevent them from flying, which facilitated their escape.
While the other flamingo was never seen again, No. 492 has been spotted several times in Wisconsin, Louisiana and Texas, sometimes with other wild flamingos. Officials said it had been a year or two since the bird was last seen in Texas.
Zoo officials have never made plans to recapture No. 492, despite the sightings, saying there is no easy way to do so without disturbing other wildlife.
The escaped flamingos, known for their distinctive pink feathers and long legs and necks, were born in Africa then shipped to the Kansas zoo in 2004 with 39 other flamingos.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.ktre.com/2022/03/29/flamingo-that-escaped-kansas-zoo-2005-spotted-texas/ | 2022-03-31T16:21:47 | en | 0.976581 |
By LIUDAS DAPKUS
Associated Press
VILNIUS, Lithuania (AP) — Russia’s tech workers are looking for safer and more productive professional pastures.
By one estimate, up to 70,000 computer specialists, spooked by a sudden frost in the business and political climate, have bolted the country since Russia invaded Ukraine five weeks ago. Many more are expected to follow.
For some countries, Russia’s loss is being seen as their potential gain and an opportunity to bring fresh expertise to their own high-tech industries.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has noticed the brain drain even in the throes of war. This week, he reacted to the exodus by approving legislation to eliminate income taxes between now and 2024 for individuals who work for information technology companies.
Many people in the vast new pool of high-tech exiles are in no rush to return home. An elite crowd furnished with European Union visas has relocated to Poland or the Baltic nations of Latvia and Lithuania.
A larger contingent has fallen back on countries where Russians do not need visas: Armenia, Georgia and the former Soviet republics in Central Asia. In normal times, millions of less-skilled laborers emigrate from those economically shaky countries to comparatively more prosperous Russia.
Anastasia, a 24-year-old IT analyst from the Siberian city of Novosibirsk, chose Kyrgyzstan, where her husband has family.
“When we heard about the war on (Feb. 24), we thought it was probably time to leave, but that we might wait and see. On February 25, we bought our tickets and left,” Anastasia said. “There wasn’t much thinking to do.”
Like all the Russian workers contacted for this story, Anastasia asked to remain anonymous. Moscow was cracking down on dissent even before the invasion of Ukraine, and people living outside Russia still fear reprisals.
“As long as I can remember, there has always been fear around expressing one’s own views in Russia,” Anastasia said, adding that the war made the environment even more forbidding. “I left one day before they began searching and interrogating people at the border.”
The scale of the apparent brain drain was laid bare last week by Sergei Plugotarenko, the head of the Russian Association for Electronic Communications, an industry lobbying group.
“The first wave – 50,000-70,000 people – has already left,” Plugotarenko told a parliamentary committee.
Only the high cost of flights out of the country prevented an even larger mass exit. Another 100,000 tech workers nevertheless might leave Russia in April, Plugotarenko forecast.
Konstantin Siniushin, a managing partner at Untitled Ventures, a tech-focused venture capital fund based in Latvia, said that Russian tech firms with international customers had no choice but to move since many foreign companies are hastily distancing themselves from anything Russia-related.
“They had to leave the country so their business could survive, or, in the case of research and development workers, they were relocated by HQs,” Siniushin wrote in emailed remarks.
Untitled Ventures is helping in the migration; the firm charted two flights to Armenia carrying 300 tech workers from Russia, Siniushin said.
Some nearby countries are eager to reap the dividends.
Russian talent is primed for poaching. A 2020 Global Skills Index report published by Coursera, a leading provider of open online courses, found that people from Russia scored highest for skill proficiency in technology and data science.
As soon as the war started in Ukraine, the Central Asian nation of Uzbekistan radically streamlined the process for obtaining work visas and residence permits for IT specialists.
Anton Filippov, a programmer from St. Petersburg, and colleagues from his team, made the move to Tashkent, the Uzbek capital, where he grew up, even before those incentives were made public.
“On February 24, it was like we had woken up to this different terrible reality,” Filippov said. “We’re all young, less than 27 years old, and so we were afraid we might be called up to take part in this war.”
As in-demand tech workers explore their options, their diaspora resembles a roaming caravan. Some countries, like Uzbekistan, are picked as stepping stones because Russian citizens do not need visas for short-term stays. But young professionals like Filippov do not plan to necessarily stay where they first landed.
“If the conditions they find differ from the ones they were promised, they will simply move on,” he said.
In many cases, entire companies are looking to relocate to avoid the fallout from international sanctions. A senior diplomat from another Russian neighbor, Kazakhstan, made a naked appeal this week for fleeing foreign enterprises to come to his country.
Kazakhstan is eyeing high-tech investors with particular interest as the country tries to diversify its economy, which relies on on oil exports. In 2017, the government set up a technology park in the capital, Nur-Sultan, and offered tax breaks, preferential loans, and grants to anybody prepared to set up shop there.
The uptake has been moderate so far, but the hope is that the Russian brain drain will give this initiative a major shot in the arm.
“The accounts of Russian companies are being frozen, and their transactions do not go through. They are trying to keep customers, and one available opportunity is to go to Kazakhstan,” said Arman Abdrasilov, chairman of Zerde Holding, an investment fund in Almaty, Kazakhstan’s business hub.
Not all countries are so eager, though.
“Russian companies or startups cannot move to Lithuania,” said Inga Simanonyte, an adviser to the Baltic nation’s Economy and Innovation Minister. “We do not work with any Russian company with their possible relocation to Lithuania, and the ministry has suspended all applications for startup visas since February 24.”
Security concerns and suspicion that Russians might spy or engage in cyber mischief abroad make some governments wary about welcoming the country’s economic refugees.
“The IT sector in Russia is very closely connected to the security services. The problem is that without an extremely strong vetting process, we risk importing parts of the criminal system of Russia,” Lithuanian political analyst Marius Laurinavicius told The Associated Press.
Siniushin, the managing partner at Untitled Ventures, is urging Western nations to throw open their doors so their employers can take advantage of the unusual hiring opportunity the war created.
“The more talent that Europe or the United States can take away from Russia today, the more benefits these new innovators, whose potential will be fully realized abroad, will bring to other countries,” he said.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. | https://wtmj.com/national/2022/03/31/as-russia-sees-tech-brain-drain-other-nations-hope-to-gain/ | 2022-03-31T16:21:48 | en | 0.964 |
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Britain, allies to send more lethal aid to Ukraine - UK defence minister
Britain and its allies have agreed to send more lethal weapons to Ukraine to help defend it against Russia's invasion, British defence minister Ben Wallace said on Thursday. A number of countries have come forward either with new ideas or indeed more pledges of money," Wallace told reporters after hosting over 30 international partners at a conference. He said the lethal aid included longer range artillery, ammunition, and more anti-aircraft weapons.
- Country:
- United Kingdom
Britain and its allies have agreed to send more lethal weapons to Ukraine to help defend it against Russia's invasion, British defence minister Ben Wallace said on Thursday. "There'll be more lethal aid going into Ukraine as a result of today. A number of countries have come forward either with new ideas or indeed more pledges of money," Wallace told reporters after hosting over 30 international partners at a conference.
He said the lethal aid included longer range artillery, ammunition, and more anti-aircraft weapons.
(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
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Russia's war in Ukraine may 'fundamentally alter' global economic, political order - IMF
Canada imposes sanctions on 15 more Russian officials | https://www.devdiscourse.com/article/law-order/1985451-britain-allies-to-send-more-lethal-aid-to-ukraine---uk-defence-minister | 2022-03-31T16:21:52 | en | 0.952468 |
Lake Livingston State Park closed through Monday
Published: Mar. 29, 2022 at 4:23 PM CDT
LIVINGSTON, Texas (KTRE) - Lake Livingston State Park will be closed through Monday, May 1.
The announcement from Texas Parks and Wildlife said the closure is due to a water system failure and will reopen on May 2.
All reservations for camping and day-use permits will be refunded.
You can contact the reservation center at (512) 389-8900 Monday through Friday for any questions about future reservations.
Copyright 2022 KTRE. All rights reserved. | https://www.ktre.com/2022/03/29/lake-livingston-state-park-closed-through-monday/ | 2022-03-31T16:21:53 | en | 0.936798 |
By ZEKE MILLER and JOSH BOAK
Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden is preparing to order the release of up to 1 million barrels of oil per day from the nation’s strategic petroleum reserve, according to two people familiar with the decision, in a bid to control energy prices that have spiked as the U.S. and allies have imposed steep sanctions on Russia over its invasion of Ukraine.
The announcement could come as soon as Thursday, when the White House says Biden is planning to deliver remarks on his administration’s plans to combat rising gas prices. The duration of the release hasn’t been finalized but could last for several months. The people spoke on the condition of anonymity to preview the decision.
High oil prices have not coaxed more production, creating a challenge for Biden. The Democratic president has seen his popularity sink as inflation reached a 40-year high in February and the cost of petroleum and gasoline climbed after Russia invaded Ukraine.
The markets reacted quickly to the likely release from the strategic reserve with crude oil prices dropping 6% on Thursday morning to roughly $101 a barrel. Still, oil is up from roughly $60 a year ago as supplies have not kept up with demand as the world economy began to rebound from the coronavirus pandemic.
Americans on average use about 21 million barrels of oil daily, with about 40% of the consumption devoted to gasoline, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.
Domestic oil production is equal to more than half of the country’s usage, but high prices have not led companies to return to their pre-pandemic levels of output. The U.S. is producing on average 11.7 million barrels daily, down from 13 million barrels in early 2020.
Oil producers have been more focused on meeting the needs of investors than consumers, according to a survey released last week by the Dallas Federal Reserve. About 59% of the executives surveyed said investor pressure to preserve “capital discipline” amid high prices was the reason they weren’t pumping more, while fewer than 10% blamed government regulation.
The steady release from the reserves would be a meaningful sum and come near to closing the domestic production gap relative to February 2020, before the coronavirus caused a steep decline in oil output.
The Biden administration in November announced the release of 50 million barrels from the strategic reserve in coordination with other countries. And after the Russia-Ukraine war began, the U.S. and 30 other countries agreed to an additional release of 60 million barrels from reserves, with half of the total coming from the U.S.
According to the Department of Energy, which manages it, more than 568 million barrels of oil were held in the reserve as of March 25.
News of the administration’s planning was first reported by Bloomberg.
___
Associated Press writer Michael Balsamo contributed to this report.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. | https://wtmj.com/national/2022/03/31/biden-planning-to-tap-oil-reserve-to-control-gas-prices-6/ | 2022-03-31T16:21:54 | en | 0.968599 |
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Lone Star Santas provide gifts at Cushing Elementary
NACOGDOCHES, Texas (KTRE) - Lone Star Santa Charities took their sleighs to Cushing Elementary Tuesday morning to provide joy to kids impacted by the recent tornado.
School Principal Stefanie Jackson said the event was put together to give the students hope.
“Our kids, you know, sometimes we don’t see what’s inside their little brain, but they are seeing the same things that we are as adults. And for me, and my family, and our school family and our town it was devastating and so we know that they feel the same way” Jackson said.
Lone Star Santa James Berth said he hopes to bring one thing to students, “primarily smiles. Our motto of our organization is to spread love, hope and joy. So if we can do that by providing a few smiles to these kids, it makes it all worth it”.
A Christmas cast of 25 Santas and Mrs. Claus provided the students a large and small stuffed animal and two toys. Each Cushing family was also given one case of water.
Lone Star Santas is a non-profit organization that is funded by donations and toy drives.
Copyright 2022 KTRE. All rights reserved. | https://www.ktre.com/2022/03/29/lone-star-santas-visit-cushing-elementary-provide-gifts/ | 2022-03-31T16:22:00 | en | 0.968111 |
Govt asks telcos to withdraw COVID pre-call announcements, caller tunes
- Country:
- India
The Department of Telecom has asked telecom operators to withdraw all COVID pre-call announcements and caller tunes.
The telecom service providers have been playing the pre-call announcements and caller tunes related to coronavirus to spread awareness among citizens and to tell them about the precautions and vaccination to be taken during the pandemic.
In a circular dated March 29, DoT referred to the instructions that were issued for implementation of corona pre-call announcements and caller tunes to the operators.
''In this regard, the approval of Ministry of Health and Family Welfare is received for withdrawal of the caller tunes with immediate effect,'' it said.
Accordingly, the telecom service providers have been asked to withdraw all the corona pre-call announcements and caller tunes issued by DoT from time to time.
The government had earlier received representations that the audio clips have served their intended purpose and were delaying critical calls during emergencies.
(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) | https://www.devdiscourse.com/article/law-order/1985453-govt-asks-telcos-to-withdraw-covid-pre-call-announcements-caller-tunes | 2022-03-31T16:22:00 | en | 0.982792 |
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BEIJING (AP) — The city of Shanghai prepared Thursday to reopen its eastern half and shut its western half, while authorities elsewhere announced the lifting of a citywide lockdown in the province hit hardest by China’s omicron-driven coronavirus outbreak.
Residents of Jilin will be able to move about freely starting Friday for the first time in more than three weeks, state broadcaster CCTV said, citing a city notice. They will be required to wear masks and, when indoors, stay 1 meter (3 feet) apart. Public gatherings in parks and squares are prohibited.
The spread of COVID-19 has been brought under control in Jilin but not in the rest of Jilin province, officials said at a news conference. Some progress has been made in Changchun, the provincial capital and an auto manufacturing hub that has been locked down since March 11.
China has been battling its largest COVID-19 outbreak since the initial one in early 2020 that devastated the city of Wuhan and other parts of Hubei province. By far, most of the cases have been in Jilin province, which borders North Korea in China’s industrial northeast. Smaller outbreaks have popped up across the country, including Shanghai, the financial capital and China’s largest city with 26 million people.
Ma Chunlei, a senior Shanghai official, acknowledged shortcomings in the city’s response. Authorities have rushed to bolster food deliveries to the city after panic buying stripped store shelves of necessities.
“We didn’t prepare sufficiently enough,” Ma said. “We sincerely accept the criticisms from the public and are making efforts to improve it.”
The two-phase lockdown of Shanghai, being carried out over eight days, has shaken global markets worried about the possible economic impact. China’s manufacturing activity fell to a five-month low in March, a monthly survey showed Thursday, as lockdowns and other restrictions forced factories to suspend production.
German automaker BMW’s plants in Shenyang, a northeastern city in Liaoning province, have been closed for more than a week because of pandemic controls.
Pudong, the half of Shanghai on the east side of the Huangpu River, was to reopen at 5 a.m. Friday after a four-day lockdown during which residents were tested for the coronavirus and isolated if the result was positive. A lockdown of Puxi on the west side of the river was starting at 3 a.m.
About 16 million people will be tested in Puxi. Residents are not allowed to leave their neighborhoods or housing compounds during the four-day lockdown, with groceries or meals delivered to their complexes.
China on Thursday reported 8,559 new cases in the previous 24-hour period, of which 6,720 had no symptoms. The proportion of asymptomatic cases has been higher than in previous outbreaks, particularly in Shanghai. About 100 of the new cases were imported ones among people who had recently arrived from abroad.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. | https://wtmj.com/national/2022/03/31/china-reopens-one-city-as-shanghai-lockdown-enters-2nd-phase-2/ | 2022-03-31T16:22:02 | en | 0.967385 |
Mineola Select Theater hosting performance dedicated to Ukraine Tuesday night
MINEOLA, Texas (KLTV) - The hearts of many East Texans are with the citizens of Ukraine, and a longtime venue in Mineola is giving people a way to express that on Tuesday night.
The Historic Select Theater hosted Lake Country Symphonic Band for a spring concert that featured a tribute to honor Ukrainian citizens.
An East Texas family from Ukraine was honored with front row seats and a dedication at the beginning of the show.
“It’s very sentimental for us as Ukrainian’s since the war is happening, and this country where we were born, is still very dear to our hearts,” Ukraine native Diana Martyn said.
Lake Country Symphonic Band Director Mike Holbrook said the band chose to honor Ukraine to show support.
“Show our support for their home country,” Holbrook said. “Even if we just get a little bit out of that, it’s just a drop in the bucket, if there are enough drops, that bucket gets full. We’re just trying to do our part.”
The band played Ukraine’s National Anthem, immediately followed by the Star Spangled Banner.
The Martyn family cried as Ukraine’s National Anthem played. “It stands for freedom. The whole song is about freedom and standing for your country and fighting the enemy if it’s needed.”
If you’d like more information, click here to see their Facebook page.
Copyright 2022 KLTV. All rights reserved. | https://www.ktre.com/2022/03/29/mineola-select-theater-honoring-ukraine-tuesday-night/ | 2022-03-31T16:22:06 | en | 0.945216 |
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NHRC notice to Delhi govt, police chief over deaths in sewage plant at Kondli
Appropriate training, use of technology and proper equipment can go a long way in mitigating the risks to which these workers are exposed to, it said.
- Country:
- India
The NHRC on Thursday issued notice to the Delhi government and the city's police chief over the death of two workers after they fell into a six-foot-deep pit while working at a sewage treatment plant in east Delhi's Kondli area.
The Delhi Police has registered a case in connection with the incident.
''The NHRC has taken suo motu cognisance of yet another incident in the national capital, wherein two persons died after falling into a pit at a sewage treatment plant in Kondli on March 30. Reportedly, the victims were repairing a motor at the Delhi Jal Board facility,'' the rights panel said in a statement.
The Commission said it has issued notices to the Delhi chief secretary, commissioner of police, and chief executive officer of the Delhi Jal Board, seeking a detailed report within four weeks. The report is expected to include action against the responsible official functionaries along with the relief and rehabilitation provided to the next of kin of the deceased persons, it added.
Expressing serious concern over the continued incidents of deaths in sewage-related work in the absence of proper equipment and safety measures, the Commission has observed that apparently, ''due diligence is not being exercised'' by the authorities concerned despite directions from the apex court and NHRC's own interventions.
The Commission time and again has emphasised that the health and safety of sewage workers is of prime importance and any laxity on the part of the employer poses a ''serious threat to the right to life and right to health of these workers,'' the statement said.
''There should be systemic efforts to take care of their safety concerns and health hazards. Appropriate training, use of technology and proper equipment can go a long way in mitigating the risks to which these workers are exposed to,'' it said.
(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
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- NHRC
- the Commission
- Delhi Jal Board
- The Delhi Police
- Kondli
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- east Delhi's | https://www.devdiscourse.com/article/law-order/1985454-nhrc-notice-to-delhi-govt-police-chief-over-deaths-in-sewage-plant-at-kondli | 2022-03-31T16:22:07 | en | 0.967472 |
BEIJING (AP) — Chinese leader Xi Jinping issued strong backing for Afghanistan at a regional conference Thursday, while making no mention of human rights abuses by the country’s Taliban leaders. China’s foreign minister, meanwhile, led calls for the U.S. to unfreeze Afghan assets held abroad and end sanctions on the government.
Xi pledged China’s support in a message to a gathering of representatives from Afghanistan, China, Russia, Pakistan, Iran, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan in a central Chinese city, spotlighting Beijing’s aspirations to play a leading role in Afghanistan following the withdrawal of U.S. forces last August.
A “peaceful, stable, developed and prosperous Afghanistan” is what Afghans aspire to, which “serves the common interests of regional countries and the international community,” Xi said.
“China has all along respected Afghanistan’s sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity, and is committed to supporting Afghanistan’s peaceful and stable development,” Xi said in his message to the gathering in Tunxi, a center of the tourism industry in Anhui province.
A joint statement issued after the meeting noted the importance of ensuring women’s rights and children’s education and protecting the rights of all ethnic groups. It also “urged the countries mainly responsible for the current predicament in Afghanistan” to fulfill their commitments on its economic recovery.
China’s Foreign Ministry said the sides agreed that the U.S. and NATO should “earnestly assume the primary responsibility for the reconstruction and development of Afghanistan, and return the property of the Afghan people as soon as possible,” in a reference to the $7 billion in frozen Afghan assets held by the U.S.
President Joe Biden has said his administration will unfreeze $3.5 billion of those funds for families of 9/11 victims against the strenuous protests of the Taliban and others.
Afghanistan’s economy is teetering on the brink of collapse after international money stopped coming into the country with the Taliban’s arrival. The United Nations warns that 1 million children are in danger of starving and 90% of Afghans live below the poverty level of just $1.90 a day.
In his comments, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi continued Beijing’s attacks on the U.S. over its handling of Afghanistan, saying that as the “initiator of Afghanistan’s predicament,” Washington should “take the major responsibility,” end its unilateral sanctions on the country and unconditionally return Afghanistan’s state assets.
Afghanistan has achieved “certain partial results” in boosting stability, improving livelihoods, and protecting human rights, Wang said, despite widespread reports of abuses and incompetent governance under the Taliban.
However, Afghanistan “has a long way to go to achieve lasting peace, sustainable development and to advance its foreign relations,” he said.
Neither Xi or Wang gave specifics on future Chinese assistance, although China has already shipped emergency aid to Afghanistan and is seeking to develop copper mining there.
China follows what it calls a strict policy of “non-intervention” in other countries’ internal affairs, including opposing those staged for humanitarian purposes unless sanctioned by the United Nations. Despite that, Beijing is frequently accused of meddling to further its own domestic and international interests.
Separately, Wang also attended a meeting of special envoys for Afghanistan from China, the United States and Russia, a group known as the “ Extended Troika.” At that forum, Wang again called for an end to “unreasonable” sanctions and the unfreezing of Afghan assets, saying the U.S. should take “practical steps” on those matters.
Although it has yet to recognize the Taliban government, China has moved quickly to shore up its ties with the radical Islamic group.
A month before the Taliban took power, Wang hosted a high-powered delegation from the group for a July 28, 2021, meeting in the Chinese port city of Tianjin. He referred to the group as “pivotal” force important to peace and reconstruction in Afghanistan.
On that and other occasions, Chinese have pushed the Taliban for assurances they will not permit operations within Afghanistan’s borders by members of China’s Turkic Muslim Uyghur minority intent on overthrowing Chinese rule in their native region of Xinjiang.
Wang also made a surprise stop in Kabul last week to meet Taliban leaders, even as the international community fumed over the hard-line movement’s broken promise a day earlier to open schools to girls beyond the sixth grade.
China has studiously avoided mentioning the limits on girls’ education and other human rights abuses, particularly those targeting women, while keeping its Kabul embassy open.
The foreign ministers of Qatar and Indonesia have been invited to the meeting of neighboring states as guests. Taliban-appointed foreign minister, Amir Khan Muttaqi, is representing Afghanistan at the meeting.
Participants agreed to a mechanism for regular meetings of their special envoys for Afghanistan and three working groups to coordinate on political and diplomatic affairs, economics and humanitarianism, and security and stability.
Uzbekistan will host the fourth foreign ministers’ meeting.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. | https://wtmj.com/national/2022/03/31/chinas-xi-strongly-backs-afghanistan-at-regional-conference-3/ | 2022-03-31T16:22:09 | en | 0.949839 |
NFL owners approve rule change for OT in playoffs
PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — It took a few years, and for many fans that probably was too long.
Still, the NFL has heard the cries of “unfair” and has adjusted its overtimes rules.
Only for the postseason, though.
The NFL is changing the sometimes controversial overtime rules to guarantee each side gets the ball in the playoffs.
Concerned that the coin toss to begin the extra period has too much impact on postseason game results, the owners voted Tuesday to permanently approve a proposal presented by the Colts and Eagles.
Beginning this season, if the team possessing the ball first in overtime scores a touchdown on that series, the opponent still gets a possession. In recent seasons, that touchdown would have ended the game.
That second possession of overtime would extend beyond the initial 15-minute period if needed. Should that team tie the game, it then would become sudden death.
Outcries began back in the February 2017 Super Bowl when Tom Brady completed an incredible comeback from a 28-3 deficit to tie the game. The Patriots won the coin toss, marched to a touchdown and beat the Falcons.
In the 2018 season, New England won the AFC title on the first series of OT without Kansas City getting the ball.
When the same thing happened in Kansas City during this January’s divisional game between the Bills and the Chiefs, won by KC, a groundswell became an uproar.
“We always listen to fans,” Commissioner Roger Goodell said. “What brought this decision was the database and the facts. When you see that, this is an issue in the postseason.”
Rich McKay, the Falcons president and chairman of the competition committee, admitted that Kansas City’s victory over Buffalo was a factor in the balloting by owners. He said that was well beyond the required 24 votes, but would not reveal the exact numbers.
“I think what the stats show is there is a clear issue we can say since the change (in rules) in 2010,” McKay added, “and the problem comes in the postseason.”
Since the previous overtime rule was instituted for the regular season in 2012, the team that wins the coin toss has won the game half of the time (76 of 152 games). However, both teams have had at least one possession in 82% of the games (124 of 152).
Those numbers changed quite a bit in the postseason. Since 2010, when that rule was instituted for the playoffs, seven of the 12 overtime games have been won on an opening possession touchdown, and 10 of 12 have been won by the team that won the coin toss.
“That data was compelling to us and to the league,” McKay said. “An amendment was added (to the original proposal by the Colts and Eagles) to not make a change in the regular season, but in the postseason, where our problem principally lies.”
The Titans had recommended that both teams possess the ball in overtime unless the team receiving the kickoff scores a touchdown and a 2-point conversion. That would end the game. But the owners, perhaps believing the Tennessee suggestion was too gimmicky, went with the other proposal.
Under previous rules, the 10-minute overtime in the regular season only continued if the team getting the ball first failed to score or kicked a field goal. Should the side receiving the kickoff make a field goal, the team that first played defense would get a possession in which it can score a touchdown and win, or kick a field goal and play would continue — if time allowed.
Of course, in the postseason, when there are no ties, overtimes continue until someone has more points.
Goodell concluded the meetings by urging caution regarding the Deshaun Watson situation and the NFL’s investigation. The quarterback, who did not play for Houston last season after 22 women accused him of sexual misconduct, will not be indicted on criminal charges. Now with the Cleveland Browns after a trade, Watson still faces civil lawsuits.
“We’re going to let the facts lead us, find every fact we can,” Goodell said. “At least there is a resolution from the criminal side of it. Our investigation hopefully will have access to more information.”
As for a potential suspension for Watson, Goodell noted that a discipline officer jointly appointed by the league and players’ union would make that determination.
Goodell said if the league discovers a violation in Dolphins owner Stephen Ross’ conduct regarding the integrity of the game, the information would be released publicly. Former Dolphins coach Brian Flores has sued the NFL and three teams (Miami, Denver and the New York Giants), claiming racist hiring practices. Flores also has accused Ross of offering him a bonus to lose games in 2019, something the owner vigorously has denied.
Earlier Tuesday, Carolina coach Matt Rhule voiced his support of a potential change — something that many owners agreed with, if only for the postseason.
“You get a shot, I get a shot,” Rhule said, “and may the best team win.”
Troy Vincent, who oversees NFL football operations, echoed Rhule’s sentiment, saying that football fans have expressed the same opinion.
“The fan wants to see his quarterback touch the ball, and the data drove us to that,” Vincent said.
The owners also approved an anti-tampering rule that prohibits a team seeking an assistant general manager from asking permission for an interview until after the draft. As Vincent explained, someone in personnel for one team who has been involved in draft preparation should not be available for hire by another club until the draft is over.
Once the draft has concluded — this year that is April 30 — the employing team must grant permission for such interviews.
___
More AP NFL coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.ktre.com/2022/03/29/nfl-owners-approve-rule-change-ot-playoffs/ | 2022-03-31T16:22:12 | en | 0.977711 |
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Pak's top security body decides to issue strong demarche to unnamed 'country' over 'threat letter'
- Country:
- Pakistan
Pakistan's top security body on Thursday decided to issue a strong demarche to a country, that it did not name, over a “threatening letter” -- purportedly showing evidence of a foreign conspiracy to oust Imran Khan government -- and expressed concern at the undiplomatic communication and ''interference'' in its internal affairs.
Prime Minister Imran Khan chaired the 37th meeting of the National Security Committee (NSC) at Prime Minister's House to discuss a controversial letter sent by the Pakistan ambassador in that country, which according to Prime Minister Khan threatened to remove him from office.
The meeting was attended by Federal Ministers of Defence, Energy, Information and Broadcasting, Interior, Finance, Human Rights, Planning, Development and Special Initiatives, Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee, Services Chiefs, National Security Adviser and senior officers.
According to a statement issued by the Prime Minister's Office (PMO), NSA Moeed Yusuf briefed the committee about the ''formal communication of a senior official of a foreign country'' to Pakistan's ambassador in that country in a formal meeting which was subsequently conveyed.
“The committee expressed grave concern at the communication, terming the language used by the foreign official as undiplomatic,” according to the statement. “The Committee concluded that the communication amounted to blatant interference in the internal affairs of Pakistan by the country in question, which was unacceptable under any circumstances.” The NSC decided that the protest should be launched with that country.
“The Committee decided that Pakistan will issue a strong demarche to the country in question both in Islamabad and in the country’s capital through proper channel in keeping with diplomatic norms,” according to the statement.
The participants also endorsed the Cabinet’s decision in the Special Cabinet meeting held on March 30 to take the parliament into confidence through an in-camera briefing of the National Security Committee of the Parliament.
The meeting comes a day after Khan shared some content of a letter - purportedly showing evidence of a foreign conspiracy to oust his government - with his cabinet members and a selected group of journalists.
Khan waved the purported letter at a public rally on March 27 and claimed that a foreign conspiracy was afoot to remove him from power, touting the Opposition’s no-confidence move against him as a testimony of “foreign funded” move to topple his government.
Several Opposition leaders had asked Khan to divulge the details of the letter while denouncing it as an effort to divert pressure and hold on to power.
Pakistan's National Assembly session was on Thursday adjourned abruptly till Sunday after opposition lawmakers demanded an immediate vote on a no-confidence motion against Khan who has effectively lost majority in the lower house.
(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
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- Special Cabinet
- Prime Minister's Office (PMO)
- National Security Committee
- Parliament
- Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee
- Finance
- Imran Khan
- Interior
- National Security Adviser
- Cabinet
- Broadcasting
- House
- Federal Ministers of Defence
- Energy
- Information
- Khan
- Pakistan
- National Security Committee
- National Assembly
- Islamabad
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Salman Khan joins Chiranjeevi for 'Godfather' shoot | https://www.devdiscourse.com/article/law-order/1985458-paks-top-security-body-decides-to-issue-strong-demarche-to-unnamed-country-over-threat-letter | 2022-03-31T16:22:16 | en | 0.945907 |
By NEBI QENA and YURAS KARMANAU
Associated Press
KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — A convoy of buses headed to Mariupol on Thursday in another attempt to evacuate people from the besieged port city, while Russia pressed its attacks in several parts of Ukraine ahead of a planned new round of talks aimed at ending the fighting.
After the Russian military agreed to a limited cease-fire in the area, the Red Cross said its teams were traveling to Mariupol with relief and medical supplies and hoped to help pull civilians out of the beleaguered city on Friday. Previous attempts at establishing a similar humanitarian corridor have fallen apart.
Russian forces, meanwhile, shelled suburbs of the capital that Ukraine recently retook control of, a regional official said. New attacks in the area where Moscow had promised to de-escalate further undermined hopes of a resolution to end the war on the eve of a new round of talks. A day earlier, Ukrainian officials reported that Russian shelling on the outskirts of Kyiv and around another city where it had vowed to ease up.
Russia’s Defense Ministry also reported new strikes on Ukrainian fuel stores late Wednesday, and Ukrainian officials said there were artillery barrages in and around the northeastern city of Kharkiv over the past day.
Despite the fighting raging in those areas, the Russian military said it committed to a cease-fire along the route from Mariupol to the Ukraine-held city of Zaporizhzhia from Thursday morning.
Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk said 45 buses would be sent to collect civilians who have suffered some of the worst deprivations of the war. Food, water and medical supplies have all run low during a weekslong blockade and bombardment of the city. Civilians who have managed to leave have typically done so using private cars, but the number of drivable vehicles left in the city has also dwindled and fuel stocks are low.
The International Committee of the Red Cross, which is helping run the evacuation, said its teams have already left for Mariupol.
“It’s desperately important that this operation takes place,” the Red Cross said in a statement. “The lives of tens of thousands of people in Mariupol depend on it.”
As the new evacuation attempt was announced, evidence emerged that a Red Cross warehouse in the city had been struck earlier this month amid intense Russian shelling of the area.
In satellite pictures from Planet Labs PBC, holes can be seen in the warehouse’s roof, along with a painted red cross on a white background. The aid organization said no staff have been at the site since March 15.
Talks between Ukraine and Russia were set to resume Friday by video, according to the head of the Ukrainian delegation, David Arakhamia, six weeks into a bloody war that has seen thousands die and a staggering 4 million Ukrainians flee the country.
But there seemed little faith that the two sides would resolve the conflict soon, particularly after the Russian military’s about-face and its most recent attacks.
Russia had promised during talks in Istanbul this week that it would de-escalate operations near Kyiv and Chernihiv to “increase mutual trust and create conditions for further negotiations.” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and the West were skeptical. Soon after, Ukrainian officials reported that Russian shelling was hitting homes, stores, libraries and other civilian sites in or near those areas.
Britain’s Defense Ministry also confirmed “significant Russian shelling and missile strikes” around Chernihiv.
On Thursday, the area’s governor, Viacheslav Chaus, said Russian troops were on the move but may not be withdrawing.
Meanwhile, the U.S. said that Russia had begun to reposition less than 20% of its troops that had been arrayed around Kyiv. Pentagon press secretary John Kirby said Wednesday that troops from there and some other zones began moving mostly to the north, and some went into neighboring Belarus. Kirby said it appeared Russia planned to resupply them and send them back into Ukraine, but it is not clear where.
Still, fighting continued in Kyiv suburbs. Regional governor Oleksandr Palviuk said on social media that Russian forces shelled Irpin and Makariv, and that there were battles around Hostomel — all to the west or northwest of the capital. Pavliuk said there were Ukrainian counterattacks and some Russian withdrawals around the suburb of Brovary to the east.
Britain’s Defense Ministry said Thursday that “Russian forces continue to hold positions to the east and west of Kyiv despite the withdrawal of a limited number of units. Heavy fighting will likely take place in the suburbs of the city in coming days.”
As Western officials search for clues about what Russia’s next move might be, a top British intelligence official said Thursday that demoralized Russian soldiers in Ukraine were refusing to carry out orders and sabotaging their own equipment and had accidentally shot down their own aircraft.
In a speech in the Australian capital of Canberra, Jeremy Fleming said Russian President Vladimir Putin had apparently “massively misjudged” the invasion. Although Putin’s advisers appeared to be too afraid to tell the truth, the “extent of these misjudgments must be crystal clear to the regime,” said Fleming, who heads the GCHQ electronic spy agency,.
U.S. intelligence officials have given similar assessments that Putin is being misinformed by advisers too scared to give honest evaluations.
With Russian troops bogged down in many places and thwarted in their attempts to quickly take the capital, Zelenskyy has said his country’s defense was now at a turning point — as he continued to plead with his international partners to provide more equipment.
“Freedom should be armed no worse than tyranny,” he said in his nightly video address to the nation on Wednesday.
He continued his appeal Thursday, asking Australian lawmakers in an online address for armored vehicles and called for Russian vessels to be banned from international ports. Prime Minister Scott Morrison had earlier told him Australia would provide additional military assistance including tactical decoys, unmanned aerial and unmanned ground systems, rations and medical supplies.
Zelenskyy then called on lawmakers in Netherlands to be prepared to stop importing Russian energy, to halt trade with Russia and to provide more weapons.
Zelenskyy said the continuing negotiations with Russia were only “words without specifics.” He said Ukraine was preparing for concentrated new strikes on the Donbas, the predominantly Russian-speaking industrial heartland where Moscow-backed separatists have been battling Ukrainian forces since 2014.
Top Russian military officials say their main goal now is the “liberation” of the Donbas, though some analysts have suggested that the announcement of the focus on the region may merely be an effort to put a positive spin on reality since Moscow’s ground forces have become stalled and taken heavy losses.
___
Karmanau reported from Lviv, Ukraine. Associated Press journalists around the world contributed to this report.
___
Follow the AP’s coverage of the war at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. | https://wtmj.com/national/2022/03/31/convoy-heads-to-ukraines-mariupol-to-attempt-evacuation/ | 2022-03-31T16:22:15 | en | 0.974984 |
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Seafood restaurant expanding to Tyler
Published: Mar. 29, 2022 at 6:05 PM CDT
TYLER, Texas (KLTV) - A restaurant chain with a location in Longview is expanding to Tyler.
The City of Tyler has issued a sign permit for The Mighty Crab at 2001 W Southwest Loop 323. This is the location of the former China Cafe.
General Manager Brandon Polk said the restaurant will be open sometime in 2022.
The location in Longview describes itself as “BYOB friendly.”
Copyright 2022 KLTV. All rights reserved. | https://www.ktre.com/2022/03/29/seafood-restaurant-expanding-tyler/ | 2022-03-31T16:22:19 | en | 0.938202 |
By ED WHITE
Associated Press
One of four men charged with conspiring to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer testified in his own defense Thursday, a day after prosecutors rested their case and the trial moved closer to the finish line.
Daniel Harris’ attorney placed water on the witness stand before he settled into a seat and began telling jurors about graduating from a suburban Detroit high school in 2015 and joining the Marines.
Harris, Adam Fox, Barry Croft Jr., and Brandon Caserta are accused of plotting to kidnap Whitmer at her vacation home in northern Michigan in fall 2020 because of their disgust with government and tough COVID-19 restrictions.
Prosecutors ended their side of the case Wednesday, the 13th day of trial. Jurors have seen and heard audio and video secretly recorded by FBI agents and informants as well as violent, profanity-filled posts from social media and messaging apps.
In addition, two men who were in the group, Ty Garbin and Kaleb Franks, pleaded guilty and were vital witnesses for the government.
Defense attorneys claim the men were engaged in a lot of crazy talk fueled by agents and informants but no conspiracy.
The first defense witness, Colleen Kuester of Baraboo, Wisconsin, said she was invited by an acquaintance to a “family fun day” in Cambria, Wisconsin, in July 2020. Cambria was a training site for the group and other self-styled militia members, according to evidence.
Kuester said she found nothing sinister — just swimming, target shooting and bratwursts.
But Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Roth played secretly recorded audio of men talking about making bombs.
“Did you hear that at Cambria?” he asked.
“Absolutely not,” Kuester replied.
At least five other defense witnesses bowed out Wednesday, saying they would assert their right to remain silent if called to testify. They included an informant, Steve Robeson of Oxford, Wisconsin, who switched sides during the investigation and tipped off Croft that the FBI wanted to arrest him, according to the government.
The others who invoked the Fifth Amendment had participated in training as well as discussions about the plot but have not been charged.
Croft’s longtime companion, Chastity Knight of Bear, Delaware, was among the final witnesses called by prosecutors.
“ He was antigovernment,” Knight of Bear, Delaware, said of Croft. “He just thought the government’s not for him. The government doesn’t help the people out. They like to line their own pockets.”
The men were arrested in October 2020 amid talk of obtaining an explosive that could blow up a bridge and hold back police from responding to a kidnapping at Whitmer’s second home, according to trial testimony.
Garbin said the group acted willingly and had hoped to strike before the election, cause national chaos and prevent Joe Biden from winning the presidency.
Whitmer, a Democrat, rarely talks publicly about the kidnapping plot, though she referred to “surprises” during her term that seemed like “something out of fiction” when she filed for reelection on March 17.
She has blamed former President Donald Trump for fomenting anger over coronavirus restrictions and refusing to condemn right-wing extremists like those charged in the case. Whitmer has said Trump was complicit in the Jan. 6 Capitol riot.
___
Find AP’s full coverage of the Whitmer kidnap plot trial at: https://apnews.com/hub/whitmer-kidnap-plot-trial
___
White reported from Detroit.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. | https://wtmj.com/national/2022/03/31/defendant-takes-witness-stand-in-gov-whitmer-kidnap-trial/ | 2022-03-31T16:22:24 | en | 0.976984 |
Tunisia's Ghannouchi says 20 MPs under investigation after online session
At least 20 members of Tunisia's parliament who took part in an online session in defiance of President Kais Saied have been summoned by an anti-terrorism unit for investigation, the parliament speaker said on Thursday. Wednesday's parliament session was the first since Saied announced last year he was suspending the chamber as he moved to one-man rule in measures his critics call a coup.
At least 20 members of Tunisia's parliament who took part in an online session in defiance of President Kais Saied have been summoned by an anti-terrorism unit for investigation, the parliament speaker said on Thursday.
Wednesday's parliament session was the first since Saied announced last year he was suspending the chamber as he moved to one-man rule in measures his critics call a coup. Saied responded to the session overnight by dissolving the chamber and ordering investigations into the more than half of the parliament members who took part.
The session and Saied's announcement that he was dissolving the parliament represent a major escalation in Tunisia's political confrontation between the president and his opponents. Speaking to Reuters in an interview, the parliament's speaker Rached Ghannouchi said those summoned included members of his own Islamist Ennahda party as well as other lawmakers.
Ghannouchi said Saied's dissolution of the parliament was unconstitutional and was a move that destroyed the institutions of state. (Reporting By Tarek Amara Editing by Gareth Jones, William Maclean)
(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
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IMF staff to visit Tunisia for talks on possible financing program this month | https://www.devdiscourse.com/article/politics/1985314-tunisias-ghannouchi-says-20-mps-under-investigation-after-online-session | 2022-03-31T16:22:23 | en | 0.978745 |
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VFW Post 1836, Auxiliary host Vietnam War Veterans balloon release
LUFKIN, Texas (KTRE) - Tuesday is National Vietnam War Veterans Day, a day that honors men and women who served and sacrificed during one of the longest conflicts in United States history.
Khrystal Hudson is the daughter of Vietnam Veteran Charles Reeves. Hudson shared the importance of remembering those veterans who did not receive the proper welcome when they first came home.
“We just want to say welcome home and that’s the unspoken spoken,” said Hudson
Other special East Texas veterans were also honored in Tuesday’s ceremony by the Veterans of Foreign Wars and the Lufkin Chamber of Commerce, all in hopes of reminding veterans that their service was important to this nation.
“They were made to be ashamed of their service and so, you know, to all of the veterans who might be at home today, Vietnam veterans, from VFW Post 1836 to you, welcome home,” said Hudson.
At the end of the ceremony, families and friends release balloons into the sky in honor of the veterans who did not make it home from the war.
Copyright 2022 KTRE. All rights reserved. | https://www.ktre.com/2022/03/29/vfw-post-1836-auxiliary-host-vietnam-war-veterans-balloon-release/ | 2022-03-31T16:22:27 | en | 0.965084 |
By JILL LAWLESS
Associated Press
LONDON (AP) — The British government is ending the supply of free rapid coronavirus tests to most of the population even though COVID-19 infections remain at record levels, and health officials warn the pandemic could still have nasty surprises in store.
More than 1.7 billion test kits have been handed out in workplaces, pharmacies and by mail over the past year, the government says, under a policy that encouraged people to test themselves regularly as a way to stamp out new outbreaks.
But starting Friday, most people in England will have to buy lateral flow tests from pharmacies or online suppliers.
Lateral flow tests use throat or nose swabs and give results in minutes, but are less accurate than the PCR swab tests used to officially confirm cases of COVID-19.
Tests will remain free for staff in high-risk settings such as hospitals, nursing homes, hospices and prisons, but under the government’s “Living with COVID” plan most other people in England will now have to pay. Some free testing will continue for several weeks in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Lawmaker Daisy Cooper, health spokeswoman for the opposition Liberal Democrats, said scrapping free tests would be another expense for people already coping with surging food and energy prices.
“It is a tax on caring for all those who want to do the right thing and get tested before visiting elderly or vulnerable relatives,” she said.
Critics also argue that the move comes at a dangerous time, with an estimated 1 in 16 people in England infected with the virus, according to the Office for National Statistics. There were 15,632 people in hospital in England with COVID-19 as of Wednesday, the highest number for more than three months.
The number of COVID-19 patients on ventilators remains low, however, and deaths are far below the peaks of previous waves in 2020 and 2021.
Britain has recorded more than 165,000 coronavirus deaths, the highest toll in Europe after Russia. The government lifted all remaining restrictions for England — including mask mandates, mandatory self-isolation for the infectious and testing for international travelers — earlier this year, even as omicron, the most transmissible variant yet, swept in.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s Conservative government is relying largely on vaccination and new treatments to keep the virus in check. Almost 92% of people age 12 and up in the U.K. have had two doses of a vaccine, and more than two-thirds have had a third, booster shot. Fourth doses are being given to the vulnerable and those aged 75 and over.
Jenny Harries, chief executive of the U.K. Health Security Agency, said the pandemic would “remain unpredictable to a large extent for the next, say, 18 months to two years.”
“We will have to be continuously alert to monitor those rates and to respond appropriately to any new variants,” she said. “But as with other respiratory viruses such as flu… at some point we have to come to terms with that.”
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. | https://wtmj.com/national/2022/03/31/england-ends-free-virus-tests-under-living-with-covid-plan/ | 2022-03-31T16:22:30 | en | 0.967032 |
Assam Rajya Sabha election 2022: Counting of votes to commence shortly
Hours after the Congress lodged a complaint with the Election Commission of India (ECI) citing a violation of rules by the BJP legislators during voting for the Rajya Sabha elections in Assam on Thursday, the counting for the same is going to begin shortly.
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- India
Hours after the Congress lodged a complaint with the Election Commission of India (ECI) citing a violation of rules by the BJP legislators during voting for the Rajya Sabha elections in Assam on Thursday, the counting for the same is going to begin shortly. Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA Krishnendu Paul told ANI that, it is expected that, the counting of votes for the Rajya Sabha biennial election for two seats in Assam is likely to start within the next 30-40 minutes.
He also claimed that both the candidates of the BJP and its ally party United People's Party Liberal (UPPL) will win in the Rajya Sabha poll. "Our both candidates will win with a huge margin," Krishnendu Paul said.
It is expected that the result of the Rajya Sabha biennial election would likely be announced by 10 pm tonight. On the other hand, the Opposition Congress has suspended its one MLA Siddique Ahmed from the primary membership of the party after Ahmed deliberately disobeyed the Three-line whip issued by the party for the Rajya Sabha poll.
Bhupen Kumar Borah, President of Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) told ANI that - "We have suspended Siddique Ahmed from the primary membership of our party after he deliberately disobeyed the Three-line whip issued by the party." The ruling BJP has nominated Pabitra Margherita as its candidate for one seat while its ally United People's Party Liberal (UPPL) has fielded Rwngwra Narzary for the second seat.
On the other hand, opposition political parties Congress, AIUDF, CPI (M), and Raijor Dal have fielded Ripun Bora as their common candidate for one seat. (ANI)
(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) | https://www.devdiscourse.com/article/politics/1985327-assam-rajya-sabha-election-2022-counting-of-votes-to-commence-shortly | 2022-03-31T16:22:31 | en | 0.974491 |
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WATCH: ABC News’ Dr. Jen Ashton gives latest on COVID-19 spread, vaccines for kids
Published: Mar. 29, 2022 at 4:11 PM CDT
EAST TEXAS (KLTV/KTRE) - Dr. Jen Ashton, Chief Medical Correspondent for ABC News, joined Devyn Shea on East Texas Now Tuesday for a COVID-19 update.
Ashton shared information about what she thinks is next for us in the battle against the virus, as well as the possibility of a vaccine for the youngest children and when it may become available.
Copyright 2022 KLTV/KTRE. All rights reserved. | https://www.ktre.com/2022/03/29/watch-abc-news-dr-jen-ashton-gives-latest-covid-19-spread-vaccines-kids/ | 2022-03-31T16:22:34 | en | 0.903889 |
By NICOLE WINFIELD
Associated Press
ROME (AP) — Drums pounded through the frescoed halls of the Apostolic Palace on Thursday and out into St. Peter’s Square as Pope Francis welcomed a First Nations delegation seeking an apology for the Catholic Church’s role in running Canada’s notorious residential schools.
Francis met privately for two hours with the representatives of the Assembly of First Nations, following his meetings earlier in the week with delegations from the Metis and Inuit communities of Canada.
“I feel the pope and the church have expressed a sentiment of working toward reconciliation,” said Grand Chief Mandy Gull-Masty of the Creen Nation, after the audience.
The trip was years in the making but gained momentum last year after the discovery of hundreds of unmarked graves outside some of the residential schools.
More than 150,000 native children in Canada were forced to attend state-funded Christian schools from the 19th century until the 1970s in an effort to isolate them from the influence of their homes and culture. The aim was to Christianize and assimilate them into mainstream society, which previous Canadian governments considered superior.
Even before the grave sites were discovered, Canada’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission specifically called for a papal apology to be delivered on Canadian soil for the church’s role in the abuses against the Indigenous.
Francis has committed to traveling to Canada, though no date for such a visit has been announced.
The Vatican said Thursday’s meeting was held “in a climate of listening and closeness” and would be followed by Francis’ audience with all three groups on Friday, when he is to deliver a public address.
“If you were to ask me am I optimistic leaving our discussion with the Holy Father, I am,” said Phil Fontaine, who was national chief of the Assembly of First Nations in 2009 when he led an Indigenous delegation to meet with Pope Benedict XVI.
At the time, Benedict only expressed his “sorrow at the anguish caused by the deplorable conduct of some members of the church.” But he did not apologize.
“It’s 2022, I’m back, for another shot at … convincing Pope Francis to apologize,” Fontaine told reporters in St. Peter’s Square, wearing a feathered headdress. “A full apology for all that he heard today and probably heard from the Metis and Inuit delegations about the horrible experience of too many of our people that attended residential schools.”
“Our preference is for the Holy Father to come to Canada and apologize on Canadian soil, and do it on one of our territories,” he added. “That is our hope and wish and we made that very clear to the Holy Father.”
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. | https://wtmj.com/national/2022/03/31/first-nations-meet-with-pope-over-canada-school-abuses/ | 2022-03-31T16:22:36 | en | 0.973046 |
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Italy defers NATO defence spending goal to 2028 in coalition compromise
Italy will only hit the NATO goal of spending 2% of GDP on defence in 2028, Prime Minister Mario Draghi said on Thursday, confirming it will miss an original target of 2024 after opposition from within his ruling coalition. The government currently earmarks around 1.4% of economic output for military spending and would have had to increase its defence budget by 12 billion euros ($13.4 billion) over the next two years to reach a goal established by members of the Atlantic alliance in 2014.
Italy will only hit the NATO goal of spending 2% of GDP on defence in 2028, Prime Minister Mario Draghi said on Thursday, confirming it will miss an original target of 2024 after opposition from within his ruling coalition.
The government currently earmarks around 1.4% of economic output for military spending and would have had to increase its defence budget by 12 billion euros ($13.4 billion) over the next two years to reach a goal established by members of the Atlantic alliance in 2014. Before Russia invaded Ukraine, no one had expected Italy to meet the 2024 timeline, but the conflict has piled pressure on NATO states to beef up their armed forces.
Draghi has said Italy would honour its international commitments, but the ruling 5-Star Movement had threatened to torpedo any spending splurge, saying the money would be better used to alleviate poverty. Stepping back from a potential political bust-up, Draghi told foreign correspondents that the 2024 deadline should be seen as "an indication, not as an objective", adding that 2028 was a more achievable target.
"This is a goal which we must aim for with continuity and realism," he said. The 5-Star said this week that spending should be increased gradually over the next eight years, and signalled that 2028 was an acceptable compromise.
"Today we can finally all agree, thanks to 5-Star, that this objective is a trend and must be spread out well beyond 2024," the party said in a statement. Of the other heavyweights within the multi-party coalition, the centre-left Democratic Party also favoured a 2028 target date while the far-right League expressed no preference in public.
Italy was sixth from bottom in the 29-nation NATO in terms of defence spending by GDP in 2021, NATO has said. Some 60.5% of the budget went on salaries, the second highest ratio within the alliance, leaving proportionally less cash for military procurement, training, maintenance and infrastructure. The dispute over military spending comes as parties jostle for position ahead of elections set for next year.
The 5-Star, led by former Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte but struggling in the polls, has pacifist roots and is looking to tap into strong opposition within Italy to boosting arms purchases. An EMG opinion poll released on Tuesday showed 54% of Italians were against hiking the defence budget to 2% of GDP, while just 23% were in favour.
Draghi told reporters that the ideal would be for European Union nations to pool military spending. "If we are serious about European defence we must immediately coordinate action and understand who spends how much and for what," he said. ($1 = 0.8974 euros) (editing by John Stonestreet)
(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
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Russia's war in Ukraine may 'fundamentally alter' global economic, political order - IMF | https://www.devdiscourse.com/article/politics/1985336-italy-defers-nato-defence-spending-goal-to-2028-in-coalition-compromise | 2022-03-31T16:22:39 | en | 0.973869 |
By DEREK GATOPOULOS
Associated Press
ATHENS, Greece (AP) — A 33-year-old woman from southern Greece has been charged with the murder of her 9-year-old daughter, and the deaths of her two other daughters in the past three years are being reviewed in a case that has drawn national attention.
Flanked by riot police and in handcuffs, she appeared in court in Athens Thursday for her arraignment. She was wearing a hood and a protective vest as authorities held back a crowd of onlookers and journalists.
The suspect, who was not formally identified in accordance with Greek law, was arrested a day after being detained for questioning Wednesday. It followed the results of tissue tests that showed the presence of an anesthetic drug that had not been administered by the girl’s doctors.
The 9-year-old died in January following an eight-month hospitalization.
Protesters also gathered outside the mother’s home in the port city of Patras, 200 kilometers (125 miles) west of Athens, where police again intervened to maintain order.
A panel of senior coroners is leading a review into the death of the suspect’s two other children: a 3-year-old girl from liver failure in 2019 and a 6-month-old girl in 2021 from a suspected heart defect.
Tissue samples retained from the two girls are now being re-examined, authorities said.
The suspect has denied any wrongdoing and is expected to formally respond to the charges on Monday.
In a private television interview last month, the suspect criticized news reports that described the three deaths as suspicious.
“I find myself in a position to defend myself against things that are unspeakable… this was a house that was filled with joy,” she said in the Feb. 17 appearance on private Star television. “How could I hurt my own children? I gave birth to them, raised them, and was always with them. It doesn’t make sense.”
In the same interview, the suspect’s husband described her as “a rock” for her children. Police investigators have been granted access to her private online communications.
“The emotional and moral burden of this event surpasses most if not all of us,” government spokesman Giannis Oikonomou said, congratulating the police on their work in the monthslong investigation.
“There are no words to express the pain this has caused. This requires considerable thought and reflection.” ___ Follow Gatopoulos at https://twitter.com/dgatopoulos
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. | https://wtmj.com/national/2022/03/31/greek-woman-charged-with-murder-after-deaths-of-3-daughters-2/ | 2022-03-31T16:22:42 | en | 0.978465 |
Workers continue to work on power line damage in Cushing
NACOGDOCHES COUNTY, Texas (KTRE) - More than a week after the storm hit Cushing, crews are still hard at work to return life back to normal. Internet and phone lines have been the main concern.
Windstream worker Joseph McCoy says crews are working long hours to get it all done. “Pretty much just repairing all the telephone lines and internet lines trying to get customers back up as fast as we can,” said McCoy. “We can only do what we can, but it’s done.”
The community recognizes the diligence of the crews. Workers appreciate the free food and drinks that have been given out from local vendors the past couple of weeks. They also appreciate everyone’s patience through the process.
The closeness of the community has been noticeable to Brian Little, a power line worker who stopped for lunch at Be Blessed BBQ. “It says a lot for the community you know helping one another,” said Little. “Like that trailer says, blessed, we are all blessed.”
Trees took down poles all along Texas 204, and full replacements are necessary to get everything operational.
McCoy says there are no Band-Aids on these repairs. “Brother we don’t put Band-Aids on there, man,” said McCoy. “We just replace the whole thing. New pole, new material, new hardware, new lines, brand new everything.”
Copyright 2022 KTRE. All rights reserved. | https://www.ktre.com/2022/03/29/workers-continue-work-power-line-damage-cushing/ | 2022-03-31T16:22:41 | en | 0.95416 |
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Rajya Sabha bids farewell to 72 retiring MPs; PM urges them to inspire coming generations
While most MPs were emotional, there were some lighter moments as well.Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu asked the lawmakers to desist from disrupting law-making bodies while upholding the honour and privilege bestowed on them by people, while Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge emphasised that the numbers on the Opposition benches may be less, but they have strength in their argument.Sixty five speakers, including those who are retiring, shared their experiences.
- Country:
- India
The Rajya Sabha on Thursday bid an emotional farewell to 72 members, including A K Antony, P Chidambaram, Anand Sharma, Jairam Ramesh and Subramanian Swamy, whose terms are coming to an end, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi urging them to take their experience across the country.
The terms of Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharman, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal and Minority Affairs Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi in the Upper House are coming to an end as well. However, they are likely to be re-elected.
Members cutting across party lines shared memories of their retiring colleagues and hoped that they would return to the House. While most MPs were emotional, there were some lighter moments as well.
Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu asked the lawmakers to desist from disrupting law-making bodies while upholding the honour and privilege bestowed on them by people, while Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge emphasised that the numbers on the Opposition benches may be less, but they have strength in their argument.
Sixty five speakers, including those who are retiring, shared their experiences. The speakers included the chairman, the prime minister, the deputy chairman, the leader of the opposition, the floor leaders of nine other parties, 11 other members and 40 retiring Members.
In the end, Goyal, who is the leader of the House, responded to the day-long proceedings.
A total of 72 Rajya Sabha MPs, including seven nominated members, are retiring between March and July, which is one-third of the strength of the House. Among them, some may return to the Rajya Sabha.
The retiring members represent 19 states.
Those retiring also include Ambika Soni, Kapil Sibal, Suresh Prabhu, Praful Patel, Prasanna Acharya, Sanjay Raut, Naresh Gujral, Satish Chandra Mishra, M C Mary Kom, Swapan Dasgupta and Narendra Jadhav.
Chidambaram, Patel and Sibal were not present in the House when the prime minister, the chairman and the leader of opposition spoke in the morning session.
In his speech, Modi emphasised that experience has more power than knowledge and the MPs should take it forward in the service of the nation.
''We may be moving out of these four walls, but we should take this experience from here to all the four directions in the best interests of the country,'' he said.
He told the retiring members to come to the House again and to pen down their experiences.
''I would want you to put in words the memories gained here to help serve as a reference point for the coming generations,'' Modi said.
The House and the nation feel the loss and some sort of shortcomings in decision making for the coming generations when experienced colleagues retire, he added.
''When experienced people retire, a lot would be said about them in the House, but the responsibility of those remaining increases. The members who remain have to take forward the tales of experience left behind by those retiring,'' Modi said.
Naidu asked the lawmakers to be propelled by ''passion, performance and procedural integrity'' and desist from disrupting law-making bodies, while upholding the honour and privilege bestowed on them by people.
He called upon them to ensure that the expectations and aspirations of people are incorporated in designing laws and policies.
Naidu also voiced concern over the House having lost more than 35 per cent of the functional time due to disruptions since 2017.
Kharge said after listening to the prime minister and the other members, ''I realised how important the Rajya Sabha is.'' ''The Upper House is a chamber of ideas and a house of intellectuals from varied fields. Ex-chief ministers, ex-prime ministers and many ministers are part of the House. We have gained from their experience,'' he said.
''The numbers on the Opposition benches may be less, but they have strength in their argument. The problem is that arguments are not considered, but voices are counted. This is what Atalji had said, not me,'' he recalled.
Goyal expressed gratitude to Naidu and former president late Pranab Mukherjee for motivating him when he was first elected to the Upper House in 2010.
''Retirement certainly is a time of mixed feelings and we will miss the contributions of all our esteemed colleagues who may not come back,'' he said.
Deputy Chairman Harivansh expressed confidence that the retiring members, through their pubic engagement, would continue to work to increase the confidence of citizens and students in politics and parliamentary democracy.
Congress leader Anand Sharma, who too is retiring, said he never trooped to the Well of the House during his entire tenure.
He also said he never used impolite words in his speeches and no word of his was ever expunged from the House records.
Derek O'Brien of the Trinamool Congress said he would tell his grandchildren that when he was in Parliament, there were two former prime ministers -- Manmohan Singh and H D Deve Gowda -- and the prime minister was Narendra Modi.
DMK leader Tiruchi Siva said farewell moments are ''always emotional and painful''.
''I would only like to say one thing to my colleagues who are retiring...this is not the end of the road, only a bend,'' he said.
Recollecting that Sharma often used to borrow a pen from him, Siva said, ''Yesterday, he told me that he won't be asking for a pen from tomorrow.'' Naidu talked about his earlier days when he and former Union minister Jaipal Reddy often used to borrow pens from their fellow lawmakers.
''Later, I found out that whenever both of us were moving towards them, many of the members would hide their pens,'' he said.
(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
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Navjot Sidhu resigns as Punjab Congress chief
Congress president Sonia Gandhi urges government to end influence of Facebook, other social media giants on electoral politics in India. | https://www.devdiscourse.com/article/politics/1985349-rajya-sabha-bids-farewell-to-72-retiring-mps-pm-urges-them-to-inspire-coming-generations | 2022-03-31T16:22:46 | en | 0.976457 |
By NEBI QENA and YURAS KARMANAU
Associated Press
KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Heavy fighting raged on the outskirts of Kyiv and other zones Thursday amid indications the Kremlin is using talk of de-escalation as cover while regrouping and resupplying its forces and redeploying them for a stepped-up offensive in eastern Ukraine.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in an early morning video address that Ukraine is seeing “a buildup of Russian forces for new strikes on the Donbas, and we are preparing for that.”
Meanwhile, a convoy of buses headed to Mariupol in another bid to evacuate people from the besieged port city after the Russian military agreed to a limited cease-fire in the area. And a new round of talks aimed at stopping the fighting was scheduled for Friday.
The Red Cross said its teams were headed for Mariupol with relief and medical supplies and hoped to help pull civilians out of the beleaguered city. Tens of thousands have managed to get out in the past few weeks by way of humanitarian corridors, reducing the city’s population from a prewar 430,000 to an estimated 100,000, but other efforts have been thwarted by continued Russian attacks.
At the same time, Russian forces shelled suburbs of the capital that Ukraine recently retook control of, a regional official said, two days after the Kremlin announced it would significantly scale back operations near Kyiv and the northern city of Chernihiv to “increase mutual trust and create conditions for further negotiations.”
Britain’s Defense Ministry also confirmed “significant Russian shelling and missile strikes” around Chernihiv. The area’s governor, Viacheslav Chaus, said Russian troops were on the move but may not be withdrawing.
Russia’s Defense Ministry also reported new strikes on Ukrainian fuel stores late Wednesday, and Ukrainian officials said there were artillery barrages in and around the northeastern city of Kharkiv over the past day.
Despite the fighting raging in those areas, the Russian military said it committed to a cease-fire along the route from Mariupol to the Ukraine-held city of Zaporizhzhia.
Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk said 45 buses would be sent to collect civilians who have suffered some of the worst privations of the war. Food, water and medical supplies have all run low during a weekslong blockade and bombardment of the city. Civilians who have managed to leave have typically done so using private cars, but the number of drivable vehicles left in the city has dwindled and fuel is low.
“It’s desperately important that this operation takes place,” the Red Cross said in a statement. “The lives of tens of thousands of people in Mariupol depend on it.”
As the new evacuation attempt was announced, evidence emerged that a Red Cross warehouse in the city had been struck earlier this month amid intense Russian shelling.
In satellite pictures from Planet Labs PBC, holes can be seen in the roof, along with a painted red cross on a white background. The aid organization said no staff have been at the site since March 15.
Talks between Ukraine and Russia were set to resume Friday by video, according to the head of the Ukrainian delegation, David Arakhamia, six weeks into a bloody war that has seen thousands die and a staggering 4 million Ukrainians flee the country.
But there seemed little faith that the two sides would resolve the conflict any time soon, particularly after the Russian military’s about-face and its most recent attacks on places where it had offered to dial back.
NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said alliance intelligence indicates that Russia is not scaling back its military operations in Ukraine but is instead repositioning and redeploying forces to join attacks in the Donbas.
The Donbas is the predominantly Russian-speaking industrial region where Moscow-backed separatists have been battling Ukrainian forces since 2014. In the past few days, the Kremlin, in a seeming shift in its war aims, said that its “main goal” now is gaining control of the Donbas.
“Russia is trying to regroup, resupply and reinforce its offensive in the Donbas region,” Stoltenberg said. At the same time, he said, pressure is being kept up on Kyiv and other cities, and “we can expect additional offensive actions bringing even more suffering.”
In the Kyiv suburbs, regional governor Oleksandr Palviuk said on social media that Russian forces shelled Irpin and Makariv, and that there were battles around Hostomel. Pavliuk said there were Ukrainian counterattacks and some Russian withdrawals around the suburb of Brovary to the east.
Britain’s Defense Ministry said: “Russian forces continue to hold positions to the east and west of Kyiv despite the withdrawal of a limited number of units. Heavy fighting will likely take place in the suburbs of the city in coming days.”
As Western officials search for clues about what Russia’s next move might be, a top British intelligence official said demoralized Russian soldiers in Ukraine are refusing to carry out orders and sabotaging their own equipment and had accidentally shot down their own aircraft.
In a speech in Australia, Jeremy Fleming said Russian President Vladimir Putin had apparently “massively misjudged” the invasion. Although Putin’s advisers appeared to be too afraid to tell the truth, the “extent of these misjudgments must be crystal clear to the regime,” said Fleming, who heads the GCHQ electronic spy agency,.
U.S. intelligence officials have similarly concluded that Putin is being misinformed by advisers too scared to give honest evaluations.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that the U.S. is wrong and that “neither the State Department nor the Pentagon possesses the real information about what is happening in the Kremlin.”
“They don’t understand President Putin, they don’t understand the mechanism of decision-making, they don’t understand the way we work,” Peskov said.
In other developments, Putin authorized drafting 134,500 new conscripts starting April 1. The draft is a routine event but comes amid concerns that some draftees could be deployed to Ukraine.
Putin and Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu have given assurances that conscripts will not take part in the operation in Ukraine. Earlier this month, however, the Russian military admitted that a number of conscripts ended up in Ukraine and were even captured there.
___
Karmanau reported from Lviv, Ukraine. Associated Press journalists around the world contributed to this report.
___
Follow the AP’s coverage of the war at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. | https://wtmj.com/national/2022/03/31/heavy-fighting-rages-near-kyiv-as-russia-appears-to-regroup/ | 2022-03-31T16:22:48 | en | 0.965886 |
2 servings of avocado a week helps your heart health, study says
Published: Mar. 30, 2022 at 9:56 AM CDT
(CNN) - Good news if you like avocados; eating them is a great way to help out your heart health.
A new government study found eating at least two servings a week, which adds up to one avocado, reduced the risk of having a heart attack by 21%.
It also said that eating avocado instead of eggs, yogurt, cheese, margarine, butter, or processed meats, like bacon, was especially beneficial.
Experts said anything you can do to improve your heart health is a step in the right direction.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimated heart disease takes a life every 36 seconds.
Copyright 2022 CNN Newsource. All rights reserved. | https://www.ktre.com/2022/03/30/2-servings-avocado-week-helps-your-heart-health-study-says/ | 2022-03-31T16:22:49 | en | 0.955217 |
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New Delhi, Mar 31 (PTI) These are the top stories from the northern region at 8.30 pm.
- Country:
- India
These are the top stories from the northern region at 8.30 pm.
DEL51 UP-SHIVPAL-LD BJP Speculation over Akhilesh-Shivpal rift, Rajbhar says efforts on to sort out issues Lucknow: Sulking socialist leader Shivpal Singh Yadav's recent meeting with Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has triggered speculation that he may quit the SP-led alliance to join the BJP.
DES45 UP-EXAM-PAPER LEAK-2NDLD ARREST UP: Nine more arrested in Class 12 English exam paper leak case; 26 held so far Ballia (UP): Nine more people, including two local journalists, were arrested on Thursday for their alleged role in the Class 12 board exam paper leak, the Uttar Pradesh Police said.
LGD24 UP-HC-BAIL Allahabad HC grants bail to Kashmiri students held for sedition Allahabad: The Allahabad High Court has granted bail to three Kashmiri students, who were arrested on the sedition charge after they allegedly raised pro-Pakistan slogans following a cricket match in Agra last year.
DES15 UP-ACTIVIST-BJP 6 booked for threatening activist Nida Khan with death for not quitting BJP Lucknow: Police on Thursday booked six people after anti-triple talaq activist Nida Khan accused them of threatening her with death if she did not quit the BJP. DES20 RJ-2NDLD BAINSLA-DEMISE Gurjar community leader Kirori Singh Bainsla dies Jaipur: Kirori Singh Bainsla, who was the face of Gurjar quota agitations in Rajasthan, died here on Thursday after a prolonged illness. DES37 RJ-SARISKA-LD FIRE Sariska fire largely under control: Gehlot Jaipur: Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Thursday said the fire in the Sariska Tiger Reserve in Alwar district is largely ''under control''.
DES47 PB-ASSEMBLY Punjab Assembly's special one-day session on Friday Chandigarh: The Punjab Assembly's special one-day session will be convened on Friday, a decision taken at a meeting of the state Cabinet, which met here under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann.
DES26 HP-CONG-PENSION Cong promises old pension scheme, regularisation of outsourced staff if voted to power in HP Shimla: The Congress will implement the old pension scheme and regularise outsourced employees if it returns to power in the Himachal Pradesh Assembly elections later this year, senior party leader Rajeev Shukla said on Thursday. DES19 UKD-DHAMI-CHAR DHAM CM Dhami reviews preparation for Char Dham Yatra Dehradun: Over a month ahead of the beginning of the Char Dham yatra, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Thursday reviewed preparations for the annual pilgrimage and asked officials to make better use of technology to make the yatra safer and more convenient for pilgrims.
(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) | https://www.devdiscourse.com/article/politics/1985357-new-delhi-mar-31-pti-these-are-the-top-stories-from-the-northern-region-at-830-pm | 2022-03-31T16:22:54 | en | 0.924819 |
ROME (AP) — Italian Premier Mario Draghi said Thursday that he had received assurances from Russia’s leader that Europe would not have to pay for natural gas in rubles as demanded, similar to pledges that Germany received, and diffused fears that Moscow would cut off supplies that are used for heating and electricity.
Draghi said Russian President Vladimir Putin assured him during a 40-minute phone call Wednesday evening that “existing contracts remain in force. … European companies will continue to pay in dollars and euros.”
Putin announced last week that Russia will demand “unfriendly” countries pay for natural gas only in Russian currency, instructing the central bank to work out a procedure for buyers to acquire rubles in Russia. That sent already high gas prices even higher amid fears it could be a prelude to a natural gas shutoff, which could disrupt Europe’s economy and hurt Russia’s finances. The Group of Seven major economies, including Italy and Germany, agreed to reject the demand.
The Italian leader indicated that Russia still had a desire for payments in rubles but that it might handle the currency conversion. Draghi said Putin gave a lengthy explanation of how to both maintain the payments in euros in dollars while satisfying Russia’s “indication of payments in rubles.’’
Draghi said he referred the discussion to experts and that analysis was underway “to understand what it means,” including whether “European companies can continue to pay as foreseen, if this means something for the ongoing sanctions.”
“The feeling is one I have had since the beginning, that it is absolutely not simple to change the currency of payments without violating the contracts,” Draghi said.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz received similar assurances from Putin on Wednesday evening. Scholz had asked for further details of the process, which involves payments to a Russian bank not subjected to sanctions, his office said.
Italy’s Draghi also told the foreign press corps that Europe is pushing for a cap on gas prices with Russia, saying its payments are funding the war in Ukraine and the prices being paid by Europe are out of line with the global market.
“We — Germany and Italy, along with other countries that are importers of gas, coal, grains, corn — are financing the war. There is no doubt,’’ Draghi said. “For this reason, Italy along with other countries, are pushing for a cap on the price of gas. There is no substantial reason that the price of gas is so high for Europeans.”
Draghi noted that Russia has no other market for its gas, giving Europe room to maneuver. Asked about the risk that Russia would respond by turning off the taps, Draghi said, “no there is no danger.”
The prospect of continued gas deliveries in exchange for euros drew a cautious welcome from German industry.
“It’s good news at least in the short term, because Russian gas deliveries can’t be replaced in the short term,” Achim Dercks, the deputy managing director of the Association of German Chambers of Commerce and Industry, told RBB24 Inforadio on Thursday.
He noted that companies are concerned that any cutoff would affect industry in particular, “but ultimately that would have severe economic effects for us all.”
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. | https://wtmj.com/national/2022/03/31/italy-russia-wont-seek-payment-in-rubles-for-natural-gas/ | 2022-03-31T16:22:54 | en | 0.974019 |
74-year-old shoots teen during home invasion, police say
AKRON, Ohio (WOIO/Gray News) - Police investigators in Ohio say a 74-year-old man shot a teen suspect during a home invasion attempt early Tuesday morning.
Officers were dispatched to the home invasion just before 7:30 a.m. Tuesday on Johnston Street in Akron, Ohio, according to police. A 16-year-old boy was found inside the home with multiple gunshot wounds.
According to detectives, the homeowner told police that he discharged his gun during a confrontation with the teen, who forced entry into his home, striking him multiple times.
The 74-year-old homeowner, who identified himself to WOIO as “Lurch,” was not injured.
“I heard this hellacious crash, and he comes running right through my front door,” he said.
The homeowner said he was half asleep on his couch, but he had his gun close by. When the suspect did not leave, he opened fire.
“He dives down the basement as I put lead in him going down the steps,” he said.
Paramedics took the 16-year-old to Akron Children’s Hospital in stable condition.
“Those shots were good,” Lurch said during an interview. “I don’t like people breaking into my home.”
Police are still investigating the incident and will release any information on criminal charges at a later time.
Asked about the possibility of facing charges, Lurch said he can’t imagine why he would.
“I better not. I am in my own home, and he breaks into it,” he said.
Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call Akron Police detectives at 330-375-2490.
Copyright 2022 WOIO via Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. | https://www.ktre.com/2022/03/30/74-year-old-shoots-teen-during-home-invasion-police-say/ | 2022-03-31T16:22:55 | en | 0.9902 |
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By ANTHONY IZAGUIRRE
Associated Press
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — An LGBTQ advocacy group on Thursday sued Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis to block a new law forbidding classroom instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity in kindergarten through third grade.
The law has catapulted Florida and DeSantis, a potential 2024 Republican presidential candidate, to the forefront of the country’s culture wars. Critics call it the “ Don’t Say Gay ” law and argue that its true intent is to marginalize LGBTQ people and their families.
The challenge filed in federal court in Tallahassee by the National Center for Lesbian Rights on behalf of Equality Florida and Family Equality alleges the law violates the First Amendment and other provisions of the U.S. Constitution.
A statement announcing the lawsuit says the law deliberately employs broad terms and invites arbitrary and discriminatory enforcement, empowering parents to be roving censors who can sue school boards for damages based on any perceived violation.
The law states: “Classroom instruction by school personnel or third parties on sexual orientation or gender identity may not occur in kindergarten through grade 3 or in a manner that is not age appropriate or developmentally appropriate for students in accordance with state standards.” Parents would be able to sue districts over violations.
DeSantis and other Republicans have repeatedly described the rules as reasonable, saying children should learn about sexual orientation and gender identity from their parents, not in schools.
“We will make sure that parents can send their kids to school to get an education, not an indoctrination,” the governor said when he signed it into law this week.
Many critics have said the law’s language, particularly the phrases “classroom instruction” and “age appropriate,” could be interpreted so broadly that discussion in any grade could trigger lawsuits, creating a classroom atmosphere where teachers would avoid the subjects entirely.
Intense public backlash followed the bill’s introduction in Florida’s Republican-controlled legislature this year, with the White House, Hollywood celebrities, students, Democrats and LGBTQ advocates condemning the policy. Legal challenges have been expected.
The suit says the law is unconstitutionally vague and discriminatory and violates First Amendment rights to free expression. The filing seeks to block the law from taking effect and also names Florida Education Commissioner Richard Corcoran and other education officials as defendants.
“Already, our children have told us that they are afraid that they will not be able to talk about their parents at school,” Dan and Brent VanTice, parents of two first-grade students, said in the statement announcing the suit. “We are heartbroken that our children are already feeling isolated and stigmatized by this law.”
Andrew Spar, president of the Florida Education Association union, said the law is politically motivated because elementary schools, especially in kindergarten through third grade, do not teach about these subjects and have state curriculum standards guiding classroom lessons.
The law adds fuel to a persistent feud between DeSantis and Democratic President Joe Biden, who tweeted after DeSantis signed the bill this week that “My Administration will continue to fight for dignity and opportunity for every student and family — in Florida and around the country.” Biden’s education secretary has said his agency will be monitoring for any federal civil rights violations that result.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. | https://wtmj.com/national/2022/03/31/lgbtq-group-sues-florida-over-so-called-dont-say-gay-law/ | 2022-03-31T16:23:01 | en | 0.955518 |
Those who drink are sinners, can't be called Indians: Nitish
- Country:
- India
People who drink are great sinners, good for nothing, and do not deserve to be called Indians, according to Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.
The veteran socialist made the remarks on the floor of the state legislature.
The legislative council bore witness to his declamation on Wednesday when an amendment to the state's stringent prohibition law was placed before it after having been passed by the assembly.
Kumar, who has been a member of the upper house in the state ever since he became the chief minister in 2005, rose to take part in the debate.
Invoking Mahatma Gandhi, Kumar recalled the revulsion ''Bapu'' had for alcohol and railed against critics who questioned liquor ban in Bihar, which has been in force since 2016.
''Those who criticise us for bringing prohibition, think they are kaabil (accomplished). Actually they are maha ayogya (good for nothing) and maha paapi (great sinners),'' Kumar had fumed.
The CM also said that it was Gandhi who had helped the country get Independence and, as such, those who disagreed with him on the issue of alcohol ''cannot be called Hindustanis or Bharatiyas''.
Prohibition was imposed in April, 2016 in keeping with an electoral promise Kumar had made to the state's women ahead of the assembly polls held the year before.
His government had, in its first couple of terms, faced flak for a liberal excise policy which allegedly facilitated mushrooming of liquor shops in every nook and corner.
Subsequent implementation of the prohibition law has, however, been patchy and called into question following a spurt in hooch deaths in the past few months.
The government maintained that the ban on liquor has led to improved standards of living.
Recently, Kumar turned down suggestions that those coming to the state from outside be exempted with the remark that anybody who found liquor ban inconvenient ''need not visit Bihar''.
He also exhorted people to publicly shame those found involved in sale or manufacture of illicit liquor.
Kumar’s detractors have scoffed at the use of drones, helicopters and other such measures for keeping a check on bootleggers.
Moreover, his government was recently upbraided by the Supreme Court for having brought in a law which burdened the Patna High Court with cases relating to prohibition.
The latest amendment seeks to exempt ''first time offenders'' from jail term if they tell on their peddlers, a provision which, as per the opposition, could put the lives of informants at risk and be misused for setting personal scores.
(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
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Nation's heartbeat will stop if Biharis decide not to work, RJD MP's retort to Trinamool MLA's 'Ek Bihari, sau Bimari' | https://www.devdiscourse.com/article/politics/1985379-those-who-drink-are-sinners-cant-be-called-indians-nitish | 2022-03-31T16:23:01 | en | 0.978568 |
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California governor rejects parole for Manson family member
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) - California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Tuesday blocked parole for Charles Manson follower Leslie Van Houten, reversing a panel’s recommendation that she be freed after spending a half-century in prison.
Van Houten, 72, “currently poses an unreasonable danger to society if released from prison at this time,” Newsom said in his parole review. It was the fifth time that a California governor has rejected her release.
Her attorney, Rich Pfeiffer, disputed that view and said the decision will be appealed in court. He accused Newsom of rejecting parole because he is worried about “his political future” and noted that Van Houten has a spotless prison disciplinary record.
“We’re not fighting (over) Leslie being a good person. She’s proven that through her actions for half a century,” he said.
Van Houten is serving a life sentence for helping Manson and others kill Los Angeles grocer Leno LaBianca and his wife, Rosemary, in August 1969. Van Houten was 19 when she and other cult members fatally stabbed the LaBiancas and smeared the couple’s blood on the walls.
The day before, other Manson followers, not including Van Houten, killed pregnant actress Sharon Tate and four others.
In his rejection letter, Newsom noted that Van Housen had undergone therapy, earned educational degrees and taken self-help classes in prison and had shown “increased maturity and rehabilitation.”
But Van Houten also has “gaps in insight” that continue to make her a danger to society, Newsom said.
Van Houten has had 21 parole hearings since 1982. Most parole boards denied her bid for freedom. But five panels have recommended her release since 2016, saying she had expressed remorse and was no longer a threat to public safety.
Newsom rejected a recommendation made last November.
He previously reversed parole recommendations in 2019 and 2020. In February, the California Supreme Court refused to hear Van Houten’s appeal of the 2020 rejection.
Previous Gov. Jerry Brown rejected Van Houten’s parole in 2016 and 2018.
Manson died in 2017 of natural causes at a California hospital while serving a life sentence.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.ktre.com/2022/03/30/california-governor-rejects-parole-manson-family-member/ | 2022-03-31T16:23:02 | en | 0.967881 |
By The Associated Press
KYIV, Ukraine — The Ukrainian emergency services say the death toll after a Russian missile strike Tuesday on the regional government headquarters in the southern city of Mykolaiv has risen to 20.
The emergency services said rescuers had now found 19 bodies in the ruins since the strike devastated the government building Tuesday morning. One other person died in hospital.
The regional governor accused Russia of waiting until people arrived for work before striking the building.
Emergency services said they are still working at the scene.
___
KEY DEVELOPMENTS IN THE RUSSIA-UKRAINE WAR:
— Buses head to Mariupol in new evacuation attempt
— US intel determines Putin has been misled by advisers on Ukraine
— Poland to end Russian oil imports; Germany warns on gas
— UN agency says 4 million refugees have now fled Ukraine
— UN food chief says Ukraine war’s food crisis is worst since WWII
— Go to https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine for more coverage
___
OTHER DEVELOPMENTS:
HELSINKI — Greenpeace says its activists from the Nordic countries and Russia have blocked a the transfer of Russian oil between two large tankers sailing in northern Denmark.
Greenpeace said swimmers and activists in kayaks and boats from Denmark, Finland, Norway, Sweden and Russia placed themselves between two supertankers to block the transfer of 100,000 tonnes of Russian oil in waters in northern Denmark.
The environmental organization called for an embargo of Russian fuels to stop the funding of Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine. It said in a statement Thursday that “every time Russian oil or gas are purchased, (Russian President Vladimir) Putin’s war chest grows, and so far at least 299 supertankers with fossil fuels have left Russia since the start of the war in Ukraine.”
Despite some countries declaring a ban on the arrival of Russian vessels to their ports, Russian coal, oil and gas is still arriving via ships registered in other countries, Greenpeace said.
___
ROME — Italian Premier Mario Draghi says Europe is pushing for a cap on gas prices with Russia because its payments are financing the war in Ukraine.
Draghi told foreign reporters Thursday that the prices that Europe is paying are out of line with the global market.
“We, Germany and Italy, along with other countries that are importers of gas, coal, grains, corn … are financing the war. There is no doubt,’’ Draghi said. “For this reason, Italy along with other countries are pushing for a cap on the price of gas. There is no substantial reason that the price of gas is so high for Europeans.”
Draghi noted that Russia has no other market for its gas, giving Europe room to maneuver. Asked about the risk that Russia would simply respond by turning off the taps, Draghi said, “no there is no danger.”
___
BERLIN — The German government says its energy minister has received a Ukrainian delegation that includes the foreign ministry’s special envoy for sanctions policy.
The Economy Ministry gave no details on the substance of the meeting Thursday hosted by Economy and Climate Minister Robert Habeck, who is Germany’s vice chancellor and also responsible for energy.
The Ukrainian delegation included the sanctions envoy, Oleksiy Makeev, and Wladimir Klitschko, the brother of Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko. The Klitschko brothers, both former heavyweight boxing champions, are well-known in Germany.
They were joined by Ukrainian lawmaker Halyna Yanchenko.
The German government has resisted calls to halt Russian energy deliveries, though it is working to reduce the country’s dependence on Russian fossil fuels in the longer term.
___
ROME — Italian Premier Mario Draghi says the Russian president told him during a 40-minute phone call Wednesday evening that European companies can continue to pay for existing energy contracts in euros and dollars.
Draghi also indicated that Russia’s desire for payments in rubles remained intact, but it may be the case that the currency conversion would take place in Russia. Draghi said he is referring the discussion to experts and that analysis was under way on whether “European companies can continue to pay as foreseen, if this means something for the ongoing sanctions.”
“It is absolutely not simple to change the currency of payments without violating the contracts,” he said.
___
BRUSSELS — NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg says Russia does not appear to be scaling back its military operations in Ukraine but is instead redeploying forces to the eastern Donbas region.
Russia promised during talks in Istanbul on Tuesday that it would de-escalate operations near Kyiv and Chernihiv to “increase mutual trust and create conditions for further negotiations.” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and the West were skeptical.
Stoltenberg told reporters Thursday that “Russia has repeatedly lied about its intentions,” and must be judged on its actions alone, not the word of its leaders.
“According to our intelligence, Russian units are not withdrawing but repositioning. Russia is trying to regroup, resupply and reinforce its offensive in the Donbas region,” he said.
At the same time, he said pressure is being kept up on Kyiv and other cities and “we can expect additional offensive actions bringing even more suffering.”
The U.S. says Russia has begun to reposition less than 20% of its troops that had been arrayed around Kyiv. The Pentagon says that most moved north, although some crossed into Belarus where they could be resupplied and sent back into Ukraine.
___
The Kremlin has expressed “regret” and “concern” over U.S. officials’ reports that the Russian president is being misinformed by advisers about his military’s performance in Ukraine.
Vladimir Putin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters Thursday that “neither the State Department nor the Pentagon possess the real information about what is happening in the Kremlin.”
“They simply don’t understand what’s going on in the Kremlin, they don’t understand President Putin, they don’t understand the mechanism of decision-making, they don’t understand the way we work,” Peskov said.
“It is not just regrettable, it elicits concern, because this complete lack of understanding leads to erroneous decisions, tragic decisions that could have very bad consequences,” he added.
U.S. intelligence officials said Putin is being misinformed by advisers about his military’s poor performance in Ukraine, according to the White House. The advisers are scared to tell him the truth, the intel says.
White House communications director Kate Bedingfield said Wednesday the U.S. believes Putin was being misled not only about his military’s performance but also “how the Russian economy is being crippled by sanctions because, again, his senior advisers are too afraid to tell him the truth.”
___
LONDON — Britain has imposed sanctions on more than a dozen Russian media figures and organizations accused of spreading propaganda and disinformation about the war in Ukraine.
The latest group subjected to asset freezes and travel bans includes Rossiya television anchor Sergey Brilev, who previously lived in the U.K., Gazprom-Media chief executive Aleksandr Zharov and Alexey Nikolov, managing director of Kremlin-backed broadcaster RT.
Sanctions have also been slapped on media organizations TV-Novosti, which owns RT, and Rossiya Segodnya, which controls the Sputnik news agency.
British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said Thursday’s sanctions would hit “the shameless propagandists who push out Putin’s fake news and narratives.”
The U.K. also said it was sanctioning Colonel-General Mikhail Mizintsev, chief of Russia’s National Defence Command and Control Center, accusing him of orchestrating atrocities including the siege of Mariupol.
___
MOSCOW — Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a decree on the spring draft, with 134,500 new conscripts to be added to the Russian army amid the country’s war on Ukraine.
Both Putin and Russia’s Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu have said that conscripts will not be taking part in the operation in Ukraine. Earlier this month, however, the Russian military admitted that a number of conscripts ended up in Ukraine and were even captured there.
The decree signed on Thursday outlines the draft which will kick off on April 1 and last through July 15.
___
BERLIN — The International Committee of the Red Cross says its teams are ready to facilitate the evacuation of civilians out of the besieged city of Mariupol.
The Red Cross said “for logistics and security reasons, we’ll be ready to lead the safe passage operation tomorrow, Friday, provided all the parties agree to the exact terms, including the route, the start time, and the duration.”
Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk said Ukraine is sending out several dozen buses to collect civilians from Mariupol after Russia’s military said it committed to a localized cease-fire from the city to Ukraine-held Zaporizhzhia from Thursday morning.
“It’s desperately important that this operation takes place. The lives of tens of thousands of people in Mariupol depend on it,” the Red Cross said.
___
AMSTERDAM — Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has spoke by video link to the Dutch parliament.
Zelenskyy, who delivered his speech in Ukrainian, called on the Netherlands to be prepared to stop importing Russian energy, to halt trade with Russia and to provide more weapons.
He also addressed Prime Minister Mark Rutte, saying “Our EU membership depends on you.”
Rutte had told Zelenskyy at an EU summit earlier this month that Ukraine’s EU accession can’t be sped up. “There isn’t something like a fast track, a fast procedure,” Rutte said at the March 11 summit in Versailles.
___
BRUSSELS — European Union antitrust regulators have raided the offices of several companies in Germany involved in the supply, transmission and storage of natural gas amid concern over skyrocketing prices in Europe.
The European Commission, which polices EU competition policy, did not name the companies targeted in the March 29 “surprise inspections.” But anti-trust regulators have been probing the actions of Russian energy giant Gazprom, which has premises in Germany, in the European market. Gazprom could not be immediately reached for comment.
The Commission suspects that the companies “have violated EU competition rules that prohibit abuse of a dominant position” in the market. It says the inspections do not imply that those involved are guilty.
Russia is the biggest exporter of oil, natural gas and coal to the 27-nation EU. About 40% of the bloc’s gas imports come from Russia, much of it piped through Ukraine.
In January, the head of the International Energy Agency blamed Russia for Europe’s natural gas crisis, saying that high prices and low storage levels are largely due to Gazprom withholding supplies.
___
ANKARA, Turkey — Turkey’s top diplomat says Ankara is working to bring the Ukrainian and Russian foreign ministers together again for talks.
In an interview with Turkey’s A Haber channel, Mevlut Cavusoglu said the meeting could happen within two weeks.
His comments came days after Turkey hosted Ukrainian and Russian negotiators for face-to-face talks in Istanbul. Cavusoglu said decisions taken during the talks to reduce tensions had not fully been put into effect on the ground.
“We do not see these decisions being reflected on the field – for example, the removal of Russian soldiers from some areas,” he said.
Asked about the presence of sanctioned Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich in the negotiations, Cavusoglu said the businessman was engaged in “useful” efforts to end the fighting.
“Abramovich has been sincerely making efforts to end the fighting since the first day of the war,” he said.
During the talks in Istanbul Tuesday, Ukraine set out a detailed framework for a peace deal under which the country would remain neutral but its security would be guaranteed by a group of third countries, including the U.S., Britain, France, Turkey, China and Poland.
___
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — A Red Cross warehouse in the besieged Ukrainian port city of Mariupol has been struck amid intense Russian shelling of the area.
Satellite pictures from Planet Labs PBC analyzed by The Associated Press on Thursday show clear damage to the warehouse’s roof along the Kalmius River near its mouth on the Sea of Azov. A red cross had been painted on the top of the warehouse.
At least one hole from suspected shelling could be seen in an image taken March 21. Some four holes in the roof were clearly visible in images taken Wednesday. The red cross had been on the warehouse’s roof from at least late August 2021, according to satellite images.
The International Committee of the Red Cross distributed all the supplies from inside the warehouse earlier in March and no staff have been at the site since March 15, the aid group said in a statement.
The Special Forces Unit “Azov,” a Ukrainian National Guard unit fighting in Mariupol whose members include far-right activists, has accused Russian forces of firing on the building. Russia did not immediately acknowledge the allegation.
___
CANBERRA, Australia — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has appealed directly to Australian lawmakers for more help in Ukraine’s war against Russia including armored vehicles and tougher sanctions.
Zelenskyy has been tailoring his message to individual countries through video appeals like the one shown Thursday to legislators in the Australian Parliament. Lawmakers gave him a standing ovation at the start and end of his 16-minute address.
He called for Russian vessels to be banned from international ports. Zelenskyy specifically asked for Australian-manufactured Bushmaster four-wheel drive armored vehicles.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison had earlier told Zelenskyy that Australia would provide additional military assistance including tactical decoys, unmanned aerial and unmanned ground systems, rations and medical supplies.
___
LONDON — Britain’s defense ministry says Russia continues to pound Chernihiv in northern Ukraine, despite Moscow’s claim to have scaled back its offensive around that city and Kyiv.
The Ministry of Defense says “significant Russian shelling and missile strikes have continued.”
It said Thursday that “Russian forces continue to hold positions to the east and west of Kyiv despite the withdrawal of a limited number of units. Heavy fighting will likely take place in the suburbs of the city in coming days.”
The U.K. intelligence update also said heavy fighting continues in the southern port of Mariupol, which has been besieged by Russia for weeks, but that Ukrainian forces remain in control of the center of the city.
___
Russia and Ukraine both say they are making efforts to help civilians evacuate westwards out of the besieged port city of Mariupol in eastern Ukraine.
The Russian military said it committed to a local cease-fire along the route from Mariupol to the Ukraine-held city of Zaporizhzhia from Thursday morning.
Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk said Thursday that Ukraine was sending 45 buses to collect people. She said the International Committee of the Red Cross was acting as an intermediary between the two sides.
Similar evacuation efforts have been planned before and collapsed amid recriminations over fighting along the route. Ukraine accused Russian forces last week of seizing bus drivers and rescue workers headed to Mariupol.
Civilians who have managed to leave the city for Ukraine-held territory have typically done so using private cars, but the number of drivable vehicles left in Mariupol has dwindled and fuel stocks are low.
___
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has recalled Ukraine’s ambassadors to Georgia and Morocco, suggesting they hadn’t done enough to persuade those countries to support Ukraine and punish Russia for the invasion.
“With all due respect, if there won’t be weapons, won’t be sanctions, won’t be restrictions for Russian business, then please look for other work,” Zelenskyy said in his nighttime video address to the nation Wednesday. “I am waiting for concrete results in the coming days from the work of our representatives in Latin America, the Middle East, Southeast Asia and Africa.”
Zelenskyy also said he was expecting results from Ukraine’s military attaches in embassies abroad.
He said “the diplomatic front is one of the key fronts” in Ukraine’s battle to win the war against Russia.
___
The talks between Ukraine and Russia will resume on Friday by video, according to the head of the Ukrainian delegation, David Arakhamia.
The delegations met in-person on Tuesday in Istanbul, after two weeks of meeting by video, and the faint outlines of a possible peace agreement seemed to emerge.
The Ukrainian delegation offered a framework under with the country would declare itself neutral – dropping its bid to join NATO, as Moscow has long demanded – in return for security guarantees from a group of other nations.
Russian diplomats responded positively to Ukraine’s proposal.
___
DUBLIN — An aircraft-leasing company has filed $3.5 billion in insurance claims for planes and aircraft engines that are stranded in Russia because of sanctions following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
AerCap said it had leased 135 planes to Russian airlines and has repossessed 22 of them outside of Russia.
The Dublin-based company said AerCap says it’s unclear whether it will recover more, and Russian airlines continue to use its planes even though it terminated the leases and demanded that the planes be returned.
After sanctions prohibited U.S. and European companies from leasing, selling or servicing planes and aircraft parts to Russia, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a law letting his country’s airlines re-register foreign planes and use them for domestic flights.
__
The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency visited a nuclear power plant in southern Ukraine on Wednesday to meet Ukrainian officials and provide technical assistance.
Rafael Mariano Grossi said the IAEA is not involved in political talks with the Russians.
“We are trying to be very active in order to ensure that as soon as possible, the situation is regressed, and the facilities are back in the hands of the Ukrainians,” Grossi said.
Ukraine has 15 nuclear reactors at four plants, one of which (Zaporizhzia) is under the Russian military’s control.
Ukraine also is home to the decommissioned Chernobyl plant, the site of the 1986 nuclear accident, with the Russian military seized early in the war. As of Tuesday, eight reactors were operating and the rest were shut down for regular maintenance.
— From video published by Energoatom Press Service in Media Port –Mykolaiv region, Ukraine
___
LONDON — A U.K. intelligence chief is warning that Russia is looking for cyber targets and bringing in mercenaries to shore up its stalled military campaign in Ukraine.
Jeremy Fleming, who heads the U.K.’s GCHQ electronic spy agency, said Russian President Vladimir Putin “massively misjudged” his chances for a swift military victory in Ukraine.
In a speech in Australia, Fleming praised Ukraine’s “information operation” for effectively countering Russia’s big disinformation campaign about the war.
While there were expectations that Russia would launch a major cyberattack as part of its military campaign, Fleming said such a move was never part of Moscow’s playbook.
But Fleming warns that Russia’s “cyber actors are looking for targets in the countries that oppose their actions.”
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. | https://wtmj.com/national/2022/03/31/live-updates-20-dead-in-strike-on-mykolaiv-govt-building/ | 2022-03-31T16:23:07 | en | 0.962872 |
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Russia's RT says UK sanctions are death knell for media freedom
- Country:
- United Kingdom
Russia's state-funded RT television channel said on Thursday that British sanctions on Russian state media organisations showed the imminent end of media freedom and the blinkered nature of officials who thought anything Russian was wrong.
Britain on Thursday announced sanctions on 14 more Russian entities and people, including on state media organisations behind RT and Sputnik and some of their senior figures, saying it was targetting those who push out President Vladimir Putin's "fake news and narratives".
"With this action the UK government has sounded the death knell for media freedom in Britain," Anna Belkina, RT's deputy editor in chief, told Reuters.
(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
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- Russia
- Russian
- Sputnik
- Anna Belkina
- British
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UK PM Boris Johnson calls on world to wean off Russian oil, gas | https://www.devdiscourse.com/article/politics/1985381-russias-rt-says-uk-sanctions-are-death-knell-for-media-freedom | 2022-03-31T16:23:09 | en | 0.944818 |
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By The Associated Press
ROME — Italian Premier Mario Draghi says Europe is pushing for a cap on gas prices with Russia because its payments are financing the war in Ukraine.
Draghi told foreign reporters Thursday that the prices that Europe is paying are out of line with the global market.
“We, Germany and Italy, along with other countries that are importers of gas, coal, grains, corn … are financing the war. There is no doubt,’’ Draghi said. “For this reason, Italy along with other countries are pushing for a cap on the price of gas. There is no substantial reason that the price of gas is so high for Europeans.”
Draghi noted that Russia has no other market for its gas, giving Europe room to maneuver. Asked about the risk that Russia would simply respond by turning off the taps, Draghi said, “no there is no danger.”
___
KEY DEVELOPMENTS IN THE RUSSIA-UKRAINE WAR:
— Buses head to Mariupol in new evacuation attempt
— US intel determines Putin has been misled by advisers on Ukraine
— Poland to end Russian oil imports; Germany warns on gas
— UN agency says 4 million refugees have now fled Ukraine
— UN food chief says Ukraine war’s food crisis is worst since WWII
— Go to https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine for more coverage
___
OTHER DEVELOPMENTS:
BERLIN — The German government says its energy minister has received a Ukrainian delegation that includes the foreign ministry’s special envoy for sanctions policy.
The Economy Ministry gave no details on the substance of the meeting Thursday hosted by Economy and Climate Minister Robert Habeck, who is Germany’s vice chancellor and also responsible for energy.
The Ukrainian delegation included the sanctions envoy, Oleksiy Makeev, and Wladimir Klitschko, the brother of Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko. The Klitschko brothers, both former heavyweight boxing champions, are well-known in Germany.
They were joined by Ukrainian lawmaker Halyna Yanchenko.
The German government has resisted calls to halt Russian energy deliveries, though it is working to reduce the country’s dependence on Russian fossil fuels in the longer term.
___
ROME — Italian Premier Mario Draghi says the Russian president told him during a 40-minute phone call Wednesday evening that European companies can continue to pay for existing energy contracts in euros and dollars.
Draghi also indicated that Russia’s desire for payments in rubles remained intact, but it may be the case that the currency conversion would take place in Russia. Draghi said he is referring the discussion to experts and that analysis was under way on whether “European companies can continue to pay as foreseen, if this means something for the ongoing sanctions.”
“It is absolutely not simple to change the currency of payments without violating the contracts,” he said.
___
BRUSSELS — NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg says Russia does not appear to be scaling back its military operations in Ukraine but is instead redeploying forces to the eastern Donbas region.
Russia promised during talks in Istanbul on Tuesday that it would de-escalate operations near Kyiv and Chernihiv to “increase mutual trust and create conditions for further negotiations.” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and the West were skeptical.
Stoltenberg told reporters Thursday that “Russia has repeatedly lied about its intentions,” and must be judged on its actions alone, not the word of its leaders.
“According to our intelligence, Russian units are not withdrawing but repositioning. Russia is trying to regroup, resupply and reinforce its offensive in the Donbas region,” he said.
At the same time, he said pressure is being kept up on Kyiv and other cities and “we can expect additional offensive actions bringing even more suffering.”
The U.S. says Russia has begun to reposition less than 20% of its troops that had been arrayed around Kyiv. The Pentagon says that most moved north, although some crossed into Belarus where they could be resupplied and sent back into Ukraine.
___
The Kremlin has expressed “regret” and “concern” over U.S. officials’ reports that the Russian president is being misinformed by advisers about his military’s performance in Ukraine.
Vladimir Putin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters Thursday that “neither the State Department nor the Pentagon possess the real information about what is happening in the Kremlin.”
“They simply don’t understand what’s going on in the Kremlin, they don’t understand President Putin, they don’t understand the mechanism of decision-making, they don’t understand the way we work,” Peskov said.
“It is not just regrettable, it elicits concern, because this complete lack of understanding leads to erroneous decisions, tragic decisions that could have very bad consequences,” he added.
U.S. intelligence officials said Putin is being misinformed by advisers about his military’s poor performance in Ukraine, according to the White House. The advisers are scared to tell him the truth, the intel says.
White House communications director Kate Bedingfield said Wednesday the U.S. believes Putin was being misled not only about his military’s performance but also “how the Russian economy is being crippled by sanctions because, again, his senior advisers are too afraid to tell him the truth.”
___
LONDON — Britain has imposed sanctions on more than a dozen Russian media figures and organizations accused of spreading propaganda and disinformation about the war in Ukraine.
The latest group subjected to asset freezes and travel bans includes Rossiya television anchor Sergey Brilev, who previously lived in the U.K., Gazprom-Media chief executive Aleksandr Zharov and Alexey Nikolov, managing director of Kremlin-backed broadcaster RT.
Sanctions have also been slapped on media organizations TV-Novosti, which owns RT, and Rossiya Segodnya, which controls the Sputnik news agency.
British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said Thursday’s sanctions would hit “the shameless propagandists who push out Putin’s fake news and narratives.”
The U.K. also said it was sanctioning Colonel-General Mikhail Mizintsev, chief of Russia’s National Defence Command and Control Center, accusing him of orchestrating atrocities including the siege of Mariupol.
___
MOSCOW — Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a decree on the spring draft, with 134,500 new conscripts to be added to the Russian army amid the country’s war on Ukraine.
Both Putin and Russia’s Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu have said that conscripts will not be taking part in the operation in Ukraine. Earlier this month, however, the Russian military admitted that a number of conscripts ended up in Ukraine and were even captured there.
The decree signed on Thursday outlines the draft which will kick off on April 1 and last through July 15.
___
BERLIN — The International Committee of the Red Cross says its teams are ready to facilitate the evacuation of civilians out of the besieged city of Mariupol.
The Red Cross said “for logistics and security reasons, we’ll be ready to lead the safe passage operation tomorrow, Friday, provided all the parties agree to the exact terms, including the route, the start time, and the duration.”
Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk said Ukraine is sending out several dozen buses to collect civilians from Mariupol after Russia’s military said it committed to a localized cease-fire from the city to Ukraine-held Zaporizhzhia from Thursday morning.
“It’s desperately important that this operation takes place. The lives of tens of thousands of people in Mariupol depend on it,” the Red Cross said.
___
AMSTERDAM — Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has spoke by video link to the Dutch parliament.
Zelenskyy, who delivered his speech in Ukrainian, called on the Netherlands to be prepared to stop importing Russian energy, to halt trade with Russia and to provide more weapons.
He also addressed Prime Minister Mark Rutte, saying “Our EU membership depends on you.”
Rutte had told Zelenskyy at an EU summit earlier this month that Ukraine’s EU accession can’t be sped up. “There isn’t something like a fast track, a fast procedure,” Rutte said at the March 11 summit in Versailles.
___
BRUSSELS — European Union antitrust regulators have raided the offices of several companies in Germany involved in the supply, transmission and storage of natural gas amid concern over skyrocketing prices in Europe.
The European Commission, which polices EU competition policy, did not name the companies targeted in the March 29 “surprise inspections.” But anti-trust regulators have been probing the actions of Russian energy giant Gazprom, which has premises in Germany, in the European market. Gazprom could not be immediately reached for comment.
The Commission suspects that the companies “have violated EU competition rules that prohibit abuse of a dominant position” in the market. It says the inspections do not imply that those involved are guilty.
Russia is the biggest exporter of oil, natural gas and coal to the 27-nation EU. About 40% of the bloc’s gas imports come from Russia, much of it piped through Ukraine.
In January, the head of the International Energy Agency blamed Russia for Europe’s natural gas crisis, saying that high prices and low storage levels are largely due to Gazprom withholding supplies.
___
ANKARA, Turkey — Turkey’s top diplomat says Ankara is working to bring the Ukrainian and Russian foreign ministers together again for talks.
In an interview with Turkey’s A Haber channel, Mevlut Cavusoglu said the meeting could happen within two weeks.
His comments came days after Turkey hosted Ukrainian and Russian negotiators for face-to-face talks in Istanbul. Cavusoglu said decisions taken during the talks to reduce tensions had not fully been put into effect on the ground.
“We do not see these decisions being reflected on the field – for example, the removal of Russian soldiers from some areas,” he said.
Asked about the presence of sanctioned Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich in the negotiations, Cavusoglu said the businessman was engaged in “useful” efforts to end the fighting.
“Abramovich has been sincerely making efforts to end the fighting since the first day of the war,” he said.
During the talks in Istanbul Tuesday, Ukraine set out a detailed framework for a peace deal under which the country would remain neutral but its security would be guaranteed by a group of third countries, including the U.S., Britain, France, Turkey, China and Poland.
___
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — A Red Cross warehouse in the besieged Ukrainian port city of Mariupol has been struck amid intense Russian shelling of the area.
Satellite pictures from Planet Labs PBC analyzed by The Associated Press on Thursday show clear damage to the warehouse’s roof along the Kalmius River near its mouth on the Sea of Azov. A red cross had been painted on the top of the warehouse.
At least one hole from suspected shelling could be seen in an image taken March 21. Some four holes in the roof were clearly visible in images taken Wednesday. The red cross had been on the warehouse’s roof from at least late August 2021, according to satellite images.
The International Committee of the Red Cross distributed all the supplies from inside the warehouse earlier in March and no staff have been at the site since March 15, the aid group said in a statement.
The Special Forces Unit “Azov,” a Ukrainian National Guard unit fighting in Mariupol whose members include far-right activists, has accused Russian forces of firing on the building. Russia did not immediately acknowledge the allegation.
Mariupol, home to some 430,000 people before the war, has seen intense fighting for weeks amid Russia’s war on Ukraine. Russian attacks have struck a maternity hospital, fire department locations and civilian homes.
___
CANBERRA, Australia — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has appealed directly to Australian lawmakers for more help in Ukraine’s war against Russia including armored vehicles and tougher sanctions.
Zelenskyy has been tailoring his message to individual countries through video appeals like the one shown Thursday to legislators in the Australian Parliament. Lawmakers gave him a standing ovation at the start and end of his 16-minute address.
He called for Russian vessels to be banned from international ports. Zelenskyy specifically asked for Australian-manufactured Bushmaster four-wheel drive armored vehicles.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison had earlier told Zelenskyy that Australia would provide additional military assistance including tactical decoys, unmanned aerial and unmanned ground systems, rations and medical supplies.
___
LONDON — Britain’s defense ministry says Russia continues to pound Chernihiv in northern Ukraine, despite Moscow’s claim to have scaled back its offensive around that city and Kyiv.
The Ministry of Defense says “significant Russian shelling and missile strikes have continued.”
It said Thursday that “Russian forces continue to hold positions to the east and west of Kyiv despite the withdrawal of a limited number of units. Heavy fighting will likely take place in the suburbs of the city in coming days.”
The U.K. intelligence update also said heavy fighting continues in the southern port of Mariupol, which has been besieged by Russia for weeks, but that Ukrainian forces remain in control of the center of the city.
___
Russia and Ukraine both say they are making efforts to help civilians evacuate westwards out of the besieged port city of Mariupol in eastern Ukraine.
The Russian military said it committed to a local cease-fire along the route from Mariupol to the Ukraine-held city of Zaporizhzhia from Thursday morning.
Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk said Thursday that Ukraine was sending 45 buses to collect people. She said the International Committee of the Red Cross was acting as an intermediary between the two sides.
Similar evacuation efforts have been planned before and collapsed amid recriminations over fighting along the route. Ukraine accused Russian forces last week of seizing bus drivers and rescue workers headed to Mariupol.
Civilians who have managed to leave the city for Ukraine-held territory have typically done so using private cars, but the number of drivable vehicles left in Mariupol has dwindled and fuel stocks are low.
Russia has operated its own evacuations from territory it has captured in Mariupol. Ukraine alleges Russia is sending its citizens to “filtration camps” in separatist-controlled eastern Ukraine and then forcibly taking people to Russia.
___
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has recalled Ukraine’s ambassadors to Georgia and Morocco, suggesting they hadn’t done enough to persuade those countries to support Ukraine and punish Russia for the invasion.
“With all due respect, if there won’t be weapons, won’t be sanctions, won’t be restrictions for Russian business, then please look for other work,” Zelenskyy said in his nighttime video address to the nation Wednesday. “I am waiting for concrete results in the coming days from the work of our representatives in Latin America, the Middle East, Southeast Asia and Africa.”
Zelenskyy also said he was expecting results from Ukraine’s military attaches in embassies abroad.
He said “the diplomatic front is one of the key fronts” in Ukraine’s battle to win the war against Russia.
___
The talks between Ukraine and Russia will resume on Friday by video, according to the head of the Ukrainian delegation, David Arakhamia.
The delegations met in-person on Tuesday in Istanbul, after two weeks of meeting by video, and the faint outlines of a possible peace agreement seemed to emerge.
The Ukrainian delegation offered a framework under with the country would declare itself neutral – dropping its bid to join NATO, as Moscow has long demanded – in return for security guarantees from a group of other nations.
Russian diplomats responded positively to Ukraine’s proposal.
___
DUBLIN — An aircraft-leasing company has filed $3.5 billion in insurance claims for planes and aircraft engines that are stranded in Russia because of sanctions following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
AerCap said it had leased 135 planes to Russian airlines and has repossessed 22 of them outside of Russia.
The Dublin-based company said AerCap says it’s unclear whether it will recover more, and Russian airlines continue to use its planes even though it terminated the leases and demanded that the planes be returned.
After sanctions prohibited U.S. and European companies from leasing, selling or servicing planes and aircraft parts to Russia, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a law letting his country’s airlines re-register foreign planes and use them for domestic flights.
__
The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency visited a nuclear power plant in southern Ukraine on Wednesday to meet Ukrainian officials and provide technical assistance.
Rafael Mariano Grossi said the IAEA is not involved in political talks with the Russians.
“We are trying to be very active in order to ensure that as soon as possible, the situation is regressed, and the facilities are back in the hands of the Ukrainians,” Grossi said.
Ukraine has 15 nuclear reactors at four plants, one of which (Zaporizhzia) is under the Russian military’s control.
Ukraine also is home to the decommissioned Chernobyl plant, the site of the 1986 nuclear accident, with the Russian military seized early in the war. As of Tuesday, eight reactors were operating and the rest were shut down for regular maintenance.
— From video published by Energoatom Press Service in Media Port –Mykolaiv region, Ukraine
___
LONDON — A U.K. intelligence chief is warning that Russia is looking for cyber targets and bringing in mercenaries to shore up its stalled military campaign in Ukraine.
Jeremy Fleming, who heads the U.K.’s GCHQ electronic spy agency, said Russian President Vladimir Putin “massively misjudged” his chances for a swift military victory in Ukraine.
In a speech in Australia, Fleming praised Ukraine’s “information operation” for effectively countering Russia’s big disinformation campaign about the war.
While there were expectations that Russia would launch a major cyberattack as part of its military campaign, Fleming said such a move was never part of Moscow’s playbook.
But Fleming warns that Russia’s “cyber actors are looking for targets in the countries that oppose their actions.”
___
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy thanked the White House for pledging an additional $500 million in direct aid, but said he was open with U.S. President Biden about Ukraine needing more to resist the Russian invasion.
“If we really are fighting for freedom and in defense of democracy together, then we have a right to demand help in this difficult turning point,” Zelenskyy said in his nighttime video address to the nation Wednesday. “Tanks, aircraft, artillery systems. Freedom should be armed no worse than tyranny.”
Prior to Wednesday’s announcement of $500 million in aid, the Biden administration had sent Ukraine about $2 billion in humanitarian and security assistance since the start of the war last month. That’s all part of the $13.6 billion that Congress approved earlier this month for Ukraine as part of a broader spending bill.
Zelenskyy said the negotiations with Russia were continuing but for now, they were only “words without specifics.”
About the supposed withdrawal of Russian forces from Kyiv and Chernihiv, Zelenskyy said: “We know that this is not a withdrawal but the consequences of being driven out. But we also are seeing that Russia is now concentrating its forces for new strikes on Donbas and we are preparing for this.”
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. | https://wtmj.com/national/2022/03/31/live-updates-europe-pushing-for-gas-price-cap-with-russia/ | 2022-03-31T16:23:13 | en | 0.963544 |
Country star Eric Church cancels San Antonio concert amid Final Four matchup
(Gray News) - Some fans of country musician Eric Church are singing the blues.
Church’s San Antonio appearance Saturday, part of his “The Gather Again Tour,” has been canceled, Ticketmaster said.
The star is ditching this concert date to watch a Final Four game of the NCAA men’s basketball tournament, also known as “March Madness,” Variety and other outlets reported.
According to a letter sent to his fan club, The Church Choir, and reportedly also sent out to all who purchased tickets for the San Antonio show, Church is a huge Tar Heels men’s basketball fan.
In the letter, he admitted, “This is also the most selfish thing I’ve ever asked the Choir to do: to give up your Saturday night plans with us so that I can have this moment with my family and sports community.”
Carolina is playing Duke in the Final Four matchup, with the winner moving on to the championship game. The in-state rivals are two of the most decorated programs in the sport’s history, but they have never faced each other in the tournament.
Some fans on social media were predictably upset by the ruined concert plans, with one saying “Dude didn’t even reschedule. Just canceled it.”
Also, fans complained that they won’t be able to get refunds on the hotels they booked to be able to see the show and that the Ticketmaster refund will take a while to process.
Ticketmaster said fans should be able to get their refunds within 30 days.
Copyright 2022 Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. | https://www.ktre.com/2022/03/30/country-star-church-cancels-san-antonio-concert-amid-final-four-matchup/ | 2022-03-31T16:23:12 | en | 0.966027 |
By The Associated Press
ROME — Italy’s leader is urging Europe to “cultivate all available land” as a partial remedy to reductions in agricultural imports, especially of Russian grain, due to the war in Ukraine.
Premier Mario Draghi told reporters on Thursday that under existing agricultural practices in the European Union 10% of land is purposely left fallow, but that must now change as European countries search for ways to reduce dependency on farm imports.
It’s not clear whether Ukraine, one of the world’s largest exporters of wheat, maize and sunflower oil, might be able to salvage any of this planting season.
Meanwhile, Draghi noted that Western Europe will be looking to food producers like Canada, the United States and Argentina to help make up the shortfall of imports from Ukraine and Russia.
___
KEY DEVELOPMENTS IN THE RUSSIA-UKRAINE WAR:
— Buses head to Mariupol in new evacuation attempt
— US intel determines Putin has been misled by advisers on Ukraine
— Poland to end Russian oil imports; Germany warns on gas
— UN agency says 4 million refugees have now fled Ukraine
— UN food chief says Ukraine war’s food crisis is worst since WWII
— Go to https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine for more coverage
___
OTHER DEVELOPMENTS:
STOCKHOLM — The deputy director of Sweden’s Military Intelligence and Security agency says Russia has made “a strategic miscalculation when invading Ukraine.”
Daniel Olsson said the invasion of Ukraine “has shown that the Russian leadership is ready to take great risks, larger than previously taken.”
The government agency’s analysis suggested a likely “a western containment of Russia,” including reducing trade in Russian energy.
___
MADRID — Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez says his country has so far received more than 30,000 Ukrainian refugees and expects that figure to reach 70,000 “within days.”
Sánchez announced the latest refugee numbers Thursday during a visit to a refugee reception center in the southeastern city of Alicante, one of four in Spain.
Also Thursday, Defense Minister Margarita Robles said Spain has sent 10 transport aircraft with weapons and humanitarian aid for Ukraine. She didn’t specify how many shipments of each type were sent, but at least two carried arms.
She also said during a visit to the Morón de la Frontera air base in southern Spain that eight Spanish F-18 fighter planes are going to Lithuania to take part in NATO patrols.
___
KYIV, Ukraine — The Ukrainian emergency services say the death toll after a Russian missile strike Tuesday on the regional government headquarters in the southern city of Mykolaiv has risen to 20.
The emergency services said rescuers had now found 19 bodies in the ruins since the strike devastated the government building Tuesday morning. One other person died in hospital.
The regional governor accused Russia of waiting until people arrived for work before striking the building.
Emergency services said they are still working at the scene.
___
HELSINKI — Greenpeace says its activists from the Nordic countries and Russia have blocked a the transfer of Russian oil between two large tankers sailing in northern Denmark.
Greenpeace said swimmers and activists in kayaks and boats from Denmark, Finland, Norway, Sweden and Russia placed themselves between two supertankers to block the transfer of 100,000 tonnes of Russian oil in waters in northern Denmark.
The environmental organization called for an embargo of Russian fuels to stop the funding of Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine. It said in a statement Thursday that “every time Russian oil or gas are purchased, (Russian President Vladimir) Putin’s war chest grows, and so far at least 299 supertankers with fossil fuels have left Russia since the start of the war in Ukraine.”
Despite some countries declaring a ban on the arrival of Russian vessels to their ports, Russian coal, oil and gas is still arriving via ships registered in other countries, Greenpeace said.
___
ROME — Italian Premier Mario Draghi says Europe is pushing for a cap on gas prices with Russia because its payments are financing the war in Ukraine.
Draghi told foreign reporters Thursday that the prices that Europe is paying are out of line with the global market.
“We, Germany and Italy, along with other countries that are importers of gas, coal, grains, corn … are financing the war. There is no doubt,’’ Draghi said. “For this reason, Italy along with other countries are pushing for a cap on the price of gas. There is no substantial reason that the price of gas is so high for Europeans.”
Draghi noted that Russia has no other market for its gas, giving Europe room to maneuver. Asked about the risk that Russia would simply respond by turning off the taps, Draghi said, “no there is no danger.”
___
BERLIN — The German government says its energy minister has received a Ukrainian delegation that includes the foreign ministry’s special envoy for sanctions policy.
The Economy Ministry gave no details on the substance of the meeting Thursday hosted by Economy and Climate Minister Robert Habeck, who is Germany’s vice chancellor and also responsible for energy.
The Ukrainian delegation included the sanctions envoy, Oleksiy Makeev, and Wladimir Klitschko, the brother of Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko. The Klitschko brothers, both former heavyweight boxing champions, are well-known in Germany.
They were joined by Ukrainian lawmaker Halyna Yanchenko.
The German government has resisted calls to halt Russian energy deliveries, though it is working to reduce the country’s dependence on Russian fossil fuels in the longer term.
___
ROME — Italian Premier Mario Draghi says the Russian president told him during a 40-minute phone call Wednesday evening that European companies can continue to pay for existing energy contracts in euros and dollars.
Draghi also indicated that Russia’s desire for payments in rubles remained intact, but it may be the case that the currency conversion would be up to Russia. Draghi said he is referring the discussion to experts and that analysis was under way on whether “European companies can continue to pay as foreseen, if this means something for the ongoing sanctions.”
“It is absolutely not simple to change the currency of payments without violating the contracts,” he said.
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BRUSSELS — NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg says Russia does not appear to be scaling back its military operations in Ukraine but is instead redeploying forces to the eastern Donbas region.
Russia promised during talks in Istanbul on Tuesday that it would de-escalate operations near Kyiv and Chernihiv to “increase mutual trust and create conditions for further negotiations.” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and the West were skeptical.
Stoltenberg told reporters Thursday that “Russia has repeatedly lied about its intentions,” and must be judged on its actions alone, not the word of its leaders.
“According to our intelligence, Russian units are not withdrawing but repositioning. Russia is trying to regroup, resupply and reinforce its offensive in the Donbas region,” he said.
At the same time, he said pressure is being kept up on Kyiv and other cities and “we can expect additional offensive actions bringing even more suffering.”
The U.S. says Russia has begun to reposition less than 20% of its troops that had been arrayed around Kyiv. The Pentagon says that most moved north, although some crossed into Belarus where they could be resupplied and sent back into Ukraine.
___
The Kremlin has expressed “regret” and “concern” over U.S. officials’ reports that the Russian president is being misinformed by advisers about his military’s performance in Ukraine.
Vladimir Putin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters Thursday that “neither the State Department nor the Pentagon possess the real information about what is happening in the Kremlin.”
“They simply don’t understand what’s going on in the Kremlin, they don’t understand President Putin, they don’t understand the mechanism of decision-making, they don’t understand the way we work,” Peskov said.
“It is not just regrettable, it elicits concern, because this complete lack of understanding leads to erroneous decisions, tragic decisions that could have very bad consequences,” he added.
U.S. intelligence officials said Putin is being misinformed by advisers about his military’s poor performance in Ukraine, according to the White House. The advisers are scared to tell him the truth, the intel says.
White House communications director Kate Bedingfield said Wednesday the U.S. believes Putin was being misled not only about his military’s performance but also “how the Russian economy is being crippled by sanctions because, again, his senior advisers are too afraid to tell him the truth.”
___
LONDON — Britain has imposed sanctions on more than a dozen Russian media figures and organizations accused of spreading propaganda and disinformation about the war in Ukraine.
The latest group subjected to asset freezes and travel bans includes Rossiya television anchor Sergey Brilev, who previously lived in the U.K., Gazprom-Media chief executive Aleksandr Zharov and Alexey Nikolov, managing director of Kremlin-backed broadcaster RT.
Sanctions have also been slapped on media organizations TV-Novosti, which owns RT, and Rossiya Segodnya, which controls the Sputnik news agency.
British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said Thursday’s sanctions would hit “the shameless propagandists who push out Putin’s fake news and narratives.”
The U.K. also said it was sanctioning Colonel-General Mikhail Mizintsev, chief of Russia’s National Defence Command and Control Center, accusing him of orchestrating atrocities including the siege of Mariupol.
___
MOSCOW — Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a decree on the spring draft, with 134,500 new conscripts to be added to the Russian army amid the country’s war on Ukraine.
Both Putin and Russia’s Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu have said that conscripts will not be taking part in the operation in Ukraine. Earlier this month, however, the Russian military admitted that a number of conscripts ended up in Ukraine and were even captured there.
The decree signed on Thursday outlines the draft which will kick off on April 1 and last through July 15.
___
BERLIN — The International Committee of the Red Cross says its teams are ready to facilitate the evacuation of civilians out of the besieged city of Mariupol.
The Red Cross said “for logistics and security reasons, we’ll be ready to lead the safe passage operation tomorrow, Friday, provided all the parties agree to the exact terms, including the route, the start time, and the duration.”
Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk said Ukraine is sending out several dozen buses to collect civilians from Mariupol after Russia’s military said it committed to a localized cease-fire from the city to Ukraine-held Zaporizhzhia from Thursday morning.
“It’s desperately important that this operation takes place. The lives of tens of thousands of people in Mariupol depend on it,” the Red Cross said.
___
AMSTERDAM — Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has spoke by video link to the Dutch parliament.
Zelenskyy, who delivered his speech in Ukrainian, called on the Netherlands to be prepared to stop importing Russian energy, to halt trade with Russia and to provide more weapons.
He also addressed Prime Minister Mark Rutte, saying “Our EU membership depends on you.”
Rutte had told Zelenskyy at an EU summit earlier this month that Ukraine’s EU accession can’t be sped up. “There isn’t something like a fast track, a fast procedure,” Rutte said at the March 11 summit in Versailles.
___
BRUSSELS — European Union antitrust regulators have raided the offices of several companies in Germany involved in the supply, transmission and storage of natural gas amid concern over skyrocketing prices in Europe.
The European Commission, which polices EU competition policy, did not name the companies targeted in the March 29 “surprise inspections.” But anti-trust regulators have been probing the actions of Russian energy giant Gazprom, which has premises in Germany, in the European market. Gazprom could not be immediately reached for comment.
The Commission suspects that the companies “have violated EU competition rules that prohibit abuse of a dominant position” in the market. It says the inspections do not imply that those involved are guilty.
Russia is the biggest exporter of oil, natural gas and coal to the 27-nation EU. About 40% of the bloc’s gas imports come from Russia, much of it piped through Ukraine.
In January, the head of the International Energy Agency blamed Russia for Europe’s natural gas crisis, saying that high prices and low storage levels are largely due to Gazprom withholding supplies.
___
ANKARA, Turkey — Turkey’s top diplomat says Ankara is working to bring the Ukrainian and Russian foreign ministers together again for talks.
In an interview with Turkey’s A Haber channel, Mevlut Cavusoglu said the meeting could happen within two weeks.
His comments came days after Turkey hosted Ukrainian and Russian negotiators for face-to-face talks in Istanbul. Cavusoglu said decisions taken during the talks to reduce tensions had not fully been put into effect on the ground.
“We do not see these decisions being reflected on the field – for example, the removal of Russian soldiers from some areas,” he said.
Asked about the presence of sanctioned Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich in the negotiations, Cavusoglu said the businessman was engaged in “useful” efforts to end the fighting.
“Abramovich has been sincerely making efforts to end the fighting since the first day of the war,” he said.
During the talks in Istanbul Tuesday, Ukraine set out a detailed framework for a peace deal under which the country would remain neutral but its security would be guaranteed by a group of third countries, including the U.S., Britain, France, Turkey, China and Poland.
___
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — A Red Cross warehouse in the besieged Ukrainian port city of Mariupol has been struck amid intense Russian shelling of the area.
Satellite pictures from Planet Labs PBC analyzed by The Associated Press on Thursday show clear damage to the warehouse’s roof along the Kalmius River near its mouth on the Sea of Azov. A red cross had been painted on the top of the warehouse.
At least one hole from suspected shelling could be seen in an image taken March 21. Some four holes in the roof were clearly visible in images taken Wednesday. The red cross had been on the warehouse’s roof from at least late August 2021, according to satellite images.
The International Committee of the Red Cross distributed all the supplies from inside the warehouse earlier in March and no staff have been at the site since March 15, the aid group said in a statement.
The Special Forces Unit “Azov,” a Ukrainian National Guard unit fighting in Mariupol whose members include far-right activists, has accused Russian forces of firing on the building. Russia did not immediately acknowledge the allegation.
___
CANBERRA, Australia — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has appealed directly to Australian lawmakers for more help in Ukraine’s war against Russia including armored vehicles and tougher sanctions.
Zelenskyy has been tailoring his message to individual countries through video appeals like the one shown Thursday to legislators in the Australian Parliament. Lawmakers gave him a standing ovation at the start and end of his 16-minute address.
He called for Russian vessels to be banned from international ports. Zelenskyy specifically asked for Australian-manufactured Bushmaster four-wheel drive armored vehicles.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison had earlier told Zelenskyy that Australia would provide additional military assistance including tactical decoys, unmanned aerial and unmanned ground systems, rations and medical supplies.
___
LONDON — Britain’s defense ministry says Russia continues to pound Chernihiv in northern Ukraine, despite Moscow’s claim to have scaled back its offensive around that city and Kyiv.
The Ministry of Defense says “significant Russian shelling and missile strikes have continued.”
It said Thursday that “Russian forces continue to hold positions to the east and west of Kyiv despite the withdrawal of a limited number of units. Heavy fighting will likely take place in the suburbs of the city in coming days.”
The U.K. intelligence update also said heavy fighting continues in the southern port of Mariupol, which has been besieged by Russia for weeks, but that Ukrainian forces remain in control of the center of the city.
___
Russia and Ukraine both say they are making efforts to help civilians evacuate westwards out of the besieged port city of Mariupol in eastern Ukraine.
The Russian military said it committed to a local cease-fire along the route from Mariupol to the Ukraine-held city of Zaporizhzhia from Thursday morning.
Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk said Thursday that Ukraine was sending 45 buses to collect people. She said the International Committee of the Red Cross was acting as an intermediary between the two sides.
Similar evacuation efforts have been planned before and collapsed amid recriminations over fighting along the route. Ukraine accused Russian forces last week of seizing bus drivers and rescue workers headed to Mariupol.
Civilians who have managed to leave the city for Ukraine-held territory have typically done so using private cars, but the number of drivable vehicles left in Mariupol has dwindled and fuel stocks are low.
___
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has recalled Ukraine’s ambassadors to Georgia and Morocco, suggesting they hadn’t done enough to persuade those countries to support Ukraine and punish Russia for the invasion.
“With all due respect, if there won’t be weapons, won’t be sanctions, won’t be restrictions for Russian business, then please look for other work,” Zelenskyy said in his nighttime video address to the nation Wednesday. “I am waiting for concrete results in the coming days from the work of our representatives in Latin America, the Middle East, Southeast Asia and Africa.”
Zelenskyy also said he was expecting results from Ukraine’s military attaches in embassies abroad.
He said “the diplomatic front is one of the key fronts” in Ukraine’s battle to win the war against Russia.
___
The talks between Ukraine and Russia will resume on Friday by video, according to the head of the Ukrainian delegation, David Arakhamia.
The delegations met in-person on Tuesday in Istanbul, after two weeks of meeting by video, and the faint outlines of a possible peace agreement seemed to emerge.
The Ukrainian delegation offered a framework under with the country would declare itself neutral – dropping its bid to join NATO, as Moscow has long demanded – in return for security guarantees from a group of other nations.
Russian diplomats responded positively to Ukraine’s proposal.
___
DUBLIN — An aircraft-leasing company has filed $3.5 billion in insurance claims for planes and aircraft engines that are stranded in Russia because of sanctions following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
AerCap said it had leased 135 planes to Russian airlines and has repossessed 22 of them outside of Russia.
The Dublin-based company said AerCap says it’s unclear whether it will recover more, and Russian airlines continue to use its planes even though it terminated the leases and demanded that the planes be returned.
After sanctions prohibited U.S. and European companies from leasing, selling or servicing planes and aircraft parts to Russia, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a law letting his country’s airlines re-register foreign planes and use them for domestic flights.
__
The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency visited a nuclear power plant in southern Ukraine on Wednesday to meet Ukrainian officials and provide technical assistance.
Rafael Mariano Grossi said the IAEA is not involved in political talks with the Russians.
“We are trying to be very active in order to ensure that as soon as possible, the situation is regressed, and the facilities are back in the hands of the Ukrainians,” Grossi said.
Ukraine has 15 nuclear reactors at four plants, one of which (Zaporizhzia) is under the Russian military’s control.
Ukraine also is home to the decommissioned Chernobyl plant, the site of the 1986 nuclear accident, with the Russian military seized early in the war. As of Tuesday, eight reactors were operating and the rest were shut down for regular maintenance.
— From video published by Energoatom Press Service in Media Port –Mykolaiv region, Ukraine
___
LONDON — A U.K. intelligence chief is warning that Russia is looking for cyber targets and bringing in mercenaries to shore up its stalled military campaign in Ukraine.
Jeremy Fleming, who heads the U.K.’s GCHQ electronic spy agency, said Russian President Vladimir Putin “massively misjudged” his chances for a swift military victory in Ukraine.
In a speech in Australia, Fleming praised Ukraine’s “information operation” for effectively countering Russia’s big disinformation campaign about the war.
While there were expectations that Russia would launch a major cyberattack as part of its military campaign, Fleming said such a move was never part of Moscow’s playbook.
But Fleming warns that Russia’s “cyber actors are looking for targets in the countries that oppose their actions.”
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. | https://wtmj.com/national/2022/03/31/live-updates-italy-urges-europe-to-use-all-farming-land/ | 2022-03-31T16:23:16 | en | 0.962241 |
Areas under AFSPA curtailed in 3 NE states, CMs hail move, civil society wants more
- Country:
- India
In a major outreach to the Northeast, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday announced reduction of the disturbed areas under the contentious AFSPA in Assam, Nagaland and Manipur from April 1, a decision wholeheartedly welcomed by the political leadership of the three states but greeted with cautious optimism by others who wanted the ''draconian'' law repealed in entirety.
The move to curtail the areas under the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act came three months after the central government constituted a high-level committee to examine the possibility of lifting the AFSPA in Nagaland, where the killing of 14 civilians in an army operation in December 2021 in a case of ''mistaken identity'' triggered massive protests.
In a series of tweets, Shah said: ''In a significant step, GoI (Government of India) under the decisive leadership of PM Shri @NarendraModi Ji has decided to reduce disturbed areas under Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) in the states of Nagaland, Assam and Manipur after decades.'' The home minister said the reduction in areas under AFSPA is the result of the improved security situation and fast-tracked development due to consistent efforts of the Modi government. He said several agreements were signed with militant groups to end insurgency and bring lasting peace to the Northeast.
''Thanks to PM @NarendraModi Ji's unwavering commitment, our North-Eastern region, which was neglected for decades is now witnessing a new era of peace, prosperity and unprecedented development. I congratulate the people of North East on this momentous occasion,'' he said.
The AFSPA has been in force for decades in the three Northeastern states to assist the armed forces operating there to tackle insurgency.
The AFSPA empowers security forces to conduct operations and arrest anyone without a warrant besides giving immunity from arrest and prosecution to the security forces even if they shoot someone dead.
There have been innumerable protests for complete withdrawal of the law from the Northeast as well as Jammu and Kashmir for its alleged ''draconian'' provisions.
Manipur's human rights activist Irom Chanu Sharmila waged the most remarkable fight against the law with her hunger strike that lasted 16 years, before she gave up her peaceful resistance on August 9 in 2016.
The disturbed area notification under AFSPA was completely removed from Tripura in 2015 and Meghalaya in 2018.
In Assam, where the disturbed area notification is in force in the entire state since 1990, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said, ''I wholeheartedly welcome Adarniya PM Shri @narendramodi ji's decision to withdraw AFSPA from all areas of Assam barring nine districts and one subdivision.” Due to the significant improvement in the situation, the AFSPA is being removed with effect from April 1 completely from 23 districts and partially from one district of Assam.
The disturbed area declaration is in force in entire Manipur (except for Imphal municipality area) since 2004. With Thursday's decision, 15 police station areas of 6 districts of Manipur will be excluded from the disturbed area notification.
''This historic decision is a result of the robust development and improved security situation under various initiatives taken up by Hon’ble PM Shri @narendramodi Ji in the North East.
''This decision will lead to a new era of peace, prosperity and development in Manipur yet again,'' said Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh in a series of tweets.
“Grateful to GoI under the leadership of @PMOIndia Shri @narendramodi ji & @AmitShah ji for reducing disturbed areas under AFSPA in the states of Nagaland, Assam & Manipur. This is a significant development towards bringing stability, security & prosperity to the North East region,” Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio, whose Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) is a BJP ally, tweeted.
Assam and Manipur have BJP governments.
However, the reaction of civil society and intellectuals in Nagaland and Manipur varied from being cautiously optimistic to outright angry.
In Nagaland where the disturbed area notification is in force since 1995, Naga Hoho general secretary K Elu Ndang welcomed the development but said, “Our demand is complete revocation of AFSPA from all Naga inhabited areas in particular and the North East region in general.” Naga Hoho is the apex organisation of Nagas in four NE States - Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur and Nagaland.
Naga People’s Front (NPF) secretary general Achumbemo Kikon said, ''The Act (AFSPA) has acted only against democracy'', and urged the Centre to consider its repeal.
Naga Mothers Association (NMA) advisor Rosemary Dzuvichu termed the decision “very unfair'' as the public demand was to repeal the Act which ''violates every kind of human rights''. “Such small favours are unacceptable,” Dzuvichu said. NMA is an influential civil society organisation in the state that has been plagued by insurgency for over six decades.
In Manipur, Director Human Rights Alert Babloo Loitongbam said, ''We welome it. It is a step in the right direction but our movement for the repeal of AFSPA will continue.'' Executive editor of The Frontier Manipur Paojel Chaoba, who was detained under the anti-terror law-- Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) in 2021 for an article published on the news web-portal, said, ''We too welcome it for it is overdue. However, AFSPA should be revoked by the State....from the entire valley area of Manipur.'' Manipur has a long history of civilian protests against the AFSPA. In November 2000, 10 civilians were gunned down by Assam Rifles troops at Malom Makha Leikai, near Imphal airport. The incident, provoked a young Irom Sharmila to start her legendary hunger strike against the AFSPA.
In 2015, AFSPA was in force in 3 districts of Arunachal Pradesh, 20 km belt of Arunachal Pradesh along the Assam border and in 16 police station areas in 9 other districts of the state. It has been gradually reduced and the disturbed areas notification is currently in force in only 3 districts and in 2 police station areas in another district.
The disturbed area notification, while hitherto applied to the entire state of Nagaland, is being withdrawn from 15 police stations in 7 districts.
A home ministry spokesperson said in comparison to 2014, there has been a reduction of 74 per cent in militancy related incidents in 2021 in the Northeast. Similarly, the deaths of security personnel and civilians have also come down by 60 per cent and 84 per cent respectively during this period. To realise the prime minister's vision of a peaceful and prosperous Northeast, the home minister has held talks with all the states of the region on a regular basis.
As a result, most of the extremist groups have laid down their arms, and expressed faith in the Constitution and the policies of the Modi government, the spokesperson said, adding about 7,000 militants have surrendered in the last few years. PTI ACB DG NBS COR MM NN JRC ZMN SK SK SK
(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
- READ MORE ON:
- Armed Forces Special Powers Act
- Adarniya PM Shri
- Grateful to GoI
- Nagaland
- NDPP
- Assam Rifles
- Northeast
- Manipur
- Paojel Chaoba
- Hon’ble PM Shri
- Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party
- Dzuvichu
- Malom Makha Leikai
- Neiphiu Rio
- Amit Shah
- Himanta Biswa Sarma
- Assam & Manipur
- N Biren Singh
- North East
- Shah
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Father fatally shoots armed son during confrontation, sheriff says
ST. ROSE, La. (WVUE/Gray News) - A Louisiana father fatally shot his son after a tense confrontation in which the son was heavily armed, the sheriff says.
Authorities say the incident occurred around 5:30 p.m. Tuesday in St. Charles Parish. The sheriff says that when deputies arrived at the residence, they found a 21-year-old man dead on the scene, WVUE reports.
Detectives learned that the 21-year-old arrived at his parents’ home wearing a ballistic (bulletproof) vest and was armed with a semi-automatic handgun. He allegedly began arguing with his mother as his father returned home.
The tense confrontation escalated to the point where the son drew a handgun at his father. In turn, the father grabbed his own gun, fatally shooting the son.
The sheriff said the 21-year-old has a history of unstable and violent behavior and has been the subject of strong psychiatric care.
Deputies say the incident is domestic in nature.
The investigation is ongoing at this time. More information will be released when available.
Copyright 2022 WVUE via Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. | https://www.ktre.com/2022/03/30/father-fatally-shoots-armed-son-during-confrontation-sheriff-says/ | 2022-03-31T16:23:20 | en | 0.97942 |
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