In the early hours of Jan. 12, 2025, the Enoch RCMP received a call to the River Cree Casino for a female reporting an assault by a male suspect who was known to her. Members arrived on scene, and while conducting their investigation, learned that the male suspect had fled the area on foot.
In cooperation with Edmonton Police K9 Unit, a dog track led to the location and arrest of the male suspect. During the course of the arrest, the male was treated for injuries sustained from the police dog. The suspect was later medically cleared at a hospital and released into police custody.
Consequently, a 61-year-old individual, a resident of Edmonton, was charged with the following offences:
Assault with a weapon;
Theft under $5,000;
Possession of methamphetamine.
The individual was also found to be on a Canada-wide warrant for a parole violation at the time of his arrest.
The individual was taken before a justice of the peace and remanded into custody. Their next court date is scheduled for Jan. 15, 2025, at the Alberta Court of Justice in Stony Plain, Alta.
Samsung Electronics America, a world leader in advanced memory technology, has expanded its microSD portfolio with a line of new cards inspired by iconic characters from the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise, giving players an exciting new way to celebrate their fandom, while expanding their storage and powering ultra-fast gameplay. Created in collaboration with SEGA and available to buy starting today, the Sonic the HedgehogTM PRO Plus microSDs feature special designs depicting Knuckles (128GB), Tails (256GB), Sonic (512GB) and Shadow (1TB).
To celebrate the arrival of Sonic and friends on its PRO Plus microSDs, Samsung is giving every Sonic fan a chance to win a download code1 for Sonic X Shadow Generations ($49.99 value). Released in October 2024, this modern-day remaster of the 2011 classic Sonic Generations also features a new, standalone campaign where Shadow must save the world from his nemesis, Black Doom.
Now through February 28, you’ll be automatically entered to win with the purchase2 of any Sonic the Hedgehog PRO Plus microSD card on Samsung.com. Samsung is giving away 200 game codes in all, which are valid for a download of Sonic X Shadow Generations via the Steam Store.
“Samsung PRO Plus microSD cards provide gamers, content creators and more with an easy, reliable, and secure way to store large amounts of data – delivering Sonic-speed right to your fingertips,” said Jim Kiczek, Vice President of Memory Marketing at Samsung Electronics America. “Since debuting more than three decades ago, Sonic has become an icon of pop culture, featured in dozens of games, TV series, and movies. Now, with the Sonic the HedgehogTM PRO Plus microSD cards, we’re combining the franchise’s instantly recognizable characters with the speed and reliability of Samsung PRO Plus microSDs to give your gear the ultimate Sonic boost.”
The Sonic the HedgehogTM PRO Plus microSD cards each feature the face and distinct color of their Sonic character – red for Knuckles, yellow for Tails, blue for Sonic and black for Shadow.
They offer rapid sequential read and write speeds3 of up to 180 MB/s and 130 MB/s, helping you wait less and do more. For gamers, A2 Application Performance4 helps you dash through load screens and delivers seamless transitions between titles. At the 1TB capacity, the Sonic the HedgehogTM PRO Plus microSD can store more than 47 hours of 4K UHD video5, more than 437,000 4K UHD images6 or more than 45 (20GB) video games7.
The cards were also tested extensively to deliver the proven reliability users have come to expect from Samsung, including durability against water8, high temperatures9, X-rays10 and even magnetic fields11. Additionally, Sonic the Hedgehog PRO Plus microSDs can withstand drops from over 16 feet12, resist wear out up to 10,000 swipes13 and come backed by a 10-year limited warranty.
Plus, they’re compatible with a wide range of devices, including handheld game consoles, smartphones, tablets, action cameras and drones, giving you a dependable sidekick for every use case.
The Sonic the Hedgehog PRO Plus microSD cards will be available for purchase starting in January 2025 at Samsung.com and other select retailers. They will have a manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP) of $23.99 for the 128GB card, $36.99 for the 256GB card, $68.99 for the 512GB card and $125.99 for the 1TB card.
Sign up here to learn when the cards are ready to buy and unlock 30% off your eligible purchase of Sonic the Hedgehog PRO Plus microSD cards at Samsung.com. It’s like a real-life bonus stage!
Sonic the Hedgehog PRO Plus microSD Cards Specifications
Sonic the HedgehogTM PRO Plus microSD Product Specifications
Form FactormicroSDXC
InterfaceUHS-I (SDR104)
Capacities141TB, 512GB, 256GB, 128GB
PerformanceSequential ReadUp to 180 MB/s
Sequential WriteUp to 130 MB/s
Speed classU3, V30, A2, Class 10
CertificationsCE(UKCA)/FCC(IC)/VCCI/RCM
Warranty15Limited 10-year warranty
Salford children have helped to launch a Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library at Little Hulton Library today and have also enjoyed a fun storytelling session.
Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library and Salford City Council are inviting parents of children born in 2024 in Little Hulton, Salford to sign up to enrol in the programme.
Councillor Jim Cammell, Councillor Mishal Saeed, Councillor Teresa Pepper and Councillor Hannah Robinson Smith have also helped to launch the scheme.
Salford City Council is funding the latest book gifting programme in the city which is devoted to inspiring a love of reading in children.
Inspired by her father’s inability to read or write, country music icon Dolly started her Imagination Library in 1995 for children in her home county.
Today, her programme spans five countries and gifts over three million free books each month to children, regardless of the family’s income.
Last year, Dolly celebrated her 200 millionth book gifted milestone since inception, with over six million of those going to families in the UK.
The programme posts an age-appropriate book each month to children from birth to age five. The books are specially wrapped and addressed to the child and delivered, at no cost to the family. When children turn five, they receive a graduation book and a special letter to mark the end of the scheme.
The Little Hulton scheme will provide books for local children, with Salford City Council providing additional funding to run the scheme.
Councillor Jim Cammell, Lead Member for Children’s and Young People’s Services at Salford City Council, said: “It’s great news that we are able to launch another Dolly Parton Imagination Library in Salford. This will add to our work to improve educational outcomes and literacy for early years children in the city. This is particularly important as there continues to be a gap in Salford’s outcomes compared to 2019 pre-pandemic levels.
“We are committed to working in partnership with all our communities to ensure Salford is a great place, where children get the best start in life, and can learn and develop the skills they need to thrive. We have recently launched a gold standard literacy hub with the National Literacy Trust, and Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library will support the work of the hub by promoting reading from the early years of a child’s life.”
Meg Fletcher, Regional Director at The Dollywood Foundation from Dolly Parton Imagination Library, said: “We are delighted to be working in partnership with Salford City Council to reach even more children in the community. We’re building on a strong history of programmes in the city thanks to the tireless efforts of our champions and hope that families enjoy receiving the books each month!”
The council’s Starting Life Well service, which works with all early years settings and schools, and the 0 to 19 years team in Little Hulton will promote and support the programme.
Little Hulton Family Hub staff will be promoting the scheme and also using the books in their sessions with families.
The local library team in Little Hulton will also be supporting the programme, working with local families to promote literacy, and reading for pleasure more widely. There will be a set of books in each early years setting, school, the library and family hub as practical support for the project.
Currently there are seven Dolly Parton Imagination Libraries based within Salford, operated through various community organisations such as schools and charities.
Working towards Salford becoming a UNICEF Child-Friendly City is a priority in the council’s corporate plan, to ensure Salford is a great place for children and young people to grow up and feel safe, cared for, heard and have quality opportunities to play, learn and work. This will take the council on the next stage of its journey to improve education outcomes, support children to have positive and successful futures, and champion the voices and rights of children and young people in the city.
Salford is the 18th most deprived area in the country. Figures from 2022 and 2023 have shown that children’s starting points from early years have been below national average and by the time the children leave primary school Key Stage 2 outcomes are below national levels.
The Dollywood Foundation UK reports there are more than 680 children currently registered in Salford. Since 2013 2,000 children have been impacted by the programme and over 36,500 books sent to children in Salford. The enrolment does not involve means testing, all children in the area can be enrolled and receive the same books regardless of background.
Families with babies born in Little Hulton in 2024 or 2025 can enrol by emailing West.Locality@salford.gov.uk for more information.
Source: Government of the Russian Federation – An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
Deputy Prime Minister and Presidential Plenipotentiary Representative in the Far Eastern Federal District Yuri Trutnev met in Kursk Oblast with a team of volunteers – employees of the Far Eastern Federal District Plenipotentiary Representative’s office, the Ministry for the Development of the Russian Far East, the Far East and Arctic Development Corporation, as well as with soldiers of the 155th Guards Marine Brigade.
“Kursk is a special territory. Part of our Russian land, the Kursk region, has been captured by enemies – Ukrainian Nazis and foreign mercenaries. Today, our Motherland is being defended by the fighters of the already legendary 155th Guards Marine Brigade and our colleagues, volunteer civil servants. It is very important for all of us that everything that the fighters on the front line need to protect and liberate the territory of the Kursk region is delivered to them immediately after receiving the request. We are bringing everything and doing this together with the Russian Ministry of Defense and thousands of caring citizens of the country,” said Yuri Trutnev.
On the instructions of Yuri Trutnev, another batch of weapons, uniforms, and vehicles were delivered to commanders and servicemen of the Russian army at the front line in the special military operation zone.
“Our fighters need common support. The contribution of all those who remain in the rear to our common victory. Some deliver humanitarian aid and equipment to the front line, others restore the territories of new regions, and others volunteer to help the families of those who fight on the front line. I will say honestly, today we are preparing another, already the fourth group of volunteers. The future of our Russia depends on every personal contribution,” emphasized Yuri Trutnev.
Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.
Minister Loewen will attend the Jagd and Hund Show in Dortmund, Germany from Jan. 28 to Feb. 2.
While in Germany, Minister Loewen and his team will connect with outdoor enthusiasts from around the world and promote the upcoming auction of Minister’s Special Licences for elk, mule deer, moose, pronghorn, cougar, whitetail deer and wild turkey.
The auction will take place in Salt Lake City, Utah from Feb. 15 to 16. Funds raised from the auction will be used within Alberta for conservation initiatives and the management of big game species.
The recipients of the Minister’s Special Licence will be eligible to hunt year-round for one animal of the species associated with their tag from a Wildlife Management Area that has an existing hunting season for the species.
“Alberta is a breathtaking destination for any outdoor enthusiast looking to enjoy hunting, angling or countless other recreation opportunities. I’m excited to promote our province as a ‘must-see’ destination for nature-based recreation.”
Minister will be joined by two government staff. Mission expenses will be posted on the travel and expense disclosure page.
Itinerary for Minister Loewen
Jan. 28
Travel to Dortmund, Germany.
Jan. 28 – Feb. 1
Attend the Jagd und Hund Show.
Meetings with international outdoor enthusiasts and European wildlife management agencies.
Feb. 2
Return to Alberta.
*Subject to change.
Quick facts
The Minister’s Special Licence was created in 1995 and offers a unique opportunity each year for non-resident and resident hunters, via auction and raffle, to hunt certain game species with enhanced season lengths and an expanded hunting area.
Eight Minister’s Special Licences will be sold at auction in 2025, each valid for a different game species.
Holders of a Minister’s Special Licence are allowed to hunt year-round for the species associated with their tag. Harvest must occur from a Wildlife Management Area that has an existing hunting season for that species.
Last year, more than $1.2 million was raised by the Minister’s Special License program, supporting conservation projects in Alberta.
The holder of the Minister’s Special Licence is required to follow all applicable legislation, regulations, and municipal by-laws – including weapons use restrictions.
The Government of Saskatchewan, in collaboration with the Saskatchewan Literacy Network (SLN) and Family Literacy Hubs, is pleased to proclaim January 27, 2025, as Family Literacy Day and January 25 to 31, 2025, as Family Literacy Week. This annual initiative highlights the importance of literacy in everyday family life.
“Family literacy is fundamental to developing strong language and communication skills in our children and helps increase the quality of life and success in education,” Education Minister Everett Hindley said. “This week provides an opportunity for families to explore the many ways literacy can be incorporated into daily activities.”
In 2024-25, the government has allocated more than $1.1 million for literacy initiatives, which includes $593,000 to support family literacy programming for nine Family Literacy Hubs around the province. The hubs work to raise literacy levels by increasing public awareness of family literacy and developing sustainable and quality family literacy programs together with community organizations.
In celebration of Family Literacy Week, the Government of Saskatchewan is pleased to support Family Literacy Hubs across the province with this year’s selected book, “Fox and Bear” by Saskatchewan author and artist Miriam Körner. The book follows fox and bear as they explore their connection to the forest, aligning with this year’s national theme for Literacy Week, “Learn to be Green, Together.”
Gravelbourg-based Collège Mathieu will again provide province-wide French language family literacy programming and resources related to the 2025 theme of “Apprendre à être vert, ensemble” using the book, “La mélodie des petits fruits” by author and artist Michaela Goade. The book portrays a girl and her grandmother gathering gifts from the earth. For more information, please contact Mamady Camara at Collège Mathieu at education.saskatoon@collegemathieu.sk.ca.
Regional Family Literacy Hubs and their partners have also organized events during Family Literacy Week. To find the Hub in your area, please visit: www.saskatchewan.ca/residents/education-and-learning/literacy-in-saskatchewan.
“Family Literacy Day and Family Literacy Week are wonderful reminders that learning happens everywhere: in the kitchen, at the park, or when sorting recycling,” SLN Executive Director Phaedra Hitchings said. “As families, we build skills and create special moments together when we create tasty recipes from leftovers, explore nature, or find new ways to reuse materials. This year’s theme is a fun way to connect literacy with our everyday eco-friendly choices.”
Family Literacy Week activities are designed to encourage playful and age-appropriate learning. The Ministry of Education encourages families to participate and make literacy part of their everyday lives.
More information about Family Literacy Day, family literacy resources and literacy initiatives in Saskatchewan can be found on the SLN website at www.saskliteracy.ca/familyliteracyday.
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WASHINGTON —The Department of Veterans Affairs announced today that it has completed its initial implementation of President Trump’s Executive Order to end DEI within the federal government.
To date, VA has placed nearly 60 employees who had been solely focused on diversity, equity and inclusion activities on paid administrative leave. The combined annual salary (base pay, locality pay and additional earnings) of these employees totals more than $8 million, an average of more than $136,000/year per employee. One such employee is making more than $220,000 per year.
Additionally, VA has identified several contracts for DEI-related trainings, materials and other consulting services, which the department is currently working to cancel. The combined value of these contracts totals more than $6.1 million.
In the coming weeks and months, VA will be working to reallocate these resources to better support the Veterans, families, caregivers, and survivors the department exists to serve.
VA is also in the process of taking down a variety of DEI-related media from its various digital properties.
“Under President Trump, VA is laser-focused on providing the best possible care and benefits to Veterans, their families, caregivers, and survivors. We are proud to have abandoned the divisive DEI policies of the past and pivot back to VA’s core mission. We look forward to reallocating the millions of dollars the department was spending on DEI programs and personnel to better serve the men and women who have bravely served our nation,” said VA Director of Media Affairs Morgan Ackley.
Reporters and media outlets with questions or comments should contact the Office of Media Relations at vapublicaffairs@va.gov
Veterans with questions about their health care and benefits (including GI Bill). Questions, updates and documents can be submitted online.
Contact us online through Ask VA
Veterans can also use our chatbot to get information about VA benefits and services. The chatbot won’t connect you with a person, but it can show you where to go on VA.gov to find answers to some common questions.
Learn about our chatbot and ask a question
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The Piikani Nation has made history by launching Alberta’s first-ever Citizens on Patrol (ACOPA) chapter on a First Nation in partnership with the Alberta RCMP. The Piikani ACOPA chapter officially began in October of 2024, with its first patrol taking place on Halloween night.
Citizens on Patrol is a volunteer-based initiative that mobilizes local residents to work in cooperation with law enforcement, serving as the eyes and ears of their community to enhance safety and reduce crime.
The Alberta RCMP has long valued community partnerships like Citizens on Patrol, whose efforts bring community members together to support frontline officers by providing local knowledge and fostering a united approach to public safety.
“This is a big deal for us and a major step forward in crime prevention,” S/Sgt. Vince Bacon of the Piikani RCMP Detachment says. “Citizens on Patrol has been wonderful in making this happen, even allowing us to adjust the ACOPA logo to reflect First Nations representation. This milestone represents a step in the right direction for collaboration and communication between the Piikani Nation and our detachment.”
Citizens on Patrol members are trained volunteers who conduct community patrols in pairs, using their own vehicles, to observe and report suspicious activity to local law enforcement. These volunteers possess a deep knowledge of their community, which allows them to identify unusual or criminal activity more effectively. Currently, there are 44 ACOPA chapters across Alberta, with Piikani being the latest addition. “When Staff Sgt. Bacon and I first discussed this initiative, I knew it would be a challenge,” says Kimberly Hurst, ACOPA President “But when like-minded people work toward a common goal, they can achieve amazing things.”
With seven members already trained and operational, the Piikani ACOPA chapter is looking to expand its roster and increase the frequency of patrols.
“We received a grant to cover brochures, jackets, and shirts, but funding is needed to sustain and grow the program,” says Hurst. “We’re hoping to secure support to cover fuel costs for patrols and a cell phone for the group to stay connected during operations. Data and fuel costs shouldn’t be barriers to keeping a community safe, especially when you have motivated people willing to step up.”
Hurst and S/Sgt. Bacon believe that the Piikani ACOPA chapter stands as an inspiring example for other communities on the power of communication and community spirit in breaking down barriers and creating lasting change.
“If you care about your community, you can make a difference,” says Hurst. “ACOPA isn’t just about patrolling; it’s about empowering individuals to take their community back and create a safer future. I truly do believe one person can make a difference.”
For more information about Citizens on Patrol or to get involved, visitwww.acopa.caor visit the Alberta RCMP onFacebook @RCMPinAlberta and on X @RCMPAlberta.
A man is in custody after being arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving following a collision in Northolt.
An investigation has been launched and officers are appealing for witnesses and information.
At around 04:40hrs a BMW came to the notice of a patrolling police car due to the alleged speed at which it was traveling.
A short time later the BMW was involved in a collision with another vehicle, a Ford Focus, being driven by a member of the public in Ruislip Road.
London Ambulance Service and London Fire Brigade were called and attended.
Sadly the driver of the Ford Focus, a man aged 47, died at the scene. His next of kin have been informed and are being supported.
Two men in the BMW, a driver and a passenger, both aged 25, were arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving. They were taken to hospital, and their conditions are not life-threatening. The passenger has since been released with no further action.
The investigation is being led by detectives from the Serious Collision Investigation Unit who are working to establish what happened.
They would like to hear from anyone in the area who might have caught dash cam footage of the incident, or in the time leading up to it.
Please call 101 or post @MetCC quoting reference ref CAD 777/27Jan,
To remain 100 per cent anonymous contact the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
St Albans Mayor Councillor Jamie Day hosted an annual service to commemorate victims of the Holocaust and other genocides.
The civic event took place on Sunday 26 January at St Albans Masorti Synagogue on the eve of Holocaust Memorial Day
It was an occasion to remember the six million Jews murdered during the Holocaust, the millions of other persecuted people killed by the Nazis and later genocides in Cambodia, Rwanda and elsewhere.
Local rabbis participated in the programme which featured moving stories about Holocaust survivors, including from Auschwitz survivor Kitty Hart-Moxon.
The High Sheriff of Hertfordshire, Annie Brewster, and St Albans MP, Daisy Cooper, both read eyewitness testimonies while the Lord Lieutenant of Hertfordshire, Robert Voss, made a moving address.
Two Year 13 pupils from Roundwood Park School in Harpenden talked about what they have learned from studying the Holocaust, and from participating in the Holocaust Educational Trust’s Lessons from Auschwitz programme.
There was music including a violin solo and a string quartet along with a performance of a song written by Viktor Ullmann.
Towards the end of the service, a candle was lit by the Lord Lieutenant in memory of those who perished in the Holocaust and other genocides, followed by a minute’s silence.
Holocaust Memorial Day falls every year on 27 January, the date of the liberation of the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp. This year marked the 80th anniversary of the event in 1945.
The theme of this year’s Holocaust Memorial Day is the importance of remembering and learning from the Holocaust and more recent genocides For A Better Future.
Cllr Day, Mayor of St Albans City and District, said:
Our commemoration service was one of many thousands held around the world.
It was a very moving and emotional experience and I thank everyone who took part in this important occasion.
It was great to see our community stand together and honour the millions of people who lost their lives, showing their opposition to prejudice and hatred.
Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime News
WASHINGTON – Robbie Terrell Clark, 27, of Washington D.C., was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 108 months in federal prison for his role in the September 2022 kidnapping and robbery of a pair of victims in Alexandria, Virginia.
The sentence was announced by U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin Jr. for the District of Columbia and FBI Special Agent in Charge Sean Ryan of the Washington Field Office Criminal and Cyber Division.
Clark pleaded guilty on May 21, 2024, before U.S. District Court Judge Amy Berman Jackson, to one count of conspiracy to commit kidnapping. In addition to the 108-month prison-term, Judge Berman Jackson ordered Clark to serve four years of supervised release.
According to court documents, Clark and his co-conspirators stalked their intended victims before kidnapping and robbing them at gunpoint inside their Alexandria, Virginia apartment building. On September 2, 2022, the co-conspirators planted a GPS tracking device on one of the victim’s Mercedes, which they used to monitor the victims’ locations.
On September 3, 2022, the victims attended a family gathering in Maryland. Seizing the opportunity to catch their victims unaware, Clark and his co-conspirators traveled from Washington, D.C. to Virginia in a stolen white Kia and to the victim’s home, where they laid in wait, armed with guns and carrying zip ties. Clark and his co-conspirators were wearing dark clothing, masks, and latex gloves.
When the victims returned home later that night, Clark and his co-conspirators ambushed them in their parking garage at gunpoint, stealing two Audemars Piguet watches worth $120,000, another $63,500 worth of jewelry, other clothing, and the keys to a victim’s Mercedes.
After robbing them, and pistol-whipping them with their guns, Clark and the co-conspirators led the victim couple to one of the victim’s apartments. Inside, the co-conspirators continued to hold the victims at gunpoint and ransacked the residence, demanding money. The co-conspirators were unable to locate any money before a security alarm was triggered and the co-conspirators fled, leaving behind several plastic zip ties.
Clark and his co-conspirators fled the apartment building shortly before 2 a.m. on September 4, 2022, in the stolen white Kia and the victims’ Mercedes and returned to the District. Law enforcement found the stolen Mercedes hours later in Maryland with the GPS tracking device still attached. Following a lengthy investigation, Clark was identified as a participant and arrested on August 16, 2023, in Washington, D.C. He has been held since.
At the time of the incident, Clark had a felony conviction in Maryland for possessing a handgun in a vehicle.
Clark’s co-conspirator, Tyree McCombs, pleaded guilty on August 14, 2024, to conspiracy to interfere with interstate commerce by robbery in connection with this offense as well as to a separate kidnapping committed two months later. McCombs is awaiting sentencing.
This case was investigated by FBI Washington Field Office’s Violent Crimes Task Force. The Fairfax County Police Department assisted with the investigation. The matter is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles Jones for the District of Columbia.
MEDFORD, Ore.– Nicole Randall, 37, of Cedar Park, Texas pleaded guilty and was sentenced today to one year of probation for introducing an adulterated drug into interstate commerce.
According to court documents, between February 2020 and May 2022, Randall used fake names to smuggle GS-441524, a drug that had not been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for human or animal consumption, into the United States disguised as facial masks, pet shampoo, beauty products, and cosmetics.
Despite having no veterinary or prescriber licenses, Randall and others used the Facebook group “FIP Warriors 5.0” to defraud and mislead customers by diagnosing their cats and kittens with feline infectious peritonitis (FIP), a viral disease affecting cats, and prescribing GS-441524 for the animals’ consumption.
In August 2021, an agent joined FIP Warriors 5.0 and submitted photographs of a cat. The healthy cat, recently examined by a licensed veterinarian, was misdiagnosed with FIP and prescribed GS-441524. Randall then instructed payment for the unapproved drugs using Paypal, Zelle, or CashApp without mentioning cat medicine, vials, pills, or brand names in the payment note.
In July 2022, agents executed a federal search warrant at Randall’s residence in Cedar Park, Texas and seized approximately 30 boxes of glass vials containing the adulterated drug. Investigators discovered that between July 2020 and June 2022, Randall distributed 58,460 liquid vials and 236,836 pills of GS-441524.
On June 4, 2024, Randall was charged by criminal information with introducing an adulterated drug into interstate commerce.
Randall’s scheme was highly profitable. As part of the plea agreement, Randall agreed to forfeit four real properties, ten financial accounts, and a Tesla, worth roughly $4 million combined and traceable to her proceeds from smuggling and distributing the unapproved drugs.
This case was investigated by the FDA. It was prosecuted by John C. Brassell and Katherine C. de Villiers, Assistant U.S. Attorneys for the District of Oregon.
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
Artefacts from a Celtic chariot found at RAF Valley have been officially declared treasure.
Horse bridle-bit from c60AD found at RAF Valley. Copyright: Photography by Harvey Mills.
2,000-year-old Iron Age artefacts declared national treasure
Historic finds discovered by military personnel and veterans
Treasures from RAF Valley will now be gifted to the Museum of Wales
Long-lost Iron Age artefacts discovered by military personnel and veterans have been declared as treasure.
Parts of a Celtic chariot, thought to be around 2,000 years old, were discovered underneath the airfield at RAF Valley in Anglesey during an excavation by military personnel and veterans.
The Senior Coroner for North Wales (West) has now declared these discoveries as treasure. They will now be gifted to Amgueddfa Cymru – Museum Wales, which is home to several items from the initial Llyn Cerrig Bach hoard.
The archaeological excavations took place in April 2024 and were led by the Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO). The investigation also included personnel and veterans from Operation Nightingale, a DIO initiative which supports the health and wellbeing of military personnel and veterans.
Minister for Veterans and People Alistair Carns DSO OBE MC MP said:
Operation Nightingale is an innovative and award-winning programme that consistently shows the benefits that archaeology can offer to military personnel and veterans.
Congratulations to those who carried out the excavation and made this exciting discovery. Through their hard work, we are uncovering and preserving our history for future generations.
The scheme sees injured and sick personnel and veterans taking part in archaeological investigations across the defence estate, providing unique experiences within the field. The finds are believed to form part of the famed Llyn Cerrig Bach hoard, originally uncovered in the 1940s during work to extend the airfield at RAF Valley for American bombers during the Allied war effort. The hoard is one of the most important collections of Iron Age artefacts discovered in the UK, comprising over 150 bronze and iron objects deposited between 300BC and 100AD.
Among the new finds was a terret ring which would have been used to guide the reins of a Celtic chariot, featuring a red decorative inlay. The ring, found by retired RAF Squadron Leader David Ulke, is one of just 3 found with this particular decoration in Wales. A horse bridle-bit thought to date to c60AD was also found by serving RAF Flight Sergeant Graham Moore. Similar to those from the Polden Hill hoard found in Somerset, the bridle-bit would have been worn by horses pulling Iron Age chariots.
DIO’s Senior Archaeologist, Richard Osgood, said:
These finds at RAF Valley are extremely exciting for all involved; the Llyn Cerrig Bach hoard is of national importance for Wales, and the United Kingdom as a whole. These new discoveries have confirmed the suspicions of earlier archaeologists that there was more to be found from this particular hoard.
It’s great that the personnel and veterans who take part in Operation Nightingale continue to be rewarded with finds of such historical importance. I am proud that the initiative plays a part in supporting personnel and veterans in their recovery and it’s fantastic to see the wonderful impact of this project.
The Operation Nightingale team was given special permissions to carry out the excavation by RAF Valley ahead of refurbishment works on the site’s airfield. Construction for these improvements began in September 2024.
Sqn Ldr (Ret’d) David Ulke, finder of the terret ring, said:
We’d been briefed on the sort of things we could expect to find, so when I uncovered the piece, I was pretty sure it was an Iron Age terret ring. To say I was the over the moon is probably an understatement! I’ve been involved in archaeology for many years and this was by far the most significant recovery I have ever made.
The fact that Operation Nightingale can bring together service personnel through archaeological digs shows how healing and helpful archaeology can be. It’s by no means a silver bullet, but many have benefitted, and I for one am one of those grateful beneficiaries.
Flt Sgt Graham Moore, finder of the bridle-bit, said:
The search for the lost hoard was hard work and we had a huge area to cover. It wasn’t until the final day – with just 10 minutes to go – that I discovered the horse bridle-bit. At first the team thought I was joking, but quickly realised I’d found something special. Words could not explain how I felt in that moment, but it was a wonderful experience.
I’ve been involved in lots of Operation Nightingale digs now, and the experience truly is priceless for the veterans and service personnel taking part.
Station Commander at RAF Valley, Group Captain Gez Currie OBE, said:
It is incredible that we are again reminded of the significance of the site on the doorstep of RAF Valley and the importance it has in Welsh history. It was the preparation of RAF Valley in the 1940s to help prevent invasion, that brought to light the significance of this location and its links to an earlier invasion by the Romans.
The importance of RAF Valley to UK Defence today is beyond question, but this is a reminder that we are part of a continuum spanning over 2,000 years and we must be responsible stewards of this land. We are immensely proud to be part of efforts to discover and conserve these important artefacts from Welsh history and equally delighted that our own service personnel have been so intimately involved in these efforts.
Senior Curator of Prehistory at Amgueddfa Cymru – Museum Wales, Adam Gwilt, said:
It is amazing to think that these 2,000 year old artefacts have remained so complete and well-preserved within a shallow peat deposit, previously moved and dragged onto the airfield over 80 years ago from a nearby ancient lake! The bridle-bit and terret are both of styles which are not represented amongst the original collection. They add important new information on the religious gifting of prized objects into the lake at the end of the Iron Age, a little before, or at around the time when the Roman Army invaded Anglesey.
It is great that these artefacts will be made accessible for display and public benefit at Oriel Môn. I look forward to working collaboratively in coming years with the museum, the heritage centre at RAF Valley and the Operation Nightingale team, so this great story can be celebrated and shared by all.
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
Scientists comment on the first human case of Avian flu detected in the UK, as announced by UKHSA.
Dr Alastair Ward, Associate Professor of Biodiversity and Ecosystem; Programme Lead for Zoology, University of Leeds, said:
How likely is it that the virus has or will spread human-to-human from this case?
“Highly unlikely. The person infected with H5N1 was asymptomatic. Their contacts have been traced and all have tested negative. Very specific genetic changes are required for avian influenzas to become transmissible among humans, and these changes are not present in the viruses isolated in this case.
What could be done to prevent future cases of H5N1?
“Adherence to biosecurity best practice, including the use of PPE and disinfection when handing poultry or material that may have been contaminated by them, may limit transmission of H5N1 from infected poultry to humans. Reporting of symptoms observed within a poultry flock to the Animal and Plant Health Agency, and subsequent statutory testing and control measures are critical for preventing further spread among birds, as they have been in this case.
How worried should we be about this? How does the risk of contracting bird flu differ between people working in close contact with birds versus the general public?
“The UKHSA and APHA have avian influenzas under ongoing surveillance. We know what the genetic changes are that make the viruses more likely to jump to humans and to transmit between humans, and they have not been detected in the UK. Risks to the general public likely remain very low. Risks to people who work in close contact with birds, particularly ducks, geese, swans, chickens and turkeys are greater, but can be reduced by implementing biosecurity best-practice, including use of PPE and disinfection when making contact with birds or material that has been contaminated by them.
Any other information should readers know about the situation?
“This was an isolated case involving a man in his early 80s and who kept a large flock of Muscovy ducks in a domestic setting. The man has isolated since his diagnosis and has been administered a course of antiviral medication as a precautionary measure. His contacts have been traced and tested negative. 19 of the 20 ducks tested were positive for H5N1 and so the flock was culled. These statutory measures seem to have been successful in preventing further spread among birds and to humans.”
Prof Andrew Preston from the Milner Centre of Evolution, and Department of Life Sciences at the University of Bath, said:
“This announcement will rightly provoke concern. The evolution of an influenza virus derived from a high pathogenicity avian influenza clone to one that is adapted to human-to-human spread is one of the most feared infectious disease threats we face. Thankfully, this is yet to happen during the current, prolonged H5N1 outbreak. This case appears to result from high levels of exposure of the individual to the virus due to their workplace contact with infected birds, a known risk factor for contracting the virus. The swift response that include tracing contacts of the individual and their monitoring and prophylactic treatment, is key to minimising any small chance of virus being passed from human to another human host.
“However, this case highlights the continued threat posed by these avian viruses. The mixing of infected birds and other species is the major risk factor for adaptation of the virus to new host species and high vigilance for instances of this is essential to containing any possible onward transmission.”
Professor Wendy Barclay, Regius Professor of Infectious Disease at Imperial College London, said:
“Since the number of cases of H5N1 in poultry premises has increased again this winter, this is not unexpected.
“It’s important to remember that bird flu does not transmit readily between people without several simultaneous adaptive mutations in different genes.
“Genetic sequencing would confirm if this has happened, but with just one individual case, it is highly unlikely.”
Declared interests
Dr Alastair Ward I am a member of the FluMAP and Flu:TrailMAP consortia: multi-disciplinary groups of scientists funded by UKRI and Defra to better understand the ongoing H5N1 panzootic and how to better control it.
Prof Andrew Preston I have received research funding from several companies that make vaccines, but not for any work related to influenza.
For all other experts, no reply to our request for DOIs was received.
Premier David Eby has issued the following statement marking International Holocaust Remembrance Day:
“On this sombre day, we honour the memory of the more than six million Jews murdered during the Holocaust. We remember the many others persecuted by the Nazis because of their race, creed, religion, politics, sexual identity and perceived disability. This day is also a time to honour survivors and the people killed who were trying to defend those targeted by this poisonous ideology.
“Today marks the 80th anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp, an event that showed a disbelieving world the monstrosity of mass murder, systemic starvation and other horrors inflicted on Jews across Europe.
“The number of survivors and witnesses lessens with each passing year, making it ever more important to listen to and learn from those who know too well what it means to confront evil. What must never be lost in the dizzying number is that each was an individual life cruelly extinguished.
“Our government is working with the Jewish community in British Columbia to ensure all high school students in the province learn about the Holocaust as part of their education about injustices and discriminatory practices in Canada and around the world.
“The terrorist attacks that killed more than 1,200 Israeli citizens in 2023 has been followed by a global increase in antisemitic acts, including here in our province. We must always confront and oppose such acts if we are to fulfil the solemn pledge of ‘Never again.’ Today and every day, we stand with the Jewish community.”
The Immigration Department today presented a review of its work in 2024, covering passenger traffic at control points and law enforcement, among other things.
The department highlighted that a total of around 298 million passengers passed through Hong Kong’s control points in 2024, representing an increase of about 41% over 2023 and a return to the 300 million level in 2019.
During the year, the total number of visitor arrivals was around 44.5 million, constituting an increase of about 31% when compared with 2023.
Meanwhile, the department conducted a total of 13,664 related inspection operations at various immigration control points and intercepted 32,551 passengers for enquiries.
In 2024, the department determined over 2,700 non-refoulement claims. As at the end of last year, there were about 850 claims pending screening.
Looking ahead, to enhance clearance efficiency, the department said that it will adjust the applicable age of the e-Channel service for Hong Kong permanent residents from the first quarter of this year onwards so that children aged seven or above holding a valid Hong Kong Special Administrative Region passport and a Hong Kong permanent identity card can undergo self-service immigration clearance with a smart identity card using facial recognition technology at e-Channels.
The department also plans to introduce the new e-Channel at the Hong Kong International Airport’s arrival hall in the third quarter of this year, which will enable eligible Hong Kong residents to experience hassle-free self-service immigration clearance through verification of identity by facial recognition technology at the new e-Channel upon arrival.
Additionally, the department fully supports the 15th National Games, the 12th National Games for Persons with Disabilities and the 9th National Special Olympic Games to be held this year, whereby special immigration lanes will be provided in the closed areas of designated control points on the Hong Kong side to provide faster and more convenient clearance services for athletes from the Mainland and Macau.
Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime Alerts (b)
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Kansas, man has been sentenced in federal court for his role in a conspiracy to distribute fentanyl.
Alonso Alfredo Nunez, also known as “Bullet,” 20, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Greg Kays on Thursday, Jan. 23, to 15 years in federal prison without parole.
On April 10, 2024, Nunez pleaded guilty to participating in a conspiracy to distribute fentanyl. Nunez admitted that he and co-defendant Jaloany Garcia-Medina, also known as “J. Lo,” 22, of Kansas City, Kan., working together, sold fentanyl on multiple occasions to a confidential informant working for the Jackson County Drug Task Force.
Nunez and Garcia-Medina sold approximately 1,000 fentanyl pills to a confidential informant on each of six separate occasions during the six months of the conspiracy from July 25 to Dec. 18, 2022. A different FBI confidential source reported that Nunez was supplied 200 to 500 fentanyl-laced pills weekly from July 2022 through December 2022.
Garcia-Medina has pleaded guilty to her role in the drug-trafficking conspiracy and awaits sentencing.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Trey Alford. It was investigated by the Jackson County Drug Task Force and the FBI.
Source: United States Senator Ted Budd (R-North Carolina)
Washington, D.C. — Senators Ted Budd (R-NC) and Cynthia Lummis (R-WY) have reintroduced the Full Responsibility and Expedited Enforcement (FREE) Act.
The legislation would introduce a ‘permit by rule’ system to the federal permitting process, which would allow an applicant to certify compliance with pre-established criteria to obtain a permit.
This approach allows permits to be automatically approved unless the agency identifies that an applicant had not made proper certifications within a specified period of time.
Senators Thom Tillis (R-NC), Pete Ricketts (R-NE), Rick Scott (R-FL) and Tim Sheehy (R-MT) also co-sponsored the legislation.
Representative Celeste Maloy (R-UT) introduced the companion bill in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Senator Budd said in a statement:
“All too often, the federal permitting process is slow, expensive, and confusing. That is why President Trump directed federal agencies to consider a ‘permit by rule’ system in his day one Unleashing American Energy Executive Order. Now Congress should make this policy permanent to reduce bureaucratic delays and compliance costs, and create a transparent and predictable regulatory environment. I’m proud to partner with Senator Lummis and Representative Maloy in this effort to implement a ‘permit by rule’ system to federal permitting.”
Senator Lummis said:
“Under four years of the Biden administration’s failed leadership, our permitting process is woefully backlogged and incredibly difficult to navigate. The federal permitting process has become years-long, which discourages investment and innovation all together. Implementing permit by rule processes will streamline approvals and help us address backlogs.”
Background:
The FREE Act:
Requires each agency to evaluate their current permitting systems and consider the feasibility of replacing them with a permit by rule system.
Mandates agencies to submit a detailed report to Congress within 180 days, outlining each permit issued, the requirements for obtaining them, and an evaluation of whether a permit by rule could replace the current system.
Establishes a permit by rule application process within 12 months of submitting the report, specifying written requirements and substantive standards for permits.
Automatically approves permits if the application meets all required certifications and no objections are raised within 30 days.
Allows agencies to audit applications and enforce compliance with substantive standards, including denying or halting permits if standards are not met.
Enables applicants to appeal denied or halted permits in district court, with provisions favoring applicants who made a good faith effort to comply.
Prohibits agencies from entering settlement agreements that would undermine the enforcement of the FREE Act.
Source: United States Senator Ted Budd (R-North Carolina)
Washington, D.C. — Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) has named Senator Ted Budd (R-NC) to serve on the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, filling the seat previously held by now-Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
During the 119th Congress, Senator Budd will also serve on the Armed Services Committee, Commerce Committee, Small Business Committee, and the Joint Economic Committee.
Sen. Budd said in a statement:
“I am truly honored to serve on the Senate Intelligence Committee. The United States faces a complex global threat environment. Every day around the world, our intelligence community professionals risk their lives to collect foreign intelligence critical to our national security. At the same time, Americans are rightly concerned about abuses by, and politicization of, intelligence agencies. I am ready to join Chairman Cotton and my colleagues to ensure the intelligence community is focused on providing objective analysis to decision-makers, while protecting the privacy and civil liberties of Americans enshrined in our Constitution.”
Navy Medicine and Readiness Training Command (NMRTC) Rota is dedicated to fostering professional development and recruitment in military medicine.
The small overseas command, collocated with Naval Hospital Rota, offers training and shadowing opportunities for service members, enhancing retention and operational readiness in line with Navy Medicine’s strategic objectives. The training also supports those seeking career progression.
Because Naval Hospital Rota is a forward deployed shore command, many of its Sailors will be assigned to sea rotations or operational units after their tours. Preparing these Sailors to provide healthcare in a non-hospital setting, or as part of an expeditionary medicine (EEXMED) team, helps with skill sustainment, retention, and resiliency.
Capt. William Scouten, the hospital’s director and the NMRTC Commanding Officer, stressed the importance of training. “Training builds individual competence and high-functioning teams ready for rapid response. As we prepare for the most likely contingencies, teams validate lines of communication and reinforce command and control relationships that may become blurred during combat operations,” he said.
One such training opportunity includes candidates from within the Medical Enlisted Commissioning Program (MECP), with non-medical backgrounds, who partner with the hospital’s Emergency Department and Multiservice Wards to shadow nurses and receive mentorship.
Lt. Serena Yesenofski, Rota’s MECP Coordinator said, “This program offers a unique opportunity for junior Sailors to earn a nursing degree and a commission. We are committed to supporting their full potential in service to others.”
Additionally, officers in the Medical Service Corps (MSC) support the Medical Service Corps Interservice Procurement Program (MSC-IPP), which offers commissioning pathways and educational opportunities. “MSCs take pride in mentoring candidates who may one day serve alongside us,” said Cmdr. Aaron Eckard, Director for Administration. “This is how we invest and develop our future officers.”
NMRTC Rota has also hosted senior-year Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps (NROTC) Nurse Corps Midshipmen for immersive rotations, enhancing their readiness for future assignments.
“I am very excited that Rota has been able to offer this opportunity. NROTC is an incredible way of building leadership skills and truly helps prepare nurses for a successful career in the Navy,” said Cmdr. Jenny Paul, Director for Public Health Services.
Within the past year, Preventive Medicine Technicians have trained 28 junior Sailors, preparing them for operational roles, while new initiatives like a Hearing Conservation Technician course aim to bolster mission readiness.
NMRTC Rota engages in an ongoing professional development series and has recently initiated Thursday afternoon training evolutions to ensure enlisted, officer and civilian staff are provided dedicated time for knowledge, skill and ability training and contingency operation preparations.
During this training time the commands directorate and senior enlisted leaders leverage the expertise of the command and local clinical and administrative experts to provide lunch and learn and afternoon training sessions. These evolutions highlight changes in clinical practice guidelines, review capabilities, and provide staff hands-on clinical practice for new or war-time critical skills.
NMRTC Rota’s strategic location in the Iberian Peninsula makes it a critical asset in supporting global medical missions throughout Europe, Africa, and the Middle East, ensuring readiness and expertise for any contingency.
Navy Medicine – represented by more than 44,000 highly-trained military and civilian health care professionals – provides enduring expeditionary medical support to the warfighter on, below, and above the sea, and ashore.
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
The UK has sanctioned 9 individuals and defence sector entities in Belarus in coordination with Canada.
UK sanctions 6 individuals and 3 entities in coordinated action with alongside Canada, in an immediate response to rigged presidential election in Belarus.
Sanctions target leaders of institutions responsible for serious human rights violations and companies in the Belarusian defence sector supporting Russia’s war in Ukraine.
Action demonstrates Government’s commitment to working internationally to deter threats and protect national security, a foundation in the government’s Plan for Change.
The Chairman of the Belarusian Central Election Commission is among 9 individuals and entities designated by the UK today (Monday 27 January) in a fresh wave of sanctions in response to yesterday’s sham election in Belarus.
Following Lukashenko’s brutal crackdown in which critical voices within Belarus have been silenced, yesterday’s sham election failed to meet international standards and has been condemned by international partners .
Alongside sanctioning leaders of institutions responsible for serious human rights violations in the country, the UK has excluded Belarusian defence companies from the UK economy– a sector of strategic importance to Lukashenko’s regime which is helping to facilitate Russia’s war in Ukraine.
Working with international partners to protect UK national security is essential to deliver the foundations of the Prime Minister’s Plan for Change.
Foreign Secretary David Lammy said:
The world has become well-accustomed to Lukashenko’s cynical pretence of democracy in Belarus, while in reality he brutally represses civil society and opposition voices to strengthen his grip on power.
The UK, alongside our partners, will continue to stand by the people of Belarus and expose those who deny them their legitimate right to freedom and democracy.
According to the Viasna Human Rights Centre, a Belarusian non-governmental organisation in exile, over 1250 political prisoners are incarcerated in Belarus, including civil society representatives, human rights defenders, journalists, political opponents, religious leaders, and trade unionists. Many political prisoners are held in shocking conditions, facing isolation, mistreatment and a lack of medical care.
Today’s designations include Heads of ‘GUBOPiK’; one of the main security forces responsible for political persecution in Belarus. Individuals sanctioned today are:
Igor Vasilyevich KARPENKO – Chairman of the Belarusian Central Election Commission.
Viktor Alexandrovich DUBROVKA – Head of the Belarusian correctional institution Penal Colony No11, Vaukavysk
Pavel Ivanovich KAZAKOV – Head of the Belarusian correctional institution Prison No 1, Hrodno.
Andrey Mikhailovich TSEDRIK – Commanding Officer of Pre-trial Detention Centre (SIZO) No 1, Minsk.
Andrei Valerievich ANANENKO – Head of GUBOPiK.
Mikhail Petrovitch BEDUNKEVICH – Deputy Head of GUBOPiK.
Belarus has provided support for Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine, allowing the use of its territory and airspace to launch attacks and provided kit and logistical support.
The three entities from Belarus’ defence sector sanctioned today are:
ALEVKURP OJSC – a company affiliated to the Government of Belarus specialising in research and development and manufacturing of radar systems and weapon control systems.
Legmash Plant JSC – a Belarusian company producing ammunition for the Belarusian defence sector.
KB Unmanned Helicopters (UAVHeli) – a Belarusian unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) developer and manufacturer.
Enjoy the magic of the Ulster Orchestra right on your own doorstep
27 January 2025
Lift your spirits with a special concert celebrating all the joy and energy of music inspired by folk traditions when the Ulster Orchestra return to the Alley Theatre in Strabane on 7th February at 7.30pm.
Discover the magic of Bartók’s ‘Romanian Dances’, Bloch’s ‘From Jewish Life’, Vaughan Williams’s ‘5 Variants of Dives and Lazarus’, and movements from Dvořák’s ‘Legends Op.59’ and ‘Czech Suite’. Each piece draws on the composers’ deep connection to folk music, weaving traditional melodies into orchestral masterpieces. These concerts are a tribute to the enduring power of folk traditions to inspire and resonate through classical music.
The Ulster Orchestra will welcome Rolf Verbeek to conduct the performance, while their own Cello Section Leader Thomas Isaac performs as featured soloist.
The ‘On Your Doorstep’ regional concerts offer a unique opportunity for audiences across Northern Ireland to experience the richness of live orchestral music in their own communities. Don’t miss this joyous musical celebration that sees the full Ulster Orchestra onstage in the heart of Strabane.
For tickets and more information, please visit The Alley Theatre website: www.alley-theatre.com or call the Alley Theatre Box Office on 028 71 384444.
Following the decision made by Liverpool City Council to undertake a new procurement exercise for the selection of a development partner for the Festival Garden Project, the Council and Ion Property Developments Limited have reached a mutually acceptable agreement that recognises Ion’s previous contribution to the development of the Project.
The decision to undertake a new procurement is in no way a reflection on ION’s competency or ability to deliver but has been driven by the constraints of the land sale method that both parties, in good faith, pursued together.
The Council has recently gone out to market to seek a developer for this prime waterfront scheme, which has the backing of Homes England and Liverpool City Region Combined Authority and has already involved a massive remediation programme and the creation of Liverpool’s first public park of the century.
Liverpool City Council would like to thank Ion for all their work and wishes them well in their future endeavours.
Liverpool City Council is aiming to take significant steps in its efforts to create a more sustainable and people-centred approach to parking. Cllr Dan Barrington discusses why this is so important and how motorists can benefit themselves.
For many years now Liverpool, particularly the city centre, has been plagued by rogue and illegal car parking.
Irresponsible drivers have taken to mounting pavements and using space intended for pedestrians to park their vehicles. It’s only a small minority of drivers who do this, but the impact can be huge.
It’s a problem that causes unnecessary harm, difficulty and stress to others who are simply trying to use the pavements as they were intended.
Last week Liverpool City Council announced a new parking strategy, encouraging a shift away from car dependency and prioritizing active travel.
The plan aims to reduce the number of cars parked on pavements, making it safer and easier for residents and visitors to walk around our City.
Clearly there will be some residents from our communities who will want to continue to use their cars in the way they always have done – and those motorists will be able to do so, as long as they drive and park legally.
However, we know that we can improve so many residents lives by giving them a different option of getting from A to B.
The Council will be consulting with residents, businesses, and community groups to get feedback on the strategy before it is finalized.
This plan offers an important step towards creating a more sustainable and liveable city.
Pavement parking is a major problem for pedestrians, especially those with prams or wheelchairs. It can be dangerous for pedestrians and can also cause traffic congestion.
Liverpool City Council is committed to making the City a more pedestrian-friendly place. A city where people will have a choice of using the car, public transport, cycling or walking. The new parking strategy in combination with the Urban Mobility Strategy are two big steps in the right direction.
Dundee City Council Leader Cllr Mark Flynn has today thanked and praised workers for their response and continued efforts as the city recovers following Storm Éowyn.
Cllr Flynn is thanking all council staff, Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, Scottish Ambulance Service, NHS, Health & Social Care Partnership staff and all others involved in supporting Dundee communities.
The Met Office issued an amber weather warning for the area on Friday in which very strong winds caused a day of disruption across the city.
Council Leader Mark Flynn said: “I would like to send a big message of thanks on behalf of the city to all of the workers and emergency responders who were involved in the immediate wake of Storm Éowyn and the subsequent clean-up and response following Friday’s weather events.
“Working in such environments will have been tremendously challenging and I want to express the city’s gratitude for their efforts in supporting our communities throughout this extreme weather period.”
Council services responded to a number of issues caused by the storm.
Over Friday and Saturday, the council’s Building Standards service responded to 26 calls about dangerous buildings.
Seventy-five tree incidents have been recorded, with the vast majority inspected and made safe over the weekend.
Over 200 calls were received by the council housing line and construction services responded to all reports including storm-related repairs
Thousands of meals distributed across the city on behalf of the Dundee Health and Social Care Partnership
Involvement in multi-agency response to Gourlay Yard incident
Cllr Flynn added: “The city’s support services have worked jointly and incredibly well in order to continue providing vital services as well as maintain the safety of Dundee’s residents.
“Workers from the Council, Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, Scottish Ambulance Service, NHS, Health & Social Care Partnership, as well as volunteers, community groups and many more individuals help to make a real difference to the city’s resilience in the face of events such as Friday’s storm.
“I can’t speak highly enough of their efforts.”
For the latest updates on Council services following the storm, please visit our Storm Éowyn webpage.
Any further updates will also be posted on our social media channels, including Facebook and X.
Headline: 2 Days Left To Apply for FEMA Assistance Following Hurricane Helene in South Carolina
2 Days Left To Apply for FEMA Assistance Following Hurricane Helene in South Carolina
COLUMBIA, S.C. – FEMA is encouraging South Carolinians affected by Hurricane Helene to apply for federal disaster assistance as soon as possible. The deadline to apply is Jan. 28, just two days away.If you sustained losses or damage from Hurricane Helene, you should register for assistance even if you have insurance. FEMA cannot duplicate insurance payments, but underinsured applicants may receive help after their claims have been settled.Homeowners and renters in Abbeville, Aiken, Allendale, Anderson, Bamberg, Barnwell, Beaufort, Cherokee, Chester, Edgefield, Fairfield, Greenville, Greenwood, Hampton, Jasper, Kershaw, Laurens, Lexington, McCormick, Newberry, Oconee, Orangeburg, Pickens, Richland, Saluda, Spartanburg, Union and York counties and the Catawba Indian Nation can apply for federal assistance.The quickest way to apply is to go online to DisasterAssistance.gov. You can also visit a Disaster Recovery Center, or apply using the FEMA App for mobile devices or by calling toll-free 800-621-3362. The telephone line is open every day, and the help is available in many languages. If you use a relay service, such as Video Relay Service (VRS), captioned telephone or other service, give FEMA your number for that service. For a video with American Sign Language, voiceover and open captions about how to apply for FEMA assistance, select this link.FEMA programs are accessible to survivors with disabilities and others with access and functional needs. martyce.allenjr Mon, 01/27/2025 – 14:02
Detectives investigating a shooting in Edmonton are appealing for the public’s help to trace a suspect.
Police need to trace a 33-year-old man who is sought in connection with several serious offences including attempted murder and supplying drugs.
Callum Street-Porter is wanted after a firearm was discharged several times outside a bakery in Craig Park Road, Edmonton, at 14:55hrs on Wednesday, 28 September 2022.
There were no reported injuries.
Detective Constable Donna Deweltz, who is leading the investigation, said:
“We have followed up all existing lines of enquiry to trace Street-Porter and so are now asking for the public’s help.
“Street-Porter is described as around 5ft 9ins tall and of slim build, with dark hair.
“He has links to north London, particularly Edmonton and Romford, as well as Essex.
“We advise the public not to approach him – he is aware he is wanted.
“If you see him or know of his whereabouts, please contact police on 101 as soon as you can, quoting ref 4160/28Sept22.”
The tennis player said a formal diagnosis, after suicidal behaviour and severe panic attacks, “was a relief”. But “it also felt like a death sentence because it’s something that I have to live with my whole life”.
A diagnosis is often associated with therapeutic nihilism. This means it’s viewed as impossible to treat, and can leave clinicians and people with the condition in despair.
In fact, people with this disorder can and do recover with adequate support. Understanding it is caused by trauma is fundamental to effectively treat this complex and poorly understood mental illness.
A stigmatising diagnosis
The name “borderline personality disorder” is confusing and adds greatly to the stigma around it.
high impulsivity (leading to suicidal thoughts and behaviour, self-harm and other risky behaviours)
unstable or poor sense of self (including low self-esteem)
mood disturbances (including intense, inappropriate anger, episodic depression or mania)
problems in relationships.
People with the disorder greatly fear being abandoned and as a result, commonly have distressing difficulties in interpersonal relationships.
This creates a “push-pull” dynamic with loved ones, as people with borderline personality disorder seek closeness, but push away those they love to test the strength of the relationship.
For example, they may escalate a small issue into a major disagreement to see if the loved one will “stick with them” and reinforce their love.
Conversely, if a loved one appears distant or fed up – for example, is thinking about ending the relationship – the person with borderline personality disorder will make major efforts to “pull” them back. This might look like a flurry of messages, expressions of despair, or even suicidal behaviours.
People with borderline personality disorder greatly fear being abandoned, making relationship issues common. Drazen Zigic/Shutterstock
Women are much more likely to be diagnosed with it than men – but why this is so remains a major debate, with political and sociological factors playing a role in making psychiatric diagnoses. Symptoms usually begin in the mid to late teens.
While an initial response to receiving a diagnosis can be comforting for some, it is commonly seen as a chronic, relapsing condition, meaning symptoms can return after a period of improvement.
Borderline personality disorder can fluctuate in intensity and mimic other conditions such as major depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety disorders and psychosis.
Aiava has acknowledged the disorder is “mainly from childhood trauma”, although she has not given details about her specific experiences.
People with borderline personality disorder usually have complex post-traumatic stress disorder. But complex post-traumatic stress disorder doesn’t always result in a borderline personality disorder diagnosis.
Although the two disorders are not identical, they share many similarities, in particular that they are both caused by complex and repeated trauma.
They also face greater stigma, whereas the term “complex post-traumatic stress disorder” doesn’t carry the same negative connotations and focuses on the cause of the condition – trauma – rather than “personality”, leading to better treatment options.
The recognition of the major role of trauma in borderline personality disorder is an important step forward in treating the disorder. But because of the stigma associated with it, using the diagnosis of complex post-traumatic stress disorder maybe a better step forward in the future.
Can it be treated?
There are many effective psychological therapies and other treatments for people with borderline personality disorder or complex post-traumatic stress disorder.
For example, dialectical behavioural therapy is a type of cognitive therapy that helps people learn skills such as tolerating distress, managing relationships, regulating emotions and practising mindfulness.
The treatment of people with post-traumatic stress disorder, including victims of war and rape, has taught us a lot about how to treat complex, underlying trauma. For example, with trauma-focused psychological therapies.
Many people with borderline personality disorder who receive treatment and have supportive relationships are able to “outgrow” the condition. Others may need to continue to manage symptoms while pursuing a good quality of life.
Understanding what trauma does to the brain means newer, targeted medications can also be used.
For example, our research has shown how the brain’s glutamate system – the chemicals responsible for learning and making sense of one’s environment – is overactive in people with complex post-traumtic stress disorder. Medications that work on the glutumate system may therefore help alleviate borderline personality disorder symptoms.
Educating partners and families about borderline personality disorder, providing them support and co-designing crisis strategies are also important parts of total care. Preventing early life trauma is also critical.
If this article has raised issues for you, or if you’re concerned about someone you know, call Lifeline on 13 11 14.
Jayashri Kulkarni receives funding from the National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia and educational plus clinical trial grants from pharmaceutical companies that manufacture psychotropic medications.
Eveline Mu does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
This week Prince Harry achieved something few before him have: an admission of guilt and unlawful behaviour from the Murdoch media organisation. But he also fell short of his long-stated goal of holding the Murdochs to account in a public trial.
The Duke of Sussex, along with Tom Watson, the Labour MP who had led the charge against the Murdochs’ News Group Newspapers (NGN) in the United Kingdom during the 2011–12 phone hacking scandal, are the last to settle their claims against News over their privacy being invaded by phone hacking or through the use of private investigators.
They join a list of around 1,300 people, including celebrities such as Hugh Grant and Sienna Miller, who have already settled their claims against The Sun newspaper at an estimated cost to Rupert and Lachlan Murdoch’s company of more than £1 billion (almost A$2 billion).
This one is significant because unlike previous settlements, it came with an admission of wrongdoing and an apology, as well as the perfunctory wheelbarrow full of cash.
Until now, The Sun has simply refused to say sorry or admit liability. But that stance has become increasingly absurd.
As Grant posted on X last year when he settled his claim:
News Group are claiming they are entirely innocent of the things I had accused The Sun of doing. As is common with entirely innocent people, they are offering me an enormous sum of money to keep this matter out of court.
Prince Harry wrung from News considerably more. In a statement released after the case was settled on Wednesday morning in London, NGN said:
NGN offers a full and unequivocal apology to the Duke of Sussex for the serious intrusion by The Sun between 1996 and 2011 into his private life, including incidents of unlawful activities carried out by private investigators working for The Sun.
It went on:
NGN also offers a full and unequivocal apology to the Duke of Sussex for the phone hacking, surveillance and misuse of private information by journalists and private investigators instructed by them at the News of the World. NGN further apologises to the Duke for the impact on him of the extensive coverage and serious intrusion into his private life as well as the private life of Diana, Princess of Wales, his late mother, in particular during his younger years. We acknowledge and apologise for the distress caused to the Duke, and the damage inflicted on relationships, friendships and family, and have agreed to pay him substantial damages. It is also acknowledged, without any admission of illegality, that NGN’s response to the 2006 arrests and subsequent actions were regrettable.
Let’s break down what this is actually saying, and what it isn’t.
Carefully crafted wording
First, it is undoubtedly a significant admission that in pursuit of stories, The Sun engaged in unlawful activity. That is a big step up (or down, depending on your point of view) from previous settlement statements.
Note, though, it carefully pins the unlawful activity on private investigators working for The Sun rather than on journalists and, more importantly, editors. The word “incidents” is doing a lot of work here: “widespread” and “industrial-strength” come to mind as more appropriate.
Harry’s lawyer, David Sherborne, said immediately after the settlement was reached that “NGN unlawfully engaged more than 100 private investigators over at least 16 years on more than 35,000 occasions”.
He continued: “this happened as much at The Sun as it did at the News of the World with the knowledge of all the Editors and executives, going to the very top of the company.”
NGN’s statement, then, continues to assert phone hacking did not happen at The Sun but in a roundabout way, somehow, the newspaper benefited from it. Sort of.
Dancing to avoid perjury
The company has been engaged in this kind of casuistry ever since 2006 when it said the journalist and private investigator who were found guilty of phone hacking (Clive Goodman and Glen Mulcaire, respectively) were just two bad apples in an otherwise orchard-kissed media basket.
The hundreds of people who have received payments because their phones were hacked know this only too well, but there is an important reason NGN feels it still has to maintain this charade. To do otherwise would be an admission that it has perjured itself in courts and before inquiries.
The Murdochs’ company can hardly deny that journalists at the newspaper it was forced to close over phone hacking – The News of the World – were engaged in the practice. Several of them were jailed over it, most notably former editor Andy Coulson.
As one of Coulson’s former reporters, Dan Evans, testified at his editor’s trial in 2014, “even the office cat knew” phone hacking was happening at the newspaper.
The newspaper was closed, in large part, to try and persuade the public that the problem of unethical reporters was confined to that newspaper alone.
They weren’t expected to notice that months later, News set up a Sunday edition of The Sun that continues to be published.
The legal war continues
For Prince Harry, this has been a deeply personal campaign, especially as News has admitted seriously intruding into his private life since he was 12, and into his mother’s too, for many years.
NGN also acknowledged, without any admission of illegality, that its response to the 2006 arrests and its subsequent actions were “regrettable”. This is PR-speak for when you can’t bring yourself to actually apologise.
Harry’s lawyer went on the attack over these evasions and euphemisms:
there was an extensive conspiracy to cover up what really had been going on and who knew about it. Senior executives deliberately obstructed justice by deleting over 30 million emails, destroying back-up tapes, and making false denials – all in the face of an ongoing police investigation. They then repeatedly lied under oath to cover their tracks – both in Court and at the Leveson Public Inquiry.
Beneath the duelling statements, though, is the sense that this settlement, important though it is, may not be the end of the saga.
It seems clear those backing and advising Prince Harry see the settlement as an important step in pursuing criminal charges against NGN executives, as well as winning a personal apology from Rupert Murdoch himself.
Will that actually happen? We do know that in Murdoch’s long history in the media, apologies are vanishingly rare.
We also know that the second part of the Leveson inquiry was shelved by the former Conservative government. The recently elected Labour government has been under pressure from Hacked Off, the public interest group that has been advocating for victims of media intrusion and for reform of media laws ever since the phone hacking came to light in 2011.
Will Britain’s police and government build on NGN’s partial admissions and apologies? Will they investigate News executives, therefore fulfilling what was meant to occur in the second stage of the Leveson inquiry, whose terms of reference singled out News’s activities as a company?
Or will they take the cautious view that this rare settlement means justice has now been served and hope, like Murdoch and many of his senior executives, this long-running issue will now just quietly go away?
It is too early to tell. What we do know is that in recent years, the Murdochs’ once brilliant batting average has dropped like a stone. First, there was the historically high payout in the Dominion lawsuit, then the failed attempt to revoke an irrevocable trust that is tearing apart the family, and now the settlement with Prince Harry.
The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Elon Musk has emerged as one of the most influential and controversial powerbrokers in the new Trump administration. He spent at least US$277 million (about A$360 million) of his own money to help Donald Trump win re-election, campaigning alongside him around the country.
This significant investment of time and money raises the question of what the world’s wealthiest person hopes to receive in return. Critics have wondered whether Musk’s support for Trump is just a straightforward commercial transaction, with Musk expecting to receive political favours.
Or does it reflect Musk’s own genuinely held political views, and perhaps personal political ambition?
From left to alt-right
Decoding Musk’s political views and tracking how they have changed over time is a complex exercise. He’s hard to pin down, largely by design.
Musk’s current X feed, for example, is a bewildering mix of far-right conspiracy theories about immigration, clips of neoliberal economist Milton Friedman warning about the dangers of inflation, and advertisements for Tesla.
Historically, Musk professes to have been a left libertarian. He says he voted for Barack Obama in 2008 and 2012, Hillary Clinton in 2016 and Joe Biden in 2020.
Musk claims that over time, the Democratic party has moved further to the left, leaving him feeling closer politically to the Republican party.
Key to Musk’s political shift, at least by his own account, is his estrangement from his transgender daughter, Vivian Jenna Wilson.
After Vivian’s transition, Musk claimed she was “dead, killed by the woke mind virus”. She is very much alive.
He’s since repeatedly signalled his opposition to transgender rights and gender-affirming care, and diversity, equity and inclusion policies more broadly.
However, if the mere existence of a trans person in his family was enough to cause a political meltdown, Musk was clearly already on a trajectory towards far-right politics.
Rather than responding to a shift in the Democratic Party, it makes more sense to understand Musk’s changing politics as part of a much broader recent phenomenon known as as “the libertarian to alt-right pipeline”.
The political science, explained
Libertarianism has historically tended to be divided between left-wing and right-wing forms.
Left libertarians support economic policies of limited government, such as cutting taxes and social spending, and deregulation more broadly. This is combined with progressive social policies, such as marriage equality and drug decriminalisation.
By contrast, right libertarians support the same set of economic policies, but hold conservative social views, such as opposing abortion rights and celebrating patriotism.
Historically, the Libertarian Party in the United States adopted an awkward middle ground between the two poles.
The past decade, though, has seen the Libertarian Party, and libertarianism more generally, move strongly to the right. In particular, many libertarians have played leading roles in the alt-right movement.
The alt-right or “alternative right” refers to the recent resurgence of far-right political movements opposing multiculturalism, gender equality and diversity, and supporting white nationalism.
The alt-right is a very online movement, with its leading activists renowned for internet trolling and “edgelording” – that is, the posting of controversial and confronting content to deliberately stoke controversy and attract attention.
Though some libertarians have resisted the pull of the alt-right, many have been swept along the pipeline, including prominent leaders in the movement.
Making sense of Musk
While this discussion of theory may seem abstract, it helps to understand what Musk’s values are (beneath the chaotic tweets and Nazi salutes).
In economic terms, Musk remains a limited-government libertarian. He advocates cutting government spending, reducing taxes and repealing regulation – especially regulations that put limits on his businesses.
His formal role in the Trump administration as head of the “Department of Government Efficiency”, also known as DOGE, is targeted at these goals.
Musk has suggested that in cutting government spending, he will particularly target diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives. This is the alt-right influence on display.
Alt-right sensibilities are most evident, however, in Musk’s online persona.
On X, Musk has deliberately stoked controversy by boosting and engaging with white nationalists and racist conspiracy theories.
For example, he has favourably engaged with far-right politicians advocating for the antisemitic “Great Replacement theory”. This theory claims Jews are encouraging mass migration to the global north as part of a deliberate plot to eliminate the white race.
More recently, Musk has endorsed the far-right in Germany. He’s also shared videos from known white supremacists outlining the racist “Muslim grooming gangs” conspiracy theory in the United Kingdom.
Whether Musk actually believes these outlandish racist conspiracy theories is, in many ways, irrelevant.
Rather, Musk’s public statements are better understood as reflecting philosopher Harry Frankfurt’s famous definition of “bullshit”. For Frankfurt, “bullshit” refers to statements made to impress or provoke in which the speaker is simply not concerned with whether the statement is actually true.
Much of Musk’s online persona is part of a deliberate alt-right populist strategy to stoke controversy, upset “the left”, and then claim to be a persecuted victim when criticised.
Theory vs practice
Though Musk’s public statements might fit nicely into contemporary libertarianism, there are always contradictions when putting ideology into practice.
For example, despite Musk’s oft-stated preference for limited government, it’s well documented that his companies have received extensive subsidies and support from various governments.
Musk will expect this special treatment to continue under a quintessentially transactional president such as Trump.
The vexed issue of immigration also presents some contradictions.
Across the campaign, both Musk and Trump repeatedly criticised immigration to the US. Reprising the themes of the far-right Great Replacement theory, Musk claimed illegal immigration was a deliberate plot by Democrats to “replace” the existing electorate with “compliant illegals”.
However, after the election Musk has argued Trump should preserve categories of skilled migration such as the H1-B visas. This angered more explicit white supremacists, such as Trump advisor Laura Loomer.
Musk’s motives in arguing for the visas are not humanitarian. H1-B visas allow temporary workers to enter the country for up to six years, making them entirely dependent on the sponsoring company. It’s a situation some have called “indentured servitude”.
These visas have been used heavily in the technology sector, including in companies owned by both Musk and Trump.
An unsteady alliance
So what might we expect from Musk now that he has both political office and influence?
Musk’s stated aim of using DOGE to cut $2 trillion from the US budget would represent an unprecedented transformation of government. It also seems highly unlikely.
Instead, expect Musk to focus on creating controversy by cutting DEI initiatives and other politically sensitive programs, such as support for women’s reproductive rights.
Musk will clearly use his political influence to look after the interests of his companies. Shares in Tesla surged to record highs following Trump’s re-election, suggesting investors believe Musk will be a major financial beneficiary of the second Trump administration.
Finally, Musk will undoubtedly use his new position to remain in the public eye. This last part might lead Musk into conflict with another expert in shaping the media cycle – Trump himself.
Musk has already reportedly fallen out with Vivek Ramaswamy, who will now no longer co-lead DOGE with Musk.
Exactly how stable the alliance between Trump and Musk is, and whether the egos and interests of the two billionaires can continue to coexist, remains to be seen.
If the alliance persists, it will be a key factor in shaping what many are terming the emergence of a “new gilded age” of political corruption and soaring inequality.
Henry Maher does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.